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1. PA Dept. of Agriculture: Virus puts Doylestown Township horse farm under quarantine
By Adrian Sipes, staff writer
The Intelligencer
December 24, 2015
A Doylestown Township farm was placed under quarantine Wednesday following the death of three horses, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.
"They had developed severe neurological signs and reached a point where euthanasia was the only recourse," said Craig Shultz, the agency's director of the Bureau of Animal Health and Diagnostic Services.
The horses from Miles View Farm on Ferry Road were euthanized after contracting an aggressive neurological form of equine herpesvirus (EHV-1) that's called equine herpes myeloencephalopathy (EHM). The virus is does not pose a health hazard to humans, but the farm will remain under quarantine for a minimum of 21 days provided the remaining 40 horses on the farm do not demonstrate clinical signs of EHM. Additional testing for the virus will also be conducted as a condition of the quarantine.
"We're fully cooperating at the cooperation of all of our borders, and staff is observing all precautions and the investigation continues," said Douglas Raymond, who co-owns the farm.
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2. Michigan Poultry Exhibition and Swap Meet Ban Lifted
Michigan Dept. of Agriculture and Rural Development Press Release
December 23, 2015
LANSING - Today, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development lifted the statewide ban on poultry exhibitions. MDARD implemented the ban as a precautionary measure in June 2015 in response to the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza outbreak happening across the U.S.
MDARD evaluated the disease risk and current national status and decided it's appropriate to lift the ban on poultry exhibitions. MDARD continues to monitor the national HPAI situation and may reinstate the poultry exhibition ban if the disease re-emerges. Although not limited to the following situations, these are some specific situations in which MDARD would consider reinstating the ban:
* Detection of HPAI in a wild bird in the Mississippi flyway.
* Detection of HPAI in domestic flocks in states surrounding Michigan or nearby areas of Canada.
* Cases of HPAI in wild or domestic birds in other flyways, if the cases appear to be spreading.
The ban prevented the commingling of birds from different locations, including exhibitions, swap meets, petting zoos at fairs, game bird and waterfowl fair displays, and Miracle of Life exhibits. MDARD partnered with Michigan State University Extension 4-H, Michigan Association of Fairs and Exhibitions, and other partners to inform youth of the announcement and identify ways to engage Michigan's youth poultry exhibitors and allow them to showcase their knowledge and experience.
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3. Skunks blamed for increase in Kansas cattle with rabies
By The Associated Press
Salina Journal
December 26, 2015
HUTCHINSON - An increase in rabid skunks in Kansas is the likely reason why cattle have become the most common domestic animal diagnosed with rabies, a Kansas State University researcher says.
Gregg Hanzlicek, director of production animal field investigations for the university's Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, said 13 rabies cases in cattle were recorded this year, up from nine in 2014.
After having 69 positive rabies cases in animals last year - including four cats - a Kansas State diagnostic lab math shows that number nearly doubled in 2015, the Hutchinson News reported.
"Next year could be just as bad," Hanzlicek said.
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4. Governor will allow Yellowstone bison to roam in Montana near park border
By: Jay Kohn - MTN News
KRTV.com
December 23, 2015
BILLINGS - Montana Gov. Steve Bullock announced Tuesday that he has agreed to allow for the presence of bison year-round in Montana along the perimeter of Yellowstone National Park.
Bullock said his decision will allow bison around Yellowstone Park to be managed more like wildlife.
As a result, Bison will now be permitted to occupy suitable habitat in Montana outside of the park, but Bullock pointed out the population will be subject to seasonal limits on numbers.
"An adaptive approach to bison management means we look at how we are doing things, assess our effectiveness, and adapt accordingly," said Bullock. "This decision is a very modest expansion of the conditions under which bison may remain outside of the Park."
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5. Research continues on local elk hoof disease [WA]
By Al Thomas, Columbian Outdoors Reporter
The Columbian
December 24, 2015
A citizen science project in early 2015 has determined 48 percent of groups of elk in Southwest Washington contain at least one limping animal, presumably from hoof disease.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife implemented a survey between March and May using more than 200 trained volunteers, who drove 7,300 miles through 10 counties to monitor elk groups. Wildlife biologists also participated in some locations difficult for volunteers to reach.
Brooke George, hoof disease coordinator for the agency, told the Hoof Disease Public Working Group earlier this month that 283 elk groups were surveyed totaling about 2,600 animals.
The methodology and study design does not allow for determinations of hoof disease down to the level of individual elk, George said.
It was learned, however, that 51 percent of the groups in Clark, Cowlitz, Wahkiakum, Lewis, Skamania and Klickitat counties had at least one limping elk, and 42 percent in Pacific, Grays Harbor, Thurston and Shelton counties.
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6. Veterinary food-safety lab gets $1.89 million boost for toxicology testing
UC Davis News and Information
December 23, 2015
The California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, based at the University of California, Davis, has received a $1.89 million, five-year grant from the federal Food Emergency Response Network to support its food-safety efforts.
The new grant will increase the capacity of the lab's toxicology services to respond to contamination threats to the American food supply involving food animals and to carry out day-to-day diagnostic and early detection activities.
"Without the network's support, we could not provide many of the current analytical toxicology services that are vital to protecting the food supply and ensuring public health," said Robert Poppenga, a toxicologist at the UC Davis lab.
Poppenga notes that the toxicology lab is one of the busiest in the world and offers comprehensive, rapid and reliable diagnostic testing for contaminants that can affect animals and humans. It also provides analyses of suspected contaminated animal feeds and animal-based foods, which could prompt regulation to ensure a safe food supply.
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7. Supporting-Limb Laminitis Uncommon, Researchers Find
By Christa Lest�-Lasserre, MA
TheHorse.com
December 23, 2015
Supporting-limb laminitis (SLL) describes laminitis that develops in a foot opposite a lame leg. While the risk of SLL occurring is slight, recent study results show that it might be preventable in some cases.
In a large equine referral clinic in the United Kingdom, only 0.02% of horses considered at risk for SLL actually developed the disease, said Claire Wylie, PhD, MSc, BVM&S, veterinary epidemiologist at Rossdales Equine Hospital, in Newmarket. Her research was the first to accurately define the overall prevalence of SLL in a hospitalized equine population. And interestingly, she said, not all of the SLL-afflicted horses had non-weight-bearing lameness.
"It makes sense that a horse with such a severe lameness will overload its contralateral limb more than a milder lameness, but there are likely a multitude of factors," Wylie said. "I would like to investigate whether the cases that do develop SLL have a degree of insulin resistance that could be exacerbated by lack of exercise, changes in feeding, et cetera, and could therefore be related to a combination of other underlying factors."
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