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1. Dr. Rod Hall receives Veterinarian of the Year Award [OK]
Oklahoma Dept. of Agriculture, Food and Forestry Press Release
February 3, 2016
[USAHA congratulates Dr. Hall!]
"Don't be afraid to work a little harder than you think you should."
Dr. Rod Hall was living that approach to life long before he started offering it as advice to young veterinarians.
Dr. Hall's career as a veterinarian has spanned nearly four decades, including having served as State Veterinarian with the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry (ODAFF) since 2011. His dedication to not only people but the animals he cares for was recognized as Dr. Hall was presented the Oklahoma Veterinary Medical Association's (OVMA) Veterinarian of the Year Award during the OVMA's 101st Annual Convention & Expo held January 28-30 in Tulsa.
The Veterinarian of the Year Award is the highest honor awarded to an OVMA member in recognition of contributions to the profession.
The honoree is someone who has contributed to the advancement of organized veterinary medicine on the local, state, regional or national level; has demonstrated outstanding compassion and achievement in advancing the welfare of animals; has contributed to community, practice, education, research or regulatory service and has participated in public relations activities or projects that have created a positive image for veterinarians in their community or the State of Oklahoma.
"This award means that my colleagues have noticed the way I've worked to be a good veterinarian and to promote our profession and that they appreciate it," Dr. Hall said. "I think I've worked hard to be professional and ethical in my practice and to get an award like this sort of confirms that for me. OVMA has been giving this award for a number of years and the people who have won in the past have been veterinarians and human beings I hold in the highest regard. To be considered alongside them is an unbelievable honor to me."
In 2011, Dr. Rod Hall was named as the state veterinarian by Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture Jim Reese.
Before that, Dr. Hall had worked for ODAFF as a staff veterinarian since December 2006 as director of cattle programs and the aquaculture program. As state veterinarian, Dr. Hall is in charge of handling the regulatory components of the Animal Industry division as well as working with other state and federal agencies to monitor foreign animal diseases, import regulations and any animal health situations that may occur.
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2. UGA Large Animal Hospital Temporarily Closed Due to EHV-1
By Edited Press Release
TheHorse.com
February 3, 2016
The University of Georgia (UGA) Veterinary Teaching Hospital has temporarily closed due to a confirmed case of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1).
The Small Animal Veterinary Teaching Hospital, including the Community Practice Clinic, will remain open and will continue to receive appointments and emergencies for cats, dogs, exotics, and wildlife.
On the evening of Jan. 31, a horse was admitted to the large animal intensive care unit at the UGA Veterinary Teaching Hospital and tested positive for (EHV-1) after being euthanized on Feb. 1 due to progressive neurologic disease.
The university is working closely with the Georgia State Veterinarian's Office to alert and provide recommendations for quarantine procedures for the horses that were discharged from the Veterinary Teaching Hospital after the affected horse was admitted on Jan. 31. The owners and veterinarians of the horses that are still at the hospital have been notified, and the animals are being monitored closely. Those horses will remain at the hospital until they can be safely released according to established recommendations and in cooperation with the state veterinarian.
The Georgia State Veterinarian's Office is working to determine the source of the infection as well as to identify and isolate potentially exposed horses. At this time, neither the state veterinarian nor the UGA Veterinary Teaching Hospital know of any other animals showing signs or who have tested positive for EHV-1 in association with this incident.
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3. New Mexico EHV-1: Case Count Rises to 44
By Erica Larson, News Editor
TheHorse.com
February 3, 2016
The New Mexico Livestock Board (NMLB) reported Feb. 3 that additional horses have tested positive for equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1), bringing the total case count to 44. Most of the affected horses reside at Sunland Park racetrack, but the most recent round of testing identified several EHV-1 positive-horses at a nearby training center.
"To date, 44 horses have been confirmed positive for EHV-1 on nasal swab and/or whole blood," the statement read. "These horses are from 19 different barns within Sunland Park racetrack. Two positive horses are from an adjacent training facility (Frontera) close to the Sunland Park racetrack. Frontera has always been included in the original quarantine perimeter.
"Of these 44 horses, five have been euthanized for progressive neurologic signs," the NMLB reported.
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4. Efforts against avian flu continue [IN]
AgriNews.com
February 3, 2016
INDIANAPOLIS - Although tests in the Dubois County avian influenza incident continue to prove negative, much more work still must be completed before this event can be considered over, Indiana State Veterinarian Bret Marsh said.
"We are optimistic with each day that yields more negative flock tests," Marsh said. "But we are mindful that the situation could change and that continued testing and surveillance are the vitally important next steps that will be ongoing for a few weeks."
Weekly testing and monitoring of commercial poultry farms in the 10-kilometer control area will continue for several weeks as Indiana moves through the process to be declared avian flu-free.
Indiana established an additional 10-kilometer surveillance zone with aggressive testing requirements to assure the industry and partners the disease is not present. Birds and eggs may be moved into and out of the control area only after negative testing.
In addition, state and federal teams have visited 1,935 residences in the 10-k control area to identify small and backyard flocks for testing. Tests of those 96 identified flocks, which are nearly complete, have all proven negative. After initial testing, these flocks will be retested in 14 days.
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5. USDA Grants $30 Million to Food Safety Research
By Staff
Food Safety Magazine
February 3, 2016
Competitive grants in the amount of $30.1 million will be awarded to 80 research projects that will improve food safety and reduce antibiotic resistance in food, according to an announcement by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and John P. Holdren, President Obama's Science and Technology Advisor and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
"In the face of diminishing land and water resources and increasingly variable climatic conditions, food production must increase to meet the demands of world population projected to pass 9 billion by 2050," says Vilsack. "Funding in research to respond to these challenges should be considered as an investment in our nation's future, an investment which will pay big dividends in the years to come."
The funds will be made available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), the nation's premier competitive, peer-reviewed grants program for fundamental and applied agricultural sciences. In addition to these awards, it was also announced that President Obama's 2017 Budget will set aside $700 million for AFRI, the fully authorized funding level established by Congress in the 2008 Farm Bill.
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6. Penn's vet school to be featured in new television series
Jeff Blumenthal, Reporter
Philadelphia Business Journal
February 3, 2016
A grateful client has convinced University of Pennsylvania's veterinary school to go Hollywood, as Animal Planet has greenlighted a documentary series featuring its students.
Called Penn Vet, the show will shadow four fourth-year students as they complete the demanding curriculum and head toward graduation. The students will be diverse in backgrounds and goals and handle a variety of cases at both Philadelphia's Ryan Hospital for companion animals and the New Bolton Center hospital for large animals in Kennett Square.
"Vet students driven by a mission to heal and protect animals take everything they've learned and put it to the test in this series," said Rich Ross, group president of Discovery Channel, Animal Planet and Science Channel. " Penn Vet will give our viewers a front row seat to this journey."
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