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1. Scientists Breed Pigs Resistant to a Devastating Infection Using CRISPR
By Monique Brouillette
Scientific American
February 16, 2016
One of the worst things that can happen to a pig farmer is a pen infected with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). It emerged in the 1980s, and the syndrome now afflicts these hoofed animals worldwide, causing illness, death and miscarriage. In fact, it has been designated the most economically significant disease for swine, costing livestock producers in North America $600 million annually from deaths and medical treatments. Vaccinations have mostly failed to prevent the syndrome's spread, but a new approach by biologists at the University of Missouri may mark a turning point. They are one of the first teams to develop a commercial agricultural application for the revolutionary CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing method-to breed pigs resistant to infection.
CRISPR/Cas9 is a gene-manipulation tool that allows scientists to make changes to DNA with razor-sharp accuracy. The tool has generated excitement in the research community because it allows rapid modification of gene function, replacing older and less efficient methods. For porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome, Missouri's Randall Prather, Kristen Whitworth and Kevin Wells turned to the technique to breed three piglets that lacked a protein on cells that acts as a doorway for the virus. The edited piglets were grouped together in a pen with seven normal piglets, and then they all were inoculated with PRRSV.
About five days later the normal pigs grew feverish and ill, but the genetically edited pigs did not. Despite sharing close quarters with their sick pen mates, they remained in top health throughout the 35-day study period. Blood testing also revealed that the edited animals did not produce antibodies against the virus-further evidence that they evaded infection entirely. "I expected the pigs would get the virus but not get as sick," Prather says. "But it is just night and day. The pigs are running around with the other pigs coughing on them, but they are just fine." The study's results were published in the journal Nature Biotechnology.
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2. Turf Paradise Lifts EHV-1 Quarantine [AZ]
By Blood-Horse
BloodHorse.com
February 18, 2016
Turf Paradise ended its quarantine Feb. 18, which prevented horses from leaving or entering the stable area since Jan. 28 in response to the presence of equine herpesvirus.
In cooperation with the track, the Arizona Department of Agriculture declared a 21-day quarantine at the stable area after three horses were transported from Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino to Turf Paradise. When word broke of an outbreak of EHV-1 at Sunland, the Arizona track immediately had the three horses moved to isolated pens a half-mile from the main stable population of 1,700 horses. One of those three horses tested positive and died from the virus. The other two horses show no signs of illness.
No other horses at Turf Paradise have shown symptoms of the virus. In addition, any horses that were housed briefly with the infected New Mexico horse have been tested and do not have the virus.
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3. Missouri Dairyman Benefits From Happy, Healthy Cows
Posted by Charlie Rahm, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Missouri
USDA Blog
February 18, 2016
Dairy farmer Nelson Hostetler says each cow is producing more milk, and he was able to increase his herd size by 25 percent, up to about 125 cows per day, without increasing his labor. Photo credit: Charlie Rahm.
Polk County dairy farmer Nelson Hostetler can think of a ton of reasons to like his new dairy shed and animal waste system. The most obvious reasons are documented in Hostetler's daily production log. It shows that the 100 cows that formerly resided in a couple of pastures are producing about 2,000 more pounds of milk each day since they were brought in the shed less than a year ago.
"NRCS' interest is in protecting the quality and healthfulness of the natural resources that everyone needs," said State Conservationist J.R. Flores. "Situations like Mr. Hostetler's in which actions taken to protect the environment also improve his operation are great, because everyone benefits."
"We're right at 20 pounds more per cow today than we were a year ago," Hostetler said. "When we built this, we said we had to get six more pounds (for the investment to pay). I expected it to work well, but it's working better than I expected."
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4. NIFA's Agriculture and Food Research Initiative: Addressing the nation's agricultural challenges
USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Bulletin
February 17, 2016
The President's Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 Budget Proposal for the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), proposes doubling funding for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), minor increases in funding for some programs, and sustained funding for others. NIFA uses these funds to deploy research that underpins transformative discoveries needed to solve challenges to our nation's nutritional security, including diminishing land and water resources, changing climate, and the need for environmental stewardship, in the context of the burgeoning population.
AFRI-funded science is vital to meeting food, fiber, and fuel demands as the world's population races toward a projected 9 billion by 2050. NIFA-funded AFRI projects are already making strides defending agriculture against climate variability; water supply; food safety and security; and pollinator health. Here are some examples of how AFRI-funded research is addressing many of our nation's complex agricultural challenges.
As variations in climate become more extreme, a number of abiotic factors, including increased water temperature and decreased water supply, may limit trout production. Montana State University researchers are studying how to develop low cost dietary interventions that could enable rainbow trout production to meet the increasing demands of aquaculture in spite of forecasted climate changes.
Beef produced on pasture and rangeland forages in the Southern Great Plains (SGP: Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas) provides a significant portion of the nation's red meat, constitutes the largest land use and agricultural enterprise in the region, and is subject to a widely variable climate. Researchers at Kansas State University are tracking these cattle in order to better understand SGP beef production vulnerability in the face of climate change. The goal is to increase the resiliency of beef cattle operations on grazing lands and wheat pasture so producers can better sustain future productivity through potential climate changes. As part of the work, researchers are also looking for the best ways to reduce beef production's environmental footprint, such as finding the most efficient ways to use water, best grazing practices, best forages, and improving soil and water quality.
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5. U.S. Humane Society Scores Florida's Representatives
By Sherri Lonon
Sarasota Patch
February 18, 2016
SARASOTA, FL - The U.S. Humane Society has released its annual scorecard showing which Congressional leaders stand out on animal rights issues and which ones fall short of the mark.
Using a 100-point scale, with room for extra credit, the nonprofit organization ranked Senators and Representatives based on issues that arose during 2015. The Senate scorecard, for example, includes points for those who voted against delisting lesser prairie chickens from the Endangered Species Act, those who signed a funding letter and Senators who took leadership roles by sponsoring pro-animal legislation. The House scorecard provided points for those who cosponsored bills to protect animals, among other factors.
U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Florida, was the only Republican in the House or Senate to earn a score of 100-plus. Buchanan has been outspoken on a number of animal-related issues. Earlier this year, for example, he penned a letter urging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to reconsider its position on weakening protection for Florida's manatee population under the Endangered Species Act. He's also called on the Obama Administration to designate critical habitat for the endangered Florida panther.
While Buchanan's score sets him apart from other Republican, he says "stopping animal cruelty and safeguarding threatened wildlife should be a bipartisan issue important to us all."
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6. Curb Use of Antibiotics in Farming, EU Politicians Urge
TheCattleSite.com
February 19, 2016
EU - To fight the growing resistance of bacteria to today's antibiotics, the use of existing antimicrobial drugs should be restricted, and new ones should be developed, said Environment and Public Health Committee MEPs on Wednesday.
In a vote on draft plans to update an EU law on veterinary medicines, they advocate banning collective and preventive antibiotic treatment of animals, and back measures to stimulate research into new medicines.
"Today's vote is a big step forward for animal health and the fight against antibiotic resistance. With these new rules, we can better circumscribe and control the use of antibiotics in farm animals and thus reduce the risk that potential resistances will emerge.
"The text will also help to improve the availability of medicines and drive innovation forward, so as to expand the therapeutic arsenal available to vets. I welcome the broad consensus on this report, which should promote public health and consumer protection," said lead MEP Fran�oise Grosset�te (EPP, FR).
Her report was approved by 60 votes to 2.
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