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1. Update on EHV-1 Virus at Sunland Park Racetrack
New Mexico Livestock Board News Release
February 22, 2016
SUNLAND PARK, N.M. - To simplify our reporting on the rapidly-changing EHV-1 virus outbreak at the Sunland Park Racetrack, we will update the list below regularly with the most current information. While the situation warrants, we will also e-mail blast this information as it is updated.
Number of horses diagnosed positive for the EHV-1 virus to-date: 72 in New Mexico and 2 in Texas. NO New
Positives for 5 days
Number of horses released today from the isolation barn: 6
Number of exposed barns that have been returned to non-exposed status to-date: 20
List of facilities within the quarantine perimeter:
Sunland Park Racetrack and Frontera Training Center.
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2. Ind. Board Of Animal Health Find No New Avian Flu, Lifts Poultry Control Zone
By Mike Perleberg
EagleCountryOnline.com
February 22, 2016
Dubois County, Ind. - Indiana Board of Animal Health officials are lifting restrictions on poultry farms in southwestern Indiana.
An outbreak of avian flu, or the H7N8 virus, was identified in January at 10 commercial farms in Dubois County, located northeast of Evansville. In response, the BOAH implemented a control area for the county and a surround 10 kilometer area.
The control area was lifted on Monday. No new positive H7N8 tests have occurred since the first weekend of the outbreak last month.
"Thanks to the dedication and hard work of Indiana's poultry producers as well as state and local officials, the response to avian influenza in Dubois County was executed flawlessly, the situation was contained immediately and the threat to producers across the state was mitigated," said Governor Mike Pence. "I commend everyone who worked so hard to reach this positive outcome."
The BOAH's announcement comes after all farms in the 6.2 mile radius tested negative throughout the 38-day period, based on guidelines by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
More than 250,000 turkeys that were killed in an effort to contain the outbreak are being composted. State officials will continue to quarantine the 10 commercial farms until the composting is complete and the farms are determined to be free of the virus.
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3. APHIS Administrator Officially Names Bernadette Juarez as Animal Care Deputy Administrator
USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Bulletin
February 22, 2016
Dear Stakeholders:
Back on January 4, I announced Bernadette Juarez as acting Deputy Administrator for our Animal Care (AC) program. Today, I am announcing her appointment is no longer acting, but permanent. Bernadette has replaced Dr. Chester Gipson, who retired on Jan 1. She will lead the program's many employees in protecting and ensuring the welfare of millions of animals nationwide that are covered under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) and the Horse Protection Act (HPA). For more information, I'm including a link to my original announcement.
Jan 4, 2016 Announcement:
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/stakeholders/downloads/2016/letter-bernadette-juarez-actingda.pdf
Sincerely,
Kevin Shea
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4. Two Texas Tech Professors With an International Team Receive $1 Million Food Safety Grant from USDA
By News Release
EverythingLubbock.com
February 22, 2016
LUBBOCK, TX -- Two Texas Tech University researchers are part of a team that was recently awarded one of 35 food safety grants by the United States Department of Agriculture that promotes safe, nutritious food.
Mayukh Dass, the J.B. Hoskins Associate Professor of Marketing and the director of the Rawls Business Leadership Program in the Rawls College of Business, and Guy Loneragan, a professor of food safety and public health in the Department of Animal and Food Sciences in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, are part of a team led by Texas A&M researcher H. Morgan Scott.
The grant from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) will support research that focuses on effective mitigation strategies for antimicrobial resistance in beef and dairy cattle. Loneragan said the researchers will work together to develop, test and implement practical approaches to help preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics for human and veterinary medicine.
"Antibiotic resistance is one of today's most complex grand challenges," Loneragan said. "We are thrilled to be part of a diverse team, and our collective goal is to discover and test practical solutions that effectively combat antibiotic resistance. This helps protect human health while maintaining a vibrant and productive livestock industry."
Antimicrobials, which includes antibiotics, are widely used to treat and prevent the growth of bacteria in both humans and cattle. In recent years, however, strains of bacteria have become increasingly resistant to antibiotics, which leads to concern about the effectiveness of their use.
This research hopes to answer those concerns through the development of a program by which stakeholders will take responsibility for effectively treating animals with antibiotics.
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5. Kansas State Planning New Veterinary Laboratory on Campus
Associated Press
KSAL.com
February 20, 2016
TOPEKA, Kan. - A proposal to build a new veterinary laboratory at Kansas State University is one step closer to reality.
The Kansas Board of Regents on Wednesday approved the university's proposal for a Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, with an estimated cost of $43.2 million. The project still must be approved the Kansas Legislature.
The Manhattan Mercury reports the university plans an 80,000-square-foot facility. The new building will allow the university to consolidate its diagnostic and research labs with offices and support facilities.
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6. Bovine TB conference set for Hillman in March [MI]
Jordan Travis, News Staff Writer
Alpena News
February 20, 2016
HILLMAN - Bovine tuberculosis researchers and other experts will give talks on a number of topics related to the disease at a March 12 conference in Hillman.
Rick Smith, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development TB program coordinator, said the conference is being funded by a grant from The Ohio State University, and is similar to a 2014 conference.
Deer hunters, cattle producers and all who want to find out more about current research on the disease, plus other related topics, are welcome to attend. It's free and lunch will be provided, so those planning to attend should RSVP by calling Beth Giem at 785-5616 or by email: giemb@michigan.gov
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7. National Invasive Species Awareness Week: Snakes, Starlings, and Swine, Oh my! [edited]
Posted by Gail Keirn, USDA APHIS Public Affairs Specialist
USDA Blog
February 22, 2016
This month USDA highlights some of the important partners that work with us to care for our land, air, water, and wildlife. The National Invasive Species Council is one such group.
When you hear the word "invasive," most people automatically think of bugs and weeds. Unfortunately, invasives (or non-native pests) can also include wildlife, such as birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals.
It is estimated that 50,000 animal and plant species in the United States are non-native, meaning they are not naturally found here. Approximately 5,000 are considered invasive because of the ecological and economic damages they cause. That's why the National Invasive Species Council and APHIS Wildlife Services (WS) are raising awareness about the negative impacts caused by invasive species in America as a part of National Invasive Species Awareness Week.
"Invasive species present some of the greatest challenges to conservationists. Brown treesnakes, European starlings, feral swine, and nutria are just a few of the more than 50 invasive wildlife species we work with," states WS Deputy Director for Wildlife Operations Steve Kendrot. "Our experts use a variety of tools and strategies to identify and measure the economic and biological impacts of invasives, prevent their spread, and reduce their damage to agriculture, natural resources and property."
Below is just some of the research and operational work being done by WS professionals to reduce the impacts of invasive wildlife.
Feral swine: Introduced to America in the 1500s, feral swine were not considered a threat until the early 1980s when their populations expanded and their damage and disease threats increased dramatically. These invasive species are known to contaminate watersheds, damage and eat crops, compete with native wildlife, and transmit diseases. To address this growing problem, APHIS recently established the collaborative National Feral Swine Damage Management Program with the goal of reducing feral swine damage in every state with a recognized population. WS leads this national effort. To accomplish its goal, the program works closely with local, state, and federal agencies. It also partners with WS researchers to improve control efforts, conducts outreach to raise awareness, and leads a national population monitoring and disease surveillance effort to better understand feral swine distributions and impacts to America's resources.
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