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1. Veterinary professor Corrie Brown named University Professor at UGA
Writer: Camie Williams
UGA Today
March 14, 2016
Athens, Ga. - Corrie Brown, Meigs Professor of Pathology in the College of Veterinary Medicine, has been named University Professor, an honor bestowed on faculty members who have made a significant impact on the University of Georgia beyond their normal academic responsibilities.
Brown, who was named a Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor in 2004, has built international partnerships to advance animal and human health. In her 20 years at UGA, her research, instruction and outreach have shaped global initiatives and transformed lives.
"Working at the interface of animal and human health, Dr. Brown has dedicated her career to creating a healthier and more prosperous future," said Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Pamela Whitten. "She is an inspiring instructor and mentor, a pioneering researcher and a global ambassador for the University of Georgia."
Brown has worked with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the U.S. Agency for International Development, Veterinarians Without Borders and the federal departments of state, defense and agriculture to create programs to help veterinarians understand how to build sustainable animal health systems that improve heath, food security and economic stability. She has presented workshops or conducted training in more than 50 countries and authored several manuals that are in use across the globe.
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2. Can PEDV ride the wave with feed ingredients?
By Kevin Schulz
National Hog Farmer
March 14, 2016
From the time porcine epidemic diarrhea virus started hitting U.S. swine herds in 2013, veterinarians, researchers and producers have anxiously been trying to find out how to prevent the deadly virus from reestablishing itself. Work also continues to find out how PEDV got here and spreads in the first place.
Scott Dee with Pipestone Applied Research in Minnesota and researchers at the Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Laboratory at South Dakota State University in Brookings in 2014 looked at the possibility that breeding herds could become infected following ingestion of PEDV-contaminated feed. Findings from that research, concluding that PEDV transmission could occur through contaminated feed, can be found in the Oct. 15, 2014, issue of National Hog Farmer in the article "Proof of Concept: Feed Can Carry PEDV."
Taking that research a step further, Dee and the research team sought to see if PEDV reacts differently in the individual ingredients within a pig's feed ration. This research looked at 18 ingredients commonly found in pigs' diets from these categories - grain sources, porcine byproducts, fat sources and synthetic amino acids.
In this study it was found that soybean meal harbored PEDV for the longest duration post-inoculation at 180 days. Other ingredients harbored the virus for much shorter, but still significant, time.
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3. No more cases of Vesicular Stomatitis in county, state [CO]
Rio Blanco Herald Times
March 12, 2016
As of Friday [3/11], all Vesicular Stomatitis (VS) affected premises have been released from quarantine in Colorado.
There are currently no VS-affected premises under quarantine in the United States. The VS outbreak in the United States began in April 2015, with a total of 823 cases in eight states; of that, Colorado confirmed 441 premises in 36 counties, including Rio Blanco County and surrounding Moffat, Garfield and Routt counties.
"In 2015, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) de-listed Vesicular Stomatitis as a foreign animal disease in horses," State Veterinarian Dr. Keith Roehr said. "This greatly improved our ability to respond efficiently as private practicing veterinarians were able to collect samples and manage cases."
"Another benefit was that veterinarians could send samples to the Colorado State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory for a more timely response on test results," he said.
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4. NAHMS begins preparing cow-calf study
By John Maday, Editor, Bovine Veterinarian
Drovers CattleNetwork.com
March 14, 2016
The USDA's Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) regularly conducts major studies of livestock-production segments to track animal-health related trends and practices. During 2017, NAHMS will focus on the cow-calf segment, collecting data from producers around the country. Currently, NAHMS researchers are planning the 2017 survey and asking for input from producers and stakeholders.
USDA veterinarian Dave Dargatz, DVM, PhD, who manages beef-cattle research for NAHMS, says that over the next few months the group will solicit input from stakeholders on setting the upcoming study's objectives and on the industry issues the study should address.
Dargatz says the Beef 2017 study will survey producers, including personal interviews in more than 20 states. The survey population will include at least 70% of beef operations and 70% of the beef cows in the United States. Overall, the study will focus on health and management of cattle in cow-calf operations.
The most recent NAHMS cow-calf study took place in 2007 and 2008. The group conducted a beef feedlot study in 2011 and most recently, a dairy study in 2014.
To provide input on the upcoming study and the types of resulting information that would best benefit the industry, producers, veterinarians and other industry stakeholders can fill out an online survey* from the NAHMS research team. Stakeholder input at this stage will help the NAHMS team design their study in a way that collects information that best serves producers, veterinarians, researchers and the beef industry overall.
[ * See: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Beef2017NAGen ]
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5. Scrapie Expert Checking Local Sheep
By Mike Reilley
Lake Powell Life
March 14,2016
Sheep herders have a friend in Herman Upshaw. He is the man making his way around all three states included in the Navajo Nation, checking sheep for a disease called, "scrapie."
Currently Upshaw is doing field investigations checking the health of sheep.
"Scrapie is a neurological, or brain disease, that affects sheep at an old age," said Upshaw when he visited Lake Powell Communications the other day. "I've been going to a lot of the ranches all over the reservation."
He then registers the sheep in the state where they reside; Arizona, Utah or New Mexico. He told us it can get confusing when sheep are sold from one state to another.
"Lately, what we've been seeing is a lot of different issues going on with the herd. Some are not vaccinated, some are not de-wormed, the health (of the sheep) seems a lot different, the health of the animals varies, as does the feeding habits," said Upshaw. "So it's not just for the scrapie itself, it's the overall health for the herds of the Navajo people I'm concerned about."
The tagging of the individual animals is a free service Upshaw provides. He has three different forms to fill-out, depending which state they reside.
Upshaw urges sheep herders, and other herders, to keep good records. In the end it will always be beneficial.
"And if they need assistance, I'm here to help them," he told us.
Upshaw works for the Navajo nation and the USDA. He said up until recently, the USDA had agents all around the country looking for scrapie, but not on the reservation.
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6. USDA Seeks Antibiotic Study Funds
By Times Record Staff
The Times Record
March 13, 2016
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is asking Congress to approve $1 million in funding to study antimicrobial resistance and its possible link to antibiotics in poultry and livestock production.
APHIS Administrator Kevin Shea recently asked a congressional subcommittee to approve the funding for fiscal year 2017. APHIS also sought money for the same purpose last year but was denied.
Shea said in a USDA Radio News interview that the department wants to gather data so there can be a "fair and reasoned discussion about antimicrobials" since there are people who think antibiotics in animal agriculture are the leading cause of antibiotic resistance. Shea wants research for a "real science discussion" about the issue.
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7. USDA Seeking Information from Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccine Manufacturers
USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Bulletin
March 14, 2016
The United States Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) today published a sources sought notice regarding foot and mouth disease (FMD) vaccine, as part of its FMD preparedness activities. APHIS has held extensive conversations with livestock producers and related industries while developing our FMD preparedness plans. During these discussions, everyone involved recognized there is an increased need for a steady vaccine supply to combat this devastating disease should it enter the country.
To address moderate or large-scale FMD outbreaks, APHIS is prepared to use vaccine to protect cows, pigs, sheep and goats in affected states. Vaccinated animals will be allowed to live out their useful lives. This ensures continued production and maintains the domestic food supply. A sufficient supply of stored vaccine will be necessary for this strategy to be effective. APHIS would like to have a minimum of 25 million doses for each of the 10 high-risk strains available. Over the coming years, APHIS is looking to incrementally increase the amount of stored FMD vaccine that is readily or quickly available for the agency to use should it be necessary to vaccinate.
The goal of this request for information is to identify vaccine manufacturers who can supply the types of FMD vaccine we need, in the amounts we need, in the timeframe we need. The information provided by the manufacturers will help APHIS make decisions on how to increase FMD preparedness. APHIS will also use this information to determine future budget needs to enhance the vaccine stockpile.
FMD is one of the most severe and serious diseases of livestock. It affects cows, pigs, sheep and goats. There has not been a case of FMD in the U.S. since 1929. APHIS works diligently to keep FMD out of the United States, through a series of overlapping efforts. However, APHIS must continue to assess and update its preparedness and response plans, to be ready in case the disease should appear in the future.
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