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1. Fonner Park quarantine lifted [NE]
By Nicholas Bergin
Lincoln Journal Star
May 10, 2016
Nebraska's state veterinarian lifted the quarantine for horses at Fonner Park in Grand Island on Tuesday nearly a month after three animals came down with equine herpes myeloencephalopathy. One of the horses had to be euthanized.
Horses were monitored closely during the 21-day quarantine and no more have tested positive for the virus.
"We continue to ask horse owners and facility managers to take precautions to prevent the spread of the disease by remaining vigilant and following strict biosecurity measures," state Veterinarian Dennis Hughes said in a news release Tuesday.
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2. Cattle Health: More Prevention, Less Treatment
By Gene Johnston
Agriculture.com
May 10, 2016
Hard as it is to believe, only about one in four calves gets a vaccination for bovine respiratory disease (BRD) complex, the costliest and deadliest disease in beef cattle. John Davidson, a beef cattle veterinary specialist for Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, says there is good evidence that the incidence of BRD, particularly in finishing cattle, is increasing. "Vaccination of calves is one of the known practices that can help reduce the incidence or severity of BRD," he says.
Failure to vaccinate puts more reliance on antibiotics to treat the disease after it strikes. "Beef producers are spending more money on antibiotics to treat BRD than they used to," says Davidson.
This is important now because antibiotic use in food animals is getting close scrutiny from the FDA due to fears of bacterial resistance. Starting this year, the routine use of antibiotics in animal feed is limited to a veterinary prescription. One state - California - may ban over-the-counter sale of injectable animal antibiotics by 2018.
"Three things - regulation, legislation, and consumer activism - are driving this antibiotic backlash," says Davidson. "That last one is far and away the biggest issue."
This will be felt by you, the producer, in a couple of ways, he continues. One, you'll need to get even closer to your veterinarian for oversight and consultation on all matters of animal health - especially for assurance that antibiotics are used correctly.
"There will be less routine use of antibiotics for production of animals. I support that, and I think veterinarians should be involved when antibiotics are used," he says.
Joe Gillespie, a private veterinarian in central Kansas, echoes Davidson's views. "As an industry, we are moving to more judicious use of antibiotics," he says. "The fewer times you have to use an antibiotic on a farm, the healthier that herd is."
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3. FDA Releases Final Rule Related to the Reporting of Antimicrobial Sales and Distribution Information
FDA Ctr. for Veterinary Medicine
May 10, 2016
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a final rule revising its annual reporting requirements for drug sponsors of all antimicrobials sold or distributed for use in food-producing animals in order to obtain estimates of sales by major food-producing species (cattle, swine, chickens, and turkeys). The additional data will improve our understanding of how antimicrobials are sold or distributed for use in major food-producing species and help further target efforts to ensure judicious use of medically important antimicrobials.
Section 105 of the Animal Drug User Fee Amendments of 2008 (ADUFA 105) requires antimicrobial drug sponsors to annually report to FDA the amount of all antimicrobial drugs they sell and distribute for use in food-producing animals, including those antimicrobials used in human medicine. Adding the requirement for sponsors to report species-specific sales estimates will complement the data collection plan we are developing to obtain additional on-farm use and resistance data. The collection of data from multiple sources, including enhanced sales data from antimicrobial animal drug sponsors, is needed to provide a comprehensive and science-based picture of antimicrobial drug use and resistance in animal agriculture. Such information will further enhance our ongoing activities related to slowing the development of antimicrobial resistance to help ensure that safe and effective antimicrobial new animal drugs will remain available for use in human and animal medicine.
ADUFA 105 also requires that FDA issue annual summary reports of these sales and distribution data collected from sponsors. The law further requires that these data be reported out by antimicrobial drug class. To report summary data in a manner protective of both national security and confidential business information, only those antimicrobial drug classes and other categories with three or more distinct sponsors of approved and actively marketed animal drug products are independently reported. The final rule also includes a provision to improve the timeliness of this annual summary report by requiring that FDA publish the report by December 31 of the following year.
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4. Horse Owners Reminded to Protect Animals Against Virus [EHV-1 - ND]
By: Anthony Humes
KFYRtv.com
May 9, 2016
The State Board of Animal Health is reminding horse owners to protect their horses from equine herpes virus one.
There have been recent outbreaks in a number of states including Maryland and New York. EHV1 can cause respiratory disease, abortion, neonatal death and sometimes neurological diseases.
There are a number of ways you can minimize your horse's exposure to the virus.
"Decreasing moment is always a plus. preventing the co-mingling of horses. If you do go to a show, rodeo or race track try to prevent sharing buckets, it can certainly spread through drinking from the same water bucket," said Dr. Sara McReynolds, ND Dept. of Agriculture.
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5. Obama signs legislation designating bison as national mammal
By Kevin Freking, Associated Press
WDAM.com
May 9, 2016
WASHINGTON (AP) - The bison has become the official national mammal of the United States under legislation signed into law by President Barack Obama on Monday.
Lawmakers spearheading the effort say the once nearly extinct icon deserves the elevated stature because of its economic and cultural significance in the nation's history.
Millions of bison once roamed the Great Plains. About 500,000 now live in the U.S. but most of those have been cross-bred with cattle, and are semi-domesticated. About 30,000 wild bison roam the country, with the largest population in Yellowstone National Park.
Supporters of the legislation say they believe the recognition will elevate the stature of the bison to that of the bald eagle, long the national emblem, and bring greater attention to ongoing recovery efforts of the species.
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6. USDA Offering Predator Damage Management Workshop in Oregon
USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Bulletin
May 10, 2016
RIVERDALE, Md., January 8, 2016- The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Wildlife Services (WS) program will present a workshop, "Adaptive Predation Management: Using Nonlethal Methods Effectively," on Friday May 13, 2016, from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. at Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton, Oregon.
Ranchers and predator advocates are invited to learn about using nonlethal methods to prevent or reduce predation, with a focus on wolf predation and the Oregon Wolf Conservation and Management Plan. Presentations will highlight common applications and suggested improvements for nonlethal methods and will introduce new tools available to prevent or reduce predation to cattle, sheep, goats, and other resources.
This workshop, co-hosted by USDA Wildlife Services and Oregon State University Extension, will provide the science-based information that goes into developing nonlethal, predator damage management plans. This workshop will provide the latest information on large-breed guard dog studies, collaborative efforts with producers, agencies and predator advocates, economics, compensation and the role of Oregon Department of Agriculture and County Wolf Committees.
Registration, limited to 100 participants, is $10 which includes a box lunch. To attend, contact OSU Extension at 541/278-5403. More details*.
[*See: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife_damage/downloads/states/OR%20flyer%20pendleton%20on%205_13_16.pdf ]
Producers throughout the West have had a positive response to Wildlife Services workshops on wildlife/predation damage management, including nonlethal methods, in California, Oregon, Montana, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Idaho and Texas since 2014. Additional workshops are planned for Washington, Utah, and Nevada.
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7. Equine tail-hacking cases rising in Michigan, motive unclear
Associated Press
WDAM.com
May 10, 2016
KENOCKEE TOWNSHIP, Mich. - Reports of equine tail-hacking cases are on the rise in Michigan and though authorities are asking people to be on the lookout for perpetrators, it remains unclear if the motivation behind targeting horses and ponies is for play or profit.
At least six tail-hacking cases have been reported to Michigan police during the last month, including the most recent last Thursday that involved two miniature ponies in Port Huron, about 60 miles northeast of Detroit. Last month, police in the Detroit suburb of Trenton said three ponies and a horse that give rides to children had their tails cut off. Similar incidents also have been reported elsewhere in the U.S.
But while tail-hacking cases in southeast Michigan are growing, and now expanding beyond the suburban Detroit area to areas where horse farms are more prevalent, the identities of the tail hackers and their motivations remain unclear. Some possible motives include: A market exists for fake tails for horse shows that are braided into a horse's tail to make it appear longer. They can cost several hundred dollars. Also, hair from horse tails can be sold for arts and crafts projects or other uses.
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