Livestock in the News
Infected Cow DestroyedYesterday, we reported that laboratory testing identified that a beef cow in south central North Dakota had contracted bovine tuberculosis.
That cow, originally from Texas, was removed from the herd and destroyed.
It was the firstRead More...Bovine TB found in North DakotaNorth Dakota State Health Department officials have confirmed the states first bovine tuberculosis case since 1999.
Tests confirmed bovine TB in a beef cow in south-central North Dakota.
“The National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, IA, has reported thatRead More...Cow dies of anthrax in NW MinnesotaFARGO, N.D. (KMSP) -A cow in Pennington County in northwestern Minnesota has died of anthrax, the state board of animal health said Friday.Read More...Drs. Webb and Heath - Closing remarks on the 2013 NIAA Foot and Mouth Disease sessions.Closing remarks on the 2013 NIAA Foot and Mouth Disease sessions.Read More...TAHC Proposes Modifications to BrucellosisAUSTIN – The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) recently held a regularly
scheduled meeting on May 21, 2013 at its Austin office. The TAHC proposed two
amendments to the Brucellosis chapter (Section 35.4) concerning entry, movement and
change of ownership of cattle. Read More...Bovine tuberculosis found in Midland, Gratiot counties, months after Saginaw County infection foundBovine tuberculosis has been detected in Midland and Gratiot counties, according to the Michigan Department of Agriculture.
The announcement, made in a press release Friday, May 3, comes over a month after the MDA announced that a Saginaw County dairy cow had tested positive for the disease.
66 farms within a 10-mile radius of the infected farm were slated for testing, as well as farms that soldRead More...Hidden impacts of FMDOutbreaks of foot and mouth disease (FMD) result in a range of direct and indirect costs, and public opinion can play a significant role in response and outcomes. Those were key messages as Sebastian Heath, VetMB, PhD, branch chief of program development with the Federal Emergency Management Agency kicked off this week’s FMD Symposium in Louisville, Ky. The symposium, focusing on FMD preparedness, took place in conjunction with the National Institute for Animal Agricultures annual conference.
For his presentation, Heath drew upon his experience with Read More...66 Saginaw County farms undergoing bovine tuberculosis testingThe Saginaw County farming community is on pins and needles. 66 farms are undergoing testing for tuberculosis in cows after one herd tested positive. Now, state agriculture officials are trying to contain it.
The farm where the T.B. originated from is now quarantine. Now all farms within a 10-mile radius have to undergo testing. This is leaving farmers with a lot of questions and concerns.
The Fredricks Farm has been in the family for more than 100 years. Farming runs in Brian Fredricks blood and he knows Read More...Bovine TB confirmed in Saginaw County dairy herdMichigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) officials announced Tuesday more cows from Saginaw County have tested positive for bovine Tuberculosis (TB).
Last week MDARD announced the Michigan strain of bovine TB had been confirmed in one dairy cow which was found during slaughter surveillance.
As part of its bovine TB response plan, MDARD quarantined this farm and conducted a whole-herd test.
Since the herd is confirmed positive, MDARD will be testing in a 10-mile surveillance circle around Read More...Bovine Tuberculosis In Saginaw CountyA herd of cows in Saginaw County has tested positive for bovine tuberculosis.
Michigans Department of Agriculture and Rural Development announced the laboratory results Tuesday. The entire herd was tested after one of the dairy cows tested positive for the Michigan strain of tuberculosis during slaughter surveillance.
The state will test a 10-mile Read More...Bovine tuberculosis found in Saginaw County dairy cowA dairy cow from a Saginaw County farm has tested positive for bovine tuberculosis, according to the Michigan Department of Agriculture.
In a press release, sent out Thursday, March 21, MDA reported that the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa confirmedRead More...Foot-and-mouth disease confirmed in cows in China’s Qinghai ProvinceThe Chinese Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) reported Monday that a least two cows in northwest Chinas Qinghai Province have been laboratory confirmed positive for the serious animal disease, foot-and-mouth disease, according to a Xinhua report today.
The National Foot-and-Mouth Disease Reference Laboratory on Monday confirmed the case as type A foot-and-mouth disease.
According to the report, local authorities have sealed off and sterilized the infected Read More...Two Big Horn elk brucellosis positiveTwo elk taken in the Big Horn Mountains by hunters last fall tested positive for brucellosis last week, said a news release from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.
The two elk, one bull and one cow, were harvested approximately 15 miles west of Burgess Junction.
However, there is Read More...China confirms two foot-and-mouth casesChina on Wednesday confirmed two outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease -- in the southern province of Guangdong and southwestern Tibet Autonomous Region.
Donghui pig farm in Shange Township of Maoming, Guangdong, reported its 88 pigs showed suspected signs of the disease on Feb. 18, according to the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA).
Some farmers at Read More...Risk of Mad Cow Now Found To Be Negligible in U.S. BeefA powerful world panel is recommending that the United States be dropped to the lower negligible risk classification for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or Mad Cow Disease, an opinion praised by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.
BSE is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that originates in cattle. It causes a spongy degeneration of the brain and spinal cord.
The recommendation was Read More...Bovine Tuberculosis detected at Tulare County dairyThe California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has confirmed the detection of Bovine tuberculosis (TB) in a dairy herd in Tulare County.
Officials say they are working closely with the dairy farmer and his veterinarian to implement control strategies to eradicate the disease.
Officials say the diagnosis of TB was made after Read More...Investigation Underway for Bovine Tuberculosis Case in CAAgriculture officials in California are currently investigating cases of bovine tuberculosis in a dairy cow herd first reported last Wednesday.
The bacteria that causes bovine tuberculosis (TB) can spread to humans via raw milk, but the cow belonged to a dairy in Tulare County which pasteurizes all of its milk, thus eliminating the risk of tuberculosis transmission.
The problem was originally Read More...11 more cows test positive for bovine tuberculosis at Moses Lake dairyEleven more cows have tested positive for bovine tuberculosis (T-B) at a dairy which produced the first T-B infected cow in Washington state in 25 years.
State agriculture veterinarians tested 1,350 at the dairy and say the 11 positive results were lower than expected. Spokesman Hector Castro said these are only initial tests and the 11 cows will be removed from the herd pending further testing. He said in most cases Read More...Bovine Tuberculosis Update: No TB at Cows Previous DairyLast week, the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) discovered a dairy cow had been sent to slaughter infected with the bacteria that causes tuberculosis in both cattle and humans. That discovery launched an investigation into the presence of additional bovine tuberculosis at both the cows most recent dairy and the dairy it had been purchased from a year ago.
On Friday, state and Read More...State expands bovine TB testingState officials have expanded their probe of possible bovine tuberculosis to 11 other herds, a Washington State Department of Agriculture spokesman says.
Investigators have traced possible links to the 11 other herds from a dairy in Moses Lake, Wash., said WSDA Communications Director Hector Castro.
"This is a matter of tracing out the cows that the Moses Lake dairy (owner) may have purchased back to those locations and Read More...State begins testing hundreds of cows for TBA Western Washington dairy gets a clean bill of health after a cow that grew up there tested positive for bovine tuberculosis (TB). State and federal agriculture workers say tests show all of dairys milk producing cows tested negative.
On Tuesday they began Read More...Bovine tuberculosis found in dairy cow from Grant County, WashingtonThe state Department of Agriculture plans to test 1,500 cows at dairies in Grant and Snohomish counties for bovine tuberculosis because one cow was found with the disease.
An inspector noticed a lesion on the cow Jan. 8 at a slaughterhouse in Cowlitz County.
Department spokesman Hector Castro told the Columbia Basin Herald the meat never entered the food stream. And there is no health concern with the milk because it is pasteurized before being sold to consumers.
Castro says the cow had been at the Read More...Foot And Mouth Disease Symposium To Be Held April 17-18 In Lousville, KYAlthough the last outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the United States occurred in 1929, the next outbreak could occur at any moment. After all, FMD in livestock is in more than 100 countries. FMD experts maintain that it is not a matter of “if” FMD will occur in the United States; it is a matter of “when” it will occur.
To that end, a Foot-and-Mouth Disease Symposium will be conducted April 17-18, in Louisville, KY, at the Galt House. Hosted by the National Institute for Animal Read More...Washington state investigates TB in dairy cowThe Washington State Department of Agriculture is investigating a case of bovine tuberculosis found in a dairy cow.
The cow had been sent to a Cowlitz County slaughter facility, but the meat was held after a food safety inspector identified a problem and submitted samples for testing, according to the department.
State health officials say there is no immediate human health concern connected to the case.
The meat from the infected cow Read More...FWP commissioners OK 1st policy on brucellosis in elkThe Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commissioners agreed that they are “plowing new ground” when it comes to handling brucellosis in elk, and while they are not sure how that will look in actual management activities, they want to maintain a hands-on presence at least for the next few years.
“Typically the commission sets the policy framework and when it hits the fan out there nobody is standing in front of the people other than the regional supervisor and one commissioner,” Commissioner Ron Moody said. “Maybe Read More...Michigan Dept of Ag addresses latest bovine TB caseWILSON TOWNSHIP - A week after the Michigan Department of Agriculture announced the discovery of the 55th bovine TB-positive herd, an audience gathered inside the Wilson Township Hall Thursday to hear an MDA official explain what happens next.
Currently, the Alpena County farm is going through what is known as a test-and-remove process, MDA TB Eradication Program Director Rick Smith said. It is under quarantine until it passes a certain number of tests in the next few months, then another after a six-month wait.Read More...Federal officials sign land transfer for Kansas biosecurity labDepartment of Homeland Security officials have signed a land transfer agreement that allows for the construction of a new federal animal research lab near Kansas State University in Manhattan.
Gov. Sam Brownback and members of the states congressional delegation announced Read More...Alpena County cattle test positive for bovine TBOfficials say a dairy cattle herd in the northeastern Lower Peninsula has tested positive for bovine tuberculosis.
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said Thursday the disease was found on an Alpena County farm with 50 to 100 cattle. The diagnosis was confirmed after routine testing by the state agency and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
A public meeting to discuss the findings is planned for Jan. 10 at Wilson Township Hall.
Bovine TB is a contagious
Read More...Brazil Kept Mad Cow Secret for Two YearsEnough beef to feed one million Americans for a year has been imported from Brazil without the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) mitigations that are supposed to be applied to countries where BSE is known to exist.
That is because for the past two years, USDA was operating under the assumption that Brazil had not experienced any BSE, or Mad Cow disease as it is commonly known. But Brazil–the worlds biggest beef exporting country–was keeping a secret for the past two years. A secret that if known might Read More...Japan suspends Brazil beef imports after cow tests positive for mad cowJapan, Asias largest beef buyer, suspended imports of the meat from Brazil after a cow in Parana state tested positive for mad-cow disease.
"We suspended imports from Brazil as soon as an outbreak of BSE was confirmed," the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said Saturday, referring to bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or the brain-wasting disease known as mad cow.
Japan, which imported 1,435 metric tons of Brazilian beef last year, will seek supplies from alternative exporters such as the U.S. and Australia. Other beef importers may Read More...Russia set to halt imports of U.S. beef, porkCHICAGO - U.S. pork and beef exports to Russia could halt on Saturday following Moscows requirement that the meat be tested and certified free of the feed additive ractopamine, a move analysts said smacked of political retaliation.
The measure by Russia - the sixth-largest market for U.S. beef and pork - comes on the heels of U.S. Senate approval of a trade bill to punish Russian human rights violators as part of a broader objective to expand bilateral commerce.
The U.S. Meat Export Federation told its members by email that since the U.S. Department of Agriculture had no testing and certification program in place for ractopamine, the Russian requirement could effectively halt U.S. pork and beef exports to the country by Saturday.
USMEF, a non-profit trade association, said more than Read More...Researcher: Vaccines cant eliminate brucellosis
The spread of brucellosis is perceived as the main problem preventing bison from being outside Yellowstone National Park year-round. Eliminating the disease is an obvious solution but an impossible one, a U.S. Department of Agriculture researcher said Tuesday in Bozeman.
The partners of the Interagency Bison Management Plan and about 75 biologists, livestock producers, wildlife advocates and Read More...States Lead The Way In ID TraceabilityWhile USDAs new National Animal Disease Traceability program languishes in the moldy halls of bureaucracy, Texas and some other progressive states are embracing their own programs.
For instance, beginning Jan. 1, every sexually intact adult beef animal in Texas must carry an approved form of permanent ID in order to change hands. This new regulation was approved by the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) after Read More...Whole-Herd Brucellosis Testing Continues on BisonWith talk circulating about domestic bison testing positive for brucellosis in Montana, Northern Ag Network spoke to Montana State Veterinarian Dr. Marty Zaluski.Read More...New Brucellosis Testing Rules May be Coming to MontanaNorthern Ag Network spoke with Montana’s State Veterinarian, Dr. Marty Zaluski, and he let us know that there will soon be a comment period opening that’ll relate to brucellosis testing in the states designated surveillance area (DSA).Read More...Idaho DSA ExpandsThe Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) has adjusted the boundary for the brucellosis Designated Surveillance Area (DSA) in eastern Idaho. The expansion was prompted by identification of a cattle herd outside the DSA that tested positive for brucellosis early this year.Read More...Cattle leaders question Yellowstone brucellosis policySome members of the Idaho cattle industry argue inadequate Yellowstone National Park management practices have stymied efforts to stop the spread of brucellosis.Read More...Webinar to focus on risks of feral hog diseases in Texas“Despite all the control efforts, feral hog numbers in the state (Texas) continue to rise at an alarming rate,” said Bryan Davis, AgriLife Extension agent in Bexar County. “Many diseases, such as swine brucellosis, pseudorabies, tuberculosis and tularemia, are associated with feral hogs. This webinar is designed to provide useful information on how to help prevent the spread of these diseases by feral hogs.”Read More...Anthrax can grow, reproduce in soil, School of Medicine discoversAnthrax has the unexpected ability to grow and reproduce while lurking in soil – increasing the deadly bacteria’s chances to infect cattle and other mammals, researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine have discovered.Read More...First Anthrax Case in ND This YearThere has been a confirmed case of anthrax in a beef cow in Stark County. The state usually records a few anthrax cases every year. However, this is the first one this year.Read More...Wyoming tribes seek Yellowstone bison from MontanaBILLINGS, Mont. -- American Indian tribes on Wyomings Wind River Reservation are petitioning the state of Montana to give them a grouop of bison captured from Yellowstone National Park.
Leaders of the the Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone tribes said in a resolution signed this week that bison are an important icon for their people that the tribe can help...Read More...FWP hears proposals to prevent spread of elk brucellosisA group has recommended that increased hunting of elk, more fences for cattle, manipulating habitat and decreasing harboring of elk may help prevent the spread of brucellosis among elk herds and also to cattle in areas where the bacterium is troublesome.
The Elk/Brucellosis Working Group, made up of 12 men, including hunters, livestock producers, veterinarians, researchers and landowners, told the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission Thursday that they collectively spent about 1,200 hours coming up with five options. The commission is slated to hear the full presentation as well as public comments at its Nov. 8 meeting, but heard the preliminary report on Thursday.
“We worked very collaboratively — we didn’t always...Read More...Anthrax kills steer on Oregon ranch; 1st case in 50 yearsAnthrax killed a steer Aug. 22 on a ranch in Klamath County Oregon, the first case of the naturally occuring disease in Oregon in half a century, the Oregon State Public Health Laboratory confirmed Friday.
The incident does not pose a human public health risk, state officials said.
The anthrax was isolated to one herd.
Oregon Department of Agriculture officials have been working...Read More...Healthy Purebred Yellowstone Bison Calf Born at Bronx Zoo Using Embryo Science Pioneered at Colorado State UniversityYellowstone National Park has two of the last remaining large herds of pure-bred bison in North America, but moving them out of the park to reproduce has been tough with public concerns over their widespread exposure to disease.
Now Colorado State University researchers have successfully reproduced a purebred bison calf at the Bronx Zoo by removing the embryo of a purebred Yellowstone bison that had been exposed to disease, washing it free of disease and implanting it safely into a healthy, commercial bison with ...Read More...USDA-APHIS announces proposed joint rule for bovine tuberculosis, brucellosisThe United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) recently released updates on the concepts and content of the proposed rule and program standards for the control and eradication of bovine tuberculosis (TB) and brucellosis.
In an effort to ensure consistency and flexibility, the USDA formed the joint TB and Brucellosis Regulatory Working Group in September 2010. This group of state, federal and tribal subject matter experts met weekly for several months to develop the regulatory framework that was published in the Federal Register on May 6, 2011. Their goal is to publish the proposed rule and program standards later this year...Read More...Veterinarians, Emergency Responders Train for Livestock Disease OutbreakState Veterinarian Dr. Dennis Hughes says Nebraska officials began to realize that making animal disease response a part of homeland security efforts was critical in 2001 after foot and mouth disease broke out in the UK and a pseudorabies virus outbreak occurred in Nebraska.
"Then of course the events of 9/11 brought to the forefront ...Read More...Livestock premises ID rule gets final board approvalOn Aug. 17, members of the board of the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) approved the final draft of ATCP 17 – the rule that governs Livestock Premises Identification.
Dr. Bob Ehlenfeldt, the state veterinarian, explained the rule “creates a limited exemption for those individuals who are members of recognized religious groups that have a sincerely held religious belief opposing ...Read More...Feedlots Believe In BQA, Study ShowsThere is little doubt that the industrys efforts to advance the cause of Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) has resulted in higher-quality beef for consumers. But how widely are BQA principles adopted, particularly by cattle feeders?
To find out, USDAs National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) conducted its Feedlot 2011 survey and asked cattle feeders, among other things, how familiar they are with the BQA program. Overall, the results were positive.
Operators on 52.4% of feedlots ...Read More...U.P. cattle to cross state bordersESCANABA -- For the past 20 years farmers like Willie Grondine have not been allowed to sell their livestock in Wisconsin markets, but now they can.
Farmers used to travel hundreds of miles downstate to the nearest auction because Bovine Tuberculosis was found in cattle downstate. Michigan Legislator, Ed McBroom says the U.P. has remained TB free.
"Whether you were a breeder or someone raising beef...Read More...More cases of anthrax found in ColoradoMore anthrax cases have been confirmed in northeast Colorado.
According to the Department of Agriculture, there has been two new confirmed cases of anthrax in cattle on two additional premises in Logan County. The new cases are located adjacent to the original case announced last week.
"This is not an uncommon occurrence ...Read More...Va. to require proof imported cattle are TB-freeCattle producers who bring breeding-age cattle into Virginia will soon have to prove that their animals are not infected with bovine tuberculosis.
A new regulation requires negative TB test results and proper identification for imported cattle older than 18 months. Imported cattle that do not have negative test results or proper identification will be quarantined.
The regulation goes into effect Aug. 15.
State Veterinarian Dr. Richard Wilkes says ...Read More...Do You Follow BQA Protocols?This drought is forcing many cattlemen to rethink their management strategies. With a shortage of pastures and available forages, many producers are planning to wean their calves early. With weaning around the corner for many, soon the calf crop will be worked and shipped. This is a time where Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) protocols should be followed.Read More...Anthrax found in Colorado cattleA deadly disease that has not been seen in Colorado for 31-years has been found in the northeast part of state.
The Colorado Department of Agriculture is currently investigating an anthrax case in Logan County; one deceased cow is confirmed to have been infected with the disease, approximately 50 dead cattle are suspected to have been exposed. One location has tested positive and adjacent ranchers ...Read More...Final Feed Investigation Summary - California BSE Case - July 2012On Tuesday, April 24, 2012, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) were informed by the CDFA Animal Health Safety Service (AHSS) Division that a brain sample collected from a dead cow at the Baker Commodities rendering transfer station in Hanford, California tested positive for L-type atypical bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). While cases of classical BSE have been clearly linked to the use of contaminated meat and bone meal (MBM) as an ingredient in cattle feed, the origin of atypical strains of BSE is unknown. Given the scientific uncertainty about the origin ...Read More...Anthrax Case Confirmed in Sheep in Irion County TexasAUSTIN – A yearling female sheep in West Texas has been diagnosed with anthrax. This is the second confirmed case of anthrax in a Texas animal for 2012 and the first in livestock this year. The infected sheep was located near Mertzon, TX (Irion County,) which is approximately 26 miles southwest of San Angelo. The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) has quarantined the premises. TAHC regulations require vaccinations of exposed livestock and proper disposal of carcasses before a quarantine can be released.Read More...Idaho officials have killed two bull bison that roamed out of Yellowstone National Park, citing concerns over the spread of brucellosis to cattle.BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho officials have killed two bull bison that roamed out of Yellowstone National Park, citing concerns over the spread of brucellosis to cattle.
A spokesman for the Fremont County Sheriff`s Office said one bison was killed Saturday and another Thursday in Island Park in southeastern Idaho. The area is about 15 to 20 miles west of the park.
In a statement the Idaho Department of Agriculture said the state`s policy requires wild bison to be either killed or moved because of the possible spread of disease. Brucellosis can cause pregnant animals to miscarry their young. There have been no recorded instances in the wild of bison transmitting brucellosis to cattle.
Read More...Livestock Producers Need To Be Vigilant For AnthraxNow is the time of year for livestock producers to be vigilant for anthrax.
"The hot summer months of July and August are when we see most of our anthrax cases in the upper Great Plains," says Charlie Stoltenow, North Dakota State University Extension Service veterinarian. "Cattle should have been vaccinated before they were turned out into the pasture."Read More...Stray Mexican Cattle captured in TexasStray livestock wandering between Chihuahua, Mexico, and Texas continue to present animal health concerns along the Rio Grande River in far West Texas according to Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) and United States Agriculture (USDA) officials. A total of 96 head of cattle (72 adults and 24 calves) originating from MexicoRead More...Bovine Tuberculosis confirmed in Alpena dairy herdBovine Tuberculosis has been confirmed in a medium-size dairy herd in Alpena County.
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development says it was discovered during routine bovine TB testing. A public information...
Read More...Citizens brucellosis group settles on FWP recommendationAfter six months of work, a citizens working group is ready to suggest guidelines that Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks can follow to manage the transmission of brucellosis.
This week, the group decided to recommend that FWP do what it can to reduce the co-mingling of elk and cattle in southwestern Montana.
They also clarified specific objectives for elk management that would ...Read More...FAO And OIE Cooperate To Control Foot-And-Mouth DiseaseThe United Nations’ Food & Agriculture Organization and the World Organisation for Animal Health, or OIE, announced a joint plan to control foot-and-mouth disease across the world.
“Recent FMD outbreaks around the globe demonstrate that animal diseases have no boundaries, can have a devastating impact and require a global response,” Hiroyuki Konuma, the FAO’s regional representative for Asia and the Pacific, was cited as saying in the statement.Read More...State Veterinarian Issues Wild Hog Transport OrderNASHVILLE – The Tennessee Department of Agriculture today announced an Order by the State Veterinarian specifying conditions under which wild-appearing hogs are to be transported in the state.
Under the order, all wild-appearing swine being moved within the state must have one of the following:
• State or federally approved individual identification and proof that each hog has tested negative for Pseudorabies and Brucellosis within 90 days of movement.
• Proof that each individual hog originated from a Validated Brucellosis-free and Qualifed Pseudorabies-negative herd.
• A movement authorization number from the state veterinarian’s office.Read More...Emergency Rule: Brucellosis vaccination requirements of cattle and bison in UtahThe purpose of the emergency rule is to outline the brucellosis vaccination requirements of cattle and bison in Utah. Brucellosis vaccination requirements for cattle were found in Section 4-31-16.5 which was repealed and the Department was given rulemaking authority for the control of bovine brucellosis in Utah during the 2012 legislative session.Read More...Warm weather increases concerns over feral swine diseasesWith the onset of summer, animal health officials are warning Southwest farmers and ranchers to take steps now to help manage feral swine populations on their property in an effort to reduce the risk of spreading diseases among domestic animals.
Dr. Lisa J. Becton, director of swine health for the National Pork Board, warns that the increase in sheer numbers of feral swine is good reason to develop a plan to control populations on the farm.
“We’re seeing a 20-percent annual increase in feral hog populations and with that the risk of spreading diseases like pseudorabies and brucellosis is greatly increased, and if we were to see the introduction of swine flu or foot-and-mouth disease, the problem could elevate quickly to a serious threat to animal and human health,” Becton warned.Read More...Anthrax Case Confirmed in White-tailed Deer near Uvalde TXThe first confirmed case of anthrax in a Texas animal for 2012 has been detected in an adult white-tailed male deer near Uvalde (Uvalde County). At this time no domestic livestock are involved.
Anthrax is a bacterial disease caused by Bacillus anthracis, which is a naturally occurring organism with worldwide distribution, including Texas.Read More...Surveillance testing finds Bovine TB in Michigan dairy herdCattle in Alpena County in northeast Michigan are currently quarantined after a dairy herd in the area tested positive for Bovine TB.
The infected cows were found during a routine surveillance test conducted by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to move the state entire state back to TB-free status.Read More...Ranchers Are Reminded to Sign Up For The 2012 Census Of AgricultureThe U.S. Department of Agriculture is preparing to mail the 2012 Census of Agriculture to millions of U.S. farmers and ranchers in late December. Producers are reminded not to miss their opportunity to be counted by signing up for the Census before July 1. The Census of Agriculture is a complete count of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. A farm is defined as any place that produced Read More...Today: Walmart, Kroger, Primus. Tomorrow: You?Last week, Jensen Farms, the grower of the cantaloupe implicated in the Listeria outbreak of 2011, filed for bankruptcy. Prominently listed in the filing were lawsuits associated with the outbreak, from which 146 people were sickened and 36 died. According to the Denver Post, Jensens attorney said the filing should free up millions of dollars in insurance and other funds.
Foodborne illness attorney Bill Marler has filed at least 11 lawsuits and is representing almost 40 families or persons said to have been sickened or killed because of the contaminated cantaloupe. According to an article in Read More...Farmers, Ranchers and Consumers Fight USDA Animal IDA coalition of agriculture and consumer organizations from across the nation is challenging the U.S. Department of Agricultures (USDA) decision to push ahead with a complicated and expensive Animal ID program.
The organizations sent a joint letter to the Congressional Office of Management and Budget (OMB) this week arguing that the rule should be sent back to the USDA because Read More...FMD threat hits RussiaRussias veterinary authority believes that if the country does not correct the situation in neighbouring states, Foot and Mouth Disease epidemics could become "overwhelming" in Russia and spread to the rest of Europe. Russia registered 30 outbreaks of FMD in 2011, a figure that could rise this year despite only two outbreaks recorded so far. The main threat for Russia Read More...USDA Lifts Quarantines on CA Dairy Farms Linked to BSEWASHINGTON—USDAs Animal and Plant Inspection Service (APHIS) on May 18 lifted quarantines placed on two California dairy farms linked to the countrys fourth case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), or “mad cow disease." Results of the investigation concluded the cows illness was not linked to livestock feed; therefore, the dairies could resume operations.
In late April, the 10-year-old dairy cow was euthanized humanly Read More...Parasite Proves To Be Troublesome For Diagnosing Bovine Tuberculosis
Researchers have uncovered new clues in the battle against bovine tuberculosis (bTB), which claimed the lives of thousands of U.K. cattle and wildlife last year.
A parasitic flatworm often found in cattle, Fasciola hepatica – or common liver fluke, reduces the sensitivity of bTB skin tests and produces false negatives in the animals, according to a team of U.K. scientists at the Universities of Nottingham and Liverpool.Read More...LFTB And BSE; Why Two Different Outcomes?Public relations disasters can be as real and damaging as anything Mother Nature can conjure.
Consider the recent furor surrounding lean finely textured beef (LFTB). Within two weeks of an inaccurate, sensationalized report from ABC News, Beef Products, Inc., one of the nation’s primary LFTB suppliers, was forced by consumer backlash to idle three of its four processing facilities. About a month later, BPI shuttered those three plants permanently. More than 600 folks lost their jobs. Just like that.Read More...FMD vaccinations no longer last resortTHE Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) has developed a national policy for vaccination against foot–and–mouth disease (FMD), boosting Australia’s preparedness against the disease.
DAFF Deputy Secretary, Rona Mellor, said vaccination is increasingly being recognised as an important part of controlling an outbreak of FMD.Read More...Senators ask to downgrade of brucellosis pathogenMontana’s senators have stepped into the Yellowstone bison fray by requesting that two federal agencies downgrade the pathogen that causes brucellosis to ease research into a vaccine.The disease, carried by the park’s bison and now prevalent in some western Montana elk, can cause cattle to abort.Read More...Update from APHIS Regarding a Detection of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in the United StatesMay 18, 2012 APHIS News Release: On April 24, USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed the nation's 4th case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in an animal that was sampled for the disease at a rendering facility in central California. This animal was never presented for slaughter for human consumption, so at no time presented a risk to the food supply, or to human health in the United States.Read More...Include anthrax vaccination this spring"Anthrax is a disease of cattle and other ruminants that results in sudden death in affected animals. It is also a potential human pathogen," said Daly, who also serves as the State Public Health Veterinarian.Read More...USDA Announces New Safeguards to Protect Consumers from Foodborne IllnessWASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced a series of prevention-based policy measures that will better protect consumers from foodborne illness in meat and poultry products. These measures will significantly improve the ability of both plants and USDA to trace contaminated food materials in the supply chain, Read More...
Farmers and ranchers as well as other livestock and poultry producers routinely deal with the threat of animal diseases.
A catastrophic animal disease can devastate your business forever!
Product warranties have been around for many decades. Now you can use this concept to become eligible for compensation for mortalities and interruptions to your business in the face of catastrophic animal diseases, and help to defray certain costs associated with traceback liability for bodily injury by a consumer of food product from one of your animals.
With regard to beef and dairy cattle, USDA APHIS is proposing to use a “calculator” to determine the fair market value (FMV) of livestock for federal indemnity payments for certain diseases. As proposed, there will be adjustments and discounts applied but no provision for a separate appraisal or an appeal of the value APHIS calculates for your animals. Uncertainty abounds.
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A warranty from uslp can help to bridge any economic gap between your value and the USDA APHIS indemnity calculator.
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Moreover, a beef cattle warranty from uslp will compensate you for the value of animal disease mortalities from Tuberculosis, Brucellosis and other covered devastating diseases such as Anthrax, Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) or Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) and can help compensate you for certain quarantine related expenses and traceback liability.
Click on one of the pictures below to create a sample warranty and see how easy and inexpensive peace of mind can be.
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