Monthly Archives: September 2007

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has issued an interim rule listing the Republic of Georgia among the regions where African swine fever (ASF) is known to exist.

CKE restaurants, the California-based parent company of Hardees and Carl’s Jr., has announced plans to purchase a percentage of their pork from suppliers that do not use gestation stalls.

Newsham Genetics, LC announced today that it has entered into a definitive purchase agreement to acquire Monsanto Choice Genetics, Inc. The transaction will be completed as soon as practical. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Sept. 20 – Defra will allow animal movements outside the Surveillance Zone under stringent conditions to include:Pigs can move from farrowing to nurseries and to finisher units – subject to certification by a veterinarianSusceptible animals can move up to 3km between premises under the same occupation or along or across a roadCows for calving and cow with calves cam be moved up to 50km between premises under the same occupation.Sept. 21 – The sixth Infected Premises was confirmed in Surrey within the existing Protection Zone. Approximately 40 cattle were culled on suspicion of the disease based on the presence of clinical signs on the premises.Sept. 24 -The seventh Infected Premises since the outbreak began on Aug. 3rd was confirmed near Egham. The cattle on the site were culled based on suspicion of the disease.National Epidemiology Emergency Group publishes the latest FMD Epidemiology Report which draws the following conclusions: Infected Premises 5 (IP5) was likely infected by mechanical transmission from either the Pirbright site or on of the first two infected premises. Thus establishing a link between the August and Sept. outbreaks. IPs 3 and 4 were likely infected subsequently. Based on the report, Defra will establish two FMD risk areas; a Risk Area including Essex, Kent, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Surrey, Berkshire, Hertfordshire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Greater London, and a Low Risk Area including the rest of England, Wales and Scotland. Animal movement restrictions based on Risk Area designation cam be found on the Defra website covering permitted movements http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/fmd/movements/zones.htm.Reports indicate that the fifth premises identified as infected with FMD had been inspected by animal health experts 3 times before clinical signs of the disease were discovered. Some of the animals had healed lesions indicating that they were likely more than 10 days old.