James Leafstedt, a pork producer from Alcester, S.D., was elected president of the U.S. Animal Health Association (USAHA) at its 111th meeting here this week. USAHA is an organization of state and federal animal health officials, practicing veterinarians, livestock producers, research scientists and others concerned with animal health.
Monthly Archives: October 2007
AASV rolls out web-based version of PRRS Risk Assessement
The new web-based version of the PRRS Risk Assessment Tool will be unveiled in Ames, Iowa to participants in the training session to be held November 10 following the ISU Swine Disease Conference. The new version offers improved access and ease of use in addition to expanded capacity for storing and manipulating data. Veterinarians who have been previously trained on the spreadsheet version of the Risk Assessment Tool will need to attend a training session in order to use the web version. Those who have not previously used the PRRS Risk Assessment Tool are also encouraged to participate in order to take advantage of the opportunities afforded by use of the tool.
Blue-eared pig disease in China under control
The Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) declared yesterday that it has brought blue-eared pig disease, also known as Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), under control.
AASV Member Named Iowa Veterinarian of the Year
Dr. John Thomson, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Iowa State University and an AASV member, was named Veterinarian of the Year at the annual meeting of the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association (IVMA).
Canadian Pork Analysis Leaner than Ever
According to two new fact sheets distributed by Ontario Pork, recent nutrient analysis of composite pork samples indicate that pork is now leaner than ever before.
China?s ?Pig High Fever Disease? to be Discussed at ISU Conference
A last-minute addition to the 15th Annual Iowa State University Swine Disease Conference November 8-9, 2007 will be a discussion of the current disease status in China presented by Dr. Yao Jiancong, Agricultural Scientist, USDA-APHIS-International Services stationed in Beijing, China.
AASV Attends FFA National Convention
For the first time, the American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV) participated in the career show at the 80th National Future Farmers of America (FFA) Convention in Indianapolis, IN.
Why do pigs root and in what will they root? A review on the exploratory behaviour of pigs in relation to environmental enrichment
The intention of the new European legislation on rooting materials for pigs is to improve the welfare of pigs. The question is: which materials are suitable rooting materials for pigs? To answer this question the motivation for exploration in pigs is elucidated and the needs of the pigs in this context are discussed. The effects of different materials on the behaviour of pigs are listed and the preferences of pigs for numerous different materials are compared. Based on the literature on the normal behaviour of pigs and studies on pigs’ use of and preferences for various materials, we conclude that in order to be a suitable rooting material the material must stimulate the exploratory behaviour of pigs for an extended length of time. Exploratory behaviour in pigs is best stimulated by materials that are complex, changeable, destructible, manipulable, and contain sparsely distributed edible parts.
AASV Sponsors Resolution to Address ?30 Day Health Rule?
The United States Animal Health Association’s Transmissible Diseases of Swine committee passed a resolution to address issues with the USDA’s interpretation of the 30 day health rule.
Effects of different animal waste treatment technologies on detection and viability of porcine enteric viruses
Enteric pathogens in animal waste that is not properly processed can contaminate the environment and food. The persistence of pathogens in animal waste depends upon the waste treatment technology, but little is known about persistence of porcine viruses. Our objectives were to characterize the porcine enteric viruses (porcine noroviruses [PoNoVs], porcine sapoviruses [PoSaVs], rotavirus A [RV-A], RV-B, and RV-C) in fresh feces or manure and to evaluate the effects of different candidate environmentally superior technologies (ESTs) for animal waste treatment on the detection of these viruses. Untreated manure and samples collected at different stages during and after treatment were obtained from swine farms that used conventional waste management (CWM) and five different candidate ESTs. The RNA from porcine enteric viruses was detected by reverse transcription-PCR and/or seminested PCR; PoSaV and RV-A were also detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Cell culture immunofluorescence (CCIF) and experimental inoculation of gnotobiotic (Gn) pigs were used to determine RV-A/C infectivity in posttreatment samples. The PoSaV and RV-A were detected in pretreatment samples from each farm, whereas PoNoV and RV-C were detected in pretreatment feces from three of five and four of five farms using the candidate ESTs, respectively. After treatment, PoSaV RNA was detected only in the samples from the farm using CWM and not from the farms using the candidate ESTs. RV-A and RV-C RNAs were detected in four of five and three of four candidate ESTs, respectively, after treatment, but infectious particles were not detected by CCIF, nor were clinical signs or seroconversion detected in inoculated Gn pigs. These results indicate that only RV-A/C RNA, but no viral infectivity, was detected after treatment. Our findings address a public health concern regarding environmental quality surrounding swine production units.