The U.S. Department of Agricultureâs (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) today announced that it will soon begin sharing new levels of food safety data specific to slaughter and processing facilities in the United States, on Data.gov. The agency has detailed its framework for releasing this data in its Establishment-Specific Data Release Plan, which the agency anticipates will allow consumers to make more informed choices, motivate individual establishments to improve performance, and lead to industry-wide improvements in food safety by providing better insights into strengths and weaknesses of different practices. [Source: USDA FSIS Press Release, July 11, 2016]
Monthly Archives: August 2016
Zoetis to Sponsor Postgraduate Research Fellowship at Iowa State University
A study at Iowa State University may give pork producers new insights on how to manage the Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS). A postgraduate fellow, sponsored by Zoetis, will work with other university scholars to identify herd-specific best practices to prevent, control and/or eliminate PRRS virus (PRRSv). [Source: Zoetis Press Release, August 30, 2016]
NA-PRRS Symposium Abstract Submissions Due September 1
Abstract submissions for the 2016 North American PRRS Symposium (NA-PRRS) Emerging and Foreign Animal Diseases are due September 1st.
“Passion for Pigs Brings “”Choose Success”” Tour to Orange City Sept 15″
“Passion for Pigs” and the Orange City Veterinary Clinic are teaming up for the “Choose Success” seminar & trade show in Orange City, Iowa. The event will be held from 7:00 am – 3:30 pm on September 15 at the Prairie Winds Event Center. The full program is now online at www.passionforpigs.com. For discount lodging in the P4P room block, contact the Hampton In Orange City at 712-707-4100 before September 7. Registrations for the conference are due September 7; discounts are available for groups of three or more. To register, or for more information, go to www.passionforpigs.com or contact Executive Coordinator Julie Lolli at 660-651-0570 or julie.nevets@nevetsrv.com.
U.S. Pork Producers and Veterinarians Keeping on Top of Seneca Valley Virus
The Executive Director of the Swine Health Information Center reports U.S. swine producers and veterinarians have been diligent in reporting signs of Seneca Valley Virus on the farm. Seneca Valley Virus is not considered a serious production limiting disease but its clinical signs closely resemble those of Foot and Mouth Disease, a serious infection that, if introduced, would have dramatic animal health and trade implications. [Source: Farmscape.ca for August 18, 2016]
Protection against Henipaviruses in Swine Requires Both, Cell-Mediated and Humoral Immune Response
Hendra virus (HeV) and Nipah virus (NiV) are members of the genus Henipavirus, within the family Paramyxoviridae. Nipah virus has caused outbreaks of human disease in Bangladesh, Malaysia, Singapore, India and Philippines, in addition to a large outbreak in swine in Malaysia in 1998/1999. Recently, NiV was suspected to be a causative agent of an outbreak in horses in 2014 in the Philippines, while HeV has caused multiple human and equine outbreaks in Australia since 1994. A swine vaccine able to prevent shedding of infectious virus is of veterinary and human health importance, and correlates of protection against henipavirus infection in swine need to be better understood. In the present study, three groups of animals were employed. Pigs vaccinated with adjuvanted recombinant soluble HeV G protein (sGHEV) and challenged with HeV, developed antibody levels considered to be protective prior to the challenge (titers of 320). However, activation of the cell-mediated immune response was not detected, and the animals were only partially protected against challenge with 5×105 PFU of HeV per animal. In the second group, cross-neutralizing antibody levels against NiV in the sGHEV vaccinated animals did not reach protective levels, and with no activation of cellular immune memory, these animals were not protected against NiV. Only pigs orally infected with 5×104 PFU of NiV per animal were protected against nasal challenge with 5×105 PFU of NiV per animal. This group of pigs developed protective antibody levels, as well as cell-mediated immune memory. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells restimulated with UV-inactivated NiV upregulated IFN-gamma, IL-10 and the CD25 activation marker on CD4+CD8+ T memory helper cells and to lesser extent on CD4-CD8+ T cells. In conclusion, both humoral and cellular immune responses were required for protection of swine against henipaviruses. Pickering BS, Hardham JM, Smith G, Weingartl ET, Dominowski PJ, Foss DL, Mwangi D, Broder CC, Roth JA, Weingartl HM; Protection against Henipaviruses in Swine Requires Both, Cell-Mediated and Humoral Immune Response; Vaccine. 2016 Aug 17. pii: S0264-410X(16)30700-9. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2016.08.028. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 27544586 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2016.08.028
Celebrate 50 Years of Protecting Animals with APHIS
Many people know that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is the agency tasked with administering the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). But did you know that this is the 50th anniversary of that Act? [Source: USDA Blog, August 24, 2016, Posted by Tanya Espinosa, APHIS Public Affairs Specialist]
AASV Office Closed for Labor Day
The AASV office will be closed on Monday September 5th in observance of the Labor Day holiday. The office will re-open on Tuesday morning. We hope you and your family enjoy the end-of-summer holiday!
People on the Move: Dr. Jess Waddell
Dr. Jess Waddell recently joined PIC as a Health Assurance Veterinarian. He will be responsible for the implementation and communication of the PIC Health Assurance Program, which protects PIC supply chain and customersâ herds. He will also provide services and solutions to key customers. Dr. Waddell is a graduate of Oklahoma State University where he studied Animal Science. After receiving his Master of Science in Veterinary Preventive Medicine and his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Iowa State University, he worked as a Technical Swine Manager with Boehringer Ingelheim in Vienna, Austria. Most recently, he worked with The Maschhoffs, Inc. as the Associate Director of Health responsible for the 40,000 sow farrow-to-finish system in Nebraska, South Dakota, and Iowa. Jess will be based out of Sutton, Nebraska where he currently lives. For Dr. Waddell’s updated contact information, go to www.aasv.org/members/only/directory.php. Are you on the move? If so, let us know at aasv@aasv.org.
Butch Baker Seeks New Blood
Last spring, when Butch Baker agreed to chair the AASV Foundation Auction Committee, he didn’t know that a few long-time committee members would be retiring. But that hasn’t dampened his enthusiasm – instead, he’s excited about the opportunity to get some new members involved in the AASV Foundation. Could one of them be you? If you’d like to contribute some new ideas and energy to the AASV Foundation Auction, don’t delay – volunteer today! Contact Butch (515-520-1041, 6456butch@gmail.com) or the AASV office (515-465-5255, aasv@aasv.org).