Animal disease emergencies involving livestock and poultry diseases of high consequence or foreign origin will have serious economic consequences at the local, state and national level. The rapid detection and response needed will require the collaboration of trained responders.
Monthly Archives: August 2017
Doc Tales – Labor Day Edition
Given the upcoming Labor Day holiday, I thought I’d share a couple of Labor Day oriented Tales. The first is thought provoking: “If a train station is where the train stops, and a bus station is where the bus stops, what is a work station?” Second, a truism: “Happy Labor Day! Oh wait… we live on a farm. Never mind!”
SHIC Shares Practitioner’s View on Novel PRRS in Manitoba
Preweaning mortality of 60 percent. Up to 10 percent abortion rate. Triple the rate of mummified fetuses. All of these were reality for swine herds in Manitoba after a novel strain of PRRS broke in October 2016. Consequences continue to be felt while practitioners and stakeholders work to control this outbreak.
Salmonella Vaccine Reduces Animal Disease and Foodborne Illness
Some types of Salmonella cause disease in food animals, like pigs. Others cause foodborne illness in humans. A new vaccine developed by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists in Ames, Iowa, protects against these types of Salmonella in food animals. [Source: ARS News Service, August 30, 2017]
Volunteer Today: AASVF Auction Committee
The AASV Foundation is pleased to report that Dr. Butch Baker has agreed to chair the Auction Committee again for 2018. There’s just one problem: the auction he chaired this past year was SO successful that he is looking for some help to come up with new ideas to make next year’s auction even better. How about it – have you considered serving on the AASVF Auction Committee?If you’d like to contribute some new ideas and energy to the AASV Foundation Auction and/or help solicit auction donations, don’t delay – volunteer today! Contact Butch (515-520-1041, 6456butch@gmail.com) or the AASV office (515-465-5255, aasv@aasv.org).
“People on the Move: Dr. Rodney B. “”Butch”” Baker”
Dr. Butch Baker reports that since he is now 99% retired, he has sold his Iowa home and is moving back to Kentucky. Updated contact information for Dr. Baker is available at www.aasv.org/members/only/directory.php. Are you on the move? If so, let us know at aasv@aasv.org.
Farmers and Vets Urged to Stick by Antibiotic Guidelines
Farmers and vets are being urged to continue following current prescription guidelines and completing courses of animal treatments, after some health experts questioned the validity of currently accepted guidelines.
A Ten Years (2007-2016) Retrospective Serological Survey for Seneca Valley Virus Infection in Major Pig Producing States of Brazil
Seneca Valley virus (SVV) is the etiological agent of vesicular disease in pigs, clinically indistinguishable of classical viral vesicular infections, including foot-and-mouth disease. The first outbreaks of SVV infection in Brazil were reported in 2014. However, it was not known whether the virus was circulating in Brazilian pig herds before this year. This study is a retrospective serological investigation of porcine health status to SVV in Brazil. Serum samples (n = 594) were grouped in before (2007-2013, n = 347) and after (2014-2016, n = 247) SVV outbreaks in Brazil. Twenty-three pig herds were analyzed, of which 19 and 4 were sampled before and after the beginning of SVV outbreaks, respectively. Two herds sampled after 2014 presented animals with SVV-associated clinical manifestations, while the other two housed asymptomatic pigs. Anti-SVV antibodies were evaluated by virus neutralization test. The results demonstrated that pig herds of different Brazilian geographical regions and distinct pig categories were negative to anti-SVV antibodies in sera obtained before 2014. Antibodies to SVV were detected only in serum samples obtained after 2014, particularly in herds with the presence of pigs with SVV-clinical signs. These results present robust serological evidence that the SVV was not present in the major Brazilian pig producing regions prior to 2014. Saporiti V, Fritzen JTT, Feronato C, Leme RA, Lobato ZIP, Alfieri AF, Alfieri AA; A Ten Years (2007-2016) Retrospective Serological Survey for Seneca Valley Virus Infection in Major Pig Producing States of Brazil; Vet Res Commun. 2017 Aug 23. doi: 10.1007/s11259-017-9697-6. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 28836073 DOI: 10.1007/s11259-017-9697-6
How to Prevent Broken Needles: Protecting People, Pigs and Pork
Mark your calendar for Thursday, Sept. 7th at 2 p.m. EDT/1 p.m. CDT for an educational webinar brought to you by the Pork Checkoff–How to Prevent Broken Needles: Protecting People, Pigs and Pork. This fact-filled, hour-long webinar, in collaboration with National Hog Farmer, will offer keen insights into why it’s so critical to prevent broken needles from happening on the farm and the potential consequences if we don’t. As an added bonus, one of the country’s largest pork packers will also provide their insights into this important issue. Webinar participants will also be able to pose questions before the session wraps up. Register here at no cost.
Registration Open for First Pig Welfare Symposium
The National Pork Board has announced that its first-ever Pig Welfare Symposium will take place Nov. 7-9, 2017, in Des Moines, Iowa. The forum is designed to help improve the well-being of pigs by disseminating recent research findings and recommendations, raising awareness of current and emerging issues and identifying potential solutions. [Source: National Pork Board, July 12, 2017]