The National Pork Board reminds producers that a PIN is critical for FAD Preparation: The following information comes from a recent NPB foreign animal disease preparation bulletin. “If you don’t have your premises identification number (PIN) for every location that you raise pigs yet, you need to do so if you want to be fully prepared for a foreign animal disease (FAD). The first step for getting a PIN is to contact your state animal health official’s office to talk to the identification program coordinator.
Monthly Archives: November 2018
Doc Tales
The following was overheard at a recent emergency response meeting with USDA. After giving an impassioned speech decrying the prolonged movement of cull sows through the slaughter channels, a prominent swine veterinarian lamented, “Sausage. Cull sows are used to make delicious sausage. Who doesn’t love sausage?? I love sausage! Get on with it!”
Swine Veterinarians Invited to Apply for Hogg Scholarship
The American Association of Swine Veterinarians Foundation is pleased to offer the Hogg Scholarship, established to honor the memory of longtime AASV member and swine industry leader Dr Alex Hogg. Applications for the $10,000 scholarship will be accepted until February 1, 2019, and the scholarship recipient will be announced on Sunday, March 10 during the Foundation Luncheon at the AASV 2019 Annual Meeting in Orlando.
AASV Foundation Issues Call for Research Proposals; due January 18, 2019
As part of its mission to fund research with direct application to the profession, the American Association of Swine Veterinarians Foundation is accepting research proposals to be considered for funding in 2019. Proposals are due January 18, 2019, and may request a maximum of $30,000 (US$) per project. A maximum of $60,000 will be awarded across two or more projects. The announcement of projects selected for funding will take place at the AASV Foundation Luncheon in Orlando, Florida on Sunday, March 10, 2019 (awardees will be notified in advance).
Veterinary students: Apply for $5000 scholarships by December 31
The AASV Foundation and Merck Animal Health are pleased to announce the continuation of the AASVF-Merck Animal Health Veterinary Student Scholarship Program. Ten $5000 scholarships will be awarded to sophomore and junior veterinary students in 2019. Now in its fourth year, the program seeks to identify future swine veterinarians and assist with their educational expenses. Applications are due December 31, 2018 for scholarships that will be announced at the 2019 AASV Annual Meeting.
AASV Awards: Who Will Make History at the 50th AASV Annual Meeting?
Twenty-five years ago, at the 1994 AASP Annual Meeting, Dr Beth Lautner became the first woman – one of only two ever – to receive the prestigious Howard Dunne Memorial Award. At the same meeting, Dr Alan Davis, a practitioner from Flanagan, Illinois, was named the Swine Practitioner of the Year, and AASP charter member Dr. Wally Brandt received the Meritorious Service Award. Dr Brandt was instrumental in recording the history of the first 25 years of the association, raising the question: Who will make history at the 50th AASV Annual Meeting? Do you know an AASV member whose dedication to the association and the swine industry is worthy of recognition at this milestone meeting? The AASV Awards Committee requests nominations for the following five awards to be presented at the upcoming AASV Annual Meeting in Florida. Nominations are due December 15.
AASV Meeting Program Celebrates the Past while Looking to the Future
Under the direction of president-elect and program chair Dr. Nathan Winkelman, the AASV Program Committee focused on the theme “Built to Last: Celebrating 50 Years of Progress” to assemble the presentations for the 50th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians. The results of their efforts are now online at www.aasv.org/annmtg/2019/program.php. The conference will be held March 9-12, 2019, in Orlando, Florida.
Workshops will Develop Pork Security Plans
The University of Minnesota Extension Swine team, Dr. Dave Wright and the Minnesota Board of Animal Health are holding Secure Pork Supply workshops for producers in November and December. [Source: AgriNews, November 22, 2018]
USDA Works to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance
Scientists from USDA developed the tools to mass produce penicillin, which was used for treating wounded soldiers over 70 years ago during World War II. Antibiotics are still important in treating microbial infection in humans, animals, and plants. However, microbes can develop resistance to some antibiotics, making them less effective. USDA agencies continue to work on numerous issues related to antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). NIFA has invested more than $30 million since 2013 to support transdisciplinary systems-based research, education, and extension projects on AMR. NIFA grantees further extend AMR knowledge and expertise by partnering and collaborating with colleagues at universities and colleges, in the private and public sectors, and in non-governmental organizations at the national and international levels. Read the full USDA story.
Phasing Out Pig Tail Docking in the EU – Present State, Challenges and Possibilities
European legislation dictates that pig tail docking is not allowed to be performed routinely (European Union. Council Directive 2008/120/EC of 18 December 2008 laying down minimum standards for the protection of pigs. OJ L 47, 18.2.2009). Nevertheless, tail docking is still practiced routinely in many European countries, while four countries stopped routine tail docking completely. Tail docking is also practiced in many countries outside Europe.The Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE), the European Association of Porcine Health Management (EAPHM) together with the European Commission carried out an online survey to investigate the situation regarding the practice of pig tail docking and the provision of enrichment material across 24 European countries. It also focuses on the role of the veterinary profession and gives an overview on published literature regarding the challenges and possibilities related to the raising of pigs with intact tails. Results: Fifty-seven (57) usable survey responses from 24 countries were received. On average 77% (median = 95%) of pigs are routinely tail-docked. In Finland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, less than 5% of the pigs are tail-docked. According to the respondents, 67% of pigs (median = 76%) across the 24 EU countries surveyed are given suitable enrichment materials. Training of veterinary practitioners, their role in advising the producer and undertaking a risk assessment of tail biting were more positively valued in countries that stopped routine tail docking than in countries that had not stopped routine tail docking. Initiatives such as training from national authorities to encourage abandoning tail docking and routine recording of tail biting at the slaughterhouse were identified as two successful items to promote the raising of pigs with entire tails. Conclusion: In many European countries the majority of the pigs are still routinely tail-docked, which is a violation of the European legislation. To stop routine tail docking it is necessary to raise the awareness and education about risk factors to prevent tail biting. The growing knowledge about the reasons for failing voluntary national initiatives as well as about successful measures taken by some countries to make pig production with intact tails feasible should be distributed throughout the EU pig producing community. The veterinary profession has a significant role to play in raising awareness, facilitate knowledge transfer and to identify risk factors and solutions on farm level for the benefit of pig health and welfare. De Briyne N, Berg C, Blaha T, Palzer A, Temple D; Phasing Out Pig Tail Docking in the EU – Present State, Challenges and Possibilities; Porcine Health Manag. 2018 Nov 16;4:27. doi: 10.1186/s40813-018-0103-8. eCollection 2018. PMID: 30473870 PMCID: PMC6238401 DOI: 10.1186/s40813-018-0103-8 Click here to read the full article.