Today the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine published a summary assessment for Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) compliance activities conducted during fiscal years 2016-2018. [Source: FDA 29 August 2019]
Monthly Archives: August 2019
Participate in USDA’s Full Functional Exercise for an African Swine Fever for Agriculture Response in September
The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Veterinary Services (VS) National Training and Exercise Program (NTEP) is sponsoring a series of four exercises for the top 14 swine producing states to further their capacity to effectively respond to and mitigate an outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF). Three exercises in this series have already been completed: ASF Response Policy Workshop, November 2018; ASF Plan Review and Revision Workshop, February 2019; and an ASF Response Tabletop Exercise (TTX), April 2019. These three exercises have set the stage for the fourth exercise activity, a series of functional exercises and drills to be conducted between September 23 and 26, 2019. We encourage AASV members to be involved in this full functional exercise. To participate and to learn more about your state’s participation in preparation for and during the exercise, contact your State Animal Health Official or your state pork produces association.
Foreign Animal Disease Preparation Bulletin
Read the latest Foreign Animal Disease Preparation Bulletin brought to you by the Pork Checkoff, in collaboration with the National Pork Producers Council, Swine Health Information Center, USDA, and AASV.
SHIC Renews Popular Global Swine Disease Monitoring Report
The Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) Global Swine Disease Monitoring Report facilitates near real-time identification of hazards posing risks to the domestic pork industry. Being able to access accurate and reviewed information quickly is important to producers and the industry as a whole, according to the SHIC Monitoring and Analysis Working Group in their support of continued funding of the program. Compiled by staff at the University of Minnesota, the report is posted on the SHIC website and included its monthly enewsletter, always ranking as one of the most read articles.
Optimal Movement Bans During FMD Outbreak Could Lead to Vast Savings
New research from the University of Warwick has pioneered an economic perspective on controlling livestock diseases. Focusing on foot-and-mouth disease, bovine tuberculosis and bluetongue virus, the researchers have drawn striking conclusions about the role of movement bans in controlling an outbreak. [Source: National Hog Farmer 22 August 2019
Canada, Mexico and U.S. Plan North American Strategy for African Swine Fever Prevention and Preparedness
Today, the Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) for the United States, Dr. Burke Healey, along with the CVO for Canada, Dr. Jaspinder Komal, and the CVO for Mexico, Dr. Juan Gay Gutierrez, issued the following statement about the 18th North American Animal Health Committee Meeting (NAAHC). [Source: USDA 27 August 2019]
APHIS Announces 2019 Open Period for Farm Bill Funding Opportunities Supporting Animal Health Activities, Informational Webinars
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is announcing the open period to apply for 2019 funding for the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program (NADPRP) and the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN). The 2018 Farm Bill provided funding for these programs as part of an overall strategy to help prevent animal pests and diseases from entering the United States and to reduce the spread and impact of potential disease incursions through advance planning and preparedness. [Source: USDA 26 August 2019]
Case Study: Is It Time for an NPIP like Program for the US Pork Industry?
A study was commissioned in 2018 with the aim of seeking a more in-depth understanding of the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) and assessing the potential for an NPIP like program to support the US pork industry (i.e., US Swine Health Improvement Plan). Findings suggest the basic tenets and approach used by the NPIP could serve as a road map for pork producers and packers (slaughter facilities) interested in more directly and systematically addressing the major swine health issues of high consequence and better positioning the future of the US pork industry in the domestic and global marketplace. Case study report informational materials and request for feedback available online. Main R, Zaabel P, Leedom-Larson K, Roth J, Zimmerman J. Case Study: Is it time for an NPIP like program for the US pork industry? https://doi.org/10.31274/main.2019.001
Suicides and Deaths of Undetermined Intent Among Veterinary Professionals from 2003 Through 2014
OBJECTIVE: To analyze data for death of veterinary professionals and veterinary students, with manner of death characterized as suicide or undetermined intent from 2003 through 2014. SAMPLE: Death records for 202 veterinary professionals and veterinary students. PROCEDURES: Decedents employed as veterinarians, veterinary technicians or technologists, or veterinary assistants or laboratory animal caretakers and veterinary students who died by suicide or of undetermined intent were identified through retrospective review of National Violent Death Reporting System records. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated, and mechanisms and circumstances of death were compared among veterinary occupational groups. RESULTS: 197 veterinary professionals and 5 veterinary students had deaths by suicide or of undetermined intent. Among decedents employed at the time of death, SMRs for suicide of male and female veterinarians (1.6 and 2.4, respectively) and male and female veterinary technicians or technologists (5.0 and 2.3, respectively) were significantly greater than those for the general US population, whereas SMRs for suicide of male and female veterinary assistants or laboratory animal caretakers were not. Poisoning was the most common mechanism of death among veterinarians; the drug most commonly used was pentobarbital. For most (13/18) veterinarians who died of pentobarbital poisoning, the death-related injury occurred at home. When decedents with pentobarbital poisoning were excluded from analyses, SMRs for suicide of male and female veterinarians, but not veterinary technicians or technologists, did not differ significantly from results for the general population. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggested higher SMRs for suicide among veterinarians might be attributable to pentobarbital access. Improving administrative controls for pentobarbital might be a promising suicide prevention strategy among veterinarians; however, different strategies are likely needed for veterinary technicians or technologists. Witte TK, Spitzer EG, Edwards N, Fowler KA, Nett RJ. Suicides and deaths of undetermined intent among veterinary professionals from 2003 through 2014. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2019 Sep. https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.255.5.595
Emergency Preparedness and Response Training Opportunity: African Swine Fever Situation And Critical Biosecurity
Purpose/Objective: The discussion for this webinar will center on the global African Swine Fever situation and the critical biosecurity and hygiene concerns in depopulation and disposal, and truck sanitation management. Anthony (Tony) Pearson will be the speaker for this webinar. Tony is an engineer, and head of technical marketing for biosecurity and hygiene with Antec International Ltd, part of the Lanxess Group. Tony has held global roles for the business under DuPont, Chemours and now Lanxess, supporting animal production across many markets and regions while leading LANXESS guides in Emergency Disease Control. In this role Tony is working with regional governing bodies across many markets, such as China, South Korea, Japan, Colombia, Poland, Germany, Thailand etc. as challenges arise.