Herd Health

New Leadership to Take on Key Animal Health Roles at USDA

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 19:23:02 GMT

USDA announced major leadership changes within the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). Michael Watson, APHIS administrator, will retire at the end of January after decades of distinguished service, and Rosemary Sifford, deputy administrator for veterinary services and U.S. chief veterinary officer, has also retired from federal service after a similarly notable career.

Dedicated Public Servants

Watson’s notable career reflects his unwavering commitment to safeguarding U.S. agriculture, building strong partnerships with states and stakeholders and mentoring future leaders. Beginning his USDA career in 1994 as a plant pathologist with the Agricultural Research Service, he later held key leadership roles across multiple APHIS programs. APHIS says Watson consistently championed science-based policy, ensuring APHIS decisions were grounded in rigorous data and research to protect U.S. agriculture and maintain public trust. His legacy is one of collaboration, integrity and dedication to public service.

Sifford began her USDA career in 1997 as a Saul T. Wilson Scholar and held numerous roles across APHIS. Under her leadership and guidance, APHIS advanced major animal health efforts, including combatting highly pathogenic avian influenza — with unprecedented detections in dairy cattle — and strengthening preparedness and response for New World screwworm. APHIS says her direction ensured these efforts were grounded in science-based policy, supported by field-ready guidance, and delivered with transparent stakeholder engagement. A steadfast champion of practical, proven biosecurity, she worked hard to protect animal health nationwide.

“Dr. Watson and Dr. Sifford are dedicated public servants and we greatly appreciate their time at USDA, serving American farmers and ranchers, and protecting the national security of the U.S. I am so grateful for their extended service to support the Trump administration during such a critical time for American agriculture,” says U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins in a news release. “The team at APHIS plays a critical role in protecting our food supply from foreign pests like the New World screwworm, as well as fighting diseases like bird flu. I have the utmost confidence in Ms. Moore, Dr. Huddleston and Dr. Dijab in continuing this critical mission and defending American agriculture.”

New Leadership

Starting Feb. 1, Kelly Moore will serve as acting administrator. Moore is currently acting chief operating officer for USDA’s marketing and regulatory programs mission area, and acting deputy administrator of marketing and regulatory programs business services.

“She brings extensive operational leadership experience and results-driven management, including a strong foundation of discipline from her prior service in the U.S. Marine Corps,” APHIS reports. “Ms. Moore is highly adept at guiding organizations through periods of change and transition and driving efficiency, compliance and innovation at scale — critical to APHIS’s mission during this pivotal time.”

Effective immediately, Dr. Alan Huddleston will serve as acting U.S. chief veterinary officer. With deep expertise in epidemiology and program development, he will represent U.S. animal health priorities internationally and maintain strong engagement with states and industry.

(USDA APHIS)

Dudley Hoskins, under secretary for marketing and regulatory programs, says their leadership and commitment to collaboration strengthened APHIS and the nation’s animal and plant health systems.

“These are consequential changes at a pivotal moment for the agency, and I am confident that Ms. Moore, Dr. Huddleston, and Dr. Dijab will not only serve as steady hands for program continuity but will lead APHIS into a new era,” Hoskins says.

To ensure continuity during this transition, APHIS veterinary services associate deputy administrator Adis Dijab will continue to provide operational oversight of veterinary services.

“APHIS operations continue uninterrupted, guided by science-based policies, strong stakeholder engagement and experienced acting leaders to ensure program continuity,” APHIS reports. “APHIS remains steadfast in its mission to protect the health, welfare and value of our Nation’s plants, animals, and natural resources — continuing to deliver solutions and essential services that safeguard U.S. agriculture and support stakeholders nationwide.”

Vesicular Stomatitis Outbreak in Arizona

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 17:00:39 GMT

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has released a situation report on vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) after the virus was identified on two Arizona farms this month.

While both reported cases were in horses, VSV also affects cattle, swine and other ruminants. The farms on which the virus was identified both also house cattle, though none have been found to be clinically affected.

In response to this outbreak, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has announced temporary import restrictions on horses, ruminants and swine from the U.S. until further notice. The import of horses, swine and ruminants from VSV-affected states for all purposes is prohibited. Animals from other states that have been in a VSV-affected state at any point in the three weeks prior to import will be denied entry to Canada. Special accommodations have been made in collaboration with USDA regarding animal import for major Canadian livestock competitions and exhibitions.

What is Vesicular Stomatitis?

Vesicular stomatitis (VS) is a viral disease primarily spread by biting midges and flies, but can also be spread via animal-to-animal contact or exposure to saliva or fluid from ruptured vesicles. It is also important to protect yourself if working with infected animals as it is transmissible to humans causing an acute influenza-like illness.

VS is named for its characteristic vesicular lesions that form around the mouth, nose, udders and hooves. Along with these lesions, clinical signs of VS include:

excessive salivation (often accompanied by raised blisters on the lips, gums and tongue)
fever
feed withdrawal leading to weight loss

In cattle and horses, lesions around the hooves can lead to lameness, while teat lesions in dairy cattle can lead to mastitis and a severe drop in milk production. Affected swine usually first show signs of lameness caused by foot lesions.

Controlling Vesicular Stomatitis

While VS does not usually cause the death of an animal, it can lead to economic losses due to prevented animal movement and impacts on international trace. Farms with VSV positive animals must quarantine for 14 days after lesions appear on the last case at the location.

The last VS outbreak occurred from May 2023 through January 2024 affecting 319 locations across California, Nevada and Texas. VSV circulates annually between livestock and insect vectors in southern Mexico, only entering the U.S. when environmental factors support the northern movement of vectors.

If you suspect an animal might be infected with VSV, you should immediately contact local state and federal animal health authorities.

Veterinarian Becomes Disease Detective: Nichols Connects Animal Disease and Human Health

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 19:26:37 GMT

Growing up on a New Mexico ranch, veterinarian and public health leader Megin Nichols says she learned early the health of animals, humans and the environment are deeply connected.

Initially planning to practice small animal medicine, she says her plans began to pivot when she met a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) epidemic intelligence service officer who sparked her interest in public health. That realization led her to pursue a master’s degree in public health at the University of Minnesota, with a focus on food safety and biosecurity. Her career has included roles in local, state and federal health departments, investigating foodborne illness outbreaks and developing strategies to prevent them.

“Life has a way of taking you in places you never anticipated,” she shared during the 2025 Henry C. Gardiner Global Food Systems Lecture Oct. 6 at Kansas State University.

Today, as the CDC’s director in the division of foodborne, waterborne and environmental diseases, she lends her expertise to efforts involving disease investigation, food safety, antimicrobial resistance and agriculture literacy.

Megin Nichols has more than 15 years of zoonotic disease experience and has served at the federal and state levels. She has served as the lead of the Enteric Zoonoses Team investigating multistate outbreaks of Salmonella and E. coli. Prior to joining CDC, Nichols worked as the Principal Investigator of the Active Bacterial Core Surveillance Program at the New Mexico Department of Health for five years.

(Angie Stump Denton)

One Health: Connecting Animal Disease and Human Health

Nichols’ work focuses on the One Health concept.

“One Health is recognizing the health and well-being of humans, of animals and our environment are all interconnected,” she explains. “One Health is something that many of us do every single day and are very, very aware of, especially if you have ties to agriculture and the land. But One Health as a concept oftentimes is difficult to fully understand.”

Nichols says One Health is:

Ongoing relationships with animal agencies.
Understand the culture of agriculture.
Having access to integrated human and animal surveillance.
Protocols for conducting joint response investigations.
Agreements for sharing biological samples and lab results.
Established lines of communication with agriculture and animal industry.
Plans for unified communication messaging.
Need to build linkages and trust before and outbreak.

“What happens in one area can significantly impact others — whether it’s a wildfire, a disease outbreak or environmental changes,” Nichols summarizes.

Pandemic and Disease Response Insights

Nichols was a leader in investigating and finding unique solutions for the livestock industry and specifically meat packing industry related to COVID-19.

“In April 2020, I got a call from my supervisor saying there are some meat, poultry packing plants that are going down because of labor shortages and illness,” she explains.

She selected and lead a team to figure out how to get the plants opened back up safely and to find unique solution to deal with the related animal welfare issues.

Summarizing the experiences, Nichols reports the estimated economic cost of COVID-19 is $14 trillion. Along with supply chain disruptions the industry experienced changes in consumer behavior, labor shortage and complex operations challenges. On a positive note, she says the industry did experience a lot of innovation and uptake of technology due to the pandemic, which resulted in innovative approaches to workplace safety and communication.

“We saw innovative strategies where if one person got sick, they looked around that worker and said, ‘OK, who do we need to monitor quickly for symptoms?’” she says.

Nichols also discussed the increase in salmonella outbreaks during the pandemic. She links the rise to the increase in backyard poultry ownership and the improper handling of backyard chickens.

“Many new chicken owners were unaware of disease transmission risks,” she explains.

Nichols also shared insights to H5N1 influenza and emphasized the complexity of tracking and preventing. She highlights the need for integrated, cross-species surveillance and communication strategies.

She also touched on emerging threats, including New World screwworm (NWS) . Her message emphasized the importance of prevention, control and preparedness.

She shares these five key strategies related to NWS:

Surveillance. Early dection through wound inspections and reporting in livestock.
Sterile Insect Technique (SIT). Ongoing release of serile male flies to prevent reproduction.
Biosecurity. Movement control of imported animals and monitoring at entry points.
Public Awareness. Education for doctors, ranchers, veterinarians and travelers.
Rapid Response Planning. Multi-agency coordination to contain outbreaks swiftly and deploy sterile flies.

Agricultural Literacy, Communication is Key

“Growing up in the middle of nowhere, I also came to understand that not everyone appreciates — or even understands — where their food comes from,” Nichols says.

She shared a 1993 study that revealed significant gaps in public knowledge about agriculture. She summarizes understanding food systems involves knowing:

Where food comes from.
How it’s produced.
Its impact on economy, environment and technology.

Throughout her lecture she shared the importance of transforming complex scientific concepts into engaging, accessible insights that resonate with students, farmers, ranchers and public health professionals alike.

“It doesn’t matter how much information we have if we don’t get it out to the people,” Nichols says.

She stresses the importance of agricultural communication specialists in translating scientific information and engaging audiences.

“Don’t leave the communications to the scientists,” she says.

Nichols emphasizes that agricultural literacy and effective communication are crucial for bridging knowledge gaps and building public understanding of food systems.

She shares this advice for agricultural advocates:

Bring agricultural perspective to discussions by speaking up and sharing lived experiences.
Challenge misconceptions with personal stories by focusing on storytelling rather than technical details.
Understand your audience and use relatable language and provide context.

Nichols stresses the importance of preparedness and collaboration. She explains the importance of local-level discussions and community preparedness, suggesting that some of the most effective emergency preparedness conversations happen “at the coffee house” or during casual community gatherings.

Share Your Thoughts: APHIS To Host Animal Health Listening Sessions

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 11:46:05 GMT

POSTPONED: The Farm Bill Animal Health Program Listening Sessions that were scheduled for October 6, 7 and 8 have been postponed.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is advancing animal disease preparedness and response through its Farm Bill animal health programs. Beginning in fiscal year 2026, funding for these programs will increase to $233 million annually under President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill .

This includes:

$153 million per year for the National Animal Vaccine and Veterinary Countermeasures Bank ( NAVVCB )
$70 million per year for the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program ( NADPRP )
$10 million per year for the National Animal Health Laboratory Network ( NAHLN )

APHIS will host three virtual listening sessions to gather stakeholder input on how these new funds should be used to strengthen national, regional, and local capabilities to prevent, prepare for, and respond to animal disease outbreaks. APHIS will use the feedback to inform future program planning.

Each session will focus on one of the three programs. While advance registration is not required, we encourage participants to submit their name and affiliation to help us plan and facilitate the sessions.

Listening Session Schedule

Monday, Oct. 6 | 2 to 3 p.m. ET
Topic: National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN)
Join the Listening Session on Teams or
Call-In: 202-650-0123; Phone Conference ID: 697 205 668#
Tuesday, Oct. 7 | 2 to 3 p.m. ET
Topic: National Animal Vaccine and Veterinary Countermeasures Bank (NAVVCB)
Join the Listening Session on Teams or
Call-in: 202-650-0123; Phone Conference ID: 440 983 713#
Wednesday, Oct. 8 | 2 to 3 p.m. ET
Topic: National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program (NADPRP)
Join the Listening Session on Teams or
Call-In: 202-650-0123; Phone Conference ID: 188 744 006#

To ensure as many participants as possible can speak, we ask that speakers limit their comments to 90 seconds or less.

Stakeholders are also invited to submit written comments before or after the events using the Farm Bill Funding Stakeholder Feedback Form . Written comments will be accepted through Oct. 15, 2025.

This is a valuable opportunity for all interested stakeholders to help shape the future of these critical animal health programs.

U.S.-Mexico Border Battle Continues As the Threat of New World Screwworm Intensifies

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 20:04:06 GMT

With New World screwworm (NWS) confirmed just 70 miles from the U.S. border , producers, government officials and industry leaders are taking action. Finding NWS along one of the most heavily trafficked commercial thoroughfares in the world from Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, to Laredo, Texas, is a red flag for the industry. Emphasizing the importance of maintaining strong safeguards, it’s time to plan for not “if but when” NWS crosses the border.

On Monday, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins confirmed protecting the U.S. from NWS is non-negotiable and a top priority for President Trump.

UPDATE ON SCREWWORM THREAT:

Protecting the United States from New World Screwworm is non-negotiable and a top priority for @POTUS.@USDA landed boots on the ground this morning in Nuevo Leon, physically inspecting traps and dispersing sterile flies after the detection of the…
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) September 23, 2025

“The southern border remains closed to livestock trade, and we are aggressively expanding trapping and surveillance,” she wrote. “At the same time, we’re expediting operations at our sterile fly dispersal facility at Moore Air Base in Texas .”

On Tuesday, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins reported 80,000 sterile flies were released on “spot” and nearly 200 surge staff had been deployed to Mexico.

Thank you, @IngrahamAngle, for paying attention to this important issue. Due to multiple failures from our southern neighbors and failure to act in the last Admin, the devastating parasite New World Screwworm is knocking on our southern borders door. We’re not waiting, we’re… pic.twitter.com/ZO5Vx5oes8
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) September 24, 2025

Mexico’s Response To New World Screwworm

According to Reuters, Mexican’s agriculture ministry said there is no risk of adult screwworm fly emergence due to the early detection of the infected bovine, which was confirmed on Sept. 21. The infected animal was in a shipment of 100 animals originating from the Gulf Coast state of Veracruz, according to the statement.

Fly traps in northern Mexico have not detected a single screwworm fly.

U.S.-Mexico Border Remains Closed to Cattle Trade

The Mexican border closure remains a topic of debate. The September Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor found 80% of ag economists surveyed oppose reopening the border to Mexican cattle due to screwworm risks.

(Farm Journal)

The border closure has created significant division within the cattle industry with producers, feeders and industry leaders on both sides of the fence.

“We have some cattle people that are glad it’s closed. We’ve got others who are hit pretty hard and are not happy about it,” explains David Anderson, Texas A&M professor and extension specialist — livestock and food product marketing.

NWS is a threat the industry can not ignore, says the ag economist with more than 30 years under his belt.

“I think this is the most serious problem the industry has faced since I’ve been a livestock economist,” he stresses.

From his perspective, keeping the border open with heightened monitoring and surveillance could have potentially been more effective than implementing a total closure.

“If we go back and look at data from the early ‘70s, when we had a big screwworm outbreak in the U.S. and Mexico, the border was open,” he says. “I probably would have leaned to not closing the border to begin with. I understand why you would want to do that, but I don’t know that it’s ended up reducing the likelihood that we’re going to get screwworms, and yet we’re paying a price for that.”

According to Anderson the economic consequences to the border being closed are:

Significant loss of approximately 26,000 imported cattle weekly
Estimated 18% reduction in cattle placements in Southern plains
Contributed to tighter beef supplies and higher consumer prices
Substantial economic hit to cattle feeders and ranchers

At this point, he’s quick to admit keeping the border closed is the best option.

When it comes to reopening the border, Derrell Peel, Extension livestock marketing specialist with Oklahoma State University, suggests the decision is not straightforward.

“Given everything I’ve experienced, it’s probably prudent to leave the border closed,” he says.

He adds any reopening should be “under very, very controlled, limited circumstances.”

Peel emphasizes the need for a collaborative approach with Mexico.

“We’re kind of in it together, and so whether it’s here or there, we’ve got to work together,” he summarizes. “We’re going to need to control it in both places. Otherwise, it’s not going to benefit either one of us.”

He also points out not everybody in Mexico is sorry the border is closed. For example, cattle buyers in Mexico can source cattle cheaper because the border is closed.

“Keeping the border closed does affect the movement of cattle south of the border ... it builds a backstop for cattle movement north,” he adds.

Peel notes cattle from Central America to Panama have increasingly made their way to the Mexican market, which validates NWS movement in Mexico and why recent confirmation has occurred.

“The longer this goes on, the more the Mexican industry will adjust,” he says. “It might permanently change the way the [U.S. and Mexico] work together.”

Texas Rancher Weighs In On Impact of New World Screwworm

Texas rancher Wayne Cockrell says the parasite’s entry into the U.S. is inevitable, suggesting that winter and colder weather might temporarily delay the spread until next April or May. Cockrell, who serves as the Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association director and chair of the cattle health and well-being policy committee, recently joined AgriTalk to talk about NWS.

“We would much rather stop this on Mexico’s southern border than our Southern border,” Cockrell says.

Mexican feeder cattle traditionally represented 30% of Texas feedyard inventory, he adds, but with current restrictions, feedlots are adapting.

“I think a lot of those feedyards have moved to the dairy-cross side,” he adds. “They have had to change the way they do business.”

Noting the broader economic implications of the border closure, 1.2 million fewer cattle for Texas represents “about two weeks” of impact nationwide, according to Cockrell.

“Winter and sterile flies is what we need now,” Cockrell summarizes.

Your Next Read: The Smell You’ll Never Forget: A Calf Infested with New World Screwworm

Emergency Use of Animal Drugs Approved to Combat New World Screwworm

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 16:09:22 GMT

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a declaration on Aug. 19 allowing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to issue Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) for animal drugs to treat or prevent infestations caused by the New World screwworm (NWS).

This declaration applies only to drugs for animals. NWS infests warm-blooded animals, including livestock, pets, wildlife, and, in rare cases, humans, causing severe tissue damage and sometimes death. The risk to human health in the U.S. remains very low, but the potential future threat to animal populations and the food supply chain requires proactive action.

Although eradicated from North America and Central America decades ago, NWS has progressed north since 2022 and is now approaching the U.S. border with Mexico. This parasite poses an emerging threat to livestock and food security, with potential impacts on both national security and animal health.

“Today we are taking decisive action to safeguard the nation’s food supply from this emerging threat,” says HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “This authorization equips FDA to act quickly, limit the spread of New World Screwworm, and protect America’s livestock.”

Currently, there are no FDA-approved drugs for NWS in the U.S. The FDA through an EUA can authorize the flexible, faster use of certain animal drug products that may be approved for other purposes, or available in other countries, but not formally approved for NWS in the U.S. This ensures veterinarians, farmers, and animal health officials have timely access to the tools they need to protect pets, livestock and the nation’s food supply.

“Thank you to my friends and partners Secretary Kennedy and Commissioner Makary who are answering the call and supporting our aggressive plan to push back and ultimately defeat this devastating pest. This emergency use authorization is another tool we can use in the fight against New World Screwworm,” says Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins. “Our cattle ranchers and livestock producers are relying on the Trump Administration to defend their livelihoods. Stopping this pest is a national security priority and we are linking arms across President Trump’s cabinet to defend our borders and push back this threat.”

FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, M.D., M.P.H., adds, “Our priority is to safeguard both animal health and the nation’s food supply. FDA is acting swiftly and responsibly to help ensure we have the necessary tools to prevent and control New World Screwworm, minimizing risks to agriculture and public health.”

FDA will provide future guidance to veterinarians and stakeholders on the appropriate use of any products authorized for emergency use and update the New World Screwworm: Information for Veterinarians page.

Legislators Reintroduce Bill to Recruit and Retain Veterinarians in High-Need Areas

Thu, 27 Mar 2025 20:44:19 GMT

The Rural Veterinary Workforce Act, bipartisan legislation to help recruit and retain veterinarians in underserved and rural areas, was reintroduced by Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Representatives Adrian Smith (R-Neb.) and John Larson (D-Conn.).

“In nearly every state in the country, there are shortages for veterinarians, especially in rural areas,” Sen. Smith says. “This record shortage causes serious harm to the health of animals and the public. Providing additional funding to the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) and updating the tax code to better serve veterinarians will allow more qualified vets to do vital work with our animals in underserved communities.”

Strongly endorsed by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), this would expand the reach and maximize the allocated funding of the highly successful VMLRP, which can help to attract veterinarians in USDA-designated veterinary shortage areas by assisting with the significant obstacle of educational debt. It would also end the federal taxation on VMLRP awards, allowing more veterinarians to participate in a program that offers up to $120,000 over three years for student loan repayment in exchange for service in one of the designated shortage areas. In addition, it would align the tax code with human and other healthcare professions’ award funds.

“Veterinarians are vital to the work of America’s farmers and ranchers and the integrity of our food supply chain. Yet many areas of the country suffer from lack of access to their services,” Rep. Smith says. “This bipartisan bill would make commonsense tax relief available to veterinarians who choose to live and work in the communities which need their help to care for their livestock and protect the agriculture industry from pests and disease. I thank my colleagues for joining me in reintroducing it.”

In 2025, the USDA declared 243 rural veterinary shortage areas in 46 states, which is the highest number of shortage areas ever, AVMA said in a release. Since 2010, the USDA has awarded 883 VMLRP awards to veterinarians; meanwhile, 2,197 applications have been received to participate in the program since its inception.

“Recruiting and retaining veterinarians through the Rural Veterinary Workforce Act is key to protecting our nation’s food supply, preserving animal welfare, and upholding public health,” Sandra Faeh, AVMA president, said in a release. “Livestock and public health veterinarians are essential to strengthening the nation’s animal health infrastructure and agricultural economy. We urge Congress to address this increasingly important issue by passing the Rural Veterinary Workforce Act.”

Your next read: Is the Swine Industry Ready for H5N1? Texas Veterinarian Says “No”

Emergency USDA Funding Available to Protect U.S. Livestock and Animals from New World Screwworm

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 18:09:22 GMT

On Dec. 13, the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced $165 million in emergency funding from the Commodity Credit Corporation to protect U.S. livestock and other animals from New World screwworm (NWS) and to increase USDA’s ongoing efforts to control the spread of NWS in Mexico and Central America. NWS are fly larvae that infest living tissue of warm-blooded animals, causing infection, according to an agency release.

NWS has spreadout throughout Panama and into Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Guatemala during the last two years. With the finding of a NWS-positive cow found in Mexico on Nov. 22, APHIS and Mexican authorities have taken additional measures to prevent further spread through surveillance, animal health checkpoints and domestic preparedness. In addition, USDA is working with partners in Mexico and Central America to establish a barrier on the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, eradicate NWS from the affected areas, and reestablish the biological barrier in Panama.

“The current outbreaks in Central America demonstrate the need for USDA to increase its investment in NWS eradication and prevention,” says Jenny Lester Moffitt, USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs. “If NWS were to spread to the United States, it would result in significant economic losses and threats to animal health and welfare. This funding will allow for a coordinated emergency response to control the outbreak and prevent NWS from spreading to the United States.”

APHIS asks all producers along the southern border to watch their livestock and pets for signs of NWS and immediately report potential cases to their local veterinarian, State Veterinarian’s Office, or APHIS Veterinary Services.

According to APHIS, eradicating NWS is only possible through sterile insect technique. With this method, sterile flies are released into an area where a known population has become established. The sterile male screwworm fly mates with fertile female screwworm fly, causing the population of screwworm flies to decrease until it eventually dies out.

To learn more about NWS, visit the APHIS website .

Read more: Texas Tech Veterinarian Weighs In On New World Screwworm

New World Screwworm: Latest Update from USDA-APHIS

APHIS Increases Import Restrictions on Animal Products from Mexico on Confirmed Case of New World Screwworm

Texas Tech Veterinarian Weighs In On New World Screwworm

Fri, 06 Dec 2024 13:26:40 GMT

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has heightened import restrictions on animal products from Mexico since detection of New World Screwworm in a Mexican cow on Nov. 22. It has also intensified efforts in Central America to contain the spread of New World screwworm. Animal health experts say it’s warranted as it’s a significant threat to U.S. animal health.

“It can have a huge impact, certainly an economic impact, because it decreases the health and wellness of our livestock,” says Jennifer Koziol, associate professor of food animal medicine and surgery, Texas Tech School of Veterinary Medicine. “We’re thinking about loss of animal use, and certainly thinking about our wildlife populations that could be decimated by this disease.”

The pest can infest any warm-blooded animal, including humans.

“The screwworm fly lies its eggs in an open wound on the animal,” Koziol says. “These larvae or worms just eat the flesh of that animal. It can be devastating to any animal that becomes infected with screwworm.”

Koziol advises producers to monitor herds, especially in the southern U.S., and use preventative measures, including sterile fly introduction or animal health products.

“It looks like Doramectin has about a 28-day efficacy period against this,” she adds. “Ivermectin is similar. We’re looking at those products and how we can use them as an aid in preventing disease.”

According to APHIS, it appears this case is isolated, which leaves the cattle industry asking when will the border restrictions ease for Mexican cattle and product imports.

Koziol says the border could likely open after Christmas or around the first of January.

“We’re working really hard to set up some pre-export pens that APHIS will go in and OK and feeling very good about the protocols set in place,” she adds.

Impact on Cattle Prices
Market analysts say when the border reopens it might hurt cattle prices in the South more than the North.

“They could break a little bit, but I think the reality of the deal is it looks like there’s enough people out there who believe that ownership is the key when it comes to having some cattle around them as tight supplies are very, very tight of yearling-type steers,” says Brad Kooima, Kooima Kooima Varilek. “That’s going to still put a prop underneath the thing because the cash index is so strong.”

The price impact will likely be short lived.

Read more: New World Screwworm: Latest Update from USDA-APHIS

APHIS Increases Import Restrictions on Animal Products from Mexico on Confirmed Case of New World Screwworm

Rare Human Case of Bird Flu Confirmed. Officials Believe it Began on Texas Dairy

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 19:07:46 GMT

Just a week after discovering that Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, also known as bird flu, was the cause of illness for several dairy herds throughout the Texas Panhandle, New Mexico and Kansas , the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is now reporting that a human case of avian influenza A(H5N1) virus has been confirmed in Texas. The case was identified in a person who had direct exposure to dairy cattle presumed to be infected with the disease.

The patient, who experienced eye inflammation as their only symptom, was tested for flu late last week with confirmatory testing performed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention over the weekend. Currently, the patient is being treated with the antiviral drug oseltamivir. The DSHS reports that the human case does not change the risk for the general public, which still remains low.

According to the CDC, this is the second human case of H5N1 flu in the U.S. and the first linked to an exposure to cattle. Symptoms can include a fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headaches, fatigue, eye redness, shortness of breath, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, or seizures. The illness can range from mild to severe, and health care providers who come across someone who may have the virus should “immediately consult their local health department,” according to the alert.

“The risk to the general public is believed to be low; however, people with close contact with affected animals suspected of having avian influenza A(H5N1) have a higher risk of infection,” the alert said.

While the disease is new to the dairy industry, the U.S. Department of Agriculture says there is no safety concern to the commercial milk supply. Consumer health is also not at risk, the department said. The milk from impacted animals is being dumped or destroyed and will not enter the food supply.

“Milk from impacted animals is being diverted or destroyed so that it does not enter the human food supply,” agencies said. “In addition, pasteurization has continually proven to inactivate bacteria and viruses, like influenza, in milk. FDA’s longstanding position is that unpasteurized, raw milk can harbor dangerous microorganisms that can pose serious health risks to consumers, and FDA is reminding consumers of the risks associated with raw milk consumption in light of the HPAI detections.”

The virus was detected in dairy herds in Texas and Kansas last week and has since spread to additional herds in at least five states, all of which include:

Texas
Kansas
New Mexico
Idaho
Michigan

This leads some scientists to believe that the virus may be spreading cow-to-cow.

Texas officials are guiding affected dairies about how to minimize workers’ exposure and how people who work with affected cattle can monitor for flu-like symptoms and get tested.

In addition, officials are strongly advising dairy producers to use all standard biosecurity measures. They note it’s important for producers to clean and disinfect all livestock watering devices and isolate drinking water where it might be contaminated by waterfowl. Farmers are also being asked to notify their herd veterinarian if they suspect any cattle within their herd are displaying symptoms of this condition.

“Unlike affected poultry, I foresee there will be no need to depopulate dairy herds,” says Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller. “Cattle are expected to fully recover. The Texas Department of Agriculture is committed to providing unwavering support to our dairy industry.”

For more n HPAI, read:

HPAI Now Detected on Ohio Dairy: Strange Bird Flu Concerns See Growth

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 19:03:23 GMT

Ohio has become the sixth state where dairy cattle have tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), also known as bird flu. A recent news release from the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) reports presumptive positive results from dairy cows in Wood County.

According to officials, the cows arrived in Wood County on March 8 from a dairy in Texas. That dairy later reported a confirmed case of HPAI. The Ohio dairy operation alerted state officials when the livestock began showing signs of illness. State officials are awaiting confirmation from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“We have official confirmation that we do have a case at a dairy in Wood County of HPAI, which is an influenza,” says ODA Director Brian Baldridge. “We’ve been working with this in the poultry industry for about the last two-and-a-half years and it has found its way into the dairy industry. We are working diligently with the dairy, with their vets and with our Animal Health division and our state veterinarian, Dr. (Dennis) Summers, on this issue.

According to the USDA, HPAI has now been detected in five other states, including:

Texas
Kansas
New Mexico,
Idaho
Michigan

“Clinically sick dairy cattle from affected herds range from 1% to 20%, with an average of 10% of the milking herd affected. There are no confirmed reports of death loss in dairy cattle directly attributed to these detections. Most sick cows begin recovering within a few days.”

“Federal and state agencies continue to conduct additional testing from sick animals and in unpasteurized clinical milk samples from sick animals, as well as viral genome sequencing, to assess whether HPAI or another unrelated illness may be underlying any symptoms,” the ODA reports.

The agency notes that clinically sick dairy cattle from affected herds range from 1% to 20%, with an average of 10% of the milking herd affected. Currently, there are no confirmed reports of death loss in dairy cattle directly attributed to these detections with most sick cows recovering within a few days.

HPAI symptoms in dairy cattle include:

Sudden drop in milk production.
Some severely impacted cows are producing thicker, more concentrated, colostrum-like milk.
Drop in feed consumption with a simultaneous drop in rumen function, accompanied by loose feces and some fever.
Impacted herds have reported older cows in mid-lactation may be more likely to be severely impacted than younger cows, fresh cows or heifers.
Some herds have reported pneumonia and mastitis.

Officials are strongly advising dairy producers to use all standard biosecurity measures. They note it’s important for producers to clean and disinfect all livestock watering devices and isolate drinking water where it might be contaminated by waterfowl. Farmers are also being asked to notify their herd veterinarian if they suspect any cattle within their herd are displaying symptoms of this condition.

For more on HPAI, read:

AABP Decides to Reference Cattle Disease as Bovine Influenza A Virus (BIAV)

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 18:58:48 GMT

On Sunday evening, the American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP), released a letter to its media partners to update them on how the organization will reference the emerging cattle disease, currently confirmed in dairy herds in six states, moving forward.

“Because this infection in cattle is not the same as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), after thoughtful consideration and discussion with many experts, the AABP will now refer to this as Bovine Influenza A Virus (BIAV), which more accurately depicts it,” wrote Geni Wren, director of marketing and communications for the organization, in an email accompanying the letter.

The letter was developed and signed by AABP executive director, Fred Gingrich, DVM, and president Michael Capel, DVM.

Gingrich and Capel are asking other organizations, state animal health officials, diagnostic labs, and state and federal agencies to use Bovine Influenza A Virus (BIAV) “so we can be consistent with our messaging and better distinguish the disease syndrome in cattle from the pathogenesis in birds. We believe it is important for the public to understand the difference to maintain confidence in the safety and accessibility of beef and dairy products for consumers,” they wrote.

The letter is available in its entirety for review here:

North Carolina Reports First Case of HPAI in Dairy Herd

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 18:56:35 GMT

The National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) has detected Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in a dairy herd in North Carolina.

The North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture, Steve Troxle, said in a press release he is waiting for more diagnostic information from the NVSL and will work collaboratively with federal partners and dairy farmers in the state.

“We have spent years developing methods to handle HPAI in poultry, but this is new and we are working with our state and federal partners to develop protocols to handle this situation,” he said. “It is important to note the FDA has no concern about the safety or availability of pasteurized milk products nationwide.”

North Carolina is the seventh state to officially confirm the presence of HPAI in a dairy herd.

The other six states with NVSL-confirmed reports of HPAI in dairy are:

Idaho: 1 case
Kansas: 3 cases
Michigan: 2 cases
New Mexico: 4 cases
Ohio: 1 case
Texas: 9 cases

In addition, the National Milk Producers Federation reports that eight states now have dairy cattle importation requirements or restrictions:

The Federation adds that there is “no concern about the safety of the milk supply or that this circumstance poses a risk to consumer health because products are pasteurized before entering the market, per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Only milk from heathy animals is authorized for distribution into interstate commerce for human consumption. Additionally, pasteurization has continually proven to inactivate bacteria and viruses, including influenza, in milk.”

More information and HPAI dairy-specific resources are available at the Federation’s website, www.nmpf.org

Rare Human Case of Bird Flu Confirmed. Officials Believe it Began on Texas Dairy

Get the Facts Straight on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza

Minnesota Goat Confirmed to Have Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza

Six Questions One Industry Veterinarian Says She Is Asked Most Often About HPAI

Kansas State University Partners with Farm Journal Foundation to Address Rural Veterinary Shortage

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 12:52:57 GMT

Kansas State University is joining a new pilot program from Farm Journal Foundation to support veterinary students in their career development and address the national shortage of rural, food-systems veterinarians.

The university is one of nine schools participating in the Veterinary Workforce Solutions Program, which seeks to address structural challenges facing the food animal veterinary industry. The program, backed by support from the Zoetis Foundation, supports veterinary students across a number of areas, including tackling student debt and financial planning, developing business management skills, and learning how to engage with rural communities.

“This program was designed to aid students to advance their careers, and in turn, students also provide key insights of how to make the educational components of this program better,” said Clint Neill, PhD, Veterinary Program Manager at Farm Journal Foundation. “We are excited to see this resource evolve with student feedback, and we look forward to continuing to help them build robust future careers.”

The U.S. is currently facing a nationwide shortage of veterinarians to treat livestock and poultry in rural areas, threatening public health, food safety, and economic growth in communities that depend on agriculture, according to a recent report commissioned by Farm Journal Foundation.

More than 900 counties across the U.S. currently face shortages of veterinarians, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Only 3% to 4% of new veterinary school graduates pursue livestock or other food animal practice areas, a stark decline from 40 years ago when about 40 percent of graduates specialized in this area.

Expanding the role of universities and partners increases the opportunities for students and early career professionals to support a strong pipeline of industry professionals as the need grows. Through the program, participants will also get advice from Farm Journal Foundation’s Veterinary Ambassadors, a group of experienced veterinarians and educators who serve as mentors and champions of workforce development.

“A robust supply of food-systems veterinarians is critical to rural agricultural production,” said Dr. Brad White, DVM, Kansas State University professor and Farm Journal Foundation Veterinary Ambassador. “The Veterinary Workforce Solutions program is bringing together expertise from a variety of areas to address current challenges and identify opportunities to promote rural veterinary services. I think this program will be beneficial to current and future rural veterinary practitioners.”

To date, the pilot program has reached 450 students and early career professionals. Feedback from students shows more than 50 percent know where they want to practice and 70 percent know they want to start their own business in the future. Sixty percent of students say they would like mentorship after graduation.

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FDA Plans Five-Year Blueprint for Antimicrobial Stewardship

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 00:12:08 GMT

FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., issued the following statement on efforts to advance antimicrobial stewardship in veterinary settings.

Antimicrobial resistance is a global public health challenge. Antimicrobial drugs have been widely used in human and veterinary medicine for more than 60 years. When used judiciously, antimicrobials can effectively fight bacterial infections. However, we know that overuse or misuse of these drugs promotes the development of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria.

For all of these reasons, it’s critical that we implement good antimicrobial stewardship practices in human healthcare and veterinary settings. We must continue to take new steps to slow the development of resistance and extend the usefulness of these lifesaving drugs.

Combating antimicrobial resistance continues to be a top priority for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

To further these efforts, the FDA will soon implement a new, five-year blueprint for how the FDA plans to build on its current programs to advance antimicrobial stewardship in veterinary settings. We’ll expand on the FDA’s existing actions, and launch some new programs. Our aim is to reduce overuse of antimicrobial drugs and combat the rising threat of resistance.

As part of the FDA’s regulatory mission, our Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) is responsible for ensuring the safety and effectiveness of animal drugs, including antimicrobials. CVM has already taken important steps to update the approved conditions of use for medically important antimicrobials (i.e., antimicrobials important for treating human disease) to support judicious use in food-producing animals. While important progress has been made, we know that additional work is needed to address the complex challenge of antimicrobial resistance.

At FDA, we believe that the concept of antimicrobial stewardship encompasses several important principles of judicious use. These are critical to slowing the rate at which bacteria develop resistance to antimicrobial drugs. In simple terms, we believe medically important antimicrobial drugs should only be used when necessary to treat, control or prevent disease. In addition, when such use is necessary, these antimicrobials should be used in an optimal manner. They should only be used under the oversight of a licensed veterinarian.

Among the steps that CVM has already taken, perhaps the most significant action was implementation of Guidance for Industry #213 . On Jan. 3, 2017, the FDA announced that it had completed implementation of GFI #213. This was the culmination of a process launched in 2013. The goal was to transition medically important antimicrobials that are used in the feed or drinking water of food-producing animals to veterinary oversight, and to eliminate the use of these products in animals for production purposes, such as for growth promotion.

Of the 292 new animal drug applications initially affected by GFI #213, 84 were completely withdrawn. Of the remaining 208 applications, 93 applications for oral dosage form products intended for use in water were converted from over-the-counter to prescription status; while another 115 applications for products intended for use in feed were converted from over-the-counter to veterinary feed directive status. Moreover, production indications (e.g., growth promotion) were withdrawn from all 31 applications that included such indications for use.

Last year, we also published a paper proposing the use of a biomass denominator to adjust annual data on the amount of antimicrobials sold or distributed for use in food-producing animals in the U.S. This adjusted estimate is intended to provide more insight into broad shifts in the amount of antimicrobials sold for use in food-producing animals and give the FDA a more nuanced view of why sales increase or decrease over time in a manner that is specific to U.S. animal production. The agency also recently launched the Resistome Tracker. This is an interactive research and data visualization tool for antibiotic resistance genes.

To build on the progress already made, we’re announcing that the FDA will shortly publish a blueprint on how we’ll press forward and implement additional steps to address antimicrobial resistance in veterinary settings. This blueprint will serve as the FDA’s new, five-year plan. We’ll include key goals, objectives and actions that CVM will focus on during fiscal years 2019 – 2023.

Our new activities will be aimed at addressing three key goals:

Aligning antimicrobial drug product use with the principles of antimicrobial stewardship; supporting efforts to foster better stewardship of antimicrobials in veterinary settings; and enhancing the monitoring of antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial drug use in animals.

The specific objectives and actions will be outlined in our forthcoming plan.

Some of the important issues to be addressed in this new plan include establishing appropriate durations of use of medically important antimicrobials, and bringing all dosage forms of medically important antimicrobials under veterinary oversight. We are also developing and advancing new strategies for promoting antimicrobial stewardship in companion animals.

We’ll advance these goals in new guidance that the FDA will develop with broad stakeholder input. And we’ll enhance transparency and keep the public apprised of progress being made.

For example, we’ll shortly publish a list of all medically important antimicrobials labeled for use in animals that lack a defined duration of use on their labels. We’ll keep this list updated as we work to implement a science-based approach for addressing this important issue.

We’re also advancing new strategies to improve the collection and sharing of data on antimicrobial drug use and resistance. To advance evidence-based practices, we need to make sure that the entire community has access to good information. And we need to develop a long-term strategy for implementing a practical, efficient antimicrobial use monitoring and reporting system for veterinary settings. Our plan will address new ways to advance these goals.

Many stakeholders helped make our previous efforts a success. These include the animal pharmaceutical and feed industry; veterinary organizations; animal producer organizations; consumer organizations; various local, state and federal agencies; legislators; and other key stakeholders.

I look forward to releasing this plan shortly, and continuing to work collaboratively to promote stewardship and preserve the effectiveness of antimicrobials for human and animal health.

New Institute Will Fight Antimicrobial Resistance

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 00:12:08 GMT

Three universities will partner to lead a new national institute on antimicrobial resistance.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln and its medical center, Iowa State University and the University of Iowa were selected to head up the new Institute for Antimicrobial Resistance Research and Education. The institute will be jointly funded by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Iowa State at a combined $525,000 per year for three years ($1.575 million total).

Each year in the U.S., at least 2 million people are sickened from bacteria resistant to antibiotics, and 23,000 people die from those infections. Many more die from other conditions complicated by an antibiotic-resistant infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Infections from drug-resistant “superbugs” result in an estimated $20 billion a year in direct health care costs and up to $35 billion in lost productivity from hospitalizations and sick days.

“Antimicrobials are critically important tools for maintaining human, animal and crop health,” said Mike Boehm, University of Nebraska vice president and Harlan Vice Chancellor for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

“This new institute will accelerate discoveries and engage producers in new and impactful ways that will enhance the stewardship and prolong the shelf life of these disease-prevention tools. The establishment of this institute is a big deal and we are excited about this next chapter of our partnership with our colleagues from Iowa, the industry and beyond,” Boehm said.

Second Michigan Farmworker Tests Positive For H5N1 Virus

Thu, 30 May 2024 21:40:19 GMT

A second human case of HPAI (H5N1) was confirmed in a Michigan farmworker on Thursday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

This is the third human case (two in Michigan, one in Texas) associated with an ongoing multistate outbreak of H5N1 in U.S. dairy cows. In all three cases, cow-to-person spread is suspected but none of the cases is related.

Tim Boring, director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, says government officials are working closely with producers to understand the scale of the virus in dairy operations across the state.

“We’re learning more every day about the epidemiology of this virus and just how it spreads. I think it’s a manageable situation on the dairy side for us right now, but we have continued concerns around just how we can best mitigate the further spread,” Boring told AgriTalk Host Chip Flory on Thursday, prior to the CDC’s latest announcement.

Boring reports that Michigan has confirmed the virus in 23 dairies, primarily in the west-central part of the state.

The virus had been confirmed in at least 66 dairy herds in nine states earlier this week, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture: 20 herds in Michigan, 15 in Texas, eight in New Mexico, nine in Idaho, four in Kansas, four in Colorado, four in South Dakota and one each in Ohio and North Carolina.

Biosecurity Practices Are Helping
The H5N1-infected farm workers were not wearing a face shield or other personal protective equipment (PPE), according to Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, the chief medical executive of Michigan’s health department.

That “tells us that direct exposure to infected livestock poses a risk to humans, and that PPE is an important tool in preventing spread among individuals who work on dairy and poultry farms,” said Bagdasarian, in a prepared statement.

While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) maintains the public health risk from H5N1 is low, the agency encourages the use of its recommended precautions by people exposed to infected or potentially infected birds and animals.

The use of good biosecurity measures is helping contain the virus and prevent its spread, Boring emphasizes.

“These biosecurity systems work; pasteurization works,” Boring says. “The screening to make sure that we don’t have infected animals of any kind with any disease making it into the food system works.

“As the FDA has talked about, this continues to be a communicable virus and where this continues to move – potentially further impacting human health down the road – is a real concern,” Boring adds. “That continues to be a driving force for us to address the virus on the animal side.”

Vaccine Development
Last week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced officials are moving forward with a plan to produce 4.8 million doses of an H5N1 vaccine for human use.

According to an article in Reuters , human exposures to the virus in poultry and dairy operations could increase the risk that the virus will mutate and gain the ability to spread easily in people.

The article noted that the U.S. and Europe are “taking steps to acquire or manufacture H5N1 bird flu vaccines that could be used to protect at-risk poultry and dairy workers, veterinarians and lab technicians, government officials said, moves influenza experts say could curb the threat of a pandemic.”

H5N1 Virus Found in Beef for First Time, FSIS Says

FSIS’ Final Results of H5N1 Testing Confirms Meat Supply is Safe

The complete conversation between Michigan’s Boring and AgriTalk Host Chip Flory is available here:

US to Test Ground Beef in States With Bird-Flu Outbreaks in Dairy Cows

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 19:59:33 GMT

The U.S. government said on Monday it is collecting samples of ground beef at retail stores in states with outbreaks of bird flu in dairy cows for testing but remains confident the meat supply is safe.

Federal officials are seeking to verify the safety of milk and meat after confirming the H5N1 virus in 34 dairy cattle herds in nine states since late March, and in one person in Texas.

Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization have said the overall public health risk is low, but is higher for those with exposure to infected animals.

Scientists believe outbreaks are more widespread in cows than officially reported based on findings of H5N1 particles in about 20% of milk samples. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Friday that preliminary results of gold-standard PCR tests showed pasteurization killed the bird flu virus in milk, though.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will analyze retail ground beef samples with PCR tests that indicate “whether any viral particles are present,” according to a statement. Some
dairy cows are processed into ground beef when they grow old.

The USDA on Monday began requiring lactating dairy cows to test negative for bird flu before being moved across state lines as officials seek to contain the virus.

The department said this weekend that testing is not required for cows that are shipped over state lines directly to slaughter facilities from barns where they are sold. Those
cattle only need documentation showing they were inspected by a veterinarian.

The USDA said it inspects each animal before slaughter, and all cattle carcasses must pass inspection after slaughter to enter the human food supply.

Last week USDA said it had found bird flu in a lung tissue sample from an asymptomatic dairy cow that was sent to slaughter from an infected herd. The animal did not enter the food supply, according to the department.

The USDA is now collecting beef muscle samples at slaughter facilities of dairy cattle that have been condemned to determine the presence of viral particles, according to the statement. Any positive PCR tests for retail or slaughter samples will be evaluated for live virus, the USDA said.

The USDA will also use a “virus surrogate” in ground beef and cook it at different temperatures to determine how the virus is affected, according to the statement. It said cooking meat to a safe internal temperature kills bacteria and viruses

Colombia restricted the import of beef and beef products coming from U.S. states where dairy cows have tested positive for avian influenza as of April 15, according to the USDA.

There are no known cases of bird flu in beef cattle so far.

The human case in the current outbreak was in a Texas farm worker who suffered conjunctivitis following exposure to dairy cows.

(Reporting by Tom Polansek; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Marguerita Choy)

Texas-Sized Problems Hit the Lone Star State, but Ag Commissioner says ‘Things are Getting Better’

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 21:26:34 GMT

Already this year, farmers and ranchers based in the Texas Panhandle have dealt with some Texas-sized problems that have impacted their livelihoods.

In March, the Smokehouse Creek Fire burned more than a million acres and killed thousands of cattle, primarily in the Panhandle and in Oklahoma.

Cal-Maine Foods, the largest producer and distributor of fresh shell eggs in the U.S., announced on Tuesday that chickens at its facility in the southwest part of the Texas Panhandle, in Parmer County, tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). As a result, Cal-Maine had to cull nearly 2 million chickens − 1.6 million hens and 337,000 pullets.

Dairy producers in the Texas Panhandle have also grappled with outbreaks of HPAI in their cow herds in recent weeks. To date, the USDA has confirmed the H5N1 strain of HPAI in dairy cattle on seven Texas farms.

In addition, one dairy worker has contracted an HPAI infection and displayed mild symptoms, the Texas Department of Health and Human Services reported Monday.

“It’s a mild, mild case and the only symptom he had was pinkeye,” Sid Miller, state commissioner of the Texas Department of Agriculture, told AgriTalk Host Chip Flory on Thursday. Miller said it’s unknown how the individual was infected.

You can listen to their conversation here:

What’s Going To Happen Next?
Flory asked Miller whether he believes state agriculture department investigators are in front of the latest issues with HPAI in dairy cattle.

“I think so,” Miller replied. “We’ve got about 10 months before the ducks and geese come back, so I think we’ll have it figured out by then.”

Miller speculated that waterfowl caused the dairy and poultry HPAI infections.

“Cowboy logic would tell you that cattle were drinking from the same ponds where waterfowl were present,” he said. “Or, maybe waterfowl had been in the feed boxes eating grain or something (along those lines). So, we’ve got to take better biosecurity measures to make sure that we eliminate all those possibilities.”

Despite the challenges Texas agriculture has faced the past few months, Miller is cautiously optimistic.

“Things are turning around and getting better. They really are,” he said.

One concern the livestock industry has now is whether HPAI will impact beef cattle at some point.

“You’ve seen what’s happened in the cattle markets,” Flory said. “They’re looking at it like this is a major problem for beef.”

Miller replied that he doesn’t anticipate there will be an HPAI problem in Texas beef cattle, which consist primarily of feedlot cattle in the Panhandle.

“The cattle that get it are the older lactating cows, and we don’t have those in the feedlot,” Miller said. “I think we’re OK, but we’re certainly going to research that.”

Food Safety Precautions
Miller said one of the Texas Department of Agriculture’s primary responsibilities is to make sure food produced in the state is safe for consumers. None of the affected milk, meat or eggs ever reached the marketplace.

“If you want to take some precautions, you might lay off the raw milk and unpasteurized dairy products, because that’s about the only way (HPAI) could get there,” Miller said. “But it’s not in the food chain. It’s not going to create a shortage of milk and dairy products. There’s no shortage of eggs. So, consumers, just rest assured. Don’t be alarmed. This is really not going to affect you.”

In a statement last week, the Centers for Disease Control said it considers the human health risk to the U.S. public from the virus to be low, though people who work with livestock are at higher risk of infection. The agency also advised against eating unpasteurized dairy products, such as raw milk or cheese, from animals with suspected or confirmed cases of HPAI.

More news on HPAI is available here:

Rare Human Case of Bird Flu Confirmed. Officials Believe it Began on Texas Dairy

HPAI Now Detected on Ohio Dairy: Strange Bird Flu Concerns See Growth

New Regulation: Dairy Cattle Entry into Nebraska Now Requires Permit Amid HPAI Bird Flu Concerns

Twelve Cases of HPAI in Dairy Cattle Confirmed in Five States

House Passes Bill to Preserve Veterinary Use of Xylazine

Wed, 13 Dec 2023 20:45:55 GMT

The House of Representatives passed the Support for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act on Tuesday. The Act, in part, fights the illicit use of xylazine in humans while preserving access to the drug for use in animals.

“For beef packers, xylazine is used to quickly and humanely sedate sick or injured cattle in a manner that can safely and effectively be administered by workers. Xylazine has both animal welfare and worker safety benefits at beef plants, and there are no equally safe and effective alternatives,” said Meat Institute President and CEO Julie Anna Potts.

Xylazine is used to a lesser degree in pigs than in beef. “But it is an issue for vets in general as DEA schedule drugs are a huge hassle and really limit access. It is one more limit on what we can do,” Jim Lowe, DVM, associate dean of Online Programs and Extension at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine told Farm Journal’s Pork earlier this month.

At issue is the concern that xylazine, a drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in animals, is being imported illegally in powder form and added to fentanyl. Xylazine is not approved for human use.

The Combating Illicit Xylazine Act was included in the Support for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, H.R. 4531, approved by the House with a vote of 386-37.

“We appreciate the hard work of Congressmen Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) and August Pfluger (R-TX) and the Energy and Commerce Committee for including the xylazine measures in the bill passed by the House with strong bipartisan support,” said Potts. “We now call for swift Senate consideration.”

The bill will ensure the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has the power to stop the illegal flow of xylazine to humans, while allowing its continued access for veterinary purposes.

Xylazine Bill Protects Veterinary Access to the Sedative

Merck Animal Health Expands Voluntary Recall of Banamine

Tue, 03 Oct 2023 15:00:19 GMT

The company announced on Friday, Sept. 29, it is voluntarily recalling four additional batches of Banamine/Banamine-S (flunixin meglumine injection) 50 mg/mL in the United States, used for injection in cattle, swine and horses due to the presence of particulate matter.

Merck chose to make the recall following its observation of particulate matter in specific product batches during routine quality testing, according to a press release the company issued.

This latest step follows a separate recall Merck made on Sept. 1 for three batches of Banamine/Banamine-S Injection.

What Are Particulates?

The FDA defines particulates as “mobile, undissolved particles (metal, glass, dust, fiber, rubber, polymer, mold, degradant precipitate) other than gas bubbles that are unintentionally present in an injectable product.”

The administration of an injectable product that contains particulate matter may result in local irritation, swelling or infection in response to the foreign material. After intravenous administration in large animals, such as cattle or horses, particulate matter could travel to the lungs which could result in local tissue damage.

The branded flunixin meglumine injection from Merck is approved in the U.S. only for intravenous use in beef and dairy cattle, and for intramuscular use in swine and for intravenous and intramuscular use in horses.

Four Specific Batches Of Product

The latest recall is for the following four batches of product:
BANAMINE 100mL, UIN 065474, NDC 00061-0851-03, Batch 3511101, expires December 2024 Distribution dates: May 16, 2023, to Aug. 8, 2023

BANAMINE 100mL, UIN 065474, NDC 00061-0851-03, Batch 3511104, expires December 2024
Distribution dates: Aug. 4-17, 2023

BANAMINE 250mL, UIN 065476, NDC 00061-0851-04, Batch 3522101, expires December 2024
Distribution dates: July 14-Aug. 17, 2023

BANAMINE-S 100mL, UIN 065477, NDC 0061-1838-30, Batch 3511103, expires December 2024
Distribution dates: May 3-Aug.16, 2023

The lot number (LOT) and expiry date (EXP) are located in the bottom right portion of the bottle labels. For reference, see the photo of a bottle of Banamine below.

Next Steps To Consider

Merck says veterinarians, along with other customers, who have received Banamine and Banamine-S from the batches being recalled should stop using the products and refer to their recall letter for product return instructions.

Merck Animal Health is working with distributors to ensure that unused product is no longer in distribution or with customers. The company is notifying its distributors and customers directly and arranging for the return of all recalled product.

Consumers with technical questions regarding this recall should call 1-800-221-3573 (8 a.m. – 5 p.m. weekdays Central Time). Customers who may need to arrange return of product should contact their point of purchase.

Adverse reactions or quality problems experienced with the use of this product may be reported to the FDA at 1-888-FDA-VETS or online.

This recall is being made with the knowledge of the Food and Drug Administration

(Farm Journal)

If You ‘Doctor’ Livestock, a New Rule Will Determine How or If You Can Buy Antibiotics

Fri, 09 Jun 2023 20:24:27 GMT

A move by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will soon change the status of “medically important” antimicrobial drugs currently available over-the-counter (OTC) to prescription (Rx) use only.

The FDA guidance for industry #263 goes into effect on June 12, 2023.

If you have a valid veterinary-client-patient relationship (VCPR), you will be able to get a prescription from your veterinarian to purchase antimicrobials from them or a distributor and use them, according to the FDA. Antibiotics are one category of antimicrobials.

If you don’t have a relationship with a licensed veterinarian, you won’t be able to purchase such products, many of which have long been available over-the-counter at your local co-op and farm supply store.

What Animals, Which Products?

The guidance applies to all food animals, including cattle, hogs, ruminants (goats/sheep) and poultry. In addition, it also applies to animals not intended for food, such as horses, pet rabbits and backyard chickens.

Products affected by the guidance include injectables such as penicillin, sulfa-based drugs, boluses, intramammary mastitis tubes and some topical products. Common brand names for some of the products include LA-200, Bio-Mycin and Terramycin, among others.

All such products will be available for your use on the farm through purchase from your veterinarian or with a veterinary prescription.

Why The Guidance Is Going Into Effect

Veterinarians are working to get the word out to farmers now to help them prepare and make a smooth transition next summer, says Sandra Stuttgen, a veterinarian and associate professor at the University of Wisconsin Division of Extension.

She says FDA’s ultimate goal is to keep antimicrobials effective for both human and animal health -- termed the One Health Initiative by the World Health Organization -- and prevent resistant bacteria from making such products ineffective.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the United States alone, at least 2 million people become infected annually with bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics. At least 23,000 people die each year as a result of these infections. The non-therapeutic use of antimicrobial drugs in animals that enter the food supply contributes to this problem, the CDC says.

The FDA supports judicious use of medically important antimicrobials in all settings. “Labeling changes as a result of GFI #263 are one example of how we can assist farmers and ranchers to strengthen their stewardship efforts when using these drugs,” FDA notes. (Learn more here: GFI #263: Frequently Asked Questions for Farmers and ... - FDA )

Some products will remain available for purchase over-the-counter, according to University of Nebraska’s Becky Funk, DVM, and Jesse Fulton.

They say some antiparasiticides, injectable and oral nutritional supplements, oral pro/prebiotics and topical non-antibiotic treatments will not be affected and will remain available through OTC marketing channels just as before.

Next Steps To Take

If you have an existing relationship with a veterinarian, you’re unlikely to notice much of an impact on your livestock management practices.

If you don’t have a veterinarian start talking with local practitioners and establish a relationship with one now, Stuttgen encourages.

“The veterinarian gets to know you and your (animals), and you can sit down with them to write standard operating procedures and routine drug orders so you can have an inventory on your farm,” she says. “So when Sunday afternoon happens and the (animal) gets sick, you don’t have to call the vet to come out, because you already have the relationship in place.”

Over-The-Counter Livestock Antibiotics Officially a Thing of the Past

Thu, 08 Jun 2023 17:39:23 GMT

Farmers have had months to prepare, but on June 11, the FDA’s new directive “Guidance for the Industry #263” will officially go into effect. This means over-the-counter (OTC) livestock antibiotics will no longer be available through traditional retail channels. Instead, these antibiotics will now require a prescription from a licensed veterinarian.

According to the FDA, this is part of a broader effort to combat antimicrobial resistance, a serious threat to both animals and the public health. While livestock producers are continuously working to practice judicious antibiotic usage, this guidance will provide consumers with an extra layer of assurance.

“It’s a confidence thing,” says Jim Lowe, DVM, director of the College of Veterinary Medicine I-Learning Center at the University of Illinois. “The regulators have said, ‘Listen, we want some more oversight here, so we have more confidence in the supply chain.’ My perception is we’re not changing what we’re doing. We’re just going to document and tell people what we’re doing better. It’s about transparency.”

While the guidance states that livestock producers will need to obtain a valid prescription from a licensed veterinarian with whom they have a veterinarian-client-patient-relationship, the prescription status does not require that these products be purchased directly from a veterinarian. Instead, the FDA notes that you may be able to buy prescription animal drug products from various suppliers or distributors pending certain state requirements. These suppliers would then act as a “pharmacy” and customers would have to show a prescription prior to purchasing them.

For a complete list of antibiotics that will no longer be available over-the-counter, click here. Products unaffected by the change include ionophores, antiparaciticides, injectable and oral nutritional supplements, oral pro/prebiotics and topical non-antibiotic treatments. These products will continue to remain available through standard OTC marketing channels.

For more on Guidance for the Industry #263, read:

USDA Awards $2.29 Million in Farm Bill Funding to Protect Animal Health

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 20:46:16 GMT

USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is awarding $2.29 million through the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) Farm Bill program to advance APHIS’ animal health preparedness. The 2018 Farm Bill provided funding for this program as part of an overall strategy to prevent animal pests and diseases from entering the United States and reduce the spread and impact of potential disease incursions.

“NAHLN funding is vital to safeguarding the nation’s food supply against threats posed by animal diseases, especially ones of foreign origin. Pork producers are focused on the 2023 Farm Bill and urge continued funding for the critically important ‘three-legged stool’ of animal health, including NAHLN, the NAVVCB (‘vaccine bank’) and NADPRP. Continued funding for NAHLN is necessary to enhance animal health diagnostic testing for both endemic and high-consequence pathogens in the nation’s livestock and poultry. These laboratories are the first line of defense for detecting animal diseases and pathogens,” the National Pork Producers Council told Farm Journal’s PORK.

NAHLN, a network of federal, state and university-associated veterinary diagnostic laboratories that provide ongoing disease surveillance, responds quickly to disease events; communicates diagnostic outcomes to decision makers; and has the capability and capacity to meet diagnostic needs during animal disease outbreaks. Since it started, NAHLN has grown from 12 AAVLD laboratories to 60 AAVLD laboratories throughout the U.S. capable of testing large numbers of samples for specific disease agents.

“These Farm Bill funding awards will strengthen our ability to carry out our strategies for animal health emergency preparedness and better safeguard our agricultural industry,” Jenny Lester Moffitt, Under Secretary for USDA’s Marketing and Regulatory Programs, said in a release. “The more prepared we are to protect our agricultural commodities, the safer the food supply is for Americans and the rest of the world.”

NAHLN funding supports critically important projects focused on increasing capacity for disease testing through stockpiling efforts, enhancing data management through IT standardization, and increasing high-throughput testing with the addition of diagnostic testing instruments and technical expertise in laboratories, USDA notes.

“Should foreign animal disease strike, these laboratories are the first line of defense in swiftly diagnosing and detecting the extent of the outbreak to limit the impact on producers,” USDA says in the release.

More from Farm Journal’s PORK:

From ASF to COVID: How NAHLN Protects Animal Agriculture

Over-the-Counter Antibiotics: What You Need to Know Before June 11

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 20:30:52 GMT

When kids are sick, parents want to do the best they can to help them feel better fast. It’s no different when animals are sick. Livestock producers want to do everything they can to help them feel better fast. It’s understandable why most people want to turn to antibiotics so quickly – it’s what they know to be an effective treatment for illness and disease.

But antibiotics aren’t effective on viruses, whether in kids or livestock.

“Just as physicians have started to try and educate people to not utilize antibiotics in those cases, we’re really trying to have the same conversation with the livestock industry,” says Mike Lormore, DVM, head of technical services over pork and cattle for Zoetis.

On June 11, FDA’s Guidance for Industry (GFI) #263 brings 91 over-the-counter (OTC) antimicrobial products from OTC to prescription oversight. This is part of a broader effort by FDA to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a serious threat to animal and public health. Using antimicrobials judiciously, in all settings, can help slow the rate at which AMR develops.

“It’s a confidence thing,” says Jim Lowe, DVM, director of the College of Veterinary Medicine I-Learning Center at the University of Illinois. “The regulators have said, ‘Listen, we want some more oversight here, so we have more confidence in the supply chain.’ My perception is we’re not changing what we’re doing. We’re just going to document and tell people what we’re doing better. It’s about transparency.”

FDA’s guidance is a result of a long conversation around improving the quality of and control systems around antimicrobial use in food production, Lormore explains. Making this transition will ensure the remaining 4% of medically important antimicrobials currently available OTC are used under a licensed veterinarian’s supervision.

Although this guidance doesn’t go into effect until June 11, now is the time for producers to begin preparing if they haven’t done so already.

Why VCPRs Matter

Now is an important time to seek out a veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR). The VCPR is a mutual agreement between the animal owner and the veterinarian where the veterinarian has an understanding of the animals on an operation, the type of care they’re given on a regular basis, their purpose, and the risk factors associated with management of those animals, Lormore explains.

“Pig farmers are working every day to protect the food supply and provide safe, nutritious food to customers. This protection includes having a VCPR to provide the most updated treatment and recommended technology to keep animals, and ultimately the public, healthy,” explains Heather Fowler, VMD, National Pork Board’s director of producer and public health.

She says a producer doesn’t need to know everything, but they should know to call their veterinarian when needed, not only to protect their herd, but to also reduce an economic strain or loss of production proactively.

“Our sense collectively is major producers in the U.S. pork industry have veterinarians on their staff, they have good relationships with all kinds of veterinarians, and this guidance is probably not going to impact them very much. It’s really directed towards very small operators, or backyard/hobby animal raisers that don’t have that same level of expertise,” Lormore says.

However, he notes there are some areas of the country that don’t have as many veterinarians in place. If that’s you, he recommends reaching out to state veterinary medical associations, state livestock producer organizations, friends or other colleagues to find out what veterinary resources they utilize.

Once a VCPR is in place, animal owners would simply contact the veterinarian to discuss the situation at hand and the veterinarian would then provide them a prescription if needed. Every state has a different set of pharmacy laws, so how those prescriptions will be filled will look different throughout the country, Lormore notes.

In general, Lowe doesn’t believe veterinarians are thrilled about the obligation to have to write more scripts and maintain more records. No one likes paperwork, Lowe points out.

“I think some producers have grumbled it’s just a way for the veterinarians to make more money, but I certainly don’t think veterinarians view it that way. We are all going to have to do more work, but how do we make it a positive? Let’s lower costs, create better production, get the right diagnosis, work a little harder and create value out of it. That’s our opportunity,” Lowe says.

Why is antibiotic stewardship so important?

Thanks to advances in hygiene, biosecurity and new technology, America’s pig farmers are making significant strides in protecting their herds from disease, Fowler says.

“This is done in part through relationships farmers maintain with their licensed herd veterinarians, who prescribe and oversee the use of antibiotics and other medications on farm,” she says. “Responsible antibiotic use means using only what’s necessary for pig health. This sensible approach means doing what’s best for animal wellbeing, food safety, and the environment.”

It’s no secret that healthy animals are more productive and more efficient. The goal is always to prevent disease, rather than wait for it to become clinical and have to treat it, Lormore says.

“That being said, the bugs are generally smarter than we are, and they can move faster than we can. So, sooner or later, you will see clinical disease in one shape or form,” he adds.

Lormore believes FDA’s guidance #263 is good for the health of animals because it allows veterinarians who have the appropriate training, experience and expertise to handle these drugs and help talk people through protocol development and treatment protocols when needed.

“We all have to do our part to improve and ensure the viability of antimicrobials going forward. And this is just one way that we will do this in the livestock industry, to show our support for those initiatives,” Lormore says.

Do What’s Best for Your Animals

The goal of all of this is to have better health and welfare for the animals under our care, Lowe explains.

“Nobody likes being told what to do – but the intent is to have a chat about this and make sure it’s right. We are bringing ourselves under the same standard as human medicine in the U.S.,” he says.

Although it’s hard to stand around and wait for your animal to get better, Lormore reminds producers, “Biology takes its own sweet time, and we don’t necessarily get a chance to change that timeline. The more producers intervene when it’s not necessary, the more likely they are to get an outcome that’s not in the best interest of the animals.”

Vaccines are one way livestock producers work to prevent disease rather than treat clinical disease, Lormore adds.

“Mitigating risks of diseases that we can control through vaccinations is both in the best interests of the animals, the best interest of the farms that own those animals and is the least stressful to the animals themselves overall,” Lormore says. “Prevention is always preferred over treatment.”

As foreign animal disease threats rise, Lowe says it’s a great time to foster more conversation between animal owners and veterinarians.

“This is one more excuse to have a conversation about what we are doing for FAD preparedness,” Lowe says. “There’s some other good that can come out of this to build relationships, so we don’t find ourselves at the point of, ‘What do we do now?’”

Read More:

Health Advocates and Online Activists Sue FDA Over Antibiotics in Livestock

DVM Reaches out to Livestock Owners About OTC Antimicrobials Move to Rx

FDA Publishes 2021 Report on Antimicrobial Use in Livestock

The Pig That Does More with Less (Antibiotics)

Don’t Assume That Old Refrigerator Is Good Enough To Store Vaccines

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 17:32:44 GMT

There is a scenario with used refrigerators that occurs routinely across farm country: The old refrigerator is pulled out of the family kitchen when a new and improved version is installed. The old appliance is then moved to a garage, machinery shed or barn and repurposed. It might be responsible now for chilling a variety of items ranging from pharmaceutical products to employee lunches.

That’s fine if the refrigerator is up to the task. But that’s often not the case, according to research conducted by Emmanuel Rollin, DVM and clinical associate professor, College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Georgia*.

“It might be OK to store a Coca-Cola, but I wouldn’t want to leave my sandwich in some of them,” he says.

Rollin and team evaluated the performance of 20 refrigerators during a five-month period from July through November 2021. While the bulk of the refrigerators were household appliances, mini-refrigerators and a couple of commercial grade refrigerators were also evaluated.

“Our main objective for the study was to go out into the real world and see how vaccines and other refrigerated pharmaceuticals are actually being stored on the farm and whether they are staying at the temperature recommended on the product labels,” he says.

To maintain product integrity in refrigeration, the recommended temperature interval (RTI) for most biologics, including vaccines, is between 35°F and 45°F, according to Grant Dewell, DVM, associate professor and beef Extension veterinarian, and Troy Brick, DVM, assistant professor of vet diagnostic and production animal medicine, Iowa State University.

Not Up To Snuff

During the study, Rollin and team recorded the internal temperature of each refrigerator every 10 minutes, using a data logging device to accomplish that [Specifically, an InTemp Bluetooth temperature with glycol bottle (VFC/CDC) Data Logger that retails for about $175. It’s available here: link ] While only 20 refrigerators were in the study, the team collected about a million data points.

As suspected, the team found refrigerator performance was subpar in many cases. Results showed that household refrigerators were outside the recommended temperature interval 37% of the time, mini-refrigerators 27% of the time and commercial refrigerators 2% of the time.

Rollin says he was surprised the mini refrigerators, like those found in dorm rooms, performed as well as they did. Not surprising was that commercial units scored the best in the evaluation process.

“Because they’re designed for commercial spaces and have better quality components, they have a way to dial-in and maintain the temperature. They also may have fans to keep the air flowing to improve circulation and minimize hot and cold spots,” Rollin says.

Similar Findings Elsewhere
Rollin’s findings are much like those found by the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service in a 2008 study**. It evaluated 191 refrigerators used by producers, retail stores and veterinary clinics. Data loggers were used to record temps at 10-minute intervals over 48 hours.

Of 191 refrigerators tested, 76% were unacceptable for storing pharmaceuticals, because temperatures were not consistently maintained between 35°F and 45°F.

Refrigerator type and age were not critical factors in performance. However, refrigerator location did matter. The refrigerators in barns maintained the coldest (often freezing) temperatures. Refrigerators located in temperature-controlled environments performed better.

Rollin and team looked at similar factors:

They considered the location of the refrigerator and whether the temperature of the room affected its ability to cool products. The short answer in many cases was yes.

The cooling power or style of the refrigerator and its age were noted.

Researchers inventoried the types of items that were kept in the refrigerator. “That was interesting,” Rollin says. “Some of the refrigerators were packed. We saw everything from $100 worth of (product) inventory up to $15,000 of inventory in the refrigerators.”

Factors Not Evaluated
Since the completion of the study, Rollin says the most common question he has received from people is whether the refrigerated vaccines and other products are any good, once they’ve been stored outside a manufacturer’s prescribed temperature range for any length of time.

Because the study didn’t address that particular question, the University of Georgia study has no specific insights to offer.

“Every vaccine is different and has different adjuvants, so how far it can get away from the ideal temperature zone and for how long that can happen before impacting the product’s efficacy, we just don’t know that,” Rollin says.

Dewell and Brick say, in their experience, vaccines that have “undergone temperature cycles above or below the recommended storage temperature (over time) will have reduced efficacy and may be completely worthless due to deactivation.” They detail proper vaccine handling practices in this online article, Vaccines: Handle with Care

Where To From Here?
Rollin recommends that livestock producers along with their veterinarians consider how refrigerator performance on the farm can impact the efficacy of animal health products stored in them. Here are some of his recommendations next steps:

For existing refrigerators, set the refrigerator temperature correctly for the pharmaceutical products it contains, he advises. Use a data logging device for monitoring, if possible.

“Even a cheap $5 dial thermometer you can find in the cooking section at the grocery store is better than nothing,” he says. “It will give you the temperature at the specific time you check it.”

For between $20 and $30 Rollin says producers can purchase a digital thermometer, which can provide temperature highs and lows in the refrigerator over a 24-hour period.

If the producer is building a new office or farm building or has the resources, Rollin recommends purchasing and installing a commercial refrigerator.

Likewise, if financial resources are tight, producers can check with their veterinarian or product distributor to see if they will supply a thermometer, says Fred Gingrich, DVM and executive director of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP).

“When I was in practice I had these little USB data loggers I’d throw into clients’ fridges to monitor the temperature,” Gingrich recalls.

Keep the refrigerator organized and manage the inventory. “We saw a lot of refrigerators where products were just piled into them along with human food and human drinks, too,” Rollin says. “Keeping the refrigerator organized is going to make it quicker for somebody to reach in and get what they need and close the door rather than having it open for 10 minutes while they’re looking for something.”

“Those are all things that veterinarians can do to help producers,” Rollin adds. “A lot of times we’re selling these products and relying on them to work. So, I believe it’s our role to help producers make sure that those products are actually able to have their intended use of preventing disease.”

Recently, Rollin spoke with Dr. Gingrich about the refrigerator study on a ‘Have You Herd’ podcast, which is available for free at aabp.org. You can access it here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/814177/

References:

*Fallness, C. A., Rollin, E., Heins, B. D., & Berghaus, R. D. (2022). Maintenance of the last step of the cold chain: on-farm refrigerator storage and performance. The Bovine Practitioner, 56(2), 62–69. https://doi.org/10.21423/bovine-vol56no2p62-69

**“The Temperature Variability of Refrigerators Storing Animal Health Products”, T.R.Troxel, PAS, B.L.Barham, PAS, University of Arkansas, Division of Animal Health, Cooperative Extension Service.

Protect Your Calves During Fly Season

Tue, 17 May 2022 15:18:17 GMT

With fly season at its peak, calves need extra protection to stay healthy and stress-free.

Stable flies are particularly damaging to calves, because their painful bites on the lower legs are stressful and damaging to calves’ tender skin. Sarah Morrison, researcher at the W.H. Miner Institute, Chazy, NY, said the damage from stable flies can be severe enough to cause noticeable hair loss and scab formation. “Stable fly populations will increase throughout the summer, and have the greatest numbers by the end of August and early September,” noted Morrison.

Biting flies like stable flies also have been identified as a vector that can spread vesicular stomatitis , which is a growing concern in the southwestern U.S. Common houseflies are more of an annoyance but also can spread diseases, and have been recorded in populations as much as 8-fold greater than stable flies.

“Unfortunately, calf housing is an awesome breeding ground for fly populations on the farm,” said Morrison. “Fly maggots grow and develop in accumulations of manure; spilled grain and milk; other spoilage piles; and straw bedding.”

She noted an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plan can be helpful in minimizing fly populations and protecting calves from their damage. IPM focuses on (1) sanitation; (2) biological control; and (3) chemical control. For IPM in calf environments, she advised:

Sanitation – Clean pens weekly and remove excess manure regularly. Mow areas around calf hutches, and elevate hutches to encourage airflow and keep bedding dry. Consider sand, gravel or sawdust as bedding materials instead of straw in warm-weather months.

Biological control – Releasing natural predators in the spring can help keep fly populations from blooming. These natural enemies include black soldier flies, rat-tailed maggots, beetles, mites and wasps.

Chemical control – Chemical sprays should be rotated to prevent insect resistance. Larvicides can be used in heavy breeding areas such as manure storage, but should be used with caution because they also destroy beneficial insect populations. Oral, feed-through larvacides are especially helpful in managing fly populations in calf environments. Baits and traps also are useful in lowering adult fly populations throughout the farm.

“A whole-farm approach should be taken to maximize fly control, and also will positively impact the calf-rearing area,” said Morrison. “Plus it also creates a more pleasant environment for the people caring for the animals.”