Veterinary Research

Pig Painkiller Patch Shows Promise

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 16:38:55 GMT

It’s been just over a year since the FDA issued a “Dear Veterinarian” letter that caught a lot of attention among livestock producers. The letter reminded veterinarians that aspirin and sodium salicylate are not approved for use in dairy cattle or any livestock.

“From an animal welfare standpoint, we know pigs go through pain. They have fevers and inflammation when they are sick. We can make them feel better with NSAIDs like we do in humans,” Brian Payne, senior director of commercial technical services R&D and innovation at Veterinary Pharmaceutical Solutions, said in a previous article . “When you’re feeling sick, you want to feel better. Pigs under our care should have that opportunity as well. When they have pain, inflammation or a fever, we can reduce that down so they start feeling better. A secondary benefit is that they produce better.”

To provide pain management and reduce repeated drug administration, Jeremy Powell, veterinarian and professor of animal science for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture , joined a team of researchers to test an experimental pain-relieving drug delivery method for farm animals using microneedle patches.

Although the patches may not have delivered an effective dose, Powell says it took a pivotal step that offers new leads for innovation, according to a University of Arkansas release .

Two Birds With One Stone – Improving Pain and Welfare

The team wanted to find a way to provide analgesic therapy to help control pain in livestock species while improving animal welfare. The project, which began several years ago in cattle with meloxicam, has been supported by a USDA grant.

According to the release, initial studies led to unsatisfactory pain management for cattle. Because of this, the multi-state team of researchers received approval to switch the experiment to pigs using flunixin and dextran, other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that are more soluble than meloxicam.

The goal of the study was to alleviate some pain after castration and tail docking. Researchers set out to see if the patch could provide five to seven days of pain relief without daily injections or handling of the animal.

How Does the Microneedle Patch Work?

Researchers made the patches with polyvinyl alcohol, collagen and chitosan using a square mold. The patches are about 1"x1" and have 625 pyramid-shaped microneedles that are 800 microns tall — about the thickness of a stack of eight sheets of standard copy paper. The medicines were incorporated at a dose of 50 milligrams per patch, the study says.

Application sites and morphological analysis of microneedle patches in a study by researchers within the Department of Animal Science for the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the University of Arkansas College of Engineering, and Department of Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County. Macroscopic (center) and SEM (right) images of PVA–COL–CHI patches loaded with FLU or FITC-dextran highlight the consistent microneedle geometry.

(Reproduced from RSC Pharmaceutics with permission from the Royal Society of Chemistry)

Medicine slowly flows through the microneedles from the pain patches for slow-release drug delivery, the release explains. The patch is designed to eventually fall off and continue degrading into inert natural products that do not generate contaminants, says Jorge Almodovar, the study’s corresponding author and an associate professor in the department of chemical, biochemical and environmental engineering at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, in the release.

“Designed to only penetrate the upper level of skin where there are few pain receptors, microneedles are known for being painless to mildly prickly, like pressing fine sandpaper when applied with light pressure, or a cat’s tongue brush,” the article says.

Although the drugs administered through the experimental patches did show up in the pigs’ system, the drug concentrations only reached about 2 micrograms per liter. Powell says they would need 3 milligrams per liter for the medicine to be effective, which is 1,500 times greater than what was achieved.

What’s Next for the Patch?

The project remains a proof of concept despite the limited performance, demonstrating that pig skin can absorb medication delivered through a dissolvable microneedle patch, the article says.

In the most recent published study, patches were applied to the ear and neck to assess anatomical site choice on systemic absorption. The team found patches work better on the neck than the ear, which Powell said may guide future testing.

The dextran-based patches on the neck achieved higher plasma concentrations than oral administration and ear-applied patches, “demonstrating enhanced uptake from vascularized regions,” the study explains. Meanwhile, the flunixin-based patches applied to the ear produced detectable plasma levels up to 72 hours after application, with a maximum concentration of about 1.9 micrograms per liter at 24 to 48 hours, “indicating sustained systemic exposure and reinforcing the potential for long-acting therapy.”

One of the other benefits of the patches was that no adverse responses were observed at application sites, the article says.

The findings emphasize the importance of choosing the right spot on the animal and using medications that the delivery method can handle are key to making microneedle drug delivery work better, the researchers note as they head back to the drawing board to improve the patch.

Editor’s Note: The study, “Systemic drug delivery in pigs using biodegradable microneedle patches,” was published in the journal RSC Pharmaceutics. The lead author, Katherine Miranda Muñoz, Ph.D., is a former graduate student at the University of Arkansas College of Engineering. Muñoz is now a postdoctoral associate at the University of Miami. Co-authors of the paper included Powell, Tsungcheng Tsai and Jacy L. Riddle in the department of animal science with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and Almodovar, Ke He and Lee Blaney at UMBC. Almodovar was previously an associate professor and Ray C. Adam Chair in Chemical Engineering at the University of Arkansas.

What Do Foot-and-Mouth Disease Outbreaks in Europe Mean for the U.S.?

Fri, 28 Mar 2025 22:09:30 GMT

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is rearing its ugly head in Europe. After an outbreak in water buffalo in Germany in January, an outbreak in cattle in Hungary in early March and an outbreak in cattle in Slovakia last week, why now? What is the U.S. doing to keep this foreign animal disease out and protect the country’s livestock industry?

“FMD is caused by a virus that affects cloven-hoofed animals so that can include cattle, pigs, sheep and goats,” explains Megan Niederwerder, DVM, who serves as the executive director of the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC). “It does not affect humans and is not a threat to food safety, but it has significant trade implications once it is introduced into a country.”

FMD has been fairly quiet in these European countries – with no cases reported for decades. Other parts of Europe have seen outbreaks more recently like the 2001 outbreak in the United Kingdom that caused a crisis in British agriculture and tourism and resulted in the cancellation of the World Pork Expo held in Des Moines, Iowa.

“FMD really decimated the United Kingdom,” says Barb Determan who was serving as president of the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) at the time. “It became very apparent that we couldn’t guarantee the safety for our U.S. pig herd because of the high numbers of international travelers that would be at the show. We had to cancel World Pork Expo out of an abundance of precaution.”

Although there is still a lot to be discovered about how FMD was introduced into these populations, it’s a significant warning to the U.S. to be on alert.

(Lori Hays)

That was the first time, but not the only time World Pork Expo was canceled. The event was also canceled in 2019 because of the African swine fever outbreak in China and again in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“That was a hard financial decision,” Determan says. “We had just completed the separation agreement between NPPC and the National Pork Board. NPPC was very tightly budgeted at that time, so it was a huge hit.”

However, keeping the U.S. pig herd safe was the most important thing on everyone’s mind. She says they made their decision after hearing reports from veterinarians who had been to England to better understand the extensiveness as well as from the USDA that had sent veterinarians over to help.

“At that time, we didn’t have near the biosecurity practices and things that we do now with the disinfectant foot mats,” Determan says. “We also don’t have live pigs on the on the grounds now compared to how we did things many years ago. We used to have live pigs everywhere on the fairgrounds in the early 2000s from genetics companies with pigs in their displays to the pigs in the live shows.”

The Truth About FMD
The clinical signs of FMD are similar to what the name implies. It can cause vesicles or blisters on the feet, mouth and tongue of animals that are infected. The U.S. has not had a case of FMD since 1929.

“We certainly want to keep it that way, as the economic implications for producers are significant if the virus is introduced,” Niederwerder says.

Compared to many viruses, FMD is a highly stable, non-enveloped virus that allows it to be infectious for longer periods. It’s very contagious and highly transmissible. Not only are there risks with transmission of the virus through infected meat products that may come in through illegal trade, but it can also be carried on contaminated clothes or equipment or supplies of humans.

“The human would not be infected, but certainly people can carry the virus on contaminated clothing,” Niederwerder says. “That’s why it’s really important as we think about prevention of entry into the U.S.”

FMD causes fever and pain. It results in excessive salivation and causes reduced milk production in dairy cattle.

“When you think about the impact, certainly there’s an impact on animal health with regards to the clinical signs, but even further is this impact on trade restrictions and the economic losses for producers,” Niederwerder says. “When you try and contain the virus, that oftentimes results in those infected animals being culled or euthanized so the disease no longer has the chance to spread.”

Why Should the U.S. Pay Attention?
When a virus moves into a new geographical range or is reintroduced into a country that has maintained a negative status for a long period, Niederwerder says it’s critical to reassess the risk to the U.S.

“In January, Germany reported their first case in over 30 years in water buffalo near Berlin,” she explains. “It was 14 animals, and those animals were all culled after the infection was confirmed but certainly trade restrictions and implications on surrounding areas of that Berlin farm were significant.”

Fast forward to March when two additional countries have reported cases. Hungary reported FMD in a single farm of cattle in the north part of the country for the first time in over 50 years. Shortly thereafter, the virus appeared in Slovakia (who also hadn’t seen a case in over 50 years) in multiple herds of cattle.

“Just recently, another herd was a suspect herd in Slovakia, near the southern border near Hungary,” Niederwerder says. “This is certainly concerning about how this virus is being reintroduced. Is it associated with contaminated fomites that may be in the country or traveling to new locations? Is it associated with wild boar? Could it be associated with infected hay?”

Although there is still a lot to be discovered about how FMD was introduced into these populations, it’s a significant warning to the U.S. to be on alert .

“We need to do everything we can to make sure it doesn’t get reintroduced into the U.S.,” Niederwerder says. “How can we amp up any biosecurity measures that are necessary to reduce our risk? We also need to think about reducing the risk of introduction into our country through travel and illegal trade.”

Be on Alert
Livestock operations should reevaluate biosecurity protocols. If any of your farm’s employees travel to areas where there are infected animals, implement a quarantine period for entry back into your U.S. farm, she advises.

“Be vigilant,” Niederwerder urges. “One of the challenges of FMD is that it does cause these characteristic lesions of vesicles or blisters on the mouth, nose or the hoof. What becomes very tricky is that those clinical signs are indistinguishable from other vesicular diseases such as Senecavirus A. If producers and veterinarians see these lesions, they must report it immediately so it can be investigated and confirmed that it is not FMD virus.”

FMD is not just a disease of pigs and cattle, she points out. Sheep, goats and cloven-hoofed zoo animals may also be impacted by FMD. This increases the breadth of what the industry needs to monitor.

“The world is very small now,” Niederwerder says. “Not only do people travel more internationally, but animals move around more than ever, too. It’s extremely important for those of us that are producers to keep our eyes open and pay attention to what’s going on worldwide so we can be as prepared as possible for any change in disease risk.”

That’s one of the ways that SHIC is trying to help producers. SHIC provides timely domestic and global disease updates to producers.

“Watching the SHIC global disease report is really important for producers,” Determan says. “It comes out every month and really gives you a feel for what’s happening in the entire world from a swine health standpoint. The biggest lesson we learned from the 2001 FMD outbreak is that looking farther out than just our own farm gate is so important.”

Keep Reading:
An Update on Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus Serotype O in Germany

Hungary Confirms Foot-and-Mouth Disease Outbreak in Cattle

Slovakia Records First Foot-and-Mouth Cases, Minister Says

Don’t Be a Fomite: Help Stop the Spread of Influenza in the Barn

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 23:04:06 GMT

How effective is personal protective equipment (PPE) on the farm? Is the discomfort of wearing PPE worth the reward? As influenza season rages in full force for humans and pigs, Montse Torremorell, DVM, professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Minnesota, says it’s a question worth answering.

“Influenza can be transmitted indirectly through the contamination of fomites and the air,” she said during the American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV) annual meeting in San Francisco on March 4. “Secretions and excretions of pigs can contaminate fomites, and farm workers can act as fomites as their clothes, boots and personal objects may be contaminated with influenza.”

It may be stating the obvious, she says, but if farm workers don’t pay attention to it, the likelihood of transmission is very high. Not only can this result in workers getting sick, but it can also result in spread in pigs whether that’s from group to group or farm to farm.

She shared results from two studies conducted at the University of Minnesota looking at the use of PPE to help prevent the spread of influenza virus.

Do Face Masks Work?
Face masks are recommended for people working with pigs because masks help decrease aerosol exposure. Influenza is easily transmitted through the air, so researchers took a look at how well face masks prevent the spread of virus to workers.

“Type N-95 respirators are considered the standard for preventing exposure to viral aerosols since 95% of airborne particles are captured in the respirator,” she says. “However, a tight fit of the respirators to the face is necessary for particles to be removed and not bypass the seal. Unfortunately, N-95 respirators are difficult to keep in place when performing common farm chores and environmental conditions with elevated temperatures and humidity make wearing the N-95 respirators particularly uncomfortable for people.“

Other masks such as dust masks and surgical masks may also be used in farms. However, there is limited information available regarding their effectiveness for protecting workers from influenza at pig farms. The study collected samples from workers on influenza-positive farms wearing no masks, dust masks, surgical masks and N-95 respirator masks for four weeks. Workers alternated which mask type they were wearing.

After working with pigs, about 25% of the workers who did not wear face masks had nasal swabs that tested positive for influenza. For the other masks, the differences weren’t statistical, but the N-95 was the most protective at 5.77% positive detections; 8.65% positive detections with a dust mask and 10.78% positive detections with a surgical mask, Torremorell reports.

“I’m not sure how well workers wore their masks, but we think this represents how farmworkers would wear them in working conditions,” she adds. “A mask was protective and beneficial. Wearing one is better than not.”

Understanding which face mask is more comfortable to swine workers should increase compliance and the likelihood of wearing masks, Torremorell says. They asked the workers to score each mask on comfort. Of course, no mask was the highest rated from a comfort standpoint, followed by surgical masks, N-95 masks and dust masks were found to be the least comfortable.

Do I Need to Wash with Soap?
Detection of influenza virus on the hands of workers handling infected pigs should not come as a surprise, Torremorell says. In an experimental setting, 100% of hand wipes tested positive for influenza after researchers interacted with infected pigs for 15 minutes. Under farm conditions, a study reported 46 % of the instruments used when handling piglets and 58 % of farmworkers’ hands testing positive.

“Properly sanitizing hands is crucial to prevent disease transmission and exposure to workers,” she says. “But what’s the best way to get that done?”

Her team assessed the effectiveness of four hand sanitation protocols in decreasing or removing influenza virus from hands in an experimentally infected pig setting.

The treatments assessed included:
Soap and water: rinse 5 seconds, soap 10 seconds, rinse 10 seconds, wipe dry
Water only: rinse 10 seconds, wipe dry
Alcohol-based sanitizer (70% ethyl alcohol): sanitizer 10 seconds, air dry
Wearing disposable gloves: remove gloves

All participant’s hands became readily contaminated with influenza after handling infected pigs. Viable virus was found through virus isolation in 7 out of 84 samples after handling pigs.

“The alcohol-based hand sanitizer and wearing disposable gloves were the most effective treatments at reducing a larger amount of virus from hands,” she explains. “In fact, wearing disposable gloves prevented the hands of workers from becoming contaminated in the first place. Hand washing with water only and washing with soap and water reduced the amount of detectable virus, but did not eliminate it. Overall, results from this study emphasized the importance of using a hand sanitation protocol to prevent the transmission of influenza between pigs and farm workers.”

Torremorell adds that in addition to hands, clothing worn on farms to perform chores has a high likelihood of being contaminated with flu virus, too.

“Wearing farm dedicated clothing and showering in and out of swine facilities is also recommended to remove influenza-laden particles from the workers’ skin,” she says. “Face masks should be considered during periods of outbreak, especially when pigs are housed in enclosed buildings. This may need to be done if H5N1 infections are detected in swine where exposure through aerosols is likely to occur. Ultimately, it is the collection of measures applied comprehensively, including mechanical controls in farms and PPE usage, that will help decrease the risk of transmission to farm workers.”

The use of hand sanitizer between sites is also something to look at adopting if you don’t already, she adds.

“The risk of transmission between pigs and people is real,” Torremorell says. “A comprehensive flu control program must consider biosecurity measures that address indirect transmission routes. Now is the time to strengthen our biosecurity measures.”

Your Next Read: Can We Breed Better Mothers for Free Farrowing Conditions?

Can We Breed Better Mothers for Free Farrowing Conditions?

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 01:21:20 GMT

Is it possible to breed better mothers for free farrowing conditions? Jenelle Dunkelberger, global health and behavior platform lead for Topigs Norsvin, says the global trend to explore alternative housing systems for pig production prompted her company to look for solutions.

“Behavior is a great example of a trait that we are still learning how to define,” Dunkelberger said during a seminar at the American Association of Swine Veterinarians annual meeting on March 2. “For example, how do you define good maternal behavior? What type of behavior are you really looking for?”

The use of camera technology and sensors can help generate data that can be used to study traits like behavior, among other things, she points out. But researchers still need to have a sense of what to look for that’s indicative of good behavior.

“What we do know is that a good mother should check her surroundings and exercise care when lying or changing positions,” she says. “But it goes so much deeper than that. For example, pigs are smart, and we don’t yet fully understand how sows communicate with their piglets.”

Pork producers want to know how important these complex traits will be in the future of pig production, especially now that the industry has access to tools that can capture data which has never been captured before.

What is Best for the Sow and Her Piglets?
“For some, removing farrowing crates is thought to translate to better sow welfare,” she says. “But of course, the reason we have farrowing crates in the first place is to protect the welfare of the piglets. Therefore, if farrowing crates are removed, novel management strategies will be required to ensure that we protect the welfare of the piglets. We have to maximize both sow and piglet welfare.”

Results from our research trial showed that piglet crushing was 8% higher for the free farrowing versus crated group, Dunkelberger says.

This highlights the need to develop strategies to mitigate piglet losses in such housing systems. For this reason, another objective of this research was to investigate the potential of genetic selection for enhanced mothering ability as a potential solution to this issue.

Topigs Norsvin has been selecting for enhanced mothering ability as part of its breeding program for over two decades. Dunkelberger says they do this by collecting data in a crated environment because that’s been the structure of the industry. Data is collected in that environment and used to calculate a sow’s genetic merit for mothering ability.

“We calculate breeding values for mothering ability as the maternal effect on piglet survival. In other words, the impact of the mother’s genes on the ability to keep her piglets alive,” she says.

In the study that Dunkelberger referenced, Topigs Norsvin wanted to evaluate whether genetic selection for improved maternal behavior validates in a free farrowing environment. Large White x Landrace sows were group-housed during gestation and transported to the farrowing unit at approximately 109 days of gestation. In the farrowing unit, half of the sows were assigned to the free farrowing group, and the remaining half to the crated group, where parity structure was balanced across groups. Sows and piglets were monitored throughout the duration of the study using cameras mounted above each pen or crate.

Overall piglet mortality was significantly higher in the free farrowing group (14.2%) versus 5.9% in the crated group. Consistent with this finding, mortality due to crushing was also significantly higher for free farrowing (11.8%) versus crated litters (1.1%).

“The majority of piglet death loss was due to crushing,” she says. “But when you look at the effect of breeding value for mothering ability, we observed that sows with a better breeding value for mothering ability had lower overall piglet mortality, including lower mortality due to crushing. We observed this result regardless of housing type (crated or free farrowing environment).”

The takeaway is that genetic selection for better mothering ability validates in a crated environment, but also in a free farrowing environment, Dunkelberger points out.

“We’re encouraged by this finding,” she says. “Results from this study show that our current approach of breeding for enhanced mothering ability reduces piglet losses in a crated environment, but also in a free farrowing environment. This means that genetic selection for better maternal behavior can be part of a strategy to reduce piglet death loss, if and where these alternative housing systems are being used.”

Your Next Read: What Caused Your Herd’s Latest Disease Outbreak? Why You Need to Use SOIP

10 Understated Things Economists Say Could Impact Agriculture in the New Year

Thu, 26 Dec 2024 16:29:46 GMT

This past year was definitely full of surprises, but there were also happenings in agriculture that economists warned about at the end of 2023.

The bleak outlook for commodity prices, along with elevated interest rates, created a downturn in the ag economy, which is something many economists warned would happen. It’s the speed of which margins crumbled that might have been the bigger surprise.

The latest Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor asked economists if the U.S. was either in a recession or on the brink of one. The majority of ag economists say U.S. agriculture is ending the year in a recession.

56% of ag economists responded by saying agriculture is currently in a recession, which is up from the 53% who responded that way in October.
81% of economists surveyed said the U.S ag economy is on the brink of a recession, which is a significant jump from the 56% of economists who responded that way in the October survey.

One occurrence that wasn’t on anyone’s radar in 2023: H5N1. What was first thought to be a mystery illness impacting dairy herds in Texas was later confirmed as Highly Pathogenic Avian Flu, the first time the disease was detected in mammals.

At the end of 2024, what are economists watching in 2025? In Farm Journal’s latest Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor, we asked economists: “What’s the one factor impacting the ag economy that’s not being talked about or covered by the media enough right now?”

From trade to deregulation plus numerous unknowns in a new administration, economists have no shortage of issues they’re watching in the new year.

Here’s What Economists Are Saying:

“The media seems consumed with the negatives of a Trump administration/Republican trifecta. It’s certainly good to be aware of the challenges with any political transition, but more forward thinking on what is positive, would be helpful: the outlook for taxes, biofuels policy, trade deals with agriculture included, deregulation all seem to be potential positives we could be talking about more.”
“Prospective tariff war is being downplayed, despite published research measuring expected range of damage.”
“Farmer attitudes toward alternative land use: CRP, solar and other forms to help diversify incomes.”
“Policy uncertainty is high right now. Will tariffs be imposed and if so, what will be the reaction of other countries? Will the new Administration take regulatory actions that favor or hurt the biofuel industry? What will be the outcome of debates over tax and budgetary policy? Will economic assistance to the farm sector be approved during the lame duck session or in early 2025? What about a new farm bill? Many people are making assumptions about how these questions will be answered, but we don’t know.”
“Farm income varies greatly by region. While we often focus on the Midwest and the financial health of that region, it is also important to notice that regions in the southern U.S. are really struggling.” It is also important to watch what production adjustments producers make to cope with today’s tighter operating margins?
“Could federal budget cuts/austerity dramatically change/reduce the federal farm income safety net?”
“Cash rent prices staying constant during a downturn in crop prices.”
“Let’s be clear — the clean fuels tax credit goes to the fuel producer, not the farmer. It enables market access into the biofuels market for the farm economy, but the ability for the farm economy to capitalize upon it is hamstrung by credit levels that have incentivized large inflows of foreign feedstocks at the expense of literally homegrown feedstocks like SBO.”
“The Brazil real is depreciating, which eventually leads to more U.S. competition.”
“China, Europe, Mexico and others know what to expect out of Trump. They’ve seen it before. Everyone is discounting the possibility that Trump’s tariff threat could result in some pre-emptive trade agreements that benefit us here in the states. The U.S. is the biggest buyer of consumer goods in the world. They can’t afford to cut us off. Note that I said consumer goods, not commodities.”

Your Next Read — Economic Loss Assistance Program Payments Passed by Congress: Here’s What Farmers Need to Know

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

Preempting African Swine Fever in Texas with Research

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 13:42:49 GMT

By Gabe Saldana

As feral hog populations increase in Texas and the U.S., they create desirable conditions for disease-carrying ticks and increase the risk for an outbreak of African swine fever virus, ASFV.

To ensure the devastating ASFV stays out of Texas and the Southern U.S., a multi-institution research project led by Texas A&M AgriLife Research will assess the potential, or vector competency, of a southern Ornithodoros turicata tick to transmit the disease.

The nearly $1.5 million project is supported by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate through Cross-Border Threat Screening and Supply Chain Defense, CBTS, a DHS Center of Excellence within AgriLife Research.

Results from the project will fill critical knowledge gaps in the vector competency of ticks in the U.S. It will be an early key step toward research-based solutions that keep Texas and the Southern U.S. free of ASFV.

Assessing tick vector competency for ASFV transmission in Texas
“These ticks are in several southern states and are common in Texas,” said Meriam Saleh, Ph.D., clinical assistant professor in the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Saleh is the project’s principal investigator.

“Laboratory studies using a subspecies of these ticks, which originated in Florida, demonstrated high vector competency for ASFV to pigs,” she said. “Our research aims to confirm whether the Texas ticks carry the same ability to transmit the disease.”

Dee Ellis, DVM, AgriLife Research veterinarian within the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Entomology., and Scott Kenney, Ph.D., of Ohio State University, join Saleh as co-principal investigators.

The team will evaluate the biology and transmissibility of different ASFV strains and genotypes in ticks. They will determine the ability of other species to host or spread ASFV from ticks in the U.S.

Preempting an outbreak with research
African swine fever, as its name suggests, is a tick-borne DNA virus originating in Africa, where Ornithodoros moubata ticks persist in a continuous cycle with wild warthogs.

In Texas, unique challenges come from a host of issues: the presence of potential tick vectors, the expanding feral swine population, expansive suitable habitat for ticks and feral swine, commercial swine operations and the U.S. border with Mexico among others.

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service estimates that an ASFV outbreak in the U.S. would devastate the U.S. pork industry with a 50% drop in hog prices, a halt in pork and pork product exports, as well as significant job losses and culling of the animals.

In Texas, according to the Texas Pork Producers Association, feral pigs outnumber domestic swine at least 3-to-1.

Adult ticks have been documented to live for years between feedings. Several species of Ornithodoros ticks in North America have demonstrated African swine fever transmission to swine in laboratory settings.

“Leading-edge discoveries and innovation will be the keys to staying ahead of ASFV for Texas and the Southern U.S.,” said Heather Manley Lillibridge, Ph.D., executive director of CBTS. “Collaborations across multiple institutions provide us with the resources and expertise for continued success.”

Your Next Read: The Pork Industry Responds to EPA’s Rodenticide Strategy

Purdue University Researches Benefits of Fatty Acids Found in Meat

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 20:14:47 GMT

The impact of arachidonic acid, an omega-6 polyunsaturated fat found only in animal products, upon human health remains mostly misunderstood, according to an article released by Purdue University. Researchers aim to study the subject further.

Led by James Markworth , assistant professor of animal sciences , the team will carefully test the health effects of omega-6 in laboratory experiments. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture , will fund the research and the experiments will clarify which omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil and seafood are responsible for yielding their health benefits.

“These polyunsaturated fatty acids are essential because you need to acquire them through the diet,” Markworth says. “They can’t be made in the body. And in particular it’s the long-chain versions, which are found in products of animal or marine origin, that are thought to potentially influence human health.”

Both omega-3 and omega-6 are long-chain, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and some of these fatty acids are also essential fatty acids.

The long-chain omega-6 fat arachidonic acid is found only in meat, poultry and eggs. “You can’t get it from vegetable sources, and you can’t get it from fish. We think that these nutrients found in meat and poultry products might have similar benefits as, say, fish oil or fish products. And that’s something you don’t hear very often,” Markworth says.

Previous research has well established that fish oil fatty acids have metabolic benefits. But which fatty acids convey those benefits and how remains unclear. The major ones are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

Collaborating with Markworth on the project are: Tzu-Wen Cross in the College of Health and Human Sciences , along with Tim Johnson and Kolapo Ajuwon , both in the College of Agriculture ’s Department of Animal Sciences .

“What we’re suggesting is when you eat these lipids in the diet or dietary supplements, the systemic response your body has might depend on the resident microbes first encountered in the gastrointestinal tract,” Markworth says. “And we’re proposing that the systemic response is largely mediated by the effect on the skeletal muscle.”

Markworth notes the skeletal muscle determines metabolic health, obesity and diabetes as it is the largest site of glucose disposal and insulin sensitivity.

Read more here .

Livestock and mRNA Vaccines: What You Need To Know

Fri, 27 Sep 2024 01:56:42 GMT

As misinformation regarding the use of mRNA vaccines in livestock filter through social media, there are facts begging to be set straight.

Recently, a claim was made saying producers are required to inject livestock with mRNA vaccines.

According to USDA spokesperson, Marissa Perry says, “There is no requirement or mandate that producers vaccinate their livestock for any disease. It is a personal and business decision left up to the producer and will remain that way,” in response to the claim, Associated Press shared in an article .

National Pork Board’s Director of Consumer Public Relations, Jason Menke echoed the statement to AP, noting that the decision to use vaccines and other medical treatments to protect animal health and well-being are made by the farmer under the direction of the herd veterinarian.

To further explain mRNA vaccines and shed light on controversies, Dr. Kevin Folta, a molecular biologist and professor at the University of Florida, shares his viewpoint and experience with the technology.

What are mRNA Vaccines?

First introduced to the population through the COVID-19 vaccines, mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid) vaccines have been in development for decades, says Folta in a recent AgriTalk segment.

He adds that the technology’s potential in human health makes it a likely candidate to have a place in animal health as well. However, “the technology is being maligned in social media, and is now shaping decisions at the level of state legislature,” Folta says. This leads to the growing importance that producers and consumers become more educated on the topic.

What Folta believes began in January of this year, based on claims with very little data, certain advocates against mRNA vaccines are concerned that mRNA vaccines are in use and development in livestock. Additionally, these vaccines may then be present in the food these animals provide.

Why mRNA Vaccines Are Not Present in Food

“It’s not in your food. It’s a vaccine for the animal that, just like any vaccine, protects the animal from disease,” Folta says.

Current mRNA vaccines being used in swine are injected into the muscle, Folta explains, which causes the development of the immune response protein to then stimulate the body to work against the virus.

“In the absence of the virus, it’s kind of like giving the virus or giving the body a ‘wanted’ poster that says, ‘when this individual comes along, and this virus comes along, work against it,’ and it’s all gone within hours,” he adds.

The mRNA never leaves the cells from where it was injected. RNA is a very unstable molecule that must be kept cold, buffered and in solvent, to remain viable, Folta explains.

Additionally, any licensed vaccine comes with a minimum time before that animal can enter the food chain, also known as the “withdrawal time,” says Alan Young, professor in the Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences at South Dakota State University and founder of protein platform (non-mRNA) vaccine company Medgene.

The Animal’s Genes Are Not Altered

While mRNA vaccines include genetic code, Folta says the use of a mRNA vaccines does not alter the animal’s genes in any way.

“This [mRNA] is an intermediate between the gene itself and the products that the gene encodes. So, it’s like having a blueprint and a house. The mRNA is like the construction worker. It takes the blueprint and manufactures the house. In the case of the cell, it takes the DNA blueprint and then takes a little bit of that information to build part of the final structure. The mRNA is just that intermediate, it does not change the genes. It doesn’t change the DNA itself,” he explains.

What are the Benefits of mRNA Vaccines?

More flexibility and faster response to new disease, Folta describes as reasons why mRNA vaccines are becoming more popular.

Traditional vaccines require large amounts of a virus to be raised and purified before being injected to elicit an immune response, he adds. Meanwhile, mRNA encourages the body to make a little piece of protein to elicit the desired immune response.

“It’s much cleaner, much easier. If you’re moving parts in this machine, to make this product that induces an immune response, it’s so good in so many ways,” Folta says.

In pork production specifically, researchers are working with mRNA vaccines that will work this way against porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), which is a viral disease that causes economic loss totals around $664 million per year in the U.S. (Holtkamp et al., 2013).

Additionally, the use of mRNA technology adds another tool to the toolbox, which may be helpful in combating diseases, such as African swine fever (ASF), avian influenza and other food-animal diseases.
“This stands to be a revolutionary technology if we don’t get in the way,” Folta adds.

Are There Risks to mRNA Vaccines?

Folta says everything has some sort of risk, but it’s important to weigh the benefits against the risk.
As seen with the COVID-19 vaccines, in rare cases, people experienced side effects from the vaccine. However, Folta is encouraged by the initial results in livestock.

“If you look in animals where these [vaccines] have been used, there have been no unusual effects noted. Everything potentially has risk, but it’s monitored, and especially in large animal populations, we can look very carefully at that for surveillance,” he explains.

mRNA Enters State Legislation

While some consumers spread misinformation about the use of mRNA vaccines, the ideas have also crept into state legislation.

The Missouri House Bill 1169 , with a special hearing set for Apr. 19 on the matter, aims to require a label be used on meat from animals treated with an mRNA vaccine, identifying the “potential gene therapy product.”
This bill falsely claims that mRNA vaccines would modify the genes of the organism, Folta explains.

mRNA vaccines are simply another modality that can protect animal health, which results in healthy animals producing the best and safest food products, Folta says, and provides producers with more options to help combat disease.

“To have affordable food, we need to have continual innovation in the animal, medical, veterinary space and mRNA vaccines are safe and an effective way to treat the animal that does not change the final product,” he adds.

The COVID-19 pandemic simply “broke the seal” to the development of these new modalities that will change the way human and animal diseases will be treated in the years to come.

More on Vaccines:

Genvax Technologies Secures $6.5 Million to Advance Novel Vaccine Platform

Cattle Veterinarians Have New Vaccination Guidelines

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

OTC Livestock Antibiotics Will Require Prescription June 11

USDA Invests $17.6 Million to Protect Health and Welfare of Livestock

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 15:55:31 GMT

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) and African swine fever (ASF) are two high-priority research areas that will be funded through a $17.6-million investment by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to protect the health and welfare of agricultural animals.

“Protecting the health and welfare of agricultural animals is integral to ensuring a safe, sustainable, resilient and ethically-sound food system,” NIFA Director Manjit Misra said in a release. “Healthy livestock are more productive and less likely to harbor and spread diseases that can affect humans. In addition, properly managed livestock systems help maintain biodiversity and sustainable land use.”

These projects are part of USDA’s “One Health” efforts, an integrated, collaborative approach to address issues that impact the health of people, plants, animals and our ecosystems. The awards include $12.7 million for 27 projects funded through NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative’s (AFRI) Diseases of Agricultural Animals program and $4.8 million for 10 projects funded through AFRI’s Welfare of Agricultural Animals program.

The AFRI Diseases of Agricultural Animals program focuses on maintaining healthy agricultural animals to ensure a safe and adequate food supply, USDA explains. The program supports research in whole-animal health, including disease prevention and control.

“Several projects focus on research related to vaccines that could mitigate the spread of HPAI and ASF. HPAI is a major threat to animal health, trade and the economy worldwide. ASF is a deadly pig disease that spreads rapidly and affects domestic and wild swine. While not a threat to human health, the virus could devastate America’s swine industry and food supply if it entered the United States,” USDA says.

Examples of the 27 funded projects include:

• University of Georgia researchers aim to develop mass vaccination strategies against a prevalent HPAI subtype. The potential benefits extend beyond avian influenza, paving the way for similar studies on other respiratory viruses affecting poultry and livestock.

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology scientists will design and evaluate ASF engineered vaccine antigens. This work will ultimately lead to development of a vaccine against ASF to aid in disease control and swine health.

• University of Missouri researchers plan to develop safer and more effective swine influenza vaccines, with the potential to reduce both animal and human influenza infections, and block potential zoonotic transmission from swine to humans.

The AFRI Welfare of Agricultural Animals program supports projects that evaluate current animal agriculture production practices and/or development of new or enhanced management approaches that safeguard animal welfare and adaption to climate change, the release says.

• Purdue University researchers will investigate the most effective indicator traits and breeding strategies to enhance heat tolerance in ducks. Scientists plan to develop guidelines that outline optimal management and breeding strategies to improve heat tolerance in poultry—offering a potential long-term solution to climate change impacts on poultry production globally.

• University of Vermont scientists will investigate how early-life calf management affects long-term behavioral development, emotional states and physiological stress in dairy cattle. The results will benefit the dairy cattle industry by increasing longevity and improving animal welfare and care standards.

Your Next Read: Canada To Develop a Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccine Bank

Canada To Develop a Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccine Bank

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 14:24:47 GMT

The Government of Canada is continuing to advance its work of protecting animal health by establishing a foot and mouth disease (FMD) vaccine bank, according to a news release from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

The vaccine bank is a key part of Canada’s response plans to control and ultimately eliminate an outbreak of FMD should it be detected in Canadian animals, CFIA said.

In late August, a Request for Proposal (RFP) was issued by Public Services and Procurement Canada, on behalf of the CFIA, to supply vaccine products to the FMD vaccine bank.

The successful bidder(s) would provide concentrated FMD vaccines that could be rapidly transformed into usable vaccines. Information about the RFP including requirements, criteria, processes and timelines is available to interested bidders on CanadaBuys.

“It’s vitally important that we continue to take steps to protect livestock, and the livelihood of our hardworking farmers, against the threat of animal disease. By creating a dedicated foot and mouth disease vaccine bank, we’re working to reduce the spread of the disease and the impact that a potential outbreak would have on market access for Canadian producers. The announcement marks another step forward in the on-going work of supporting our animal disease preparedness efforts,” said Lawrence MacAulay, Canada Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, in the release.

The vaccine bank would help protect Canada from the emerging threat of FMD, maintain public confidence in the Canadian food supply, and help reduce the spread of the disease, should an outbreak occur. An effective and efficient response, including vaccination, will also help mitigate prolonged market disruptions to trade.

Quick Facts

Budget 2023 committed $57.5 million over five years, with $5.6 million ongoing, to the CFIA to establish an FMD vaccine bank for Canada, and to develop FMD response plans.
FMD is a severe, highly communicable viral disease of cattle and swine. It also affects sheep, goats, deer and other cloven-hoofed ruminants but not horses. Many affected animals recover, but the disease leaves them weakened and debilitated.
Canada has been free from FMD since 1952, and strict measures are in place to prevent the disease from entering Canada. FMD is not a public health risk and is not considered a food safety issue.
The CFIA would use a vaccine only in the event of an outbreak to protect animals and help stop the spread of disease. This complements Canada’s current access to vaccines through the North American Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccine Bank (NAFMDVB) ensuring readily available vaccines for Canadian producers.
In Canada, FMD is a reportable disease under the Health of Animals Act, and all suspect cases must be reported to the CFIA.
The CFIA monitors the status of FMD worldwide and has emergency preparedness and response plans ready.

Check out these reads from Bovine Veterinarian:
New Vaccine Protects Cattle From Deadly Tick-Borne Disease
Embryo Surrogacy – The Next Dairy Niche?
How One Veterinarian Offers Support on Transition Planning to His Clients

Mental Health Challenges Among Veterinary Teams: Study Says It's Getting Better

Fri, 19 Jan 2024 14:11:29 GMT

The latest Veterinary Wellbeing Study shows greater levels of job satisfaction and pride in work across veterinary teams, but that doesn’t change the reality that there is a shortage of qualified veterinary team members as well as burdensome student debt. This is the first comprehensive study of its kind following the global pandemic.

Merck Animal Health recently released findings of its Veterinary Wellbeing Study conducted in collaboration with the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). The study examined the wellbeing and mental health of U.S. veterinarians and support teams and underscored a positive trend in veterinarian practices and professionals taking a more proactive approach toward mental health.

“It is encouraging to see an increase in practices and professionals that are addressing team culture, wellbeing, and mental health. We remain committed to advocating for and providing resources to veterinary professionals no matter the individual’s role or title,” Christine Royal, DVM, vice president, companion animal and equine business unit, Merck Animal Health, said in a release.

Similar to previous benchmark studies (2017, 2019 and 2021), the goal of the fourth Veterinary Wellbeing Study was to identify and explore the state of veterinary professionals’ mental health and wellbeing in an effort to bring awareness to the challenges veterinarians and support teams face and more importantly, how they are able to manage them with the support received from partners, Merck Animal Health reports in a release.

“We understand that to sustain the health of animals, we need to ensure the wellbeing of their caretakers,” Rena Carlson, DVM, AVMA president, said in a release.

The study expanded its scope this time to examine the mental health and wellbeing of veterinary team members – including veterinary technicians and office managers – with nearly five times more responses from these positions than the 2021 survey.

“There are many positives coming out of the study, including high levels of job satisfaction and pride in work across veterinary teams. This must be balanced with the understanding that there are also challenges within the veterinary profession, including a shortage of qualified veterinary team members as well as burdensome student debt that causes stress,” Royal said.

The report showed that most practicing veterinarians agree there is a high degree of trust within their organization, their input is valued, there is sufficient time for each appointment to provide high-quality patient care, and there is candid and open communication among team members, which all contribute to a positive work environment.

At the same time, results indicate clinics have the opportunity to make improvements by openly discussing wellbeing and mental health in team meetings, with only 36% of veterinary teams finding that this happens somewhat or to a great extent.

There are many aspects of the job veterinarians and support teams enjoy, especially helping animals. An overwhelming number of veterinarians (98%) and veterinary team members (92%) note that they are invested in their work and take pride in doing a good job. More than 80% also believe the work they do makes a positive contribution on other peoples’ lives.

Other key findings of the report include:

Almost 75% of veterinary professionals express personal satisfaction with their career, but there are still factors they are concerned about, including high exhaustion, work-life balance and shortage of vets.
Results indicate that more veterinarians who needed mental health support received outpatient treatment and counseling for mental health challenges in 2023.
A substantial increase in clinics supporting their team’s mental health and emotional wellbeing has occurred, with results showing that 38% of clinics now offer an employee assistance program (EAP) as opposed to 31% in 2021 and 27% in 2019.
Although results indicate an overall satisfaction in the profession, there is a perception among veterinary teams that it might not be the same for their colleagues, with less than 50% of veterinarians saying that others in the profession are satisfied with their careers.

Merck Animal Health has prioritized understanding the challenges that face veterinarians and veterinary technicians by issuing this important study every two years since 2017, the release said.

Key initiatives such as MentorVet, a growing entity that creates evidence-based programming to empower individuals to thrive within veterinary medicine, help facilitate guidance and support for veterinary professionals, Merck said in a release. In addition, Merck Animal Health is an educational partner for MentorVet Connect, a collaboration between the AVMA and MentorVet that brings the power and support of a structured evidence-based mentor program to newly graduated AVMA members free of charge, beginning with the classes of 2018-2023.

Editor’s Note: This study was conducted in September and October 2023 by Brakke Consulting, Inc., among a nationally representative sample of 4,636 veterinarians in the U.S., both practitioners and non-practitioners, using standardized research methods. The objectives were to continue to track wellbeing and mental health of veterinarians and benchmark findings against physicians and the U.S. general population of employed adults. Data were weighted based on age, gender, and region of the U.S. For the sample as a whole, the maximum margin of error was +/- 1.4% at 95% confidence level. To achieve a comprehensive study of veterinary team members in 2023, Brakke Consulting collaborated with the North American Veterinary Technician Association (NAVTA), the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA) and others to sample veterinary technicians, veterinary assistants, hospital practice managers, reception/client service representatives and other members of a veterinary clinic’s team. A total of 2,271 completed questionnaires were returned.

NC State Researchers Partner with USDA to Combat Deadly Virus Affecting Pigs Nationwide

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 15:00:54 GMT

In human medicine, the word “coronavirus” conjures images of masks, vaccines and nasal swabs. But in swine medicine, a different coronavirus causing gastrointestinal symptoms has plagued pig populations and stymied veterinarians for a decade.

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, or PEDV, is a highly infectious microbe that causes severe diarrhea and vomiting in pigs. It has a mortality rate of between 50 and 100 percent in infected piglets but generally is not fatal in adult hogs, the U.S. Department of Agriculture notes.

A single outbreak can cost a swine farm upward of $600,000, NC State food animal epidemiologist Dr. Gustavo Machado says. As the third-largest pig producer in the U.S., North Carolina is all-too-familiar with the virus’ cost.

Now, supported by a nearly half-million-dollar grant from the USDA, NC State College of Veterinary Medicine researchers are launching the largest study of its kind focusing on a likely culprit of the virus’ spread: possibly contaminated vehicles.

The NC State team will track vehicles hauling pigs, feed and other materials between swine facilities across Eastern North Carolina, swabbing the trucks and trailers at wash stations for evidence of the virus to assess how effectively these vehicles are being disinfected between stops.

“Veterinarians in North Carolina’s swine industry have identified PEDV as a major problem,” says Dr. Juliana Bonin Ferreira, the study’s primary investigator. “PEDV can be spread pretty easily and cause a lot of losses for state and national swine industries, because where we have pigs, we have PEDV. We are trying to help them identify a critical point of transmission and overcome and minimize that spread, which minimizes their economic losses.”

The team on the two-year study — Bonin Ferreira, Machado, forensic scientist Dr. Kelly Meiklejohn and virologists Dr. Barb Sherry and Dr. Michael Rahe, plus their labs’ staff — aims to recommend best practices for disinfecting vehicles between farms and provide an epidemiological model of how other porcine viruses could be transmitted between hog populations.

They were awarded the funding through a USDA program dedicated to preventing the spread of foreign animal diseases, like the extremely contagious African swine fever, in the United States. African swine fever, or ASF, has not yet been recorded domestically but is fatal and has no known treatment or vaccine.

“Essentially, if we can prove that the decontamination protocol of these vehicles is effective for PEDV, it’s likely going to be effective for ASF,” Bonin Ferreira says.

Between October 2023 and May 2024, when infections from the typically seasonal virus are at their peak, team members will swab various parts of the vehicles, including the animal trailer, the tires and the driver’s floorboard, before and after they are disinfected. The group will collect around 3,500 samples from 49 vehicles.

Meiklejohn’s lab will process the samples, looking for viral RNA signaling PEDV’s presence. This method is similar to how qPCR tests detect traces of COVID-19, Meiklejohn says.

But just as people with COVID can continue testing positive for the virus after they’re no longer contagious, these samples could test positive for PEDV that has stopped being infectious.

That’s where Sherry’s lab comes in: Her group looks for evidence of infectious virus in samples taken from PCR-positive vehicles to see whether the hog facilities’ disinfection procedures are removing the actual contagions.

Machado’s lab then combines that data with information from GPS trackers on 410 trailers paired with the vehicles to trace the origins of PEDV outbreaks and model where and how it is spreading.

As part of the study, researchers are also testing two different vehicle disinfectants in two concentrations each to determine which kills the virus most effectively.

Machado previously created an algorithm predicting where PEDV outbreaks would occur and tracked the role of vehicles in spreading swine diseases. He says the NC State team’s research is happening at a necessary time: The low price of pigs this year means farms will have fewer resources to combat viral epidemics.

“By working to reduce the infections of this disease, we’re not only impacting PEDV itself, we’re impacting the whole health of the herd,” Machado says. “We’re using PEDV as an example of a viral infection, but making our overall recommendations for disinfection will impact the whole health of all farms.”

The team’s researchers with backgrounds outside of swine medicine, Meiklejohn and Sherry, say the study demonstrates NC State’s commitment to cross-disciplinary research with wide-ranging impact.

“It’s exciting to get the opportunity to do research that could be benefitting not only veterinary medicine, but our key industry stakeholders here in North Carolina,” Meiklejohn says. “And it’s really great to have this federal funding and continue building our relationship with the USDA.”

Sherry, who heads the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, says she is grateful NC State recognizes the importance of collaborative research and enthusiastically supports it through its Integrative Sciences Initiative.

“This is where science is these days,” she says. “Team science is how we move things forward. I love the opportunity to be involved in something that has a very real application right now, and I’m learning every time I talk to my colleagues.”

_{This article was originally published by the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine.}

Breakthrough Discovery: Potential to Develop ASF-Resistant Pigs

Tue, 29 Aug 2023 19:05:06 GMT

In a groundbreaking advancement, scientists have illuminated a critical gene within pigs that plays a pivotal role in the infection process of the African Swine Fever (ASF) virus. This discovery holds tremendous promise for pig producers, as it opens up avenues for developing ASF-resistant pigs—a crucial step in mitigating the devastating impact of this swift and severe disease on the pork industry.

The identified gene, nestled within the DNA of pigs, acts as a key accomplice for the ASF virus to establish infection. By uncovering the fundamental role of this gene, researchers have set the stage for potential breakthroughs in breeding pigs that possess natural resistance against ASF.

This infectious disease has caused widespread illness and fatalities, resulting in substantial losses within the pork sector. The grim statistics of over 200 million pigs succumbing to ASF worldwide underscore the urgent need for innovative solutions.

Notably, ASF remains a pressing concern, especially across Asia, with the looming specter of major outbreaks threatening Europe and the Americas. However, with the recent findings from a collaborative effort between the Friedrich-Loeffler Institute and the Roslin Institute, a beacon of hope emerges.

Through meticulous laboratory investigations, researchers dissected pig cells, systematically removing specific genes to observe their response to the ASF virus.

The research spotlight fell on a cluster of genes responsible for producing immunity-related proteins, part of the MHC-II complex—an integral component of the pig’s immune response. Within this complex, a solitary protein named SLA-DM emerged as the linchpin for the virus’s replication within cells.

This revelation paves the way for potential interventions, including gene editing, to tweak the SLA-DM gene and engineer ASF-resistant pigs. Such a development could revolutionize disease management, as existing vaccines and treatments remain difficult to uncover.

Dr. Katrin Pannhorst of the Friedrich-Loeffler Institute underscores the significance of this collaborative endeavor.

“Our partnership with the Roslin Institute allowed us to delve into the intricacies of ASFV infection using a CRISPR/Cas9-based gene knockout library. The identification of the cellular MHC II protein SLA-DM as a pivotal factor not only deepens our grasp of ASFV biology but also holds promise for novel control strategies,” Pannhorst explains.

This milestone stems from the fusion of expertise from both research institutes: the Friedrich-Loeffler Institute’s prowess in dissecting the ASF virus in laboratory settings and the gene-editing tools harnessed at the Roslin Institute.

Dr. Finn Grey of the Roslin Institute underlines the potential implications of their findings.

“Our study spotlights genes with potential for editing to develop ASF-resistant pigs. This discovery sets the stage for the transformational goal of creating ASF-resistant pigs—a significant stride forward,” Grey adds.

As the scientific community continues to unravel the intricacies of the interaction between virus particles and SLA-DM proteins, the promise of ASF-resistant pigs inches closer to reality.

Published in Scientific Reports, this research serves as a beacon of hope for the swine industry, offering renewed possibilities for safeguarding pig populations from ASF devastation.

Iowa State University Advances Veterinary Diagnostics with High-Volume Testing Innovation

Thu, 29 Jun 2023 12:19:52 GMT

Iowa State University’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (VDL) is set to revolutionize molecular diagnostic testing with the introduction of a cutting-edge machine—the “SmartChip.” This innovative device can hold over 5,000 samples on a plate no larger than a postage stamp and uses quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) testing technology, combined with a 384-sample system featuring automated handling features, to significantly enhance its testing capacity, says a recent release .

“The historical patterns of pathogens are changing, so we need to be prepared for risks we haven’t seen before. Having this high-throughput capability will allow us to meet industry needs, providing more cost-efficient diagnostic tests as the need for testing grows,” says Rahul Nelli, a research assistant professor of veterinary diagnostic and production animal medicine, in the release.

To refine the use of high-volume testing methods, the VDL recently secured a nearly $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The project, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, aims to prepare for future disease outbreaks. Through this initiative, researchers will ensure the accuracy and integration of the novel high-volume testing methods with existing systems for tracking and reporting test results.

“ISU VDL’s first-hand experience in responding to pandemics of high consequence to both animal and human health over the past few years, such as highly pathogenic avian influenza and COVID-19, have clearly illustrated the value of high-throughput testing platforms and need for further innovation,” said Dr. Rodger Main, ISU VDL director, in the release.

The SmartChip testing relies on microfluidic technology to detect targets of interest in samples, using a volume 100 times smaller than the VDL’s standard 96-well machines, the release explains. With samples precisely distributed in the chip’s 5,184 testing wells, the SmartChip machines can produce up to 30,000 test results per day. In comparison, the conventional 96-well method yields approximately 2,000 tests. Additionally, the 384-well machine offers a more moderate increase in capacity, capable of handling about 9,000 tests per day through smaller samples and automated loading.

Nelli envisions the SmartChip testing as a reserve resource for sudden spikes in demand for qPCR tests. This reliable method detects trace amounts of genetic material, including infectious agents in humans and animals. On the other hand, the 384-well automated machines can be part of regular lab operations, mitigating labor shortages. Moreover, by making test prices more affordable, they pave the way for wider use of surveillance testing among livestock producers.

Over the next two years, researchers will focus on integrating the new testing machines with existing reporting software. They will also validate the new methods and develop protocols for various samples used in veterinary diagnostics, including fluids, fecal matter, eggshells, and feathers. By 2025, these high-capacity testing methods could potentially be implemented in the VDL.

Main emphasizes in the release that ISU VDL, with the largest veterinary diagnostic laboratory caseload in the nation, plays a crucial role in serving the needs of 21st-century food animal agriculture. Consequently, the next-generation high-throughput testing platforms will undeniably contribute to fulfilling these requirements.

$8-Million Grant Will Expand National Swine Resource and Research Center at MU

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 20:10:06 GMT

After decades of basic research that led to successful scientific innovations, Randall Prather and his team of investigators at the National Swine Resource and Research Center (NSRRC) at the University of Missouri have become the go-to source for genetically modified pigs used by researchers across the United States to study various diseases that impact humans.

Keeping up with the ever-growing demand amidst limited resources has become a challenge – until now.

MU has earned $8 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to expand the research facility on MU’s campus and speed up the scientific discoveries that can help treat humans who are suffering from the same diseases shown in the genetically modified pigs.

“We undertake projects for things that have failed in studies with mice but are much better suited for pigs,” said Prather, a Curators’ Distinguished Professor in the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources. “For example, you can’t take a mouse’s heart and transplant it into a human, it’s not going to work, but pigs are far more genetically and physiologically similar to a human, so they are very good biomedical models to study diseases that impact humans. The cardiovascular systems are very similar between pigs and humans, and baby pigs are also great for studying infant nutrition, as their nutritional requirements and the way they absorb nutrients is very similar to humans.”

Prather’s research is an example of translational medicine, as therapies and treatments that are successful in pigs may be successful in treating humans with the same diseases.

“We have pigs that go blind due to retinitis pigmentosa,” Prather said. “By collaborating with the Swine Somatic Cell Genome Editing Center here at MU, if we can develop therapies or treatments that successfully treat our pigs, that knowledge can help humans that suffer from blindness due to retinitis pigmentosa.”

In total, the NSRRC has made more than 90 different genetic modifications in pigs to study different diseases, including spinal muscular atrophy and cystic fibrosis, the most common genetic mutation affecting Caucasian adolescents in North America.

“It is very intellectually stimulating because every few months, we basically get a mini master’s degree in various fields of physiology, and this grant will help us continue this important work,” Prather said. “At heart, I’m a pig reproductive physiologist and I understand early embryo development, and with that basic understanding, we can now make genetic modifications to investigate and address all kinds of diseases.”

The NSRRC has received funding from the NIH for 20 years, and Prather has been at MU for 33 years. With requests for genetically modified pigs constantly coming in from researchers at universities all over the country, including University of California-Los Angeles, Harvard, Duke, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Louisiana State University, the University of Iowa, and the University of Indiana, the current facility has maxed out its capacity. Construction on the expanded facility, which will have extremely high biosecurity protocols to ensure, for example, safe transfer of organs from pigs to humans and nonhuman primates, is expected to begin in February 2024 and be completed by summer 2025.

While the NSRRC is mainly focused on biomedical research, Prather’s research also has agricultural applications, such as making pigs that are resistant to certain diseases, which has implications for both agriculture and human medicine.

“One example is the only genetically modified pig that has been approved for human consumption, designed for people who suffer from red meat allergy,” Prather said. “We discovered that by knocking out, or disrupting, a gene that produces a specific sugar molecule on the surface of cells within pigs, humans with red meat allergy can eat the genetically modified pork, which is offered on a limited basis in a slaughterhouse in Iowa, without suffering from any digestive issues.”

Prather invented the patent for this technology that is now owned by MU. In January 2022, surgeons in Maryland successfully transplanted a pig heart into a human patient for the first time ever. Prather’s decades worth of research, work with genetically modified pigs and knowledge of pig-to-human organ transplants helped contribute to the historic accomplishment.

“Our goal is to provide resources and knowledge so that others can be successful in helping people,” Prather said. “Our work is a part of medical solutions for people and this expanded facility is crucial because pigs have so much potential for solving real-world problems. We are just one step in the journey, and it is satisfying to be a part of it.”

Researchers Hope To 'Predict and Prevent' Future Pandemics

Wed, 10 Feb 2021 16:30:59 GMT

While the bulk of the current research on COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) is focused on its impact and transmission in humans, a group of researchers at Ohio State University is testing animals and “environmental reservoirs” for the virus, says Vanessa Hale, DVM, PhD, assistant professor of veterinary preventative medicine at Ohio State University.

“We have an incredible team of over 20 researchers looking for the virus in all of the environments outside of humans,” Hale told AgriTalk Host Chip Flory on Tuesday.

Earlier Tuesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that the virus causing Covid-19 most likely jumped from one animal species to another before entering the human population and is highly unlikely to have leaked from a laboratory, a WHO investigative team said during a news conference in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

Hale says the OSU research team’s objective is to see if it can find potential reservoirs of the Covid-19 virus in water or animals and to assess the risk to animal health and potential re-entry into the human population. In addition, the team is also studying mutations.

“So, we’ve been hearing a lot about variants the past couple of weeks and concerns about variants that may spread faster,” Hale says. “We’re trying to understand, (will) we see this virus in animals? Is the virus changing in a way that is concerning?”

The good news to date is the researchers have not detected a single positive result in more than 1,000 animal samples evaluated throughout Ohio.

“We’ve not seen a single SARS-CoV-2 positive in any of those animals,” Hale says. “That includes shelter cats, farm animals at agricultural fairs around the state and wildlife.”

The testing and evaluation work has been done in partnership with hunters and trappers and also with organizations such as Ohio metro parks and the Ohio Wildlife Center.

There have been reports from other states that mink have been infected with the virus. Hale notes that mustelids, in general, are highly susceptible to the virus. “They can have clinical signs, get quite ill and die from the disease,” she says.

According to an article published by The Atlantic on December 8, COVID-19 cases had been confirmed in animals at 16 mink farms in four states: 12 in Utah, one in Michigan, one in Oregon, and two in Wisconsin (see https://bit.ly/3cVZyzW).

No problems in Ohio have been identified, though Hale says the OSU team plans to check for it in wild mink populations in the state.

“Our goal is to see if we can find this virus anywhere else outside of humans, and then use that information to figure out how we can predict and prevent future pandemics,” she says. “We want to know if there is going to be a reservoir and if that reservoir is going to pose a problem to animal or human health.”

The complete discussion on AgriTalk is available here:

Zoetis Establishes Vaccine Research Facility with Texas A&M University

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:52:42 GMT

Zoetis, the world’s leading animal health company, has signed an agreement with Texas A&M University’s Health Science Center for Innovation in Advanced Development and Manufacturing (CIADM) to establish a facility for accelerating the development of transboundary and emerging disease vaccines -- including those for Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), a virus that can cause serious illness in cattle, pigs, and sheep. Working side by side with Zoetis scientists, CIADM staff will collaborate in the development of processes, assays, and formulations used to produce new vaccines.

As part of the agreement, Zoetis is setting up a 12,800-square-foot secure, biocontainment lab off-campus utilizing modular cleanroom technology. The Transboundary and Emerging Disease Vaccine Development Facility is expected to be operational mid-2020, pending approval by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to receive strains of the Zoetis FMD vaccine platform that are non-infectious to cattle and other livestock – and therefore, cannot cause the disease. While FMD vaccines will be the initial focus of the center’s vaccine development, the facility can be expanded to accommodate vaccine development for other emerging diseases in the future.

“We are proud to be working with Texas A&M in the development of this critical vaccine to protect the health of livestock in the U.S. and markets around the world. FMD is one of the most serious diseases for livestock owners, and through an innovative vaccine platform, we can help them reduce the risk of an outbreak and avoid significant economic losses,” said Dr. John Hardham, Research Director in Global Biologics Research and Director of the Zoetis Center for Transboundary and Emerging Diseases. “By combining our internal innovation efforts with world-class research institutions such as Texas A&M, Zoetis is in the best position to bring veterinarians and livestock producers solutions to better predict, prevent, detect and treat disease in the animals under their care.”

Chancellor John Sharp with The Texas A&M University System echoed that sentiment: “The Texas A&M System is uniquely qualified to be on the front lines of protecting animal health care. By protecting animals, we are also protecting human health, our food supply and our economy.”

“I am pleased that Zoetis decided to establish a collaborative effort with CIADM to develop critical animal vaccines. Our combined efforts to bring critical foot-and-mouth vaccines to the veterinarian market utilizing the novel Zoetis platform will be of significant benefit to both Texas and livestock communities around the world,” said Dr. William Jay Treat, Chief Manufacturing Office for CIADM with the A&M Health Science Center. “It is an outstanding entrepreneurial opportunity for the A&M Health Science Center to play a key role in Zoetis’ vaccine efforts.”

As part of establishing the new facility, the CIADM program expects initially to hire up to eight staff scientists in College Station by the first quarter of 2020.

About FMD

While FMD is not harmful to humans, livestock animals worldwide are highly susceptible to FMD viruses. An unchecked spread of FMD could result in an economic impact of billions of dollars in the first year, devastate international livestock trade, and severely impact the livelihoods of farmers and ranchers. FMD does not affect horses, dogs, or cats, and is not a food safety threat.

As many countries across the globe are dealing with FMD in their livestock populations, the United States eradicated the disease here in 1929. The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) works to ensure the continued health of our nation’s livestock, including preventive steps to keep FMD from reentering the country.

In April 2018, as a first step toward FMD vaccine development for the U.S., the USDA granted Zoetis a select agent exclusion authorizing the company to develop vaccines using a modified, non-infectious FMD-LL3B3D vaccine platform in the U.S. Through its collaboration with Texas A&M, Zoetis is now moving forward to safely develop an FMD vaccine that is not infectious and cannot transmit among livestock in the U.S. With this vaccine platform, regulatory authorities and veterinarians may be able to distinguish between animals that have been vaccinated and those with natural FMD virus infection -- which would help protect export markets for U.S.-raised meat.

Full-scale manufacture of FMD-LL3B3D based vaccines is being considered but is not currently authorized in the United States.

Enhancing Rapid Response to Emerging Diseases

The Transboundary and Emerging Disease Vaccine Facility in Texas will be part of the Center for Transboundary and Emerging Diseases within Zoetis, which helps governments prepare for and protect against the threat of outbreaks of devastating diseases in animal health. As infectious diseases are occurring with greater frequency and geographic impact, the Center serves as a virtual hub that brings together Zoetis’ capabilities in surveillance and alliances with animal health centers of excellence worldwide -- such as Texas A&M -- along with expertise in vaccine development, regulatory affairs and flexible manufacturing capacity to effectively prevent and control infectious disease outbreaks.

Zoetis has been on the forefront of vaccine development to help combat many of the most significant infectious diseases including Bluetongue, classical swine fever, porcine epidemic diarrhea, and highly pathogenic avian influenza.

Feed Ingredients Could Spread Livestock Viruses

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:14:23 GMT

Recent research suggests more emphasis on feed biosecurity, particularly in imported ingredients, could help reduce the risk of introducing foreign animal diseases to U.S. livestock herds.

During the recent Academy of Veterinary Consultants (AVC) summer conference, Scott Dee, DVM, PhD, director of research with Pipestone Veterinary Services in Minnesota, summarized his company’s research on survival of viral pathogens in feed ingredients. U.S. companies, he notes, import a wide range of feed ingredients such as soy meal, soy oil cake, distillers’ grains, lysine and others from countries where feed biosecurity ranks low as a priority and production systems allow multiple opportunities for exposure of feeds to pathogens. In several feed-exporting countries, Dee says, producers routinely spread soybeans or other feedgrains on public roadways to dry, potentially allowing contamination from livestock or fomites such as trucks using those roads.

Previous research demonstrated that the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) can survive in feed. Dee and his colleagues designed their study using a “transboundary model” to test survivability of several other viruses in a variety of feed ingredients. They inoculated feed samples with the viruses and stored the samples in environmental chambers using timetables and temperature controls to simulate the actual time and conditions for feed shipping across common Pacific and Atlantic routes such as from Beijing or Warsaw to Des Moines. Iowa.

The found that some viruses remained very stable in certain feeds through the simulated shipping process. For example, the researchers used Seneca Virus as a surrogate for FMDV, because of federal restrictions. They found that Seneca virus survived in most feeds, and the African swine fever virus survived well in soy meal. Some other viral pathogens such as PRRSV, BHV and BVDV did not survive well in feeds. Clearly we need more research in this area and more screening of imported feed ingredients. Lee says further research should include testing actual shipments of imported feeds to determine whether virus survival trends resemble those found in the simulations.

AVC members can access the full recorded proceedings from every AVC conference, and qualify for continuing education credits. The proceedings are available on the AVC website or on mobile devices using an app developed by Kansas State University’s Beef Cattle Institute. The app is available from the Apple App Store or Google Play. Search “BCI Conference.”

The AVC’s winter 2018 conference takes place Nov 29 to Dec 1, at the Intercontinental Hotel, Kansas City, Mo.

EU Puts the Brakes on Gene Editing

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:13:54 GMT

Genomic editing technologies such as CRISPR/Cas9 offer tremendous potential for accelerating genetic progress in crop plants and livestock, but a new ruling from the European Court of Justice (ECJ) appears likely to stifle research and development in the European Union.

The ECJ ruling mandates that genomic-editing technology should be regulated similarly to genetic engineering methods using DNA from other species to create genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Europe currently enforces tight restrictions on planting and sales of GM crops.

Proponents of genomic editing maintain that the techniques modify an organism’s existing DNA to encourage expression of desirable genetic traits, or discourage undesirable traits, without introducing DNA from other species. The results are similar to those from conventional selection-based breeding, but can occur much faster – in a single generation rather than many generations over years of time.

In a recent example, scientists in Scotland used genomic editing to create a line of pigs with genetic resistance to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), one of the most destructive viral diseases in pigs worldwide.

The ECJ ruling to classify organisms developed using genomic editing as GMO’s removes financial incentives for companies to research the process for use in the European Union. According to news reports , Europe-based genetics companies such as Bayer, BASF and Syngenta likely will focus their genomic-editing research on other regions, such as North and South America.

Mainland FMD Research will Require Strict Biosecurity, Permit Process

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:11:58 GMT

New USDA Policy enables more U.S. research and vaccine development for foot and mouth disease (FMD), but biosecurity precautions and approval processes will take several years, says UDSA Chief Veterinarian Jack Shere.

In Late April, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue authorized access to genetically modified, non-infectious (FMD) virus on the U.S. mainland. Previously, the only location allowed to use live FMD virus in research was the Plum Island Animal Disease Center off the coast of Long Island, N.Y.

Shere says the new policy will allow companies to work with USDA’s Center for Veterinary Biologics in securing approval to use the live virus in vaccine development and other FMD research. The change Shere says, should allow a more rapid response in vaccine production in case of an outbreak, positioning U.S. companies to quickly scale up production of strain-specific vaccines. Currently, the United States would need to rely largely on overseas manufacturers to supply the vaccines, which would add several critical days to response time. Vaccine manufacturing capacity on the U.S. mainland also could keep costs lower for livestock producers, Shere says.

Shere adds though, that companies intending to work with the live virus will be subject to an extensive authorization process requiring extensive biosecurity measures in the design of their facilities and processes. That permitting process, he says, will require at least two to three years, and possibly up to five years, before private companies begin work with the modified-live FMD virus on the U.S. Mainland.

Listen to an audio recording of Shere discussing the topic.

New Veterinary Student Research Fellowships Available

Thu, 19 Nov 2020 03:40:43 GMT

Calling all veterinary students. If you have an interest in research, specifically research related to zoonotic-based infectious diseases, consider the upcoming opportunities available from the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR).

The organization is funding five new veterinary fellowships – in addition to 10 it already had in the works – in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The students selected for the fellowships will conduct pandemic and zoonotic research, according to Sally Rockey, FFAR executive director. Up to 75% of emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic, meaning a pathogen can spread from animals to humans.

“Understanding new diseases in animals, and especially how they spread, is vital to slowing transmission and developing remedies,” Rockey said in a news release.

To bolster the scientific workforce in response to the coronavirus, the release said FFAR will not require the 2020 Vet Fellows to secure matching funds.

The nomination deadline is open to May 6, 2020, with the 15 FFAR Vet Fellows to be announced this summer.

Learn more at Veterinary Student Research Fellowships

Glutamine Shows Promise for Managing Shipping Stress

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 04:55:13 GMT

A second round of USDA pig trials suggest dietary L-glutamine could substitute for some antibiotic use for enhancing immunity and performance following stressful events.

Last year, the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) reported results of initial trials showing potential benefits of feeding glutamine in controlled settings. The researchers published their findings in the Journal of Animal Science, while noting a need for further testing in commercial environments.

The researchers note that L-glutamine is a conditionally essential amino acid that is a major energy source for rapidly dividing cells including enterocytes and lymphocytes. It serves as an immunomodulator that inhibits pro-inflammatory cytokines. Previous research has indicated that including dietary L-glutamine as a growth promoter can improve productivity in healthy and unstressed pigs. Little is known though, about its effects on the health of piglets following typical production stressors. So, the researchers set out to compare L-glutamine supplementation with dietary chlortetracycline and no supplement, in post-weaning pigs during a period of simulated transport and heat stress.

In the more recent, larger-scale trials, researchers transported groups of piglets 12 hours from their weaning location to a nursery barn. During the nursery phase, the researchers fed one group of pigs a supplement containing chlortetracycline while another group received glutamine and the third group served as controls. The trial included two replicates with 480 pigs, one replicate shipped during the summer of 2016 and the other during spring of 2017.

Overall, the researchers found the glutamine groups performed similarly to the antibiotic groups, with both outpacing the control pigs.

Key findings include:

Glutamine-fed piglets gained weight as well as the antibiotic group but showed fewer signs of intestinal damage from pathogens.
Glutamine group members were somewhat less aggressive in pens with mixed litters than those given the antibiotic.
Compared to the control group, glutamine- and antibiotic-treated piglets showed lower blood plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), a biochemical marker of inflammation and immune system activity.
The meat quality of market-ready pigs from the glutamine group was no different than that of the antibiotic or control group.

The researchers published their results in the May 29 issue of the Journal of Animal Science.

For more about glutamine and other potential alternatives to antibiotics in livestock production, see these articles from BovineVetOnline:

USDA Research Supports Glutamine as Antibiotic Alternative

Papers Summarize Symposium on Alternatives to Antibiotics

Phage Therapy Shows Promise for Drug-Resistant Infections

Research on Viral Transmission in Feedstuffs Yields New Information

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 04:54:17 GMT

With research confirming that swine viruses can be transmitted through feed and feedstuffs, new studies are looking at how to prevent the spread of foreign animal diseases, such as African swine fever (ASF), via these vehicles. Based on new research, the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC), the National Pork Board, the National Pork Producers Council and the American Association of Swine Veterinarians have revised the information for feed holding times.

The Institute for Feed Education and Research (IFEEDER), the public charity of the American Feed Industry Association, helped fund the research that resulted in the updated information that provide the best and most current understanding of viral survivability in feedstuffs and details for mitigating risk to domestic herds.

“The science on viral transmission through feed and feedstuffs is still relatively young, but it has yielded some interesting and potentially useful information on mitigating the spread of costly viruses, such as ASF,” said Paul Sundberg, DVM, Swine Health Information Center executive director. “This includes recognition that not all imported feedstuffs are manufactured and handled in the same way. It’s important to know whether ingredients are produced under biosecure conditions and how they were shipped.”

The new details decrease holding times over the initial estimations, which were calculated in October 2018 based on the available research, and give additional assurances of further viral degradation if the feed ingredients are contaminated.

“Variations of the same feed components might cause disparity in holding time confidence,” said David Pyburn, DVM, National Pork Board senior vice president, science and technology. “For example, according to research using Senecavirus A (Seneca Valley virus), which is suggested to have the longest holding time of studied viruses, increasing holding times by an additional 30% would give an opportunity for 99.999% degradation of contaminating viruses.”

More research would be needed to confirm that the results could be extrapolated to other feed ingredients in like classes to those studied. The updated information shows new holding times details for general informational and educational purposes. They should not be considered as to be recommending or advocating any specific course of action.

Mean Holding Time for 99.99% Degradation	Days at 4° C (36.9° F)	Days at 15° C (59° F)	Days at 30° C (86° F)
Conventional Soybean Meal	143	52	26
DDGS	494	182	26
Vitamin D	39	26	26
Lysine	78	13	13

“Continued diligence on feedstuffs origin, the manufacturing processes, the shipping methods and ‘born on date’ is essential,” Liz Wagstrom, DVM, National Pork Producers Council chief veterinarian, said. “Feedstuffs manufactured, sealed, handled, and shipped under biosecure conditions produces an ingredient free of pathogens and reduces the risk of post-processing contamination, resulting in little to no risk to animal health.”

For example, vitamins and amino acids are typically shipped in sealed or secure containers. Anything produced under unknown conditions or unsealed can pose an animal health risk. Imported soybean meal and DDGS are often transported in non-sealed or non-secure containers. Knowing the origin of ingredients and the disease status of the region or country is essential.

“The feed industry is a committed partner in the effort to prevent foreign animal diseases from entering the U.S. through imported feed ingredients,” said Leah Wilkinson, vice president for public policy and education for the American Feed Industry Association. “This additional information on holding times is helpful. We encourage dialogue with your feed ingredient or feed supplier to discover all of the measures that have been put in place to supply a safe product.”

Complete information on the research leading to the holding time calculation and the document, U.S. Pork Industry Organization Provide ‘Options’ for Handling Imported Feed Ingredients , are available at swinehealth.org .