Latest News From Animal health

Cattle fever ticks carry bovine babesiosis, which is severe and often fatal.
USDA Plans Wildlife Fencing in Fight Against Fever Ticks

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is publishing a record of decision for the final environmental impact statement (EIS) on cattle fever tick fencing in South Texas.

Humic acid, found in highly organic soils, degrades the CWD prion proteins and makes them less infective.
Soil Type Could Affect Infectivity of CWD Prions

Prions, the misshapen proteins associated with transmissible spongiform encephalopathies such as BSE and CWD have a dangerous ability to persist and remain infective in spite of environmental exposure.

The Minor Use and Minor Species Animal Health Act of 2004 helps veterinary pharmaceutical companies and others overcome the financial roadblocks they face in providing animal drugs for a limited market.
FDA Taking Grant Applications for Minor Use and Minor Species Drugs

The FDA this week announced an open period for applications for grants to support the development of new animal drugs intended to treat uncommon diseases (minor uses) in major species, or to treat minor species (MUMS).

Cattle Rabies is no Laughing Matter
Cattle Rabies is no Laughing Matter

When news surfaces about cattle with rabies, media outlets and the urban public might treat it as a humorous event, with images of a vicious, slobbering cow running amuck on the farm.

Infectious Arthritis in Calves
Infectious Arthritis in Calves

Infectious arthritis is a frequent complication of septicemia in calves.

The Bull Lameness Exam
The Bull Lameness Exam

The bull lameness exam Lameness can mean the difference between a valuable bull and hamburger.

Treating Calf Scours
Treating Calf Scours

Neonatal diarrhea is a significant economic loss to the cattle industry and continues to be the most common cause of mortality in calves.

USDA will phase out free metal tags for official ID, and initiate a cost-sharing program for radio-frequency tgs.
USDA Outlines Steps for Advancing Animal Disease Traceability

Plan includes cost-sharing for electronic ID, birth-to-slaughter traceability.

Since its initial identification in Côte d'Ivoire in 1942, PPR has spread to over 70 countries in Africa, the Near and Middle East and Asia.
Countries Reaffirm Will to Globally Eradicate PPR

Over 45 countries this week renewed their commitment to globally eradicate by 2030, Peste des petits ruminants (PPR), a highly contagious disease responsible for the death of millions of sheep and goats each year.

John Maday
Perspective Pays in BSE Response

Last week, the USDA confirmed a case of atypical BSE in a Florida cow. The industry assessed the situation appropriately, while American consumers and our export partners responded with a collective shrug.

John Maday
Perspective Pays in BSE Response

Last week, the USDA confirmed a case of atypical BSE in a Florida cow. The industry assessed the situation appropriately, while American consumers and our export partners responded with a collective shrug.

Volatile organic compounds could serve as biomarkers for bovine respiratory disease.
A Sniff Test for BRD?

As the search continues for reliable chute-side tests for early signs of BRD, researchers work to identify indicators beyond gross signs, body temperature and other traditional methods of field diagnosis.

Immature ticks often acquire the pathogen after biting infected mice.
Breaking the Lyme Disease Cycle

Mice actually play a key role in the transmission cycle for Lyme disease, and researchers at MIT and Harvard are exploring genomic editing as a tool for disrupting that cycle.

Kansas Governor Jeff Colyer addresses the crowd at Barton County Feeders to announce the creation of Cattle Trace, a pilot project to develop and test a cattle disease traceability system. Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Jackie McClaskey (standing on right) helps oversee the public-private program.
Kansas Announces Cattle Trace Pilot Program for Disease Traceability

Cattle Trace is a public-private partnership which will develop and test a purpose-built cattle disease traceability infrastructure in Kansas and guide discussion and development of traceability on a national scale.

ZIVO Bioscience, Inc.  investigates the health and nutritional benefits of bioactive compounds derived from its proprietary algal cultures.
Research Indicates Algae-Derived Compounds Could Treat Mastitis

ZIVO Bioscience, Inc. recently announced positive results from a discovery-stage pilot experiment designed to test the efficacy of certain algae-based compounds against bacterial infections that cause bovine mastitis.

Cervids, such as these young mule deer, can contract and transmit chronic wasting disease.
Cattle Resist CWD in Long-Term Trial

Because of its similarity to Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), concerns have lingered that chronic wasting disease (CWD) in deer and other cervids could eventually could spread to cattle.

Wisconsin Researchers Find CWD in Soil Around Mineral Licks

New research out of the University of Wisconsin–Madison has, for the first time, detected prions responsible for chronic wasting disease (CWD) in samples taken from sites where deer congregate.

In Wisconsin, Chronic Wasting Disease s concentrated among white-tailed deer in southwestern and southeastern counties.
Wisconsin Researchers Find CWD in Soil Around Mineral Licks

New research out of the University of Wisconsin–Madison has, for the first time, detected prions responsible for chronic wasting disease (CWD) in samples taken from sites where deer congregate.

The Animal Disease Traceability (ADT) system likely will phase out visual tags and adopt radio frequency tags for greater speed and accuracy.
Commentary: Get ahead of ADT

Animal identification and traceability seems to rise and fall as a priority for the U.S. livestock industry.

Methionine Could Enhance Dairy Cattle Health and Reproduction
Methionine Could Enhance Dairy Cattle Health and Reproduction

Animal scientist Phil Cardoso knew that milk protein increases when dairy cows are fed the amino acid methionine, but he suspected that the supplement might have additional health benefits.

Cornell Launches Vector-Borne Disease Center
Cornell Launches Vector-Borne Disease Center

Managing mosquito-borne viruses, such as West Nile, Dengue, Zika and tick-borne Lyme disease have been a challenge due to lack of resources, knowledge and trained expertise.

DCHA Seeks Applicants for Annual Scholarship Program
DCHA Seeks Applicants for Annual Scholarship Program

Applications for $1,000 scholarship due Feb. 20, 2017.

Texas A&M to Establish Vector-Borne Diseases Center
Texas A&M to Establish Vector-Borne Diseases Center

Texas A&M AgriLife recently received a substantial monetary boost to bolster its aggressive fight to stem the spread of vector-borne diseases for the public good, said Dr. David Ragsdale, Texas A&M University entomology

TAHC Adopts CWD, Trich Rules
TAHC Adopts CWD, Trich Rules

The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) held a regularly scheduled Commission meeting on December 13, 2016, at its headquarters in Austin, Texas.

Best of BoVet: Blizzard Kills an Estimated 12,000 Beef Cattle
Best of BoVet: Blizzard Kills an Estimated 12,000 Beef Cattle

Winter storm Goliath left a wave of dead and stray beef cattle in its wake as the blizzard pushed across the Panhandle region of Texas last week.

26,000 Cattle Quarantined in Canada
26,000 Cattle Quarantined in Canada

The discovery of bovine tuberculosis (TB) in a Canadian cow slaughtered in the U.S. back in September has led to the quarantine of approximately 26,000 cattle.

APHIS Seeks Comments on Fever Tick Control
APHIS Seeks Comments on Fever Tick Control

Wildlife have contributed to the spread of cattle fever ticks into Texas from Mexico, and the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is exploring strategic use of ivermectin in wildlife feed as

Adding value to cattle producers

Very few consumers have the opportunity to actually step foot on a feedyard or a cow-calf operation to see BQA in action, yet the BQA program provides answers to many consumer questions.

Scout for corn molds and ear rots this harvest season
Scout for corn molds and ear rots this harvest season

The Iowa State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (VDL) has received several questions from southwest Iowa producers about corn mold this harvest season.

UF: Watch for screwworms in Florida livestock, pets
UF: Watch for screwworms in Florida livestock, pets

Experts with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and UF's College of Veterinary Medicine say livestock and pet owners in the state should keep a watchful eye for signs of infection in t

Consumers say they want "antibiotic free" meat, but will they pay for it?
Consumers say they want "antibiotic free" meat, but will they pay for it?

Surveys comparing consumer attitudes in the two largest beef-producing countries - the United States and Brazil - reveals several important trends in purchasing preference that are influenced by how beef is

BIVI program supports veterinary student scholarships

For the third consecutive year, Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. (BIVI) is offering Future Service Scholarships to support future cattle veterinarians graduating from the Iowa State University (ISU) College of Veter

Talkin' with Doc
Talkin' with Doc

Music starts and the dark screen transitions to a salt-and-pepper-haired man in a purple button-down shirt sitting in front of a tin-barn studio backdrop.

USDA signs three international agreements supporting animal health and global trade
USDA signs three international agreements supporting animal health and global trade

International trade is a key factor in the economic and financial stability of many countries.

Dr. Dee Ellis joins IIAD as project manager
Dr. Dee Ellis joins IIAD as project manager

Dee Ellis, DVM, MPA, has joined the Institute for Infectious Animal Diseases (IIAD), a Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Center of Excellence, as project manager effective June 1, 2016.

Compound could reduce methane emissions from cattle
Compound could reduce methane emissions from cattle

An international team of researchers have demonstrated that feeding a compound known as 3-nitrooxypropanol (3-NOP) could reduce ruminant methane emissions without any apparent negative effects.

Clearing the air on livestock GHGs
Clearing the air on livestock GHGs

A cloud of misinformation continues to fog public perceptions of the role of livestock in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, but University of California, Davis, professor and air-quality specialist Frank Mitloehner, Ph.D.

Merck to acquire rights to Whisper Veterinary Stethoscope System
Merck to acquire rights to Whisper Veterinary Stethoscope System

Non-invasive device helps diagnose bovine respiratory disease.

Grazing management: toxic plants publication aims to help producers
Grazing management: toxic plants publication aims to help producers

A new K-State publication provides vital information on plants that, if consumed, could harm cattle.

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Seeking Clarity on Antibiotic Rules

Last summer and fall, Farm Foundation hosted a series of 12 workshops around the country on antibiotic use in animal agriculture and upcoming FDA rules and policy. While FDA officials participated in the workshops, time limitations kept them from addressing all the questions generated during the discussions.

TAHC passes rules at February meeting
TAHC passes rules at February meeting

The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) held a regularly scheduled Commission meeting on February 16, 2016, at its headquarters in Austin.

Penn faculty use case studies to teach One Health concepts
Penn faculty use case studies to teach One Health concepts

What can a scattering of dead pigeons mean for human health? Sometimes, a lot.

Plan now for Large Dairy Herd Management Conference
Plan now for Large Dairy Herd Management Conference

Early registration for the conference, scheduled for May 1 to 4 in Oak Brook, Ill., ends March 15.

Merial begins 2016 LONGRANGE® (eprinomectin) challenge

Merial introduces the 2016 LONGRANGE® (eprinomectin) Challenge. Though cattle prices are trending downward, experts say 2016 will still offer good profitability for producers. To help maximize those profits and optim

Cow Vet Vlog: Post-mortem c-section

Check out Cow Vet Cody Creelman's video blog where he is doing a post mortem for what he describes as a "mock c-section... kind of."

Call for proposals related to FAD-susceptible wildlife species
Call for proposals related to FAD-susceptible wildlife species

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate Agriculture Defense Branch has recently released a call for proposals related to the susceptibility of North American wildlife species to

Treat calf scours early for best results

Diarrhea in neonatal calves is one of the leading causes of morbidity (sickness) and mortality (death) in North America and Europe and continues to be a major cause of economic loss to the beef cattle industry.

USDA proposes updates to registration list and regulations for "select-agent" pathogens
USDA proposes updates to registration list and regulations for "select-agent" pathogens

Changes would help address challenges faced by program.

Nutrition Physiology Company, LLC, to be acquired by Chr. Hansen
Nutrition Physiology Company, LLC, to be acquired by Chr. Hansen

Strong strategic fit between NPC's products and Chr. Hansen's animal health business provides opportunities for synergies in product innovation and customer service.

IIAD mobile Certificate of Veterinary Inspection app now available for multiple devices
IIAD mobile Certificate of Veterinary Inspection app now available for multiple devices

Today, the Institute for Infectious Animal Diseases (IIAD), a Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Center of Excellence, along with the Texas Center for Applied Technology (TCAT), a part of the Texas A