Hog Health

Pseudorabies (PRV) Confirmed in Iowa and Texas Commercial Swine Herds

Fri, 01 May 2026 13:06:43 GMT

For the first time since being eradicated in the U.S. commercial swine herd in 2004, pseudorabies (PRV) has been confirmed in herds in Iowa and Texas.

The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) confirmed the detection of PRV antibodies in a small commercial swine facility in Iowa. The discovery was made through routine testing rather than pre-movement surveillance.

Traceback Confirms Texas Connection

Initial traceback efforts reveal that five affected boars in the Iowa facility originated from an outdoor production site in Texas. Subsequent testing of the Texas herd also returned positive results for the virus.

APHIS is currently collaborating with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) and the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) to expand traceback efforts and identify any further exposures.

The Feral Swine Risk

Although the commercial industry has been free of the disease for more than 20 years, PRV remains prevalent in feral swine populations across the U.S. Officials believe this detection is a result of “spillover” from wild populations.

“Pseudorabies is still found in wild or feral swine populations, which remain a potential threat of exposure for domestic pigs,” an APHIS release stated. The Texas herd involved was housed outdoors, where contact with feral swine is possible.

Impact and Symptoms

PRV is a contagious viral disease that serves as a significant threat to herd productivity:

Adult Pigs: Causes abortions, stillbirths, and respiratory issues.
Newborn Pigs: Attacks the respiratory and central nervous systems, leading to sneezing, incoordination, and high mortality rates.

While pigs are the only natural hosts, PRV can infect most other mammals—though humans, horses, and birds are considered resistant.

Official Response and Market Safety

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig emphasized that the state is moving decisively to eliminate the disease.

“The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has spent years preparing for these types of animal health events,” Naig said. “It’s important for people to know that pseudorabies is not a food safety concern, and this virus does not pose a risk to consumers. The United States’ pork supply remains safe and secure.”

Export Implications

Despite the lack of risk to food safety, the detection could have economic repercussions. APHIS warns there may be limited, short-term impacts on the exports of U.S. swine and swine genetics as trading partners evaluate the new health status.

“Established protocols were implemented immediately in response to the incident and remain in place to safeguard the commercial swine industry,” the National Pork Producers Council said in a statement. “These steps were successfully deployed through swift action and close coordination with USDA and the IDALS. The National Pork Producers Council and Iowa Pork Producers Association support these efforts and remain committed to a coordinated response to prioritize biosecurity and prevent further occurrences.”

Rooted in Resilience: The Non-Traditional Journey of Swine Veterinarian Dr. Anna Forseth

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 20:27:35 GMT

Dr. Anna Forseth didn’t just follow a path; she carved one. While many people associate Montana with Yellowstone and cattle, Forseth grew up with a much different perspective.

The daughter of two successful pork producers, Bruce and Marie Samson, her family operated Samson Family Farm, a 300-sow, farrow-to-finish confinement hog farm in the southwest part of the state. They marketed about 5,500 pigs a year to packing plants in Twin Falls, Idaho, and Modesto, Calif.

She and her five siblings grew up with a deep appreciation for the family farm, 4-H and the great outdoors. So, how did this Montana native find herself serving 60,000 U.S. pork producers as the director of animal health for the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC)?

A Non-Traditional Journey to National Policy

“Nothing about my path is traditional,” Forseth points out.

While attending Montana State University, she interned with the National Pork Board. During that time, she worked with the science and technology team where she was exposed to a unique way of serving the industry as a veterinarian. She then went to Colorado State University for veterinary school.

“My husband Rocky and I got married during my fourth year of vet school, or should I say ‘our’ fourth year of vet school,” Forseth laughs. “That’s not because he is a vet, but because it’s hard to leave vet school at school. I brought a lot of it home and he was right there in the trenches with me. In fact, my parents gave me a beautiful saddle when I graduated from vet school, but they also gave him one because they thought he deserved one, too.”

Anna Forseth met her husband, Rocky, in an undergrad beef management class. He came from a long line of cattlemen and cattlewomen, and she hailed from Gallatin County, drove a Subaru, and much preferred the pig barn at the county fair over the steer barn. “How this worked is still a mystery to some, but it created quite a team,” she says.

(Anna Forseth)

As a new veterinarian, she went to work for the Swine Medicine Education Center at Iowa State University. She also spent some time working with Smithfield before being hired by the Montana State Veterinarian’s Office in 2018.

Heading back west was important to the young couple who wanted to be closer to family. In 2022, the opportunity to work for NPPC allowed her a unique opportunity as the director of animal health for America’s pig farmers.

Although her roles have changed over the years, her focus has remained the same.

“When I thought about visiting a farm, it was about helping the pigs so that I could help the producer,” Forseth says. “What could I do for the producer that they couldn’t do for themselves? I would often, by default, be helping the pigs, but my focus is always on the producer.”

A Voice for the Producer

Although she no longer sees pigs on a daily basis, she talks to farmers often about their pigs. She points out that her role allows her to help farmers in a way that they can’t do for themselves because they are busy caring for their pigs and raising a protein that so many people in the world rely on.

“I am the bridge between policy and the producer,” Forseth says. “I’m not necropsying pigs and submitting samples to the diagnostic lab anymore, but I’m representing the industry domestically and internationally. I’m so proud to be doing that on their behalf.”

When she started in 2022, almost all of her time was spent on preparedness and response planning for African swine fever, post detection of ASF in the Dominican Republic. She continues to spend time on ASF response planning, though the diseases of focus have expanded since she began working for NPPC. Lately, she’s been engaged in foot-and-mouth disease, highly pathogenic avian influenza and New World screwworm planning.

“I think foot-and-mouth disease scares me the most because of its potential impact on multiple species,” she says. “Even if the swine industry were to manage the disease, we would be dependent on other domestic species’ ability to manage it. Remember that particular virus affects cloven-hooved animals, to include wild cervids and feral swine.”

During Forseth’s time at NPPC, annual funding for the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Plan (NADPRP) has surged from $18 million to $70 million. She currently serves on the NADPRP advisory board, ensuring these historic resources are strategically deployed to protect producers through enhanced state engagement and emergency readiness.

NPPC has also secured other legislative and funding victories, including the passage of the Beagle Brigade Act and the transition of the US SHIP program to the USDA. Central to these efforts is the “three-legged stool” of animal health—funding the national laboratory network, the vaccine bank, and the veterinary stockpile.

Rooted in Resilience

When she’s not working on behalf of pig farmers, Forseth keeps busy supporting her husband on their registered SimAngus cattle ranch and caring for their two young kids.

“It’s one big, but fun, balancing act,” she says. “I enjoy everything I’m doing, from being a mom to being a rancher’s wife to being a veterinarian for NPPC. I’m thankful for the example I had with my mom, who raised six kids and supported the farm. When work needed to be done and someone needed to step up, that someone was always her. While she was balancing all of our lives, I was watching and learning.”

Forseth is quick to point out that she learned a lot from her dad, too. He passed away in 2023 after a courageous battle with multiple myeloma.

“I will always remember him as a fighter, even before his cancer diagnosis, but certainly after,” Forseth says. “Despite pain and his prognosis, he stayed optimistic and focused on others.”

She vividly remembers the day she found out that he had cancer during a routine morning drive to a histology lab in vet school.

“I cried so hard on my way to school that I gave myself a bloody nose,” she says. “I got myself into class and sat down in front of the microscope. I hadn’t looked at the schedule for the day. To my surprise, we were looking at cancer cells – that was salt in the wound for me that morning. After class, I asked the professor to tell me what she knew about multiple myeloma.”

When she got back to her car, she called her dad and told him she was going to take the rest of the day off because she didn’t feel like sitting in a lecture hall in light of the news he just shared.

“He asked, ‘Why in the world would you do that?’” Forseth says. “He tried to perk me up by telling me about all the great advances. He just kept talking about the science and how cool it was. I loved that so much – it was never about him, even on his hardest days, it was always about somebody else.”

Unique Times Call for Unique Leadership

Forseth gets her passion for putting others first from her dad. It fuels her decisions every day as she strives to represent U.S. pig farmers from coast to coast.

Whether she’s navigating global meetings with the World Organization for Animal Health or tackling feral swine management with her trademark “Montana grit,” Forseth’s unique perspective is an invaluable asset. She is a reminder of how agriculture can be strengthened by those who take non-conventional paths.

“We can’t sustain this industry on a ‘how it has been done’ mentality,” she says. “Today’s consumer is different. The industry structure is different. The workforce is different. The policy pressures are very different. It’s going to take new and unique ideas to address new and sometimes unique challenges.”

Discover more about Forseth’s journey by watching “The PORK Podcast” on YouTube or by listening to it anywhere podcasts are found.

Global Expansion of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Serotype SAT1 Raises Alarms

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 17:42:36 GMT

Recent reports of the emergence and spread of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) SAT1 serotype are highlighting a concerning shift in the global landscape of this virus. The Swine Health Information Center-funded Global Swine Disease Monitoring Reports, led by Dr. Sol Perez at the University of Minnesota, have highlighted the newly affected countries in monthly publications.

“For FMDV, immunity is serotype-specific, meaning infection or vaccination against a given serotype does not confer protection against a different serotype,” Perez says in a SHIC article.

A Rapid Geographic Shift

Historically, SAT1 was maintained within endemic locations in East and Southern Africa. However, in 2025, SAT1 demonstrated a “concerning expansion” beyond its traditional geographic range, with confirmed detections of two cocirculating subtypes across Western Asia and North Africa. The increasing circulation of SAT1 poses a growing risk to previously unaffected regions, including southeast Europe and potentially beyond. As this serotype expands its geographic range, it creates additional pathways for introduction into new regions and countries, increasing the overall likelihood of transboundary spread, Perez notes.

The Immunity Gap

The primary concern for animal health officials is that FMDV immunity is serotype-specific. Current vaccination programs in many affected regions target serotypes O, A and Asia-1. Because these vaccines provide no cross-protection against SAT1, livestock populations remain effectively susceptible, research shows. This “ecological space” has allowed SAT1 to spread rapidly through populations that were previously considered protected.

Drivers of FMD Transmission

SAT1’s expansion is likely due to several factors, Perez says.

Livestock Movement: Informal cross-border movement of small ruminants, which may carry subclinical infections, is a primary driver.
Environmental Pressures: Drought and land-use changes have increased contact between wildlife reservoirs and domestic herds.
Vaccine Limitations: A lack of SAT1-specific vaccine stockpiles and gaps in surveillance have hindered rapid response efforts.

FMD Implications for the United States

Although the U.S. remains free of FMD, the expansion of SAT1 into new regions of the world increases the complexity of global risk, Perez says. The emergence of two cocirculating subtypes (topotypes SAT1/I and SAT1/III) creates more pathways for the virus to enter the U.S. via international travel, contaminated animal products, or fomites.

“These global developments underscore the need to strengthen early detection and surveillance systems, maintain stringent biosecurity measures across livestock value chains, and ensure that vaccine preparedness strategies are sufficiently flexible to incorporate emerging serotypes such as SAT1,” Perez says.

For the U.S. pork industry, this serves as a critical reminder to maintain stringent biosecurity measures and support global monitoring efforts to prevent a domestic outbreak.

New Leadership to Take on Key Animal Health Roles at USDA

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 19:23:03 GMT

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

Dedicated Public Servants

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

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

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

New Leadership

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

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

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

(USDA APHIS)

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

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

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

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

Pig Painkiller Patch Shows Promise

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 16:39:22 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.

Santa’s Reindeer Get Final ‘All Systems Go’ for Christmas Eve Flight

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 14:26:32 GMT

In a jolly early-holiday announcement that’s sure to delight children (and adults who leave out cookies and carrots), Santa Claus’ elite team of flying reindeer has officially been cleared for takeoff! A festive and thorough veterinary checkup has determined the magical hoof-powered squad is in tip-top shape, ready to soar around the globe on their most important night of the year.

Just like other livestock, Santa’s reindeer need to be examined and issued health certificates in order to cross national borders. Luckily, the American Veterinary Medical Association’s president, Dr. Michael Bailey, braved the snowy terrain of the North Pole and completed their annual wellness examinations . He had a list and checked it twice.

Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and Rudolph all passed and are fit to fly for Christmas Eve!

Although the details of the exam are largely kept under wraps, it is expected the reindeer underwent a comprehensive series of physical tests — sleigh-pulling fitness, nose-shining inspections and hoof health evaluations — designed to confirm they can handle rooftops, chilly winds and chimney obstacles.

According to the official Certificate of Inspection, the reindeer have also been declared clear of:

Tuberculosis
Chronic wasting disease
Sugarplumitis

Following suit, the U.S Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has issued a transit permit to Mr. S. Nicholas Claus of the North Pole, allowing reindeer to enter and exit the U.S. on Christmas Eve through or over any U.S. border port.

In true festive spirit, the AVMA invites clinics everywhere to join Santa’s E.L.V.E.S. (Emergency Landing and Veterinary Expert System) support network and spread cheer (and animal health tips) far and wide.

5 Livestock Diseases That Could Impact U.S. Food Security and Economic Stability

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 20:44:58 GMT

Production animal disease outbreaks are not only animal health events but threats to economic stability and food security. A new report from The Farm Journal Foundation , The Mean Sixteen: Biosecurity Threats Facing U.S. Agriculture, estimates the collective annual costs to U.S. agriculture due to outbreaks of the top five livestock diseases could top $300 billion without proper preparation.

“It is absolutely crucial that the U.S. should support mechanisms to protect farmers from risks and make sure that our food supply chain can remain resilient even when challenges occur,” wrote Stephanie Mercier, senior policy adviser at Farm Journal Foundation.

Mercier identifies five diseases with the potential to disrupt U.S. livestock production, trade and response infrastructure at scale. These include foreign animal diseases as well as ongoing threats:

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD)
African swine fever (ASF)
New World screwworm (NWS)
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI)
Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS)

Foot-and-Mouth Disease: Trade-Stopping Risk to U.S. Livestock

Foot-and-mouth disease, an infectious and sometimes fatal viral disease affecting a range of ungulates, remains one of the highest-impact foreign animal disease threats to U.S. agriculture. While the U.S., Canada, and Mexico are classified as FMD-free, outbreaks in Taiwan (1997), the United Kingdom (2001), and this year in Germany and Hungary, represent how relevant this disease remains as both an animal health and economic threat.

Modern production systems characterized by high animal density and frequent interstate movement would complicate containment efforts in case of an outbreak. In 2015, a report from Kansas State University found an FMD outbreak beginning in a U.S. state with high populations of vulnerable livestock could cost nearly $200 billion to the U.S. economy if no emergency vaccine program was implemented.

A 2018 provision to the farm bill mandated the establishment of an animal vaccine bank; FMD was chosen as the first disease for vaccine stockpile. While FMD vaccines reduce an animal’s chance of being infected, they are generally not administerd in FMD-free regions as it is difficult to distinguish between vaccinated and FMD-infected animals in a clinical setting. Further, World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) protocols allow for trade bans to be imposed on countries using these vaccines.

African Swine Fever: Persistent Threat to U.S. Pork Production

African swine fever has expanded globally over the past decade and remains one of the most significant threats to the U.S. swine industry causing hemorrhagic fever with high mortality rates. In 2018, a massive ASF outbreak in China resulted in the loss of half of the country’s swine herd, approximately 225 million animals, and cost the country’s economy around $111 billion. Since then, ASF cases have been reported in countries across much of Asia and Europe .

(Farm Journal Foundation)

It has been estimated an ASF outbreak in the U.S. would cost the economy nearly $80 billion, due to loss of exports and reduced industry revenue, but could also affect the crop sector due to decreased feed demand. The extensive feral hog population across much of the country would further complicate containment efforts.

There is no globally available ASF vaccine; however, in May 2025, the WOAH adopted their first international standard for ASF vaccines . This was followed by the release of field evaluation and post-vaccination monitoring standards in July.

New World Screwworm: Reintroduction Risk and Surveillance Dependence

The NWS fly lays eggs in an animal’s skin, often at wound sites, and the hatched larvae burrow into the animal, consuming the flesh. Prior to 2025, NWS had been largely absent in the Western Hemisphere north of Panama; however, since the beginning of the year, outbreaks have been creeping northward, with most recent detection being just 120 miles south of the U.S.-Mexico border.

The USDA estimates that if NWS were to cross the border into Texas, it could cost the state’s economy at least $1.8 billion while putting the rest of the U.S. beef sector at risk. In an effort to tackle this threat, the USDA announced a five-pronged plan to combat the pest including sterile fly production, closing of the U.S.-Mexico border to cattle trade and increased communication with state animal health officials.

The same sterile male fly technique that eradicated the pest in the U.S in 1966 is being applied for the current outbreak, with sterile fly production facilities open in Tampico, Mexico and opening in Edinburg, Texas .

While no NWS cases have been detected in the U.S. yet, the fly is still having an impact on the economy. With the U.S.-Mexico border closed to cattle imports , the already reduced U.S. cattle herd could shrink even further. With strong demand supporting U.S. beef prices, Omaha Steaks CEO Nate Rempe predicts ground beef prices could reach $10 per pound by the third quarter of 2026.

(Farm Journal Foundation)

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza: An Ongoing Multispecies Challenge

Highly pathogenic avian influenza remains an evolving threat to U.S. animal agriculture. Twice in the past decade, major outbreaks in the U.S. have devastated poultry operations with losses of over 50 million commercial birds from 2014 to 2015. The latest HPAI outbreak began in 2022 and has since been detected in flocks in all 50 states resulting in an estimated loss of 169 million birds as of April 2025.

(Farm Journal Foundation)

HPAI is a zoonotic disease with reported infections in humans, hogs, cats and dogs. In March 2024, HPAI was detected in dairy herds in Texas and Kansas. Since then, HPAI outbreaks have been confirmed in over 300 dairy herds across the U.S. in 14 different states.

The 2014 to 2015 HPAI outbreak is estimated to have cost U.S. agriculture over $1 billion when accounting for losses to both the poultry and animal feed sectors, as well as losses in land value. Both this outbreak and the subsequent 2024-25 outbreak caused significant spikes in egg prices, with March 2025 prices rising to 350% of those of the previous year. U.S. milk prices have not yet been affected by the outbreak.

(Farm Journal Foundation)

Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome: Endemic Disease, National Cost

The infection of hogs by PRRS has had a significant impact on the U.S. pork industry. First detected in the U.S. in 1987, PRRS infection causes pregnancy loss in sows and respiratory problems in pigs of all ages leading to poor performance. Unlike other animal diseases, PRRS infection can go undetected until issues with pregnant sows occur.

Analysis from Iowa State University shows PRRS caused an estimated $1.2 billion per year in lost production in the U.S. swine industry from 2016 to 2020. This marks an 80% increase over numbers reported a decade earlier.

With no cure at present, disease impact is minimized through biosecurity practices, vaccinations and management of infection with antibiotics. In April 2025, FDA granted PIC approval for the gene edit used in its PRRS-resistant pig. This technology could have a large impact on animal welfare, production costs and pork prices if adopted, though any impact is likely many years out.

Policy and Preparedness Implications for U.S. Animal Health

Across these diseases, the report identifies recurring gaps in U.S. animal health preparedness that extend beyond individual pathogens and suggests some key policy and infrastructure needs to help mitigate these threat risks:

Improved national biosecurity coordination including culling guidelines
Training for veterinarians for outbreak identification and reporting
Support for vaccine stockpiling programs and prioritized regulatory approvals for prevention and treatment products
Increased research support for both international collaboration and domestic work on biological control techniques of pests and pathogens, and disease-resistant genetic traits

“Investing in agricultural research, development and the long-term viability of our food supply chain is critical for protecting our national security and economy, and we are hopeful that our nation’s leaders will rise to meet this challenge before it’s too late,” Mercier writes.

The Farm Journal Foundation is a farmer-centered, non-profit, nonpartisan organization, created by Farm Journal in 2010, working to advance agriculture innovation, food and nutrition security, conservation and rural economic development.

New Oral Fluid Guidelines Offer Cost-Effective Disease Monitoring for Group-Housed Sows

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 19:36:42 GMT

Collect oral fluid samples from group-housed sows by hanging two cotton ropes per pen and allowing 60 to 90 minutes of sampling time to yield best results, suggests a recent study funded by the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) and led by Jeff Zimmerman at Iowa State University.

As more breeding herds shift to housing sows in groups, the need for validating practical and cost-effective disease surveillance protocols in this population is greater than ever.

Oral fluid sampling has become a popular way to monitor herd health because it’s non-invasive, cost-effective and efficient. It’s also simple and safe for caretakers to collect, according to a recent nationwide survey on oral fluid sampling in U.S. swine farms published in Pathogens .

Zimmerman’s oral fluids sampling study in group-housed sows set out to determine practicality and best practices for the swine industry.

What Did the Sows’ Behavior Reveal?

Researchers conducted the study on a 6,500-head commercial breed-to-wean sow farm. Oral fluids were collected using two ropes per pen for four consecutive days across the pens. Sow behavior towards the ropes was characterized by individually marking a sub-set of animals and a 90-minute video observation was recorded, the study shows.

Results revealed oral fluids can be routinely collected from group-housed gestating sows using cotton ropes, a process used successfully in growing pig populations. In all groups and on all sampling days, the volume of oral fluid collected during the study was more than adequate to conduct diagnostic tests.

Larger Animals Need Longer Sampling Time

However, experts caution that sampling time in group-housed sows should be extended to 60 to 90 minutes to maximize participation, a longer duration than what is suggested for growing pigs.

The longer sampling time is needed for sows due to their larger size and the fact that fewer sows can access the ropes at any given time when compared to growing pigs, the experts say. The use of two ropes per pen provides adequate access while reducing competition across sows. By combining the two ropes from a single pen before sending them to the lab, you can reduce costs and only pay for one test per pen.

The researchers note that this study showed diagnostic targets, such as a gene, protein or antibody whose presence or absence is used to detect disease, in the pen environment are transferred into pen-based oral fluid samples. This confirms previous report findings in a study conducted by Tarasiuk with finishing pigs .

This explains why pathogens not shed via the mouth (for example, porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, a highly contagious coronavirus that causes severe diarrhea, vomiting, and dehydration in pigs) are consistently detected in oral fluids.

As pigs explore their surroundings, diagnostic targets in the pen environment are picked up; as a result, these targets are deposited in the oral fluid sample and detected by diagnostic testing.

Detecting emerging diseases and monitoring herd health in group-housed sows can be done with ease through oral fluid collection, the researchers say.

Visit the SHIC website to learn more.

Bugs Beware: Next Gen Prepares to Combat Insect Threats to Animal Health

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 15:46:17 GMT

The nation is facing a critical shortage of veterinary entomologists. Kansas State University is ramping up efforts to create awareness and opportunity for students interested in playing a crucial role in safeguarding livestock health and agricultural economies by studying insects and ticks that affect animals.

“With increasing insecticide resistance and the emergence of new tick and tick-borne pathogen species, our capacity to meet future research, extension and teaching needs in this area is more critical than ever,” Cassandra Olds, assistant professor of entomology at K-State, says in a release.

To address this increasing challenge, Olds collaborated with other university veterinary entomologists to develop the Research and Extension Experience in Veterinary Entomology for Students (REEVES) program .

“Despite the significant impact arthropods like ticks and insects have on livestock production, there’s a serious lack of trained veterinary entomologists,” Olds says. “Many students simply aren’t aware of this viable career path or what it entails.”

Funded by the USDA-NIFA and led by the University of Tennessee, the 8-week summer residential program offers an immersive, hands-on experience in veterinary entomology research and extension.

“The overarching goal of REEVES is to introduce and train talented individuals for graduate and professional programs, as well as livestock-associated careers that emphasize team science,” the release says. “The program educates them on the fundamentals of veterinary entomology and provides them with real-world project experience relevant to the needs of stakeholders.”

Two scholars are placed at each participating institution each year, K-State, University of Tennessee, Texas A&M and University of Georgia, and will run from 2025 till 2028.

Not only will REEVES scholars engage in impactful research, but they will also have the opportunity to present their research at the annual Livestock Insect Workers Conference and an online REEVES Expo. For example, K-State scholars evaluated the impact of stable flies on cattle performance in feedlots this year and investigated recent outbreaks of Theileria orientalis in the region.

“For me, the most exciting aspect of this field is the chance to do good at every level,” Olds adds. “You have the opportunity to positively impact both animal health and well-being, while simultaneously improving the livelihoods of the people who own them.”

Vesicular Stomatitis Outbreak in Arizona

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 16:34:09 GMT

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

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

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

What is Vesicular Stomatitis?

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

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

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

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

Controlling Vesicular Stomatitis

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

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

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

Juggling Glass Balls: How Veterinarian Micah Jansen Prioritizes What Matters Most

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 14:55:49 GMT

“The key to juggling is to know that some of the balls you have in the air are made of plastic and some are made of glass. And if you drop a plastic ball, it bounces, no harm done. If you drop a glass ball, it shatters, so you have to know which balls are glass and which are plastic and prioritize catching the glass ones.”

When Micah Jansen, DVM, first heard the glass ball theory by author Nora Roberts, she remembers instantly connecting with it.

“As working moms, we have a lot of things we are balancing,” Jansen said on The PORK Podcast . “This concept helps me remember that I must differentiate the glass balls from the rubber balls. If I drop a rubber ball, like failing to get a deliverable to a co-worker on Friday, I can get it to them on Monday. But my daughter’s Christmas program – that’s a glass ball I cannot drop because it won’t happen again.”

She says understanding the difference between the two has helped her focus and be more deliberate as a working mom. It’s also helped her learn how to prioritize and say no at times.

“When I start getting upset about not getting something done or not being somewhere I wanted to be, I have had to learn to say, ‘Okay, even though I’m upset, this is a rubber ball. It is not the end of the world if I can’t accomplish this because I’m catching this glass ball over here.’”

As a swine tech services veterinarian with Zoetis, the struggle is real at times. No two days are alike for Jansen who has been with the company since 2015. From helping people understand how different products work and troubleshooting with clients on swine health issues to assisting with research projects and hosting student interns, Jansen has learned that her role requires some juggling.

Fortunately, she enjoys the challenge.

The Face of Veterinary Medicine is Changing

“The swine industry is constantly changing,” she says. “It’s becoming more integrated, and with those changes in structure, has also come a change in what swine medicine looks like.”

More production systems today have staff veterinarians who work full time and focus on their system’s pigs. Veterinary clinics are becoming more consolidated, too. There has also been a major shift from mostly men to mostly women entering practice.

She believes this may be another reason why the structure of swine medicine has changed, too. Women are multi-taskers at heart and as more women step into veterinarian roles, Jansen says they have sought out how to find balance between their roles at work and at home as mothers so they could do both well.

“I’m still the only woman in the room sometimes,” Jansen says. “But, I’ve never wanted that to define me. I try to focus on what I know without a doubt to be true and also be humble. If I don’t know the answer to something, it doesn’t mean I can’t find it. I’ve always been somebody who would rather not know the answer and come back to someone than to tell them something that’s wrong.”

Jansen spends a lot of time working with students through internships and other research programs. She says they’ve taught her a lot along the way. She is impressed how younger generations are realizing sooner in life that you only have so much time to devote to certain things like work or school, while also taking care of your mental health and well-being.

“They are better at saying, ‘OK, you want me to complete this task, but I know I have exams next week so I can’t commit to getting it done today. However, I will get to it as soon as I’ve completed my other exams,’” Jansen says. “Never in a million years would I have ever done that! But I admire them for being honest with themselves.”

Hard Decisions

A big part of being a great swine veterinarian is making hard decisions and offering clients holistic support.

Terry Moeller, a Zoetis strategic account manager and colleague, says, “Micah always strives to do the right thing when it comes to pig health, and she has extensive knowledge of critical financials that yield a strong return on investment for our customers.”

Her grasp of the swine industry and understanding of the decisions producers face every day have helped her be successful in her role.

“The decisions that we help our clients make are going to impact essentially whether or not they can feed their families,” Jansen says. “Regardless of if you’re in private practice or if you are a staff veterinarian working for a production system, you constantly must keep in mind the other piece of it that adds up fast. When we make a decision to treat an animal, it’s not just a single animal. You have to take it times 1,000, times 10,000, or times 5 million, depending on what decision you’re making.”

Abbey Briscoe, a veterinarian with Harding Veterinary Services, says this is one of the things she admires about Jansen.

“Micah doesn’t settle for ‘easy.’ She doesn’t have her mind made up with an answer to a problem for a client and genuinely takes her time to listen to everything surrounding an issue, gathering all sides and information before thoughtfully answering,” Briscoe says. “She will follow up with additional advice and options once she has had more time to digest and gather outside expert feedback on a case. She honestly wants her clients to have the best possible insight to an issue.”

One of the not-so-easy roles Jansen plays at Zoetis is serving as a go-to-person on influenza. She admits she actually enjoys studying influenza.

“I think people don’t like flu because it can be really overwhelming,” she points out. “Part of the reason it becomes so complicated is that the influenza virus is so good at changing. We continue to see changes in the virus over time, and what makes it even more nerve-wracking is that interface between pigs and people.”

Biosecurity is key to fighting influenza. She says it’s a constant challenge of knowing what you should do next when it comes to animal husbandry, pig movement or vaccination.

“And then what do we do about caregivers? Even if they’re sick, they want to come into work because they want to be able to feed their families. But at the same time, how do we decide when a sick employee could be putting that population of pigs at risk?” she says. “There are so many moving pieces.”

If she could share one message with the industry now, it’s a simple, but profound one.

“Let’s make sure we’re doing things the right way,” Jansen says. “We know the right way. We love data in the swine industry, and we always talk about how it drives our decisions. Let’s make sure that’s not just something we’re saying. Let’s make protocol decisions based on that concept and doing everything we can to get better.”

Jansen shares more about swine health, her days at the University of Illinois and her passion for team roping and more on The PORK Podcast. You can watch it here on YouTube or listen anywhere podcasts are found.

Watch more episodes here.

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

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 20:00:14 GMT

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

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

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

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

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

(Angie Stump Denton)

One Health: Connecting Animal Disease and Human Health

Nichols’ work focuses on the One Health concept.

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

Nichols says One Health is:

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

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

Pandemic and Disease Response Insights

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

She shares these five key strategies related to NWS:

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

Agricultural Literacy, Communication is Key

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

She shares this advice for agricultural advocates:

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

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

Winter: The Secret to Slowing the Spread of Screwworm

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 11:03:28 GMT

Winter or colder temperatures — it’s not something you typically hear livestock producers anticipating or praying for. But this year, as the threat of New World screwworm continues to inch closer to the U.S.-Mexico border, winter can’t come soon enough.

“Certainly, winter will be our friend,” says Chris Womack, a veterinarian and rancher from San Angelo, Texas. “Historically the flies were pushed south with frost.”

USDA Agricultural Research Service entomologist Kim Lohmeyer agrees we need winter to come fast. Lohmeyer serves as the laboratory director of the Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory in Kerrville, Texas, where she and her colleagues use modeling to know when and where NWS may show up in the U.S. They are partnering with Lee Cohnstaedt and his team at the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan, Kan., to study the life stages of NWS and its susceptibility to temperature and weather.

“With the climate changes and weather patterns we have now, if this fly gets here, it can go a lot further north, a lot further east and a lot further west,” Lohmeyer says. “It’s something to keep an eye on.“

The Winter Win

So, what exactly does “winter” mean? Lohmeyer says NWS are fairly cold sensitive, so several days of sustained cold temperatures in around 30°F would be enough to suppress NWS.

The NWS’s ability to survive is restricted to locations where low temperatures are regularly above freezing. Ideal adult fly activity occurs at 77°F to 86°F and relative humidity of 30% to 70%.

“This fly really loves 81.5°F,” explains meteorologist Matt Makens. “The research shows that’s when they’re friskiest.”

Although the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) remains a primary control mechanism, Makens says studies have made it clear that eradication success, outbreak intensity and re-emergence potential are closely tied to weather and climate.

“From seasonal wind patterns to monsoonal moisture, numerous environmental conditions shape the life cycle, spread and population dynamics of this parasite,” Makens explains. “Understanding these weather-related drivers is critical not only for control, but also in considering how long-term temperature trends have altered the geographic boundaries of screwworm viability since the major outbreaks of the 1950s and early 1960s.”

During a recent Cattlemen’s Call podcast Makens said weather is one of the main forces of spreading NWS.

“If we could control the weather, we could control the fly,” he stresses.

(Maps: Makens Weather)

Research indicates larval and pupal development cannot proceed below approximately 58°F and halts above 110°F. The optimal temperature for adult survival and reproduction lies around 81.5°F, a range common in tropical and subtropical climates like Mexico and Central America. NWS do not survive in regions with cold winters, though they may spread into these areas during the warmer months.

Impact of temperature on NWS:

Reduced activity: Adult screwworm fly activity is limited when temperatures are below 59°F.
Larval vulnerability: Pupae are vulnerable to soil temperatures below 46°F. Sustained maximums hotter than 95°F can also be limiting — extreme heat reduces adult fly activity and increases mortality in larvae exposed to hot surface soils.
Life cycle: While the entire life cycle can be completed in warm conditions, it takes longer in cooler, more temperate environments.

“One of the secrets to historically, the northern limit of screwworm, was basically a matter of how cold the winter got. That sort of limited how far it got,” says Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension livestock marketing specialist. “In years when it was warmer, it would go farther. It would overwinter farther north, but in general, that’s going to set the upper limit, or at least it does if it’s not under control in any other way. That will limit its northward, northern movement, for sure.”

1972 NWS data (A) Monthly maps of observed cases of myiasis in Texas during the 1972 outbreak. Highest abundance occurred in August, and the length of all other density colour bars were scaled to it (bars in right hand margin of each map). The maximum density is at the top of each colour bar with the highest midseason incidence occurring in south central Texas. (B) Histogram summarizing the monthly total statewide data. (C) Map of total cases of myiasis during 1972.

(Medical and Veterinary Entomology)

Fly Season

David Anderson, Texas A&M professor and Extension specialist, says, historically, the fly season is April to October.

“If we get a really cold winter, that helps us,” Anderson adds. “It buys us some more time. But things are warmer now than it used to be. Fly season may not be that April to October anymore.”

NWS’s typical life cycle lasts about 21 days in warm weather and slightly longer in cooler climates. According to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, NWS fly life cycle is highly sensitive to temperature:

In warm (more than 80ᴼF daytime highs) and tropical conditions, the full life cycle may be complete in two to three weeks.
In more temperate conditions, the life cycle may take three to four weeks.
In cooler conditions, the life cycle may take up to two to three months.

It is important to understand that the flies do not die at these lower activity temperatures, but prolonged exposure to these temperatures can reduce populations or active infestations.

Texas rancher Wayne Cockrell says NWS’s entry into the U.S. is inevitable but suggests winter and colder weather might temporarily delay the spread until next April or May. Cockrell serves as the Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association director and chair of the cattle health and well-being policy committee.

“We should be within 60 days hopefully when cold weather helps in two-thirds of the state,” Cockrell explains.

Rainfall and Monsoon Factors

Makens says while temperature defines where screwworms can survive, rainfall and moisture influence when and how intensely they can thrive. Outbreaks often follow moderate to heavy rainfall by improving conditions for larval survival.

He explains tools like the Palmer Crop Moisture Index (CMI) have shown promise in predicting screwworm risk, with higher-than-normal CMI values sometimes preceding population spikes.

When rainfall coincides with favorable temperatures, screwworm activity tends to increase. In contrast, hot and dry conditions tend to suppress survival and reproduction.

“One of the most striking climate connections is the role of seasonal monsoon winds in transporting screwworms over long distances,” Makens explains. “In multiple outbreak years, adult flies were documented migrating northward into Texas and the desert Southwest via the North American Monsoon (NAM) — a seasonal pattern that delivers moisture to northwestern Mexico and the U.S. Southwest from June through September. During the summer, prevailing winds shift from west to a more humid, southerly flow, creating favorable conditions for fly migration from central and southern Mexico into their northern states and, at times, into the southern U.S. The NAM this year had an early start and gave significant rainfall to parts of Arizona and New Mexico. The NAM typically calms by early fall.”

In the 1960s, these wind-assisted movements allowed the temporary re-establishment of breeding populations even after local eradication. In some years, migration spanned hundreds of miles, connecting source populations in northern Mexico to re-infestations in Arizona and New Mexico.

“This atmospheric ‘conveyor belt’ remains a critical concern in surveillance strategies for livestock-producing regions of the Southwest,” Makens says. “The 2025 monsoon was undoubtedly a factor in the most recent northward migration of NWS.”

If NWS should cross the border, it will be key for producers to coordinate management practices with weather patterns expected for their region.

“Ultimately, weather patterns act as both a barrier and bridge for screwworm activity,” Makens summarizes. “Knowing how and when the balance tips is essential to preventing the return of one of the industry’s most damaging parasites.”

Here’s to hoping Old Man Winter decides to arrive quickly and help buy livestock producers and government leaders more time to prepare to battle NWS.

Your Next Read: The Battle at the Border

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

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 20:04:06 GMT

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

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

UPDATE ON SCREWWORM THREAT:

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

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

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

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

Mexico’s Response To New World Screwworm

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

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

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

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

(Farm Journal)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Peel emphasizes the need for a collaborative approach with Mexico.

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

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

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

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

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

Texas Rancher Weighs In On Impact of New World Screwworm

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Is a World Without PRRS Possible? Two Veterinarians Say ‘Yes’

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 17:34:13 GMT

Everyone experiences pain in life. Sometimes, if the pain is excruciating enough, it results in transformational change. The current pain level of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) in the U.S. is extreme, says swine veterinarians Scott Dee and Gordon Spronk. That’s why they are calling for transformational change in a viewpoint article in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association .

Dee and Spronk say it’s time to create a world without PRRS.

“We aren’t in the spring of our careers anymore,” Spronk said during an exclusive on The PORK Podcast. “We’re in the fall of our careers, and maybe it’s time to be reflective and hopefully speak into and encourage the next generation of pork producers that their life can be better. And not only their life, but the life of the pig, will be better if we had a world without PRRS.”

Why Now?
For more than 38 years, Spronk and Dee have been working side by side to fight PRRS. Why should the industry move to eradicate PRRS now?

“I have a long history as a veterinarian, but my family also raises pigs. We’re in the middle of a generational transfer,” Spronk explains. “It’s important for the next generation who will take over this operation to be encouraged about the potential of productivity, and what could clearly be achieved if we didn’t have PRRS circulating in our sow farms.”

The U.S. swine herd is currently dealing with variants such as PRRSV L1C.5 and L1C.2 that are spreading rapidly. These variants are more infectious than previous isolates, as well as highly pathogenic.

“These highly pathogenic isolates are moving around in areas between wean-to-finish barns, meaning that you can have your sow farm negative produce a group of negative pigs, place them negative, but then they become infected with lateral transmission,” Spronk says. “And our national swine herd mortality is to the level that it’s concerning from a productivity standpoint and competitiveness with other international competitors, namely Brazil.”

Field observations indicate pre-weaning mortality levels ranging from 56% to 100% post-infection, resulting in losses of $1 million to $3 million per 10-week period post-weaning, not to mention compromised animal welfare and compromised mental health among workers.

“The thing that really gets me about this one is the welfare aspect,” Dee says. “It’s the suffering that the animals and the people working on the farms go through. It’s worse than I’ve ever seen it. We know that only pigs can get PRRS, but people suffer when they watch animals die and work so hard to treat them. That to me, is a welfare aspect, along with the economics and the production issues that make this situation so difficult right now.”

What Does A World Without PRRS Look Like?
Dee says there are examples in negative barns of what a world without PRRS looks like – higher productivity, higher health pigs are more fun to raise.

“It’s a flourishing U.S. national herd with reduced antibiotic use, lower mortality, predictable productivity, and with satisfied employees working in a welfare-friendly environment,” Dee says. “In other words, a more profitable and competitive national industry for generations to come.”

Dee believes this could lead to freedom from other domestic diseases such as porcine epidemic diarrhea virus and strengthened prevention of foreign animal disease.

When Dee served as president of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians in 2005-2006, he called for national elimination of PRRS.

“It was the right thing to call for but it was ahead of its time,” Dee points out. “We were missing two things. We were missing a clear understanding of area spread. How do we prevent the virus from moving from farm to farm? We know a lot more about that. The other is US SHIP. We didn’t have a united platform that we could all work together on to kind of collectively come together with decisions as an organization rather than just an individual. Now it’s time to have that conversation again.”

Dee and Spronk outline six non-negotiable practices the industry needs to adapt to survive.

Non-negotiable #1: The U.S. swine industry must eliminate PRRS virus.
The successful disease elimination of pseudorabies, classical swine fever and foot-and-mouth disease can be applied to build strategies to eliminate PRRS virus from our national swine herd.

“PRRS costs our industry approximately $1.2 billion per year. Global competitors like Brazil, Romania, Chile and Denmark have either successfully sustained freedom from PRRS virus or are striving to achieve/have achieved national elimination. The longer we wait, the harder it will be to compete in the global marketplace,” Spronk says.

Non-negotiable #2: The U.S. swine industry must improve its biosecurity.
The U.S. must continue to raise the level of biosecurity across the national herd, through an evidence-based approach known as Next-Generation Biosecurity (NGB), Dee says. NGB targets prevention of viral entry into the breeding herd (bio-exclusion) via direct routes (pigs and semen) and indirect routes, i.e., mechanical routes, aerosols and feed.

“The same concept must be applied to the wean-to-finish sector through both the practice of bio-exclusion to protect standing growing pigs and the practice of bio-containment to protect the region,” he says. “This latter point stresses the need for strategies designed to reduce viral excretion from infected populations, such as the use of vaccines and the participation in voluntary animal health programs.”

Non-negotiable #3: The U.S. swine industry must restrict the use of live virus inoculation.
Live virus inoculation (LVI) involves the harvesting of farm-specific viruses through injection of serum from viremic animals to induce homologous immunity in susceptible animals.

“This practice is neither safe or efficacious, as the use of LVI in sows induces pregnancy loss across all stages of gestation, and does not produce sterilizing immunity,” Dee says. “In addition, when evaluating the productivity of PRRS-virus-infected breeding herds vaccinated with modified live virus vaccines (MLV) versus those administered LVI, MLV herds returned to baseline production significantly sooner and had significantly less total reproductive loss, versus herds given LVI.”

Routine application of LVI in pregnant females should be avoided and limited to a safer use as a one-time application to stable population of non-pregnant replacement gilts housed in a biosecure gilt development facility during a PRRS virus elimination program, Dee adds.

Non-negotiable #4: The U.S. industry must change its behavior regarding the movement of PRRSV-infected pigs.
Between-farm movements of animals and transportation vehicles enhance regional spread of PRRS virus, with vehicles transporting pigs to farms being responsible for most infections. To control the spread of the virus at the regional level, they are calling for change in how PRRSV-infected pigs are moved between sites.

“The co-mingling of infected and non-infected pigs at weaning must be avoided, infected pigs should not be placed near naïve populations of negative sow farm populations or standing growing pigs, and transport vehicles should be sanitized between movements,” Spronk says. “This is simple common sense. We know what we need to do, we just must do it.”

Non-negotiable #5: The U.S. industry needs an improved genetic response to PRRS virus.
Exciting advances are underway in the field of swine genetics pertaining to PRRS virus, Dee says. One approach is the editing of the CD-163 region of the macrophage to prevent viral infection at the cellular level, while the other involves genetic selection to improve the general immune response and robustness of the pig following challenge.

“Each approach has its own strengths and limitations,” Dee says. “I think we do have to temper our enthusiasm that there’s not a silver bullet for this disease. One size doesn’t fit all.”

Non-negotiable #6: The U.S. swine industry needs to participate in US SHIP.
Modeled after the National Poultry Improvement Plan and originally based on mitigation of African swine fever and classical swine fever, the US Swine Health Improvement Plan (US SHIP) has the ability to stimulate collaboration and reduce the impact of domestic diseases such as PRRS virus, they say.

Prior to US SHIP, a platform like this was not available, Dee says. However, the industry can now use this to communicate and collaborate more effectively.

“We are clearly ready,” Dee says. “There’s no question in my mind, after 38 years dealing with this thing, we are so ready. It hurts to sit still. Now is exactly the time to take all the information, all the collaboration that’s coming, and get going, because we know what we need to do. We just have to do it.”

Watch their exclusive interview on The PORK Podcast here or listen anywhere podcasts are found.

Read the viewpoint in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Mexico Confirms Case of New World Screwworm 70 Miles from U.S. Border

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 11:51:42 GMT

Mexico’s National Service of Agro-Alimentary Health, Safety, and Quality (SENASICA) confirmed a new case of New World screwworm (NWS) in Sabinas Hidalgo, located in the state of Nuevo León, less than 70 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border on Sept. 21.

USDA reports this is now the northernmost detection of NWS during this outbreak, and the one most threatening to the American cattle and livestock industry. Sabinas Hidalgo is located near one of the most heavily trafficked commercial thoroughfares in the world, the major highway from Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, to Laredo, Texas.

“Protecting the United States from NWS is non-negotiable and a top priority of the Trump Administration,” U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins said in a release . “This is a national security priority. We have given Mexico every opportunity and every resource necessary to counter NWS since announcing the NWS Bold Plan in June 2025.”

Rollins says the U.S. will not rely on Mexico to defend U.S. agriculture.

“We are firmly executing our five-pronged plan and will take decisive action to protect our borders, even in the absence of cooperation,” Rollins said. “Furthermore, we will pursue aggressive measures against anyone who harms American livestock.”

The previous northernmost detection was reported approximately 370 miles farther south on July 9 in Veracruz, USDA reports.

SENASICA preliminary reports indicate the affected animal — an 8-month-old cow — had recently been moved to a certified feedlot in Nuevo León from a region in southern Mexico with known active NWS cases. USDA says this potential link to animal movement underscores the “non-negotiable need for Mexico to fully implement and comply with the U.S.–Mexico Joint Action Plan for NWS in Mexico.” U.S. ports remain closed currently to imports of cattle, bison, and horses from Mexico.

USDA has been actively monitoring nearly 8,000 traps across Texas, Arizona and New Mexico. More than 13,000 screening samples have been submitted to date, with no NWS flies detected. USDA said it will continue to analyze all new information related to the recent case in Nuevo León and will pursue all options to release sterile flies in this region as necessary.

As well, USDA will release a significant plan soon to help rebuild the American cattle supply, incentivizing ranchers and driving a full-scale revitalization of the American beef industry, the release said.

USDA Leads An Aggressive National Response
USDA reports it’s comprehensive strategy includes the following immediate actions:

Innovating Our Way to Eradication
USDA is investing $100 million in breakthrough technologies through the NWS Grand Challenge. This program will solicit ideas to enhance sterile fly production and develop new tools such as advanced traps, lures and therapeutics. USDA says it’s also exploring and validating technologies like e-beam and x-ray sterilization, genetically engineered flies, and modular sterilization facilities through public listening sessions and ongoing evaluations.
Protecting the U.S. Border
USDA has begun construction on a domestic sterile fly dispersal facility at Moore Air Force Base in Edinburg, Texas. This $8.5 million facility, expected to be mostly complete by the end of 2025, will be capable of dispersing up to 100 million sterile flies per week, USDA says. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is working with USDA on plans for for construction of a domestic sterile fly production facility in Southern Texas, with a projected capacity of 300 million sterile flies per week.
Strengthening Surveillance and Detection
USDA has been actively monitoring nearly 8,000 traps across Texas, Arizona and New Mexico since July. To date, more than 13,000 screening samples have been submitted, with no NWS flies detected. USDA continues to disperse 100 million sterile flies per week in Mexico, sourced from the COPEG facility in Panama. In addition, USDA is providing support to Mexico to renovate a production facility in Metapa, which is expected to produce an additional 60–100 million sterile flies.
Enhancing Public Awareness and Education
APHIS has published an updated national disease response strategy and is providing training and webinars for federal, state, Tribal and veterinary partners. Outreach materials, including pest ID cards and alerts, are being distributed along the U.S.–Mexico border. APHIS has held over 50 stakeholder meetings and continues to expand outreach efforts.
Coordinating with Mexico and International Partners
Following detections in Oaxaca and Veracruz, USDA closed southern ports of entry to livestock trade after a case was reported 370 miles from the U.S. border. USDA is conducting monthly audits of Mexico’s NWS response and is helping the country develop a more risk-based trapping plan, especially in Veracruz and along the border. Mexico currently deploys traps in high-risk areas, with USDA support.

USDA is supporting hiring of over 200 surge staff for trapping and animal movement control in Mexico. As well, SENASICA has launched a dashboard that tracks NWS cases across Mexico. This enhances USDA’s ability to monitor the situation south of the border, better assess risk, and deliver more effective operational responses in coordination with Mexican authorities.
Unprecedented Interagency Collaboration
Collaborating agencies include: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Food and Drug Administration, Department of the Interior, Department of Energy, Department of Homeland Security, Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of State. This collaboration is guided by the U.S. One Health Coordination Unit for NWS (U.S. OHCU–NWS), co-led by USDA, CDC, and DOI, the release said.

Watch Out for Signs of NWS
NWS maggots most often enter an animal through an open wound and feed on the animal’s living flesh. They can infest livestock and other warm-blooded animals, including people.

USDA urges residents on the southern border to check their pets and livestock for signs of NWS .

“Look for draining or enlarging wounds and signs of discomfort,” USDA said. “Also look for screwworm larvae (maggots) and eggs in or around body openings, such as the nose, ears, and genitalia or the navel of newborn animals. If you suspect your animal is infected with screwworm, contact your state animal health official or USDA area veterinarian immediately.”

Although not common in people, if you notice a suspicious lesion on your body or suspect you may have contracted screwworm, seek immediate medical attention.

Emergency Use of Animal Drugs Approved to Combat New World Screwworm

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 16:09:22 GMT

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tick Riders Join the Fight Against New World Screwworm Threat

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 20:33:08 GMT

With the detection of New World screwworm (NWS) in Mexico, the Tick Riders, a dedicated group of mounted patrol inspectors, will have a new job to tackle.

The Tick Riders have been patrolling the southern U.S. border for more than 100 years. Their mission has been protecting U.S. cattle from the cattle fever tick, a troublesome parasite that causes severe blood loss, weakness and can transmit deadly diseases like babesiosis and anaplasmosis.

The Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program (CFTEP), established in 1906, uses modern tools like chemical treatments, anti-tick vaccines and injectable medications to manage the threat, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) explains in a release.

A Line of Defense
Because Mexico continues to report cases of babesiosis, the Permanent Quarantine Zone (PQZ)—stretching from Brownsville to Del Rio, Texas—remains a critical line of defense. Within this zone, Tick Riders monitor for stray livestock crossing the border that may carry these dangerous ticks.

Cattle fever ticks carry bovine babesiosis, which is severe and often fatal.

(USDA)

To help prevent NWS, CFTEP has launched a preventive treatment protocol for all cattle and horses apprehended along the PQZ. Under the new protocol, CFTEP staff will apply NWS-preventative treatments to captured animals.

“These treatments are safe for animals and the environment. They do not replace APHIS’ routine inspections for cattle fever ticks,” APHIS explains.

However, to defend the U.S. from mounting threats of NWS, APHIS is employing these additional measures.

Don’t Accept Unusual
The NWS fly lays eggs and larvae in open wounds of warm-blooded animals,” says Russ Daly, Extension veterinarian for South Dakota State University. “NWS’s function is similar (but different) to a maggot. Domestic blow flies lay their eggs on dead tissue. The resulting maggots feed on the dead tissue. The difference with NWS is it lays its eggs on living tissue and will feed on living tissue.”

(USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service)

NWS is endemic in parts of the Caribbean and South America and has recently spread as far north as southern Mexico.

“As Tick Riders take on this new challenge, they continue to exemplify APHIS’ commitment to protecting U.S. agriculture,” APHIS reports. “Their work helps ensure that farmers, ranchers and producers can keep feeding, fueling and clothing America.”

Daly challenges livestock producers to pay attention to unusual situations. If you have an animal that suddenly has a lot of necrotic tissue that fly larvae (maggots) are trying to clean up, Daly says that’s a sign producers need to take seriously.

“NWS does respond to some insecticides that we would use for show pigs or horses during the summer to keep the flies off,” Daly adds. “But in order to get that animal healed up, the larvae have to be flushed out and removed by a veterinarian. These infestations can lead to secondary infections to worry about. And, if the infestation has gone deep enough, there could be severe muscle damage or damage to other organs that are beyond help.”

Treatment products need to be considered, adds Lisa Becton, assistant director of SHIC. Because of this, wound care is key during NWS infestation.

“If you have animals that have sores, it’s very important to treat that wound,” Becton says. “You may or may not be able to use a sealant, whether that’s iodine or antibacterial. Wound care is very important to help get a wound healing fast, even if you also have to use antimicrobials for an animal to help prevent other infection.”

Learn more:
Protect Your Livestock: Signs of New World Screwworm

Keep Animals Safe and Healthy During Excessive Heat

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 20:11:47 GMT

Excessive heat will once again blast much of the U.S. this week, with heat indices predicted to reach 110 degrees Fahrenheit or more in many locations. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign animal welfare expert Angela Green-Miller says pets and livestock are at risk, and it’s up to humans to keep them safe.

Green-Miller runs the Animal Welfare, Environment, and Sustainability Laboratory as an associate professor in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, part of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences and The Grainger College of Engineering at Illinois.

Green-Miller answers common questions from pet owners and livestock producers.

First of all, how do animals cool themselves?
Different animals use different methods, but some broad brush-strokes for all animals include seeking shade and shelter, lowering activity and feed intake to keep metabolism down, and drinking more water. Any of the cooling strategies we would use, they would use too.

Don’t some animals not sweat? How do they keep cool?
That’s true. Dogs and pigs, for example. They dissipate heat through panting, defecation, and urination. They may increase those activities, which makes it that much more important to replenish their water supply.

What can humans do to help animals when it’s hot? Let’s start with pets.
Anything you would do for yourself, you could do for them. Bring them into the air conditioning, if possible, make sure they have access to plenty of water, and try to have them rest indoors or in the shade during the hottest part of the day. For outdoor animals, shade is critically important. Also, if they can be elevated from hot surfaces, such as on an elevated bed, that will let air circulate around them and remove some of that heat.

What about livestock?
We need to make sure the air is moving, bringing fresh air into the barn, even if it’s hot outside. The animals are contributing energy and heat into the environment, so the more of that we can move out, the better. And moving air over their body surface helps them release some of that energy.

For animals in indoor confinement, producers can alter lighting and feeding schedules. The idea is for them to rest during the hottest part of the day, so keep the lights down and withhold feed until it starts to cool down. That’s not an uncommon strategy, but there may be some producers out there who could use a reminder.

It’s also critical to ensure that water lines are working and that there’s fresh water flowing. Double-check those drinkers a little more frequently to make sure they’re not clogged. This is the time of year when we emphasize the critical nature of maintenance. If there’s any deferred maintenance, bump it up to the top of the priority list because a broken fan in this type of weather is one of the worst situations we can have.

What are the potential economic impacts of excessive heat on the livestock industry? Are there predictable dips in productivity every summer?
Absolutely. Feed intake is reduced during heat events, so we see dips in productivity. They’re also losing energy in the form of heat instead of putting it toward growth. We see reproductive impacts as well. Breeding rates tend to drop whenever there’s a heat event, and sometimes we see gestational impacts as well, especially in animals that are late in gestation.

Protect Your Livestock: Signs of New World Screwworm

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 15:45:16 GMT

Lizeth Olivarez doesn’t know if people will have the stomach to deal with New World screwworm (NWS). She’s a sixth-generation rancher who runs cattle in the U.S. and in Mexico at Las bendiciones Ranch in Realitos, Texas, and Rancho El Cuellareno in Guerrero, Tamaulipas.

Although she hasn’t experienced it herself, she has grown up hearing story after story about NWS from both her grandfather and father who dealt with NWS when the deadly fly struck in the 1960s. With reports of NWS in seven states in Mexico, the U.S. continues to bolster its defenses to keep the pest out.

(USDA)

“The first time around NWS was eradicated by using sterile flies dropped from planes in a box that look like a Big Mac burger box with a target sign on it,” Olivarez says. “The only way to eradicate the NWS is with sterile flies.”

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced a five-pronged plan to combat NWS on June 18 partnering with Mexican counterparts and using this sterile insect technology to stop the spread.

“It’s important to clarify we currently don’t have [NWS] here in the U.S.,” says Russ Daly, Extension veterinarian for South Dakota State University.

He admits it’s a strange name for a fly – New World screwworm – because it makes you think it’s a worm.

“It’s not actually a worm – it’s the larvae of the NWS fly that deposits its eggs in animals,” he explains. “They can get big in size, up to two-thirds of an inch. The first person who described them might have thought they look like little worms. They have ridges that are spiral, and that allows these larvae to burrow down into the animal. That’s how they get their name.”

The NWS fly lays eggs and larvae in open wounds of warm-blooded animals. Daly says NWS’s function is similar (but different) to a maggot. Domestic blow flies lay their eggs on dead tissue. The resulting maggots feed on the dead tissue. The difference with NWS is it lays its eggs on living tissue and will feed on living tissue.

“NWS is not easy to recognize,” Daly adds. “You really need an entomologist to recognize the fly and the larvae. For recognizing a problem in the animal, it might come down to recognizing a larval infestation that is showing up in unusual circumstances.”

(Lori Hays)

It’s Not Just a Cattle Problem
Megan Niederwerder, executive director of the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC), says it’s important to remember this is not just a cattle disease – it impacts other livestock species and humans as well.

(Lori Hays)

“The fly can deposit its larvae in any open wounds as well as surgical sites such as castrations and umbilical sites after a newborn animal is born. It can also deposit its larvae in any mucous membranes,” Niederwerder says. “Keep an eye on non-healing wounds or wounds that have a foul odor or bloody discharge.”

She says the animals often feel discomfort and pain due to this non-healing wound so they may isolate themselves and be off feed.

“It’s really important to stay vigilant as we think about increasing awareness and understanding of what the fly looks like,” Niederwerder says. “We also need to understand what the clinical signs may look like as the introduction and incursions in Mexico have increased the risk for the U.S., too.”

Although the cases in Mexico have been primarily cattle, she notes there have also been cases in pigs, horses, sheep, goats, dogs and even in humans in Mexico.

“We really don’t like to think about that human part of it,” Daly says. “I don’t want to downplay it, but in people, we would certainly know when we have an irritation or when a fly is on us. But we need to think about the people who potentially are debilitated and wouldn’t know they have a fly on them for a long period of time or that something’s wrong.”

Watch Out for the Unusual
Olivarez urges producers to call their veterinarian immediately if they suspect NWS. During the 1960s outbreak in the U.S., she says most ranchers first noticed it around the umbilical cords of newborn calves.

“It affected ranches the most, especially those that had cattle out on the range where you need manpower to monitor for open wounds, cuts or sores of any kind as well as cows with newborns since the fly will attack the umbilical cord,” Olivarez explains.

She says it’s not only important to monitor cattle but also pay attention to wildlife and pets that live on your property since they could indirectly bring NWS.

Daly challenges livestock producers to pay attention to unusual situations. If you have an animal that suddenly has a lot of necrotic tissue that fly larvae (maggots) are trying to clean up, Daly says that’s a sign producers need to take seriously.

(Lori Hays)

“If there isn’t a wound or a very good reason why there would be an infestation of those larvae that should tip off animal owners, caretakers and veterinarians,” Daly says. “There needs to be some sort of break in the skin to attract the NWS fly, but that something can be so minuscule you wouldn’t even notice it.”

He says it could be as small as a bug bite and is often so tiny producers don’t know how the initial entry even happened.

“NWS does its damage by burrowing into living tissue,” Daly explains. “But they can be drawn to the animal through secretions from that minor break in the skin, and then start to invade the living tissue as well. In addition, once the NWS sets up the wound and causes the infestation, normal blow flies then can come in and get in there, too.”

(Lori Hays)

The females lay their eggs very quickly, he adds. It doesn’t take long for the larvae to develop from there. He says the flies like to deposit their eggs on their “victims” in the afternoon.

“They choose this timing because when it cools off at night, it helps the development of the eggs into the larvae,” Daly says. “This all happens within 10 to 12 hours. If you have a fly that gets into a nick on a pig in the afternoon, for example, by next morning, there’s larvae starting to burrow in already.”

The fly has a lifespan of 28 days, Olivarez shared with followers of Texas Farm Bureau on TikTok.

@txfarmbureau Ever heard of the New World screwworm? South Texas rancher Lizeth Cuellar Olivarez breaks down why this tiny pest is a big problem for livestock. #texasfarmbureau #agtok #farmtok #fyp #screwworm ♬ original sound - texasfarmbureau

“During this time, NWS can lay eggs four times and lay 300 eggs each time,” Olivarez says. “If it goes untreated, after three weeks the larvae will fall and convert to a fly that then goes looking for another animal to attack.”

Treatment Tactics Aren’t Pretty
If an animal becomes infested with NWS, treatment is not easy or pleasant. The larvae have to be removed, Daly explains.

“NWS does respond to some insecticides that we would use for show pigs or horses during the summer to keep the flies off,” Daly adds. “But in order to get that animal healed up, the larvae have to be flushed out and removed by a veterinarian. These infestations can lead to secondary infections to worry about. And, if the infestation has gone deep enough, there could be severe muscle damage or damage to other organs that are beyond help.”

Treatment products need to be considered, adds Lisa Becton, assistant director of SHIC. Because of this, wound care is key during NWS infestation.

“If you have animals that have sores, it’s very important to treat that wound,” Becton says. “You may or may not be able to use a sealant, whether that’s iodine or antibacterial. Wound care is very important to help get a wound healing fast, even if you also have to use antimicrobials for an animal to help prevent other infection.”

It is treatable, but NWS is a painful event for animals and humans alike, Becton says. Rapid identification and action are critical.

Stay Alert, But Don’t Panic
Livestock trade and wildlife migrating due to different issues with climate and weather have helped move the infestation further north.

“The flies actually don’t fly that far,” he explains. “They typically fly less than 10 to 12 miles in their life span. So, they aren’t flying over on the wind and getting into these new places. It has more to do with animal movement.”

Fortunately, Daly says NWS is like any other fly in that they need somewhere to overwinter, so they won’t survive freezing temperatures. However, if they moved into this region in June or July, they would have a foothold until the frost.

“When we let our guard down and don’t look for it as much, or don’t use the sterile flies as often, that’s when things fire up again,” Daly says.

He says it’s not time to panic, but it’s important to be observant. The basics of good animal husbandry remain the most important thing for producers to focus on now.

“Sometimes it’s much easier said than done, especially in outdoor raising situations,” Daly says. “From fly control to monitoring animals, the best way to snuff something out like this quickly is good observation and animal care.”

Your Next Read: New World Screwworm: The Billion Dollar Battle at the Southern Border

Hungary Suggests 'Biological Attack' Could be Source of Foot-and-Mouth Outbreak

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 15:35:24 GMT

Hungary on Thursday suggested a “biological attack” as a possible source of the country’s first foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in more than half a century, which has triggered border closures and the mass slaughter of cattle in the northwest.

Hungary reported a first case of foot-and-mouth disease in over 50 years on a cattle farm in the northwest near the border with Austria and Slovakia last month, the World Organisation for Animal Health said, citing Hungarian authorities.

Animal health authorities had made checks at nearly 1,000 farms across Hungary by Thursday, with only four in the affected northwestern region returning positive results.

“At this stage, we can say that it cannot be ruled out that the virus was not of natural origin, we may be dealing with an artificially engineered virus,” Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s chief of staff, Gergely Gulyas told a media briefing.

Responding to a question, Gulyas said he could not rule out that the virus outbreak was the result of a biological attack, without giving information on who might be responsible.

He also said that suspicion was based on verbal information received from a foreign laboratory and that their findings have not yet been fully proven and documented.

Hungary’s cattle stock numbered 861,000 head based on a livestock census in December, little changed from levels a year earlier. That constituted 1.2% of the European Union’s total cattle stocks, official statistics showed.

Foot-and-mouth disease poses no danger to humans but causes fever and mouth blisters in cloven-hoofed ruminants such as cattle, swine, sheep and goats, and outbreaks often lead to trade restrictions.

Thousands of cattle had to be culled as the landlocked country tried to contain the outbreak, while Austria and Slovakia have closed dozens of border crossings, after the disease also appeared in the southern part of Slovakia.

“Everyone was just standing there, crying and saying that this cannot be true, that this was impossible,” said Paul Meixner, an Austrian-Hungarian dual citizen, who owns of one of the affected farms in Hungary.

While his business has taken a 1.5 billion forint ($4.09 million) loss after culling 3,000 cattle and other livestock, Meixner has vowed to rebuild.

“In two weeks, we will start harvesting and storing the hay,” he said. “We need the fodder for next year.”

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

6 Ways to Reduce Your Risk of Wildlife Biosecurity Breaches

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 22:37:09 GMT

Wildlife serve an important purpose, but they can also be a major threat to livestock. It’s not possible to keep all wildlife out, but steps can be taken to decrease their activity. Before taking any action, make sure that the wildlife you want to control are not endangered, threatened or protected in your area.

One way you can keep unwanted visitors out is by buttoning up your biosecurity measures to prevent the introduction and spread of infectious diseases and pathogens.

1. Compromised exclusion
When damage occurs to barriers you put up to keep birds away, that can actually create more habitat. Now birds can get in and get behind the barrier which serves as the perfect protection from predators. Nests of wild birds are an indicator that birds are using your Line of Separation for housing.

Robin nest on barn ledge.

(USDA Wildlife Services)

2. Breaches in the foundation
Keep buildings and fences in good repair. Seal holes where wildlife can enter. Anything over 1 square inch is possible for a house sparrow to get into. Repair screens and doors and replace rotting or damaged wood. Nests of wild birds are an indicator that birds are using your Line of Separation for housing.

3. Holes/construction issues
Repair holes in buildings or barns to prevent entry. Regularly check and repair damaged screens on windows and doors

4. Spilled feed
Remove excess feed and feed spills as these can attract bird flocks. It’s not uncommon for birds to defecate while eating. This becomes an opportunity for mice and other rodents to eat the spilled feed and bird poop before heading back into the barn. Keep a broom and lidded garbage container at every feed storage area for quick cleanups.

Feed spillage

(USDA Wildlife Services)

5. Standing water
The virus itself can live in water for months if it’s cold. If you see water, consider it positive for virus. Don’t walk or move equipment through or near standing water— this could track wildlife feces or other contaminants with the virus into your barns.

6. Clutter and tree management
Clutter and trees around the farm provide the perfect habitat for birds and other wildlife to find refuge. Reduce natural food sources by removing fallen fruit and mowing grass often.

Your Next Read: Don’t Be Deceived: Wildlife Pose Serious Threat to Livestock Producers

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

Thu, 27 Mar 2025 20:44:19 GMT

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 16:58:21 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

Is the Swine Industry Ready for H5N1? Texas Veterinarian Says “No”

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 13:11:29 GMT

Nearly one year ago, USDA made a shocking announcement. Highly pathogenic avian influenza type A H5N1 (H5N1) was identified in milk and in cows on two dairy farms in Texas and two dairy farms in Kansas. A disease no veterinarian had previously feared in cattle had jumped from wild birds to domestic cows.

Scanlon Daniels, a large animal veterinarian with Circle H Headquarters in Dalhart, Texas, received a call 10 days prior to that announcement that he will never forget from one of his dairy clients that something wasn’t right with some of the cows.

“My client sent me a text: ‘I think I might have it,’” Daniels says.

He went out to the dairy, collected samples from four cows and submitted them to Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) as any good swine vet would do, he explained, during the American Association of Swine Veterinarians annual meeting. He also took some nasal swabs and tested those in his own lab. He did a follow-up, collecting samples from 20 different cows later on that week and sent those to the Iowa State University Veterinary Diagnostic Lab.

The four cows that initially presented symptoms of decreased rumination, decreased activity and nasal discharge were eventually confirmed to have H5N1. Right around that same time, he said there were reports from Texas Animal Health Commission about a backyard poultry flock in the county next door diagnosed with H5N1.

Scanlon Daniels shares his experience with H5N1 in Texas.

(Jennifer Shike)

“We had a suspicion that it could have been influenza, because of what was going on with some of the detections in birds in that area,” Daniels says. “But from my standpoint, I was thinking about flu from all my experiences dealing with it in pigs, and it didn’t present as a primary respiratory pathogen. It presented as a mastitis pathogen. Once we knew to look for it in milk, it was super easy to find, but we had to get over that hurdle to be able to rapidly identify it.”

In the past 15 years, Daniels grew his practice to develop its own laboratory capabilities, conducting PCR and Elisa testing for swine, dairy and beef clients. This, combined with his involvement with H5N1 from before it was even identified as an issue in cattle, caused him to bring up an incredibly important question for the swine industry: Are you ready for H5N1?

Who is Steering the Ship?
To date, H5N1 has been discovered in one pig that was on a hobby farm with H5N1-infected poultry. Although this is considered an isolated incident and hasn’t been discovered in the commercial swine population, it needs to be on everyone’s radar, Daniels says.

Andrew Bowman, DVM, one of the country’s top swine influenza experts, joined The PORK Podcast during a special report on H5N1 last fall. A professor in the Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine at The Ohio State University, he is well-known for his expertise in swine production medicine, veterinary public health and epidemiology.

“Across the swine industry, we routinely deal with influenza, so we’re pretty well versed in flu,” Bowman says. “But this adds a whole other character to the scene that we really don’t want reassorting with the flu viruses we already have.”

One of the things that makes H5N1 different than other new swine disease outbreaks is that the USDA has jurisdiction over H5 in any animal, so they have the regulatory authority, Daniels says.

“USDA had no rules or regulations around H5 in cattle, and we’re at the same place today in the swine industry,” Daniels adds. “If we were to find H5 in swine, USDA would have the authority and there are no rules or regulations around it.”

This has made the discovery of H5N1 in dairy cattle challenging in the past year, because it’s taken a long time for those regulations to be developed.

“There’s the state and federal aspect of that, where states have autonomy to set their own rules, and then federal rules can come in place that everybody has to abide by,” he points out. “There’s been this slowly evolving plan with a patchwork of regulations by different states. That’s been challenging to keep up with as a veterinarian and a producer.”

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has likely amplified concerns around influenza’s ability to be transmitted from humans to animals and from animals to humans.

“This has resulted in a high concern about influenza being the next COVID. Yes, that could happen. Today it hasn’t to that degree.”

Scanlon Daniels

People are fearful of government influence and interaction, he says.

“No one wanted to be first or second or third to get H5N1 in their dairy cattle – just like no one wanted to be first to get COVID-19. There was a reluctance to test because of the uncertainty of it,” Daniels explains. “People fear government overreach or regulations that wouldn’t be applied in a fair or equal way across the industry.”

The Stakes are High
Everybody has a stake in this issue, Daniels says. The challenge is that everybody comes to it with differing priorities regarding the issues at hand.

The American Association of Bovine Practitioners invited seven different groups that have the ability to provide vaccine to share about their technologies on a webinar. This gave avian and bovine veterinarians alike exposure to their vaccine technology.

“The hard part is getting everybody to agree on what needs to happen,” Daniels says.

But he believes the vaccine question is worth talking about.

“If it was just another influenza, we would have had a vaccine available in a couple weeks, honestly,” he says. “The government has the ability to authorize vaccine use under an emergency use exemption. For all the concerns that have been talked about with export markets, and how people might respond from a trade standpoint, they haven’t been willing to look at that. But if we could use vaccine on an experimental use basis, we would know a lot more by now about the value of that intervention.”

In a USDA update on March 20, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said USDA is exploring the viability of vaccinating poultry for highly pathogenic avian influenza. However, Rollins said the use of any vaccine for poultry or any animal species has not been authorized at this time.

“I know there has been some misreporting on that,” Rollins said. “The day we rolled out the plan, I actually talked about the fact that we’re not ready to vaccinate. We need to do some more research, and so that has not changed, but I do look forward to this next process of learning more about getting more research done and perhaps seeing what makes sense for the country moving forward, once that is concluded.”

Another concern on Daniels’ mind is the implication with human health. Influenza A viruses are common in people. They are constantly changing and reassorting.

“Influenza viruses exist and circulate in people all the time,” says National Pork Board chief veterinarian Dusty Oedekoven . “The threat of influenza virus infection is ever present. It’s why healthcare providers recommend people get annual influenza vaccines to prevent against new strains of the virus that are emerging all the time.”

Daniels says the unknown transmission opportunities between humans and animals, especially pigs, can be concerning.

“The transmission from people to pigs is a legitimate concern. As an industry, it might be worthwhile doing some serological surveillance.”

Scanlon Daniels

At a recent bovine practitioners meeting, they surveyed 150 veterinarians and found three of them have had prior exposure to H5N1, he says. Some of those had no contact with dairy or birds.

“It would probably be wise for us to do some serosurveillance to know if people working at hog farms have had some exposure and it hasn’t transmitted yet,” he points out.

For example, his lab had a lot of infected milk come through before they knew what it was.

“My staff had legitimate fears and concerns we had to address,” Daniels says. “Fortunately, we didn’t experience any illness or lost time outside of the normal. That could have been different. We can’t lose sight of the human aspect of it. I am a human, a swine vet and a beef producer, so I can understand several aspects of it from a balanced way.”

Hurdle By Hurdle
At the end of the day, the swine industry has a lot to learn from what the dairy industry experienced in the past year, he says.

“On one hand, we have advantages relative to bovine veterinarians because we have a strong background and applied experience in diagnostics and strong working relationships with state and federal animal health officials,” Daniels says. “We have a mindset of disease elimination when possible and strong integrated relationships with producers. The swine industry also has the ability to direct Pork Checkoff dollars toward research (the dairy industry does not).”

On the other hand, he says many of the factors that have caused consternation will continue to be problematic if HPAI is identified in swine. Studies need to be done looking at H5N1 in swine, he says. If a sow is infected, does it transmit to pigs? Can her pigs shed it to contact controls? How could the movement of wean pigs spread the disease?

He also wonders if pigs have some cross-protective immunity at this point because influenza is pretty much endemic in almost all swine populations. And, even though it presents in the mammary system in cows, he argues the swine industry could do some additional work in growing pigs, because it would be easier to deal with there than on a sow farm.

One of the biggest hurdles is that H5N1 is a select agent. Once samples are known to be positive for H5N1 antigen, there are many requirements related to storage, handling and testing that come into play. Space is limited to research H5N1 and Daniels is concerned at the delay in testing this virus in swine.

“Another challenge is H5N1 is of economic significance to dairy producers but has not been great enough to stimulate much independent industry action.”

Scanlon Daniels

For comparison, the relative economic impact of H5N1 in dairy is estimated to be approximately 10% that of a porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) outbreak in swine, he says.

“We have seen growing interest by veterinarians and producers in eliminating H1 and H3 influenza infections in swine, but the interest and adoption is less than what we see for porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome and PEDV,” Daniels says. “Would we see the same if H5N1 was identified in swine?”

He believes the swine industry still has an opportunity to develop the response to H5N1 in commercial swine before it occurs.

“It’s time to get some of these questions answered that are important to us,” Daniels says. “If it were to happen, we need to be prepared to address some of the risk factors, things that are real versus the fear of the unknown.”

Your Next Read: Influenza Expert Gets Real About the H5N1 Risk to Your Swine Herd

Editor’s Note: On March 12, APHIS confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza H7N9 in a broiler chicken breeder flock in Mississippi. APHIS has previously documented H7 low pathogenicity avian influenza in U.S. wild bird surveillance this year and in previous years, but this is the first HPAI H7 case in commercial poultry in the U.S. since 2017. This H7N9 virus is a fully North American virus of wild bird-origin and is unrelated to the Eurasian H5N1 currently circulating in the U.S. Spillovers of avian influenza from wild bird sources can occur due to breaches in biosecurity. APHIS closely monitors these subtypes because H5 and H7 LPAI viruses in poultry species such as chickens and turkeys can mutate into highly pathogenic avian influenza.

Hungary Confirms Foot-and-Mouth Disease Outbreak in Cattle

Fri, 07 Mar 2025 22:43:19 GMT

Hungary reported its first case of foot-and-mouth disease in more than 50 years, on a cattle farm in the northwest of the country, the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) said, citing Hungarian authorities on March 7.

According to WOAH, the outbreak, discovered in the city of Gyor, is the first outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease outbreak reported since 1973. The case was found on a 1,400-strong cattle farm on the border with Slovakia, Hungary’s National Food Chain Safety Office (Nébih) reported on Friday .

The farm showed classic symptoms of foot-and-mouth disease at the beginning of March, the report says.

“The presence of the pathogen was confirmed by the Nébih laboratory, which is why Dr. Szabolcs Pásztor, the national chief veterinarian, immediately ordered the closure of the farm and the initiation of an epidemiological investigation,” the report says. " In order to prevent the further spread of the disease, extremely strict official measures will be implemented, including a ban on the transport of susceptible live animal species.”

On Jan. 10, Germany confirmed its first outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease since 1988. The outbreak was detected in a herd of water buffalo in the Märkisch-Oderland district of Brandenburg, near Berlin.

“The confirmation of foot-and-mouth disease in cattle in Hungary comes less than two months after the virus was found in water buffalo in Germany,” the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) said in a statement. “Hungary does not share a border with Germany; FMD-affected animals are approximately 475 miles apart.”

FMD affects cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, pigs, sheep and goats. Not only is it highly contagious, but it also causes severe symptoms, including fever, painful blisters, reduced milk production and significant economic losses for farmers.

FMD poses no direct health risk to humans, but it’s important to note that they can act as carriers of the virus via contaminated clothing, shoes or equipment.

Your Next Read: An Update on Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus Serotype O in Germany

Elanco Launches Pradalex for Treatment of Livestock Respiratory Diseases

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 03:35:59 GMT

Elanco Animal Health Incorporated announced the availability of Pradalex (pradofloxacin injection) for the treatment of swine respiratory disease (SRD) and bovine respiratory disease (BRD).

The first new molecule and injectable antibiotic treatment to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat BRD and SRD in roughly two decades, Pradalex offers livestock producers a new tool in the toolbox.

“SRD is the most prevalent cause of nursery and grow-finish pig deaths in the U.S. creating substantial production and economic losses for producers and accounting for additional annual costs of up to $5 per pig,” the company said in a release. “In the cattle industry, BRD — or ‘shipping fever’ — is one of the most frequent and costly stocker and feedlot diseases, affecting the health and wellbeing of animals and potentially costing producers $1 billion annually.”

Available in 100 mL and 250 mL volumes, Pradalex is indicated for the treatment of BRD and SRD and kills major BRD and SRD bacteria, including Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida, Histophilus somni and Mycoplasma bovis in cattle and Bordetella bronchiseptica, Pasteurella multocida, Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, Glaesserella (Haemophilus) parasuis and Streptococcus suis in pigs.

“The launch of Pradalex further demonstrates Elanco’s commitment to bring new tools and innovations that help address some of our customers’ biggest challenges,” José Manuel Correia de Simas, executive vice president, U.S. farm animal at Elanco, said in a release. “Pradalex is a new molecule with a novel mode of action that treats respiratory diseases in beef and swine, strengthening our portfolio of solutions and providing veterinarians and producers with multiple choices to prevent and control respiratory challenges.”

The treatment is a convenient single-dose, low-volume antibiotic with “excellent syringeability and an industry-leading withdrawal period,” the company said in a release. Pradalex’s structural differences result in a dual targeting effect that yields improved potency compared to similar antibiotics, Elanco added.

Because Pradalex is rapidly absorbed and distributed at the injection site, it can reach a high and effective therapeutic concentration in plasma within 45 minutes of administration to cattle and a high maximum therapeutic concentration in cattle lung pulmonary epithelial lining fluid within six hours. The company explained this aids in the fast in-vitro elimination of bacteria and limits lung damage in both cattle and swine. Its pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profile reduces the time needed to select resistant bacteria, contributing to judicious antibiotic use , Elanco said.

“Pradalex combines a high plasma peak concentration reached very quickly with a unique mode of action, resulting in comprehensive coverage of Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens,” Pat Hoffmann, Elanco swine technical consultant, said in a release. “It makes an exceptional option for a spot treatment injectable intervention.”

Pradalex is indicated for the treatment of:

SRD in weaned swine intended for harvest
BRD in beef cattle (calves two months of age and over, steers, heifers and bulls intended for slaughter and replacement heifers and bulls intended for breeding and less than one year of age)
BRD in dairy cattle (replacement heifers and bulls less than one year of age)

Pradalex should not be used in swine intended for breeding (boars intended for breeding, replacement gilts and sows intended for breeding) and in nursing piglets. Pradalex should also not be used in male and female cattle intended for breeding that are over one year of age, in calves under two months of age, or in veal calves.

“At Elanco, we focus on bringing producers a broad portfolio of solutions to support their disease prevention efforts, starting with vaccines and feed additives that optimize the health outcomes of calves,” Ronald Tessman, Elanco beef technical consultant, said in a release. “When antibiotics are necessary, Elanco has a full range to fit producers’ needs. Pradalex is our newest antibiotic and is truly different from any other product on the market, giving producers another valuable tool that can be used in an integrated approach to reducing losses due to BRD.”

Learn more at farmanimal.elanco.com/us/swine/product/pradalex and pradalexforcattle.com .

Your Next Read: Passing on Values (and the Business) from One Generation to the Next