Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Livestock diseases”
Both voluntary and official quarantines are used to limit the spread of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1). For a month beginning the week prior to Thanksgiving 2019, both types of movement restriction were implemented in several parts of the country. Case reports can be found on the disease outbreak alert page maintained by the Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC). The Impacts of …
When making cookies, the best part for me was eating the raw cookie dough. However, my brother was never a fan of it. He would always tell me that he did not want to risk getting sick. I, on the other hand, did not mind taking a risk to enjoy the raw dough. Recently, I realized an important risk for …
During October 2019, Australia’s agriculture minister cancelled a Vietnamese woman’s visa after authorities found 22 pounds of undeclared food products in her luggage. The luggage contained pork, quail, squid, pâté, fruit, eggs and garlic (Griffiths, 2019). International travel and trade increases the risks of introducing a foreign/exotic disease or pest into another country. Australia had to develop an extensive eradication …
There are many reasons why people are reluctant to comply with government laws and regulations. However, a cooperative state-federal-industry program for eradicating scrapie in the United States has resulted in excellent progress towards eliminating this disease in sheep and goats. The number of animals testing positive for scrapie in the U.S. has decreased by 99 percent, since analysis of producer-submitted …
A line of separation is a biosecurity practice that involves setting up boundaries or zones on a livestock operation. The purpose of the line is to block the introduction, or limit the spread of disease-causing agents (NPPC, 2013). Compliance with procedures for crossing the line can become an issue with farm workers and visitors. The line is meant to separate …
African swine fever (ASF) is a foreign animal disease (FAD) that has been rapidly spreading across Asia and parts of Europe. When ASF is found on a premises, all of the animals must be culled to prevent further disease spread. If this disease is found in the United States, the federal government will offer compensation to owners of swine herds …
Summer and fall are the times of year when many livestock producers participate in fairs, exhibitions and shows. However, it is not the time to be lax about biosecurity measures given the ongoing risks of commingling animals at these events. Horses and other livestock being hauled to and from exhibitions may contribute to spreading vesicular stomatitis (VS) and other highly …
Livestock production in the United States varies in size and scope from large-scale commercial operations to small-scale, backyard producers. At the national level, plans have been created to ensure that in the event of a foreign animal disease outbreak, unaffected parts of the agriculture industry can avoid interruption. These “food supply plans” may seem unimportant for farms with local markets …
Picture this: a typical hot, sunny and dry summer morning on a Texas cattle ranch. A rancher heads out to check on the herd and finds a dead cow. The cow seemed healthy a day or two ago. However, considering the cow’s death was sudden and the ranch is located in the “anthrax belt”, the rancher immediately calls a veterinarian …
Biosecurity and surveillance are complementary. Health surveillance in human, plant, or animal contexts involves collecting, analyzing, and interpreting health-related data. These data then inform what is done in terms of health programs and strategic communication. National surveillance systems often rely on the reporting of diagnoses of certain diseases to regulatory agencies. However, agricultural industries can find value in sharing animal …
What do you do when an uncontrolled virus is rapidly sweeping the world’s largest pork producer, killing millions of pigs? Furthermore, how do you make people who are removed from the problem care about it? China is currently trying to answer these questions as they experience an African swine fever (ASF) outbreak, a huge threat to national and international biosecurity. …
When I was young, my parents would tell me to stay away from wild animals. They said that I could catch a disease, so I heeded their warnings but never really understood the reasons why. As a college student, I am grateful for their wisdom after learning about diseases that wild animals can spread to domesticated animals and humans. A …
