Sheep in a field with barns in the background

Rinderpest’s Reign of Terror

Katie Loberti Animal Health, Livestock diseases, Policy, Wildlife

A disease so fearsome it was given the name “cattle plague”, rinderpest left behind trails of devastation in the wake of outbreaks. The 1887-1892 Great Ethiopian Famine occurred when almost all of the cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats and wildlife species died from this disease (Morens, D. M., et al., 2011). In the 19th century, rinderpest killed 20 percent of all …

Lamb in a field

Producers Benefit from Scrapie Program Cooperation

Samantha Shields Animal Health, Livestock diseases, Policy Leave a Comment

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 …

Four farm pigs

DUNS Number & Indemnity for FAD Disasters

Samantha Shields Livestock diseases, Policy Leave a Comment

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 …

Poultry production and secure food supply plans

Small Farms, Big Impact: Secure Food Supply Plans

Samantha Shields Animal Health, Livestock diseases, Policy Leave a Comment

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 …