How to protect your herd from new diseases

How to protect your herd from new diseases

Canadian Cattlemen
05.08.2006

Larry Thomas — John Gay figures biosecurity is a misnomer; he prefers to think of it as insurance, or risk management. Gay, a veterinarian and field disease investigations expert at Washington State University, along with Rob Tremblay, Boehringer-Ingelheim Canada’s technical services vet, discussed the local vet’s role in guarding beef and dairy farms from new diseases at the Western Canadian Association of Bovine Practitioners’ conference in January.

One of the first points they made is the “closed herd” concept is a fallacy as far as diseases are concerned.

If you buy replacement stock or herdsires; commingle cattle; have a common fence line with neighbors; have wildlife, pests and rodents on the property; hire livestock haulers; take cattle to shows and fairs; or have employees that live off the place then your farm or ranch is not biosecure.

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US team to meet with Japanese on beef ban as soon as next week(Updated 03:56 p.m.)

US team to meet with Japanese on beef ban as soon as next week(Updated 03:56 p.m.)

2006/5/9
TOKYO (AP)
China Post

U.S. and Japanese agricultural officials could meet as soon as next week to discuss the lifting of Tokyo’s ban on American beef, officials from both countries said Tuesday.

The U.S. is inspecting American beef facilities and will soon dispatch a technical team to give Tokyo the findings, the officials said.

Michael Boyle, spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, said the meeting would be held next week.

Naomi Morikawa, a spokesman for Japan’s Agriculture Ministry, said that no date had been set, but that the meeting could happen next week.

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Mad-cow probe finds no new cases in B.C.

Mad-cow probe finds no new cases in B.C.

Toronto Globe and mail

Ottawa — The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has wrapped up its investigation of animals connected to a case of mad-cow disease, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, found in the Fraser Valley.

Tests on a dozen cattle exposed to the same feed as the infected animal have come back negative. The inspection agency examined 146 cattle connected to the sick cow, plus its most recent offspring.

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U.S. meat plant probes to end next week: Johanns

U.S. meat plant probes to end next week: Johanns

Mainichi Daily News

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said Monday the ongoing inspections of domestic meat processing facilities, intended to prove the safety of U.S. beef for the Japanese market, are likely to be complete next week.

Johanns showed the prospect at a press conference after delivering a speech here.

Such inspections are one of the conditions Tokyo has set for resuming beef imports from the United States.

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Foot-and-mouth disease appears in Hanoi

Foot-and-mouth disease appears in Hanoi

Vietnam Bridge
11:07′ 09/05/2006 (GMT+7)

VietNamNet – The Hanoi Veterinary Department has reported that foot-and-mouth disease has appeared in seven communes in Soc Son, Dong Anh and Long Bien districts.

Officials have named the affected areas and breeders have agreed not to sell diseased cattle. The Hanoi Veterinary Department has vaccinated pigs around the affected areas as well. Local veterinary officials have vaccinated approximately 70% of cattle in the three districts affected.

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Making best use of existing Arkansas forages

Making best use of existing Arkansas forages

May 8, 2006 9:28 AM
By David Bennett, Farm Press Editorial Staff

For decades cattle producers have dealt with tall fescue toxicosis and hoped for a remedy. Often, promised fixes have led to unneeded expense and exasperation.

Fescue toxicosis is a constant thorn in producers’ sides. The condition is caused when cattle forage on “infected” fescue containing ergot alkaloids produced by fungal endophytes (Neotyphodium coenophialum). The infected fescue negatively affects animals’ blood circulation, causing problems for everything from weight gain to heat dissipation/retention to conception.

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Study: Real-time ultrasound for beef cattle is accurate

Study: Real-time ultrasound for beef cattle is accurate

Iowa State University Extension
Successful Farming
5/05/2006, 2:34 PM CDT

Ultrasound technology continues to be an effective means to measure carcass traits in beef cattle. For years, however, ultrasound could only be used to measure backfat and ribeye area. Today, ultrasound machines use real-time technology that can capture additional measurements such as percent of intramuscular fat (useful for the beef seedstock industry) and be used as a sorting tool in the feedlot.

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OKLAHOMA TO HOST NATIONAL JUNIOR LIMOUSIN SHOW IN LAWTON

OKLAHOMA TO HOST NATIONAL JUNIOR LIMOUSIN SHOW IN LAWTON

Cattle Today

The Oklahoma Limousin Breeders Association (OLBA) will host the National Junior Limousin Show and Congress (NJLSC) at the Comanche County Fairgrounds and Best Western Hotel and Convention Center in Lawton, Okla., July 8-14. The weeklong, family-oriented event will include membership meetings, social activities, cattle shows, showmanship competitions and a variety of satellite educational events. It all is designed to help North American Limousin Junior Association (NALJA) members have fun while learning about the beef industry, public speaking, marketing and leadership.

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Cow Herd Considerations

Cow Herd Considerations

Story & photos by Barb Baylor Anderson
Angus Journal

Genetics on the male side of the pedigree may account for most of the performance progress in your herd, but selecting the right replacement heifers can also contribute to greater overall performance.

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Battle Plan

Battle Plan

By John Maday
Drovers Journal

Like a thief in the night, bovine viral diarrhea virus quietly sneaks into cattle herds. Sometimes it disguises itself as another disease, sometimes it doesn’t show itself at all, but it robs cattle of their health and steals profits from the business.

Although BVD isn’t a new disease, several developments have motivated the industry to focus on its control. One of these is a better understanding of the disease and its economic impact across the production chain. Another is improved technology, including more-sensitive and efficient testing methods and more-effective vaccines, creating the possibility of significantly reducing the incidence of BVD in U.S. herds.

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