| Resolve to Protect Livestock & Poultry Health! |
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A
few weeks into 2005, and many of us already have broken—or at least,
bent—those vows to exercise or skip dessert.
To salvage our resolutions, Texas state veterinarian Bob Hillman
offers an alternative list for livestock and poultry producers that can be
adopted anytime:
“Herd
and flock health can be enhanced, usually easier—and more
successfully--than trying to lose a few pounds,” said Dr. Hillman, head
of the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC), the state’s livestock and
poultry health regulatory agency. “Disease
prevention is cheaper and more beneficial than disease eradication, and
even though exotic and foreign animal diseases get the biggest headlines,
domestic disease outbreaks also can
wreak havoc for producers. Outbreaks result in quarantines, widespread
testing requirements and loss of credibility and marketing opportunities
for our livestock and livestock products.
One way to protect your herd or flock: fence out disease.” “Now,
more than ever, it’s important to maintain barriers to keep feral—or
wild—swine out of domestic swine pens. From experience, we know many
feral hogs carry and can transmit pseudorabies, a flu-like viral swine
disease that can kill piglets and make older swine sick,” said Dr.
Hillman. “In late 2004,
after years of eradication efforts, the country’s commercial swine herds
were declared free of pseudorabies. If
feral swine spread disease to commercial swine, it would jeopardize our
free status and our ability to ship swine without tests or
restrictions.” Dr.
Hillman said the 12 governor-appointed TAHC commissioners have proposed
changes to Texas swine regulations to comply with updated U.S. Department
of Agriculture (USDA) rules. The proposals include redefining swine as
being in one of three types of herds:
“feral,” or wild swine; “transitional herds” at risk of
being exposed to feral or captured feral swine; and “commercial
herds,” that are continuously managed and in facilities that protect
against commingling with wild swine. In
2004, for instance, eight transitional swine herds in the U.S. contracted
the disease from wild swine. The proposals also would require breeding
swine sold or sent to slaughter to be identified to the farm or origin,
and sexually intact swine six months or older would have blood samples
collected for pseudorabies and swine brucellosis testing whenever they
pass through a livestock market. “Swine
brucellosis is another disease present in feral swine that can be spread
to commercial swine herds,” remarked Dr. Hillman. “Although we have no
current infection, Texas is the only state that does not have the swine
brucellosis-free designation. It is extremely important that we also
finish this swine disease eradication program to maintain our credibility
with our trading partners.” “One
infected herd or flock makes all the difference between ‘close’ and
finished, and disease can be reintroduced, or spread silently,” said Dr.
Hillman. “All states are free of cattle brucellosis, except Texas and
Wyoming. While we have never been gained ‘free’ status for cattle
brucellosis eradication, Wyoming held this coveted ranking for nearly 20
years before two infected cattle herds were detected adjacent to a feeding
ground for free-ranging elk. Many elk on the feeding ground also were
infected, leading epidemiologists to believe the elk spread the disease;
another reason to keep wildlife apart from livestock.” “In
the 1950s, cattle brucellosis affected more than 20,000 Texas herds,
causing cows to abort, deliver weak calves and produce less milk.
In recent years, we see few signs of the disease, and oftentimes,
only one or two infected animals are detected within a herd.
However, the disease is still present in Texas.
In early January 2005, a cattle herd north of Jacksboro, in Clay
County, was found to be infected with brucellosis. This was only four
months after an infected herd was found in Leon County. So,
what can you do to protect your cattle?” “Consider
having your heifers vaccinated with the RB-51 vaccine, which provides cows
with lifelong protection against brucellosis but doesn’t create
confusion on blood tests,” he suggested. “At the livestock market,
breeding cattle 18 months or older are routinely tested for brucellosis;
remember that this requirement also extends to private treaty sales,
unless cattle originate from a certified, brucellosis-free herd that’s
tested yearly. Hauling new cattle home? Isolate them or 30 days and
consider having them retested for brucellosis prior to joining the
herd.” “Herd
tests assure owners—and our trading partners--that disease hasn’t been
introduced or hasn’t spread among herds,” he said. “Right now, 2,000
beef herd owners need to volunteer their animals for a cattle tuberculosis
(TB) test, to help the state regain its TB-free status, lost in 2002. The
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has granted an extension for paying
private veterinary practitioners to conduct the testing,” said Dr.
Hillman. “The
beef and dairy industry partnered on a plan for regaining the USDA’s
TB-free status recognition and freedom to move breeding cattle without TB
tests,” he said. “A major aspect of the plan involved TB testing all
Texas dairies and approximately 2,400 purebred or beef breeding herds.” “In
2004, the dairy industry fulfilled its testing obligation. One infected
dairy, in Mills County, was found and depopulated. Texas still needs about
2,000 beef herd tests, as only 458 herds have been tested so far. Of these
herds, all were negative for cattle TB. Every herd test counts, as this
obligation is fulfilled to assure the USDA and our trading partners of
adequate disease surveillance,” he said. “Texas
and the U.S., on the other hand, are on schedule to meet the objective for
testing cattle for bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE,” commented
Dr. Hillman. “Since June 2004, more than 180,000 cattle in the U.S. have
been tested, with more than 17,000 tested in Texas. All test results have
been negative. Nationally,
the objective is to test as many as 268,500 cattle by December 2005, with
as many as 23,000 of those in Texas. Statistically, this intensive testing
will allow us to determine if BSE exists in the U.S., and if it does, at
what level. After December 2005, the testing will continue, but at a lower
level.” Dr.
Hillman explained that cattle targeted for BSE testing include those that
fail the pre-slaughter inspection at the processing plant; cattle that can
not rise or walk normally; animals that exhibit signs of a central nervous
system disorder, such as stumbling; or cattle that are emaciated or
injured. Cattle of any age that die of unknown causes also are being
tested. “If producers have cattle on their farm or ranch that meet these
criteria, they should call the USDA’s toll-free at 1-866–536–7593.
Arrangements will be made to properly sample and dispose of the animal,
without cost to the producer,” he noted “A
good relationship with your private veterinary practitioner also is
crucial to maintaining healthy livestock,” said Dr. Hillman.
“Consult your private veterinary practitioner about having equine
animals vaccinated against West Nile Virus (WNV), a “sleeping
sickness” carried by birds and transmitted by infected mosquitoes.” WNV
disease was first detected in the U.S. on the East Coast in 1999, and by
2002, the disease spread to Texas. Two
WNV vaccines are available, and he credited vaccination and mosquito
control for the decrease in Texas equine cases from nearly 1,700 in 2002,
to 123 cases in 2004. Dr.
Hillman also urged owners to have equine animals vaccinated against other
“sleeping sicknesses,” including Eastern and Western Equine
Encephalitis (EEE and WEE). Besides
controlling mosquitoes, flies and other insects, he advised owners also to
maintain fresh water supplies and to clean stalls regularly to reduce
breeding grounds for mosquitoes and flies. “If
you’re selling your horse, or hauling it to shows, rodeos, trail rides
or other assemblies, including breeding farms or stables, remember to have
the animal tested for Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) every 12 months.” Dr.
Hillman explained that there is no vaccine, treatment or cure for EIA,
which is transmitted by blood-to-blood contact from infected to
‘clean’ equine animals. Biting flies are most often the culprits in
the disease cycle, because horse flies and deer flies have large
mouthparts and carry and transmit small amounts of blood from one animal
to another. EIA prevention includes isolating or euthanizing infected
horses, and controlling flies. “While
some infected horses will become very sick, others may exhibit no signs of
disease, yet carry the virus and pose a danger to ‘clean’ horses,”
said Dr. Hillman. To protect
horses, TAHC regulations require a negative EIA test within the previous
12 months before horse are sold or hauled to events. An accredited private
veterinary practitioner must draw a small blood sample from the animal.
The test is then run at one of the more than 60 USDA approved laboratories
in Texas. “TAHC
regulations require the EIA-infected animals to be euthanized, shipped to
slaughter or a research facility, or be maintained in isolation, away from
other horses,” he said. “Increased testing and strict requirements for
the disposition of infected animals have paid off in reducing the number
of EIA cases.“ More than 259,000 equine animals in Texas were tested in
2004, and 82 infected animals were detected. This is a dramatic decrease
from 1997, when 750 infected animals were found.” “Texas
experienced an outbreak of vesicular stomatitis or VS in 2004. This
blistering disease, on first glance, looks like foot-and-mouth disease (FMD),
a highly contagious and dangerous foreign animal disease,” commented Dr.
Hillman. “Both VS and FMD cause excessive slobbering, and blisters and
sores in and around an animal’s mouth, above the hooves and on teats.
That’s why it is so important to have laboratory tests run to
determine the cause of illness if cattle, pigs, sheep, or goats exhibit
blistering. VS, unlike FMD,
also will affect horses.” “Texas’
VS outbreak was limited to 15 premises in eight counties and ended in
mid-October. In Colorado, however, the outbreak has continued into the
winter, with livestock quarantined on more than 100 premises in
Colorado,” commented Dr. Hillman. He explained that livestock are
quarantined to their premises until 30 days after all lesions on affected
livestock heal, a process that takes a minimum of two or three weeks.
During that time, he said affected animals should receive supportive care,
to prevent infection in open sores.
“Resolve
to stay alert and report unusual signs of disease or pests. This protects
not only your own herd or flock, but all Texas livestock,” he said.
Signs to be concerned about include widespread illness or unexpected death
losses in herds or flocks. Make reports if animals develop blistering,
staggering, or have unusual maggots or ticks. “Along
the Rio Grande, fever ticks have infested livestock on nearly a dozen
premises outside the permanent “fever tick quarantine zone,” worrying
the livestock and regulatory community. Fever ticks have the capability of
carrying and transmitting the deadly blood parasite Babesia
begemina that destroys the red blood cells of cattle. Known as
‘Texas Fever,’ this tick-borne illness of cattle was the prime impetus
for the TAHC to be created in 1893 as the Livestock Sanitary
Commission.” Dr.
Hillman explained that fever ticks were eradicated from the U.S. in 1943,
but still are present in areas of Mexico. The narrow “permanent
quarantine zone” along the Rio Grande in Texas is patrolled by about 60
USDA “tick riders” on horseback, who apprehend stray livestock
crossing the Rio Grande, and inspect, dip or spray them to kill ticks.
Owners can reclaim their stock for the cost of the feed bill. USDA tick
riders also inspect, treat and issue permits for livestock to be moved
from ranches that lie within the permanent quarantine zone, and also
ensure that ticks are eradicated on infested premises. “TAHC
field personnel also are trained to collect and identify ticks, as there
is always a chance that fever ticks could be carried northward, or other
dangerous foreign ticks could be introduced from other parts of the
world,” he said. “Tick
and maggot collection kits also are available at no charge to producers,
so these pests can be sent to the State-Federal Laboratory for
identification.” Dr.
Hillman stressed that successful disease or pest eradication is a
‘two-step’ effort. The first step: detect and clean up an infected or
infested herd or flock. The
second step: track animals that have been moved from the herd or flock, to
determine if they spread the disease or pest to new sites. “Tracking
livestock movement always has been the most frustrating aspect of disease
eradication. In late 2004, premises identification was offered to Texas
herd and flock owners, and it is the groundwork for implementing the
National Animal Identification System (NAIS) in Texas,” said Dr.
Hillman. The premises identification is a numerical version of an address,
and so far, nearly 300 have been issued to producers and are being
maintained on a confidential database. Producers
are encouraged to register online at the TAHC website at http://www.tahc.state.tx.us.
Persons without computer access should call the TAHC at
1-800-550-8242, ext. 733, for a registration form that can be completed
and mailed. Eventually,
as NAIS is fully implemented, animals being moved from their farm or ranch
of birth will receive an individually numbered radio frequency ear tag,
implantable ID device or a group number, depending on their species,
explained Dr. Hillman. When animals are moved from their herd of origin,
or “home place,” their personal number will be linked to the sites
where they live or are commingled with other animals, including ranches,
livestock markets, other facilities, and finally, the slaughter plant.
Computerized “footprints” will give animal health regulatory personnel
a “head start” in tracking diseased animals and which herds or flocks
may have been exposed. “Ideally,
it could take minutes, instead of months, to determine where animals have
been moved. And, the sooner a
disease outbreak is eradicated, the sooner producers can return to normal
business,” he said. “It
doesn’t matter which species or how many head of livestock or poultry
you own,” said Dr. Hillman. “Resolve to keep disease out, control
pests, stay alert and report unusual signs of disease. Stay in touch with
your private veterinary practitioner and you’ll have met important
resolutions this year, and every year.
These could be your most cost-effective and beneficial livestock
and flock management decisions.” --30--
Source: Texas Animal Health Commission |