animal disease

The COVID pandemic accelerated development of a new class of vaccines. This class, called mRNA vaccines, allows ease in manufacture, rapid response to disease or disease variants, and many other benefits.  But just like any technology, an industry has arisen to stand in its way, promoting false information that painfully mischaracterizes what these new veterinary tools truly are. A cadre of internet personalities now capitalizes off of the manufactured fear that can help farmers, consumers and the environment-- as well as fortify animal welfare.  University of California scientists Dr. Alison Van Eenennaam and Dr. Terry Lehenbauer discuss what the mRNA vaccines are, and how efforts to oppose them defy science, especially when codified into law by clueless politicians. 

Before investing in new technology that can lead to earlier disease detection, producers rightly want to understand the return on investment. 

To dig more into that topic our own Ann Hess is joined today by Dr. Dale Polson and Dr. Carmen Alonso, both with Boehringer Ingelheim. Dr. Polson’s focus is that of Global Integrated Health Management. Dr. Alonso is senior technical manager. 

In this episode, we take a look at precision swine production in general as well as a new methodology that proves the ROI of early detection. Let’s start with a discussion of research findings presented during the AASV meeting in Denver. 

For more information, on this and other topics, including additional coverage from the AASV meeting, we invite you to visit our websites - www.Feedstuffs.com and www.NationalHogFarmer.com. While you are there be sure to check out our digital editions and our new Feedstuffs 365 platform.

There is a side of animal disease that tends to get overlooked, and that is the mental health part of the equation. Having to watch or help out as a flock or herd is depopulated. Being the cause of an outbreak and, as a result, shunned by the community and fellow producers. Even the financial impact when disease hits and the stress that can put on the family’s finances and overall home life, or, for that matter, a business and its employees. These are all things that are difficult to prepare for and even harder to know how to cope with should the need arise.

Discussion about how we as an industry can help to destigmatize mental health was part of a recent webinar that Feedstuffs and National Hog Farmer co-hosted with the University of Minnesota. In this episode of Feedstuffs in Focus, we hear some of that discussion. Specifically, Dr. Jeff Bender, professor and director at the University of Minnesota, and Dr. John Gibbons, Captain United States Public Health Service, share their thoughts on the potential impact of animal disease on human and public health.

This episode is sponsored by United Animal Health, a leader in animal health and nutrition. You can learn more about United Animal Health and how they are working to advance animal science worldwide by visiting the website at UnitedANH.com

Thank you for tuning into Feedstuffs in Focus. For more conversations about some of the big issues affecting the livestock, poultry, grain and animal feed industries, subscribe to this podcast on your favorite podcast channel including Apple and Google podcast. You can also follow us www.Feedstuffs.com.

Biosecurity is one of the most important aspects of a successful livestock enterprise, with a growing number of threats in the form of viral disease outbreaks or the potential for foreign animal disease incursion. Technologies to help producers in the fight are proliferating, including a new app to help producers, veterinarians, and public health officials share information as quickly as possible.

Gustavo Machado is an epidemiologist specializing in emerging and transboundary infectious diseases at North Carolina State University. At the North American PRRS Symposium held earlier this month in Chicago, Machado sat down with National Hog Farmer editor Ann Hess to discuss the Rapid Biosecurity App, a tool that standardizes Secure Pork Supply biosecurity plans and creates maps to visualize the biosecurity infrastructure of individual farms across multiple states. 

According to Dr. Macado, in each state, the RABapp provides the pork producer and Department of Agriculture with rapid access to approved biosecurity plans status to expedite outbreak responses.

Breeding pigs for increased natural robustness to disease has become an important tool in the effort to raise healthier pigs in the modern swine production system. With a variety of disease pressures facing producers, using every tool in the toolbox is necessary to maintain profitability and strong animal welfare. One swine genetics company is focusing their research on ways to further enhance their pigs’ natural robustness.

Dr. Jenelle Dunkelberger is a swine geneticist at Topigs Norsvin, where she’s spent the past four years applying her research to the genetic programs of one of the world's largest swine genetics companies. In this episode, Dunkelberger explains what she and her colleagues have learned about the role of genetics in managing swine diseases, and shares the results of some of her latest research into selecting for robustness to disease in the company’s breeding goal.

This episode of Feedstuffs in Focus is sponsored by Topigs Norsvin.  Swine genetics company Topigs Norsvin is renowned for its innovative approach to implementing new technologies and its continuous focus on cost-efficient and sustainable pig production.  Research, innovation, and dissemination of genetic improvements are the cornerstones of the company. Topigs Norsvin’s approach of breeding pigs for enhanced, natural robustness to disease challenge is a viable solution for disease control. You can learn more about Topigs Norsvin and their natural breeding approach by visiting their website TopigsNorsvin.us. 

In response to data from the Swine Disease Reporting System, leaders of the Swine Health Information Center recently shifted $1 million of its 2022 budget to focus specifically on biosecurity in the finishing phase of hog production. The data showed a number of disease pressures on finishers, from APP to PRRS, prompting the additional focus on that segment of the production chain.

Megan Niederwerder is a veterinarian and swine health researcher serving as Associate Director of the Swine Health Information Center, otherwise known by the acronym SHIC. In this episode Dr. Niederwerder explains what the Reporting System showed in terms of disease outbreaks in finishing barns, and why SHIC opted for a mid-year shift in its programming in response to that data.

We’ll also focus specifically on recent APP outbreaks, and why those are particularly concerning to producers and the veterinarians who care for the pigs in finishing operations.

For more of our coverage of animal health and related research, check out the latest dynamic digital edition of Feedstuffs HERE.

Animal disease outbreaks are one of the key challenges facing livestock producers and veterinarians. State veterinarians and related animal health officials at the state level play a critical role in managing outbreaks of certain diseases that could devastate the industry. Significant progress has been made in recent years but there is more that needs to be done to support the preparedness and planning effort of the states. 

Earlier this week, Feedstuffs visited with several swine industry professionals at the American Association of Swine Veterinarians annual meeting. We spoke with Indiana State Veterinarian Dr. Bret Marsh about his role in disease preparedness in his state, and what state health officials can and should be doing to help the industry be ready for potential foreign animal disease issues.

We also talked with Dr. Marsh about the current avian influenza outbreak in the Hoosier State.

You can see more of our coverage of the AASV annual meeting at Feedstuffs365.com.

This episode is sponsored by United Animal Health, a leader in animal health and nutrition. You can learn more about United Animal Health and how they are working to advance animal science worldwide by visiting their website UnitedANH.com.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the global disease keeping U.S. swine producers awake at night was African Swine Fever. A virulent disease that devastated the Chinese swine herd and ran rampant throughout several Eastern European countries, the virus was clearly something that hog farmers on this side of the ocean wanted to keep as far away as biologically possible. With China struggling to rebuild its herd due to the continued presence in country, the implications for our domestic pork and feed markets are considerable.

Earlier this week, as part of the Global Hog Industry Virtual Conference hosted by National Hog Farmer, our Andy Vance spoke with Dr. Paul Sundberg, executive director of the Swine Health Information Center, about the latest ASF developments around the globe. In this excerpt from that session, Sundberg also discusses research he and his colleagues are supporting in Vietnam, including the results of a recent study on rodents as a potential vector for the disease.

This episode is sponsored by United Animal Health, a leader in animal health and nutrition. You can learn more about United Animal Health and how they are working to advance animal science worldwide by visiting their website UnitedANH.com.

As the livestock and poultry industries have become more global in nature, concern over the spread of foreign animal diseases seems to be an ever-present issue. Most recently, the rapid spread of African swine fever throughout Asia presented significant challenges to the international trade of pork and feed ingredients. 

How will the U.S. swine industry react if ASF makes its way across the ocean and lands on our domestic shores?

In this episode we talk with Greg Ibach, U.S. Department of Agriculture under secretary for marketing and regulatory programs about what USDA is doing to prevent the arrival of ASF in the U.S., and the department’s planning for what happens if the disease breaks here anyway.

Earlier this month at the annual USDA Ag Outlook Forum, Ibach hosted a panel discussion on ASF. After the session he sat down with Feedstuffs  policy editor Jacqui Fatka to recap the discussion. 

This episode of Feedstuffs In Focus  is sponsored by United Animal Health, a leader in animal health and nutrition. You can learn more about United Animal Health and how they are working to advance animal science worldwide by visiting their website.

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