Genetics: Today and Tomorrow

Originally Published in the Livestock Update, April 2008 – By Scott P. Greiner, Ph.D., Extension Animal Scientist, Beef, VA Tech

At the current time, the beef cattle industry is equipped with more science-based tools for animal selection than ever before. New tools such as DNA genotyping, coupled with enhancement of existing tools such as EPDs, allow cattle breeders to make informed decisions about the direction of their genetics. Most importantly, these tools create an opportunity to design genetics customized to meet the diverse needs of both producers and consumers. At no other time in the history of beef cattle breeding has there been as much information at our disposal to enhance our position among consumers, and at the same time produce cattle, which are functional and profitable across many diverse production systems. Read the rest of the article on the Virginia Cooperative Extension Livestock Update Web site.

Dangerous Animal Virus on US Mainland?

Originally Published by AFX News Limited, April 11, 2008 on MyCattle.com

The Bush administration is likely to move its research on one of the most contagious animal diseases from an isolated island laboratory to the U.S. mainland near herds of livestock, raising concerns about a catastrophic outbreak.

Skeptical Democrats in Congress are demanding to see internal documents they believe highlight the risks and consequences of the decision. An epidemic of the disease, foot and mouth, which only affects animals, could devastate the livestock industry.

One such government report, produced last year and already turned over to lawmakers by the Homeland Security Department, combined commercial satellite images and federal farm data to show the proximity to livestock herds of locations that have been considered for the new lab. "Would an accidental laboratory release at these locations have the potential to affect nearby livestock?" asked the nine-page document. It did not directly answer the question.

A simulated outbreak of the disease – part of an earlier U.S. government exercise called "Crimson Sky" – ended with fictional riots in the streets after the simulation's National Guardsmen were ordered to kill tens of millions of farm animals, so many that troops ran out of bullets. In the exercise, the government said it would have been forced to dig a ditch in Kansas 25 miles long to bury carcasses. In the simulation, protests broke out in some cities amid food shortages. Read the rest of the story on the My Cattle Web site.

USDA to officially downgrade Minnesota’s bovine TB status: Additional testing requirements for interstate shipment of cattle start on April 9

From a Texas Animal Health Commission Press Release

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on April 8, 2008, that it will officially downgrade Minnesota’s bovine tuberculosis (TB) status from Modified Accredited Advanced to Modified Accredited, effective Wednesday, April 9, 2008.

(Bovine TB is a contagious and infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium bovis. It affects cattle, bison, deer, elk, goats and other warm-blooded species and can be fatal. The disease can be transmitted to humans through direct contact with infected animals or consumption of raw milk from infected animals. It is not transmitted through consumption of pasteurized milk. )

The drop in status, required by the USDA Code of Federal Regulations, follows the discovery of four additional infected herds within the last 12 months and will require Minnesota cattle producers to conduct additional testing when shipping animals out of state.

“We anticipated this federal downgrade once a fourth infected herd was found,” State Bovine TB Coordinator Joe Martin said. “While some states had imposed their own restrictions, this downgrade means new testing requirements for all non-slaughter cattle going from Minnesota to another state, as called for in USDA regulations.”

(The USDA classifies states or zones within states according to its level of occurrence of bovine TB.

There are five classification designations:

• accredited free – no TB infection
• modified accredited advanced
• modified accredited
• accredited preparatory
• nonaccredited

Restrictions on the interstate movement of cattle become less stringent as a state approaches or achieves accredited free status. )

In response to these new statewide testing requirements, the state is applying to USDA for split-state status. This will allow the majority of the state to upgrade its status, while a small region in northwest Minnesota containing the TB infection will remain Modified Accredited. Split-state status would help target resources where they are most needed, while also saving producers outside the affected area from the additional federal testing requirements that accompany MA status.

“We are continuing to work with USDA personnel on the official risk assessment, which is a necessary step toward receiving split-state status,” said BAH Executive Director Dr. Bill Hartmann. “We are also expanding control measures to include all herds in the Management Area. When Minnesota achieves split-state status, the Management Area will become part of the larger Modified Accredited region.”

For more information on TB, log on to the State’s bovine TB Web site at www.mntbfree.com.