April 28, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Equine Owners Encouraged to Consult with Vets on West Nile Virus Vaccination

Montana Department of Livestock DOLMontana’s animal health officials are encouraging equine owners to consult with their veterinarians about vaccination for West Nile virus after a spike in the number of cases last year. “We had 32 cases last year, the most since 2007, and the third highest total in the nation,” said assistant state veterinarian Dr. Tahnee Szymanski. “That’s concerning because the disease is highly preventable.” Based on MDOL data, no equines that were current on vaccinations have ever contracted the disease in Montana. In contrast, one-third of the non-vaccinated equines that contracted the disease either died or had to be euthanized (161 of 492 since 2002).

The best time to vaccinate is before mosquito activity begins, as the vaccine takes a few weeks to offer full protection. Horse owners should consult with their veterinarians to develop a vaccination plan specific to their animal and situation.

Dr. Greg Johnson, professor of veterinary entomology at Montana State University’s Department of Animal & Range Sciences, says vaccination – which is recommended as a core vaccine by the American Association of Equine Practitioners – is prudent given WNV’s unpredictability. “It’s kind of like the flu season,” Johnson said. “We can look at the existing data and forecasts and make some guesses, but we can’t really predict what West Nile is going to do or how bad it’s going to be.” However, with snowpack running at 150 percent of normal throughout much of the state, environmental conditions could be right for WNV activity later this year. “With all of that snowpack, it looks like we’ll have lots of water, and that can mean more mosquitos,” he said. A mosquito-borne disease, WNV was first found on the east coast of the U.S. in 1999. Since then, the disease has spread westward, arriving in Montana in 2002. The disease knows no climactic or geographic boundaries in Montana, and has been found statewide. Stressing the importance of vaccination, Szymanski said, is that there is no treatment for horses that contract the disease.

WNV is a reportable disease in Montana. Any confirmed or suspected case should be immediately reported to the Montana state veterinarian’s office at 406/444-2043.

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October 27, 2010 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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MT Department of Livestock Sets Meetings on Designated Surveillance Area

The Montana Department of Livestock will hold a series of public meetings about codifying into administrative rule the official order that created the Designated Surveillance Area for brucellosis.

Meetings have been scheduled for:
· Livingston – 3 p.m., November 9, Livingston Public Library.
· Three Forks – 3 p.m., November 10, Headwaters Livestock Auction.
· Twin Bridges – 3 p.m., November 23, Twin Bridges Fairgrounds.

The Designated Surveillance Area (DSA) was created by official order in January 2010 when its predecessor, the Brucellosis Action Plan, expired. Both the Action Plan and DSA were created and implemented to help the state regain and maintain its brucellosis-free status after the disease was found twice in a 12-month period (May 2007, May 2008).

State Veterinarian Dr. Marty Zaluski said codifying the DSA order into rule appears appropriate “given the long-term challenges of managing brucellosis.”

“The official order was enacted as a way to expedite implementation of the DSA after the Action Plan expired,” Zaluski explained. “However, given the long-term risk in areas were brucellosis is known to exist in wildlife, it seems more appropriate to have the DSA as a rule.”

The draft rule specifies boundaries for the DSA, and requirements for testing and individual animal identification. It also mandates Official Calfhood Vaccination (OCV) for eligible animals in a four-county area.

“The draft rule basically outlines a plan for surveillance and monitoring in an area of increased-risk,” Zaluski said.

The DSA currently encompasses parts of Beaverhead, Gallatin, Madison and Park counties, whereas the Action Plan encompassed the entirety of those counties in addition to Carbon, Stillwater and Sweet Grass counties. Zaluski said any rule adopted will be periodically reviewed.

The draft rule will be published on October 28, and will be available on the department’s web site at liv.mt.gov. Comments on the draft rule will be accepted through November 29, 2010, and can be submitted to the Department of Livestock via email at [email protected] or U.S. Postal Service mail at DSA Comments, Montana Department of Livestock, Helena MT, 59620-2001. Public comments will also be accepted at the meetings.