October 16, 2015 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Updates to reporting of Equine Vesicular Stomatitis

Fred & Linda Finke - North Country Quarter HorsesDr Marty Zaluski, Montana State Veterinarian

The United States is experiencing another active year of vesicular stomatitis (VS) in horses. VS is a regulatory concern (and reportable) because when found in cattle, it is clinically indistinguishable from foot and mouth disease (FMD). While FMD does not affect equines, the presence of VS in horses allows us to avoid panic mode when multiple cattle with vesicles in the same geographical area are detected.

The 2014 season’s VS count finished in March 2015 with a near record of 420 affected premises in four states. For the current season, the count already stands at 490 premises in 6 states including Arizona (36), Colorado (251), Nebraska (14), New Mexico (48), South Dakota (42), Texas (3), Utah (24), and Wyoming (72). These counts represent total premises; many of which have since been released from quarantine.

The World Animal Health Association recently removed VS from the list of immediately reportable diseases. This change at the international level, and the 2014 VS experience allowed the USDA to make some much needed changes to how states and practitioners respond to suspected cases of VS. I’m copying, (with my comments in italics) the key changes from the April 2015 USDA VS Interim Field Guidance document.

The quarantine period for premises with suspect or confirmed VSV cases will be reduced to 14 days from the onset of lesions in the last affected animal on the premises (instead of 21 days after lesions have healed). This reduced duration of quarantine more closely correlates with the known time period for viral shed from lesioned animals. (Lesions in severely affected horses can take months to heal and Canada refers to the affected states’ quarantines to determine import restrictions on horses and ruminants moving to Canada. This change results in much shorter restrictions on exports of horses and livestock from affected states to Canada.)

After confirmation of the first VSV case in a state, equids with suspected lesions on subsequent premises are not required to be tested, but the premises will be quarantined for the time period stated above. (Suspected premises can choose to be quarantined, rather than undergo testing.)

Accredited veterinarians may be used to collect samples and monitor premises with suspected equine VSV cases at the discretion of the state veterinarian. (Heavily affected states created an overwhelming need for federal and state personnel to collect samples and perform physical exams. Private veterinarians with the technical skills, knowledge of the location, and familiarity with the operation are often a better alternative than government personnel.)

Existing VSV-approved NAHLN laboratories may request to be activated after the first case in a state is confirmed. (The Montana Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory will be able to test additional submissions for VS after the index case is confirmed by NVSL – this would shorten the turnaround times for results in subsequent suspected cases.)

A Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostician (FADD) will still be dispatched on all suspect cases involving cattle with lesions. (Because of the concern of foot-and mouth disease, specially trained state or federal veterinarians will continue to be used for ruminants with vesicular lesions.)

–Originally published in the September 2015 Animal Health Newsletter from the Montana Department of Livestock

June 3, 2015 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Cattlemen Highlight BQA at White House Forum on Antibiotic Stewardship

Antibiotics Use Livestock ResistanceWASHINGTON  – Yesterday, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association participated in the White House Forum on Antibiotic Stewardship in Washington D.C. Chief Veterinarian, Dr. Kathy Simmons and Dr. Mike Apley, a cattle producer and veterinarian from Kansas attended and participated in the meeting on behalf of NCBA. NCBA President and Chugwater, Wyoming, cattleman Philip Ellis said this was a great opportunity to highlight what the cattle industry is doing to support the judicious use of these technologies.

“NCBA takes our commitment for antimicrobial stewardship very seriously and seeks to educate our members, consumers, regulators, legislators and the general public on the merits of appropriate antimicrobial drug use within the diversified sectors of the beef industry,” said Ellis. “The NCBA Cattle Health and Well-being Committee works to educate members at conferences and conventions on the latest information regarding antimicrobial drug use and the complex problem of increasing numbers of antibiotic resistant bacteria in both human and veterinary medicine.”

A significant part of the Beef Quality Assurance program involves antimicrobial stewardship training on the appropriate use and administration of these technologies. BQA stresses the need for good stewardship, including: honoring withdrawal times, prevention of environmental contamination, the need for good record-keeping and a strong veterinarian-client-patient relationship.

“NCBA supports actions based on sound, peer-reviewed science and risk assessment relative to the use of antibiotics or other drugs,” said Ellis. “We encourage the appropriate use of antimicrobial drugs through the guidance offered in the BQA program. Antimicrobial resistance is a complex and multi-faceted problem that is best addressed in a One Health approach that brings together stakeholders from human medicine, veterinary medicine and environmental science.”

While NCBA has been focused on stewardship for decades, last year NCBA organized research advisory groups composed of a wide range of researchers within the agricultural community to direct the planning for future antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance research activities. The Administration also released the final rule for the Veterinary Feed Directive, aiming to place antibiotic stewardship in the hands of veterinarians.

“While we will continue to review the final rule, NCBA supports the judicious use of antimicrobial technologies and sound peer-reviewed scientific principals as outlined in the BQA program,” said Ellis. “Our policy supports ensuring that producers have access to the technologies needed to maintain a safe and healthy herd, as herd health is critical to our top priority, ensuring a safe food supply. NCBA will continue to work with FDA and our membership to support the implementation of FDA Guidance 209/213 to bring the medically-important antibiotics used in feed and water under veterinary oversight and to eliminate the use of these drugs for feed efficiency and growth promotion by December 2016.”

Press Release, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association

June 2, 2015 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Elanco Announces Comprehensive Antibiotic Stewardship Plan, Significant Research Effort

Antibiotics Use Livestock ResistanceThe use of antibiotics in raising livestock has been a concerned raised by many consumers in recent months as a result of rising occurrence of antibiotic resistance bacteria. Many companies, food processors and retailers have made announcements in recent months regarding changes to their practices in an effort to curb the use of antibiotics in livestock. Most of these announcements pertain to the use of antibiotics that are medically important for human use.

As we have discussed in earlier podcasts with Dr. Bruce Hoffman of Elanco, changes are coming to the way livestock producers are allowed to use feed-grade antibiotics and changes in FDA guidelines will end the use of antibiotics for growth-promotion. This will be a topic in our Cattle Health Committee meeting on Thursday during our MidYear meeting. Listen to our previous podcast for more information.

Montana Stockgrowers has been working with Elanco Animal Health to share information for veterinarians and cattle ranchers in preparation for these changes in antibiotic use. Today, Elanco announced initiatives to further curb the use of antibiotics that are medically important for human use, and to identify alternative products to treat illnesses in livestock. Below is a press release with more information.

To learn more about Elanco and their programs to address concerns of growing global food demand, visit SensibleTable.com

Elanco President Jeff Simmons participates in White House Forum on Antibiotic Stewardship; outlines company’s aggressive eight-step plan to help safeguard animal and human health and deliver 10 new alternatives to the most challenging diseases

Jeff Simmons Elanco Animal HealthGREENFIELD, Ind., June 2, 2015 – Today, Elanco Animal Health, a division of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY), will participate in the White House Forum on Antibiotic Stewardship where Elanco President Jeff Simmons will participate in a panel discussion. Concurrently, Simmons is unveiling the company’s multi-faceted approach to combat the growing concern about antibiotic resistance.  A summary of Simmons’ remarks follows:

In the next few decades, demand for animal protein will climb 60 percent(1) as population increases and the global middle class expands by three billion people(2). These numbers are important, because we’re already overusing the Earth’s resources, consuming about 1.5 times the natural resources we should use in a year(3). Delivering safe, sufficient, affordable protein to feed the growing population has never been at greater risk.

The welfare of animals we rely upon to provide protein is also at risk. Today, we have emerging diseases on every continent, including the extreme of avian influenza right here in the United States. Beyond that – nearly 3 in 4 cattle experience symptoms of respiratory disease(4) at some point in their life and 1 in 6 dairy cattle experience mastitis(5) in their productive life. It is our industry’s responsibility to keep animals healthy and treat the ones that get sick while safeguarding antibiotics for future generations through responsible use. Ultimately, this is about One Health – not just animal health, but this work creates healthy food, ensures the health of people and protects the planet.

Elanco has committed to an eight-step antibiotic stewardship plan that ensures the responsible use of antibiotics, reduces shared-class antibiotic use and replaces antibiotics with alternatives.

Elanco’s Eight-Step Antibiotic Stewardship Plan

  1. Act with responsibility globally – not just according to U.S. regulation – by working with food producers and retailers to provide training and encourage policies that reduce shared-class antibiotic use and increase veterinarian oversight.
  2. Cease marketing of growth promotion uses for shared-class antibiotics and complete full regulatory change to end growth promotion use of shared-class antibiotics globally by the end of 2016.
  3. Help customers eliminate continuous use of shared-class antibiotics for therapy purposes by providing an alternative.
  4. Eliminate over-the-counter sales of shared-class antibiotics globally – including injectable products – where veterinarian oversight exists.
  5. Eliminate concurrent use of shared-class antibiotics to treat the same disease.
  6. Support veterinary oversight and responsible use, including helping build infrastructure globally.
  7. Develop new animal-only antibiotics. No animal should ever be treated with a shared-class antibiotic if an animal-only option exists. Animal-only antibiotics optimize animal welfare without compromising human use antibiotics.
  8. Create alternatives. Elanco commits to invest two-thirds of our food animal research budget to quickly evaluate 25 candidates and deliver 10 viable non-antibiotic development projects that address diseases where there are few, or no, alternatives to shared-class antibiotics. (Respiratory disease and enteric disease in cattle, swine and poultry and mastitis in cattle.)

In one year, Elanco will host an animal health accountability summit to provide a progress report on our effort to deliver non-antibiotic alternatives. Along the way, we will collaborate with customers, academics and appropriate regulatory authorities, which will include establishing an expert advisory panel. Finally, Elanco will collaborate with our industry association and other technology companies to advance this effort as quickly as possible.

It is important that we don’t enact regulations or policies that move faster than available science, which could jeopardize animal health as well as food safety and food security. Setting timelines without solutions could be dangerous, compromising animal welfare. Policies that require complete elimination of all antibiotics in animal production aren’t right for the animal and they aren’t right for the consumer either. We must take a pragmatic approach that doesn’t put animals at risk.

This is a challenging endeavor not without risk, but with intentional focus, dedicated investment and collaboration from an event like today, we believe we can make a difference, shaping a positive future with better health outcomes for people and animals.

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1 Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO). “World Livestock 2011: Livestock in Food Security.” Rome, 2011

2 Kharas, Homi. “The Emerging Middle Class in Developing Countries.” Global Development Outlook. OECD Development Center. Working Paper No. 285. January 2010

3 World Wildlife Fund (WWF). “Living Planet Report 2012: Biodiversity, biocapacity and better choices.”

4 Wittum, T. E.,  N. E. Woolen,  L. J. Perino, and E. T. Littledike 1996. “Relationships among treatment for respiratory tract disease, pulmonary lesions evident at slaughter and rate of weight gain in feedlot cattle.” J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 209:814–818.8756886

5 Ruegg, Pamela L.” New Perspectives in Udder Health Management.” Vet Clin Food Anim 28 (2012) 149–163

February 11, 2015 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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American Heart Association Certifies Extra Lean Ground Beef As Part of a Heart Healthy Diet

DENVER – The Beef Checkoff Program announced this week that Extra Lean Ground Beef (Ground Beef that is at least 96% lean, 4% fat) is now certified by the American Heart Association® to display its recognized and respected Heart-Check mark. Retailers now have the opportunity to help identify eight different extra lean beef items as options for part of an overall healthy diet to their shoppers using one of the most trusted nutrition icons on food packaging today.

The extra lean beef cuts that meet the American Heart Association’s® requirements for heart-healthy foods as part of an overall healthy dietary pattern, and are certified to display the Heart-Check mark, include:

“Beef has many nutritional benefits and having the American Heart Association certify yet another beef cut empowers consumers to feel good about including beef in their diet, not only for its great taste but for its nutritional value,” said Jo Stanko, a cow-calf operator from Steamboat Springs, Colo., and vice chair of the Checkoff’s nutrition and health subcommittee. “Beef farmers and ranchers like myself share a common goal; to help consumers make shopping decisions to fit their needs and lifestyles by educating them about the health benefits of their food. To this end we will continue to support valid science to show consumers how extra lean beef is part of a healthy diet.”

Before putting its Heart-Check mark on any food, the American Heart Association® evaluates it against nutrition requirements based on sound science regarding healthy dietary recommendations, food categories, specific product ingredients and nutrient values.

Multiple retailers with hundreds of stores across the U.S. currently display the Heart-Check mark on certified beef items in the meat case. Retailers and processors can work with the Beef Checkoff Program to receive a discount on the certification fee for the American Heart Association® Food Certification Program.

Resources such as on-pack labels, posters and recipes are available for retailers to use in store and in shopper communications to promote the certified beef cuts.

To learn more about participating in the American Heart Association® Food Certification Program, please visit www.BeefRetail.org.

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About the Beef Checkoff
The Beef Checkoff Program (www.MyBeefCheckoff.com) was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. The checkoff assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. In states with qualified beef councils, states retain up to 50 cents of the dollar and forward the other 50 cents per head to the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval.

March 20, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Easy Fresh Labels for Cooking Tips | Beef Briefs

Easy Fresh Cooking shot beef brief march 21Did you know…

…that your checkoff’s “Easy Fresh Cooking” labels provide recipe, cookery and safe-handling information in one convenient on-pack sticker on fresh beef products? The labels are proven to build consumer confidence in purchasing a wider variety of beef cuts: 72 percent of shoppers say they have bought a product because of the on-pack marketing, and 46 percent say they are more likely to purchase new or different cuts as a result. Easy Fresh Cooking takes the guess work out of the meat case, making beef easier to shop for and easier to stock. More than 10,000 stores nationwide use the checkoff program or a similar customized offshoot of it.

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29 lean cuts of beef - montana beef council
February 11, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Beef Up, While Slimming Down

29 lean cuts of beef - montana beef councilBy Lisa Murray RD, CDE, LN, Director of Nutrition Montana Beef Council

You’re off to a great start. You’ve made your New Year’s resolution to be healthy, slim down and have a plan on how to achieve your goals. I have great news for you: Beef can be part of your resolution to eat healthier. You can feel good about loving beef because the protein in beef is a powerful nutrient that helps strengthen and sustain your body. Because protein promotes satiety (feeling full), eating a protein rich meal or snack makes you feel full longer, and satisfies cravings faster.

If fact, choosing lean beef as a high quality protein is actually a calorie-saver! That’s right – when you eat beef you are making a smart choice. There are more than 29 leans cuts of beef available, most come from the round or loin, such as sirloin, tenderloin, round roast or 95% lean ground beef.

A 4 ounce cooked portion of lean beef provides 150 calories and 25 grams of protein. Compared to other protein sources, to get the same amount of protein you would have to eat three ½ cup servings of black beans (375 calories) or 7 Tablespoons of peanut butter (670 calories). Beef also provides 10 essential nutrients; zinc, iron, protein, selenium, B6 & B12, phosphorus, niacin, choline and riboflavin.

So you want to know how to include beef daily as part of a healthy eating plan? The BOLD study (Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet) showed that eating lean beef daily as part of a heart healthy diet, significantly lowered cholesterol levels. The website BeefNutrition.org provides information on the BOLD study as well as one week of meals plans and recipes. Keeping your resolution to eat more healthy has never been so delicious.

 

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November 6, 2012 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Trichomoniasis Information

Montana State University Extension has released “Bovine Trichomoniasis: Fact Sheet for Montana Cattle Producers” online. This fact sheet was compiled by Dr. Rachel Endecott, MSU Extension Beef Cattle Specialist, and chair of MSGA’s Education and Research subcommittee, along with Dr. Tahnee Szymanski, Montana Department of Livestock Staff Veterinarian. The fact sheet  provides information about about the disease trichomoniasis, how it affects cattle, prevention tips, and regulations for reporting and management of the disease in Montana.