Weekly livestock news: February 8, 2021

New ASF strains in China point to unlicensed vaccines, experts say

A new form of African swine fever identified on Chinese pig farms is likely caused by illicit vaccines, industry leaders say. Two new strains of ASF have infected more than 1,000 sows on several farms owned by New Hope Liuhe, China’s fourth-largest producer, as well as pigs being fattened for the firm by contract farmers, said Yan Zhichun, the company’s chief science officer. While the strains don’t kill pigs like the disease that ravaged China’s farms in 2018 and 2019, they cause a chronic condition that reduces the number of healthy piglets born, Yan said. At New Hope, and many large producers, infected pigs are culled to prevent the spread, making the disease effectively fatal. There’s no approved vaccine for ASF, but many Chinese farmers struggling to protect their pigs have resorted to unapproved products, industry insiders and experts said. They worry illicit vaccines have created accidental infections, which are now spreading. Reuters reports.

Regulators approve Aivlosin WSG to control M. hyopneumoniae

The FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine has added Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae to the approved label indications for Aivlosin (tylvalosin) Water Soluble Granules, made by Pharmgate. Regulators in Canada did the same. “This approval gives Aivlosin WSG the broadest label indication of any product for the control of swine respiratory disease,” said Dr. Chad Smith, U.S. technical service veterinarian for Pharmgate. “M. hyo is a primary pathogen in swine respiratory disease complexes and plays an important role in facilitating the entry of bacterial and viral pathogens. Aivlosin WSG is competitive economically compared to other protocols on a per-pig basis. Veterinarians and producers can be confident they are making a responsible antibiotic choice” to control swine respiratory disease.

Bill would allow small meat processors to sell across state lines

A bill introduced in the U.S. House would provide more options for beef producers and local processors to sell direct-to-consumer, by allowing retail quantities of meat to be sold across state lines via e-commerce, Feedstuffs reports. “There is big demand out there,” said Montana-based producer Jake Feddes. While his facility’s standards meet or exceed USDA’s standards, he has to turn down requests from consumers across state lines since the Federal Meat Inspection Act prohibits smaller processors from reaching out-of-state customers. One of the bill’s sponsors, Rep. Dusty Johnson, said the bill can unlock potential for small processors who don’t want to jump through extra hoops required under federal inspection but have undergone state inspections that are often as rigorous as those at the federal level.

Scientists want to use next-generation sequencing to catch diseases before outbreaks occur

Researchers at several institutions are working together to develop technology that can detect cattle diseases before outbreaks occur or become widespread. The $1 million USDA-funded project will be led by scientists at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine and the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, working with the National Animal Health Laboratory Network and the Plum Island Animal Disease Center. Using next-generation sequencing, the project’s goal is to develop new methods of early detection for transboundary and emerging diseases within the cattle industry, Southwest Farm Press reports. The research will target the viruses responsible for foot-and-mouth disease and those within the bovine respiratory disease complex.

Cattle expert cautions against cold stress

A Kansas State University beef cattle specialist is urging producers to monitor their cattle’s condition when temperatures drop. While producers are often prepared to deal with heat stress during the summer, late winter cold stress can also cause challenges, said Justin Waggoner, a beef systems specialist at K-State Research and Extension. “One thing we see producers do when we get a cold weather event is they roll out hay,” he said. “What I recommend is utilizing hay that is slightly better quality than the forage those cattle currently are grazing. For example, if they had been turned out on milo or corn stalks, then a moderate quality grass hay will be higher quality than those stalks they were on.” Waggoner also said other high quality forages, such as alfalfa, could be used as a supplement.

Bayer offers up to $2 billion to settle future Roundup lawsuits

In its second proposal to settle future lawsuits that allege its Roundup weedkiller is carcinogenic, Bayer said it would pay up to $200 million to individual claimants and a maximum of $2 billion overall, Successful Farming reports. The offer, which was submitted for approval to a U.S District Court judge in San Francisco, would cover lawsuits filed in the next four years. “The class plan is intended to be one part of a holistic solution designed to provide further closure to the Monsanto Roundup litigation,” said Bayer.