Weekly livestock news: January 2, 2024

U.S. finds fewer cases of avian flu in wild birds, a good sign for poultry

The United States is detecting fewer cases of avian flu in wild birds that transmit the virus to poultry flocks, the agriculture department said, a potentially positive development for farmers and consumers. A top official warned that risks remain high and urged farmers to maintain stringent safety and cleaning protocols to protect flocks. “We certainly don’t want producers to drop their guard. But the viral load in the environment is less,” said Rosemary Sifford, chief veterinary officer for the USDA. Record infections on poultry farms drove egg and turkey prices to all-time highs in 2022, raising costs for shoppers. Since 2022, about 76.9 million U.S. chickens, turkeys and other birds have been wiped out by the disease, including more than 13 million in the last month, according to the USDA, Reuters reports.

While this winter may not be as bad as previous ones, bird flu is still causing havoc

H5N1 avian flu has infected birds in more than 80 countries. It has infiltrated big commercial poultry farms and tiny backyard henhouses, affecting 72 million farmed birds in the United States alone, according to the USDA. It has struck a wide range of wild bird species and has turned up repeatedly in mammals, including foxes, skunks, bears, cats, sea lions and dolphins. In Europe, however, where the virus has been circulating the longest, early signs suggest this winter may not be as bad as the last few. And there is very preliminary evidence that some wild birds might be developing immunity to the virus. The current version of the virus has spread around the world with astonishing speed, however, and there’s concern it will soon reach Antarctica, which provides critical breeding habitat for more than 100 million birds, The New York Times reports.

Brazilian state seeks millions in environmental damages from JBS

Brazilian authorities are seeking millions of dollars in damages and fines from the world’s biggest meatpacker, JBS, and three smaller slaughterhouses, according to court filings that accuse them of buying cattle raised on illegally deforested lands in the Amazon rainforest, The New York Times reports. The lawsuits come as JBS is pursuing a listing on the New York Stock Exchange, which would give the company expanded access to capital. They are expected to increase pressure on the company, which was recently the subject of a Senate hearing because of its supply chain’s links to deforestation. The 17 suits, brought by Rondônia State, say that the companies have bought cattle raised in one of the Amazon’s most devastated protected areas, the Jaci-Paraná Extractive Reserve, which has lost 77% of its forest cover since it was created in 1996.

Lawmakers push for permanent increase in pork processing line speeds

A group of 20 U.S. lawmakers, led by Senator Chuck Grassley and Representative Brad Finstad, is intensifying efforts to establish a permanent framework for higher speeds on pork processing lines. The legislators recently penned a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, urging an extension of the trial period for increased line speeds, emphasizing its critical role in helping pork processors maintain market competitiveness. Under the New Swine Inspection System, the initial trial allowed pork plants to operate at “full operational capacity” until November 30, 2023. The letter not only appeals for the continuation of higher speeds but also advocates for the establishment of a “permanent solution” that enables pork processors to consistently function at full capacity, moving away from short-term trials, Swine Web reports.

Antimicrobial sales for food animals rise in U.S., fall in Europe

Sales of key antimicrobial drugs for use in food animals rose 4% in the United States in 2022 compared to 2021, contrasting a steep decline reported in Europe. This appears to mark a setback in efforts to curb antimicrobial use to combat pathogen resistance, the VIN News Service reports. Still, the FDA noted that domestic sales were down 36% compared to 2015, when sales appeared to peak. Purchases of medically important antimicrobials (those also used in human medicine) for use in production animals rose to a six-year high of 6.2 million kilograms of active ingredient in calendar year 2022, up from a downwardly revised 6 million in 2021. The FDA indicated that this year’s increase doesn’t necessarily represent a trend.

Wild ‘super pigs’ from Canada could become a new front in the U.S. fight against feral hogs

Wild pigs—including the larger, hardier Canadian “super pigs”—are one of the most damaging invasive species in North America. They cause millions of dollars in crop damage yearly and harbor dozens of pathogens that threaten humans and pets, as well as meat production systems. Their populations have rapidly expanded in North America over the past several decades, and recently they have spread across Canada, threatening to invade the United States. Now Minnesota wildlife experts are keeping an eye on their northern border for signs of wild super pigs moving down from Canada. While efforts to control wild pigs are well underway in the United States, incursions by Canadian super pigs may complicate the job. And bigger pigs likely cause more damage and are generally better predators and competitors, University of Florida associate professor Marcus Lashley writes in The Conversation.