Livestock-Equine News: September 22, 2025

CVS Group, UK network, mandates helmet usage by employees who handle horses

CVS Group has made it mandatory for all employees handling horses to wear protective helmets. The decision was made following a meeting of stakeholders to discuss helmet safety as well as the culture shift required to normalize helmet use in equine veterinary settings. In August, published research led by Dr. John Tulloch highlighted the high risk of injury, including head injuries, faced by equine vets and nurses.

Ireland’s bovine TB plan calls for informed purchases, mandatory GIF testing

Ireland’s plan to reverse bovine TB comprises five measures: 1) support TB-free herds, 2) focus on the impact of wildlife, 3) strengthen early detection and elimination of the disease within herds, 4) improve farm biosecurity and 5) reduce the impact of known high-risk animals. Key actions include informed cattle purchases, mandatory gamma interferon (GIF) testing on larger herds and cull cow sales for restricted herds.I

IMV Imaging and Asto CT partner in equine diagnostic imaging

Veterinary diagnostic imaging company IMV Imaging and Asto CT, producer of a weight-bearing fan-beam CT scanner for equine patients, announced a partnership intended to “leverage IMV Imaging’s portfolio and distribution network alongside ASTO CT’s specialized equine CT technology.”

AuraVax announces study of therapeutic to protect pigs from influenza

Houston, Texas-based AuraVax has received funding from the Gates Foundation to assess the ability of its intranasal NanoSTING-001 to protect pigs from influenza infection. Preclinical testing indicated that NanoSTING-001 can prevent and treat influenza A and B, including strains resistant to Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1.

Mastaplex named finalist in international dairy innovation awards

New Zealand-based Mastaplex has been named a finalist in the International Dairy Federation (IDF) Dairy Innovation Awards 2025, in recognition of its flagship product, Mastatest, in the category “Sustainable Farming Practices – Innovation in Animal Care in Farming.” Mastatest is a mastitis diagnostic test that shows the pathogen, antibiotic sensitivity and treatment recommendation in under 24 hours.

Deportation policies could cripple US livestock and meat sector

The U.S. livestock and meat sectors are staring down a labor crisis, says Phil Kafarakis, CEO of IFMA, The Food Away From Home Association, in an op/ed. “As federal immigration officials prepare to deport more than one million undocumented workers, meatpackers, dairies, poultry processors and cattle operations are bracing for severe workforce disruption. The impact will not be theoretical. It will show up on the line, in the barn and on the shelf.”