Weekly livestock and equine news: February 26, 2024

U.S. is about 18 months from identifying bird flu vaccine, Vilsack says

The USDA anticipates identifying a vaccine for the current strain of bird flu in “18 months or so” and is developing a process to distribute it, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack reported. The agency has found bird flu in eight commercial flocks and 14 backyard flocks so far this year, affecting 530,000 poultry, according to agency data. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says more than 81 million U.S. poultry and aquatic birds have been killed by avian flu across 47 states since January 2022. The USDA plans to discuss poultry vaccinations with trading partners, amid concerns that other countries could restrict imports of vaccinated U.S. poultry, Vilsack said. Reuters reports.

Potential ‘chaos’ in meat market without congressional action on Prop 12: agriculture secretary

According to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, there will be “chaos” in the U.S. meat marketplace without congressional action on California’s Proposition 12 law that tightened animal welfare requirements for pork products sold in the state, Reuters reports. Proposition 12, which requires pig confinements to be large enough for animals to turn around, was passed by ballot initiative in 2018 and upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2023. The pork industry has said the law burdens pork producers and would not improve animal welfare. It has called on Congress to repeal Prop 12 through federal action. The Biden administration supported the industry’s position before the Supreme Court.

Kentucky House passes bill to allow veterinary school at Murray State University

The Kentucky House of Representatives passed a bill that would allow Murray State University to offer doctoral degrees required to become licensed in veterinary medicine. An identical bill awaits a vote in the senate. Kentucky is one of more than 20 states without a school of veterinary medicine. MSU’s Hutson School of Agriculture has the largest estimated pre-veterinary medicine/veterinary technology enrollment of any university in Kentucky and is one of three programs in Kentucky that is fully accredited by the AVMA. MSU has adopted support by its board of regents, established a task force made up of agricultural professionals, completed a feasibility study that showed benefits of a veterinary school and gathered support from legislators, governmental entities, communities, industry representatives, organizations and individuals, WPSD reports.

Vilsack disappointed after ag committee hearings produce little action

Following an address at the USDA Agricultural Outlook Forum in Washington, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack was disappointed there weren’t more discussions about finding creative ways to help farmers. He acknowledged that Agriculture Committee hearings are less theatrical and political than most other congressional committees. Still, the secretary wished the hearing could have included discussions on how the Commodity Credit Corporation could potentially open new revenues to support initiatives that committee members have advocated for. As for the farm bill, there have been few signs of recent progress. Congress is now facing yet another deadline to craft a 2024 fiscal budget. So far, there has been little progress since congressional leaders agreed to a third funding extension last month, Feedstuffs reports.

Biden officials announce new rural investments

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi announced the Biden administration is allotting $500 million to wildfire risk mitigation efforts. Approximately $400 million of that will address 21 high-risk areas identified by the U.S. Forest Service several years ago, Feedstuffs reports. Those areas include about 250 key fire sheds, primarily in western states. Funding will be used to reduce hazardous fuels in those areas, as well as to perform prescribed burns and other treatment efforts. The remaining $100 million will support the Collaborative Wildfire Risk Reduction Program recently established by the Forest Service to expand fire prevention efforts into areas known as the “wildfire urban interface.” So far, 24 states have identified communities that fall into this category. New funding will be used to help local officials reduce the risk of fire in their areas.

Tips for controlling equine colitis

After a veterinarian diagnoses a horse with colitis, determining a treatment can be challenging given the condition’s many possible causes. As such, treatment typically relies on supportive care to manage diarrhea and dehydration, the most common symptoms of acute colitis. Effective management of infectious colitis also relies on good biosecurity, according to Dr. Amanda Trimble, a clinical assistant professor of equine internal medicine at the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. While biosecurity practices can help prevent infectious colitis from developing, there are additional strategies owners can implement to protect the overall gastrointestinal health of their horses, including gradual dietary changes and gut health support. “We usually recommend making dietary changes for horses slowly—over a period of 14 days—to avoid upsetting their delicate microbiome,” Trimble said.