Weekly livestock news: March 16, 2020

More industry conferences canceled, postponed due to COVID-19

The American Feed Industry Association has canceled its 2020 Purchasing & Ingredient Suppliers Conference and all associated events due to concerns over COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus, Feed Strategy reports. The events were scheduled to take place March 16-19 in Seattle. “Over the past several days, we have been closely monitoring the guidance from state and federal health authorities regarding traveling areas where the coronavirus is spreading,” AFIA said in an email to registered attendees. “Please note that we did not make this decision lightly, but after close consultation with our members and partners, we felt it was the right thing to do to protect the health and safety of our attendees and staff.” The conference won’t be rescheduled, but AFIA is considering holding webinars for registrants, led by key conference speakers. Additionally, the International Egg Commission postponed its conference, which will now take place in April.

FDA halts foreign food inspections due to coronavirus

Due to the coronavirus outbreak, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is postponing most foreign inspections through April, effective immediately. Foreign inspections deemed mission-critical will still be considered on a case-by-case basis, FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn said in a statement. According to the agency, this decision was based on several factors, including travel being prohibited for U.S. government employees, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention travel recommendations, and access restrictions imposed on foreign visitors by certain countries. Hahn said officials are confident they can “maintain oversight over international manufacturers and imported products using alternative tools and methods.” According to the announcement, the agency will use alternative measures “which have proved effective in the past” to ensure the safety of imported products.

Europe convenes group to discuss potential medicine shortages during COVID-19

European health authorities have organized the first meeting of the EU Executive Steering Group on medicine shortages, to discuss measures to address COVID-19 and its potential impact on supplies in the European Union. According to the announcement, “the mandate of this group is to provide strategic leadership for urgent and coordinated action within the EU in case a crisis caused by major events, such as the COVID-19 outbreak, risks impacting the supply of medicinal products for human and veterinary use.” For the current outbreak, the group plans to discuss actions the bloc can take to protect patients if medicines are at risk of shortage due to factors like manufacturing facility lockdowns and travel restrictions.

Chinese farmers buy supplies online amid coronavirus

Farmers in China are buying supplies online due to the coronavirus, providing a huge boost to e-commerce sites, Reuters reports. Chinese e-commerce platform Pinduoduo saw a nearly 1,000% jump in sales of farming products like seeds, fertilizers and sprinklers in February this year versus last year. These items are normally distributed through traders and local distributors. February sales of farming machinery on Alibaba’s Taobao marketplace rose 78% year over year, while purchases of seeds and fertilizers rose more than 100%. Animal feed sales increased 233%, a company spokesperson said. “We have observed a significant trend that farmers are now relying on their smartphones to buy their equipment online,” said a Pinduoduo spokesperson. China in recent years has been trying to build up online purchases, especially in rural areas where poverty levels are high.

Texas state veterinarian encourages anthrax vaccination

Texas state veterinarian Dr. Andy Schwartz is encouraging livestock owners to have their animals vaccinated against anthrax this spring, Feedstuffs reports. Following an outbreak last year in southwest Texas, “we encourage livestock owners in the previously affected and surrounding area to consult with their veterinarian about vaccinating animals before warmer weather arrives,” said Schwartz, executive director of the Texas Animal Health Commission. “The anthrax vaccine is dependable and proven to protect livestock from the disease.” To be effective, the vaccine must be administered two to four weeks before a normal outbreak, usually in early spring, TAHC said. The vaccine is available for use in swine, horses, sheep, goats and cattle. There’s no approved vaccine for use in deer. The commission last year received 20 confirmations of anthrax in five Texas counties.

No illegal meds found in horse deaths, but anti-inflammatories and lack of knowledge contributed: report

The California Horse Racing Board’s yearlong investigation into the deaths of more than 20 horses at Santa Anita racetrack found no violations of animal welfare laws and no evidence of illegal medications, the Pasadena Star-News reports. But anti-inflammatory medications may have had an impact. Of the 23 horses that died from the end of 2018 through March 2019, 21 appeared to have pre-existing injuries caused by high-intensity racing and training. Those horses suffered catastrophic injuries related to the fetlock joint, which is like the ankle in horses. The report said that veterinarians conducting pre-race examinations noticed a majority of the horses had signs of osteoarthritis or altered gaits but didn’t intervene. In multiple instances, investigators suspected anti-inflammatory medications “compromised” these examinations. Meanwhile, the report found that trainers lacked crucial knowledge that could have helped them protect their horses.