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renegade

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Jun 30, 2007
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Caldwell, Idaho
I went back to something DL posted to Frostbite and she put up a list of very interesting things.  I choose two that i thought would be interesting to start talking about...maybe have DL clarify where she would like to start on these two topics because i would have no clue where to even begin.

****What would happen if Foot and Mouth Disease was introduced to the California State Fair?
     
****Fractures in cattle.

Someone get us started ;D

 

DL

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Jan 29, 2007
Messages
3,622
renegade said:
I went back to something DL posted to Frostbite and she put up a list of very interesting things.  I choose two that i thought would be interesting to start talking about...maybe have DL clarify where she would like to start on these two topics because i would have no clue where to even begin.

****What would happen if Foot and Mouth Disease was introduced to the California State Fair?
     
****Fractures in cattle.

Someone get us started ;D

Lets start with the FMD at the California state fair - it can be sort of an exercise in biosecurity - and actually there is an article recently published (which I will dig up) where they modeled this very thing - so here we go...this is like create a game - think globally

My neighbor imported illegally meet from a country with FMD (to prevent cries of slander we will call the country Utopia  ;D) - he fed it to his farm raised, free range "organic" hogs which have fence contact with my show calves - they have also been known to climb under the fence and eat with the calves.........I, thinking that my neighbor is a good upstanding fellow never dreamed he would import FMD tainted meat and then feed it to his hogs - I had no idea my calves had been exposed ----off I go to the fair

besides the dairy cows, goats, hogs and horses at the state fair, everyone we know brings their calves ---- SH, aj, SRU, ITK, JIT, ELBEE, renegade, Joe Boy, RW, all our yong stock (zach, sj89, maine12 etc), red, SD, CAB, Mr Frostbite (you said you'd play, Jill etc etc......how will this all play out
 

itk

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May 6, 2007
Messages
556
Location
KS
Going to school at DC3 really got me thinking about bio-terrorism and how easy it would be for someone to introduce FMD into the cattle population. Drive along any road in SW Kansas and there are literally hundreds of thousands of head of cattle within walking distace of the road with no one around. I always thought it would be easy for a terrorist to smuggle in a vile of some sort of toxin, toss it in a feedlot down there and watch the cattle industry colapse as a crippling disease spreads from feedlot to feedlot. The funny thing is is that I worked for our local House Representative during the summer one year. Her family owns a large farrow to finish operation and she happens to be Greg Stewart's aunt. I talked to her about the possibility of bio-terrorism in agriculture one day. She thought it was a real possibility and a major concern for her however none of her colleagues were that concerned about it. As she said most people don't realize that agriculture is still the backbone of America's economy and as it goes so goes the economy and national food supply. All of this happened 10 years ago long before 911 and the war on terrorism. I would think the threat would be even more real now but you still hear nothing about it.
 

DL

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Jan 29, 2007
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3,622
Yup -ITK - I think you are right - to figure out how an animal with FMD at the CA fair would affect things you would need to know about the disease (hopefully that will follow - it is in a table so I am not sure how it will appear!), who was exposed and where they went....ITK you are stalled next to the exposed show heifer (oh no!), ELBEE your handy person used my water bucket (oh no!), aj your heifer stood next to mine (oh no!)....


Disease Foot and Mouth Disease
Other names
FMD, Aftosa

Importance Highly contagious viral disease of cloven-hoofed animals that can rapidly spread throughout an area. A quick response is vitally important in containing an outbreak of FMD. State and Federal veterinarians should be immediately informed of any suspected vesicular disease.Severe economic loss and international trade embargoes can result from an outbreak of FMD.

Etiology The FMD virus is in the family Picornaviridae, genus Aphthovirus. There are 7 immunologically distinct serotypes and over 60 subtypes.The virus is fairly hardy. It can survive regular pasteurization procedures, but is inactivated with ultra high pasteurization. The virus can also survive freezing in tissues and drying when in organic material, such as serum. It can remain active for days to weeks on organic rich material in moist, cool conditions. It is inactivated on dry surfaces and by sunlight.  FMD virus can survive for 24 hours in the human respiratory tract.
Species affected FMD primarily infects cloven-hoofed animals, including cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, and water buffalo. Other susceptible species include hedgehogs, armadillos, nutrias, elephants, capybaras, rats, and mice.

Geographic distribution
The FMD virus is distributed worldwide, and is endemic in Asia, Africa, Middle East, and parts of South America. Epidemics have recently occurred in Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Mongolia, Britain, France, Netherlands. North America, Central America, Australia, and New Zealand have been FMD free for many years.
Transmission Transmission occurs through respiratory aerosols, direct and indirect contact with infected animals.Aerosol transmission has occurred from bulk milk trucks and the human respiratory tract. Feeding of infected animal products can transmit the virus by direct contact. Exposure to contaminated objects such as boots, hands or clothing results in indirect transmission of the disease. The disease can also be transmitted by artificial insemination, contaminated biological and hormone preparations.Sheep and goats are considered maintenance hosts; they have mild disease and the diagnosis may be delayed allowing time for spread of the virus. Pigs are considered amplifying hosts because of the higher concentration of virus particles in aerosols when compared to other species. Consequently, in pigs the disease spreads rapidly. Cattle are considered indicators of the disease because they are generally the first species to show signs of infection; their lesions are more severe and progress more rapidly. Cattle can carry the FMD virus in their pharyngeal tissues for long periods – they can be healthy carriers for 6 to 24 months. Sheep can be carriers for  4-6 months. Pigs are not carriers.

Incubation period
The incubation period is 3-5 days for animals in contact with clinically infected animals, and 1-3 days for pigs fed contaminated feed. The peak time of shedding of virus and transmission usually occurs when vesicles rupture.

Clinical signs Consider FMD in animals with concurrent salivation and lameness with vesicular lesions. The vesicles progress to erosions, and are seen in the mouth, nares, muzzle, feet, and teats. Other clinical signs are fever, depression, anorexia, excessive salivation, serous nasal discharge, decreased milk production, lameness, and reluctance to move.

Post mortem lesions Single or multiple vesicles from 2 mm to 10 cm are seen on the mouth, nares, muzzle, feet, and teats. The vesicles may be in any stage of development. Ruptured vesicles leave a red eroded area that is then covered with gray fibrinous tissue. Coronary band lesions are similar, the skin and hoof separate and a line of coronitis appear on the hoof. Pigs may loose a hoof.  There may be gray or yellow streaking of the myocardium secondary to necrosis  called “Tiger heart”.

Morbidity and mortality Morbidity can be 100% in susceptible populations, however mortality is generally less than 1%. Mortality is increased in younger animals and with more severe strains

Diagnoses The diagnosis of FMD should be suspected in any animal with vesicles in the mouth, especially if the animal is lame. Suspect animals should be immediately quarantined and authorities notified. Diagnosis of the index case is made by virus isolation. Subsequent cases can be diagnosed by ELISA or complement fixation.

Differential diagnosis An index of suspicion must be maintained with any vesicular disease. Differential diagnosis includes vesicular stomatitis, swine vesicular disease, vesicular exanthema of swine, foot rot, and chemical and thermal burns. In cattle, oral lesions in the later stages may resemble rinderpest, IBP, BVD, malignant catarrhal fever and blue tongueIn sheep, later oral lesions can resemble blue tongue, contagious ecthyma, lip and leg ulceration.

Laboratory tests FMD can be diagnosed by virus isolation, ELISA, or complement fixation. Virus isolation and identification must be done on the initial case; subsequently antigen and nucleic acid detection can be used to diagnose additional cases.

Samples to collect
Notify authorities prior to collecting and shipping samples.Vesicular fluid, epithelial covering of vesicles, esophageal-pharyngeal fluid, blood, and serum can be used.

Biosecurity Notify authorities is FMD is suspected. Quarantine premise. A quick response is essential for containment of the outbreak. Strict insecurity protocols should be followed for individuals entering a premise suspected or known of having FMD. Because the virus can remain viable and reside in the human respiratory tract  for 24 hours, humans exposed to FMD should not visit clean livestock facilities within 2 days of exposure.

Public health FMD rarely infects humans and the disease is not considered a public health problem.

Bioterrorism potential The FMD virus can be easily spread among livestock, and an outbreak could occur by feeding pigs infected meat. As evidenced by the outbreak in the UK, the disease can cause high morbidity and significant economic, social and political upheaval.

 

renegade

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Caldwell, Idaho
I am really surprised there hasnt been a hit on agriculture yet, i guess if americans dont even realize how important our agriculture is to our economy and well being then it might not be very obvious to a terrorist?  It would bring us to our knees if just one of our industries was hit (beef or corn, ect.) but if more than one was hit it would really hurt.
Like DL was saying it spreads FAST!!!!
 

dutch pride

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Sep 17, 2007
Messages
363
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SW Michigan
Five states are vying for a $500-million federal research facility that would house highly infectious animal diseases like foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).

Currently infectious animal disease research is conducted at the government-run Plum Island facility, located off of the northeastern tip of New York's Long Island. For 50 years, highly infectious animal disease research has been separated from mainland U.S. by a mile-wide berth of water. According to The Dallas Morning News, Homeland Security officials say the Plum Island labs are outdated, inadequate and difficult to secure.

The decision to move FMD research ashore, which requires an act of Congress, has put ranchers and farmers in a jam; they want the best possible research, but fear a U.S. epidemic. The 2001 FMD outbreak in Britain cost the livestock industry $16 billion -- the U.S. hasn't seen a case of FMD since 1929.

Texas, Kansas, Georgia, North Carolina and Mississippi are all vying for the new National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility, which will be chosen next fall.

-- Alaina Burt

Found the above article on the Beef cow calf weekly newsletter. Not sure I would want this located anwhere near my livestock.  :( :'(
 

ROAD WARRIOR

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Jun 9, 2007
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Iowa
DL said:
renegade said:
I went back to something DL posted to Frostbite and she put up a list of very interesting things.  I choose two that i thought would be interesting to start talking about...maybe have DL clarify where she would like to start on these two topics because i would have no clue where to even begin.

****What would happen if Foot and Mouth Disease was introduced to the California State Fair?
       
****Fractures in cattle.

Someone get us started ;D

Lets start with the FMD at the California state fair - it can be sort of an exercise in biosecurity - and actually there is an article recently published (which I will dig up) where they modeled this very thing - so here we go...this is like create a game - think globally

My neighbor imported illegally meet from a country with FMD (to prevent cries of slander we will call the country Utopia  ;D) - he fed it to his farm raised, free range "organic" hogs which have fence contact with my show calves - they have also been known to climb under the fence and eat with the calves.........I, thinking that my neighbor is a good upstanding fellow never dreamed he would import FMD tainted meat and then feed it to his hogs - I had no idea my calves had been exposed ----off I go to the fair

besides the dairy cows, goats, hogs and horses at the state fair, everyone we know brings their calves ---- SH, aj, SRU, ITK, JIT, ELBEE, renegade, Joe Boy, RW, all our yong stock (zach, sj89, maine12 etc), red, SD, CAB, Mr Frostbite (you said you'd play, Jill etc etc......how will this all play out

With my luck - DL would talk me into clipping her best (infected) heifer, on the way to the ring I take my towel out of my pocket and wipe down her face and nose, ten minutes later I do the same to my heifer with the same towel. The next day we are all released to go home thinking how nice it was to see everyone and effectively infect most of the North American continent with FMD. After being quarenteened and our herds disposed of, we all start to produce tofoo (sp?) to try and replace the huge amount of meat animals that were disposed of.
 

renegade

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Joined
Jun 30, 2007
Messages
725
Location
Caldwell, Idaho
Kitty corner from my high school the Universtiy of Idaho has an extension center. It is a veterinary research center for vet students. They have the only scrapies herd in the US (we have about 2000 sheep come down from the mountains every year and their herders take them through town, they stay just down the road over night...luckly they have never come in contact) and they have a somenila(spelled it wrong) room for animals that have that, they take care of all sorts of diseases, and creamate animals.
 

DL

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Jan 29, 2007
Messages
3,622
Yeah RW - you are a good guy and you wold have clipped my best heifer and now we are all raising tofu! I can't imagine the devastation - financial, emotional, societal, political etc - listening to people who were involved in the British outbreak (the first time) it tugs pretty hard at you - most of the British farmers have a small number of animals (compared to many US farms, ranches, feedlots etc) and have a strong and individual attachment to their animals -

I personally think Plum Island should stay where it is - isolating these diseases geographically is paramount - the second recent outbreak of FMD in Britain was linked to inadequate drainage of waste and disposal of samples - I guess they just dumped them down the sink and off the virus went....very very scary

here is the abstract from the study - I think you guys got it! Good job (clapping) (clapping) (ps I have the article in case somebody wants the whole thing to peruse)



Biosecurity practices and travel history of individuals exhibiting livestock at the 2005 California State Fair

Clair Thunes, phd, and Tim E. Carpenter, phd

Objective—To determine biosecurity practices and travel history of individuals exhibiting
livestock at the 2005 California State Fair.

Design—Survey.

Study Population—137 individuals exhibiting livestock at the fair.

Procedures
—Exhibitors were asked to complete a survey to gather information about the
animals they exhibited, the biosecurity practices they used, and the distances they traveled
to exhibit their animals.

Results—132 of the 137 (96%) respondents came from California, with respondents representing 40 of California’s 58 counties. Median number of livestock exhibitions attended
by respondents during the past 12 months was 3 (range, 1 to 7). Respondents indicated
that 787 of the 812 (97%) animals they exhibited would be returned home after the fair.
Nine (7%) respondents indicated that they did not take any particular biosecurity precautions
before arriving at the fair, and 14 (10%) indicated that they did not take any particular
biosecurity precautions while at the fair. Only 36 (26%) respondents indicated that they
quarantined their animals when returning to their farm of residence after the fair.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results indicated that there was extensive movement
of livestock among exhibitions in California, posing a potential threat for widespread
dispersion of disease throughout the state and beyond, particularly given the low percentages
of exhibitors who used various biosecurity measures. (J Am Vet Med Assoc
2007;231:581–585)
 

Will

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Joined
May 7, 2007
Messages
744
Location
Jay Ok
dutch pride said:
Five states are vying for a $500-million federal research facility that would house highly infectious animal diseases like foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).

Currently infectious animal disease research is conducted at the government-run Plum Island facility, located off of the northeastern tip of New York's Long Island. For 50 years, highly infectious animal disease research has been separated from mainland U.S. by a mile-wide berth of water. According to The Dallas Morning News, Homeland Security officials say the Plum Island labs are outdated, inadequate and difficult to secure.

The decision to move FMD research ashore, which requires an act of Congress, has put ranchers and farmers in a jam; they want the best possible research, but fear a U.S. epidemic. The 2001 FMD outbreak in Britain cost the livestock industry $16 billion -- the U.S. hasn't seen a case of FMD since 1929.

Texas, Kansas, Georgia, North Carolina and Mississippi are all vying for the new National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility, which will be chosen next fall.

-- Alaina Burt
Thier were a lot of producer very happy when Oklahoma fell out of the race to get the lab.  To many chances for an accidental leak.

Found the above article on the Beef cow calf weekly newsletter. Not sure I would want this located anwhere near my livestock.  :( :'(
 
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