It seems as if the past few weeks have been filled with discussions regarding dairy cattle infected with avian influenza virus Type A H5N1. The good news is that to date the infection in cattle has not led to high morbidity and mortality as it does in birds. This is clearly a developing situation and an apparently novel disease syndrome in cattle. Time will tell how it plays out and as it does the most up-to-date information on the evolving situation as well as all new detections can be found on this USDA webpage. This landing site includes links from FDA, CDC, and USDA APHIS and is the primary source of information that is included in recent newsletters from both state veterinarians from the Dept. of Agriculture and Dept. of Health. State movement restrictions can be found on the Livestock Marketing Association’s site, and within WA specifically you can find information regarding avian influenza on WSDA’s Avian Influenza webpage, and updates about highly pathogenic avian influenza (bird flu or HPAI) in WA. As part of USDA’s epidemiological investigation, if you encounter livestock on farms that experience an unusual morbidity/mortality event or have dairy cattle exhibiting unexplained drop in milk production, please report to the State Veterinarian at (360) 902-1878 or on the Reportable Animal Disease Database Report Submit (wa.gov) and select “unexplained increase in dead or diseased animals.”
On an entirely different note, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce our new WADDL toxicologist, Dr. Chelsea Sykes who will be taking the reins from Dr. Talcott.
Chelsea grew up in the Yuba-Sutter region of California (agricultural communities in the northern Central Valley) and complete her BS and DVM at UC Davis. She worked as a small animal general practitioner for several years before deciding to specialize in toxicology (algal blooms and toxic exposures to meds were a driving factor). Chelsea just completed a residency in Veterinary Toxicology at UC Davis SVM – California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, and enjoys working with metals and rodenticides. She is particularly excited to work more with aquatic toxicology here in the PNW. I am certain we will be tapping her to speak at one of our WSU or WSVMA conferences in the near future so make sure to introduce yourself when you have the chance.
Stories in this issue
- Enhanced biosecurity plans Given the concern surrounding avian influenza virus Type A H5N1, now is a great time to examine your current biosecurity management.
- Haptoglobin as a marker for health and management of periparturient dairy cows Haptoglobin is an acute-phase protein that is critical for the elimination of free hemoglobin and the neutralization of oxidative damage.
- Management of uterine torsions in dairy cows: Insights from a practitioner after attending 59 cases in WA dairies Uterine torsions represent a major issue in calving management, as the condition can be life-threatening to the dam and calf and usually requires extensive labor for its correction.
- Small ruminant case presentation: Overeating disease Drs. Chrissy Eckstrand and Christine Haake, Pathologists at Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, report on a 3-week-old, intact male lamb presented in fair postmortem condition.
- WADDL: Shipping solutions! Washington Animal Disease Diagnostics Laboratory now offers shipping solutions.
- Swine identification requirements The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) has worked hard over the past several years to build a robust animal disease traceability program.
- Summer 2023: Secure beef supply plan success If you would like help developing a SBS plan this coming summer, Washington State University – College of Veterinary Medicine and WSDA are ready to help you get started!
- WSU Ag Animal Faculty Research Updates, April 2024 Title: Comparative diagnoses of respiratory disease in preweaned dairy calves using sequential thoracic ultrasonography and clinical respiratory scoringTitle: Antimicrobial Susceptibility in Respiratory Pathogens and Farm and Animal Variables in Weaned California Dairy Heifers: Logistic Regression and Bayesian Network AnalysesTitle: An artificial intelligence approach of feature engineering and ensemble methods depicts the rumen microbiome contribution to feed efficiency in dairy cowsTitle: Evaluating differences in milk production, reproductive performance, and survival associated with vaginal discharge characteristics and fever in postpartum dairy cowsTitle: MicroRNAs and Their Associated Genes Regulating the Acrosome Reaction in Sperm of High- versus Low-Fertility Holstein Bulls
- WSU College of Veterinary Medicine senior paper highlights, April 2024 Johne’s Disease in Cattle: A Review of Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Control and Management from a Herd-Health StandpointReview of Growth Implants in the Cattle IndustryA Raw Take on Raw Milk Consumption: Review of the Risks and BenefitsSelenium Toxicity and its Effects on ReproductionHow large animal veterinarians can provide value in an increasingly self-sufficient industry: Hobby FarmingInvestigating the Association of Clinical Mastitis Timing Relative to Service with Pregnancy at First Service in Dairy CattleSmall ruminant producers: veterinary access, antibiotic usage, and telehealthWelfare Implications of Farrowing Crates in Swine Production