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January 31, 2007
Genetic Findings Could Boost Catfish Quality and Grower Profits
Traditionally, the catfish is looked upon as a bottom-dweller. However, the farm-raised catfish is the most important fish in U.S. aquaculture, and Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists are working to improve its potential. http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2007/070129.htm
Posted by sball at 12:39 PM | Comments (0)
Wisconsin increases RFID reimbursement
BrownfieldNetwork.com reports the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection is expanding the incentive for the purchase of livestock identification tags. http://www.brownfieldnetwork.com/gestalt/go.cfm?objectid=503AB453-AC17-585F-69E83E6C9EA09E14
Posted by sball at 12:37 PM | Comments (0)
Guide available for porcine circovirus-associated disease
AVMA.org reports The American Association of Swine Veterinarians and the National Pork Board have collaborated to create "A producer's guide to managing porcine circovirus associated disease." http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/feb07/070201k_pf.asp
Posted by sball at 12:36 PM | Comments (0)
Experts Use Weather To Predict Disease
Keyetv.com reports weather patterns can often be a key factor in finding out when an epidemic is imminent. http://keyetv.com/health/health_story_024062627.html
Posted by sball at 12:33 PM | Comments (0)
Sad Day for Racing: Barbaro Euthanized
WTOP.com reports Barbaro was euthanized Monday after complications from his breakdown at last year's Preakness. http://wtop.com/?nid=210&sid=1021168
Posted by sball at 12:27 PM | Comments (0)
Dog Reunites With Family After 6 Years
WTOP.com reports Cujo a golden retriever was lost in 2000 but is now back with his family. http://wtop.com/?nid=456&sid=1046062
Posted by sball at 12:23 PM | Comments (0)
Cats in Vt. Prison Must Go, Supe Says
WTOP.com reports that Southeast State Correctional Facility's new superintendent is saying cats must go because "It is not a physical plant that is conducive to a pet program". http://wtop.com/?nid=456&sid=1046645
Posted by sball at 09:56 AM | Comments (0)
Mini-Horse Helps Blind New York Woman
MSNBC.com reports Panda, a miniature horse, has helped partner since 2003. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16852383/from/ET/
Posted by sball at 09:51 AM | Comments (0)
January 26, 2007
Largest Pork Processor to Phase Out Crates
The Washington Post reports Smithfield Foods said that it will require its producers to phase out "gestation crates" for pigs. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/25/AR2007012501785.html
Posted by sball at 07:27 AM | Comments (0)
January 25, 2007
Rhino Born from Artificial Insemination
MSNBC reports the world's first rhino conceived by artificial insemination has been born at Budapest Zoo. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16787336/from/RS.3/
Posted by sball at 07:42 AM | Comments (0)
Zoo Celebrates Virgin Birth of Komodo Dragons
MSNBC reports a British zoo announced Wednesday the virgin birth of five Komodo dragons. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16784022/from/RS.1/
Posted by sball at 07:39 AM | Comments (0)
Chimps Know How to Deceive People
Discovery News reports on experiments at Germany’s Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology with chimps -- "...animals seem to have far greater awareness of what others know than we had previously anticipated."http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2007/01/24/deceitfulchimps_ani.html?category=animals
Posted by sball at 07:32 AM | Comments (0)
January 23, 2007
Walking Horse Inspection Group Adopts Tougher Rules
TheHorse.com reports the Gallatin-based Horse Protection Commission has approved tougher inspection rules to eliminate the practice of soring. http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=8733
Posted by sball at 12:13 PM | Comments (0)
January 22, 2007
Identifying Variation in the U.S. Bovine Prion Gene
Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center in Clay Center, Neb., have sequenced the bovine prion gene (PRNP) in 192 cattle that represent 16 beef and five dairy breeds common in the United States. http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2007/070122.htm
Posted by sball at 10:48 AM | Comments (0)
Web Site Keeps Tabs on World's Outbreaks
TheRecord.com reports ProMED(http://www.promedmail.org). has become one of the most powerful surveillance tools for protecting public health. http://www.therecord.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=record/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1169419813240&call_pageid=1024322168441&col=1024322596091
Posted by sball at 08:42 AM | Comments (0)
January 19, 2007
Animal Biotechnology: Considering Ethical Issues
Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology and Michigan State University public symposium on Food and Biotechnology and provided an overview of the ethical implications of creating and using cloned or genetically engineered animals in agriculture and of utilizing genetically engineered agricultural animals for biomedical or industrial purposes. http://pewagbiotech.org/events/1018/
Posted by sball at 10:16 AM | Comments (0)
Surprise birth has chimp sanctuary checking vasectomies
CNN.com reports a female chimpanzee at a sanctuary has given birth, despite the fact that the facility's entire male chimp population has had vasectomies. http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/01/17/pregnant.chimp.ap/index.html
Posted by sball at 09:53 AM | Comments (0)
January 18, 2007
Colic's Under Attack at North Carolina State
TheHorse.com reports treating colic with NSAIDs doesn't seem to make a lot of sense. http://www.thehorse.com/viewarticle.aspx?ID=8683
Posted by sball at 08:38 AM | Comments (0)
Parrot Talk More Clever Than Thought
Discovery News reports a grey parrot has demonstrated a more complex understanding of his environment than that needed for mimicry. http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2007/01/17/parrot_ani.html?category=animals&guid=20070117123030
Posted by sball at 07:00 AM | Comments (0)
First Diagnostic Kit for Animal Diseases
First Diagnostic Kit for Animal Diseases and Zoonoses Passes the OIE Commission for Biological Standards Recommendation, Awaits Green Light of The International Committee. http://www.nafv.org/pdf/fvpage05.pdf
Posted by sball at 06:47 AM | Comments (0)
Ebola Has Killed 5,000 Gorillas, Study Suggests
The Federal Veterinarian reports Ebola virus may have killed more than 5,000 gorillas in West Africa. http://www.nafv.org/pdf/fvpage05.pdf
Posted by sball at 06:44 AM | Comments (0)
Cloning on the Cusp of Regulatory Approval for Livestock Industry
The Federal Veterinarian reports cloning is expected to take a step toward the mainstream of food animal production soon. http://www.nafv.org/pdf/fvpage04.pdf
Posted by sball at 06:38 AM | Comments (0)
Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act Passes
The Federal Veterinarian reports the US House of Representatives approved the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act.http://www.nafv.org/pdf/fvpage03.pdf
Posted by sball at 06:36 AM | Comments (0)
January 17, 2007
Labradoodle Awakens Owner During Fire
WTOP.com reports firefighters said a mix of poodle and Labrador retriever saved the life of her owner waking him before his cottage went up in flames. http://wtop.com/?nid=456&sid=1031462
Posted by sball at 09:12 AM | Comments (0)
Escaped Chimp Gets Snack, Cleans Bathroom
WTOP.com escaped chimpanzee at the Little Rock Zoo raided a kitchen cupboard. http://wtop.com/?nid=456&sid=1034913
Posted by sball at 09:09 AM | Comments (0)
January 16, 2007
USDA to Probe Dog's Death During Demo
WTOP.com reports the USDA is investigating the death of a dog used in a training session at the Cleveland Clinic. http://wtop.com/?nid=106&sid=1030573
Posted by sball at 11:08 AM | Comments (0)
Chickens engineered to make cancer drugs
Reuters reports a team of researchers report in the upcoming issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that they have made a genetically engineered chicken that produces cancer drugs in its eggs.http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16640055/
Posted by sball at 11:02 AM | Comments (0)
Scientists’ Report on Pasture-Raised Systems Helps Consumers Navigate Pork and Poultry Aisles
The Union of Concerned Scientists today released a report on pasture-raised pork, chicken, and egg production. http://www.ucsusa.org/news/press_release/greener-eggs-ham.html
Posted by sball at 10:57 AM | Comments (0)
Report of an ISRTP Workshop: Progress and barriers to incorporating alternative toxicological methods in the U.S.
http://www.isrtp.org/nonmembers/Alternative%20Tox%20Methods%20Nov%202005/ELSEVIER%20PDF%20Becker%20et%20al%20%202006.pdf This report from the International Society of Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology is available at http://www.isrtp.org/ According to the program, The objective of this workshop [was] to explore progress to date in implementing new, revised and alternative toxicological test methods across regulatory evaluation frameworks and decision-making programs in the U.S., identify barriers to progress and explore potential bridges to facilitate overcoming such barriers. These barriers may be technical, regulatory, economic or societal. Slides and speakers notes for all presentations are also available at http://www.isrtp.org/nonmembers/Alternative%20Tox%20Methods%20Nov%202005/Alternative%20Tox%20Methods%20Workshop%202005_agenda.htm
Posted by sball at 10:41 AM | Comments (0)
January 09, 2007
Genetic Evaluations Help Breed Better Bossies
Breeding dairy cattle is an inexact science, so many gene-linked traits must be considered. Some of the major ones are quantity of milk produced, its fat and protein content, mothers' pregnancy rates, calving ease and, most recently, stillbirth rate. Such evaluating of genetic traits has allowed dairy farmers to increase milk production to all-time highs. http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2007/070109.htm
Posted by sball at 02:23 PM | Comments (0)
New Publication on Rodents
The Animal Welfare Information Center releases a new publication -- Information Resources on the Care and Welfare of Rodents. http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/pubs/Rodents/rodents.htm
Posted by sball at 02:19 PM | Comments (0)
January 08, 2007
Gallegly to Introduce Animal Fighting Bill
Congressman Elton Gallegly (R-Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties) will introduce on Thursday, the first day of the 110th Congress, a bill making violations of federal animal fighting law a felony punishable by up to three years in prison, make it a felony to transport an animal across state or international borders for the purpose of animal fighting, and prohibit the interstate and foreign commerce in knives and gaffs designed for use in cockfighting.http://www.house.gov/gallegly/media/media2007/010307cockfighting.htm
Posted by sball at 02:58 PM | Comments (0)
Going Whole Hog: BAC Map Expedites Swine Genome Sequence
Genome research is going to the hogs—and humans stand to benefit. A $10 million U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant is enabling members of the Swine Genome Sequencing Consortium, an international coalition of researchers, to develop a draft sequence of the swine genome. http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2007/070104.htm
Posted by sball at 12:39 PM | Comments (0)
January 04, 2007
Animal welfare in transport: new EU rules enter into force
The new Regulation on animal welfare in transport enters into force January 5th 2007. http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/07/2&type=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
Posted by sball at 02:42 PM | Comments (0)
Idaho Research Station Helps Beleaguered Bird
They whistle, puff their chests and strut like peacocks. But for all their attention-getting efforts, greater sage grouse are slowly disappearing from the American West. Once estimated to be in the millions, the birds may now number only about 150,000. http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2006/061113.htm
Posted by sball at 07:24 AM | Comments (0)
Using Comparative Genomics to Manage Marek's Disease
The genetic code for a virulent strain of Marek's disease virus was cracked a few years ago. Now, to determine how best to cripple it and other infectious strains, Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists are working to decipher the genomes of several nonvirulent Marek's disease (MDV) vaccine strains. http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2006/061206.htm
Posted by sball at 07:19 AM | Comments (0)
Wetlands Curb Hog Hormones in Waste Water
Constructed wetlands may help reduce hormones in wastewater from hog farms, an Agricultural Research Service (ARS)-led team reports this month in Environmental Science and Technology. http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2006/061218.htm
Posted by sball at 07:14 AM | Comments (0)
Genetic Marker Predicts Pig Litter Size
Bigger is often better where litter size is concerned, especially when it comes to piglets. Scientists with the Agricultural Research Service's (ARS) U.S. Meat Animal Research Center in Clay Center, Neb., have identified a genetic marker that could help pig breeders select animals for increased uterine capacity and litter size. This genetic discovery could give swine breeding a boost in efficiency. http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2006/061227.htm
Posted by sball at 07:11 AM | Comments (0)
USDA Researchers Evaluate Prion-Free Cattle
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) announced today that initial results of a research project involving prion-free cattle are now available online at www.nature.com/nbt. ARS scientists evaluated cattle that have been genetically modified so they do not produce prions, and determined that there were no observable adverse effects on the animals' health. http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2006/061231.htm
Posted by sball at 07:05 AM | Comments (0)
Panda Baby Boom In China
CBS News reports there is a baby boom in China. Some 34 pandas were born by artificial insemination in 2006 and 30 survived. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/03/world/main2325436.shtml
Posted by sball at 07:00 AM | Comments (0)