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Foreign animal diseases swirling around the globe

An animal health expert attributes the recent spike in foreign animal disease cases to both higher circulation and improved monitoring.

Dr. Montse Torremorell, an associate professor in the College of Vet Medicine at the University of Minnesota, says it seems like there has been an increase in livestock disease movement in places like China, Japan, and parts of Europe.

“The good thing is we do have better diagnostics than we did before, so our ability to detect those cases sooner is in our advantage.  So maybe we detect them faster than before, but some of those diseases we knew were out there.”

Since August, African Swine Fever has been reported in China and Belgium.  Foot and Mouth Disease, which is endemic in China, has surfaced in Chinese pigs and cattle.  And a new strain of Classical Swine Fever emerged in Japan.

Torremorell tells Brownfield the U.S. livestock industry is on high alert.

“We’ve been preparing for that and certainly need to keep an eye (out).  And the more the (diseases) spread to more places, certainly the higher risk for everybody else.”

She calls on producers to be vigilant by enhancing biosecurity and controlling the movement of people, animals, and materials.