NDSU Animal SciencesNDSU Animal Sciences
Animal Agrosecurity
Charlie Stoltenow, DVM, DACVPMAssociate Professor/Extension Veterinarian
ANSC 488, March 25, 2010
Special thanks to the Extension Disaster Education Network(EDEN) and the University of Kentucky Extension Service
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Dairy Basics
• Milking Cows– Cows milked 2 – 3
times per day– Cow has to calve in
order to produce milk– Many cows may be
pregnant while milking
• Other Dairy Animals– Replacement heifers/Open cows– Calves housed in hutches, hand-fed
• Logistics– Milk pick-up every other day for processing– Transportation/housing for off-farm events
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Paul & Joan’s Family Farm
• Paul – Father
• Joan – Mother
• Scott – 16-year-old son
• Bonnie – 8-year-old daughter
• Two farm employees
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Paul & Joan’s Farm Operation
• Neighboring farms• Pastures• Corn fields• Pond – water for
replacement heifers• Old well – crop and
livestock needs• Farmhouse – municipal
water supply• Goats, dogs, etc.
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An Unfolding Crisis
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Setting Bonnie wins a ribbon
at a large multi-species livestock exhibition
Early June during a rainy period
Insect problems abundant
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After the Exhibition
• Day 1 – 4-H picnic at Paul and Joan’s farm– Children played with the goats, calves, and
beagle puppies all the over farm
• Day 2– Goats become ill on Paul and Joan’s farm
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More Problems
• Day 3– Heifers sold by Paul to out-of-state producer
who came to look at the heifers that day
• Day 4– Heifers on Paul’s farm become ill– Called extension agent– Aborted fetus found in the heifers’ pen
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• Where are some areas where Paul’s actions might be found lacking?
Assessing Paul’s Response
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Diagnostics Begin
• Day 5– Paul’s cows start to abort– Reduced milk production– Rain resumes– Veterinarian contacted– Necropsy performed/samples taken
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Regulatory Action
• Day 6– All cows abort– State Veterinarian contacted– FADD arrives– Samples taken– USDA lab diagnostics
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Human illnesses
• Day 7– Neighbor’s child sick– Neighbor’s animals off-feed
• Day 8– Beagle puppies dead– State lab unable to diagnose– Bonnie becomes ill
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• What are some good biosecurity measures that should have been implemented?
• What are some other issues that should be addressed?
Biosecurity
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Scope of Incident Expands
• Day 9– Regional FADDs investigating– Public Health Department alerted– Link to exhibition suspected– Multiple states involved
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Diagnosis
• Day 10– RVF confirmed– FBI investigates
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International Consequences
• Widespread stop movement orders• Trade embargoes• Joint Operations Center established
– Local– State– Federal
• Joint Information Center established– Media/public information
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JOC and JIC
• Federal Bureau of Investigation• Public Health• United States Department of Agriculture• State departments of Agriculture• Food and Drug Administration • Federal Emergency Management Agency• Law enforcement• Environmental Protection Agency• Department of Transportation• Department of Fish and Wildlife
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• Could the US economy be affected by a Rift Valley Fever (RVF) outbreak?
• In a scenario such as the RVF outbreak, how could the US consumer confidence in meat, milk, eggs and other foods be affected after the diagnosis is made?
Economics
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Management
• What modifications to Paul’s farming operation could reduce the effects of this type of incident?
• What prevention or mitigation actions may have reduced the exposure of Bonnie’s goats to any disease at the exhibition?
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Animal Identification
• How would a database of individual animal identification information and a list of pen locations of exhibited animals assist trace-back and trace-forward identification of cases of RVF?
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• What frameworks exist for local, state, and federal agencies to provide an organized, efficient, and coordinated response?
• During a RVF outbreak in the United States, what potential response tasks may be required?
Coordinated Response
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Public Information
• How should Extension agents and veterinarians handle phone calls from the media?
• What can be done to address rumors that may circulate on the Internet or by email, television, and radio during a disease outbreak like RVF?
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Containment/Eradication
• People infected with RVF can be a source of the virus for mosquitoes and other insects. Could people be quarantined and confined to hospitals or homes in this situation?
• How difficult could it be to eliminate an insect-borne foreign animal disease from North America?
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• What differences could geographic location have on the persistence of an insect vector-borne foreign animal disease outbreak over time?
Containment/Eradication
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• What psychological, social, and economic issues may arise from a foreign animal disease outbreak?
Social Effects
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• Could insurance and indemnity programs play a role in the recovery phase of a foreign animal disease outbreak?
Recovery
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The Need for Functional Exercises
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Agricultural Significance/Vulnerability
• Significance– Livestock and poultry - $100 billion/year– 17% of American jobs– Exports - $50 billion/year
• Vulnerability– Spinach – E. coli – Peanut Butter – Salmonella – Great Britain – FMD & BSE
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Animal Agosecurity• Prevention• Surveillance
– Local veterinarians– Extension personnel– Animal diagnostic laboratories– Producers
• Biological risk management• Owners responsible for animal health
– Work with animal health professionals to develop a biosecurity plan
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Animal Agosecurity Program
• Should vary by operation
• Economics
• Components– Resistance– Isolation– Traffic control– Sanitation and disinfection
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Resistance and Isolation
• Resistance– To infection– To illness after infection– As a result of vaccination
• Isolation– Health monitoring– Containment for 28 days
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Traffic Control and Sanitation
• Traffic control– People– Vehicles– Animals
• Sanitation– Clean, hygienic conditions– Clothing, equipment, people, etc.
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Coordinated Response• Interaction among many agencies
– Local– State– Federal
• Common local emergency responders– Fire– Rescue– Police– EMT
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Local Veterinarian
• Trained to recognize disease
• Trained to take samples
• Trained to report suspicious diseases to regulatory authorities– State Veterinarian– Federal Veterinarian
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Office of the State Veterinarian• Regulatory authority to enforce
regulations and quarantines • Should be contacted when suspicion
of an FAD or other reportable disease exists
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Office of the Federal Veterinarian
• Has access to incredible resources– FADD– Diagnostic Laboratories– Personnel– USDA emergency funds
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