Vl. 9, Issue 1 March 2006 Head/Directr's Message David H. Zeman, DVM, PhD Quality System Laundry The ADRDL has been accredited by the American Assciatin f Veterinary Labratry Diagnsticians (AAVLD) since the nset f their accreditatin prgram ver 30 years ag. T my knwledge, the AAVLD veterinary diagnstic labratry accreditatin prgram is the ldest in the wrld, and has prmted excellence and prgress in veterinary labratries in Nrth America. Hwever, the accreditatin prgram is underging a majr makever. The new accreditatin standard is mre detailed, requires mre dcumentatin, and is fully cmpatible with internatinal expectatins as put frth by the Wrld Animal Health Organizatin (OIE). The Wrld Trade Organizatin (WTO) authrizes the science based OIE t set the standard in these matters, because the results generated in veterinary diagnstic labs have a direct impact n internatinal trading f animals and animal prducts. The fundatin f the new accreditatin expectatin is the labratries Quality System. The Quality System s purpse is t prmte quality wrk by fllwing these simple principles: #1 D it right. The right test and the right technique. #2 Write dwn hw yu will d it. #3 D what yu write. #4 Check the quality system regularly. I call checking the system, ding quality system laundry. At times t ur clients this may appear as verkill, such as repeating several tests at n additinal charge due t a reagent recall when there is very little expectatin that the end results will change. At ther times, it is catching significant errrs such as an animal ID number n the wrng line. In either case, ding the quality system laundry will be an pen and transparent prcess. Even thugh we wuld all rather d ur laundry in private, the new Quality System mandates integrity and infrming the client f any issue that might impact the final test result and therefre the client s interpretatin. Our Quality System Manager is Rajesh Parmar. Quality System management is his full-time duty. Many cmmunicatins regarding quality system laundry will cme with his name n it. As yu read these cmmunicatins, I hpe that it blsters yur cnfidence that the ADRDL s quality system is fully engaged and driving us t cntinuus quality imprvement. I guarantee that labratries nt shwing evidence f quality system laundry are piling up dirty laundry smewhere. Thank yu fr being ur clients and as always it is a pleasure t prmte animal health tgether! Diagnstic News - SDSU ADRDL Submissin f Rabies Specimens: SDSU ADRDL A. T meet CDC guidelines fr rabies testing, it will be necessary t submit the: ENTIRE brain with the BRAINSTEM FRESH t the SDSU ADRDL (r any ther test lab). This will allw fr the testing f bth sides f the brain and brainstem. This negates previus recmmendatins by the ADRDL t submit half f the brain in frmalin. The ADRDL will nw frmalinize the brain after it arrives at ur labratry. Submit the fresh brain in a Styrfam insulated cardbard shipping cntainer with adequate ice t keep cld enrute t the lab. D nt freeze the fresh brain. Submit whle fresh brain, with brainstem B. Fill ut the standard ADRDL submissin frm, including the rabies sectin. Yu can dwnlad it frm http://vetsci.sdstate.edu/frms/generalfrm.pdf. A veterinarian must be listed as the referring DVM.
C. As always, the labratry will nt accept LIVE animals fr rabies testing. T minimize ptential expsure, animals shuld be euthanized prir t transprt t the labratry. Whle bdies, cmplete heads, r remved brains are all acceptable specimens at the ADRDL. Our lab persnnel will remve brains upn arrival, at n additinal charge. D. Since the FA test is s quick and reliable, after hurs testing is rarely required anymre. The FA test is cmpleted the same day, if samples arrive befre 2 PM. Lab results are phned t the referring veterinary clinic. Testing after hurs, weekends, r hlidays is nt available at the ADRDL. E. The ADRDL is pen 8 AM t 5 PM Mnday thrugh Friday, except hlidays. A SPECIMEN DROP-OFF COOLER is accessible t the public 24 hurs per day. Samples can be driven t the lab n nights r weekends, and left in the cler fr testing the next wrking day. The cler is adjacent t the lading dck near the NE crner f the lab. The n-call diagnstician can be reached at 690-1576. Hliday hurs: Mnday, May 29 Memrial Day Tuesday, July 4 Independence Day Extensin News - SDSU ADRDL Equine Herpesvirus Infectins Mre widespread r mre recgnized? Russ Daly, DVM, Extensin Veterinarian, SDSU Recent highly-publicized cases f neurlgic disease in hrses have brught equine herpesvirus (EHV) t the news in recent mnths. Facilities in Kentucky, Maryland and West Virginia have been affected by quarantines due t the disease, and reprts f affected animals have been received in recent weeks frm stable peratrs in western Suth Dakta. Each year, neurlgic diseases attributed t EHV are reprted t the Suth Dakta Animal Industry Bard. As is the case with the disease natinwide, it is unclear whether these cases represent an actual increase in incidence r an increase in awareness and reprting f the disease. Equine herpesviral infectin is a reprtable, but nt quarantinable, disease in Suth Dakta. The Agent Tw antigenically diverse strains f EHV are respnsible fr the majr syndrmes assciated with the virus: EHV-1 and EHV-4. These herpesviruses are envelped, which has implicatins fr chsing apprpriate disinfectants (see Management belw). EHV generally des nt survive well utside the bdy, s clse cntact is usually necessary fr transmissin. Pathphysilgy f EHV Bth strains f EHV are ubiquitus in hrses thrughut the wrld. Originally, primary infectin f hrses with EHV was thught t ccur arund weaning time, when virus neutralizing antibdy levels frm clstrum had declined. Hwever, there is new evidence that infectin f yung hrses may ccur much earlier. Fllwing an EHV-1 abrtin strm n a British farm, virus was islated frm healthy fals aged 7-9 days f age. These fals als had high levels f clstral antibdy, implying that transfer f maternal antibdies was nt sufficient t prevent infectin (but did prevent clinical signs) in these fals. In any event, after primary infectin, up t 80% f the infected hrses will develp latent infectins. Viral latency invlves the lymphcytes and trigeminal ganglin. In these hrses, the virus may lay drmant fr life r recrudesce after times f stress r ther immunsuppressin. This reactivatin creates the pprtunity fr recurrent disease and shedding t susceptible individuals. Hrses with reactivated latent infectins, therefre, are pssible surces f infectin fr susceptible animals. Cntact with nasal and respiratry secretins, and, in the case f abrtin, with abrted tissues and fluids, will transmit the agent. Cntaminated stalls, tack, feeding and watering equipment are fmites that can cntribute t spread f EHV within a premise. The incubatin perid fr EHV-related infectins is shrt: three t seven days. The site fr primary viral replicatin is the upper respiratry tract. Fllwing infectin f the nasal epithelium, the virus becmes intracellular and is rapidly dispersed via infected lymphcytes t sites f secndary replicatin, such as the pregnant uterus r the spinal crd. The Syndrmes Equine herpesvirus causes disease in three distinct syndrmes: 1. Respiratry Infectin. Als knwn as rhinpneumnitis, this syndrme may be mild r inapparent in animals that have had previus infectins r vaccinatin. A cmmn manifestatin f the respiratry effects f EHV is in yunger hrses (weanlings) in hrsedense areas. These utbreaks have generally been attributed t EHV-4. Symptms include fever, serus nasal discharge, malaise, cugh, submandibular and retrpharyngeal lymph nde 2
swelling. Smetimes a diphasic fever is nted; the secnd phase f fever cincides with the advent f a cell-assciated viremia, in which virus travels thrugh the bldstream inside lymphcytes. Secndary bacterial infectins are cmmn fllwing primary infectin. On a tissue level, infectin with EHV-4 causes a rhinpharyngitis and trachebrnchitis. The virus invades and replicates in respiratry tract epithelium and assciated lymph ndes. Grss lesins include hyperemia and ulceratin f respiratry epithelium and multiple hemrrhagic fci in lungs. 2. Abrtin. EHV infectin generally is assciated with late-gestatin abrtin (7-11 mnths f gestatin). Abrtin is smetimes nted several weeks t mnths after a clinical r subclinical infectin with EHV-1, but ften ccurs with n impending signs. It is speculated that the decreased cellmediated immunity f pregnant mares in late gestatin allws the virus t mre readily incrprate int cells (lymphcytes) and be transprted transplacentally via the bldstream f the mare. In additin t abrtins, weak full-term fals may be brn with full-blwn viremia. These fals d nt generally survive mre than a few days, succumbing t the primary effects f the virus r secndary infectins. Lesins in affected fals include pulmnary edema, effusin f pleural fluid, multifcal hepatic necrsis, and petechiatin f the mycardium, adrenals, spleen, and thymus. 3. Neurlgic Disease. Neurlgic signs are the ntewrthy cmpnent f the recent EHV infectins in the news and are significant t the affected individual animals, but are infrequent sequelae f EHV-1 infectins. Specific strains f EHV-1 have been implicated when neurlgic signs are assciated with EHV. There is speculatin that this syndrme ccurs mre frequently in mares that have weathered abrtin strms, r in individuals that have experienced respiratry utbreaks. Symptms may begin as mild incrdinatin r lameness, prgressing t psterir paresis and paralysis, recumbency, and lss f tail and bladder functin. Strains f EHV-1 that are implicated with neurlgic signs affect vascular endthelial cells, especially in the central nervus system. This results in an immune-mediated vasculitis, prgressing t secndary infarctin and hemrrhage thrughut the brain and spinal crd. Often, hwever, there are n grss lesins in the CNS r nly minimal hemrrhage in the meninges, brain, and spinal crd parenchyma. Neurlgic symptms in the animal crrespnd with the specific lcatin in the CNS affected by the virus. Diagnsis f EHV Infectin The latency and cell-related nature f EHV infectin make definitive diagnsis challenging. Generally, PCR r virus islatin is perfrmed n naspharyngeal swabs t cnfirm diagnsis. Virus islatin may als be attempted n buffy cat samples, but usually this requires examinatin during a narrw windw f viremia. Paired serlgy n individuals may be attempted, but may be unrewarding especially fr abrtin cases, since antibdies are shrt-lived and may have been present and in abrtin cases, the virus may be islated r demnstrated in tissue. Neurlgic frms f EHV infectin are ften presumptively diagnsed n clinical signs. Respiratry symptms f EHV cannt be differentiated frm thse f influenza r ther causes n the basis f clinical signs. Treatment and Outcme Treatment f any f the syndrmes assciated with EHV has been difficult at best. In mst cases, supprtive treatment is the nly ptin. Secndary respiratry infectins can be treated with apprpriate antibitic and adjunctive therapy. Supprtive care als is indicated fr the neurlgic frm f EHV, and it has been nted that animals mildly affected with this frm may eventually recver. Severely affected animals, hwever, usually prgress t the pint in which euthanasia is the nly ptin. Immunity t EHV Differences exist in the effectiveness and duratin f immunity amng the different syndrmes assciated with EHV. Immunity t respiratry infectin fllwing natural expsure is relatively rbust, including bth humral and cellular cmpnents, but is relatively shrt-lived (abut three mnths). Immunity fllwing abrtin disease generally is cnsidered f lnger duratin than that fllwing respiratry infectin, but is less predictable. It has been nted that mst mares affected with EHV abrtin will cnceive and deliver nrmal fals in the subsequent gestatin. Little is knwn abut immunity t the neurlgic frm f EHV, but it is widely recgnized that vaccinatin with current prducts will nt prtect against this syndrme. Vaccinatin Cnsidering the pathgenesis f EHV infectins, it has been suggested that three cmpartments f the immune system are imprtant in preventin f clinical effects f this grup f syndrmes: 1) Mucsal immunity, with antibdies present t neutralize virus in the bdy s prtals f entry; 2) Viral neutralizing antibdy in the bldstream t cmbat free infectius viral particles; and 3) Cell-mediated prcesses that will lyse cells infected with herpesvirus, thus preventing the cell-assciated viremia s imprtant fr disseminatin f the virus t the target rgans. A widely effective vaccine will prvide immune stimulatin f all these cmpnents; current prducts available, hwever, fall shrt f these gals. Current vaccines generally are regarded t prduce high levels f circulating antibdy, but nly prvide partial stimulatin f the cell-mediated immune system. Inactivated and live attenuated vaccines fr EHV-1 and EHV-4 are available. An inactivated viral vaccine (Pneumabrt-K, Frt Ddge Animal Health) is marketed fr preventin f equine abrtin and is labeled t be given at mnths 3, 5, 7, and 9 f gestatin. Currently there is n vaccine labeled fr aid in preventin f the neurlgic signs assciated with EHV. General recmmendatins fr vaccine use include initial vaccinatin f fals at 3-4 mnths f age, 3
fllwed by a bster in 4-8 weeks. Bsters usually are recmmended every 3-6 mnths due t the shrt duratin f immunity they impart. Over the past 25 years, many studies have attempted t characterize the efficacy f cmmercial vaccines against EHV-1. Nt all vaccines have published data supprting efficacy, and studies n the same vaccine smetimes have prduced incnsistent results. The ubiquitus nature f the virus and prpensity fr the virus t becme latent makes it difficult t study grups f animals that are similar immunlgically. A recent review f EHV vaccines was unable t draw any cnclusins abut vaccine efficacy. Cnsidering the current bdy f evidence, hwever, there is strng evidence that vaccinatin can prvide a high degree f clinical and virlgical prtectin in hrses after experimental and natural expsure t EHV-1. It is nted that the widespread use f EHV-1 vaccine (and als management changes) have cntributed t a decrease by 75% in the incidence f abrtin strms in equine breeding herds. This is likely due t the decrease in amunt and duratin f virus shed in vaccinated animals. Future vaccines fr the successful immunlgic cntrl f EHV infectin will need t prduce: 1) a high level f persistent neutralizing antibdy in the upper respiratry mucsa; 2) a high level f persistent neutralizing antibdy in the systemic circulatin; and 3) an expanded ppulatin f virus-specific T-helper lymphcytes in the mucsa and bldstream. Management Practices Bisecurity refers t practices implemented t prevent intrductin f a disease agent int a susceptible ppulatin. Because EHV becmes latent in a high prprtin f infected animals, this may be prblematic. Hwever, certain management prcedures can limit the chance that an animal shedding large amunts f virus may enter a facility. 1. Islatin. When new hrses are purchased r added t a facility, r returning frm an utside facility, a strict 3-4 week islatin perid shuld be enfrced. This is especially imprtant when pregnant mares are present in the hme facility. Reducing stress (hauling, envirnment, scial stress) will decrease the chance f recrudescence f latent EHV infectins. Animals entering a ppulatin shuld be vaccinated between seven and 90 days prir t entry. 2. Grup events. Whenever pssible, health certificatin and vaccinatin requirements shuld be enfrced when staging events such as hrse shws, trail rides, rpings, etc. 3. Disinfectin. Equipment, trailers, and ther inanimate bjects that were in cntact with utside hrses shuld be disinfected with the apprpriate prduct. As previusly mentined, EHV is an envelped virus, and a disinfectant shuld be chsen with the apprpriate activity. One f the mst effective classes f disinfectant against envelped viruses are in the aldehyde family. There are cmbinatin prducts available that include this type f chemical, including DC&R and Synergize, amng thers. Bicntainment refers t practices put int place fllwing an utbreak f disease t prevent further damaging effects. When infected animals are identified within a facility, the fllwing steps shuld be cnsidered: 1. Islatin. Affected animals shuld be islated frm the rest f the herd. 2. Quarantine. Animals shuld be quarantined t the affected premise fr 21 days fllwing recvery f the last clinical case. 3. Disinfectin f premises and equipment cntacted by infected animals. References: Paradis MR. Equine respiratry viruses. In: Smith BP, ed. Large animal internal medicine. St. Luis: Msby, 1996; 587-588. Crabb BS, Studdert MJ. Equine rhinpneumnitis (equine herpesvirus 4) and equine abrtin (equine herpesvirus 1). In: Studdert MJ, ed. Virus infectins f equines. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 1996; 11-37. Kydd JH, Twnsend HGG, Hannant D. The equine immune respnse t equine herpesvirus-1: The virus and its vaccines. Vet Immul Immunpathl 2006; (In press). Calving Date Variatin in Beef Cws: An Illustratin Gerge Perry, PhD, Extensin Beef Reprductive Specialist, SDSU This figure shws a grup f mature crss-bred cws (n = 64) that were all inseminated within a cuple f hurs f each ther and all cnceived t the fixed-time inseminatin prtcl. Day 0 is the expected due date at 285 days frm inseminatin. As can be seen frm the distributin f calves brn, even when a grup f cws all cnceive n the same day calving can be distributed ver abut a 3 week perid. Number f calves 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 n = 64 Due Date -8-7 -6-5 -4-3 -2-1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Variatin frm due date Editrs Nte: In practice, I wuld have fund this diagram useful in illustrating t clients that gestatin length in cws is subject t the same bilgical variatin present in the rest f nature. Early calves r late calves relative t a due date are much mre the nrm instead f the exceptin. 4
Natural and Organic Beef Tm R. Trxel, Extensin Beef Cattle Specialist, University f Arkansas What is natural r rganic beef? As naturally and rganically grwn cattle becme mre cmmn in the marketplace, s d questins frm beef prducers and cnsumers. Beef prducers are asking questins abut the prductin f natural and/r rganic beef and the marketing pprtunities that may be available. Cnsumers are asking questins abut the healthfulness and advantages f natural and/r rganic beef. What Is Natural Beef? The natural beef market has develped int a legitimate marketing ptin with incentives attractive enugh t justify cnsideratin. Generally, certified natural cattle have received premiums ranging between $4 t $8 cwt. fr calves and $2 t $4 cwt. fr feeder cattle, depending upn lcatin, quality and quantity. Althugh the increase in selling price is cnsidered a premium, ften this premium is necessary t ffset lsses in prductivity assciated with required management practices t prduce natural beef. In sme cases, these premiums have been cnsistent and high enugh t exceed lsses in prductivity, making cattle prducers take ntice. Befre a cattle prducer participates in a natural beef prgram, it s imprtant t have an understanding f the natural beef requirements fr the branded prgram they are interested in. Over a dzen natural beef prgrams are in existence, each with its wn set f prductin requirements. Natural prgrams are very different than rganic prgrams in several ways. Althugh a natural beef prgram may qualify fr USDA prcess verificatin, such prgrams are actually administered and regulated by the cmpany r rganizatin that wns the brand name, nt the USDA. Natural beef is prduced t fit int a specific branded beef prgram, and therefre, the wner f the brand sets the requirements and is respnsible fr regulating cmpliance. This makes the natural beef prgram s integrity extremely imprtant. T use the term natural n a fd label, the USDA requires nly three simple things: (1) the prduct must be minimally prcessed, (2) the prduct cannt cntain any artificial ingredients and (3) the prduct cannt cntain any preservatives. The USDA has n specific restrictin n management practices during the life f the animal. Table 1 lists the general prductin and certificatin requirements fr a natural beef prgram. If a beef prducer is cnsidering a natural beef prgram, it is advisable that specific prgram requirements be reviewed. Fr example, sme natural beef prgrams nly restrict antibitic and implant use during the last 100 t 120 days prir t harvest. What Is Organic Beef? The U.S. Department f Agriculture has put in place a set f natinal standards that fd labeled rganic must meet, whether it is grwn in the United States r imprted frm ther cuntries. Organic meat, pultry, eggs and dairy prducts cme frm animals that are nt given antibitics r grwth hrmnes. Organic fd is prduced withut using mst cnventinal pesticides, fertilizers made frm synthetic ingredients r sewage sludge, r biengineering r inizing radiatin. Befre a prduct can be labeled rganic, a gvernment-apprved certifier inspects the farm where the fd is grwn t make sure the farmer is fllwing all the rules necessary t meet USDA rganic standards. Cmpanies that handle r prcess rganic fd befre it gets t yur lcal supermarket r restaurant must als be certified. Farms and handling peratins that sell less than $5,000 per year are nt required t be certified by USDA. Althugh exempt frm certificatin, these prducers and handlers must abide by the natinal standards fr rganic prducts and may label their prducts as rganic. USDA makes n claims that rganically prduced fd is safer r mre nutritius than cnventinally prduced fd. Organic fd differs frm cnventinally prduced fd in the way it is grwn, handled and prcessed. Alng with the natinal rganic standards, USDA has develped strict labeling rules t help cnsumers knw the exact rganic cntent f the fd they buy. USDA develped the USDA Organic seal (Figure 1) that tells the cnsumer a prduct is at least 95 percent rganic. Other truthful claims, such as free-range, hrmne-free and natural, can still appear n fd labels, but nly certified rganic fd can use the USDA Organic seal. Fr mre infrmatin n the USDA rganic standards, g t http://www.ams.usda.gv/np. Prducing Organic Beef T prduce, market, label r advertise beef using the term rganic, prducers and prcessing cmpanies must each be certified by the USDA as rganic prducers. This is a highly invlved prcess that requires tremendus time, effrt and dcumentatin. T qualify fr an rganic label, the fllwing requirements must be met: Animals have t be prduced and prcessed by a USDA certified rganic farm and prcessr. The animals must be free f any antibitics r grwth hrmnes. They must be free f mammalian r pultry prtein r by-prducts. Feed must nt have been expsed t pesticides, fertilizers made frm synthetic ingredients r biengineering. Animals fr slaughter must be raised under rganic management frm the last third f gestatin. Prducers are required t feed livestck agricultural feed prducts that are 100 percent rganic but may als prvide allwed vitamin and mineral supplements. In rder t prduce 100 percent rganic feed, the land will have n prhibited substance applied t it fr at least three years befre the harvest f an rganic crp. 5
The use f genetic engineering, inizing radiatin and sewage sludge is prhibited. Sil fertility and crp nutrients will be managed thrugh tillage and cultivatin practices, crp rtatin and cver crps, supplemented with animal and crp waste materials and allwed synthetic materials. Preference will be given t the use f rganic seeds and ther planting stck, but a prducer may use nnrganic seeds and planting stck under specified cnditins. Crp pests, weeds and disease will be cntrlled primarily thrugh management practices including physical, mechanical and bilgical cntrls. When these practices are nt sufficient, a bilgical, btanical r synthetic substance apprved fr use n the Natinal List f Allwed and Prhibited Substances may be used. Preventive management practices, including the use f vaccines, will be used t keep animals healthy. Prducers are prhibited frm withhlding treatment frm a sick r injured animal; hwever, animals treated with a prhibited medicatin may nt be sld as rganic. All rganically raised animals must have access t the utdrs, including access t pasture fr ruminants. They may be temprarily cnfined nly fr reasns f health, safety, the animal s stage f prductin r t prtect sil r water quality. Handling Standards All nnagricultural ingredients, whether synthetic r nnsynthetic, must be included n the Natinal List f Allwed Synthetic and Prhibited Nn-Synthetic Substances. Handlers must prevent the cmmingling f rganic with nnrganic prducts and prtect rganic prducts frm cntact with prhibited substances. In a prcessed prduct labeled as rganic, all agricultural ingredients must be rganically prduced, unless the ingredient(s) is nt cmmercially available in rganic frm. In the case f mislabeled rganic fd, the penalty can be as high as $10,000 per vilatin. Aside frm mnetary penalties fr falsely representing a prduct, there are ethical and mral implicatins. The beef cattle industry wrks hard t successfully assure cnsumers that beef is a safe and whlesme prduct that is prduced by a trustwrthy industry. The entire beef cattle industry wuld receive a black eye if a natural r rganic beef prduct were prved t be smething ther than labeled. Summary Natural Beef: Natural beef prgrams are largely defined and regulated by the cmpany that wns the brand. USDA requirements fr natural beef are relatively simple minimum prcessing, n artificial ingredients and n preservatives. USDA has n specific restrictins n management practices during the life f the animal. Organic Beef: Prducers and prcessing cmpanies must be certified by the USDA, which requires much time, effrt and dcumentatin. Prductin and handling guidelines and restrictins must be fllwed fr prducts t carry the USDA Organic seal. The natural beef and, t a lesser extent, the rganic beef markets will cntinue t grw in the market share fr at least the next few years. The pprtunity fr sme prducers t capture greater value fr their beef cattle by mdifying their management practices t meet certain certified natural beef requirements will cntinue. Beef cattle prducers must carefully weigh the advantages and disadvantages f participating in a natural prgram r a certified rganic prgram fr their wn peratin. Reference U.S. Department f Agriculture, The Natinal Organic Prgram, www.ams.usda.gv/np. Cattle-Fax Update, Cattle-Fax, Englewd, Clrad. DR. TOM R. TROXEL is Extensin beef cattle specialist and sectin leader - animal science with the University f Arkansas Divisin f Agriculture, Cperative Extensin Service, in Little Rck. Table 1. Requirements f Natural and Organic Beef Prgrams a USDA Typical Natural Beef Prgram Certified Organic Beef Antibitic use Nt Allwed Nt Allwed Inphre use (such as Typically Nt Rumensin) Allwed Nt Allwed Implant use Nt Allwed Nt Allwed Feed cntaining mammalian prtein r by-prducts Nt Allwed Nt Allwed Feed frm nn-rganic Typically surces (such as Allwed fertilized pastures) Nt Allwed Other Restrictins Each Prgram Varies Extensive Certificatin Prducer Signs an USDA Affidavit Certificatin Regulatin/Auditing Branded Prgram USDA Audits a Surce: Cattle-Fax 6
Natural Beef in the Feedlt: Risk and Return t Feeder Calf Premiums Turk Stvall, ORIgen, Inc. Significant premiums can be btained by prducing and marketing cattle thrugh natural beef prgrams. Hwever, if prgrams are prly-executed, premiums may easily be replaced with lsses. Natural beef industry s standard: never-ever prgrams Natural cattle required t never-ever have received antibitics r hrmnes f any kind frm birth t harvest. As such, if a scuring calf has been treated with antibitics as a nenate, that animal can n lnger be represented as natural. Fr mst natural beef prgrams, Rumensin and Bvatec are cnsidered antibitics. Likewise, MGA is als disallwed because it is a hrmne. Imprtant fr prducers t realize: Vaccines are NOT antibitics, and are extremely imprtant t the health f natural cattle. Many ranches already prduce natural beef, but d nt market calves as such, due t failure t identify r recrd calves treated with antibitics. Other ranches simply fail t represent their natural calves as natural. Sme prducers prefer t implant calves and are remved frm the prgram fr that reasn. Premiums: At any given sale, natural cattle generally always bring a premium ver nn-naturals f like class and type. Premiums will fluctuate ver time and at times may be nn-existent. At terminal markets, natural prgrams create many unique selling pprtunities fr finished cattle: Feedlt wners may be ffered unique pricing arrangements: frward cntracts with windws, live plus premiums, etc., etc. These arrangements help feedlt wners in making better buying decisins fr themselves and retained-wnership custmers. Average premiums ver cash market will generally be $5 t $15 per hundredweight. At different times f the year, apprpriate natural fat calves may be difficult fr buyers t find, driving up available premiums. Fat cattle premiums will be high, causing feeder calf premiums t be high. Risk: As with any business investment with ptential high returns, a level f risk accmpanies that ptential. Natural cattle arguably have the highest value at risk cmpared t mst branded beef prgrams. Health Risks: Ttal health management at the ranch level is crucial t the success f natural beef in the feedlt. Vitally imprtant are: - Vaccines and bisecurity - Nutritin and minerals - Weaning n the ranch Reasn fr imprtance: The cst f a treated calf is very high in natural beef prgrams. Cst depends n these variables: - Salvage value (buying natural feeders at a premium and selling them n the cmmdity cash market) - Opprtunity cst (at what pint f the feeding phase is the animal treated and remved? Can the animal be put int anther prgram? What was the animal s ptential had it been raised cnventinally frm the start?) - Lst perfrmance (while animal has been fed under natural prtcls) Health management and assessment is ne f the main drivers f feeder calf premiums when cmparing natural cattle t cnventinal cattle f the same class and type. This creates pprtunities fr veterinarians in managing the health f these animals. Cst f Gain: Feedlt perfrmance suffers frm the absence f implants, MGA, and inphres. Results in an average $0.10 per pund increase in cst f gain. Inability t feed inphres may result in an increase in metablic prblems (acidsis, blat), als increasing the cst f gain. Mishaps: Transactins may be messy when affidavits are nt received as prmised, missing animals that have been treated, r lst identificatin. Feedlts will nt sell natural cattle with any chance they may have been treated. All f these factrs influence the amunt f risk (and thus the amunt f premium) a cattle buyer is willing t accept. Natural feeder premiums are relative t the feedlt s verall assessment f hw much value they are putting at risk. The industry is at the dawn f higher demand fr natural cattle while new majr players cme t the table, creating new markets dmestically and abrad. It will be the prgressive cattlemen that will reap these rewards at a sustainable rate by assessing their risk while meeting supply demands. Excerpted frm: Presentatin at James Bailey Herd Health Cnference, Brkings, SD, February 18, 2006; and Prceedings, The Range Beef Cw Sympsium XIX, Rapid City, SD, December 6-8, 2005. 7
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY SDSU Veterinary Science Department Animal Disease Research & Diagnstic Labratry Bx 2175- Nrth Campus Drive Brkings, SD 57007-1396 Nn-Prfit Org. U.S. Pstage PAID Brkings, SD Permit 24 The SDSU Veterinary Science Department cnducts research, teaching, prfessinal service, and extensin service t Suth Dakta and the surrunding regin. Entities within the department include the Suth Dakta Animal Disease Research and Diagnstic Labratry, the Olsn Bichemistry Labratry, and the Center fr Infectius Disease Research and Vaccinlgy. The Suth Dakta Animal Disease Research and Diagnstic Labratry is a full-service, all-species diagnstic labratry accredited by the American Assciatin f Veterinary Labratry Diagnsticians (AAVLD). The AAVLD accreditatin prgram cmplies with internatinal expectatins fr quality diagnstic services under the guidance f the Wrld Organizatin fr Animal Health (the OIE). The ADRDL cllabrates with the USDA Natinal Veterinary Services Labratry n many federal disease mnitr and eradicatin prgrams and is a member f the Natinal Animal Health Labratry Netwrk. Fr infrmatin regarding the labratry s Quality System, cntact Rajesh Parmar ADRDL Quality Manager, at 605 688 4309. Phne: (605) 688-5171 Fax: (605) 688-6003 Website: http://vetsci.sdstate.edu Calendar f Events April 6-8, 2006 Academy f Veterinary Cnsultants Spring Meeting, Marritt DFW, Irving, TX. www.avcbeef.rg June 4-6, 2006 Suth Dakta Veterinary Medical Assciatin Summer Meeting, Pierre, SD. Fr mre infrmatin call 605-688-6649. July 15-19, 2006 American Veterinary Medical Assciatin Annual Cnventin, Hawaii Cnventin Center, Hnlulu, HI 847-925-8070. August 13-16, 2006 Suth Dakta Veterinary Medical Assciatin Annual Meeting, Siux Falls, SD. Fr mre infrmatin call 605-688-6649. IN THIS ISSUE Head/Directr's Message Quality System Laundry...1 Diagnstic News Submissin f Rabies Specimens: SDSU ADRDL..1 Extensin News Equine Herpesvirus Infectins Mre widespread r mre recgnized?...2 Calving Date Variatin in Beef Cws: An Illustratin...4 Natural and Organic Beef...5 Natural Beef in the Feedlt: Risk and Return t Feeder Calf Premiums...7 Calendar f Events...8 Printed by the Veterinary Science Department, Suth Dakta State University, David Zeman, Head/Directr, VSD/ADRDL. Suth Dakta State University is an Affirmative Actin/Equal Opprtunity Emplyer (Male/Female) and ffers all benefits, services, educatin and emplyment pprtunities withut regard fr ancestry, age, race, citizenship, clr, creed, religin, gender, disability, natinal rigin, sexual preference, r Vietnam Era veteran status. 880 printed at a cst f $.35each. Editr: Russ Daly, DVM 8