Animal Diseases

by Stephen J. Hedges Despite persistent fears of mad cow disease in Canadian beef, the Department of Agriculture has failed to properly track hundreds of Canadian cattle coming into the United States, the department's inspector general has concluded. An...

by Mark Silva President Bush has gone to Peru. But Bush, making his last scheduled trip abroad as president, has not gotten away from the economic crisis that has beset his nation and many others near the close of his......

A few weeks ago I enlisted the assistance of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture in a case involving a sick calf. The calf was showing signs consistent with a contagious exotic disease. This was done out of an abundance of caution. The...

Question: On a packed, 16-hour flight to Japan, my three children and I were seated in a row next to a family that had not bathed recently. The odor was very strong. The flight attendant would periodically come by and spray air freshener, and the...

IN the last several weeks, while the news was full of disasters and discussion of avian flu, Amtrak was dealt two quiet blows. The president of Amtrak — the nation's long-distance passenger rail system — was fired, and the profitable...

Every so often, an opportunity arises to train for a disaster. Granted, the training feels like the real thing, but people who work with livestock have to be constantly vigilant about recognizing exotic, contagious diseases. They are considered exotic...

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Seven South Dakotans made a big impact on National Farmers Union policy during the family farm organization's 111th anniversary convention held at Springfield, Mass., March 2-5. Based on membership totals, South Dakota Farmers Union...

WASHINGTON-The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a final rule establishing general regulations for improving the traceability of U.S. livestock moving interstate. "With the final rule announced today, the United States now has a flexible,...

PIERRE - More than 40 cattle herds in southeastern South Dakota have been reported to the state veterinarian with signs of illness, including fever, ulcers in the mouth and gums, excessive salivation, and lameness or stiffness when walking. State...

As an Extension veterinarian, I get the chance to travel to national meetings a bit more often than I did in practice. Today, I'm sitting in the airport in Buffalo, New York, taking advantage of some waiting time to think about this week's column. Our...

A couple weeks ago, I had a great opportunity to visit South Korea and meet with veterinarians across their country. We spent time with some of the principal national officials who had been immersed in their country's largest animal health emergency in...