Prepare to protect animal health with us in 2020!

Minnesota Board of Animal Health sent this bulletin at 01/21/2020 02:51 PM CST

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Animal Bytes

January 2020

Know how to order official ID in 2020

Before you prepare to order tags, remember, you need a state or federal premises ID number. You can register your premises online.

Producers can order silver metal NUES tags from Ketchum Manufacturing (minimum order 100 tags) by calling 800-222-0460 or National Band & Tag Company 859-261-2035. Additionally, silver metal NUES tags may be available from your veterinarian.

Plastic NUES tags may be purchased from Leedstone by calling 877-608-3877 or from the Minnesota Dairy Herd Improvement Association by calling 800-827-3442.

Veterinarians can call the same companies to order tags, and need to make a minimum purchase of 1,000 tags when ordering silver metal NUES tags from National Band and Tag. The Ketchum minimum order for veterinarians is 100 tags.

The Board of Animal Health has a supply of orange metal NUES brucellosis vaccination tags, which can be ordered at no cost (while supplies last) by calling 651-201-6836 or using our online tag order form. Orange brucellosis vaccination tags may only be used by accredited veterinarians and applied to cattle and bison.

In compliance with federal law, all tags must display the U.S. shield if applied to an animal March 11, 2015 or after.

What else is happening in 2020?

NAHMS 2020 Swine Study

The National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) conducts national studies on the health and health management of livestock and poultry. In July of 2020 NAHMS will focus its national study on U.S. swine operations. The study will explore new information regarding health and management practices in the U.S. swine industry. There are two focus areas targeting swine populations of greater than 1,000 pigs and those with less than 1,000 pigs.

The goals of the study are to inform disease management and preparedness strategies to safeguard the swine industry. Study objectives were developed based on multiple focus group discussions with industry (representatives from the National Pork Board, National Pork Producers Council, and the American Association of Swine Veterinarians) and through input from industry stakeholders. The study will:

Describe current U.S. swine production practices related to housing, productivity, biosecurity, and morbidity and mortality prevention.
Determine the producer-reported prevalence of select pathogens in weaned market pigs.
Describe antimicrobial stewardship and use patterns.
Evaluate the presence of select economically important pathogens, and characterize isolated organisms from biological specimens.

Take a proactive step into 2020 and vaccinate

January focuses on horses:

Core vaccinations we recommend for diseases not usually spread by horse to horse contact but instead by vectors:

Vaccinate in spring prior to onset of insect vector season

Eastern and Western Equine Encephalomyelitis
West Nile Virus

Vaccinate Annually

Rabies
Tetanus

Additional recommended vaccinations based on exposure to other horses:

Influenza
Equine Herpesvirus/Rhinopneumonitis

Vaccination schedules vary depending on intensity of exposure (occasional horse contact versus intense show circuits) as well as individual physiology (young versus old horses as well as pregnancy status).

Other vaccinations may or may not be recommended, depending on disease prevalence in the area horses are housed. The American Association of Equine Practitioners provides detailed recommendations.

Check back next month to learn about vaccinations for dogs and cats!

Next Quarterly Board Meeting of 2020

The second quarterly Board meeting of 2020 is Wednesday, April 15 at 9:30 a.m. View the agenda on our website. The meeting location is still being finalized and will be posted on the website when it's secured.