Beef Buzz News
Threats Posed by FMD Outbreak Potentially Catastrophic, NCBA Insists a Vaccine Bank is Imperative
Wed, 06 Sep 2017 11:33:45 CDT
One foreign animal disease that will keep producers up at night - is Foot and Mouth Disease. According to Dr. Kathy Simmons, chief veterinarian for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, FMD has not appeared in the United States since 1929. But if it ever did show up again, Simmons tells Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays, the highly contagious, infectious viral disease could potentially wreak havoc on US livestock and wildlife populations.
“Our swine populations, our cattle populations, goats, some wildlife will all be at risk,” she said, trying to explain that FMD only endangers cloven-hooved, or two-toed animals, and poses no actual health risk to humans. “So, we need to be prepared.”
Simmons explains that depopulation used to be the answer to controlling an FMD outbreak, because livestock populations at the time were much smaller than they are today. Now, if FMD was found in a feedyard with 100,000 head of cattle - depopulation would no longer be a viable option. Instead, vaccines have become more commonplace in the modern era. However, FMD vaccine is limited in its production around the world and is complex - in the sense that there are multiple strains of the disease and no one cross-protection from them all. If FMD were to ever appear in the US, it could be catastrophic to the livestock industry and the agricultural economy throughout. Currently, Simmons reports that NCBA is working with other livestock groups like the pork industry, to lobby for funding to establish a modernized vaccine bank with adequate supplies in preparation for an untimely emergency, looking at the next Farm Bill as a vehicle for that necessary funding.
“We need to prepare now,” Simmons said, “because, we may not be able to buy our way out of it if we’re in a crisis.”
Listen to NCBA’s Dr. Kathy Simmons and Farm Director Ron Hays discuss the importance of having a vaccine bank made available for the potentiality of an FMD outbreak in the US, on today’s Beef Buzz.
The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR below for today's show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.
Listen to Simmons and Hays discuss the importance of being prepared for an FMD outbreak, below.
right-click to download mp3
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI
Beef News
Certified Angus Beef Consumers Want to Know Ranchers' Stories Thu, 27 Jan 2022 10:58:18 CST
Decades in the Making, Certified Angus Beef is Expecting to Have a Great Year Wed, 26 Jan 2022 09:52:24 CST
Feedback from the 2022 Cattlemen's Congress is Fantastic Tue, 25 Jan 2022 11:10:12 CST
Higher Than Expected Placements Provide Slightly Bigger Cattle on Feed Number Than a Year Ago Tue, 25 Jan 2022 05:37:53 CST
The Importance of Good Cattle Handling Skills with Dr. Stephen Boyles Fri, 21 Jan 2022 09:55:28 CST
WOTUS Revision Could Include Big-Ticket Climate Change Policy from Biden Administration Thu, 20 Jan 2022 10:40:48 CST
NCBA's Scott Yager Hopeful EPA Will Pay Attention to Its Own Advisory Committee on WOTUS Wed, 19 Jan 2022 12:01:14 CST
American Hereford Association's Focus Includes Consumer Education in 2022 Tue, 18 Jan 2022 11:08:52 CST
American Hereford Association Focusing on Genetic Improvement in 2022 Mon, 17 Jan 2022 12:16:02 CST
See How the Angus Link Program Puts Money Back into Your Pocket Sun, 16 Jan 2022 16:30:08 CST
Why Maine-Anjou Cattle are Popular In and Out of the Show Ring Thu, 13 Jan 2022 18:32:42 CST
OSU's Derrell Peel Talks Latest on Beef Exports and Previews Cattle Inventory Report Wed, 12 Jan 2022 12:41:10 CST
Clint Rusk on the Sometimes-Underestimated Value of Charolais Beef Tue, 11 Jan 2022 11:19:28 CST
How the American Simmental Has Changed Over the Last Couple Decades Mon, 10 Jan 2022 11:33:01 CST
BQA Seminar at Cattlemen's Congress Taught the Importance of Cattle Handling Skills Fri, 07 Jan 2022 11:31:26 CST
American Angus Association Off to a Great Start at 2022 Cattlemen's Congress Thu, 06 Jan 2022 07:10:41 CST
Hereford Breed is Well-Represented at Second Annual Cattlemen's Congress Wed, 05 Jan 2022 14:25:02 CST
Lyons-Blythe Says Cattle Producers Must Take Part in Sustainability Conversation Tue, 04 Jan 2022 11:58:05 CST
Cattle Producers Help Shape the Sustainability Conversation as Part of the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef Mon, 03 Jan 2022 11:35:54 CST
Counting Down the Hours Until 2022 Cattlemen's Congress Fri, 31 Dec 2021 08:32:00 CST
NCBA Continues to Work to Increase Transparency, Fairness of Cattle Markets Thu, 30 Dec 2021 11:33:41 CST
NCBA Continues to Protect Cattle Producers from Funding Build Back Better in 2022 Wed, 29 Dec 2021 11:31:58 CST
Beef Cow Herd Will be Smaller in 2022 Tue, 28 Dec 2021 08:38:14 CST
The U.S. Will See a Decrease in Beef Production in 2022 Says OSU's Derrell Peel Mon, 27 Dec 2021 12:22:22 CST
Make Plans to Attend Cattlemen's Congress if You're in the Cattle Business Thu, 23 Dec 2021 10:41:06 CST
2022 Cattlemen's Congress: It is Going to Be Huge! Wed, 22 Dec 2021 11:44:16 CST
Protect the Harvest is Working to Protect Agriculture in the U.S. Tue, 21 Dec 2021 10:54:08 CST
LMA's Chelsea Good Says Fed Cattle Price Dictates Price Discovery from Top Down Mon, 20 Dec 2021 10:26:05 CST
Animal Activist Groups Blame Animal Agriculture for Climate Change and Pandemics Fri, 17 Dec 2021 11:31:43 CST
Activity Increases Among Animal Rights Extremist Groups Since Pandemic Began Thu, 16 Dec 2021 11:20:14 CST
OSU's Derrell Peel Breaks Down October U.S. Beef Export Numbers Wed, 15 Dec 2021 10:22:09 CST
NCBA's Tanner Beymer Says Most Cattle Industry Groups Back Cattle Contract Library Bill Tue, 14 Dec 2021 10:19:12 CST
NCBA's Tanner Beymer on U.S. House of Representatives Passage of LMR and Cattle Contract Library Act Mon, 13 Dec 2021 20:29:41 CST
U.S. Beef Exports Hits Annual Record-Value Levels in October Fri, 10 Dec 2021 09:59:14 CST
Katelyn McCullock says Fourth-Quarter Cattle Prices are Contraseasonal Thu, 09 Dec 2021 14:49:32 CST
