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April 02, 2009
USDA Proposes To Amend Final Rule On Chronic Wasting Disease Herd Certification Program For Captive Deer, Elk And Moose
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is proposing changes to a final rule that establishes a herd certification program to eliminate chronic wasting disease (CWD) from farmed or captive cervids in the United States. In the final rule, participating deer, elk and moose herds would have to follow CWD herd certification program requirements for animal identification, testing, herd management and movement of animals into and from herds. http://www.aphis.usda.gov/newsroom/content/2009/03/cwdcert.shtmlPosted by sball at 08:36 AM | Comments (0)
USDA Proposes To Change The Disease Status Of The Republic Of Korea With Regard To Foot-And-Mouth Disease And Rinderpest
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is proposing to amend regulations to add the Republic of Korea to the list of regions that are considered free of rinderpest and foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). http://www.aphis.usda.gov/newsroom/content/2009/03/korea_fmd.shtmlPosted by sball at 08:34 AM | Comments (0)
USDA Amends Regulations Regarding The Interstate Movement Of Sheep And Goats
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is amending its regulations regarding the interstate movement of animals to require APHIS approval of livestock facilities that handle sheep and goats in interstate commerce. http://www.aphis.usda.gov/newsroom/content/2009/03/sheep&goat.shtmlPosted by sball at 08:33 AM | Comments (0)
APHIS Amends National Poultry Improvement Plan
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is amending the sampling and testing procedures in the voluntary National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP). The changes will keep the provisions of the plan current with advancements in the poultry industry. http://www.aphis.usda.gov/newsroom/content/2009/03/aphisnpid.shtmlPosted by sball at 08:31 AM | Comments (0)
Cargill beefs up animal welfare efforts
BrownfieldNetwork.com - Cargill Beef is beefing up it animal welfare program. The company is implementing a third-party 24/7 video surveillance system in all of its beef processing plants. http://www.brownfieldnetwork.com/gestalt/go.cfm?objectid=634AA7B9-5056-B82A-D0AE3C4E387C8FC7Posted by sball at 08:17 AM | Comments (0)
Maine egg farm is accused of mistreating its hens
ChicagoTribune.com - The state Department of Agriculture searched Quality Egg of New England LLC on Wednesday, Assistant District Attorney Andrew Robinson said. Prosecutors will investigate before deciding if charges will be filed, he said. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-me-eggfarmprobe,0,586505.storyPosted by sball at 08:14 AM | Comments (0)
April 01, 2009
Mice And Humans Should Have More In Common In Clinical Trials
Science Daily - When mouse testing creates a false positive, leading a researcher to believe a drug has worked, the drug could be sent to further animal testing and human clinical trials at a cost of millions of dollars. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090330142422.htmPosted by sball at 12:13 PM | Comments (0)
March 30, 2009
War dogs called up to serve multiple tours
AZ Central.com - the Defense Department has increased the number of military dogs from 1320 to 2025, and many have served multiple tours. http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=T&ct=us/1-0&fd=R&url=http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2009/03/29/20090329wardogs.html&cid=1322546191&ei=_KjQSaPFEYHcNsPMiOwN&usg=AFQjCNFW36MfQOauIjeGL0wPSdhuvg6lZAPosted by sball at 09:12 AM | Comments (0)
Horses affected by flooding in North Dakota and Minnesota
Horse & Hound Online, UK - American animal welfare organizations worked over the weekend (28-29 March) evacuating and caring for hundreds of animals affected by flooding in the USA. http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/397/279617.htmlPosted by sball at 09:10 AM | Comments (0)
Dogs (not chimps) most like humans
MSNBC (Discovery Channel)- Chimpanzees share many of our genes, but dogs have lived with us for so long and undergone so much domestication that they are now serving as a model for understanding human social behavior, according to a new paper. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29895614/Posted by sball at 08:19 AM | Comments (0)
Are the lab rat's days numbered?
Boston Globe - "There's a serious effort afoot to find ways to phase out animal testing in research," said Jeffrey R. Morgan, professor of medical science and engineering at Brown University in Providence. http://www.boston.com/business/healthcare/articles/2009/03/30/are_the_lab_rats_days_numberedPosted by sball at 08:11 AM | Comments (0)
March 27, 2009
Crabs 'feel and remember pain' suggests new study
CNN.com - New research from Queen's University says crabs feel and remember pain. http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/03/27/crabs.memorypain/index.htmlPosted by sball at 03:18 PM | Comments (0)
FDA Revises Guidance Related to Veterinary Feed Directive
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced the availability of revised guidance for industry concerning the use of veterinary feed directive drugs. The Guidance for Industry #120 has been revised to provide more detailed information on transmitting electronic veterinary feed directive (VFD) orders via the Internet. http://www.fda.gov/cvm/CVM_Updates/RevisesVFDReg.htmPosted by sball at 11:38 AM | Comments (0)
Botulinum toxin: applying the 3Rs to product potency testing
NC3Rs.org.uk - Botulinum toxins - some of the most poisonous naturally occurring substances - are proteins produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. http://www.nc3rs.org.uk/news.asp?id=1023Posted by sball at 10:57 AM | Comments (0)
New report on refining non-human primate care and use
NC3Rs.org.uk - Ninth report of the BVAAWF/FRAME/RSPCA/UFAW Joint Working Group on Refinement. http://www.nc3rs.org.uk/news.asp?id=1033Posted by sball at 10:55 AM | Comments (0)
Crucial role of assistance dogs in helping wounded veterans
Recognizing the crucial role of assistance dogs in helping wounded veterans live more independent lives, expressing gratitude to The Tower of Hope, and supporting the goals and ideals of creating a Tower of Hope Day. http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.RES.291:Posted by sball at 10:52 AM | Comments (0)
Community Sustains Control of Disease-Causing Ticks
A patented and environmentally friendly device developed by entomologist J. Mathews Pound, collaborator J. Allen Miller and others at our ARS Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory in Kerrville, Texas, and tested by entomologist John F. Carroll in our ARS Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory at Beltsville, Md., has been a big help to a Maryland community in controlling ticks. http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2009/090323.htmPosted by sball at 10:50 AM | Comments (0)
Vets and Doctors to Join Forces
MedicalNewsToday - BMJ Group will start publishing two leading veterinary medicine titles from May this year, it was announced today. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/143813.phpPosted by sball at 09:12 AM | Comments (0)
AVMA, AVMF, Red Cross Enter Agreement To Coordinate Animal Rescue Efforts And Programs
MedicalNewsToday.com - The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF) have signed a partnership agreement with the American Red Cross to help protect animals and pets during emergencies. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/143806.phpPosted by sball at 09:10 AM | Comments (0)
USDA Coordinator Pledges Soring Law Enforcement
TheHorse.com - Exhibitors at this year's Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration and other gaited horse shows can expect USDA inspectors to vigorously enforce Horse Protection Act rules against soring, according to USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=13827Posted by sball at 09:07 AM | Comments (0)
NOAA Announces Revised Regulations for California National Marine Sanctuaries
New regulations for NOAA’s four national marine sanctuaries in California are now in effect, providing greater protection for the sanctuaries’ valuable marine resources and habitats. http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2009/20090326_califregs.htmlPosted by sball at 08:12 AM | Comments (0)
Secretary Salazar Releases Study Showing Widespread Declines in Bird Populations, Highlights Role of Partnerships in Conservation
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today released the first ever comprehensive report on bird populations in the United States, showing that nearly a third of the nation's 800 bird species are endangered, threatened or in significant decline due to habitat loss, invasive species, and other threats. http://www.doi.gov/news/09_News_Releases/031909a.htmlPosted by sball at 08:05 AM | Comments (0)
Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Announces Plan To Benefit Nutrition Programs And Dairy Farmers
Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack today announced that approximately 200 million pounds of nonfat dry milk will be transferred from the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) to USDA's Food and Nutrition Service for use in domestic feeding programs. The goal is to help support both low-income families struggling to put nutritious food on their tables and dairy farmers who have been challenged by high feed costs and low dairy prices. http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal?contentidonly=true&contentid=2009/03/0071.xmlPosted by sball at 08:01 AM | Comments (0)
Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Prepares Department For Red River Flooding
Rescue Assistance - USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is monitoring pet evacuation and sheltering needs as well as assisting with Zoo inspections. http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal?contentidonly=true&contentid=2009/03/0069.xmlPosted by sball at 07:58 AM | Comments (0)
Special Report: Canine Cancer (With Video)
WTAJ-TV - According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, dogs and people get cancer at roughly the same rate and in many of the same places. Cancer accounts for nearly half of pet deaths each year. http://wearecentralpa.com/content/fulltext/news/?cid=77712Posted by sball at 07:43 AM | Comments (0)
New Tech Can Monitor Vast Groups of Fish
Discovery.com - New tech reveals herring shoals plunge to deeper waters at dawn and then scatter. http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2009/03/26/fish-groups-tech.htmlPosted by sball at 07:37 AM | Comments (0)
Covance laboratory set to begin testing drugs
Arizona Republic - "It's not something you decide you want to do," Herring said of animal testing after the event. "It's something the federal government requires." Covance houses specially bred mice, rats, beagles and monkeys in its 288000-square-foot facility. http://www.azcentral.com/community/chandler/articles/2009/03/27/20090327biz-covance0327.htmlPosted by sball at 07:34 AM | Comments (0)
March 26, 2009
What Separates Humans From Mice? Bigger, Faster Astrocytes In Brain
ScienceDaily — A type of brain cell that was long overlooked by researchers embodies one of very few ways in which the human brain differs fundamentally from that of a mouse or rat. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090323134311.htmPosted by sball at 03:11 PM | Comments (0)
More Pain Studies Needed
Nature.com - Scientists struggle to fund work on animal pain and distress. http://www.nature.com/news/2009/090325/full/458394a.htmlPosted by sball at 03:10 PM | Comments (0)