Foot dragging again

[rsomer]

topper: See http://www.usaha.org/reports/reports01/r01btbrv.html

You may get more and better information by speaking with your local government vet (CFIA) who may be able to point you to actual survey results.

For these diseases to spread, two things need to happen. There must be a population of competent vectors and a significant source of infection. Indiscriminate movement of infected livestock will serve to rapidly spread the disease to areas previously disease free by providing a local pool of infection that did not exist before. The vectors that transmit these diseases are all present in Alberta and Saskatchewan during the summer.

It would seem likely that the insect responsible for spreading bluetongue, culicoides sonerensis, has blown north across the border and infected a few Canadian animals each summer. But if a 100,000 US feeders come into Alberta during the summer this represents a significantly large local pool of infection from which the indigenous insect population can draw upon to spread the disease beyond the terminal feedlots into the surrounding cow herds. I don't believe the science can say at this time just how rapid the spread of bluetongue would be until more research has been done. It all depends upon the ability of the culicoides insect to efficiently transmit bluetongue in our climate. However the CCA isn't waiting to find out, they want these feeders to be coming north right now.

Mosquitoes and horseflies and the other biting insects that spread anaplasmosis only can spread the disease for 15 minutes after feeding on an infected animal, therefore the spread of anaplasmosis by mosquitoes flying north from the US is not a concern. However once infected feeders are present in Alberta feedlots in large numbers during the summer there will be no way to contain the disease within a terminal lot. The spread of anaplasmosis beyond the terminal feedlot into the surrounding herds will be rapid.

[topper]

Rsomer,Wilagro: thanks for the links, I will check them out. I did speak with our chief vet in Manitoba and he didn't seem as concerned about the spread of these diseases. He did however say that as soon as we lose our disease free status that would affect things like semen exports to countries without blue tongue and anaplasmosis. Anyway I guess I better get reading.

[rsomer]

topper: I found this link that suggests the insect vector responsible for spreading bluetongue is not present east of Manitoba. It may not be as much of a problem in your area.

An excerpt from: http://www.usaha.org/reports/reports02/r02btbrv.html

In late 1999, the Canadian beef cattle industry requested year round imports of feeder cattle without bluetongue testing. In August 2000, an Alberta Agriculture risk assessment determined this to result in an unacceptable risk of bluetongue introduction beyond the Okanagan Valley. The industry proposed further mitigating measures including quarantine feedlots and vector control. In October 2001, a CFIA risk assessment determined continued risk of bluetongue introduction. In December 2001, the Canadian Cattlemen's Association (CCA) undertook the development of a pilot project for limited imports during the summer of 2002. The proposal was rejected by other Canadian stakeholders. The major concerns included: lack of supportive risk assessment, risk to wildlife and the development of anti-microbial resistance (via anaplasmosis treatment). The CCA is developing a further proposal.

Culicoides sonorensis is recognized to be the principal bluetongue vector in Canada. It has not been found east of Manitoba. CFIA risk assessors determined that bluetongue is not a hazard for ruminants imported into and staying in Eastern Canada. This requires movement control between east and west and CFIA is investigating regulatory options. A proposal to import feeder cattle into eastern Canada during summer months will be discussed with industry. No regulatory change is required for import under permit, with a negative test for anaplasmosis, in summer months only.

The three-year serological survey (2001-2003) involves a total of 15,000 head of cattle (5,000 head/year), imported into Canada under the Restricted Feeder Program. Animals are bled upon arrival for processing at the Alberta feedlots and the serum is tested for antibody to bluetongue by a cELISA and for antibody to anaplasma by an rcELISA at the Montana State Diagnostic Laboratory. The serum neutralization assay is used to confirm bluetongue positive samples and to determine virus serotype. The results to date indicate that the prevalence of bluetongue in Montana feeder cattle is approximately 0.37 percent.

What is the threat of bluetongue? The general distribution of the disease is determined by the presence of a competent vector. C. sonorensis and C. occidentalis are considered the two vectors in North America. The virus must replicate in the vector and it needs an ambient temperature of 10C for 10 days. So far, the Okanagan Valley is the only place in Canada that has satisfied these requirements

[topper]

Rsomer: this is probably why I have been getting conflicting answers, it seems like the science is incomplete on this issue. Its too bad the powers that be had to wait until the last minute and didn't study this issue a little better and a little earlier. Now when its decision time its a little late. I think probably Cowman is right on this issue the fix is in already.

[kato]

MMMMM......What I am wondering, is why are Americans in such a hurry to send cattle to Canada to feed?

Don't they know how hard it is to send the beef back to the States?

Is there something we don't know? Is this the big trade off they are waiting for? After all, if the CFIA vet is correct, and I'm sure he is, all we have to do is become a positive country for these diseases, and we lose future potential markets due to this as well.

One thing we should have learned from this BSE disaster, is how important protecting markets is. Some day the BSE thing will be a thing of the past, believe it or not, and we will be back to business. Why compromise on these diseases? I know our neighbours to the south wouldn't.

[rusty1]

Interesting reading - wish I knew were the truth lies. Another thing that seems to be lost is that BSE is a comunicable disease to all species - I mean that must be true if we can't even send a rodeo bull to the US finalls and bring him back to Canada even he never never rubs his hide against another bovine.

[cowman]

It almost seems Lyle VanClief has pretty much given up doing much and is just going with the flow. You know don't make waves in his last few days type of thing. And hope for a sweet job from Martin? I would think the next minister coming in will be pro-American? After all he will be a Martin man and Martin is pretty cozy with the Yanks?
It would look good if Martin could get the border open shortly after taking over and I suspect Bush will be very happy to have someone who doesn't call him a moron! And will go along with his Napoleonic fantasies?
So I suspect we will have the feeder deal real soon! Is there anyway we can vaccinate for these diseases?

[rsomer]

In 2002, the Italian Ministry of Health decided to vaccinate all domestic ruminants in the bluetongue affected areas. In those areas where more than 80 percent of susceptible animals were vaccinated, there was a significant decrease in the number of new cases compared to those areas where less than 50 percent of susceptible animals were vaccinated. Italy’s efforts mark the first attempt to use vaccination to reduce the bluetongue virus circulation and eventually to attain eradication of the infection. Once the disease gets a foothold it can be very hard to eliminate because it can carried by wildlife such as deer who are very susceptible to bluetongue. As vaccination will mask infection it would be very unlikely that vaccination would be allowed in Canada. Up to this point, bluetongue infected herds in Canada were destroyed by CFIA and Canada is presently considered free of all list A diseases such as bluetongue.

"Anaplaz" is available in some areas of the US to prevent anaplasmosis. Also continual medication with tetracyclines during the vector season will prevent symptoms developing.

[dalek]

Cowdude you'll be "excited" to know that Craig Oliver and others are now picking TheLyle as a cabinet survivor, although no one will guess which ministry.

[pandiana]

It is extremely frustrating to think that we will have to once again give up and roll over in order to survive. I just get more and more angry that we have no way of getting the government to stand on principal but instead to think they have to give up something else in order for the US to play the game.