Notice of Hearing of Proposed Administrative Regulations
A public hearing will be conducted at 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 27, in the Senate Room of the Jayhawk Tower, 700S.W. Jackson, Topeka, to consider the adoption of proposed regulations.
This 60-day notice of the public hearing shall constitute a public comment period for the purpose of receiving written public comments on the proposed rules and regulations. All interested parties may submit written comments prior to the hearing to William Brown, DVM, Kansas Livestock Commissioner, 708 S.W. Jackson, Topeka, 66603, or by e-mail at wbrown@kahd.ks.gov. All interested parties will be given a reasonable opportunity to present their views orally on the adoption of the proposed regulations during the hearing. In order to give all parties an opportunity to present their views, it may be necessary to request that each participant limit any oral presentation to five minutes.
These regulations are proposed for adoption on a permanent basis. A summary of the proposed regulations and their economic impact follows:
K.A.R. 9-27-1. The proposed amendment to K.A.R. 9-27-1 adds trichomoniasis as a reportable disease, clarifies that hog cholera is the same as classical swine fever and clarifies that viscerotropic velogenic Newcastle disease is also known as exotic Newcastle disease.
K.A.R. 9-7-4. The proposed amendment to K.A.R. 9-7-4 clarifies current import requirements for cattle, eliminates some outdated language in the existing regulation and sets out new import requirements regarding trichomoniasis.
Economic Impact Statement: There is no direct or indirect costs anticipated.
Copies of the regulations and their economic impact statements may be obtained by contacting the Kansas Animal Health Department or may be accessed on the department’s Web site at www.kansas.gov/kahd .
William Brown, DVM
Kansas Livestock Commissioner
Doc. No. 038334
Animal Health Board announces new Livestock Commissioner
Brown named to replace Teagarden as Livestock Commissoner
(TOPEKA) – The Kansas Animal Health Board has named accomplished veterinarian and retired U.S. Army Reserve Colonel Bill Brown as the state’s new livestock commissioner. He will replace George Teagarden, who will retire in May after 16 years in the position. Brown will assume his new role March 8. He and Teagarden will work together during the transition.
Brown most recently served as health services veterinarian for Newsham Choice Genetics of West Des Moines, IA. In that capacity, he was responsible for maintaining the health and biosecurity of the company’s swine operations in the U.S. and Canada. He previously held similar positions with Monsanto and DeKalb. In addition to working for these leading companies in the swine industry, Brown owned and operated mixed practice veterinary hospitals in western Kansas from 1974 through 1992.
The Ford County native graduated from the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1971. After graduation, he started a long career in the U.S. Army Reserve, serving several tours of active duty. Brown has provided veterinary expertise to the Army throughout his military career.
Brown is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Kansas Veterinary Medical Association (KVMA), American Association of Swine Practitioners, United States Animal Health Association and American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine. He was named “Kansas Veterinarian of the Year” by KVMA in 2004.
The Kansas livestock industry is fortunate to have an individual with Dr. Brown’s credentials as the new livestock commissioner,” said Kansas Animal Health Board Chair Heather Donley, who serves as director of quality assurance for the Beef Marketing Group, headquartered in Great Bend.
As commissioner, Brown will lead the Kansas Animal Health Department (KAHD). The agency is assigned to protect the health, safety and welfare of Kansas citizens through the prevention, control and eradication of infectious and contagious diseases in livestock and domestic animals. Agency officials also regulate companion animal breeding facilities, investigate livestock thefts and maintain the livestock brand registry.
KAHD has achieved numerous important milestones under Teagarden’s direction. His tenure includes attaining cattle tuberculosis-free status in 1995. USDA declared Kansas free of both cattle brucellosis and swine pseudorabies in 1999. Earning free status from USDA for these three infectious diseases was the culmination of years of work led by Teagarden, his predecessors in the position, the KAHD staff and the livestock industry.
Another major accomplishment occurring under Teagarden’s leadership is planning for an emergency response to a potential foreign animal disease outbreak in Kansas. In addition to forming a statewide plan, KAHD has fostered the creation of 105 county-level animal disease emergency plans. According to Donley, Kansas serves as a model among states in terms of emergency animal disease response planning.
Commissioner Teagarden deserves a big thanks from livestock producers and the citizens of Kansas,” said Donley. “His efforts to eradicate major food animal diseases in the state has saved livestock producers countless millions of dollars and enhanced food and public safety.”
For more information contact:
Debra Duncan (785) 296-2326
Equine Piroplasmosis
Equine piroplasmosis (EP) is a tick-borne disease that affects horses, donkeys, mules and zebras. The disease is transmitted via tick bites or through mechanical transmission by improperly disinfected needles or surgical instruments. EP is not endemic to the United States; native tick species do not currently carry the parasites that cause the disease.
The increasingly international nature of the horse industry presents potential risks for EP’s introduction from foreign countries. Many areas of the United States have climates suitable for foreign tick vectors or other ticks that could act as vectors. Additionally, because EP is not endemic, U.S. horses are highly susceptible to acute forms of the disease.
Recently, Texas diagnosed EP in a herd of horses in south Texas. A total of 360 horses were tested following the discovery of the index mare. A total of 288 of these horses tested positive. Recent sales from this herd were traced into 14 other states plus 64 horses that stayed in Texas. 80 of the trace-outs were tested positive. 353 cohorts were tested; all negative. 235 adjacent to the index herd have been tested negative.
In June, 2009, a horse brought to the College of Veterinary Medicine teaching hospital in Manhattan tested positive for EP. 6 out of 62 other cohorts stabled in Missouri also tested positive. In addition, another horse was tested positive by a private practitioner. This horse had been moved from the index location in Missouri into Kansas a short time before the disease was diagnosed. Two of the positive horses were taken from quarantine and disappeared into the night. All of the 8 positive horses were equine athletes.
Bovine Trichomoniasis
Bovine Trichomoniasis (aka trichomoniasis or trich) is a venereal disease of cattle caused by the protozoa Tritrichomonas foetus. The organism lives in the folds of the prepuce and internal sheath in bulls and colonizes the vagina, cervix uterus and oviducts of cows. It causes early embryonic death, abortion and extended calving seasons. Bulls will remain persistently infected and spread infection from cow to cow during natural service; however cows generally clear infection after three to four heat cycles.
Trich is found in a number of states, most often in the west. This disease can cause great economic losses with pregnancy rates dropping to 20-30%.
The Kansas Animal Health Department is preparing import requirements on breeding bulls entering the state. These regulations will be in place by the first of January on a temporary basis until permanent regulations can be approved through the regulatory process.
Herd owners should know the health status of herds from which they are purchasing breeding bulls and contact their veterinarian if a pregnancy rate in their cow herd is lower than acceptable. Cows can be re-infected by the same or another infected bull.
Veterinary World Quick Notes
*Ohio (Nov. 4): Voters have delivered a victory to large farm operators, approving a new industry-dominated board to oversee livestock care. (Intent is to prevent animal rights activists from imposing impractical changes to present industry standards)
*Washington (Oct. 26) - Two years after the last U.S. horse slaughter plant ceased operations, the government wants to look into the implications the closures have had on horse welfare. Congress has requested the Government Accountability Office to study the issue and report its findings by March 1, 2010.
*Oct. 26: To achieve the best human and animal health protection possible, the National Pork Board is advising producers, farm personnel and others who have contact with pigs to get the regular seasonal flu vaccination as soon as possible. When available, this group should get the novel H1N1 vaccination as well.
updated: March 3, 2010
