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NIAA Cattle Health Committee-2004 Committee Report

Cattle Health Committee Report
April 7, 2004

The Cattle Health Committee of NIAA met in Salt Lake City, April 7, 2004, with 51 members in attendance.

The focus of the committee meeting was on Monitoring and Surveillance as a follow up to the previous days BSE symposium. Dr. Brian McClusky presented an overview of the National Animal Health Surveillance System. A panel of speakers representing the beef industry, dairy industry, state veterinarian, and the diagnostic labs gave their views on what a surveillance system could accomplish and how could an effective monitoring and surveillance system occur.

Dr. Will Heuston gave a summary of the panels comments and the committees comments. The following is a summary of his comments:

The panel brings forth different perspectives due to their positions of producer, state veterinarian, diagnostic lab perspective and the federal perspective. For monitoring and surveillance to be effective we must recognize the different needs of the different groups. Not all of the key players have been identified (i.e. wildlife). The social and behavioral sciences play a role in how effective monitoring and surveillance will be. There is the struggle of determining if this is for the public good or the private good. The cost of surveillance has to be weighed against the benefit of a surveillance program and to maintain privacy is essential. Also, ethics, confidentiality and liability are associated with an effective monitoring and surveillance program. We have to realize that we won’t answer all the questions but we can start answering some of the questions. Education of producers and veterinarians on their responsibilities in making a surveillance program work is crucial.

Dr. John Clifford of APHIS presented a National Programs update on TB, Brucellosis, CWD, and Johne’s.

The committee approved 13 resolutions.