As part of a national animal-movement-tracking initiative, more than 25 percent of Nebraska livestock premises are registered, and the state is shooting for 33 percent by Aug. 4. Registration covers not only farms, feedlots and ranches, but everywhere that livestock may visit, including sale barns, veterinary clinics and fairgrounds. (The State Fair has registered.) On these two pages, two Nebraska veterinarians make the case for premises registration and the disease-traceback capability that will result.

Premises registration: Have you done yours?

We registered and received our premise number more than a year ago. I am a veterinarian in a multi-veterinarian cow-calf practice in Burwell, and we thought it was important to register our clinic during the voluntary phase.

We veterinarians already operate under many federal and state regulations, and at least this one makes sense to us. All cattle-handling and concentration points such as veterinary clinics, sale barns and fairgrounds are going to be required to register, in addition to the traditional livestock premises like farms and ranches. My partner and I thought it was important to be one of the first to register so we could experience the registration process and lead our clients by example, plus advise them on how to go about registering their premises.

Traceback in a post-9/11 world

As the former chairman of the NC Animal Health and Nutrition Committee, I was fortunate to hear many conversations for and against premises registration. Nothing I heard indicated that this was not a good idea. As a veterinarian, I was interested in its use for disease traceback. In the new world we now live in since 9/11, we need to be aware of the very real possibility of foreign animal disease being introduced for economic terrorist purposes. Not only that, but we need the ability to efficiently trace the reportable diseases we already have in this country, such as tuberculosis, brucellosis and others. Premises registration is but a tool in the toolbox for state and federal personnel to use in the speedy traceback and containment of an animal-disease outbreak. It is also the first step toward the national ID program.

Any new program creates many concerns for the people it affects. The brucellosis eradication program introduced in the 1950s created much resistance and controversy for the first few years. Now we realize that it was worth it since it has almost eliminated a disease that is economically devastating to cow-calf and dairy producers and is a health hazard to people.

There already has been much debate over the need for national ID. I am confident that years from now, we will look back and wonder why we took so long to get the national ID system up to speed. On the other hand, thoughtful debate and discussions of the pros and cons are needed to get any system fully ironed out and implemented. The thing we need to remember is that national ID is about disease traceback only and has nothing to do with the debate about source-verification, QSA programs or the export market.

Marketing advantages

There are opportunities in marketing your cattle if you embrace the concept of getting your premise registered so you can get EID tags. While many livestock producers have protested and resisted, the forward thinkers have already realized premiums on their marketed calves because they used some of the emerging technologies and early prototypes of the national ID program to provide source- and age-verified cattle to the marketplace. The forecast for the next several years is for cattle prices to decrease. There is an opportunity for progressive producers to add value to their cattle and maintain their profitability in their operation by adopting, rather than resisting, the coming national ID system.

I became involved in and remain a member of NC because I consider it to be a leader at both the state and national levels in progressive thinking in the cattle industry. I challenge all NC members to exhibit this leadership and take the lead in getting your operation registered. Let’s lead all the cattle industry by example!    Brett Andrews has served NC as chairman of the Animal Health Committee.

A Word from the State Veterinarian

Before becoming state veterinarian last year, I gained 14 years of experience as a field veterinarian in northeast Nebraska for the state Department of Agriculture. During those years, I experienced firsthand the necessity of traceability and animal identification.

In the 1990s, pseudorabies was a major disease problem for hog farms across the Midwest. When a new, infected herd was found, an epidemiologic investigation was initiated. Quite commonly, the investigation revealed movements of swine into and out of the infected herd. Trace-in and trace-out testing was then performed to determine where pseudorabies had come from or gone. This tracing became crucial toward eradication, and was instrumental in developing plans and procedures for locating and eradicating the disease.

The ability to trace disease has also been critical in the eradication of brucellosis and tuberculosis, as well as controlling and reducing the spread of many other contagious livestock diseases. Traceability also received increased focus after the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, when bioterrorism and intentional introduction of a dangerous foreign animal disease became of utmost concern to all of those involved in the livestock industry.

Our world is becoming increasingly more global, so an accidental introduction of a foreign animal disease by travelers is of just as much concern.

The traceability of infected animals is imperative toward stopping the spread of the disease and reducing loss. The ultimate goal of the National Animal Identification System is to track all exposed and infected animals within 48 hours of an initial positive diagnosis. Once implemented, a traceability system will be a powerful tool in controlling the spread of a contagious animal disease and reducing potential economic devastation.    Dennis Hughes works in the Nebraska Department of Agriculture as the state veterinarian.

  After Premises, Then What?

Once a premises is registered, there isn’t much else to do at this time except watch the Animal ID system take shape. There’ll be more to do later. Meanwhile, Burwell vet Brett Andrews is keeping close tabs on developing technology and field trials so that he’s ahead of the curve and can advise his clients.

He says there’s an EID-reading test being conducted at the Joplin, Mo., sales barn, and the auction house in Burwell will test EID tags this summer.

He hasn’t invested in software or tag readers yet, but he’s talking to all the vendors. He’s waiting for the best technology to emerge. Some tag readers are permanently attached to chutes, but Andrews is leaning toward a handheld wand that plugs into a PDA. He hopes the technology picture becomes clearer by the end of summer.