ANIMALNET DECEMBER 31, 1999 Y-Moo-K For dinner: new choices at China's table Endangered Salmon: Army Corps seized by dam indecision Epidemiology: enhanced: tracing the origins of Salmonella North Carolina Pork council urges producers to prepare for Y2K Istanbul governor warns of Rabies threat Are animals happy in Zoos? Forbes magazine-- most idiotic business idea of 1999; Pet Music is Top Finalist AnimalNet is produced by researchers at the Agri-Food Risk Management and Communication Project at the University of Guelph, is edited by Wendy Powell (wpowell@uoguelph.ca) and Douglas Powell (dpowell@uoguelph.ca), and is supported by the Ontario Cattlemen's Association, the U.S. National Pork Producers, U.S. National Food Processors Association, Dairy Farmers of Canada, Pfizer Animal Health Group, Pioneer Hi-Bred Limited (Canada), Canadian Animal Health Institute, Dairy Farmers of Ontario, Meat & Livestock Australia, Canadian Pork Council, Ontario Farm Animal Council, the U.S. National Cattlemens Beef Association, the Rutgers University Food Safety Extension Program, Ag-West Biotech, Capital Health, the Ontario Soybean Growers Marketing Board, Food Indsutry Environmental Network, Canadian Poultry and Egg Processors, Chicken Farmers of Canada, MDS Nordion, American Meat Institute, Alberta farm Animal Council, and the Agricultural Adaptation Council (CanAdapt Program). archived at: http://www.ansc.purdue.edu/courses/ansc481/animal_net.html Y-MOO-K December 31, 1999 The Associated Press NEDRA PICKLER MASON, Mich. -- There's no guarantee farmers will escape the ill effects Y-Moo-K. First, there is, this story says, the risk of losing power and spoiling the milk. As well, a lot of farms rely on computers to run their milking these days, and a technical bug there could really sour the operation. Ernie Birchmeier, a livestock and dairy specialist for the Michigan Farm Bureau, was quoted as saying, "Most farms today are much more technologically advanced than most people realize." This story explained that a computer failure could wipe out records and disrupt programs that control how much each cow should be milked and fed. Loss of the power that keeps milk cold and milking machines running would be disastrous, so most dairy farms have generators. Also, some farms record each cow's profile and history on computer‹everything from its weight to how successfully it breeds. Each animal wears an electronic tag that says how much milk it produces and tells an automatic feeder how much food it should get. Farm Bureau President Jack Laurie, owner of a 500-cow Tuscola County dairy farm in Cass City, was cited as saying that he will be watching what happens on farms in earlier time zones. But he isn't all that concerned, adding, "The cow is going to get milked, it doesn't matter what day it is or what millennium it is." Wayne Wood, an owner of HWR Farms in Marlette in Sanilac County, was cited as saying that he already knows his barn computer won't make the changeover on its own, so he is setting the calendar back to 1997, then will manually change it to 2000 on Saturday, adding, "We are still going to do a lot of backup disks and hard copies. But I've been assured by the power company, banks and feed supplier that they will all be up and running." If all else fails, his wife Diane was quoted as saying, "We're turning all the cows off at midnight." FOR DINNER: NEW CHOICES AT CHINA'S TABLE December 30, 1999 N.Y. Times JOSEPH LEVINSON Editorial Re "The World Bank's Aim: Beef for China" (Op-Ed, Dec. 28), by Neal D. Barnard: That the Chinese people have, according to this editorial, traditionally eaten more vegetables and rice than meat is because for most of Chinese history most of the population has lived at a poor level. Having lived in China for several years, the author knows that Chinese people who have reached a certain level of disposable income will invariably choose to eat high amounts of beef, chicken and, most of all, shellfish, which is as bad if not worse for you than beef. One need only look at Taiwan and Hong Kong to see what middle-class Chinese people prefer to eat. The eating habits of the Taiwanese and the Hong Kong Chinese are, according to this editorial, decidedly not vegetarian, and this is related to income levels and not any sort of "Eastern" diet. ENDANGERED SALMON: ARMY CORPS SEIZED BY DAM INDECISION Jan. 7/00 Science Volume 287, Number 5450 p 27 Charles C. Mann and Mark L. Plummer* PORTLAND, OREGON--For years the Army Corps of Engineers has, according to this story, been chewing over the best way to bring back endangered populations of salmon and steelhead along the Snake River. The most controversial proposal --embraced by environmentalists and bitterly resisted by many local residents--is, this story says, to breach four hydropower dams on the Snake River, a tributary of the Columbia River in Idaho and Washington state. At a press conference here on 17 December, the corps were cited as announcing, to the dismay of both sides, that it was delaying a decision until summer. Describing the evidence as "not conclusive," Brigadier General Carl Strock, commander of the corps's Northwestern Division, was cited as arguing that the economic and social impacts of breaching the dams are so enormous that the corps needs "additional regional dialogue and scientific information" to "arrive at a preferred alternative." As a basis for this discussion, the corps has been cited as releasing its draft environmental impact statement: megabytes upon megabytes on everything from salmon growth rates to analyses of tribal treaties (www.nwd.usace.army.mil). This story explained that the delay does not sit well with tribes and environmental groups. Fanning their displeasure, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) was cited as issuing a report on the same day asserting that dam breaching "would provide many more benefits to fish and wildlife" than would other options. FWS regional administrator Anne Badgley, was quoted as saying, The "biological conclusion is a no-brainer. A free-flowing river is better than a dammed river." However, the corps will turn first for advice not to FWS, but to another agency--the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)--which under the Endangered Species Act has, according to this story, the legal mandate to protect endangered migratory fish throughout the Columbia River Basin. Unsatisfied by the prospect of planning tributary by tributary, the NMFS was cited as wanting to incorporate the recovery of Snake River fish into a basinwide effort. NMFS regional administrator Will Stelle, was cited as saying that the agency is examining a "much more complicated" subject than Snake dams versus no Snake dams: the effects on endangered fish throughout the region of habitat degradation, hatcheries, and fishing, in addition to hydropower. The examination is, this story explained, occurring through a broad new NMFS program called the Cumulative Risk Initiative. CRI--which attempts to integrate the factors determining the species' risk of extinction into a model of population growth--supersedes an effort known as the Plan for Analyzing and Testing Hypotheses, or PATH (Science, 23 April, p. 574). PATH was, according to this story, intended to be the sole scientific basis for a Snake River decision, until NMFS concluded that independent scientists would get lost in PATH's complexity. Stelle was cited as saying that using the more transparent CRI model, NMFS scientists have finished an analysis of improvements that might help the Snake River salmon recover. The next step, he was cited as saying, is to rate each option's feasibility. If what's best for the salmon were the sole criterion for decision-making, Stelle was quoted as admitting, "we should stop all irrigation, terminate all development and inriver uses, take out the dams, and probably move east." But economic and social factors--not just what's best for the salmon--must be considered, NMFS recognizes. Next summer, after the CRI is finished, the corps will, according to this story, identify its "preferred alternative" in a revised draft environmental statement. The final version is expected late in 2000. If the corps endorses dam breaching, the matter will go to Congress for a final decision--suggesting that the resolution on the fate of these controversial fish is a long way off. Mann and Plummer are the authors of Noah's Choice. EPIDEMIOLOGY: ENHANCED: TRACING THE ORIGINS OF SALMONELLA Outbreaks Jan. 7/00 Science Volume 287, Number 5450 pp. 50 - 52 Andreas J. Baumler [HN9], Billy M. Hargis, Renee M. Tsolis [HN10] * In the 1980s, health officials in Europe and the Americas noted a considerable increase in human food-borne illness [HN1] caused by Salmonella enteritidis [HN2], a pathogen found in chicken carcasses, eggs, and egg products (1). It has been suggested that the emergence of S. enteritidis as a public health problem may be the result of modern poultry farming practices and of a decline in the genetic diversity of domestic fowl (2). But this hypothesis does not explain why the number of humans infected with other Salmonella serotypes, such as S. typhimurium, has not increased (3, 4). For example, the incidence of human infection with S. enteritidis has steadily increased since the 1960s, whereas the incidence of S. typhimurium [HN3] infection has remained relatively constant (see figure, below). It has been proposed that the S. enteritidis epidemic could be caused by clonal expansion of a single, more virulent S. enteritidis isolate. However, the observation that human Salmonella cases in Europe and the United States are associated with different S. enteritidis isolates does not support this notion. Through a retrospective analysis of epidemiological surveys, we now put forward the hypothesis that the epidemic of salmonellosis [HN4] in humans due to S. enteritidis was triggered by this Salmonella serotype filling the ecological niche vacated by the avian Salmonella pathogens S. pullorum and S. gallinarum [HN5]. Retrospective analysis revealed that S. enteritidis became established in poultry flocks in the 1960s, which coincided with the eradication of the avian Salmonella pathogens from domestic fowl. As these three pathogens share a common immunodominant surface antigen (O9) [HN6], we postulate that the flock immunity generated by the two avian Salmonella biotypes prevented S. enteritidis from circulating in poultry flocks in the first half of this century. NORTH CAROLINA PORK COUNCIL URGES PRODUCERS TO PREPARE FOR Y2K Dec. 30/99 from a press release RALEIGH, N.C. -- The North Carolina Pork Council (NCPC) today urged pork producers to take precautions to protect the health and safety of their animals and the integrity of their environmental systems should Y2K problems occur. Producers are encouraged to run a back-up of their computer systems on December 31, 1999 and save their files to disks. While farm computers are used to monitor weather and other general data, many livestock producers depend upon a variety of computer software to maintain important records on their animals. From monitoring the animals' age to records of illnesses and vaccination schedules, the health of the animals depends upon accurate record keeping. Loss of this information could potentially be detrimental to the producers' ability to appropriately care for their animals. Loss of power and loss of water are especially dangerous for producers. Not only can the functioning of environmental systems be compromised, but extreme conditions in otherwise temperature controlled barns can threaten the health and safety of the animals. As with humans, fresh drinking water is essential to the health of animals. In addition to taking precautions with their environmental systems, producers are reminded to maintain adequate fuel to run generators and other equipment. Feed bins should be filled and consideration given to vaccines and medicines that may spoil due to a lack of refrigeration. "These are really common sense precautions," said Walter Cherry, NCPC Executive Director. "Producers are required to have emergency plans written into their permits for loss of electricity or other failures, so I expect that most producers are fully prepared. However, with all the activity around the holidays, it never hurts to have a last minute check-list." Producers with additional questions should contact the North Carolina Pork Council. ISTANBUL GOVERNOR WARNS OF RABIES THREAT Dec 30/99 Reuters ISTANBUL - The governor of Istanbul was cited as warning of a rabies threat to Turkey's biggest city and said something must be done to control packs of stray dogs that roam the sprawling metropolis of 10 million. Anatolian news agency quoted Governor Erol Cakir as saying late on Wednesday, "As we enter the 21st century, the fact that people are dying from rabies in Istanbul is a shameful occurrence. There is a big potential danger." This story explained that alarm over a possible rabies outbreak spread when a 10-year-old girl died of the killer disease recently after being bitten by a stray dog. Newspapers have been filled with pictures of dozens of dogs poisoned by angry residents in Istanbul neighbourhoods. The Radikal daily was cited as saying that 60 per cent of the stray dogs sent to one veterinary clinic had tested positive for rabies. The rabies scare has, this story says, also opened up a debate between animal lovers who want to see the dogs inoculated against rabies and then neutered and those who prefer the swifter, cheaper option of destroying the animals en masse. This story further explained that during the Ottoman Empire authorities from time to time used to round up Istanbul's stray dogs and dump them on an uninhabited island in the Marmara Sea where travellers reported the animals would devour each other. ARE ANIMALS HAPPY IN ZOOS? DECEMBER 30, 1999 The Christian Science Monitor Julie Finnin Day Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor http://www.csmonitor.com/durable/1999/12/30/fp16s2-csm.shtml Jeanette Beranger, a lead keeper at Roger Williams Park and Zoo in Providence,was cited as saying that the question more and more zoo visitors are asking, is: Are animals happy in zoos?. It is also one that zookeepers make it their business to answer in the affirmative. When animals develop negative behaviors, it can, this story says, be a clue they are bored, unhappy, or unhealthy, says Joel Hamilton, one of two animal curators at the zoo. Recently, he was cited as saying that one of their kookaburras lost a mate. For five days he stopped eating and making the distinctive call those birds are known for. Keepers were cited as attributing his behavioral changes to his loss. Mr. Hamilton was quoted as saying, "The degree of change is what's at question. A lot of people associate human emotional attributes to whatever animal they are looking at. That animal may or may not have those attributes. It's 'food or not?' or 'breeding or not?' They don't sit there and think, 'The sky's kind of blue today. Isn't that nice?' " Hamilton was cited as saying that for instance, the world through the eyes of a lion is black-and-white, so to speak. Most animals spend their days foraging for food and evading predators, adding,, "Those pressures are removed when they are in captivity. Hence, we have, a to deal with things like obesity. They don't have the impetus to move around like they would in the wild." The whole field of "environmental enrichment" is, this story explained, designed to make sure animals get the mental and physical stimulation they need every day. Take birds, for instance. Instead of giving them rigid sticks for perches, zoo keepers devise flexible perches attached to bungy cords. That forces the birds to get their balance, use their leg muscles, and exercise. Both Hamilton and Beranger were cited as saying that many zoo staff members would rather see those animals in the wild and not in zoos - but human destruction of natural habitat makes that very difficult. Hamilton was further quoted as saying, "The world is a shrinking place. There are plenty of animals that wouldn't exist if it weren't for zoos. It would be wonderful if we could say we don't have to worry about elephants again, but that isn't reality." FORBES MAGAZINE ANNOUNCES MOST IDIOTIC BUSINESS IDEA OF 1999; PET MUSIC IS TOP FINALIST Dec. 30, 1999 from a press release NEW YORK --Forbes Magazine has chosen Incentive Media's Pet Music as the top finalist in its year-end wrap-up of "the most idiotic business ideas." Pet Music, a three-CD set of calming tunes for pets has been a best seller since its summer release. "The product initially elicits audible giggles and double-takes wherever it is sold," confesses Incentive Media partner Andrew J. Borislow, "but we truly have struck a nerve with the nation's 62 million pet-owning households." Since its June 1999 launch, Pet Music has garnered significant endorsements from the pet care community, including the prestigious ASPCA, and attention from national and international media. The soft instrumental music blended with pleasant nature sounds has sold more than 50,000 units at a suggested retail price of $19.99. The music was developed specifically to help alleviate pet stress and separation anxiety. Pet stress and separation anxiety is the number one health care concern for pet owners. A reported 40% of dogs and cats brought to veterinarians are diagnosed with the condition. Symptoms include destructive behavior, excessive salivation, and inappropriate urination or defecation. Treatments vary from behavior modification and drug therapy to more drastic measures. "Certainly the financial reward from the sales is wonderful," admits company president Dan Rappoport, "but we are truly gratified by the hundreds of unsolicited letters and e-mails from satisfied pet owners." Pet Music is available at pet and gift retailers, mail order catalogs and Internet merchants including amazon.com (Nasdaq: AMZN), pets.com, and PetPlanet.com (OTCBB: EPET). The 3-hour compilation has ranked among the Top 100 Best Sellers on amazon.com. A portion of all Pet Music sales is donated to support animal welfare programs. Other companies mentioned in the January 10 issue of Forbes Magazine include a service that sends dead roses and melted chocolates and an Internet start-up that forwards e-mail on the occasion of the senders' death. Incentive Media, LLC is an Ambler, PA-based company providing entertainment and motivation products and services to consumer and major corporations worldwide. Incentive Media sells its products through traditional and non-traditional distribution channels and over the Internet. 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