ANIMALNET JULY 9, 2003  -- II

Survey finds no sign of bird disease
Glowing green fish sold at Taiwan market
More tender beef, thanks to vitamin D
Diet manipulation reduces manure phosphorus levels
Abnormal plant shows path to plant, animal development
The problem is, pigs and other animals do fly
Response biomedical introduces Ramp(r) environmental test for west Nile
virus
Sheep tagging: DEFRA to pilot electronic identification for sheep on English
farms
Welfare wins for exports: action plan for live export industry delivering
results on $1 billion trade


AnimalNet is produced by the Food Safety Network at the University of
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Council of Grocery Distributors, ConAgra Foods, Inc., Pioneer Hi-Bred
Limited (Canada), Meat and Livestock Australia, National Pork Board,
Canadian Animal Health Institute, Ontario Pork, National Cattlemen's Beef
Association, National Turkey Federation, National Food Processors
Association, Ontario Farm Animal Council, Feedlot Health Management
Services, Syngenta Crop Protection, Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural
Development Livestock Development Division, Office of Consumer Affairs,
Burger King, The Dairy Farmers of Ontario, BC Ministry of Agriculture, Food
and Fisheries, Canadian Institute for Food Inspection and Regulation,
National Meat Association, Verner Wheelock Associates Limited, UC Davis
Biotechnology Program, Consumer Federation of America Foundation, Optibrand,
Canadian Livestock Genetics Association, Tactix Government Consulting, Inc.,
Hospitality Institute of Technology and Management Inc., Urbana Veterinary
Clinic, Saugeen River Farms and Global Public Affairs.

The Food Safety Network's national toll-free line for obtaining food safety
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archived at:
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SURVEY FINDS NO SIGN OF BIRD DISEASE
July 9, 2003
L.A. Times
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-sbriefs9.3jul09,1,586360.story?coll=
la-headlines-california
A recent survey of birds in San Diego County found no traces of exotic
Newcastle disease, which has forced a quarantine on poultry and other birds
across Southern California.
A state task force fighting the outbreak went door to door to test for the
disease in a survey that ended over the weekend, said Leticia Rico, a
spokeswoman for the task force.
Recent surveys in Ventura and Imperial counties have also failed to find the
disease.



GLOWING GREEN FISH SOLD AT TAIWAN MARKET
July 8, 2003
AP
Stephan Grauwels
TAIPEI, Taiwan - Zebra fish on sale in Taipei shops are, according to this
story, the latest in genetically modified fish, and their bodies contain DNA
from jellyfish, which makes them shimmer in the dark.
The story says that shopkeepers call them "Night Pearls." Some have
nicknamed them "Frankenfish." Their makers at the Taipei-based Taikong Corp.
use the less catchy name of "TK-1" and say they are the world's first
genetically engineered fluorescent fish.
Bill Kuo, a spokesman for Taikong, which owns a chain of pet stores, was
cited as saying the fish have been on the market in Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong
and Malaysia for about three months, and are about to be introduced into the
U.S. market this month.
Kuo says the company anticipated fears that the genetically modified animals
might spread uncontrollably and harm the environment, so it made sure that
they were unable to produce offspring.
Kuo was further cited as saying that in April, the company turned out 10,000
fluorescent fish, and that figure has been doubling every month since, and
that beginning in August, monthly production should stabilize at more than
100,000.



MORE TENDER BEEF, THANKS TO VITAMIN D
July 9, 2003
Agricultural Research Service, USDA
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/jul03/human0703.htm
Moderately increasing vitamin D fed to cattle prior to slaughter is a safe
way of providing consumers with tender beef. That's the finding of studies
conducted by scientists at the Agricultural Research Service's National
Animal Disease Center (NADC) in Ames, Iowa, and Iowa State University.
The research was led by ARS physiologist Ronald Horst of NADC's
Periparturient Diseases of Cattle Research Unit, and Donald Beitz, Iowa
State professor of animal science and biochemistry.
It showed that raising cattle's blood calcium 20 to 30 percent by feeding
the animals extra vitamin D3, beginning two to three days before slaughter,
results in an increase in muscle calcium and more tender cuts of meat.
Elevated calcium triggers the tenderizing process by activating postmortem
muscle enzymes that can help degrade structural proteins that toughen meat.
According to Horst, most mammals can tolerate blood calcium increases of up
to 30 percent for three to five days without triggering ill effects in
livestock or consumers.
Vitamin D3, the form of the vitamin found in humans and animals--though
toxic if over-applied--helps people and animals build strong, healthy bones
and teeth. A deficiency can cause bones to become thin, brittle, soft or
misshapen and can lead to metabolic diseases such as milk fever in dairy
cattle and osteoporosis in people.
The vitamin D tenderizing method is being tested by private firms within the
United States, with increased interest being shown during the past two
years, according to Horst. ARS and Iowa State share a patent on this
technique.
The scientists tested an identical method on pork. Although it led to
improved meat color, no tenderizing effect was observed.
Read more about vitamin D research at NADC in the July issue of Agricultural
Research magazine, on the World Wide Web at:
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/jul03/human0703.htm



DIET MANIPULATION REDUCES MANURE PHOSPHORUS LEVELS
July 9, 2003
Farmscape for (Episode 1295)
Research conducted in Southern Manitoba has found hog producers can
dramatically reduce phosphorus levels in manure by adjusting diets.  The
review of existing research and looked at water quality issues affecting
Lake Winnipeg and Southern Manitoba water sources.  The work was conducted
by the University of Manitoba and Agriculture and Agrifood Canada with
funding from the Manitoba Livestock Manure Management Initiative, the
Manitoba Rural Adaptation Council and the Sustainable Development Innovation
fund.  Integrated Agricultural Management Specialist Dr. Katherine Buckley
says her work involved an examination of the literature related to feeding
management and manure handling and management.
Clip-Dr. Katherine Buckley-Agriculture and Agrifood Canada
There are quite a few recommendations surrounding diet and a lot of them
deal with just segregating livestock into various age groups and segregating
them by sex, feeding the females and the males separately.  Some of the
findings had to do with the amount of waste feed that ends up in the manure
and there were various recommendations in the literature on reducing feed
wastage.  Other recommendations involved feed additives which was a very
important aspect of the literature review, which took up quite a bit of the
literature review, was the addition of phytase and how that affected
excretion and digestibility.  There was some indication in the literature
that it might also affect the solubility of phosphorus but that is recent
and it hasn't been confirmed by livestock studies here in Manitoba.  I think
this is one area which researchers will address.
The review also looked at manure treatment, either through composting or the
addition of various amendments to immobilize phosphorus.  Dr. Buckley says
there are well recognized physical and chemical treatments, some of which
have been commercialized but not widely applied, that could immobilize
phosphorus movement in the environment.  For Farmscape,Ca, I'm Bruce
Cochrane.
*Farmscape is a presentation of Sask Pork and Manitoba Pork Council



ABNORMAL PLANT SHOWS PATH TO PLANT, ANIMAL DEVELOPMENT
July 8, 2003
Purdue University
http://news.uns.purdue.edu/html4ever/030707.Ogas.pickle.html
A pickle-shaped root is revealing how plants develop from embryos to adults
and also may hold answers about cancer cell growth.
Purdue University researchers have uncovered nine specific genes that are
shut off before plants make the developmental transition from the embryonic
stage to adulthood. Results of the latest study are published in the July
issue of The Plant Journal.
"We now have data supporting the hypothesis that the gene PKL is a master
regulator of genes that promote embryonic identity," said Joe Ogas, an
associate professor of biochemistry. "Some of the genes we identified are
known to control plant embryo development. They tell the plant, 'be a seed.'
Then PKL says, 'You're done being a seed,' and turns them off."
The genes the scientists identified are part of a class called LEAFY
COTYLEDON (LEC). The researchers call them the "master regulators" of
embryogenesis, the formation and growth of the embryo. This new study
suggests that PKL is the master switch that turns LEC genes off so that the
plant can develop the root and leaf systems of adult plants.
"We hope to identify new factors common to both plants and animals that
researchers looking at human development haven't yet found," Ogas said.
"These new factors might then provide insight into regulation of gene
expression in humans during normal developmental processes and during
abnormal events such as cancer."
It has been shown that a protein from a specific family plays an analogous
role in controlling development in both the laboratory plant Arabidopsis and
the laboratory animal C. elegans, a tiny transparent worm.
"This is our first attempt to understand how PKL works as a regulator of
gene expression," Ogas said. "The neat thing about this work is that it's
also shown that in animal systems, a protein homologous, or corresponding,
to PKL is also involved in turning off developmentally regulated genes. So,
we're finding similar regulatory roles for both human and plant proteins."
Ogas and his team found the embryo-promoting genes by studying a strain of
Arabidopsis in which PKL is abnormal, or mutated. The mutated gene,
designated as lowercase pkl, was unable to repress the embryogenesis genes.
The result is a plant that is dwarfed compared to a normal plant, has a
pickle-shaped root, and characteristics of both an embryo and an adult
plant.
Ogas said they found that embryo-promoting genes are expressed at
inappropriately high levels when PKL has not turned them off. This results
in seedlings that still have embryonic traits.
The researchers believe they now can turn PKL on and off and that they know
the chronology of steps needed to regulate genes that foster embryonic
behavior.
The researchers studied 8,000 Arabidopsis genes to determine the specific
ones that would only turn off if PKL is fully functional. Once PKL switches
those embryonic genes off, the plants can proceed into normal adult
development.
Ogas and his team used microarray analysis, in which bits of DNA are placed
on a microchip, to identify nine genes involved in the development pathway.
They also found that a number of genes that may be important to plants in
the embryonic stage apparently are not affected by PKL.
"It is likely that some other proteins that act in this PKL-development
pathway are used in animal systems," Ogas said. "Thus, some of the lessons
that we learn by working in Arabidopsis also might be applicable to
regulation of human gene expression."
The other researchers involved in this study were: postdoctoral student
Stanley Dean Rider Jr. and graduate student James Henderson, both of the
Purdue Department of Biochemistry; assistant professor Jeanne
Romero-Severson of the Purdue Department of Forestry and Natural Resources
and the Computational Genomics Center; and research scientist Ronald Jerome
and professor Howard Edenberg, both of the Indiana University Department of
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
The Indiana 21st Century Research and Technology Fund, the Indiana Genomics
Initiative Program, the Lilly Endowment Inc., and BASF Inc. provided funding
for this research.
Related Web sites:
Joe Ogas: http://www.biochem.purdue.edu/faculty/ogas.html
Purdue Department of Biochemistry: http://www.biochem.purdue.edu/
Indiana 21st Century Research and Technology Fund:
http://www.21stcentury-research.org/instructions.asp
Indiana Genomics Initiative Program:
http://www.homepages.indiana.edu/120800/text/graph.html
Indiana University School of Medicine: http://medicine.iu.edu/
The plant journal study:
http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/links/doi/10.1046/j.1365-313X.2003.01783.x/
full/



THE PROBLEM IS, PIGS AND OTHER ANIMALS DO FLY
July 8, 2003
Wildlife Conservation Society
A consortium of scientists from the New York-based Wildlife Conservation
Society announced this week that one way to reduce the risks of future
SARS-like diseases is to control wildlife markets. Specifically, markets
selling wild animals for their meat not only threaten wildlife populations,
but also present a grave threat to humans.
A consortium of scientists from the New York-based Wildlife Conservation
Society announced this week that one way to reduce the risks of future
SARS-like diseases is to control wildlife markets. Specifically, markets
selling wild animals for their meat not only threaten wildlife populations,
but also present a grave threat to humans. A recent example of the problem
is the suspected link between wildlife markets in China and the outbreak of
SARS in humans. Other possible cases include bushmeat and Ebola outbreaks in
Africa, West Nile virus and monkeypox. Even the primate origins of HIV point
to a link between wildlife and human disease.
Since humans first walked upright they have eaten wildlife. But human
population densities were far lower than today ­ well under one person per
square mile in most tropical forests, for example. Animals were only hunted
on a scale to support the subsistence needs of local human populations, and
international trade in wildlife was negligible or absent.
In many areas around the world, traditional hunting is little changed today,
where wildlife is carried for a maximum of one or two day¹s walk back to the
community. Consumers and animals live in similar ecosystems and have been
co-existing for many generations. Cross-species diseases do still occur in
these remote rural towns, but some resistance to local diseases has
developed over the ages and many local, religious, and cultural rules on the
handling and consumption of animals developed to protect people from these
illnesses.
But in today¹s global marketplace, wildlife is just another commodity.
Wildlife for food markets and the pet trade are often transported over
enormous distances. For example, animals found in markets in Guangzhou,
Guangdong Province, China include soft-shelled turtles captured in Sumatra
(1,900 miles away), pangolins from Vietnam (930 miles) and Thailand (1,100
miles), pythons from the Mandalay area, Myanmar (1,950 miles?), and
red-eared sliders from Florida, USA (9,000 miles). Even ³local² wildlife
might include animals from forested southern China around Kunming, 800 miles
distant.
Daily Possibility of Disease Spillover
The result is a dangerous integration of circumstances, with animals and
consumers from different ecosystems coming into contact. The lack of
resistance to new pathogens makes humans and animals fertile, uncontrolled
laboratories for viruses and bacteria to adapt and rapidly mutate. Further,
the staggering numbers of animals and people in contact change
one-in-a-million odds of a disease spillover into almost a daily
possibility. Even under the most hygienic conditions, this pool of viruses,
bacteria, and other pathogens creates optimal conditions for diseases to
multiply rapidly and jump between species to exploit new potential hosts --
something the most ³successful² diseases do all too well.
Under this scenario, two problems are created. First is the high risk of new
diseases spreading into human populations. Second is that this can create a
³fear factor² amongst people ­ their concern that wildlife is unhealthy
might cause them to try to remove the threat by killing the wildlife.
Shooting flying foxes was proposed in Southeast Asia when they were thought
to be carrying nipa virus, even though the link has not been definitively
proven and the disease is rarely found in flying foxes. Large-scale killing
of sparrows and crows during the Great Leap Forward in China in the late
1950¹s because they were thought to be pests led to failed rice crops and
massive famine because the birds had really been helping to control actual
insect pests.
In almost all cases, eradication schemes are not cost efficient or effective
means to reduce disease spread when compared to health education,
sanitation, and controlling animal movement. Moreover, eradication schemes
do not address the fundamental problem of our creating conditions which
maximize opportunities for disease build-up and cross-species transmission.
Much research is still needed on the links between viruses in different
species and human disease, and means of transmission between the two. But we
already know enough to minimize the risks to humans ­ if we reduce or stop
live animals being transported over long distances into markets for food,
medicinal uses or for the pet trade, we are not only helping to conserve
those species in the wild, but we are also protecting ourselves from the
risks of new, virulent and potentially fatal diseases.




RESPONSE BIOMEDICAL INTRODUCES RAMP(R) ENVIRONMENTAL TEST FOR WEST NILE
VIRUS: NEW RAPID WEST NILE VIRUS TEST NOW AVAILABLE
July 9, 2003
>From a press release
VANCOUVER - Response Biomedical Corp. (RBM: TSX Venture Exchange), today
announces the market-ready RAMP(R) West Nile Virus Test, a high sensitivity
rapid on-site environmental test capable of detecting low levels of the
virus in mosquitoes and crows which contribute to the spread of West Nile
virus (WNV).
"Without effective vaccines or treatments, there is an urgent public health
need for rapid and reliable detection of West Nile virus over the coming
months to track the progression, identify hot spots, and enable strategic
intervention through chemical extermination of infected insects and
animals," says Bill Radvak, President and CEO. "Based on a recent evaluation
using infected mosquitoes, crows and live West Nile virus, our first RAMP
test for infectious diseases demonstrated a significant increase in
sensitivity over other rapid on-site tests and performed well in relation to
PCR-based analyzers when used to detect virus in mosquitoes and birds." The
RAMP West Nile Virus Test was developed and evaluated in consultation with
leading scientists at Health Canada's National Microbiology Lab.  "I'd like
to acknowledge Health Canada for its ongoing support as we explore
additional development opportunities for rapid and reliable infectious
disease tests on the RAMP platform," adds Radvak. "Although we have very
modest revenue expectations this summer season, we are pleased to offer
government organizations a vital new tool in their critical efforts to
monitor the spread of West Nile virus and reduce the rate of human
transmission."
WNV is a flavivirus that can infect humans, birds, mosquitoes, horses and
some other mammals. Although commonly found in Africa, West Asia, and the
Middle East, there were no documented cases in the Western Hemisphere prior
to
1999. From 1999 through 2001, there were 149 confirmed cases of WNV human
illness in the US, including 18 deaths. Last year, WNV resulted in 4,156
human illnesses and 284 deaths in North America alone. According to the CDC,
the virus is permanently established. West Nile is an infectious disease
that can jump species, and the virus has already spread to 230 species of
animals.  There are no drugs to treat the virus and no vaccines available to
prevent infection. Although many infected people suffer only minor symptoms,
the most serious manifestations of WNV infection is fatal encephalitis
characterized by inflammation of the brain, or meningitis involving
inflammation of the membranes and fluid surrounding the brain and spinal
cord.  Response Biomedical develops and manufactures rapid on-site RAMP
tests for clinical and biodefense applications providing reliable
information in minutes, when and where it is needed. The RAMP System
consists of a portable fluorescent Reader and single-use, disposable Test
Cartridges. RAMP tests are commercially available for the early detection of
heart attack, and biodefense applications including the rapid on-site
detection of anthrax, smallpox, monkeypox, ricin and botulinum toxin.




SHEEP TAGGING: DEFRA TO PILOT ELECTRONIC IDENTIFICATION FOR SHEEP ON ENGLISH
FARMS
July 8, 2003
Meat News
http://www.meatnews.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Article&artNum=5716
ABSTRACT: A sample of lowland and upland sheep farms in the UK are to take
part in a pilot electronic identification trial as part of a drive to
improve traceability from plough to plate.
The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)-funded trial
will examine the use of electronic identification and tracing systems on
around 70,000 sheep and selected abattoirs and livestock markets.
The pilot project will take place next year and has the support of key
farming, livestock market and abattoir organisations.
Animal Health Minister Ben Bradshaw said the trial would help identify the
benefits of using identification technology within the sheep industry by
testing the effectiveness of electronic identification methods in a live
working environment.
"This trial is the first of its kind to be funded by Defra and demonstrates
the Department's commitment to the development of e-business in the farming
community. We are delighted it has the support of key farming stakeholders,"
he said.
"Defra recognises the unique nature of the UK sheep industry and will be
using these trial results - together with work carried out elsewhere in the
UK - to build up a detailed picture of how electronic identification and
electronic data transfer can be used commercially," added Mr Bradshaw.
Details of the pilot have been published in the Official Journal of the
European Union, seeking expressions of interest in tendering for the trial.
The successful contractor will supply participating farms, markets and
abattoirs with the necessary equipment and will monitor its use over a 12
month period.
The contractor will train participants to tag and bolus the sheep and it
will be their responsibility to monitor and supply advice and guidance to
the participating farmers. All the equipment will be paid for by Defra.
The trial is expected to be completed by February 2005.



WELFARE WINS FOR EXPORTS: ACTION PLAN FOR LIVE EXPORT INDUSTRY DELIVERING
RESULTS ON $1 BILLION TRADE
July 8, 2003
Meat News
http://www.meatnews.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Article&artNum=5714
Latest figures on the $1 billion livestock export industry in Australia
shows new practices introduced after an independent review have improved the
welfare of stock, Acting Agriculture Minister Senator Ian Macdonald
announced.
The review of the trade last year, commissioned by Agriculture Minister
Warren Truss after a series of poor animal welfare outcomes, and undertaken
by a panel including RSPCA president Hugh Wirth, resulted in changes to
industry practices.
The first six months of live export trade under the new government/industry
Action Plan for the Livestock Export Industry has seen significant
improvement in welfare outcomes.
"In 35 voyages between 1 January and 30 June 2003, more than 2.3 million
sheep have been successfully transported to the Middle East and North
Africa, with no repeat of unacceptable mortality levels experienced during
the same period last year," Senator Macdonald said.
Senator Macdonald acknowledged that there had been problems with the trade
in the past that had given rise to concerns about animal welfare.
He said that the Australian Government is working to raise international
standards, and has had direct contact with relevant veterinary authorities
in overseas markets.
"The community expects the livestock trade to be conducted in a humane way,
and the Federal Government has indicated, by recent actions, how serious it
is about ensuring community concerns are addressed by the industry," he
said.
"The live export trade is characterised by continuous improvements, as
highlighted by the significant animal welfare gains made in the past six
months in regards to transportation, handling and slaughter practices."
Senator Macdonald said the trade remains vital to regional and rural
Australia, particularly during the drought, and to the red meat industry.
"Australia has become one of the largest exporters of quality livestock to
world markets. The trade now generates more than $1 billion in direct export
earnings and around 9,000 jobs in rural and regional Australia," he said.


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For more information about the AnimalNet research program, please contact:
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