AnimalNet March 28/05 -- II
Skepticism
over threat of avian flu; Most don't believe virus represents real danger: poll
Kansas State
University to evaluate advanced ID's technology as a solution for livestock
identification
Problems
with ovulation hormones in cows
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Skepticism
over threat of avian flu; Most don't believe virus represents real danger: poll
March 28, 2005
The Record (Kitchener, Cambridge and Waterloo)
A3
Source: Canadian Press
Most Canadians have, according responses gathered as part of Decima Research
Inc.'s regular national omnibus public opinion poll and cited in this story,
taken note of escalating warnings of the threat of a flu pandemic, but they
don't feel the avian influenza virus ravaging parts of Southeast Asia represents
a real danger to them.
The results were further cited as finding that 36 per cent of respondents feel
authorities are exaggerating the level of the risk in order to encourage people
to take precautions. And nearly 60 per cent of those polled say they either are
not very worried or not at all concerned the avian flu could threaten their
health or the health of their families.
The story notes that the polling was conducted from March 10 to 14. Findings are
based on responses from 1,023 adult Canadians. The poll is considered accurate
to within plus or minus 3.1 per cent, 95 times out of 100.
Kansas
State University to evaluate advanced ID's technology as a solution for
livestock identification
March 28, 2005
From a press release
CALGARY, ALBERTA - Advanced ID Corporation (OTCBB:AIDO), a complete solutions
provider in the radio frequency identification (RFID) animal tracking and
traceability market, provided its ultra high frequency (UHF) technology to
Kansas State University's new Animal Identification Knowledge Laboratory for a
formal evaluation and comparison to low frequency (LF) technology.
In response to the U.S. livestock industry's desire to implement a RFID-based
identification and trace back system to eliminate the spread of disease, Kansas
State University initiated a research program to assess RFID technology for
livestock applications which it evaluates on an ongoing basis as new products
are released.
Along with its ongoing evaluation of current LF technology, the Department of
Animal Sciences and Industry has agreed to evaluate Advanced ID's UHF technology
through its Animal Identification Knowledge Laboratory. The objective of its
evaluation is to provide empirical data on the viability of UHF technology,
provide a comparative study on the features and benefits of UHF and LF
technology, and to educate industry users on theefficiency of RFID for livestock
identification and traceability.
Barry Bennett, President and CEO of Advanced ID Corporation stated, "We are
very pleased to have Dr. Dale Blasi and his colleagues, the leaders in animal
RFID research among North American universities, provide an independent
evaluation of our UHF technology for livestock identification. The real benefit
of this evaluation will be to provide industry users with an accurate
understanding of the features of UHF and LF technology."
Bennett further commented, "We continue to hear from current RFID users in
the livestock industry from the United States, Canada, Australia and other
countries that low frequency technology is not meeting their needs. Some users
have commented that LF scanners are very large and bulky, not user friendly,
unreliable in operating environments with machinery, and can only read one tag
at a time. Others have said they feel LF technology is too limited in scope to
make it a permanent option. Our UHF technology will allow users to implement a
cost effective identification and trace back system, attain greater efficiency
and automation within their own operations - as well as throughout the supply
chain, and ensure reliable data for expedient trace back queries. With our
experience selling LF products to the animal market since 1994, we believe UHF
technology offers significantly greater benefits for livestock management."
In other developments, with the recent appointment of Thailand's new Minister of
Agriculture, Advanced ID is expected to resume its negotiations to secure a
contract for livestock identification and trace back of chickens, pigs and
cattle. In Taiwan, the Company is presently modifying its RFID tags utilized for
the identification and trace back of pigs due to some tags being damaged from
biting. Once its RFID tags are able to withstand this biting pressure - expected
in the weeks ahead, Advanced ID will continue its field trials.
In Advanced ID's January 4, 2005 press release, the Company announced it had
received a $135,000 microchip order from the University of PEI and the
Government of Newfoundland. It should be noted that a portion of this contract
was received from the Government of Canada - Newfoundland and not from the
Government of Newfoundland.
www.asi.ksu.edu.
www.advancedidcorp.com.
Problems
with ovulation hormones in cows
March 28, 2005
PNAS Online Early Edition
Cows given hormones to trigger ovulation may have more problems
becoming pregnant and carrying the fetus to term than those that
ovulate naturally, researchers report. The findings have implications
for fertility treatments in humans. The gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH),
produced naturally in animals and humans, causes a surge of two hormones that
stimulate ovulation. When GnRH is administered as part of assisted reproduction,
however, the follicle on the ovary may be of varying sizes and physiological
maturity. To understand how follicle size affects fertility, George Perry and
colleagues examined 165 cows treated with hormones, including GnRH, and compared
them with 179 cows allowed to ovulate spontaneously. The researchers found that
if GnRH-treated cows ovulated when their follicles were smaller than normal,
they had fewer pregnancies and more miscarriages late in pregnancy. Yet follicle
size had no effect on fertility in untreated cows. The authors speculate that
GnRH may start a hormonal surge before a follicle has matured.
"Relationship between follicle size at insemination
and pregnancy success" by George A. Perry, Michael F. Smith, Matthew
C. Lucy, Jonathan A. Green, Tina E. Parks, Michael D. MacNeil, Andrew
J. Roberts, and Thomas W. Geary
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