Animal Health Newsletter

              Vol. 6 No.1       January 2002
     Illinois was granted pseudorabies Stage V status on Jan. 1,
2002.  The presentation was made at the annual Pork Expo in
Peoria on Jan. 29, 2002.
     The final quarantined herd in Illinois was released Nov. 3,
2000, with a negative test conducted on the repopulated herd
on Jan. 22, 2001.  The last positive herd was discovered on
July 11, 2000 and was immediately depopulated.
     Pseudorabies was first diagnosed in Illinois in December
1973 when severe losses of swine occurred in west central
Illinois.  In February 1975, an outbreak that started the swine
industry on the road to eradication hit two large commercial
swine producing operations in Cass County.
     Throughout the eradication effort, Illinois was one of the
national leaders in developing laws and regulations to eradicate
this disease. The regulation to require a percentage of the
breeding herd to be tested in order to sell feeder pigs was
highly controversial when it went into effect in 1985, but it
became the national model and one of the most successful
tools in eradicating the disease.
     In 1988, the Illinois Pseudorabies Control Act went into
effect . The Act was a cooperative effort by the Illinois Pork
Producers Association and the Department and became model
legislation for the rest of the United States.
Illinois Pseudorabies Free
Regulation Changes Take Effect
     Several regulation changes became effective on Jan. 1,
2002.
Johne s Disease.  Animals originating from a herd that has
been restricted due to Johne s disease would have the
restriction lifted if the herd enrolls in the Voluntary Johne s
Disease Risk Management Program. Cattle that are culture
positive for Johne s disease will be required to be  J  punched
in the left ear within 30 days of diagnosis.
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).  A chronic wasting
disease certification program for cervids has been adopted.  A
statement that the cervids are originating from a herd that has
had no signs of CWD for the past five years or originate from a
CWD monitored or certified herd is required for animals
entering Illinois.  Any herd where CWD is diagnosed will be
quarantined.
Tuberculosis.  Bison entering Illinois from accredited free
states must originate from an accredited tuberculosis-free herd
or be negative to a tuberculin test within 30 days of entry.
Bison entering Illinois from a non-accredited free state or area
must originate from a herd where a complete negative herd
test has been conducted within the past 12 months, and the
individual animal must have had two negative tests within 180
and 30 days prior to entry.  Permits are required for all cattle,
bison, cervidae or goats entering Illinois from these states or
areas.
  Illinois cattle, bison, cervidae or goats being exhibited in non-
accredited free states must be isolated from the remainder of
the herd/flock upon return to Illinois and retested for
tuberculosis 60-120 days post entry.
Animal Consigned to Slaughter.  A producer mandating an
animal to be consigned to slaughter will have the animal  C 
punched in the right ear by the auction market veterinarian.
The consignor will be required to sign a form stating that the
animal cannot be sold for any reason other than slaughter.
     The turnaround time for equine infectious anemia (EIA)
testing this spring may increase.  In the past, the laboratory, in
most cases, has been able to maintain a 24-hour turnaround on
all Coggins testing for EIA.  However, during the peak testing
period of April-June, that may no longer be the case.  Please
plan accordingly when submitting samples for EIA testing.
     Also, please try to limit your requests to have results faxed.
Faxing results limits the technicians  time for completing tests.
EIA Testing at the State/Federal Serology Laboratory