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News: Healthy Animals Issue 33, April 2008
Posted by: JimEdwards on Apr 30, 2008 - 05:13 PM
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Spotlight on Bluetongue Virus
Bluetongue virus (BTV) infection only rarely results in the swollen, bluish mouth tissue for which it was named, but its other symptoms—such as fever, swelling, and salivation—can cause significant discomfort for the animals it affects. The virus targets ruminants such as cattle, sheep, goats and deer. Sheep are particularly susceptible to BTV and may have mortality rates above 10 percent.
Biting midges known as Culicoides spread the virus, which has 24 different serotypes. Although it's not always fatal, BTV infection reduces production efficiency, resulting in significant economic losses. There is no known cure, but precautions can be taken to prevent its spread.
Other research highlighted in this issue includes:
Nutritious, year-round forage for cattle
Heat stress model helps keep cows cool
Improved peanuts for forage and hay
Professionals interested in animal health issues may want to bookmark the site as a resource for locating animal health experts. An index lists ARS research locations covering approximately 70 animal health topics. These range from specific diseases, such as Lyme disease, to broad subjects like nutrition or parasites. The site also provides complete contact information for the more than 25 ARS research groups that conduct studies aimed at protecting and improving farm animal health.
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