Leigh Rosengren, the Canadian Cattle Association’s chief veterinary officer, said the case was found in a small backyard flock of 14 water buffalo just outside Berlin. | Getty Images

FMD case in Germany shuts borders

REGINA — Canada has closed its border to some German products after a Jan. 10 outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in water buffalo. Leigh Rosengren, the Canadian Cattle Association’s chief veterinary officer, said the case was found in a small backyard flock of 14 water buffalo just outside Berlin. Three head were dead, and testing determined […] Read more

The virus is spread in the saliva, milk, or semen of infected animals but is mainly excreted in aerosol form in respiratory secretions. | File photo

Conference provides insights into FMD preparedness, control

I recently attended the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization’s Animal Health Summit. The conference provided veterinarians, producers and other industry stakeholders an update on the current status of foot and mouth disease (FMD) worldwide. VIDO was founded more than 45 years ago at the University of Saskatchewan and is a leader in infectious disease research […] Read more


The beef industry is determining how surveillance for foot-and-mouth disease will work in community pastures that are shared by cattle from several producers.  |  File photo

Vet shortage complicates FMD plans

Producers worry about how country’s shortage of veterinarians will affect surveillance against foot-and-mouth disease

The shortage of veterinarians is a problem Canadian beef industry and government officials must tackle as they develop a contingency plan in case of a foot-and-mouth outbreak, said an expert. “We know that’s the reality, so we have to work with that reality,” said senior director Bob Burden of Serecon, a consulting company primarily focusing […] Read more

Panel moderator Cami Ryan, left, of Bayer Crop Science Canada, Canadian Cattle Association president Nathan Phinney, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association president Todd Wilkinson of the United States and Homero Garcia de la Llata, president of the National Confederation of Livestock Producers in Mexico, not shown, talk about the challenges and opportunities facing the Canadian, American and Mexican beef sectors during the Canadian Beef Industry Conference.  |  Doug Ferguson photo

N. American beef leaders urge disease vigilance

President of American industry group sounds alarm over what he says is Brazil’s non-compliance with BSE standards

The United States, Canada and Mexico must do more to protect the North American cattle herd from illnesses such as foot-and-mouth disease and BSE that threaten the continent’s multibillion-dollar beef sector, said an American industry leader. Brazil is demonstrating it is non-compliant with the BSE standards developed by the World Organization for Animal Health in […] Read more


Cattle graze in a lush, green pasture with trees in the background.

FMD vaccine bank site may be located outside Canada

Proposed traceability regulations are part of program to develop foot-and-mouth disease prevention, response initiatives

Vaccine banks store antigens that can be formulated and built quickly into vaccines in case of an outbreak. Banks are most often located near vaccine manufacturers to enable rapid turnaround.