Johanns at the ID INFO EXPO

Cindy Zimmerman

Second day of the National Institute for Animal Agriculture ID INFO Expo was a busy one, between the Secretary of Agriculture and the protesters. A small but vocal group gathered outside the Westin in Kansas City with signs and umbrellas saying “No to NAIS.” I figured that about 99 percent of the people passing by on Grand Avenue had no …

Animal Health, USDA

The Place For NAIS

Cindy Zimmerman

I have been here at the National Institute for Animal Agriculture ID INFO Expo in Kansas City working on their virutal press room. Pretty cool idea, actually. I sent out a document file to agricultural media yesterday with links to interviews I did with all the representatives of the Species Working Group for the National Animal Identification System, as well …

Animal Health

Tres Chic for Pig Posting

Cindy Zimmerman

I had to pose for a picture in the ISU wet lab during the Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc. PCVAD update meeting with my overalls and plastic booties to keep germs away from either me or the lab, not sure which. I admit to being a pretty big weenie when it comes to looking at guts, but I held up well …

Animal Health, Swine

CSI: Circovirus Swine Investigation

Cindy Zimmerman

Pigs are dying. The question is why? Is it simply the presence of PCV2, which is found in virtually every swine herd worldwide? Or is it the co-factors? PRRS? Mycoplasma? Salmonella? What is their motive? That is what the Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc. (BIVI) project known as MAGIC – or Monitoring Assignment for a Global Insight into Circovirus associated diseases …

Animal Health, Swine

Stalking a Killer

Cindy Zimmerman

The swine industry has become increasingly alarmed just in the past year or two about the incidence of what has become known as PCV-AD, or Porcine Circovirus Associated Diseases. At a PCV-AD update meeting sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. last week, veterinarians and members of the media were updated on the latest information available about this emerging disease complex. …

Animal Health, Swine

Making MAGIC

Cindy Zimmerman

Sometimes finding the right way to control diseases in animals just takes a little magic – so that is what Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. is using to figure out just what it will take to get a handle on PCV-AD – or Porcine Circovirus Associated Diseases. PCV is a virus that is actually present in virtually every swine herd in …

Animal Health, Audio, Swine