Dr. Jim Branstad, Keota Veterinary Clinic, spoke about PRRS Surveillance in area regional control projects during the Boehringer Ingelheim PRRS Seminar. He should know all about pig surveillance since as he says, “I spend about 90 percent of my time with pigs.” The message he had included the need to talk individually with producers in the project area. That one …
Sled Driver Inspires Ag Aviators
Last week I attended the National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA) convention in Las Vegas. It was the third time we have had the opportunity to find out more about these “unsung heroes of agriculture,” thanks to our friends with BASF. Among the many ways BASF supports NAAA is by sponsoring the convention kick off breakfast, which always features a speaker …
Small PRRS Projects Seeing Success
Dr. Jim Lowe is an independent veterinarian and one of the attendees at the Boehringer Ingelheim PRRS ARC&E Seminar. He’s the guy on the Mac. I asked him why he attends this seminar. Jim says that he spends a lot of time dealing with PRRS and this program allows him time to visit with colleagues and share information. He’s involved …
BASF Updates Ag Aviators on New Labels
During the National Agricultural Aviation Association NAAA convention this week, Dr. Gary Fellows had the opportunity to educate aerial applicators on what’s new from BASF. Gary participated in a session with a few other crop protection product companies to provide an update on BASF herbicides and fungicides. First of all, Gary talked about the anticipated registration next year of Priaxor …
Financial Impact Of Eliminating PRRS
There is a serious financial impact from the PRRS disease in pigs and at the Boehringer Ingelheim PRRS Seminar we learned how much. Dr. Derold Holtkamp, Iowa State University, made a presentation titled, “Bio-economics: The Impact of PRRS & PRRS Control. He had recently completed a Pork Board cost of PRRS study and says they were able to use that …
South-East Iowa PRRS Project Update
Providing a report on the progress of the South-East Iowa PRRS ARC&E Project during the BIVI PRRS Seminar was Dr. Tim Loula, Swine Vet Center. He says these projects to try to eliminate Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome are similar to ones conducted some time ago for Pseudorabies. He says the Iowa program was started in a very pig dense …
Ag Aviators Facing Unnecessary Regulations
Like all of agriculture, aerial applicators are facing potentially onerous regulations that could ground them if they are allowed to continue. The biggest issue they are dealing with right now is the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, which National Agricultural Aviation Association executive director Andrew Moore told me just went into effect on Halloween. “It’s kind of …
Sharing PRRS and PRRS Control Information
This is my favorite Dr. Laura. She’s Dr. Laura Batista, Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica and she was our moderator at the PRRS ARC&E Seminar in Chicago last week. I had to wait until today to get these posts done (more coming) since I had to re-voice my part of my interviews due to losing my voice end of last week. It’s …
Ag Aviators All in the Family
At this year’s National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA) convention, I had the pleasure of meeting a wonderful family that is dedicated to the business of aerial crop protection in North Dakota. Left to right, they are Jayse Wharam, his mother and father Vernie and Glen, and brother Chris. Glen is the owner of Valley Sprayers in Park River, ND and …
North-Central Illinois PRRS Project Update
During the Boehringer Ingelheim PRRS ARC&E Seminar participants heard reports from some of those area regional control & elimination projects. One of those was the North-Central Illinois Project. Our speaker was Dr. Noel Garbes, Bethany Animal Hospital Swine Services. Noel says the PRRS (porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome) project has been going on for about two years and early on …