Progress 09/01/22 to 08/31/23
Outputs
Target Audience: During this reporting period, the target audience was food-animal and mixed-practice rural veterinarians and livestock producers. This proposal focuses on engaging veterinary/vet tech students and early career veterinarians in a disease syndrome surveillance program, which was viable through a pilot project. Utilizing a phone App, information will be forwarded to a central database monitored by artificial intelligence and reviewed by a veterinary epidemiologist. Syndromic surveillance provides current information to veterinarians, livestock producers, and regulatory veterinarians and monitors for transboundary, emerging, and reemerging livestock diseases. This project proposes combining disease surveillance, continuing education, and mentoring of early career veterinarians to enable them to provide comprehensive animal health management programs. This program requires collaboration among those involved in veterinary medicine, animal science, animal behavior, agriculture economics, and ecosystem management. Telemedicine within the context of a valid VCPR is essential for the efficient delivery of leading-edge veterinary services to rural communities. By creating a network of rural veterinarians linked together through virtual reporting and diagnostic tools, veterinarians in underserved areas will become members of a larger group experiencing similar issues in production agriculture. Changes/Problems:The Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine is collaborating on this grant, and their intended goal was to use the Syndromic Surveillance APP to aid students engaged in preceptor programs with private veterinary practices. This past year, the School of Veterinary Medicine disallowed the APP because students involved in small animal preceptorships could not participate. We are adding a small animal addition to the APP and awaiting approval from the School of Veterinary Medicine for use. We have contacted the Texas Tech College of Veterinary Medicine, and they appear receptive to using this APP for their students. We have had difficulty recruiting producers to participate in the SPA analysis due to COVID-19. We are working with one herd to determine profitability and productivity measured by the Standard Performance Analysis program. This herd has approximately 100 cows and has just been purchased. An Agricultural Economist is conducting this analysis. In addition, we will continue education through Extension programming using some older SPA data. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?What opportunities for training and professional development has the project produced? Texas A&M AgriLife Extension continues participating in a Merck Animal Health project to determine the prevalence of cattle developing internal parasite resistance to anthelmintics. Seventy-five herds in the state are participating, and we have data on approximately 30 ranches. These herds are strategically selected to determine the spatial distribution of resistance patterns. County Extension Agents enroll producer participants, collect feces for fecal reduction egg tests, and disseminate information to producers and practicing veterinarians. Currently, we are documenting significant resistance. This program will conclude on December 31, 2024. Bovine neosporosis is a significant cause of abortion in cattle worldwide. A prominent South Texas producer was concerned about the lack of knowledge concerning this disease. Working with private veterinarians, producers, and County Extension Agents, we sampled six herds in three south Texas counties to estimate disease prevalence and risk factors associated with prevalence. Two ranches from each county with different levels of management participated. Twenty random cows from each herd were sampled during the pregnancy check. The in-herd prevalence ranged from 0 to 50%, the overall prevalence was 16%, and higher prevalence was associated with overstocking in this small study. Results were presented at the 2023 Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course on August 7, 2023, by veterinarians and County Extension Agents involved in the study. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?This year's accomplishments were disseminated to communities of interest through Extension programs at the county and multicounty levels. In addition, the Texas A&M Beef Cattle Shortcourse provides a venue to educate veterinarians and producers. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?What will you do during the next reporting period to accomplish these goals? We have had difficulty recruiting producers to participate in the SPA analysis due to COVID-19. We are working with one herd to determine profitability and productivity measured by the Standard Performance Analysis program. This herd has approximately 100 cows and has just been purchased. An Agricultural Economist is conducting this analysis. In addition, we will continue education through Extension programming using some older SPA data. The Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine is collaborating on this grant, and their intended goal was to use the Syndromic Surveillance APP to aid students engaged in preceptor programs with private veterinary practices. This past year, the School of Veterinary Medicine disallowed the APP because students involved in small animal preceptorships could not participate. We are adding a small animal addition to the APP and awaiting approval from the School of Veterinary Medicine for use. We have contacted the Texas Tech College of Veterinary Medicine, and they appear receptive to using this APP for their students. Dr. Robert Conley, a collaborator on this grant, has organized a program for early-career veterinarians and veterinary students scheduled for the evening of January 19, 2024, and all day of January 20, 20244. The program will be in Vernon, Texas. Invited students include those involved in the Texas A&M VERO program in Canyon, the Tech College of Veterinary Medicine in Amarillo, and the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine in College Station, Texas.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
This program focuses on early-career practicing veterinarians, County Extension Agents, and Extension Specialists working to improve animal health in rural areas and thus improve the economic stability of the rural regions. Extension specialists include animal Scientists, nutritionists, reproductive specialists, and individuals from the Department of Agricultural Economics involved in rural development. The advanced Health Session at the August 5-9, 2023, Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course included an eight-hour hands-on program on August 5 to update veterinarians on current concepts in beef cattle nutrition. Eighty veterinarians attended this educational program. The program began with body condition scoring of live cattle and implementing the results to improve livestock health and reproductive performance. It included a demonstration of liver biopsy techniques for cattle, how to implement and monitor a mineral program, how to gather forage and soil, and a discussion of grazing management principles. On August 6, 100 veterinarians attended a nine-hour program with keynote speaker Dr. David Smith, Mississippi State College of Veterinary Medicine, Population Medicine program, who presented a case study addressing reproductive loss. The Syndromic Surveillance system developed in year one has continued growing, with practicing veterinarians in three states participating. The Texas Tech College of Veterinary Medicine is interested in students engaged in preceptor visits reporting to the Surveillance App with case reports and surveillance data. We are adding a small animal component to the App.
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Progress 09/01/21 to 08/31/22
Outputs
Target Audience:Non-Technical Summary A veterinary shortage in rural areas threatens livestock health and, ultimately, the economy of rural communities. USDA has admirably addressed this problem through the Veterinary Loan Repayment Program; however, changes in traditional veterinary practice are still necessary for the sustainability of the rural practice. Veterinarians responding in a Fire Engine manner are no longer practicable. Ranchers must realize that veterinarians can contribute to producer profits by developing a comprehensive health management program. This proposal focuses on engaging veterinary/vet tech students and early career veterinarians in a disease syndrome surveillance program, which has been shown viable through a pilot project. Utilizing a phone App, information will be forwarded to a central database monitored by artificial intelligence and reviewed by a veterinary epidemiologist. Syndromic surveillance provides current information to veterinarians, livestock producers, and regulatory veterinarians and monitors for transboundary, emerging, and reemerging livestock diseases. This project proposes combining disease surveillance, continuing education, and mentoring of early career veterinarians to enable them to provide comprehensive animal health management programs. This program requires collaboration among those involved in veterinary medicine, animal science, animal behavior, agriculture economics, and ecosystems management. The use of telemedicine within the context of a valid VCPR is essential for the efficient delivery of leading-edge veterinary services to rural communities. By creating a network of rural veterinarians linked together through virtual reporting and diagnostic tools, veterinarians in underserved areas will become a member of a larger group experiencing similar issues in production agriculture. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?What opportunities for training and professional development has the project produced? In the interest of developing effective evidence-based cattle health programs, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension is participating in a Merck Animal Health project to determine the prevalence of cattle internal parasites resistance to anthelmintics. Seventy-five herds in the state are participating. These herds are strategically selected to determine the spatial distribution of resistance patterns. County Extension Agents are enrolling producer participants, collecting feces for fecal reduction egg tests, and disseminating information to producers and practicing veterinarians. Bovine neosporosis is a significant cause of abortion in cattle worldwide. Canines are definitive hosts and become infected by ingestion of infected tissues. In addition, canines pass oocysts in their feces, and when these oocysts contaminate the food or water of cattle, they become infected, often resulting in abortion storms. Infected cattle remain persistently infected and vertically transmit the organism to their offspring.; however, vertical transmission commonly results in only sporadic abortions. Diagnosis can be problematic because finding the organism or antibodies in the fetus does not definitively establish that as the cause of the abortion. A prominent south Texas producer was concerned about the lack of knowledge concerning this disease. Working with private veterinarians, producers, and County Extension Agents, we are sampling herds in south Texas counties to estimate disease prevalence and risk factors associated with prevalence. This project is ongoing and will be completed this spring. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Information dissiminated through County Extension Porgrams, Texas A&M Beef Cattle Shortcourse, Veterinary CE programs. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Continue working with Extension Specialists, rural veterinarians too accompolish Standard Performance Analysis (SPA) data on ranches. Working with donor from a trust to provide support for efforts when grant expires. Continue to work with Texas Animal Health Commission to identify veterinary shortage areas in Texas.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The advanced Health Session at the August 1-3, 2022, Texas A&M Beef Cattle Shortcourse included a 3.5-hour program to educate cattle producers on the economic benefits of an encompassing herd health program. Speakers included the Extension Regional Program Leader for South Texas, a Texas A&M Extension Veterinarian, County Extension Agents, and a veterinary practitioner, all currently involved in this project spoke for the first hour. Next, managers/owners of one large and two medium size Texas ranches explained how they engaged their veterinarian in a total herd health program during the second hour. Finally, Agricultural Economics extension specialists and a Louisiana Extension Veterinarian gave the last presentation, followed by Q and A with 200 producers in attendance. The Syndromic Surveillance system developed in year one has continued growing, with 52 practicing veterinarians in three states participating. In addition, a graduate student and a Post-Doc engaged in the surveillance project gave an hour presentation to 100 veterinarians at the veterinary CE program on July 31, 2022. Dr. Andy Schwartz, Texas State Veterinarian, updated attendees on Texas's veterinary shortage areas and the USDA Veterinary Loan Repayment Program during the program.
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Progress 09/01/20 to 08/31/21
Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences include rural veterinarians and livestock producers who attended a seven-hour continuing educational program focusing on bull fertility was held in College Station on July 31, 2021. Drs. Chance Armstrong (LSU) and Jennifer Koziol (Texas Tech), authors of the second edition of the Society of Theriogenology Manual for Breeding Soundness Examination of Bulls, led a hands-on demonstration of breeding soundness examinations on more popular breeds of bulls to include Brahma, Brangus, Red Angus, and Charolais. There were also presentations on the effects of nutrition on bull fertility and an overview of surgical procedures such as penile and preputial issues. The IT department of Texas A&M Agriculture and Life Science(COALS) developed an APP for disease surveillance (syndromic surveillance) that is currently employed in three states, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. All data is sent to a server created by COALS. A post-Doc DVM/Ph.D. in the Animal Science Department is applying artificial intelligence to monitor the server. In addition, an epidemiologist from the TAMU College of Veterinary Medicine working with the post-doc provides timely reports to veterinarians and state regulatory officials concerning the spatial and temporal distribution of disease syndromes. Two Extension faculty from the Department of Agricultural economics have joined our team. Dr. Rebbeka Dudinsing has expertise in rural economic development and Francisco Abello in Standard Performance Analysis (SPA) of ranching operations. These specialists will be invaluable in accessing rural veterinarians' contribution to the local economies. Producers in south Texas have expressed an interest in applying telemedicine in ranching operations. As a result, a continuing education program is scheduled in Webb County for January 15, 2022, to discuss concerns specific to south Texas ranching communities. Changes/Problems:There are no significant changes. Although Covid 19 has restricted travel and in-person meetings to some degree this first year, in 2022, there will be more opportunities for travel and in-person discussion. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Target audiences include rural veterinarians and livestock producers who attended a seven-hour continuing educational program focusing on bull fertility was held in College Station on July 31, 2021. Drs. Chance Armstrong (LSU) and Jennifer Koziol (Texas Tech), authors of the second edition of the Society of Theriogenology Manual for Breeding Soundness Examination of Bulls, led a hands-on demonstration of breeding soundness examinations on more popular breeds of bulls to include Brahma, Brangus, Red Angus, and Charolais. There were also presentations on the effects of nutrition on bull fertility and an overview of surgical procedures such as penile and preputial issues. Veterinarians were allowed to attend nine hours of approved Veterinary CE at the Beef Cattle Shortcourse at a reduced rate. Producers were also encouraged to participate in these meetings. Topics centered on production medicine, such as internal parasite resistance to anthelmintics, control of reproductive diseases, diagnosis of infertility in cattle, and the effects of nutrition on reproduction. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Continue to implement the various components of this grant and began to measure economic impact
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Producers in south Texas have expressed an interest in applying telemedicine in ranching operations. As a result, a continuing education program is scheduled in Webb County for January 15, 2022, to discuss concerns specific to south Texas ranching communities. Rural practitioners are identified and have participated in CE meetings focusing on producers' needs. We need to identify more rural veterinarians for participation in this project. An app and server developed by TAMU COALS IT for syndromic surveillance has been developed and is in use, and modifications and updates are being added as needed. A post-doc is applying Artificial Intelligence modeling concepts for the information collected and on the server. Rural practitioners are networking through ZOOM to discuss cases that may impact other areas of the participating states. Improving communication cooperation between the livestock industry and veterinarians is accomplished through Extension programming to include the Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course.
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