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Free Biosecurity Workshops Across Missouri Will Discuss Emerging Livestock Diseases and How to Manage Them

March 5, 2019 — 

"Preventing and Responding to Disease Outbreak" is offered in March in Versailles, Springfield, Jackson, Kirksville and St. Joseph. The workshops are designed to help beef, dairy and hog producers and veterinarians, says Teng Lim, University of Missouri Extension specialist in agricultural engineering.

Attendees will benefit from reviews of biosecurity protocols and the experience of speakers on a range of topics, including quarantine, mass mortality management, indemnity and economics.

They will learn of foot-and-mouth disease and the spread of African swine fever in China, says Lim. While U.S. agricultural officials have not documented any cases of ASF in the U.S. to date, the disease spreads quickly from pig to pig through direct secretions, contaminated objects and ticks. No vaccine exists to control the disease, which does not affect humans.

Speakers include representatives from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Missouri Department of Agriculture, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), and MU. They will discuss protocols to prevent and control disease, regulations, written biosecurity plans, how to train employees, and what to do when there is an outbreak.

The workshop runs 10 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. at these locations:

  • March 6, Hunter Civic Center, Versailles.
  • March 8, Springfield Livestock Marketing Center, Springfield.
  • March 13, MU Extension Center in Cape Girardeau County, Jackson.
  • March 15, Missouri Department of Conservation Northeast Regional Office, Kirksville.
  • March 18, Missouri Western State University, Leah Spratt Hall, St. Joseph.

This course has been approved for four hours of veterinary continuing education.

Register before Feb. 27 to receive lunch, workshop materials and a free USB flash drive loaded with biosecurity information. For more information, contact Kristi Perry at perrykk@missouri.edu. There is a downloadable registration form at http://faculty.missouri.edu/limt/BiosecurityFlyer2019.pdf.