Ag Secretary Reacts to Improper Conduct at Vet Labs
US - Agriculture Secretary, Tom Vilsack, has issued a statement regarding allegations of impropriety at federal veterinary laboratories in Ames, Iowa.

Boehringer Ingelheim Invests Further in Animal Health
US - Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica has announced it will expand its operations in St Joseph, Missouri, with a $150 million project.

HOD Revises Antimicrobials in Livestock Feeds Policy
US - Several AVMA Bylaws amendments and policy proposals were on the agenda for the second regular winter session of the House of Delegates, which convened 10 January in Chicago as part of the AVMA Veterinary...

2009 ISU Animal Industry Report Available
IOWA, US - The sixth annual Iowa State University (ISU) Animal Industry Report is now available online and on CD-Rom.

Pfizer to Acquire Wyeth, Creating the World's Premier Biopharmaceutical Company
US - Pfizer and Wyeth today announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement under which Pfizer will acquire Wyeth in a cash-and-stock transaction currently valued at $50.19 per share,...

Study: MRSA in Midwestern Swine and Workers
US - The first study documenting methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in swine and swine workers in the United States has been published by University of Iowa researchers.

Sanger Elected to Pfizer's Board of Directors
US - Pfizer Inc has announced the election of Stephen W. Sanger to its Board of Directors, effective 1 February 2009.

Increased Inventory of Swine Circovirus Vaccine Reported
US - Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc., (BIVI) announces that it has an adequate supply of its Ingelvac CircoFLEX® vaccine to meet the needs of swine producers and veterinarians who want to vaccinate...

Amendments Made to Enhance Disease Traceability
US - The USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is proposing to amend its domestic livestock regulations in order to enhance the traceability of animals in the United States.

Health Concerns over Drugs in Manured Crops
US - Dolliver and co-workers at the University of Minnesota have measured the uptake by maize, lettuce and potatoes of sulphamethazine, an antibiotic used in animal production, which is passed into manure....

Managing Respiratory Disease in Finishing Pigs
US - Successfully getting pigs to market means more profit, says Pfizer Animal Health.

Swine Vets Invited to Apply for Hogg Scholarship
US - The American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV) Foundation is to offer the Hogg Scholarship, established to honour the memory of longtime AASV member and swine industry leader, Dr Alex Hogg....

Participants for Training Program Being Sought
IOWA - Veterinarians and others in the state's pork industry have the opportunity to become Pork Quality Assurance Plus Advisors under the National Pork Board's PQA Plus program.

Monitoring Nutrient Deficiencies in Pigs
US - A new South Dakota State University publication explains how to monitor certain nutrient deficiencies in starter, growing, and finishing pigs.

Imugene, Merial Establish Strategic Alliance
US - Merial is to develop vaccine candidates from Imugene's portfolio through to commercial sales.

USDA Amends Regulation on Imports
US - The USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is amending regulations governing the importation of certain animals, meat and other animal products into the United States by restoring...

Pew Comments on FDA Decision on Antibiotics
US - Pew Charitable Trusts has made a statement follwing the US Food and Drug Administration's reversal on antibiotics safeguards in animal farming.

FDA: Ban on Animal Antibiotics Called Off
US - The Food and Drug Administration said it would continue to allow the widespread use of a class of powerful antibiotics in food-producing animals, making a last-minute reversal after refering to the...

$500 Million Animal Health Lab to Set up in Kansas
KANSAS, US - Kansas State University's solid reputation as a leader in animal health and food safety research is stronger than ever with the announcement of K-State as the site for the relocation of a...

No More Pig Virus Tests for Solvay Drug
US - Solvay Pharmaceuticals Inc does not need to develop additional tests to screen out three viruses from its pancreatic enzyme drug Creon, which is made from pig glands, a US advisory panel said on Tuesday...

New Animal Health Lab Likely to be in Kansas
US - Although the official announcement is not due until 5 December, it has emerged that federal officials have chosen Manhatten, Kansas, as the site of the country's new National Bio- and Agro-Defense...

Conserve Energy in Hog Barns This Winter
US - With cold weather underway and increased heating costs, energy conservation is key in minimizing the cost of raising pigs. Substantial savings can be realized by evaluating and investing in ventilation,...

Humans Prompted New Paths for Parasites
US - Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists are tracking how the dissemination of the parasite, Trichinella spiralis, in pigs throughout Europe, North Africa and the Americas was facilitated...

King Pharmaceuticals Acquires Alpharma
US - King Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Alpharma Inc. announced on 24 November that the two companies have signed a definitive merger agreement.

Swine Flu Virus in Texas Patient Reported
US - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in its latest update on the nation's seasonal influenza activity, reported on a person who was infected with a swine influenza virus following...