Rutgers Private Applicator 2023 Online License Renewal Assistance
Private Applicators: NJDEP August Mailing of 2023 Invoices & Recertification Credit Status
Much Needed 72 Hour Precipitation Accumulations
Doppler radar polarimetric technology from iWeatherNet.com: Rainfall totals for the last 24 hours to 3 days – high resolution map shows a widespread system brought much needed precipitation to South-Central NJ Sunday, July 31st though the 72-hour period ending August 2, 2022. In Salem County, areas along the Delaware River to west of Woodstown received 5/10ths to 9/10ths in parts of Mullica Hill. A wider swath through Woodstown and Glassboro provided 3/10ths to less than an inch. A narrower swath of 7/10ths to one inch fell from Elmer to Williamstown. Localized areas west of Salem City and South of Abbottstown Meadow received an inch of accumulation. Less than 3.0 inches of rain have been recorded below Memorial Lake at the USGS 393838075194901 Woodstown USGS Gauge for the month of July.
Looking at the Short-term Prediction Research and Transition Center map
, soil moisture for surface to ten cm depth readings shifted from below the 3-percentile category for much of the county on August 1st to the 30th percentile as of August 2, but a large area of production remains in the five to ten percentile.
Emerging Foreign Notifiable Diseases in Livestock. Know the Signs
The discovery of the Asian longhorn tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis) in a flock of sheep in NJ in 2017 is a reminder to producers that foreign diseases and or foreign vectors of diseases can and have come to the United States in recent times. Livestock producers are the first line of defense in recognizing a foreign notifiable disease or vector. With the veterinary shortage unresolved, producers must rely on their own knowledge of signs of a disease not previously known to occur in the United States and be aware of current outbreaks in other countries of diseases not previously detected in North America.
The below table lists notifiable foreign diseases of cattle, and links to fact sheets providing further information.
| Cattle Disease | Disease scientific Name, Vector | Detected in United States |
| Bovine babesiosis | Tick borne Babesia bovis, B. bigemina | Mexico/U.S Border regions |
| Bovine spongiform encephalopathy | (BSE)
|
Through August 2018, BSE surveillance has identified 26 cases in North America: 6 BSE cases in the United States and 20 in Canada |
| Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia | Mycoplasmamycoides mycoides | Reportedly eradicated in United States in the mid-20th century |
| Hemorrhagic septicemia | Pasteurella multocida, serotypes B/Asian or E/African | Hemorrhagic septicemia-causing strains are not thought to circulate in North America. The disease was reported to the WOAH from Colombia in 2007, Venezuela in 2015 and Ecuador in 2018 |
| Lumpy skin disease
|
Fly, mosquito, and tick vectored Capripoxvirus | North and South America continents have not seen this disease before and cattle will have no naïve immunity |
| Theileriosis | Tick borne Theileria species | |
| Trichomoniasis
|
sexually transmitted protozoan parasite TRCH | 25 different states and a total of 3,817 reported cases nationwide 2015-2019 |
| Trypanosomosis | Tsetse fly-transmitted Trypanosoma species | Tsetse flies are not found in North America |
In the News: Monkey pox is an example of an emerging notifiable disease of humans that does not affect livestock that is spreading around the world in 2022. An emerging pox outbreak in cattle in 2022 is lumpy skin disease, a capripoxvirus that causes a debilitating disease of particular concern in lactating European breeds of dairy cattle that have no naïve immunity like indigenous breeds in the countries where the disease has evolved.
Currently lumpy skin disease, a Capripoxvirus of cattle and water buffalo endemic to Africa has spread from the Middle East to south-east Europe, affecting EU Member States (Greece and Bulgaria) and several other countries in the Balkans in 2012. A major risk factor for the spread of livestock diseases and their vectors is the uncontrolled transboundary movement of live animals for trade, grazing or due to war and conflict. Since its first outbreak in 1928 in Africa, no direct transmission of LSD to humans has been reported. Since 2012, war, famine, and normal trade of livestock across borders is spreading the disease unchecked in the Middle East. In 2021, the World Organization for Animal Health reported that since 2015, “the disease has spread to most of the Balkan countries, the Caucasus and the Russian Federation, where the disease continues to spread, making the risk of an imminent incursion into other unaffected countries very high.” Lumpy skin disease was first reported in Asia and the Pacific region in 2019 in north-west China, Bangladesh and India. During the northern summer of 2020, LSD has continued its spread across continental Asia with many members in South and South East Asia confirming outbreaks. As of May 2022, an estimated five million dairy farmers and meat sellers in Pakistan have had an outbreak in their cattle. India is now experiencing an unchecked outbreak of the disease in dairy cattle in many western states.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on lumpy skin disease (LSD)
What is lumpy skin disease (LSD)? Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is caused by lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV), a virus from the family Poxviridae, genus Capripoxvirus. Sheeppox virus and goatpox virus are the two other virus species in this genus.
What domestic animals may be affected by LSD? LSDV is highly host specific and causes disease only in cattle (Bos indicus and B. taurus) and water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis). There is evidence from a study in Ethiopia of differential breed susceptibility to LSD, with Holstein Friesian or crossbred cattle exhibiting higher morbidity and mortality due to LSD when compared with local zebu cattle. LSDV is not zoonotic, so humans cannot get affected by the disease.
Are there any recent LSD cases in sheep and goat? There are no reports of LSD in sheep and goats or of their epidemiological involvement in the disease despite being kept in close proximity to cattle.
For more information read the entire fact sheet at https://www.woah.org/app/uploads/2022/06/faq-lsd-faired-v2-4forpublication.pdf
Signs a veterinarian looks for to detect a notifiable reportable disease in livestock
- Unexplained sudden onset of high morbidity and high mortality
- Severe abortion storms of unknown etiology
- Severe respiratory conditions
- Vesicular lesions (blistering skin not associated with sunburn)
- Pox or lumpy skin conditions
- Poor or no response to treatment when response is expected
- Atypical findings at necropsy
- History of foreign travel, foreign visitors, or receipt of foreign parcels (from a region where disease is present, accompanied by any of these symptoms)
- Recent importation of animals, embryos, or semen (accompanied by any of these symptoms)
- Undiagnosed encephalitic (CNS) conditions
For more information on foreign disease in livestock response, visit https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information
Special IPM Update – Fall Armyworm Alert
Sweet Corn – Fall Armyworm
As of Wednesday (7/27) evening, significant fall armyworm (FAW) infestations were found in whorl stage sweet corn in Cape May County. These infestations were nearing 50% of plants infested, and are an indication that all sweet corn growers in southern NJ should be checking fields regularly for signs of FAW feeding. This pest often hits earliest and hardest in coastal areas, and new infestations have been detected up the coast to Monmouth County. Northern infestations have been much lower, and very recent.
Look for extensive foliar feeding in sweet corn ranging from seedling to pre-tassel stage. FAW create large volumes of droppings that often cover larvae while feeding in the whorl. Untreated infestations can result in severely stunted plants. Consider treating when FAW feeding alone, or in combination with European corn borer exceeds 12%. Insecticides in the IRAC 28 class (diamides) and IRAC 5 class (spinosyns) work well against FAW.
Drought driven cow culling. Opportunity for replacement heifers in 2023?
The July 1, 2022, beef cow inventory compiled by USDA NASS indicates the national beef replacement heifer inventory is below 5 million head. Unprecedented cow culling is occurring in the southwest due to the ongoing drought conditions. To put that in perspective, the United States has not seen numbers this low since 1972 and 1973 when the national beef replacement heifer inventory hovered around 7 million head. Even in 1965, beef cattle replacement heifer inventories were above 5 million head nationally.
New Jersey reported 5,000 head of beef cattle replacements in 1973 and only 2,500 head in 2019. With all cattle and calve numbers in 2020 reported at 28,000 head down 2,000 head from 2019, it is probable that state raised beef heifer replacement numbers are below 5,000 head going into the fall of 2022.
What is more contrasting compared to 1973 is the difference in calf crops. In 1973, the national calf crop was estimated at 50 million head. Going into summer of 2022 the calf crop is estimated at 25 million head. With an estimated 5,000 of these 500 lb calves or less in weight coming from New Jersey and only half assumed to be heifers, these heifers have considerable value beyond the feedlot, if they have brood cow qualities. Maintaining those selected for replacement herd purposes requires considerable attention to body conditioning to grow a weaned heifer to be bred at 15 months to meet industry replacement standards.
To learn more about raising replacement heifers contact Melissa Bravo for a copy of ‘A Checklist For Calving Success. A first-time heifer is a long-term investment.’
What are replacement heifers worth? The USDA AMS Show-Me-Select Special – Carthage, MO Livestock, Poultry, & Grain May 2022 report is a good example of the criteria that brings $1450.00 to $3,100 bred replacement heifer sale prices. Remember, these heifers were born, weaned, and fed through 15 months of age on 2019 (conception), 2020 (birth year), 2021 (breeding year) feed prices.
- All met minimum standards for reproductive soundness, pelvic size, body condition and weight.
- All immunized including Brucellosis calf-hood vaccination and tested negative for PI BVD.
- Heifers bred to bulls meeting strict calving ease or birth weight EPD’s.
- Many were synchronized and artificially bred.
- Projected calving dates were given.
- All heifers pregnancy checked within 30 days of sale.
- Sale animals screened for blemishes, muscle, frame and body condition score, and disposition.
- Heifers sorted and sold according to calving dates and similar body types.
- The average price per head was $1913.00. The highest selling lot brought $3100.00 per head.
- The A.I. bred heifers brought $141.00 more than natural bred heifers.
- About 40% of the heifers were black, 30% black, white-face, and 30% red.
Salem County Producers: If you would like to host a calf crop evaluation pasture walk for replacement heifer qualities, contact Melissa Bravo at the Salem County Extension Office.
