HOG CHOLERA AND OTHER SWINE DISEASES 



The entire country has remained hog cholera free during fy 1983. There has 

 been increased vigilance against African Swine Fever (ASF) and considerable 

 federal interest in the eradication of Swine Pseudorabies Virus (PRV). With two 

 area herds showing positive to tests for PRV, legislation was sought, and ob- 

 tained, to curb any additional importation of this costly disease. The impo- 

 sition of the new federal swine-feed cooking law (Swine Health Protection Act) 

 and attendant licensing went into effect in fy 1983 and resulted in an increased 

 number of federal swine inspections. To the end of fy V^3, no federal cooking 

 licenses had been issued, largely because of ambiguities in the regulations. 

 Originally requiring additional cooking for bakery products, fish meal, 

 meats, ice cream and dairy products, these regulations were strongly opposed by 

 the feeders in Masschusetts. The Department of Food and Agriculture and the 

 Division of Animal Health concurred and largely through their efforts, several 

 federal register regulations are currently under change or deletion. 



EQUINE PROGRAMS 



With the appointment of a Supervisor of Riding Academies, the licensure of 

 Riding Stables/Schools and Riding Instructors is again under a full-time 

 employee with license updating and increased on-site inspection. Licensing of 

 Equine Dealers/Transporters, also under this supervision, is being inaugurated. 

 Both consumer and animal -protective in intent, these programs have long enjoyed 

 considerable industry support. Interest in the light horse, in particular the 

 Sport or Show horse, has always been \/ery great in Massachusetts. The presence 

 here of the United States Olympic (Three Day Event) Team and international -level 

 competitions in Dressage, Combined Driving and Polo have contributed greatly to 

 this interest. 



As in past years, Massachusetts requires a negative Coggins Test (EIA) of 

 all equines within six months prior to entry and within twenty-four months prior 

 to showing for all Massachusetts-owned and shown animals. Although there have 

 been small sporadic outbreaks of Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) in surrounding 

 states, there have been no positive tests in animals native to Massachusetts for 

 more than four years. 



For the second year, a comprehensive program to drug- test pulling horses, 

 ponies and oxen at fairs has been conducted. Well -received by both spectators 

 and exhibitors, this program has, for the second year, revealed no transgres- 

 sors. Testing Itself is done at the Massachusetts Racing Commission Laboratory 

 by its fully-accredited technicians. 



As In past years, a concerted effort by the Division of Animal Health and 

 the Department of Public Health was made to alert horse owners and the general 

 public to the threat of Eastern Encephalitis. Carried by mosquitoes, this 

 disease caused the death of at least six Massachusetts equines late last summer 

 and is expected to surface again in the late summer of calendar 1983. Once 

 again, this division emphasized that people cannot contract the disease from 

 horses but should take proper precautions against exposure to infected 

 mosquitoes during the late summer danger period. Almost invariably fatal to the 

 non-vaccinated horse, prevention for the equine Is by vaccination, conducted 

 annually each spring. 



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