Testing the Infrastructure The first year of CattleTrace was focused almost entirely on the first objective. Kniebel says CattleTrace is now moving into the second-phase and shifting focus more on the second objective. There are now more than 15,000 individual sightings in the CattleTrace database, and of those between 4,000 and 5,000 calves have been sighted more than once. “As we continue capturing more sightings this spring and summer, we will conduct mock tracebacks to evaluate the capabilities of the system. We will be asking key questions like Did we capture the right data? Can we trace movement at the individual animal level back to the farm or ranch of origin? Are we able to identify cohorts of “diseased” or “at risk” animals at various points in the supply chain? How long does it take to conduct a trace? Are our protocols for access adequate? Answering these questions and others through mock tracebacks will enable us to make necessary adjustments and tweaks to the infrastructure to improve it for the entire industry,” Kniebel explains. Evaluating the Value The third and final objective is to evaluate the economics of the CattleTrace. Kniebel says CattleTrace is partnering with Kansas State University to evaluate both the costs and benefits of disease traceability at the individual producer level as well as at the overall industry level.
From Pilot or Practice While CattleTrace began in Kansas, the beef industry across the nation is watching what we are doing very closely. Depenbusch says CattleTrace “is becoming contagious.” He notes that as of February 1, 11 states are in discussion with CattleTrace, exploring different opportunities for potential partnership. Whether in Kansas or not, Depenbusch says there is still a need for producers to partner in the project. To learn more about the pilot or ways to participate, he encourages producers to visit www.CattleTrace.org or follow CattleTrace on Facebook or Twitter. Depenbusch says the interest from producers across the country is very encouraging. “Disease traceability is a top priority here in Kansas and across the nation. The United States is one of just two major beef producing nations around the globe that does not have a national end-to-end disease traceability system,” he says. “The major distinction between what we’re doing with CattleTrace and systems around the globe – they were all implemented after a major disease situation. We have the opportunity to develop and test a system on our terms. This is our chance to get it right – to take advantage of new technologies and embrace an opportunity to make lasting and positive change in our industry here at home and in the entire United States beef cattle industry.”
Chuckles From Down Under Collected By: Jane Sullivan, Bell Veterinary Services
A woman walked into a pharmacy and told the assistant she needed to speak to the pharmacist. When the pharmacist came to the front counter she said she was in urgent need of some Cyanide. The pharmacist told her that under no circumstances could he supply this as Cyanide was a banned substance and illegal supply would result in his instant dismissal and his being immediately struck off the Pharmacist Register. No matter how much the woman pleaded, his answer remained a resolute “NO!” The woman then reached into her handbag and produced a photograph showing the pharmacist’s wife in bed with the woman’s husband. The pharmacist replied, “Madam, why didn’t you tell me you had a prescription?”
