Animal Health Symposium takes place in Omaha

by | Jul 22, 2016 | 5 Ag Stories, News

by Ben Nuelle LISTEN: Money Matters 7-22-16

Two state biotechnology associations join forces to tackle animal health issues.

Iowa Bio and Bio Nebraska hosted an animal health symposium in Omaha Wednesday.

The Symposium titled ?Animal Health in the Heartland? focused on biotechnology?s role in emergency preparedness.

Recent outbreaks of avian influenza and Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus have caused serious economic consequences at home and abroad.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey spoke at the event.

?I would assume some of this may be the animals themselves, feed products, or vaccines and those kind of things. Everyone is just trying to explore what it is recognizing that animal health is a huge issue. We went through avian influenza we saw that. It?s also about the efficiencies of a healthy animal in addition to controlling disease.?

Nebraska Agriculture Director Greg Ibach says biotechnology will play an important role in the future of animal health.

?A lot of our diseases have been managed with depopulation when they crop up. We also use antibiotics widely in disease treatment and prevention. I think moving forward we are going to have to see different methods employed.?

The symposium took place at the Sorrell Center at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.