1. Senate bill targets tick-borne cattle diseases with expanded research
By Kellan Heavican
BrownfieldAgNews.com
August 7, 2026
The Kansas Livestock Association says a bill recently introduced in the U.S. Senate could strengthen the fight at against tick-related diseases in cattle.
CEO Matt Teagarden says the Asian Longhorn Tick and theilieria orientalis continue to create mortality and morbidity issues. "In Kansas and across the country, they are struggling with what to do and feeling helpless in that. This bill that focuses some resources towards important research is really important."
The Emerging Tick-Borne Livestock Disease Research Prioritization Act, introduced by Senators Roger Marshall (KS), Eric Schmitt (MO) Jim Justice (WV) would designate the issue in statute as a high priority-research area at USDA. Theileria orientalis is a tick-born parasite that can cause anemia, weakness and death.
The bill also authorizes USDA to create grants within pre-existing research programs to help develop vaccines, therapeutics, and treatments. Teagarden tells Brownfield, "We'd like to have some options to treat or some antibiotics even though those treat from a different angle. That's still a helpless feeling if you've got a set of cattle that are carrying the parasite."
2. A Better Test for Leptospirosis in Cattle
Elsio Wunder awarded BARD grant to improve understanding of costly disease
By Mac Murray
Univ. of Connecticut - UConn Today
August 10, 2026
Assistant professor Elsio Wunder, DVM, Ph.D., has been awarded a three-year, $570,000 grant to improve diagnostics for bovine leptospirosis, a bacterial disease that can infect cattle and spread to humans.
The award comes from the U.S.-Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund, or BARD. BARD is a competitive funding program for mutually beneficial, mission-oriented, strategic and applied research of agricultural problems, jointly conducted by American and Israeli scientists. Wunder will be collaborating with UConn assistant research professor Camila Hamond, Ph.D.; Northern Arizona University research scientist Nathan E. Stone, Ph.D.; and Kimron Veterinary Institute researcher and department head Shlomo Blum, DVM, Ph.D.
The project, entitled "Novel Protein Antigens as a Path to Improve Surveillance and Diagnostics of Bovine Leptospirosis," aims to significantly improve cattle ranchers' detection of leptospirosis, a disease caused by the bacteria Leptospira.
The disease can be tricky to diagnose, since infected cattle often do not show pronounced symptoms. Farmers may first notice something is wrong when their female cows start having reproductive issues.
"To identify those animals in a herd is sometimes complicated," says Wunder. "Some animals, they actually get a chronic form of the infection, so their kidneys are colonized - they don't necessarily have clinical signs of the disease, but they are secreting lepto into the environment."
Full text: https://today.uconn.edu/2026/08/a-better-test-for-leptospirosis-in-cattle/
3. Biologists Concerned Vampire Bats Could Transmit Chronic Wasting Disease To Cattle, Humans [edited]
As vampire bats move north from Mexico and chronic wasting disease moves south from the Northern Rockies, a disease expert worries that the bats could start carrying the disease and transmitting them to cattle or even humans.
By Mark Heinz
CowboyStateDaily.com
August 8, 2026
As vampire bats move north and chronic wasting disease (CWD) spreads south, a disease researcher is worried it's only a matter of time before the two find each other, if they haven't already.
And that could just add to and accelerate the spread of the pernicious disease, which has killed countless deer and elk, Peter Larsen, associate professor at the University of Minnesota's Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, told Cowboy State Daily.
There's also concern that the spread of CWD could prompt the development of other fatal prion-based diseases, which could sicken and kill other species, including humans, added Larsen, also the co-director of the Minnesota Center for Prion Research and Outreach.
At present, there's no risk of CWD getting into cattle, veterinarians told Cowboy State Daily.
There's zero evidence in Wyoming for the presence of the cattle-specific prion disease bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly called mad cow disease, Wyoming State Veterinarian Hallie Hasel told Cowboy State Daily.
4. BOAH - Message from the State Veterinarian [IN]
By Kyle Shipman, DVM
Summer Newsletter
August 8, 2026
One aspect that we never lose sight of is: The work we do at the State Board of Animal Health (BOAH) matters-it impacts the livelihood of thousands of farm families and others who work in animal-associated businesses. We safeguard the wholesomeness of our food supply. Our work affects the health and wellbeing of animals and humans in Indiana. Hoosiers count on us when the going gets tough. That is why we are always looking for new efficiencies and opportunities for innovation, so we can provide the highest level of service to citizens, regardless of how BOAH impacts someone's life.
With that in mind, we are further enhancing and elevating positions within BOAH that will allow us to be nimble in response to animal health emergencies, large and small. We are building a foundation of preparedness that still allows us to support ongoing programs that need day-to-day attention.
I am pleased to announce that Drs. Maria Cooper and Kelli Werling have been appointed by our board to the position of Assistant State Veterinarian. These promotions formalize the leadership roles they currently fill at BOAH, while shifting their day-to-day responsibilities to allow each to focus on their current program areas, Avian Health and Swine Health, respectively. Adding these positions will improve BOAH's continuity of operations and division of duties across the agency.
Our Animal Programs division is transitioning to a new name: Animal Health & Stewardship (AHS)-an update to reflect BOAH's all-encompassing regulatory work beyond disease control and eradication program implementation. Our field veterinarians and animal health specialists spend a significant amount of time assisting local law enforcement and other agencies with animal care and welfare investigations; inspecting commercial dog breeders and brokers; and working with public health agencies.
Current Deputy Director Brandi Hardin has agreed to step into the AHS director position during this transformative time.
We are also enhancing BOAH's poultry team with the addition of a new full-time poultry veterinarian, as well as a new emergency preparedness veterinarian, who will support high-consequence disease-response efforts for all species as the Secure Food Supply planning specialist. ( Click the links* for the job postings.) See: https://workforindiana.in.gov/home
Full text: https://view.subscription.in.gov/?vawpToken=GZXZ3BYCJDEEXJKNWNS4STSWTU.130024
5. K-State sheep and goat specialist says tags and biosecurity help to protect flocks [edited]
By Pat Melgares, K-State Extension news service
HighPlains Journal
August 10, 2026
A recent case of scrapie detected in an Oregon sheep has reset the nation's timeline for eradicating the fatal livestock disease, but a Kansas State University sheep and goat specialist said the discovery also serves as a reminder of the importance of animal identification and biosecurity for sheep and goat producers.
K-State Extension small ruminant specialist Kelsey Bentley said Kansas has not reported a case of scrapie in more than 10 years. Until the discovery in Oregon in late July, the country's last confirmed case of scrapie was in 2021.
"Kansas producers should not be alarmed by this case," Bentley said. "It was found July 31 in Oregon, and we have not had any cases here in Kansas probably within the last 10 years."
Bentley said decades of work by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, along with improved genetic testing and surveillance, have dramatically reduced the disease.
6. Four Montana Horses Test Positive for Pigeon Fever
EDCC Health Watch
Equus Magazine
August 10, 2026
According to the Montana state veterinarian, multiple pigeon fever cases have been reported in Gallatin, Missoula, and Beaverhead counties. Four cases have been confirmed, and additional cases are suspected. The confirmed horses have been placed under quarantine.
Full text: https://equusmagazine.com/news/edcc-health-watch/4-montana-horses-test-positive-for-pigeon-fever