Regulations, regulations, requirements and more work for me. All these regulations are is more job security for government officials creating jobs for them. Right?" Well, that is one way of looking at it. But, we all need to open our minds and look beyond our little area of the country. There is more to these requirements that meets the eye.
I have heard all of the arguments, complaining and moaning about health papers and testing requirements to move animals around the country and internationally. Mostly what this is viewed as is "a way for the government to keep me from making a sale and get into my business." When in actual fact it is to protect your herd.
"How can all of this health paper nonsense protect my herd?" By preventing disease transmission and the spread of devastating and deadly diseases. Everyone has forgotten about the case of foot and mouth in Great Britain earlier this decade. In Great Britain one cow was taken to a local sale barn and sold through the auction. This animal had foot and mouth. Therefore, all of the animals at that sale barn on that day were exposed to the disease. And after the sale, the new buyers took their animals to their new homes and here we go with a major outbreak.
This outbreak shut down the whole country. Cattlemen lost whole herds, which were euthanized. It did not matter how great the genetics were or how great the livestock was. The disease is not discriminatory. It took several years to get the disease eradicated and under control. I know the next question in everyone’s mind. "Why didn’t they vaccinate?" The vaccine will only cover one or two forms of this virus and there are at least five. It will also slow up the eradication because of the delay in showing clinical signs of the disease in some animals. So, clearly the best and most efficient way was to quarantine and euthanize. Great Britain is now free of Foot and Mouth.
Since 9-11, Homeland Security has gotten involved with the transport of animals. The main reason for their involvement is answered in one or two questions. How long does it take for a load of animals to travel from Maine to San Diego? Or how long does it take for a load of animals to travel from Miami to Seattle? What if a terrorist threw some anthrax, foot and mouth, or worse yet some small pox on one of those loads? The economic impact of that one act would be in the billions within two weeks and trillions in one month.
Have a little compassion for your veterinarian while filling out that health paper, he is only trying to protect your herd and pocketbook.
Dr. Tim O'Neill owns Country Veterinary Clinic in Farmington, Ark.
