NCI Future of Feeding Webinar Series | Featuring Dr. Cassie Jones

Dr. Cassie Jones, Professor and Teaching Coordinator in the Department of Animal Sciences & Industry at Kansas State University.

Each month, NCI holds a new update in the Future of Feeding webinar series, which focuses on using innovation in the processing of animal food, the equipment being used, as well as using grains from our region for co-products.

This month’s webinar featured Dr. Cassie Jones, Professor and Teaching Coordinator in the Department of Animal Sciences & Industry at Kansas State University. The hour-long webinar revolved around the African Swine Fever Virus Transmission Risk Through Feed in the United States. Dr. Jone’s presentation described how the feed supply chain is not the most likely route of viral entry into animals, but it can quickly spread disease.

In Wednesday’s presentation, Dr. Cassie Jones discussed the potential transmission risks of the African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV) through animal feed. The good news is that this virus is only transmissible in animals within the swine family. Humans cannot catch the virus by consuming pork, because we are not susceptible to the disease. The bad news is that this virus can look like other common viruses found in the industry. The transmission rate is high, but a delayed response can lead to misdiagnosis and fatalities. What’s even worse is that there is no current vaccine or treatment for the virus. The virus is spreading faster than the research is being conducted. The costly research is difficult to practice and takes a lot of time. This leaves the industry with few answers while the virus rapidly spreads.

Research is being conducted by Dr. Jones and the researchers at Kansas State University. The research team has worked to find the impact of ASFV contaminated ingredients on contamination of subsequent batches of feed manufactured in the same equipment. Through safe practices, researchers found that artificially contaminated feed has a possibility to cause infection. The team found that after having just one positive batch, the virus will have an effect on all subsequent batches. Researchers also found that transmission of the virus is very high through indirect transmission. The leading cause of indirect transmission is through transient zones. Meaning that the virus will stay on the surfaces like feed trucks, which can spread the virus to many different farms and facilities.

According to Dr. Jones, there are ways to combat this virus. Individuals within the swine community should take extra precautions to exclude high-risk ingredients from feed, extend biosecurity practices from farms to mills, and practice active mitigation. Dr. Jones and her team at KSU recommend practicing all three of these preventive measures. Dr. Cassie Jones stated, “In my opinion, we have a responsibility as a feed industry….as an agricultural industry, (to recognize) that feed is not the only way that ASFV or another disease will enter the United States.”

Northern Crops Institute greatly appreciates Dr. Cassie Jone’s involvement and input in our webinar. At NCI, we continue to work towards fulfilling our mission to support regional agriculture and value-added processing by conducting educational and technical programs that expand and maintain domestic and international markets for northern grown crops. All of this wouldn’t be possible without the innovative ideas of guest speakers like Dr. Cassie Jones.

To watch the recording, click the video below.

For more information about future webinars offered at NCI, click here.