Bovine Trichomoniasis
Bovine Trichomoniasis
Cattlemen’s comment
I’d like to comment on a recent article in West Hawaii Today on bovine trichomoniasis (cattle STD). This is an STD disease of cattle that is not infectious to humans and does not affect the safety or quality of beef produced in Hawaii. If left unchecked it is costly, causing high rates of cattle abortions.
Mr. Kyle Soares provided his opinion of the trichomoniasis outbreak and its control, which does not express the views of our members who represent 80 percent of the cattle in our state.
The nine quarantines put in place along with herd clean-up plans by the Hawaii Department of Agriculture to date have contained the outbreak, eliminated the infection in one herd and substantially reduced it in the rest.
Mr. Soares’ comments that several states require more routine testing. These states, unlike Hawaii, have herds of multiple ownerships grazing together, a high-risk practice when controlling trichomoniasis, so these states take more stringent steps to prevent it.
Since infection is found most frequently in older bulls, the Hawaii Department of Agriculture tests older, culled bulls sent to the U.S. Department of Agriculture slaughter, which provides a sensitive and cost-effective means of detecting infection.
At the time of the first cases being identified, the Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council strongly supported the Hawaii Department of Agriculture quarantine and encouraged not only its members but all cattlemen to work quickly and comply with the quarantine.
The Hawaii Department of Agriculture has given biannual reports and has had discussions on best management practices to control the disease at our annual and semiannual meetings along with other means to reach all cattlemen.
Alex Franco
Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council
President
Kenoi victory
Big money won
Congratulations to Billy Kenoi and the people of West Hawaii for their election victory, funded primarily by big money, big development interests on Oahu and on the mainland.
Be sure to remember this election when the new undersea power cable lands at Kawaihae to carry power to energy-hungry Honolulu, delivered through high-tension lines draping gracefully over the West Hawaii hills, connecting to new geothermal plants and wind farms sprouting up without the impediment of an EIS.
And also as those shiny new west-side highways fill up with trucks moving biodiesel over from Naalehu.
Ah, the sweet smell of money.
Keep an eye out, too, for those giant dump trucks moving garbage over from Hilo side.
Joel Aycock
Keaau