Defining and Assessing Healthy Populations

Population

a group of animals inhabiting the same general/given area

Does a population have to consist of animals of the same species?

nope!

Two key pieces to defining a population

1.) what animals are present

2.) in what space

Health

a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being (both welfare and disease state)

Disease

any harmful deviation from the normal structural or functional state of an organism

Infection

invasion and multiplication of microorganisms in bodily tissues

Does infection mean disease?

nope! can be asymptomatic

Infectious disease

a consequence of infection when the infection impairs the normal state of the organism interrupting or modifying normal function

Communicable disease

any disease that can transport from an infected person, animal, or inanimate reservoir to a susceptible host

Signs

objective findings that can be seen or measured by the observer

Symptom

subjective feelings only perceived by the affected individual

Why is population health so important?

-population health is dependent on individual health and vice versa

-population health benefits both populations and individuals

-by creating herd immunity, we protect individual species and nearby populations

Animal Disease Traceability rule

creates a minimum ID and documentation required for interstate movement of livestock

Three things an animal must have to be able to move across state lines:

1.) official ID

2.) certificate of veterinary inspection

3.) recording ID on movement documentation

Health certificate

USDA accredited vet certifies an animal has been inspected and is healthy and free of contagious disease; green light to move across state/international lines

Two types of health certificates:

1.) certificate of veterinary inspection (CVI)

2.) International health certificate (IHC)

Minimal standard for official ID

visual ear tag

ear tags will include the...

animal identification number

-begins with 840 to denote US

Herd ID

ID used to help manage day-to-day herd activities; NOT an official ID

Other forms of animal ID are _________ specific

specific

Five forms of species specific animal ID

1.) RFID/microchips

2.) tattoos

3.) brands

4.) ear notches

5.) ear tags

RFID (radio frequency identification)

long term identification number unique to each number; number is read by a scanner and can be used either for identification or for data collection

tattoos

permanent mark made under the skin with unique number; can either be used as official ID or to indicate status (such as spayed or neutered)

-location varies by species

brands

mark burned on hide; identifies the owner and is registered with brand inspection agency

ear notches

small "v" shaped notched removed from the ear edge; used primarily for health management and husbandry purposes

Temporary identification can or cannot be used as a form of official ID?

cannot!

Four types of temporary identification

1.) marks on the hide

2.) stall cards

3.) USDA back tags

4.) collars

marks on the hide

temporary marking made on the hide using chalk, paint, etc; used during vaccinations or other health care procedures

stall cards

document attached to a stall, animal enclosure, or pen with animal's information

USDA back tags

sticky tag placed on the animal's back, often as an auction tag; used in conjunction with other identification

collars

similar to dog collars, but larger and and usually more identification information; visually identifiable number and/or RFID

What is the point of animal identification?

we need to be able to trace animal movement in the event there is a contagious disease outbreak; early detection can allow prompt intervention to stop outbreaks from occurring

Trace-back

identifies the origin of the agent or hazard; any possible animal, animal product, or vector that has been moved onto an infected premises

Trace-forward

identifies potential downstream premises; any possible animal, animal product, or vector that has been moved from/left an infected premises

Population health assessment

systematic assessment of the health, welfare, and current practices within a group of animals

What are the findings of a population health assessment used for?

to inform management recommendations

Four goals of a population health assessment:

1.) establish a veterinary client patient relationship (VCPR)

2.) identify current problems

3.) assess current methods for diagnostic and treatment protocols

4.) provide recommendations for preventive medical care

Population health assessments can detect ______________ and _________ health issues that require further investigation

population; indivudal

In population medicine, further investigation of an issue requires a...

problem investigation

True or false: a population health assessment can result in a problem investigation, but it is NOT a problem investigation itself

true

Three steps to approaching a population health assessment:

1.) four circles of evaluation

2.) review records

3.) ask questions

The four circles of evaluation are:

1.) outside the animal area

2.) inside the animal area

3.) individual pens

4.) individual animals

Evaluation of outside of the animal area includes:

-noting maintenance and facility management

-biosecurity risks

-public access

-traffic patterns

-employee parking

Evaluation of inside of the animal area includes:

-walk the entire building to assess ventilation

-stocking density

-identify coughing, sneezing, lameness, diarrhea

-quantify the magnitude of your observations

Evaluation of individual pens includes:

-assess overall behavior/attitude

-differences in size

-mobility isse

-check feeders and waters

-evaluate bedding

Evaluation of individual animals includes:

-physical exam from head to tail

-identify individual animals hat require treatment

-identify individual animals that are infected and could be useful for diagnostic testing

-conduct diagnostics if necessary

After looking at the four circles of evaluation of a population health assessment...

look at records

What is the purpose of looking at records?

look at records to verify information; contains the entire history of the population and gives you a general idea of what is going on at the farm so you can use that information with what you assessed during the PHA to recommend changes

How are the results of a population health assessment recorded?

using a population SOAP

Subjective of population SOAP

-popuoaltion description (species/breed, numbers, use, etc)

-preventative medicine (vaccines, parasite control, nutrition)

-history (animal additions, transportation, farm personnel, etc)

-reason for visit (VCPR, chief complaint, herd health check)

Objective of population SOAP

-frequency of morbidity/mortality by disease

-results from records of recent disease surveillance

-results of diagnostic tests

Assessment of population SOAP

-list of problems identified

-differential diagnosises for specific health concerns

Plan of population SOAP

-recommendations based on assessment

-client education

-follow up