Weekly Livestock-Equine News: April 6, 2026

Concerns raised about xylazine regulatory overreach

As momentum for the proposed Combating Illicit Xylazine Act builds in Congress, veterinary leaders are working to ensure those efforts do not unintentionally disrupt animal care. The bill would classify xylazine as a Schedule III substance, enabling better tracking of its manufacture and distribution. At the same time, it would include provisions to ensure veterinarians, producers and researchers could continue to access it. Several states have already begun exploring or implementing their own restrictions on xylazine, but these efforts raise concerns about a potential patchwork regulatory system that could complicate compliance and disrupt supply chains.

HPAI: Here to stay?

Now known to be present in the U.S. for more than four years and reaching every continent with the exception of Australia, HPAI is looking less like an epidemic (defined as a widespread but temporary occurrence of a disease), but more endemic (meaning that it has established a consistent presence). Endemic status could have big financial implications for commercial poultry operators, which, in the U.S., already have lost more than 200 million birds since 2022. And it would further test the mental wherewithal of farmworkers and the veterinarians who work alongside them.

Potential changes to Texas rule could reshape equine care

The Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners will hold a public meeting April 21 to discuss whether equine therapies like chiropractic work, PEMF, acupuncture and massage – commonly performed by non-veterinary practitioners – should be restricted to licensed veterinarians or performed only under their supervision. Detractors believe such a law would create a government monopoly that would drive up costs and put thousands of practitioners out of work.

Swine influenza vaccination shown to be an economically favorable option

Vaccination against Swine influenza virus A (SIV-A) in wean-to-finish settings was shown to be an economically favorable intervention when the vaccine is highly efficacious against the circulating SIV-A subtype, according to researchers from Texas A&M University. Sensitivity analysis indicated that vaccine efficacy, the cost of vaccination and influenza-induced mortality rates were the most critical drivers determining the economic success of the program.

Research supports anti-inflammatory treatment for calving cows beginning at dry-off

Traditional management strategies for modulating inflammation in calving cows, such as feed supplements and anti-inflammatory treatments, have been focused primarily during the transition period (the three weeks before and three weeks after calving). However, research from Penn State suggests that such strategies should start much earlier. During dry-off, the sudden cessation of milking causes the mammary gland to begin recovery of the udder and prepare for the subsequent lactation. However, milk accumulation and tissue remodeling following milk cessation stimulate an inflammatory response that, if excessive, may impair mammary involution and udder health.

Legislation introduced in Senate to examine livestock market consolidation

Senate Agriculture Committee members Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) introduced the Livestock Consolidation Research Act, intended to support research on the economic impact of consolidation on farmers, ranchers and consumers. “Just a handful of large companies dominate the meat and poultry processing industry, which means higher prices for consumers and shrinking earnings for farmers,” said Smith. “On top of that, farmers and ranchers are dealing with the worst farm economy in 30 years, skyrocketing input costs and a cost-of-living crisis at home.”