Weekly Livestock-Equine News: October 19, 2026

Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease is emerging as a concern among beef and dairy cattle

Cattle ranchers in the West are suggesting that it might be time for livestock producers – along with their veterinarians – to start recognizing EHD as a serious affliction in both dairy and beef cattle. In Washington, the state’s Department of Agriculture has received reports from veterinarians across eastern Washington about a concerning rise in late term abortions and fetal malformations in dairy herds. Each case may represent several affected animals. EHD is caused by a virus closely related to the bluetongue virus. It is spread by “no-see-ums,” or biting midges belonging to the Culicoides species. For decades, EHD has been responsible for widespread losses among white-dailed deer.

Elanco, Purdue makes plans for One Health Research Institute

The One Health Innovation District in Indianapolis, Indiana, unveiled plans for the One Health Research Institute, a hub for research, collaboration and innovation. Purdue University will serve as the Research Institute’s academic and research anchor, while Elanco will serve as the industry and innovation anchor, bringing a connection to the development and commercialization of new One Health solutions. The planned 150,000 square foot facility will include research laboratories, shared research infrastructure and equipment and collaboration space, and facilities supporting animal health and veterinary partners.

East Idaho surgery center to open this spring

Horse owners in East Idaho will soon have access to a high-quality horse hospital in their own backyard when Animal Health Clinic in Blackfoot finishes construction on a roughly 12,000-square-foot equine surgery facility next to its existing clinic in spring 2027. Currently horse owners in the area have to travel five to six hours to clinics in Montana, Boise or Utah if their equines require surgery. The area sees a significant amount of rodeo and ranching clientele.

Antimicrobial residues found in Argentine beef feedlot soils

Researchers analyzing soil samples from 27 commercial beef feedlots in Argentina found that monensin, an antimicrobial feed additive widely used in beef production, was present in all feedlots surveyed and recorded the highest detection frequency. The study also identified significant concentrations of oxytetracycline, possibly due to the drug’s tendency to bind strongly to soil and resist degradation. The authors said their research provides a baseline for future studies into environmental antimicrobial contamination and could help inform policies aimed at improving medicine stewardship and monitoring in beef production.

Smoke-detector-like device could autonomously detect viral pathogens in swine barns

The Swine Health Information Center funded a study to develop a viral smoke detector-like device for use in swine barns to detect viral pathogens directly from air. Results showed that prototypes were able to consistently detect PRRSV with sensitivity comparable to that obtained through oral fluid sampling. Pork producers and their veterinarians would consequently have an effective, inexpensive, less hands-on method for virus detection should the prototype be further refined and developed for commercial use. The study was led by Dr. Igor Paprotny, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Illinois Chicago, in collaboration with Dr. Michael Caffrey, College of Medicine at University of Illinois Chicago and Drs. Ying Fang and Joseph Connor, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

DARO raises $2.5M to advance whole-herd surveillance technology for swine disease

DARO, a Nebraska-based biotechnology company developing disease surveillance for the swine industry, announced the closing of a $2.5 million funding round led by Grit Road Partners, with Invest Nebraska and Nelnet serving as co-leads. Its initial focus is porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). The company says its technology combines non-invasive sample collection with a highly sensitive, proprietary molecular laboratory assay designed to capture pathogen signals across large populations of pigs. The approach is intended to give veterinary and production teams earlier, more representative information, and more time to respond.