According to new research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, following a Mediterranean-style eating pattern that incorporates lean red meat can reduce cardiovascular disease risk factors. The study compared Mediterranean-style eating patterns with red meat intake from the typical amount, 3 ounces per day, to a lower intake amount, 3 ounces twice per week. The research showed that consuming up to 18 ounces of lean red meat per week lowered cholesterol and blood pressure while following the Mediterranean-style eating pattern. The study concluded that adults who are overweight or moderately obese may improve multiple cardiometabolic disease risk factors by adopting a Mediterranean-style eating pattern with or without reductions in red meat intake when red meats are lean and unprocessed. Eight cuts of pork meet the US Department of Agriculture’s guidelines for lean, and the popular pork tenderloin, also used in the study, has the same amount of fat as a skinless chicken breast.
For more information, contact Adria Huseth at AHuseth@pork.org or 515-223-2632.
Secure Pork Supply plan moving forward
It’s full steam ahead for the nation’s Secure Pork Supply (SPS) plan. Work continues toward completing the necessary business continuity software that will share real-time industry data with animal health officials when every second will count during a foreign animal disease (FAD) outbreak.
According to veterinarian Patrick Webb, Checkoff’s director of swine health, good progress is being made on the SPS database and software. In the end, he says it will create a valuable tool that will aid the industry not only during a potential FAD outbreak, but will have application for everyday disease-monitoring purposes too. Although full registration in the SPS plan isn’t available yet, Webb advises producers and veterinarians not to wait and begin preparing now for full SPS participation in 2019. He urges that producers take a critical look at biosecurity measures and related management strategies to prepare.
The Pork Checkoff fact sheet, Foreign Animal Disease Preparation Checklist, is a great resource to use in preparation for SPS enrollment. Producers and veterinarians also can go to the newly revised www.securepork.org for the most extensive resource for SPS. The comprehensive site is home base for things related to the SPS plan. The SPS plan is the result of ongoing collaboration between the US Department of Agriculture, the National Pork Board, the National Pork Producers Council, the American Association of Swine Veterinarians, academia, and other state and federal partners.
For more information, contact Patrick Webb at PWebb@pork.org or 515-223-3441.
New swine disease research booklets available
Two new Pork Checkoff resources will help producers, veterinarians, and veterinary researchers respond to and prepare for herd health challenges. The new General Swine Disease Research Guide and the Foreign Animal Disease Research Guide summarize Checkoff-funded research conducted from 2004 to 2018 on domestic and foreign swine diseases. The guides will help producers and their veterinarians identify and develop better diagnostic and disease-management tools to enhance disease prevention, detection and potential elimination, as well as highlighting vaccination and biosecurity measures. Download the books at www.pork.org/research.
Stephanie Wisdom joins Checkoff’s Sci-tech team in animal welfare role
The National Pork Board recently welcomed Stephanie Wisdom as its new director of animal welfare. She will work directly with Sara Crawford, Checkoff’s assistant vice-president of animal welfare. The Missouri native is a graduate of the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Science in psychology and animal science. Wisdom also has a Master of Science in animal science with a focus on swine behavior and well-being from Purdue University. Most recently, she worked at Cactus Family Farms as an animal care coordinator.
You may contact Stephanie at SWisdom@pork.org or 515-223-3534.