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FROM THE DIRECTOR

In recent years, the need for expanded disease surveillance has resulted in the development of several federal laboratory networks aimed at safeguarding human and animal health nationwide.  These include the Food Emergency Response Network (FERN), the Laboratory Response Network (LRN), which collaborates on human health issues, the National Plant Diagnostic Network (NPDN) created for the early detection of high consequence plant pests and pathogens, and the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN), which supports animal health throughout the United States.  The Kord Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory is a member of the NAHLN.  The early detection of a livestock disease outbreak is critical to limiting the economic consequences to the producer.

The Kord laboratory has played a significant role in animal disease diagnosis for nearly 50 years and still serves today as the only non fee-based laboratory service available to the entire Tennessee livestock industry.  While the laboratory continues to effectively meet the needs of our industry in Middle Tennessee, we have long recognized that residents of East and West Tennessee are underserved, particularly as it relates to necropsy services.  Over the past two years, agricultural enhancement funds made available by the governor and the Tennessee legislature have facilitated an expansion of services to those regions.  Currently the University of Tennessee, College of Veterinary Medicine offers bovine necropsy services to Tennessee producers who follow the appropriate submission guidelines.  We are pleased to announce that similar necropsy services will be available later this year on the campus of the University of Tennessee at Martin.  The current operational plan will allow animals to be submitted to the newly remodeled laboratory at Martin, where necropsy procedures will be conducted by a faculty diagnostician.  The Kord laboratory will continue to serve as the main diagnostic facility, and a complete set of tissues will be collected and forwarded for examination by a veterinary pathologist in Nashville.  As is the case elsewhere in the state, livestock services will be provided without cost to the producer.  We are excited to extend these services to animal owners in West Tennessee and hope that veterinarians in that region will take full advantage of them.  Just as the federal networks are intended to further safeguard animal and human health, the Tennessee animal disease diagnostic laboratory network also seeks to better protect animal and human health in Tennessee.

Dr. Ron Wilson
Tennessee State Veterinarian
Director, C.E. Kord Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory