Daily Archives: May 14, 2020

Over the past 14 months swine health officials and scientists have been tracking the movement of a novel bacterial infection in swine, Streptococcus zooepidemicus.

The infection, which results in sudden death, was identified in Canada in March 2019 and has since been found in several US states.

Speaking to Farmscape, Dr Matheus Costa, an Adjunct Professor with the University of Saskatchewan's Western College of Veterinary Medicine and an Assistant Professor with the University of Minnesota, says Strep zoo is a normal part of the microbiome of several species and typically doesn't cause disease.

"Streptococcus zooepidemicus is present in healthy pigs so that becomes a bit of a challenge when differentiating who could be carrying a potentially dangerous Streptococcus zooepidemicus versus the other pigs that are carrying the normal ones that don't do anything to pigs," explains Dr Costa.

"We're trying to explore that right now in order to prevent and control the disease.

"The other thing we have learned is that there seems to be a very specific Streptococcus zooepidemicus called ST-194 that causes disease in pigs.

"That's what we're working on right now is, what makes this Streptococcus zooepidemicus type problematic for pigs in comparison to the other ones that they have had for years.

"It really looks like this disease flares up once pigs have been exposed to some kind of intense stress event, such as a long haul or even a comingling of many different animals from many different sources.

"If you can minimise stress at any point, that is always welcome and it seems to help prevent flareups of disease associated with Strep zoo."

Dr Costa acknowledges this infection is rare and scientists are just scratching the surface trying to deal with this bug.

Read the original:

New progress reported from researchers investigating Strep zoo in North American pigs - The Pig Site

DES MOINES, IowaIowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig Monday commented on the Iowa Crop Progress and Condition report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. The report is released weekly from April through November.

Planting has moved at a near-record pace this spring and with that comes the risk of a late frost. Most of the state was under frost and freeze warnings over the weekend and some stations set new record lows, said Secretary Naig. We expect warmer and wetter weather towards the end of the week, which is welcome news for farmers who are closely monitoring emerging corn and soybean crops.

The weekly report is also available on the USDAs site atnass.usda.gov/ia.

Crop Progress

There were 4.7 days suitable for field work during the week ending May 10, 2020, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Showers early in the week briefly slowed planting progress and below normal temperatures delayed emergence.

Topsoil moisture levels rated 4% very short, 15% short, 78% adequate and 3% surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 2% very short, 8% short, 86% adequate and 4% surplus.

Iowa farmers have planted 91% of the expected corn crop, almost a month ahead of last year and 2 weeks ahead of the 5-year average. Less than 5% of the crop remains to be planted in Northwest and North Central Iowa. One-third of the expected corn crop has emerged. The soybean crop moved to 71% planted, a full month ahead of last year and over 2 weeks ahead of the average. Northwest and North Central Iowa also lead the way in soybean planting with less than 20% remaining to be planted. Only 2% of Iowas expected oat crop remains to be planted, with 77% of the oat crop emerged. The first oat condition rating of the season was 0% very poor, 2% poor, 19% fair, 67% good and 12% excellent.

The first hay condition rating of the season was 0% very poor, 3% poor, 26% fair, 61% good and 10% excellent. Pasture condition rated 62% good to excellent. Cooler than normal temperatures slowed growth in pastures and hay fields. Livestock conditions were good with little to no stress reported.

Preliminary Weather SummaryProvided by Justin Glisan, Ph.D., State Climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship

Iowa experienced cooler and drier conditions during the first full week of May. Measurable rain was reported statewide, though a majority of stations observed below average totals. A notable Arctic air intrusion brought below average coldness towards the end of the reporting period. Temperature departures were six to ten degrees below normal with eastern Iowa experiencing the coldest conditions. The statewide average temperature was 48.9 degrees, 9.0 degrees below normal.

Spotty showers moved through central Iowa during the late morning hours on Sunday (3rd) though partly to mostly sunny skies were reported for the rest of the day. Highs reached the mid to upper 70s, with locally warmer spots, under variable winds shifting out of the northeast into early Monday (4th) morning. Temperatures remained in the 40s and low 50s in southwest Iowa, slightly warmer than average. Another wave of light to moderate rain pushed into the state during the day ahead of a low pressure system over the Dakotas, leaving measurable rain across much of Iowa. The system spun into southern Minnesota early Tuesday (5th) propagating southeast through central Iowa and clearing the states southeast corner close to midnight. Daytime conditions were unseasonably cold with statewide highs averaging 54 degrees, 14 degrees colder than normal. Two-day rain totals reported at 7:00 am on Wednesday (6th) were highest in eastern Iowa with multiple stations in Scott County reporting from 0.97 inch to 1.07 inches. Totals into western Iowa were generally between 0.25 inch to 0.50 inch; the statewide average was 0.42 inch. Winds shifted to the northwest through the day under cloudy conditions as highs stayed in the upper 50s and low 60s.

Starry skies greeted Iowa overnight into Thursday (7th) with morning lows in the 40s; upper 30s were reported in western Iowa. Another low pressure center moved slowly through western Iowa into the evening hours, bringing moderate rainfall across the region. Rain totals were generally at or under 0.50 inch in Iowas southwest corner with lighter amounts moving into central Iowa; Clarinda (Page County) observed 0.54 inch while on the eastern periphery of the system, Indianola (Warren County) reported 0.05 inch. Skies cleared into Friday (8th) with gusty northerly winds as daytime temperatures remained unseasonably cool in the low to mid 50s. A late season cold blast blanketed much of the upper Midwest, prompting freeze warnings overnight into Saturday (9th) with morning lows plummeting into the upper 20s and low 30s across Iowa. Several stations reported record lows for the date with Waterloo (Black Hawk County) reporting 27 degrees, breaking the station record set in 1945; the statewide average was 29 degrees, 17 degrees below normal. Temperatures quickly rebounded under southerly winds and mostly sunny skies. Daytime highs peaked in the mid 60s though a cold front swept west to east across Iowa into the nighttime hours, bringing light showers and localized gusty winds. Rain totals reported Sunday (10th) morning were under 0.20 inch with the highest totals in northern Iowa; New Hampton (Chickasaw County) reported 0.17 inch. Morning lows combined with strong northerly winds were brisk, generally in the upper 30s west to low 40s east.

Weekly rain totals ranged from 0.10 inch at Oelwein (Fayette County) to 1.07 inches at a rain gauge in Le Claire (Scott County). The statewide weekly average precipitation was 0.56 inch while the normal is 0.99 inch. Clarion (Wright County) reported the weeks high temperature of 83 degrees on the 4th, 16 degrees above average. Elkader (Clayton County) and Stanley (Buchanan County) reported the weeks low temperature of 21 degrees on the 9th, on average 23 degrees below normal. Four-inch soil temperatures were in the low to mid 50s as of Sunday.

(contributed press release)

Read more:

Good Weather Allowed Crop Planting to Progress, Frost and Freeze Warnings A Concern Last Week - kwbg.com

General Motors recently posted its Q1 2020 financial results, surprising analysts and Wall Street with $300 million in income on $32.7 billion in revenue. GM was the only one of the big three U.S. automakers to post a profit. During the recent first-quarter 2020 earnings call, GM CEO Mary Barra addressed a number of crucial topics, including an indication that the automakers highly profitable full-size SUVs were on-track for shipping in June, and that the companys future EVs were on track despite disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic. Whats more Barra said she was very pleased with the progress made by the GM Cruise autonomous vehicle division.

During a Q&A session, Bank of America-Merrill Lynch analyst John Murphy asked Barra if she was rethinking the dollar commitment required to develop the GM Cruise autonomous vehicle technology, citing a $1 billion annual investment without any associated revenue.

Barra backed the companys commitment to AVs, saying: Well, first, Im very pleased with the progress that were making from a technology perspective at Cruise. Just reviewed that earlier this week. So I think that we are continuing to hit milestone after milestone there.

Barra did not elaborate on exactly what those milestones were. However, in response to a question proposed by Murphy with regard to integrating GM Cruise technology into the existing GM product portfolio, Barra talked about the GM Super Cruise semi-autonomous driver assist feature, saying:

As it relates to bringing the technology into our fleet of vehicles on the road today, thats really occurring through Super Cruise and we continue to add miles, add roads, add features, and youll see us as we spread it across the portfolio, starting with Cadillac and then moving to others.

As was announced last June, the Super Cruise semi-autonomous driver system gained an additional 70,000 miles of usable highway driving last year, bringing the grand total to 200,000 miles of divided highway driving throughout the U.S. and Canada for customers. The GM Cruise-derived technology will see widespread implementation throughout the Cadillac lineup, including with the all-new 2021 Cadillac Escalade, while availability is expected to expand to 22 vehicles total by 2023, and will include non-Cadillac vehicles as well.

Meanwhile, the Cruise Origin driverless taxi was unveiled back in January.

Check out a full transcript of the earnings call below, and subscribe to GM Authority for ongoing GM news coverage.

GM Q1 2020 Earnings Call - Mary Barra On GM Cruise Progress

John Murphy Bank of America-Merrill Lynch Analyst

Okay. And then just a second question, I mean the commitment to Cruise, seems like its unwavering. But there is about $1 billion a year going out the door without any revenue. Im just curious if youre rethinking that dollar commitment on an annual basis, the potential business and monetization of it. And one phrase that I think you mentioned superhuman driving experience sounds really appealing to me. Is there the potential that you could lead some of this technology into your existing product portfolio over the next few years if you dont see the monetization of an AMoD fleet anytime in the near future?

Mary T. Barra GM Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Well, first, Im very pleased with the progress that theyre making from a technology perspective at Cruise. Just reviewed that earlier this week. So I think that we are continuing to hit milestone after milestone there. So Im very positive about whats happening at Cruise from that perspective. So I see huge opportunity. And so our commitment, as you said, is unwavering.

As it relates to bringing the technology into the our fleet of vehicles on the road today, thats really occurring through Super Cruise and we continue to add miles, add roads, add features and youll see us as well as spread it across the portfolio, starting with Cadillac and then moving to others. So definitely have an aggressive plan to further roll out and improve the capability of Super Cruise.

Jonathan Lopez

Jonathan is an automotive journalist based out of Southern California. He loves anything and everything on four wheels.

Link:

GM CEO Mary Barra Is Very Pleased With GM Cruise Progress - GM Authority

A Furnace Full of God: A Holy Year on the Camino de SantiagoREBEKAH SCOTT(PEACEABLE PUBLISHING, 264 PP, 12.21)

According to a pre-lockdown double-page spread in The Times, pilgrimages are making a comeback. For 2,000, one can enjoy a mentally and spiritually refreshing walking holiday organised by the Catholic Herald. But there are cheaper options, and to prove it this author has published an illuminating report of how, in 2006, she and her husband left journalistic jobs in the United States to found a refuge their home to this day for some of the pilgrims who hit the road to the shrine city of Santiago de Compostela, Spain, every year: 300,000 of them in the Holy Year of 2010 alone.

Glamorous is hardly the word to describe life in Moratinos, a tiny, sparsely populated town in the middle of the 500-mile, 1,000-year-old pilgrim trail, but Rebekah Scott has turned their adventure, and the adventures of the disparate wayfarers who passed through Peaceable Kingdom the name they gave their far-from-luxurious farmhouse into a beacon of warmth on the way west via Palencia.

Continue reading here:

Pilgrims' progress - The Tablet

The NHL and NHL Players Association were in discussion again Tuesday through the Return to Play Committee, trying to navigate through a number of issues and eventually finding a path to a potential puck drop.

Hockey fans are hungry for answers. Hey, so are the media.

What about the draft? The playoff format? The hub cities in the proposed four-site scenario? What about Phase 2, which is the next step?

The NHL and NHLPA are plugging away at it.

The reality is that its still a very fluid situation, Bill Daly told The Athletic on Tuesday night after another long day of meetings and phone calls for the NHLs deputy commissioner.

Look, I think theres some optimism, Daly said. The trending is positive right now in most of our markets. We have businesses and economies opening up, and thats a good thing. Dont know yet what it means to us. But were going in a positive...

Link:

LeBrun: Bill Daly provides update on NHL's progress toward a resumed season - The Athletic

Above: Construction workers are back on the job for the Main Street Reconstruction Project. (photos by Cassie Melo)

At readers request, I checked in with Public Works on Friday for an update on the Main Street Reconstruction project. I learned that work resumed last week.

Below are some photos from work in progress this morning (click to enlarge):

Earlier this spring, Public Works Superintendent Karen Galligan told selectmen that she expected construction to start in late April. She noted then that the MassDOT* schedule was fluid.

Last spring, the Town posted an overview timeline with the reminders:

The Main Street Project is a State project, not a local project. Details of the schedule are determined by the State and the contractor, although the Town will have input and access to the information, we will not necessarily have day to day information.

Select Main Street Project Updates through the E-Alert system to receive notification of any updates we post. . .

Project completion is scheduled for November 15, 2020.

As work was winding down last fall for the winter, Public Works update explained that starting this spring:

Underground [utility] work will begin east of Route 85, granite for sidewalks will be installed west of Route 85.

Work will proceed eastward all summer and landscaping should close out the project late next fall.

In early March, an update shared that over the winter some overhead utility work continued and traffic lights were installed.

Earlier last week, Galligan was expecting the project to resume this week or next. On Friday, Galligan learned that they restarted work that day. She was able toupdate:

Work continues on the stone walls for the next several weeks.

Drainage work is starting on the east side of Route 85.

Water work will begin within the next two to three weeks, this includes by-pass piping, new main installation and other associated work.

*The Main Street project is run by the Mass Dept of Transportation.

Tagged as:main-street

Here is the original post:

Main St update: Work in progress this spring to be completed this fall - mysouthborough