This study evaluates how the availability of animal tracing affects the cost of a hypothetical Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak in the Texas High Plains using alternative tracing scenarios. To accomplish this objective, the AusSpread epidemic disease spread model (Ward et al., 2006) is used...

This research focused on the assessment of the U.S. agricultural sector and human vulnerability to a Rift Valley Fever (RVF) outbreak and the implications of a select set of alternative disease control strategies. Livestock impact assessment is done by using an integrated epidemic/economic model...

A multivariate binary choice model is used to examine the climate effects on cattle breed selection across Texas counties. Angus, Brangus, and Brahman are considered in the model. Results suggest that it is more efficient to estimate the binary choice equations jointly than separately. Counties...

Emergency animal vaccination has been used in recent international foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks, but current USDA policy favors emergency vaccination use only if standard culling practices alone may not be enough to control spread of the disease. Using simulation modeling, we examine...