NAHMS Bison 2022 Needs Assessment - Private Sector

OMB 0579-0377

February 2022

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0579-0377. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 0.25 hours per response, including the time to review instructions, search exiting data resources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collected.

NAHMS BISON Study needs assessment survey
NAHMS BISON STUDY

Please complete survey by October 30, 2020.

Thank you in advance for providing input for the upcoming National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) study of the bison industry. You are in a unique position to know the information needs of the U.S. bison industry and to determine which issue areas should be the focus in the upcoming study. The survey should take about 5 or 10 minutes to complete, and your responses will help establish objectives for the study. There is a section at the end where you can add general comments. Thank you for your responses.

1. What is your primary involvement with the bison industry? (Check only one.)

____ Producer/operator

____ Processor/marketer

____ Allied industry member (e.g., nutritionist, feed or equipment supplier)

____ Veterinary practitioner

____ University employee/extension specialist/researcher

____ Federal or State bison herd manager

____ Tribal bison producer

____ Tribal herd manager

____ Tribal government representative

____ Federal or State government animal health official

____ Non-governmental organization (e.g., non-profit organization) representative

____ Other (please specify): ____________________________

2. Which other farmed species are you involved with? (Check all that apply.)

____ Cattle

____ Sheep/goat

____ Swine

____ Poultry

____ Deer/elk (wapiti)

____ Exotic wildlife

____ Other farmed livestock (please specify): __________________

3.a. Indicate the segments of the bison industry in which you are involved. (Check all that apply.)

A. ____ Breeding stock

B. ____ Commercial meat production

C. ____ Hunting operation

D. ____ Conservation herd

E. ____ Agritourism

F. ____ Bison processing

G. ____ Farm direct marketing (farmers’ markets, on-line, on-farm, etc.)

H. ____ Other (please specify): ___________________

3.b. Which segment of the bison industry is your primary involvement? (Please write appropriate letter (A – H) from list for 3.a. on the following blank) ___________________

4. Please rank the top three topics that you would like to have as the focus of the upcoming NAHMS Bison Study. From the list below, choose one topic for each column. Please note there is an “other” option at the bottom of the list if you would like to add a topic.

Topic to be a focus of the NAHMS Bison Study	First priority	Second priority	Third priority
Animal welfare
Availability of approved pharmaceuticals and vaccines
Biosecurity practices (sources and introduction of new animals, quarantine) / disease prevention
Contact with other livestock (cattle, sheep, farmed deer, etc.) and/or feral swine/native wildlife
Death loss
Disease surveillance, testing, and impediments to testing
Environmental stewardship/sustainability
Export markets
Food safety
Foreign animal disease
Genetics (improvement, conservation, identification, parentage)
Handling practices
Marketing
Nutrition/feed management (minerals, etc.)
Organic meat production
Parasite control
Pasture/grazing management
Reproductive health/management (pregnancy diagnosis, weaning, breeding soundness)
Traceability/ animal identification
Vaccination/immunization
Veterinarians- use and availability
Other (please specify:________________)

5. For each of the three highest-ranked topics identified in Question 4 above, give one specific question or topic to be addressed.

First priority topic

Specific topic:

Second priority topic

Specific topic:

Third priority topic

Specific topic:

6. Please rank the top three diseases, disorders, or pathogens that you would like to have as a focus of the upcoming NAHMS Bison Study. From the list below, choose one topic for each column. Please note there is an “other” option at the bottom of the list if you would like to add a disease, disorder, or pathogen.

Disease, Disorder, or Pathogen	First priority	Second priority	Third priority
Anaplasmosis
Anthrax
Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD)
Brucellosis
Clostridium (tetanus, blackleg, malignant edema, enterotoxemia/overeating disease/grain overload)
Digestive diseases/diarrhea (e.g., cryptosporidiosis, coronavirus, E. coli, rotavirus)
Foreign animal diseases (foot-and-mouth disease/FMD, etc.)
Histophilus somni disease
Hemorrhagic diseases (e.g., bluetongue/epizootic hemorrhagic disease)
Hoof problems or lameness
Johne’s disease (Mycobacterium avium ssp paratuberculosis)
Malignant catarrhal fever (MCF)
Trace mineral deficiencies
Mycoplasma bovis
Necrobacillosis (foot rot, lumpy jaw)
Ocular disease (pinkeye, etc.)
Other pneumonia/respiratory disease (e.g., BRSV, IBR, pasteurellosis, PI3)
Parasites—external (e.g., ticks, lice, flies)
Parasites—internal (e.g., Toxocara vitulorum or other gastrointestinal parasites, lung worms, liver flukes)
If this response picked, specify top parasite problem:	____________________________
Reproductive disorders (e.g., dystocia, abortion, trichomoniasis)
Toxins (e.g., toxic plants, organochlorine residues)
Tuberculosis (bovine TB)
Other (please specify): ______________________________

7. For each of the three priority diseases, disorders, or pathogens identified above, give one specific question or topic to be addressed.

First priority topic

Specific topic:

Second priority topic

Specific topic:

Third priority topic

Specific topic:

8. Which of the following do you believe represents the greatest risk or burden to your operation/bison (please select NA if you are not a producer/operator)? (Please select one.)

• NA (not applicable—not a producer or operator)

• Access to processing

• Access to reliable information specific to bison health, production, disease, etc.

• Access to veterinarians and/or pharmaceuticals

• Disease or other health problems

• Import/export of live animals or reproductive tissues

• Management costs—cost of animals

• Management costs—cost of feed

• Management costs—cost of handling facilities

• Management costs—cost of health care, veterinary visit, pharmaceuticals, etc.

• Management costs—cost of land

• Management costs—cost of processing

• Management costs—other costs (specify ).

• Marketing of animals/products

• Other (please specify:_______________)

9. Which of the following do you believe represents the greatest risk or burden to the bison industry? (Please select one.)

• Access to adequate processing capacity

• Access to veterinarians and/or pharmaceuticals

• Disease / health problems

• Import/export of live animals or reproductive tissues

• Inadequate or misdirected public policy (Federal, State) (specify: )

• Management costs

• Marketing

• Potential consumer misperception

• Small size of the bison sector

• Other (please specify:_______________)

10. From the list below, rank the top three incentives you believe would encourage bison producers to participate in the NAHMS Bison Study. Please note there is an “other” option at the bottom if you would like to add an incentive.

Possible incentives for study participation	First priority	Second priority	Third priority
Drinking water analysis (e.g., for nitrates, sulfates)
Electronic ID tags
Fecal parasite testing/resistance testing
Feed/forage analysis (including minerals)
Parentage
Soil analysis
Other (please specify:________________)

11. If you are a producer/operator, would you be willing to help collect samples for testing, if NAHMS provides collection and shipping materials and instructions for proper sample collection and handling? Yes/no

12. The National Bison Association, South Dakota State University, and the National Buffalo Foundation have established a Center of Excellence for Bison Studies. Please rank your top three priorities for the Center for Excellence.

Possible priorities for the Center for Excellence	First priority	Second priority	Third priority
Animal behavior
Animal welfare
Breeding and genetics
Disease research
Market development
Meat quality
Nutrition research
Parasite control
Pasture management / soil health
Product development
Other (please specify: )

13. In which state do you reside?

14. If you are a bison producer, how many mature bison are on your operation today? (Choose the appropriate category.)

____ 0

____ 1-9

____ 10-24

____ 25-49

____ 50-99

____ 100-199

____ 200-499

____ 500 or more

15. If you have any other comments about the upcoming NAHMS Bison Study, please enter them in the space below.

Thank you! We greatly appreciate your response.