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United States Department of Agriculture

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Program Aid No. 1950

The Centers for Epidemiology 

and Animal Health:

Working To Safeguard

Animal Health Through

Innovation and Teamwork
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part of Veterinary Services (VS) within the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service (APHIS)—supports the VS mission to protect and 

improve the health, quality, and marketability of our Nation’s 

animals, animal products, and veterinary biologics. CEAH 

also collaborates with the World Organization for Animal 

Health (OIE) in documenting livestock diseases within the 

United States.

With its headquarters based at 

the Natural Resources Research Center 

in Fort Collins, CO, CEAH is staffed by a 

unique group of scientists and specialists 

including veterinary epidemiologists, 

spatial analysts, computer specialists, data managers, technical writers, 

agricultural economists, and statisticians.

Our Missi o n s

The Centers for Epidemiology 

and Animal Health (CEAH)—

To protect the United States from adverse 

animal-health events 

•

To monitor and conduct surveillance of 

the Nation’s livestock, poultry, and 

aquaculture populations

•

To anticipate and respond to new or emerging 

animal-disease threats

•

To expand domestic and international marketability 

of our Nation’s animals, animal products, 

and veterinary biologics

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Surveillance

Activities related to animal health surveillance are

coordinated by the CEAH team. These activities include 

planning, designing, and prioritizing surveillance 

activities; coordinating and integrating surveillance 

information; analyzing data; and evaluating surveillance programs. Team members collaborate with 

partners and stakeholders in academia and the 

private sector. 

Overall, CEAH:

n Provides timely, factual information about 

commercial livestock, poultry, and aquaculture;

n Explores and analyzes animal health and

related agricultural issues;

n Provides technological and analytical support

for animal health emergencies;

n Analyzes adaptability of new technologies for

animal health support;

n Identifies and monitors global environmental

changes that could impact animal 

health issues;

n Analyzes potential domestic impacts 

of international animal- and humanhealth events;

n Provides technical and scientific 

support to OIE;

n Implements, supports, and maintains VS Enterprise Information 

Technology Systems; and

n Facilitates informed decisionmaking 

for government and industry animalhealth management.

Emerging Issues

CEAH continuously monitors and tracks the worldwide animal-health environment to analyze data and 

trends that might impact animal and public health in 

the United States. Should an animal-disease outbreak occur in another country, APHIS specialists 

examine that country’s production and trade in livestock and livestock products and identify the impact 

the foreign disease could have on animal agriculture.

n CEAH played a key role in VS’ enhanced bovine spongiform 

encephalopathy (BSE) surveillance and designed a surveillance plan for long-term assessment of BSE prevalence 

among U.S. cattle.

n CEAH led the development of a national surveillance 

plan to detect highly pathogenic avian influenza in the 

United States.

n CEAH is collaborating on a wide variety of specific animaldisease surveillance programs.

n A business intelligence team, using a variety of futuring 

tools and electronic scanning techniques, identifies possible 

scenarios that might result from changes in the global and 

domestic environment. Results of this analysis help VS managers more accurately plan budgets and program activities.

n CEAH manages a geographic information system to support 

VS’ need for spatial analyses. Spatial analysis is the process 

of examining and interpreting modeling results. A model is a 

representation of reality used to simulate a process, understand a situation, predict an outcome, or analyze a problem.

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Information and Data Systems

CEAH specialists collect, manage, analyze, and 

disseminate information that is critical to APHIS

initiatives and VS programs. CEAH’s computer

scientists develop and implement complex information 

systems that give VS managers access to the enterprise 

data they need to make strategically correct decisions. 

CEAH employees also develop risk assessment methods 

and conduct assessments for VS programs that support 

U.S. trade and regionalization goals.

International Collaboration

CEAH is designated as a collaborating center of 

OIE for animal disease surveillance and risk analysis. 

As an OIE collaborator, CEAH is helping build, 

maintain, and promote internationally accepted, 

science-based methods for risk analysis and animal 

disease surveillance.

n CEAH integrates epidemiology expertise and cultural 

awareness into the trade risk-analysis process.

n CEAH develops and delivers training in veterinary 

epidemiology and risk analysis internationally.

n CEAH also provides consultation and expertise to OIE 

to help their experts develop international standards 

on disease surveillance and risk analysis.

n A CEAH risk-analysis team develops regulatory-impact 

and disease-spread simulation models and analyzes 

scenarios that could be problematic or increase risks.

n CEAH’s information technology staff develops and provides

oversight for the information technology component of the 

National Animal Identification System, including helping 

States and the livestock industry design, approve, and 

implement animal-tracking databases.

n Working with key laboratory representatives, CEAH has 

developed and implemented an information technology 

structure that allows the standardized and secure sharing of 

diagnostic data by each of the laboratories participating in 

the National Animal Health Laboratory Network.

n CEAH has the lead role in creating an electronic system for 

assuring that livestock moving interstate or internationally 

meets the appropriate health requirements.

n Another of CEAH’s many contributions is implementation of 

a Web-based system allowing VS to electronically support 

all surveillance and animal-disease programs.

Animal Health Monitoring

The CEAH staff design the National Animal 

Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) studies of livestock, poultry, and aquaculture populations, focusing 

on animal health itself and the management practices associated with animal health and productivity. 

CEAH staff also are responsible for data validation, 

analysis, and dissemination of study findings. This 

work requires a close partnership with the industries 

and affected stakeholders.

Specific studies for equine, swine, dairy, beef cowcalf, feedlot cattle, sheep, poultry, and catfish have 

been conducted. These studies help the targeted 

industry by providing reliable and valuable information 

that producers can use to safeguard their herds and 

improve animal husbandry practices. The studies 

help VS enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of 

surveillance.

Targeted studies and ongoing monitoring activities 

are used to provide interim data between major 

national studies. The staff also updates demographic 

data and identifies programs and strategies used to 

ensure animal health and welfare. The United States 

Animal Health Report, produced by CEAH, provides 

a comprehensive annual overview of the Nation’s 

livestock, poultry, and aquaculture commodities, as 

well as a status update on all VS monitoring and surveillance activities and emergency response activities.

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination 

in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national 

origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, 

familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic 

information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an 

individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. 

(Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with 

disabilities who require alternative means for communication of 

program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should 

contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). 

To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office 

of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 

20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). 

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Issued October 2007

For More Information

To learn more about CEAH programs, please contact 

us by phone on (970) 494–7200 or visit our Web page 

at www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/ceah.