Our overall goal is to provide strong, data-driven predictions of U.S. livestock shipments and simulations of livestock disease and to characterize uncertainty in these predictions in order to support decision-making in both response and planning contexts.

Objectives

The U.S. Animal Movement Model (USAMM) and Disease Outbreak Simulation (USDOS) were developed through an international collaboration with funding from the United States Department of Agriculture and the Department of Homeland Security.

The United States does not track individual livestock movements, therefore there is a need to characterize livestock shipments at the national scale in the U.S. USAMM provides estimates of the number of cattle or swine shipments between any two counties in the contiguous United States and includes estimates of uncertainty in the predictions. USDOS is a national scale, premises-level simulation model that uses original algorithms to produce outputs very quickly even at large spatial scales. USDOS incorporates both local and long-range transmission together with multiple response options. USDOS has relatively few parameters so that sensitivity of model outputs to changes in parameters can be fully investigated. The model can run using demographic information from any country together with appropriate shipping data and/or local spread transmission. Inquiries about current work on this project may be directed to Lindsay Beck-Johnson at L.Beck-Johnson@colostate.edu

This web site is planned for use by both management and field personnel and disease modelers. This web site contains high-level descriptions of project deliverables, visualization tools, downloadable model predictions that can be ported into users own tools/systems, supporting publications with technical details, freely available downloadable code and user-guides.

Philosophy

Our overall modeling philosophy has three main components:

  1. Strongly data-based modeling: Increases the relevance of the models to applied questions
  2. Close working relationship with state and government agencies: Informs model structures and capabilities to handle realistic scenarios
  3. Parsimonious modeling choices whenever possible: Enhances validation and sensitivity analysis by using fewer, better-informed parameters, optimizes tradeoffs among applied needs, available data and modeling techniques.

People

group picture

Colleen Webb -
Title: Vice Provost for Graduate Affairs and Dean of the Graduate School; Professor
Affiliations: Graduate School; Department of Biology, Colorado State University
Role: Principal Investigator
Contact info: colleen.webb@colostate.edu
Uno Wennergren -
Title: Professor
Affiliations: Department of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology / Division of Ecological and Environmental Modeling, Linköping University
Role: Principal Investigator
Contact info: uno.wennergren@liu.se
Michael J. Tildesley -
Title: Professor
Affiliations: University of Warwick
Role: Principal Investigator
Contact info: m.j.tildesley@warwick.ac.uk
Tom Lindström -
Title: Associate Professor
Affiliations: Department of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology / Division of Ecological and Environmental Modeling, Linköping University
Role: Principal Investigator
Contact info: tom.lindstrom@liu.se
Lindsay Beck-Johnson -
Title: Research Scientist III
Affiliations: Colorado State University, Department of Biology
Role: Principal Investigator
Contact info: l.beck-johnson@colostate.edu
Stefan Sellman -
Title: Postdoctoral Researcher
Affiliations: Department of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology / Division of Ecological and Environmental Modeling, Linköping University and University of Warwick
Role: Principal Investigator
Contact info: stefan.sellman@liu.se
Peter Brommesson -
Title: PhD
Affiliations: Department of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology / Division of Ecological and Environmental Modeling, Linköping University
Role: Senior Personnel
Contact info: peter.brommesson@liu.se
Jonathan Bertram -
Title: Research Associate
Affiliations: Colorado State University, Department of Biology
Role: Personnel
Contact info: jh.bertram@colostate.edu
Michael Buhnerkempe -
Title: Research Assistant Professor
Affiliations: Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
Role: Senior Personnel
Contact info: mbuhnerkempe66@siumed.edu
Dominika Dec Peevey -
Title:
Affiliations: Colorado State University, Department of Biology
Role: Personnel
Contact info: Dominika.Peevey@colostate.edu
Kendra Gilbertson -
Title: PhD Student
Affiliations: Colorado State University, Department of Biology
Role: Personnel
Contact info: Kendra.Gilbertson@colostate.edu
Erin Gorsich -
Title: Associate Professor
Affiliations: University of Warwick, School of Life Sciences
Role: Senior Personnel
Contact info: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/lifesci/people/egorsich/
Daniel Grear -
Title: Wildlife Disease Ecologist
Affiliations: USGS National Wildlife Health Center
Role: Senior Personnel
Contact info: https://www.usgs.gov/staff-profiles/daniel-a-grear
Clayton Hallman -
Title: Mathematical Statistician
Affiliations: USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Role: Agency Technical Expert
Contact info: clayton.n.hallman@aphis.usda.gov
Catherine M. Herzog -
Title: Data Scientist
Affiliations: CDC Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics, Colorado State University, Department of Biology
Role: Personnel
Contact info: catherine.herzog@colostate.edu
Ryan Miller -
Title: Senior Ecologist
Affiliations: USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Role: Agency Lead
Contact info: ryan.s.miller@aphis.usda.gov
Amanda Minter -
Title: Research Fellow
Affiliations: Equations of Disease C.I.C.
Role: Senior Personnel
Contact info: amanda@equationsofdisease.com www.equationsofdisease.com
Deedra Murrieta -
Title: Biological Science Information Specialist
Affiliations: USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Role: Senior Personnel
Contact info: deedra.murrieta@gmail.com
Katie Owers Bonner -
Title: Public Health Emergency Preparedness Surveillance Program Manager
Affiliations: New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services
Role: Senior Personnel
Contact info: owersk@gmail.com
Katie Portacci -
Title: Veterinary Epidemiologist
Affiliations: USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Role: Agency Lead
Contact info: Katie.Portacci@aphis.usda.gov
Brandon Simony -
Title: PhD Candidate
Affiliations: Pennsylvania State University, Department of Biology
Role: Personnel
Contact info:
Lauren Smith -
Title:
Affiliations: USDA
Role: Personnel
Contact info: Lauren.E.Smith@colostate.edu
Sam Smith -
Title: Research Associate II
Affiliations: Colorado State University, Department of Biology
Role: Personnel
Contact info: sm.smith@colostate.edu
Kim Tsao -
Title: Lead Data Scientist for the Chief Data Officer
Affiliations: USDA Office of the Chief Information Officer
Role: Senior Personnel
Contact info: http://www.kimtsao.com
Marleen Werkman -
Title: Research Associate
Affiliations: Imperial College London
Role: Senior Personnel
Contact info: Personal Website

Literature

Beck-Johnson, L.M., Gorsich, E.E., Hallman, C., Tildesley, M.J., Miller, R.S., Webb, C.T. 2023. An exploration of within-herd dynamics of a transboundary livestock disease: A foot and mouth disease case study. Epidemics, 42, 100668

Sellman, S., Beck-Johnson, L.M., Hallman, C., Miller, R.S., Owers Bonner, K.A., Portacci, P., Webb, C.T., Lindström, T. 2022. Modeling Nation-Wide U.S. Swine Movement Networks at the Resolution of the Individual Premises. Epidemics 41 (December)

Sellman, S., Beck-Johnson, L.M., Hallman, C., Miller, R.S., Owers Bonner, K.A., Portacci, P., Webb, C.T., Lindström, T. 2022. Modeling U.S. Cattle Movements until the Cows Come Home: Who Ships to Whom and How Many? Computers and Electronics in Agriculture 203 (December)

Gilbertson, K., Brommesson, P., Minter, A., Hallman, C., Miller, R.S., Portacci, K., Sellman, S., Tildesley, M.J., Webb, C.T., Lindström, T., Beck-Johnson, L.M. 2022. The Importance of Livestock Demography and Infrastructure in Driving Foot and Mouth Disease Dynamics. Life 12 (10)

Brommesson, P., Sellman, S., Beck-Johnson, L.M., Hallman, C., Murrieta, D., Webb, C.T., Miller, R.S., Portacci, K., Lindström, T. 2021. Assessing intrastate shipments from interstate data and expert opinion. Royal Society Open Science, 8(3). 192042

Sellman, S., Tildesley, M.J., Burdett, C.L., Miller, R.S., Hallman, C., Webb, C.T., Wennergren, U., Portacci, K., Lindström, T. 2020. Realistic Assumptions about Spatial Locations and Clustering of Premises Matter for Models of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Spread in the United States. PLOS Computational Biology 16 (2): 1–22

Beck-Johnson, L.M., Hallman, C., Miller, R.S., Portacci, K., Gorsich, E.E., Grear, D.A., Hartmann, K., Webb, C.T., 2019. Estimating and exploring the proportions of inter- and intrastate cattle shipments in the United States. Prev. Vet. Med. 162, 56–66.

Tsao, K., Sellman, S., Beck-Johnson, L., Murrieta, D.J., Hallman, C., Lindström, T., Miller, R.S., Portacci, K., Tildesley, M.J., Webb, C.T. 2019. Effects of regional differences and demography in modelling foot-and-mouth disease in cattle at the national scale. Royal Society Interface Focus, 10(1)

Gorsich, E.E., R.S. Miller, H.S. Mask, C. Hallman, K. Portacci, and C.T. Webb. 2019. Spatio-temporal patterns and characteristics of swine shipments in the U.S. based on Interstate Certificates of Veterinary Inspection. Scientific Reports 9(1), 3915.

Sellman, S., K. Tsao, M.J. Tildesley, P. Brommesson, C.T. Webb, U. Wennergren, M.J. Keeling, and T. Lindström. 2018. Need for speed: An optimized gridding approaches for spatially explicit disease simulations. PloS Computational Biology 14(4)

Gorsich, E. C.D. McKee, D.A. Grear, R.S. Miller, K. Portacci, T. Lindström, C.T. Webb. 2017. Model-guided suggestions for targeted surveillance based on cattle shipments in the U.S.. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 150 (July 2017): 52-59.

Webb, C.T., M.J. Ferrari, T. Lindström, T. Carpenter, S. Dürr, G. Garner, C. Jewell, M. Stevenson, M.P. Ward, M. Werkman, and M.J. Tildesley. 2017. Ensemble Modeling and Structured Decision Making to Support Emergency Disease Management. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 138: 124-133.

Brommesson, P., U. Wennergren, and T. Lindström. 2016. Spatiotemporal variation in distance dependent animal movement contacts: one size doesn’t fit all. PLoS ONE 11(10): e0164008

Gorsich, E., A.D. Luis, M.G. Buhnerkempe, D.A. Grear, K. Portacci, R.S. Miller, and C.T. Webb. 2016. Mapping U.S. cattle shipment networks: spatial and temporal patterns of trade communities from 2009 to 2011. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 134: 82-91.

Probert, W.J.M., K. Shea, C.J. Fonnesbeck, M.C. Runge, C.T. Webb, M.J. Tildesley, and M.J. Ferrari. 2016. Decision-making for foot-and-mouth disease control: objectives matter. Epidemics 15: 10-19.

Werkman, M, M.J. Tildesley, E. Brooks-Pollock, and M.J. Keeling. 2016. Preserving privacy whilst maintaining robust epidemiological predictions. Epidemics (17): 35-41.

Burdett, C.L., B.R. Kraus, S.J. Garza, R.S. Miller, and K.E. Bjork. 2015. Simulating the Distribution of Individual Livestock Farms and Their Populations in the United States: An Example Using Domestic Swine (Sus scrofa domesticus) Farms. Plos One.

Dawson P.M., M. Werkman, E. Brooks-Pollock, M.J. Tildesley. 2015. Epidemic predictions in an imperfect world: modelling disease spread with partial data. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 282(1808).

Lindström, T., Tildesley, M., Webb, C.T. 2015. A Bayesian ensemble approach for epidemiological projections. PLoS Computational Biology.

McKee, C., C. Hallman, C.T. Webb, T. Lindstrom, R.S. Miller, and K. Portacci. 2015. USAMM Shiny Visualization (R package)

Buhnerkempe, M.G., Tildesley, M.J., Lindström, T., Grear, D.A., Portacci, K., Miller, R.S., Lombard, J., Werkman, M., Keeling, M.J., Wennergren, U., Webb, C.T. 2014. The impact of movements and animal density on continental scale cattle disease outbreaks in the United States. PLoS ONE 9(3): e91724

Grear, D.A., J.B. Kaneene, J.J. Averill, and C.T. Webb. 2014. Local cattle movments in response to ongoing bovine tuberculosis zonation and regulations in Michigan, USA. Preventative Veterinary Medicine. 114(3-4):201-12.

Tsao, K., S. Robbe-Austerman, R.S. Miller, K. Portacci, D.A. Grear, and C.T. Webb. 2014. Sources of bovine tuberculosis in the United States. Infection, Genetics and Evolution. 28C:137-143.

Buhnerkempe, M.G., D.A. Grear, K. Portacci, R.S. Miller, J. Lombard, and C.T. Webb. 2013. A national-scale picture of U.S. cattle movements obtained from Interstate Certificate of Veterinary Inspection data. Prev. Vet. Med.112: 318-329

Lindström, T., Grear, D.A., Buhnerkempe, M., Webb, C.T., Miller, R.S., Portacci, K., and U. Wennergren. 2013. A Bayesian approach for modeling cattle movements in the United States: scaling up a partially observed network. PLoS ONE 8(1): e53432

Portacci, K, R.S. Miller, P.D. Riggs, M.G. Buhnerkempe, and L.M. Abrahamsen. 2013. Assessment of paper interstate certificates of veterinary inspection used to support disease tracing in cattle. Journal of the American Veterinary Association 243(4): 555-560.

Lindström T., S. Sternberg Lewerin, and U. Wennergren. 2012. Influence on disease spread dynamics of herd characteristics in a structured livestock industry. Journal of the Royal Society Interface 9(71): 1287-1294.

Lindström T., S. Sternberg Lewerin, and U. Wennergren. 2012. SpecNet: A spatial network algorithm that generates a wide range of specific structures. PLoS ONE.

Tildesley, M.J., G. Smith, and M.J. Keeling. 2012. Modeling the spread and control of foot-and-mouth disease in Pennsylvania following its discovery and options for control. Prev. Vet. Med. 104, 224-239.

Tildesley, M.J. and S.J. Ryan. 2012. Disease prevention versus data privacy: using landcover maps to inform spatial epidemic models. PLoS Computational Biology, 8 (11).

Lindström, T., S.A. Sisson, S.S. Lewerin, and U. Wennergren. 2011. Bayesian analysis of animal movements related to factors at herd and between herd levels: Implications for disease spread modeling. Preventive veterinary medicine 98: 230-242.

Tildesley, M.J., V. Volkova, and M.E.J. Woolhouse. 2011. Potential for Epidemic Take-off from the Primary Outbreak Farm via Livestock Movements. BMC Veterinary Research, 7:76.

Lindström, T, Sisson, S.A., Lewerin, S.S., Wennergren, U. 2010. Estimating Animal Movement Contacts between Holdings of Different Production Types. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 95 (1–2): 23–31

Lindström, T., Sisson, S.A., Nöremark, M., Jonsson, A., Wennergren, U. 2009. Estimation of Distance Related Probability of Animal Movements between Holdings and Implications for Disease Spread Modeling. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 91 (2–4): 85–94

Tildesley, M.J., et al. 2006. Optimal reactive vaccination strategies for a foot-and-mouth outbreak in the UK. Nature, 440(7080): 83-86.

FAQ

Yes! USAMM and USDOS code were created by our group and should be referenced appropriately whether you use them as is or as base code for your own modifications. Suggested reference formats are:

To cite this page: Webb, C., U. Wennergren, T. Lindström, M.J. Tildesley, T. Dewey, and C. Leach. 2024. U.S. Animal Movement Model and Disease Outbreak Simulation (On-line). Accessed (date) at https://webblabb.github.io/usammusdos

To cite USDOS: U.S. Disease Outbreak Simulation (USDOS) [Computer Software]. 2022. Accessed (date) at https://webblabb.github.io/usammusdos/usdos.html

To cite USAMM: U.S. Animal Movement Model (USAMM) [Computer Software]. 2022. Accessed (date) at https://webblabb.github.io/usammusdos/usamm.html

Sellman, S., Beck-Johnson, L.M., Hallman, C., Miller, R.S., Owers Bonner, K.A., Portacci, P., Webb, C.T., Lindström, T. 2022. Modeling Nation-Wide U.S. Swine Movement Networks at the Resolution of the Individual Premises. Epidemics 41 (December)

Sellman, S., Beck-Johnson, L.M., Hallman, C., Miller, R.S., Owers Bonner, K.A., Portacci, P., Webb, C.T., Lindström, T. 2022. Modeling U.S. Cattle Movements until the Cows Come Home: Who Ships to Whom and How Many? Computers and Electronics in Agriculture 203 (December)

License information for USAMM is available here .

License information for USDOS is available here .

We recommend using USAMM predictions. ICVI data are a sample that needs to be scaled-up and do not capture within state movements. USAMM predictions solve both problems for you.
Academic partners do not have the authority to share underlying data due to confidentiality agreements. Please contact the appropriate state or government agency with which the data originated. The best way to determine the appropriate agency is in the acknowledgments section of our papers and to contact agency co-authors on the paper describing the data set of interest.
Beef, dairy, and swine premises and feedlots locations and sizes are predictions of the Farm Location and Animal Population Simulator based on National Agricultural Statistics Survey data (Burdett et al. 2015). Market locations and sizes are based on aggregated market lists and were validated by us as described in (Smith et al. Submitted).
Academic partners have signed confidentiality agreements in place with the agency with whom the data originate and do not share the data. All published information is aggregated so that personally identifiable information cannot be determined. All presentations, publications, etc. are pre-reviewed before submission and approved by the agency with whom the data originate.
USAMM is not available for download, but network realizations can be accessed from the USAMM page on this website. USDOS is available as C++ code and can be accessed from the USDOS page on this website. Preprocessing and postprocessing pipeline code for running many USDOS realizations in batch mode is also available as R code.
The parameter fitting process of USAMM is computationally intensive and requires up to weeks of run time on modern 32-core preocessors. However, network realizations from the fitted USAMM model can be generated within seconds on a laptop. The run times for USDOS vary depending on the size of the outbreak, but most simulations at the national scale finish in seconds even on a laptop. Longer USDOS simulations are on the order of minutes at the national scale.
USDOS runs on a laptop for single or a few realizations or on a high-performance computing system for many realizations.
There are multiple reasons. For one, the underlying shipment data that we used to estimate USAMM parameters are confidential to protect personally identifiable information and are not freely available. Aside from this, additional shipment data, apart from what the model has already been fitted to, are not currently available, and without additional data, the estimated parameters will not change. Hence, there really is no reason to re-estimate USAMM parameters. Lastly, the parameter fitting process of USAMM is very computationally intensive and requires access to a modern high-performance computer cluster to give meaningful results.
Bugs may be reported to Lindsay Beck-Johnson at L.Beck-Johnson@colostate.edu. We will maintain a list of known bugs. We have tested the code extensively, but bugs can still appear. However, bugs that are discovered after the end of funding for the project are unlikely to be addressed.