March 1 is often a target calving date. The third trimester is a critical time for beef cows who are not only growing a calf, but also trying to maintain their own condition, in spite of cold weather. Sandy Johnson shares insights into the critical third trimester. Source: Drovers, November 9, 2017. Producers need to take note of the start of the third trimester because … [Read more...]
Archives for January 2018
Bosses – Don’t phub it up!
The phenomenon of “phubbing,” is when a supervisor snubs an employee in favor of his mobile phone when they are in a meeting. Two Baylor professors have verified that this behavior undermines trust and engagement in the workplace. In fact, their study, “Put down your phone and listen to me: How boss phubbing undermines the psychological conditions necessary for employee … [Read more...]
Perception is not always reality
I care about people and consider myself to be warm and friendly. At least that is what I thought. So, it came as a shock to discover that others often saw me as intimidating, cold and aloof. After recovering from the shock, I learned that what I perceived as leadership, others perceived as intimidation. What I thought was just being logical was perceived as being cold and … [Read more...]
2017 swine research reviewed
Sow space, boar pheromones, sow barn energy consumption, cool sows and flu’s cyclical nature are part of topics reviewed in this research-specific issue of National Hog Farmer. Flipping through the pages exposes a picture of the intensity of maintaining swine health while improving production conditions with the pigs in mind. Source: National Hog Farmer, December … [Read more...]
Enrich the lives of older pets. Don’t ignore them.
The cold that has enveloped most of the U.S. lately has no doubt exacerbated some aging symptoms in older pets. Older animals may suffer from osteoarthritis or neurologic conditions that limit physical activity. Beyond physical activities, cognitive issues increase, sensory capabilities decline and anxiety may follow as older pets often become ignored. Source: Clinician’s … [Read more...]
Tilapia-skin bandage used to treat mountain lion’s burns
After over 30-plus years in this business, it is still exciting to see what we come up with next. In this case, a mountain lion cub burned in the recent California wildfires is the benefactor of a human burn treatment protocol derived from tilapia. Source: edhat, December 30, 2017 via AVMA Smart Brief. A 5-month-old mountain lion whose paws were burned in a wildfire is … [Read more...]
Stop Googling; call the equine DVM (includes video)
It can be a challenge for horse owners to know when to handle a problem themselves or when to call in the veterinarian. Natalie Voss provides symptoms and situations arranged as red flag emergencies, orange flag potentially important and yellow flag cautionary potential for a health issue. The article also includes a link to a video featuring Emily Dean, DVM who discusses “when … [Read more...]
Handling work when your child is sick
The United States has 25.8 percent of its children living with just a mother or a father. Today, almost half of households with kids in the U.S. have parents who both work full-time. Working parenthood alone presents a massive logistical and emotional challenge, but when your child is ill, that challenge ramps way up. Daisy Dowling shares a few strategies to help get through … [Read more...]
Paralanguage; critical non-verbal communication skills
There is one non-verbal communication type that powerful impact--it's called paralanguage. Paralanguage does not have anything to do with body language. Paralanguage is how you speak: The rate, tone/pitch, and volume/inflection of your speech, and the dreaded use of filler words. Mastering paralanguage allows you to have impact. Its power and benefits are many, and they are … [Read more...]
Feedstuffs: Top 10 stories of 2017 (slideshow)
As 2017 closed, the editors of Feedstuffs revisited identified these top news stories of 2017. Source: Feedstuffs, January 1, 2018. It was a year marked by destructive wildfires, a meat industry scandal in Brazil, a new U.S. agriculture secretary, several significant acquisitions with industry-changing implications and, of course, regulatory changes. This photo gallery … [Read more...]
Hoof lesions require forethought, prevention in dairies
About 25 percent of cows suffer from lameness, largely because of hoof lesions caused by digital dermatitis, sole ulcers or white line disease. Dr. Nigel Cook of the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine discussed methods to correct the conditions that lead to hoof lesions, as well as claw corkscrew deformity during a webinar for dairy … [Read more...]
Top 10 from Petfood Industry.com
Four posts topped the list of most read. The number of page views per article recorded by Google Analytics determined the rankings: 11 pet food trends industry experts forecast for 2017 Prescription dog, cat foods face anti-trust lawsuit Blue Buffalo faces lawsuit over alleged lead in dog food Infographic: Most of world owns pets; Dogs are tops Source: Petfood … [Read more...]
Med school trend looking like veterinary medicine
For the first time, more women than men are going to med school, according to new data from the Association of American Medical Colleges. Enrollment trends overall suggest there may well be more women in the medical field than men in the future. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, the current ratio is 55 percent female to 45 percent male in the … [Read more...]
Made in America
Made in Japan no longer means what it did two generations ago. With the help of quality guru W. Edward Deming in post-war Japan, “cheap, low-value” was changed to, “high-value, expensive” and led to Japan developing a burgeoning export business. Today, we are challenged to know where our animal health products are made. Three company representatives discussed their products, … [Read more...]
What to know about bathing cats
Bathing a cat sends chills to most cat owners and veterinary teams alike. Still cats sometimes truly need a good bath. JaneA Kelly looks at five times you should wash your cat and how to make cat baths as stress free as possible. Source: Catster, December 26, 2017. In some cases, you can just clean your cat using unscented, hypoallergenic wipes or dry shampoos rather than … [Read more...]
Google exec: 5 mega trends shape technology (includes video)
Ed Parsons, Google’s geospatial technologist, outlined five megatrends driving technology during his keynote at the Farm Journal AgTech Expo: The world is becoming more urban, not suburban. Digital natives have formed a new type of consumer. Big data is still in its early days, but platforms are providing a massive difference in the shape of business. … [Read more...]
Cabin fever affects horses, too
Natural horsemanship reminds me to look at every situation as if I were a horse, shares Tim Hayes. He relates how cabin fever can affect both horse and rider. Spending 20 or 30 minutes, three to five times a week connecting with our horses is mentally and emotionally meaningful to him. Source: Horse Network, December 2017. If I can’t ride, I can still visit, says Hays. I … [Read more...]
Organic pet food tops interest level across ethnic boundaries
Understanding pet ownership is important to implement sound business strategies and to understand customer preferences. Branded surveyed 14,755 U.S. residents and found that nearly 66 percent of respondents own at least one pet. However, pet ownership differed by self-reported ethnicity. Source: Petfood Industry, December 22, 2017. In a related survey, Branded analysts … [Read more...]
1st NAVTA Animal Health Bi-Weekly for 2018
The veterinary technician/nurse role development is rapidly being expanded and professionally recognized. Two posts from their bi-weekly e-mail will interest most animal health pros: The importance of veterinary social work Top veterinary dentistry tips for 2017 Source: Animal Health Bi-Weekly, January 2, 2018. INSIGHTS: Like human prevention, animal dentistry … [Read more...]
Reframe your purpose to find meaning at work
It’s not unusual to hear an animal health pro say, “been there, done that.” Some deliver that comment with tones of frustration or contempt. John Coleman offers perspectives on the value of reframing purpose to reinvigorate meaning in your job. Source: Harvard Business Review, December 28, 2017. Working with a sense of purpose day-in and day-out is an act of will that takes … [Read more...]
Employee engagement more important than contentment
Employee satisfaction surveys are helpful tools in running a successful business. However sometimes the sense of contentment can be a sign of apathy and indifference rather than effectiveness. Engaged employees are essential. Measuring this engagement is well beyond the purview of satisfaction surveys. Source: Gallup News, April 12, 2017. Business or work units that score … [Read more...]
Get ready for National Pet Dental Health Month
Next month is National Pet Dental Health Month, as recognized by AVMA. The organization is ready to help members promote this important period with a free Pet Dental Health toolkit. Regularly brushing pets’ teeth is the single most effective thing pet owners can do to keep their teeth healthy between dental cleanings, and may reduce the frequency or even eliminate the need … [Read more...]
Clicks matter
We are excited to capture the content and ideas that shape our daily conversations and objectives in the animal health industry for an exciting new year. Thanks to cooperation from our Founder’s Circle companies and sponsors, we now read and analyze material for an audience of more than 20,000 animal health professionals. For AHD, an animal health professional is any employed … [Read more...]