MSCP’s acquisition of FoodScience from Wind Point Partners represents its third investment in the pet and animal health sector. FoodScience, a vertically integrated provider of pet and human nutritional supplements, includes the VetriScience product range. Source: businesswire, November 19, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
Rendering: Every part has a purpose
The parts of animals we don’t eat provide many benefits. NARA has a new informative video for the young, the old, those in the livestock business and those who’ve never touched it. Thanks to Sharla Ishmael, editor of NARA’s Render magazine, for sharing. Source: North American Renderers Association, November 2024. Link. (animated video, 4:00 min) … [Read more...]
BQA practices now saturate every phase of the beef industry
Today, approximately 85 percent of U.S. beef comes from BQA-certified producers, writes Clint Peck. He shares the history of capturing the value, challenges and opportunities BQA certification presents. We noted the comments about involving smaller producers and the need for continuously educating cattle producers about best practices. Source: BEEF, October 18, 2024. … [Read more...]
50th Leaman Conference. What the experts had to say.
It’s been two months since the 50th annual Leman Swine Conference. Those who attended likely left with three or four action items. Now, let’s revisit some of the comments made by experts to refresh our intentions and focus on making a difference. Topics include biosecurity compliance, managing influenza, continuing to fight PRRSV and environmental effects of concentrated animal … [Read more...]
Chicken feather and skin development
The development of the feathers and the feather follicles is extremely involved and a complex part of the bird, writes Doug Ottinger. Animal health pros may find his article worth reading if feather development is not a familiar topic. The feather is a complex epidermal organ.” Source: Backyard Poultry, October 5, 2022. Link. The follicles, feathers, and skin of the chicken, … [Read more...]
Can fecal microbiota transplantation help treat diarrhea in foals?
Fecal microbiota transplantation is a medical procedure that transfers healthy bacteria from a donor's stool into a patient's colon. In adult horses, FMT has been shown to improve intestinal diversity. Australian researchers explored the effects of treating diarrhea in foals using FMT and found it to be safe for foals. Source: The Paulick Report, November 11, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
Common illnesses in senior cats
Includes Commercial Content Barri J. Morrison, DVM, shares 10 common illnesses in cats which reinforces the need for routine veterinary visits as often as every six months for senior cats. Among the illnesses are dental disease, diabetes, arthritis and chronic kidney disease. Source: petMD, September 27, 2024. Link. INSIGHTS: The mention of specific products, including … [Read more...]
Client perspective important when choosing antiseizure medications for dogs, cats
We like that Tom Jukier DVM, MS, DACVIM, included the importance of including the client in decisions when antiseizure medications are indicated. Successfully controlling epileptic seizures can take several directions, Jukier explains. He provides background, medication efficacy and pharmacokinetic information for common antiseizure medications used in dogs and cats in the … [Read more...]
When to delay a conversation
Most problems can be traced back to a conversation that should have happened but didn’t. Still, timing is important. This article highlights three situations when it’s more strategic to delay a conversation until a more opportune time. Marlene Chism offers ways to go into conversations with the right frame of mind. Source: SmartBrief, October 7, 2024. Link. Photo by Joel … [Read more...]
Bottom line versus best practices. A delicate balancing act.
The business–care paradox is an emotional drain in veterinary medicine. This is not a phenomenon but rather a situational, everyday challenge veterinary teams experience daily. The current economic conditions exacerbate this long-standing challenge. Zenithson Ng, DVM, MS, DABVP, shares a study overview that explores how practices can successfully balance the financial realities … [Read more...]
Despite employer prioritization, employee well-being falters
A workplace culture that truly prioritizes employee well-being makes people feel cared about. It also improves their lives and benefits organizational outcomes. Trends from Gallup’s Life Evaluation Index mark a new record low since Gallup began measuring employee well-being in 2009. Just 50 percent of U.S. employees are thriving in their overall lives. Source: Gallup, … [Read more...]
Surf and turf: researchers to study feeding seaweed to cattle
Past research has found that feeding seaweed can reduce methane emissions from cattle, but results are mixed. Now, researchers from Oregon State University are investigating a specific type of seaweed and supplementing cattle that graze in the sagebrush-steppe ecosystem rather than a feedlot environment. Source: Oregon State University, October 28, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
Pigs per litter continues steady growth
The number of pigs per litter reached another record in September, writes Michael Langemeier. Using his metrics, it appears we’ll soon see an average of 12 pigs per litter compared to eight per litter in 1994. Key performance metrics for swine production have steadily improved over the past 30 years. In addition to pigs per litter, performance metrics include feed conversion, … [Read more...]
Blueprint for receiving new feeder calves
The objective of a receiving strategy is to make the transition from calf origin into the feedlot or backgrounding yard as seamless as possible. Jessica Sperber says the first 14 days upon feedlot arrival are critical in calf development and set the performance trajectory of the calf for the remainder of the feeding period. The main concerns are feed intake and water … [Read more...]
Four situations among the hardest for horse owners to deal with
Keeping the welfare of the horse in mind, Louann Chaudier shares managing through difficult decisions for a horse’s life quality and ways to decide on a course of action. She covers a) costly vet bills, b) firing professional help, c) selling the horse to save money and d) when the owner’s health intervenes. Source: Horse Illustrated, November 1, 2024. Link. INSIGHTS: … [Read more...]
Neuroscientists explain why wet dogs shake themselves dry
The hairy skin of mammals is packed with more than 12 types of sensory neurons, each with a unique function to detect and interpret various sensations. Researchers studying a type of ultra-sensitive touch-detecting receptors that wrap around hair follicles (C-fibre low-threshold mechanoreceptors), or C-LTMRs, explain how signals from C-LTMRs travel through the nervous system to … [Read more...]
Reinforcing the 12-month flea prevention message
Holiday spending may affect flea preventative compliance as pet owners juggle budgets to buy gifts and meet holiday expectations. Whether or not pets are guests during holiday gatherings, pet owner visitors can carry larvae and eggs on their clothing from address to address. Animal health pros understand that visible fleas are just the tip of the iceberg when dealing with a … [Read more...]
The science and ethics of dog cloning
Dog cloning is no longer science fiction. While cloning can duplicate genetics of one dog in another dog, there’s no guarantee of an exact copy. Cloning may become more accessible and affordable . . . but just because we can doesn’t mean we should. Source: Animal Wellness, October 31, 2024. Link. Image credit: The Guardian … [Read more...]
The importance of self-awareness and how to improve if you’re not
Tasha Eurich, PhD, defines self-awareness as “the ability to see ourselves clearly — to understand who we are, how others see us, and how we fit into the world around us.” Being in tune with yourself is especially important when it comes to your relationships with others. In the article here, Rebekah Brandes shares the whys of self-awareness and steps to improve if you’re … [Read more...]
Microinteractions and their cumulative impact on workplace success
Microinteractions refer to the daily subtle exchanges between colleagues, managers and staff, writes Dylan Taylor. They can significantly impact a company’s culture, practicality and overall success. Though brief, microinteractions can carry the weight of a company’s culture. Microinteractions, when handled thoughtfully, create a continuous feedback loop that reinforces … [Read more...]
Dealing with unconscious biases when hiring
Everyone carries implicit biases and they impact recruiting and hiring, shares Roy Mauer. He offers assertions from two inclusion and diversity experts who spoke during a recent conference. Bias is your own internal algorithm, based on assumptions and associations. Implicit bias does not mean being racist. Everyone has biases . . . The question is, how do you recognize it, and … [Read more...]
Weaning calves. Art or science?
There are some basic principles and practices that will give calves the best chance at navigating the weaning process, writes Zeb Gray. Whether done abruptly or gradually, he recommends producers define what their goals are beyond just separating cow and calf in the weaning process. He emphasizes the importance of a veterinary relationship considering any new antibiotic … [Read more...]
Fresh cows run a daily marathon
Three weeks before and three weeks after calving, dairy cows experience massive changes in nutrient and micromineral demands. An energy deficit is common in this period and cows struggle to take in more energy than they deplete. Jessica McArt, DVM, compares this energy challenge to marathon runners in this article. Her analogy might help explain the effects of transition to a … [Read more...]
Veterinarian shares what to know about splint bone injuries
Popped splints, or exostosis of the metacarpal or metatarsal bones, are a common finding in working and pastured horses alike. In this article, Fred Nostrant, DVM, discusses what horse owners should know about splint injuries. Consider his article for social media posts, newsletters and information for horse enthusiast groups. Source: The Horse, October 30, 2024. Link. … [Read more...]
A fresh perspective on horse expenses
Complimentary, includes Commercial Content A recent study completed by Synchrony noted horse owners spend three to four times more than they initially estimated. Karen Hopper Usher provides a realistic overview of horse costs, where the expenses are derived and the importance of planning for expected and unexpected expenses. Source: The Horse. Link. In addition to … [Read more...]
Cannabis product use in cats, dogs in the U. S.
Understanding how pet owners think and use cannabis products gives animal health pros a look at their motivations for and perceptions of cannabis-derived product use. Whether treats, chews and oil-based tinctures are used, Trina Hazzah, DVM, DACVIM, CVCH, emphasizes that using correct terminology is essential. CBD is not synonymous with cannabis; CBD is one of the 150 … [Read more...]
What do all those ‘biotics’ do?
Microbiome researchers have learned that microbiome health likely plays a key role in the overall health of pets. Veterinarians and pet owners can choose a probiotic, prebiotic, synbiotic or postbiotic, but knowing which bug or brand is a good choice is difficult. The GI microbiome is a complex ecosystem, writes Martha Cline, DVM, DACVIM, in this article. She shares some of … [Read more...]
Thanksgiving foods dogs can eat
Thanksgiving weekend is infamous in the veterinary world for causing a spike in pancreatitis, vomiting and diarrhea. Kate Basedow, LVT, reminds dog owners to use moderation and lists of Thanksgiving foods dog can share, to coach guest and restrict access to the cornucopia of foods available. Source: Whole Dog Journal, October 29, 2024. Link. INSIGHTS: While pet owners … [Read more...]
Where North Americans shop online
U.S. consumers made 94.3 percent of the $1.170 trillion in online purchases by North American shoppers in 2023. Studying the Top 50, Digital 360 says incumbents face significant challenges from store-based retailers selling online, as well as marketplaces. Sales for the Top 50 online shopping sites grew by 10.4 percent in 2023. Source: Digital 360, October 22, 2024. … [Read more...]
More Gen Xers and Baby Boomers returning to school more than ever before
An increasing number of college students aren't kids anymore; they're older, writes Professor Lisa Chilcote Bacco. She shares how teaching and guiding this cohort requires a different approach that optimizes the life experiences of the older students. Bacco describes crystalized knowledge as a "superpower" that older students use in the classroom. It is a vast mental library … [Read more...]