Here is a look at significant topics that will likely dominate work conversations in 2018: Unequal pay Advertising Generation inclusion Flexible, remote and freelance work Robots and AI Source: Fast Company, December 18, 2017. … [Read more...]
Get ready for 2018
If you are working, you belong on LinkedIn. It is an absolute must for everyone engaged in the business community. While it can be the link to your next promotion or your next job, I have found it to be a great continuous learning source and an outstanding networking tool. Once there, it is important to keep your profile current and the end of the year is a great time to add … [Read more...]
Zoonotic knowledge poor in MDs and population
Sixty percent of all diseases are zoonotic as are 75 percent of emerging diseases. Sarah Wooten, DVM, shares the metrics surrounding the human medical profession and population related to understanding the risks from animal-human contact. Share this article routinely with local doctors and on websites, social media posts and newsletters. Be sure your own staff is familiar with … [Read more...]
Getting along with others: popular posts with animal health pros
After peppering some human-to human-interaction posts in the AHD BULLETIN early 2017, we learned that animal health pros are just as interested in getting along with each other and clients as they are with keeping animals healthy. In fact, this reality added more than 20 media sources for our team to scour routinely. Source: Animal Health Digest, July-December 2017. Facing … [Read more...]
Most popular posts: animal topics and issues
AHD was founded to support animal health pros with content in the context of how they interact with animals and animal owners. Articles posted in this genre’ remain the most opened posts of all categories. Seven posts topped the opened metrics in the last two quarters of 2017. Topics like these become support materials during sales calls with representatives as well as topics … [Read more...]
Pat Malone’s posts: highly favored
Posts written by AHD’s weekly contributor, Pat Malone, are consistently opened at a high rate. He writes about leadership and productive communication. We all thank Mr. Malone for sharing his expertise, leadership and training experiences. Most of all we appreciate his support and friendship. Source: Animal Health Digest, July-December 2017. We captured the eight most-opened … [Read more...]
Women transform dairy farm management in western Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin-River Falls offers a two-year associate’s degree program in animal science management. The male-female ratio has changed noticeably over the last few years with female students dominating the numbers. Farmers are noticing, and benefiting from, the special connection many female workers develop with livestock. Source: Pioneer Press, December 15, … [Read more...]
Extreme weather requires preparation
Caring for horses often presents challenges when rain, drought or snow dominate the headlines. The Equus team discusses ways to prepare for abnormal extremes. This is good content for social media posts, websites and to use in training sessions with horse owners. Source: Equus, November 2014. For horse people, the weather is a constantly changing variable that has a direct … [Read more...]
Sponsored content: Free guide to goat farming
More people are raising goats. While the goat farming resources are many, too much information can be a detriment. There are different suggestions for manger design, theories about feeding kids and vague generalities about goat milk quality. Customers need guidance. A free guide from Countryside is now available for downloading. Source: Countryside Daily, December 16, … [Read more...]
NAVTA Animal Health Bi-Weekly
The National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America highlights positive trends, issues and topics of interest to its constituency. This issue includes the following: Treating incontinence in female dogs Vaccinations are key to fighting canine influenza Dog food recalled for salmonella Veterinary profession looks promising for 2018 AVMA supports … [Read more...]
Opinion – Cats, boxes and digital communication
A story of cats in boxes has been the rage this year. Beyond its novelty, is the reality that the story appears in a medium not affiliated with an animal health publication. This is another example of the realities of the human-animal bond, the digital evolution, continual scrutiny of animals in the food chain and zoonotic risks place animal health topics into non-traditional … [Read more...]
Why dogs chew everything
"Chewing, for a dog, is like a human opening a door and looking into a room," said Colin Tennant, the chairman of the U.K. Canine and Feline Behaviour Association. "People are nosy, and so are the dogs. But they investigate with their mouths, because they don't have hands." Source: Live Science, December 5, 2017. Dogs frequently chew things because they like the taste or … [Read more...]
Sexual harassment; HR needs help
Research indicates that one in three women experience sexual harassment, although a staggering 71 percent never report it. Human resources professionals are routinely conflicted by the balancing act of providing support to the victim while still serving the company. Empowering HR to be proactive about handling sexual harassment cases will improve company morale, and it will … [Read more...]
In celebration of lost words
Just for fun! At some point in their lexical histories, lost words’ original meanings died and have been revived into a mere semblance of their former selves. And we wonder why expatriates and newcomers have trouble assimilating. Source: JSTOR Daily, December 6, 2017. We tend to eagerly focus on the weird new expressions and linguistic innovations that enter the language … [Read more...]
3 simple words will set you free: a millennial confesses
Niklas Goeke is a millennial; a writer, book summarizer and habit coach. He exposes us to the shattered self as something all humans go through. Millennials, however, experience this traumatizing, but important event very early in their lives. The reason my generation stands out is not because of our age, but because of how we react to this event, says Goeke. “We … [Read more...]
Be more productive without burnout
I recently crossed paths with a colleague at a networking session. The discussion went like this. Me: “How have you been?” Colleague: “Busy and I hope it is productive.” Me: “I’m curious, could you share how you measure that?” Colleague: “Hah, I wish I knew!” Ten years ago, this conversation would have continued to award busy as a badge of achievement. Today, … [Read more...]
Your life is off course if you’re too busy for these 5 things
Benjamin P. Hardy uses an analogy of piloting and adjusting the course of an airplane to minimize the turbulence and other conditions distracting your path. The fastest way to move forward in life is not doing more. It starts with stopping the behaviors holding you back, says Hardy. You’ll make more progress by stopping your negative behaviors than starting good ones. Here are … [Read more...]
Stay ahead of Coccidiosis in calves
Coccidia, a parasitic protozoa that colonizes in the intestinal tract of cattle, is one of the “biggies” of pathogens that cause scours in pre- and post-weaned calves. Eggs are produced internally and pass into the environment via shedding in manure. Nearly all animals on dairies will eventually be exposed to coccidia. Source: Dairy Herd Management, December 7, 2017. If the … [Read more...]
Horse coughing may indicate trouble
Sometimes coughing in horses is harmless. It may be the first sign of serious trouble. Heather Smith Thomas reviews how to tell the difference. Notice the background information about the horse’s activities. These references will help veterinary staff members ask good questions when receiving a call from a horse owner. Source: Equus, October 5, 2017. Knowing when to call … [Read more...]
I almost listened in your meeting, but didn’t
If we all plan better meetings, we’ll dread them less, says Jenni Maier. She put together a list of all the reasons people don’t listen in meetings, as well as a few quick fixes. Animal health pros in management, sales and marketing, as well as those setting one-on-one meetings for reviews or issue resolution can apply these tips. Here’s why people don’t listen: You didn’t … [Read more...]
How to grab anyone’s attention in common work situations
Many business discussions are impromptu. Grabbers build an immediate bridge to your listener(s) and clears the way for your message, says Judith Humphreys. She shares seven common scenarios you’re likely to encounter at work, and the grabbers that are best suited to each. Source: Fast Company, December 11, 2017. Think of your grabber as a verbal handshake. It builds a … [Read more...]
Senecavirus A gaining a foothold in the U.S. swine industry
Dr. Jack Shere, a DVM with USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, is concerned about the increasing prevalence of Senecavirus A (SVA) in the U.S. swine herd. SVA is a disease that mimics Foot and Mouth disease (FMD). This is why producers need to be more vigilant than ever when they see signs of blisters or lesions on pigs’ skin . Source: Pork, December 8, … [Read more...]
Telemedicine and its impact of veterinary medicine
The AVMA House of Delegates recently voted to implement a new policy regarding telemedicine. When using telemedicine tools, the veterinarian must have an established veterinarian–client–patient relationship (VCPR). Clients should be aware of the advice giver’s identity, location, licensure status, and potential privacy and security issues with electronic … [Read more...]
Elevating the role of veterinary nurses
It is important for animal health pros to understand the Veterinary Nurse Initiative and its empowerment for this work force. It aims to standardize the profession’s educational requirements, scope of practice, requirements to maintain the credential, and title protection, and to rename the role from veterinary technician to veterinary nurse. Source: Veterinary Team Brief, … [Read more...]
BarkBox continues upward sales clip (includes video)
BarkBox is a phenomenon in the consumer pet market. It has 500,000 delivery service subscribers and more than 4 million fans on Facebook and Instagram. BarkBox’s social media team creates original video content and shares relatable memes with its followers to remind them of the emotional connection humans have with their furry friends. In other words, the content that gets … [Read more...]
Not all dogs need cute winter coats
Winter coats for dogs are cute, but they likely aren’t needed? Carol Bryant discusses which dog breeds should wear coats in the winter and how to choose one. This is good information for pet owners that can be deliver via social media, newsletters and have available in-house. Source: Dogster, December 5, 2017. Bryant shares the following on canine couture: Fiction: All … [Read more...]
2016 antibiotic sales down 10 percent from 2015
The use of antibiotics in livestock production continues to be a hot topic with the threat of antibiotic resistance from superbugs. A new report indicates a reduction occurred even prior to the implementation of the VFD. Source: Dairy Herd Management, December 18, 2017. FDA released a 2016 summary report December 7, 2017 on “Antimicrobials Sold or Distributed for Use in … [Read more...]
5 tips for presenting to senior executives
In today’s world, however, there are more ways to stop somebody’s thought flow than ever before. Besides the casual popping by your desk or workspace, interrupters instant message, e-mail, text and call you, sometimes simultaneously. Petra Neiger shares facts about the impact of frequent workplace interruptions and some ideas to reclaim your power over interruptions. … [Read more...]
To get support for your CX vision, Just ASK!
Customer experience (CX) is a mainstay of business strategies. It is not a new concept, it is just that with the digital experiences added to it, CX can now occur much of the time without humans being directly involved. Krista Sheridan writes about changing the question from one of making people do things to letting people do things. In other words, asking for help. Source: … [Read more...]
Happiness is a journey, not a destination and other career lessons
Bernard Marr gathered his top 10 career lessons to take to heart now. He has found that people often take the nose-to-the-grindstone advice and then learn too late in their careers that there’s more to life (and success) than just keeping busy. AHD was developed to support #5 and #7. Source: LinkedIn, September 18, 2017. Here are the 10 ten career lessons from Bernard … [Read more...]