The amount and pace of transformation around us is overwhelming. Change is the new normal. According to scientists we are living in a VUCA world; one that is heavily impacted by increasing levels of volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity. Yet, even if we see the benefit and understand the need for change and although we have the knowledge, skills and resources to act … [Read more...]
68.2 percent fewer dairies since 1992
The number of dairies needed to produce adequate milk supplies continues to decline. The dairy industry is on track to have only half as many farms as it does today. The only question is which year during the 2030s it will happen. Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, March 20, 2017. The biggest statewide declines have occurred in North Dakota (-94.4 percent) and Arkansas (-93.1 … [Read more...]
Did my phone just buzz?
Have you been convinced that you felt your phone vibrate in your pocket or heard your ringtone? Yet, when you check your phone, no one tried to reach you. More than 80 percent of college students recently surveyed have experienced the phantom buzz. If it’s happening more than once a day it could be a sign that you’re psychologically dependent on your cellphone. Source: The … [Read more...]
More than 1 million acres burned; photo essay
Ron Smith captures the devastation of the recent wildfires that have burned much of the Southern Plains. At a time when green grass should replace hay and rations, cattlemen and farmers are back at winter-like protocols to keep the remaining livestock alive. Source: Beef, March 13, 2017. Fires burned across thousands of acres of rangeland, leaving a blackened landscape for … [Read more...]
Ceva becomes Sustaining Sponsor of AHD
Our team at AHD is pleased to announce Ceva has committed to a Sustaining Sponsorship for 2017. You will note that we have exchanged Ceva’s logo for their Double Defense Heartworm Protocol program logo. Double Defense represents Ceva’s approach to fighting the rising incidence of heartworm infection in dogs. The Double Defense approach, which includes using … [Read more...]
The white horses of Camargue
At some time in most animal health pros’ lives, a love of animals is born. It may have been a puppy or kitten, but for some, the horse was their inspiration. For renowned photographer Drew Doggett, a passion for horses developed, particularly with breeds that have overcome difficult circumstances or have an interesting lineage. The horses of Camargue fit that perfectly. We … [Read more...]
Backyard chicken revolution struts onward
Chicken raising is experiencing unprecedented popularity. The backyard-chicken movement is recapturing some of the agricultural legacy lost to golf courses, sprawling estates and business campuses. Source: Pet Product News International, March 2017. The guesstimates of the number of backyard chicken owners in the U.S. is anywhere from 1 million to 10 million households. … [Read more...]
Pet industry supported 1.3 million jobs in 2015
We’ve seen pet spending numbers year after year. Now, a study conducted by George Mason University has examined the total economic impact of the pet industry on the economy. Dr. Terry Clower shared that the industry contributes more than $221 billion to the economy including an impressive $23 billion in federal, state and local taxes. Source: Pet Product News International, … [Read more...]
Spooking is not a natural reaction
“The message we hear is constant and insistent,” write Francesco De Giorgio and José De Giorgio-Schoorl. “‘Why does a horse spook? He spooks because it is the most natural thing for him to do.’ But it is not.” Challenging popular beliefs, the authors describe how those who define themselves as horse people need to be willing to change. Source: Horse Network, March 6, … [Read more...]
Dosages differ between prostaglandin products for estrous synchronization
Kalyn Waters, University of Florida Extension, wants to make producers aware of the risk of confusion about dosage and administration of different estrous synchronization products. The addition of a new product in this category increases the need to avoid issues in synchronization successes she says. Source: Drovers CattleNetwork, March 7, 2017. One common trade name is the … [Read more...]
Delegate meeting leadership to gain effectiveness
Well-run meetings allow you and your team to clarify issues, set direction and move objectives forward. Yet, meetings are seldom planned or executed well. Paul Axtell says it’s time to rethink whether you should even lead your own meetings. Source: Harvard Business Review, December 23, 2016. Letting other people lead meetings has three key benefits: Development of your … [Read more...]
“My door is always open.” Fact or fallacy?
As animal health companies, practices and retailers integrate and grow, leaders must encourage candor. Megan Reitz and John Higgins have studied accessibility, employee dynamics and why employees rarely cross the leader’s office door threshold. They challenge leaders to ask five questions. Source: Harvard Business Review, March 9, 2017. Reitz’ and Higgins’ research suggests … [Read more...]
Pre-op surgical site preparation is critical
Surgical site preparation is one of the more important skills operating room veterinary technicians perform in regard to patient care. Currently, surgical site preparation protocols are not standardized. Thus, veterinary team members should adhere to their practices’ accepted procedures when preparing patients for surgery. Source: Veterinary Team Brief, January/February … [Read more...]
Cats are trainable
Sarah Ellis, PhD, says cats can be trained. She is a feline behavior specialist at International Cat Care, an England-based international charity that provides education and training for veterinarians, breeders, cat boarders, rescue workers and cat owners. Training may take a few hours, a day or a few weeks depending on how often owners practice and an individual cat’s … [Read more...]
Top 10 talking points for dog trainers
All areas of dog health and behavior are being studied, which makes it possible to apply scientific insights to the way we train them. As a result, new conversations are taking place among professional dog trainers at conferences and seminars. New discussions arise regularly in the world of dog training. Animal health pros and dog owners need to be involved in them. Source: … [Read more...]
Dr. Blach presents customer service
In the most recent Is My Practice Healthy,? Dr. Blach references focusing on the customer in three different posts. We agree with his assertions. Customer service training, listening or questioning and anticipating customer needs are critical to differentiating your business, territory or company from competitors. Source: Is My Practice Healthy?, March 12, 2017. How do you … [Read more...]
Spot and treat goat parasites
Learn through a Q & A about goat parasites as if you were a new goat raiser. Suburban practices and retailers across the country are having similar conversations. Share this with clients via websites, newsletters and blog posts. Source: Hobby Farms, February 15, 2017. It’s helpful to keep health records for each of your goats to track vaccinations, medications and … [Read more...]
6 questions veterinarians want to hear from dog owners
Veterinarians spend a great deal of time asking and answering questions to understand as much as possible about an individual dog, writes Dr. Byron de la Navarre. He suggests dog owners come prepared with six questions: “How often should I bring in my pet for wellness visits?” “Should I give my pet once-a-month parasite protection medication, and why?” “Do you think … [Read more...]
Equine asthma syndrome review
David Ramey, DVM, reviews the various causes of equine asthma syndrome, a new term to describe airway conditions characterized by inflammation and airway hyperreactivity. Among them: broken wind, heaves, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and IAD (inflammatory air disease). Source: Veterinary Practice News, February 27, 2017. Depending on the clinical signs and … [Read more...]
Horse industry career spotlight: physical therapist specializing in hippotherapy
Animal health pros often receive questions from young persons who desire to get involved in an animal health career. In this article and video, Lisa Harris discusses how she put her love for horses to work in a physical therapy career. Source: Horse Channel, January 27, 2017. Harris sees clients in physical therapy, both children and adults, and uses a variety of treatment … [Read more...]
Client control is key to optimizing pet health
Joel Parker, DVM, discusses ways to communicate effectively with clients whose inboxes and notices are just as full as our own. He suggests three strategic steps to help plan and execute a good Client Control Program (CCP). Source: Messenger, February 2017, pages 17-18. Follow these steps to put a good CCP in place: Set up your client communication lines Get your … [Read more...]
Don’t give up your parasite prevention sales
Bash Halow, LVT, CVPM, has two reasons for not giving up on selling parasite prevention products: Your products, with the assistance of manufacturer incentives, are nearly always competitively priced. You can be the one-stop shop. Halow adds as a veterinary team, rediscover the value of the products that you sell and understand the value of buying them through your … [Read more...]
Don’t forget the pigs
Collectively, swine veterinarians are helping producers and the swine industry deal with added regulation and transparency issues driven by consumers. But, recent discussions at the American Association of Swine Veterinarians annual conference included reminders that their primary role is to advocate for the pig and pig caretaker. Source: National Hog Farmer, February 28, … [Read more...]
Sponsored Content – Here’s the deal with dewormers
Different horses have different deworming needs. The best treatment for any animal starts with a fecal egg count to determine if the horse is a high shedder, medium shedder or low shedder of eggs. This measurement helps determine how often a horse needs deworming and supports herd decisions. Source: Horse Network, February 6, 2017. For many years, horses were treated with a … [Read more...]
Editorial: Musings from WVC 2017
Returning home from the Western Veterinary Conference, I reflected that this year, the WVC was the comfortable veterinary conference. That is, comfortable compared to NAVC, which recently debuted in the vast Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. In past years, WVC seemed to tax our physical and time-management stamina. But, after the marathon hiking required during … [Read more...]
All disease begins in the gut
Post-weaning gaps in piglets can easily take seven to 10 days. Some well-managed farms, however, can contain this to one or two days. Knowing what is going on in a piglet’s gastro-intestinal tract is the first step towards gaining control of these problems. Source: Pig Progress, September 23, 2016. The gut is responsible for up to 80% of the immune system. Immunogloblin A … [Read more...]
Technology is a literal pain in the neck
Many of us walk around with our necks jutting further forward than they should be. It is a consequence of being so tied to smartphones, notebooks, driving and working on computers. Bob Fischer, a personal trainer in Philadelphia, shares his five favorite moves for counteracting the effects of "tech neck." Source: Prevention, January 25, 2017. One study published in the … [Read more...]
Organizational alignment counts
Regardless of size, the most effective businesses succeed because their strategies, organizational capabilities, resources and management systems support the enterprise’s purpose. But many businesses struggle to keep the balance needed to excel. Source: Harvard Business Review, February 7, 2017. A tightly managed enterprise value chain that connects an enterprise’s purpose … [Read more...]
Cat-friendly practices tops 1,000
The American Association of Feline Practitioners indicated last year there are 1,050 cat-friendly practices and another 500 in the process of earning the designation. Understanding cat behavior, feline-friendly handling, and reducing stress associated with the visit are core components of the CFP program. The program encompasses the entire well-being of cats, cat caregivers and … [Read more...]
Major issues facing agriculture
Leaders from U.S. trade associations shared their groups’ most pressing priorities for 2017. Their list includes topics that relate to human safety and life quality. Source: AgriMarketing, January/February 2017, page 24-28. There are always a number of important issues to consider ahead of any year, but 2017 seems to have lots of unknowns. More importantly, the questions … [Read more...]