“The era of big conservation is over,” says Audubon’s Marshall Johnson. “It’s up to us to drive the outcomes for the next 100 years.” He explains the importance of cattle, grasslands and cattle ranchers participating in Audubon’s Conservation Ranching Initiative to conserve ecosystems and sustainability. Their efforts are third-party verified to bear Audubon’s “grazed on … [Read more...]
Hutches can contribute to calves’ heat stress
Producers who raise preweaned dairy calves frequently use calf hutches. For all their advantages, their lack of climate control makes heat stress monitoring and prevention important. Jud Heinrichs and Colleen Jones write about how high temperatures, excessive humidity and the sun take a toll on calves. Air movement, moisture, hair coat, bedding and rumination activity are … [Read more...]
Understanding pinkeye; a laboratory overview
Commentary including sponsored content from Addison Biological Laboratory. Infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis, also known as pinkeye, is a common eye disease cattle producers hate treating. Routinely transmitted by flies, pinkeye’s frequently observed pathogens are Moraxella bovis, Moraxella bovoculi, Mycoplasma bovis, Mycoplasma bovoculi and bovine herpesvirus type 1 … [Read more...]
3rd annual NAVC Media E-Commerce+ Summit to be (appropriately) virtual
Complimentary commercial content This year’s NAVC E-Commerce+ Summit will take place virtually September 22nd and 23rd. The speaker lineup will examine where our industry is headed, and how generational expectation differences continue to change the landscape. The conference will help you prepare for future developments. Topics include: How pets have transformed … [Read more...]
What do these animals have in common?
What do unique characteristic do sheep, horses, octopuses, goats and toads all share? Unique nasal cilia Exist on every continent Rectangular pupils Potential to transfer warts to humans None of the above Click the link to the source below for the answer. Source: Trivia Genius, ZME Science, July 22, 2020. Link. … [Read more...]
To wether or not, when and how
When a male goat gets castrated, he becomes a wether. While it is possible to castrate surgically, it is not the preferred method, shares Karen Kopf. Banding is considered the safest, gentlest, least intrusive way to accomplish castration when done in a timely manner. One of the greatest risks of banding goats is tetanus since the band creates an anaerobic environment. Care … [Read more...]
What does it cost to wean an older pig?
It is normal to challenge norms in swine and poultry production. The authors from Swine Management Services manage a complex database to help swine producers make production, health and economic decisions. While counter-intuitive, some advantages exist for moving to an older weaning age. Source: National Hog Farmer, July 1, 2020. Link. INSIGHTS: Data like these help us … [Read more...]
Pork backlog is moving
If you experienced some of the meat issues during the first months of Covid-19, the backlog of pig slaughter is catching up. At least the slaughter weights have returned to pre-pandemic levels. Source: Swineweb.com, August 4, 2020. Link. The author references USDA weekly metrics and discusses the situation and production changes that contribute to normalization. INSIGHTS: … [Read more...]
Clean rabbit scent glands properly
The popularity of pet rabbits continues to grow. In addition to maintaining tooth and nail lengths, and weekly brushing, rabbits need their scent glands cleaned regularly. We’re sharing video resources that can help veterinary teams and rabbit owners with nails and glands. Source: How to clean a rabbit’s scent glands, House Rabbit Society. Link. Typically the scent glands … [Read more...]
Help to understand prebiotics and probiotics for dogs and cats
The business of nutraceuticals used as prebiotics and probiotics is confusing, full of misdirection and often neither good nor bad. Ann Wortinger BIS, LVT, VTS, writes, “According to the hype, these products can improve the immune system and gastrointestinal function while performing a number of other tasks just short of emptying the litter box.” Her comment sets the stage for … [Read more...]
Cats get separation anxiety, too
It’s hard to picture a cat tearing up a pillow because its owner left the house. A recent study showed that cats living with humans have similar attachment styles to pet parents as dogs and children do. 64 percent of the cats evaluated were described as securely attached to their humans. These cats showed less stress when near their caregivers.” Source: PetMD, June 8, 2020. … [Read more...]
5 FAQs about pets and vaccines
August is National Immunization Awareness Month. Carley Lintz provides a brief guide to share with pet parents about animals and vaccinations. Rudimentary? Yes! But consider using this to contact local media, as the basis for an interview on local radio or for developing a script for a YouTube video for your website. The K.I.S.S. principle probably applies here and yes, … [Read more...]
Favorite 5 articles from Clinician’s Brief
We’re sharing this group of articles from Clinicians Brief in the event you hit delete before taking a good look at this group of peer reviewed tips. Source: 5 tips for treating otitis externa, Clinician’s Brief, June 2019. Link. Source: Top 5 complications of gonadectomy, Clinician’s Brief, February 2020. Link. Relevant information in light of this recent post: Neutering … [Read more...]
FAMILY: help your kids be fearless
Kids! School decisions. To sport or not. To interact with peers. Alone at home. Whew, what a time to have kids. Fears are normal in children, until they prevent them from experiencing life, writes Rachel Buchholz. It is rare to not hear something about kids and choices in industry conversations these days. We’ve included Buchholz’s recent National Geographic newsletter … [Read more...]
What is your cleaning, sanitizing and disinfection IQ?
The pandemic has forever opened people’s eyes to the impact infective pathogens have on our lives. This author reviews the challenges we all have managing a less infection prone environment. As animal health pros, we are primary sources of information and education for our clients and those in our networks. The information here is rudimentary and worth sharing internally and … [Read more...]
P.U.R.R. your way to optimal patient flow
When you are hell-bent on surviving considerable changes to how to do life, your business and meet client expectations, customer experience planning and mapping may not be a high priority. Now as the world attempts to reopen and live with Covid-19 risks, planning patient flow is an important part of progress. Claire Pickens, CVPM, SHRM-CP, CSSGB, looks at patient flow … [Read more...]
Grouchy clients, stressed staff, but business is growing
The VHMA’s tracking surveys are often revealing. June 2020 versus June 2019 numbers look strong, even in the shadow of a possible recession. Practices are reeling from the cumulative disruption from the pandemic but gaining ground against previous shortfalls. About 53 percent of practices never changed their hours of operation and another 25 percent did, but have returned to … [Read more...]
Elanco welcomes Bayer Animal Health (video)
Complimentary commercial content Jeffrey Simmons, president and CEO at Elanco, welcomes Bayer to the Elanco business. His message is one of commitment and excellence, hallmarks of brands from both entities. This is a significant event in animal health. It is important to really listen to the breadth and scope in the narrative. Source: YouTube, August 3, 2020. … [Read more...]
Looking ahead with The Bridge Club
Now three years old, The Bridge Club continues to gain momentum, popularity and fill gaps in our social and professional networks. Animal health pros rely on each other’s experiences and perspectives. The Bridge Club virtual events have evolved to emulate discussions often had over lunch or at the watering hole during on-site industry conventions. Source: The Bridge Club. … [Read more...]
Rev up replacement heifers
Patsy Houghton, president and general manager of Heartland Cattle Co., McCook, Nebraska, gave advice for developing heifers in fall 2020, spring 2021 and beyond in a recent Angus University webinar. She offered seven challenges to help commercial cattlemen improve their replacement heifers: Place selection pressure on fertility Enhance your calf crop value Improve … [Read more...]
Preg-check beef cows early
Identifying reproductive issues, managing input costs, more efficient culling along various preg-checking methods are presented in this article. Producers have a variety of options for managing nonpregnant cows and heifers.” Source: Bovine Veterinarian, July 10, 2020. Link. Current cattle markets, weather outlooks and feed availability are all factors that should be … [Read more...]
5 steps to decrease somatic cell counts (infographic)
Like you and me, cows are physically more stressed when it is hot. Somatic cell counts in milking dairy cows are a signal to dairy producers that an immune response is occurring. Add the influence of stress hormones and changes in cow behavior, the result is often an increase in environmental mastitis. It’s important to keep stalls clean, provide good fly control and provide … [Read more...]
Preconditioning, premiums and the real value of vaccines
Cow doc Jake Geis, DVM, discusses preconditioning calves, getting a better return on your vaccine and parasite control investment in the entire herd, not just calves. Cattle buyers place the most preference in a preconditioning program for the number of days weaned. . . because they know it means the cow-calf producer took on the risk of doing the actual job of weaning and … [Read more...]
Cats can make you sick or even kill you
Just as our industry is getting more clients to bring cats to clinics, become better educated on prevention and improve the human-animal bonds cats empower, we get these warnings. Cat lover Richard O’Brien, MD, uses a scary title to outline slight risks and big risks when sharing space with cats. . . . don’t test a cat’s limits of composure. Protect your pet, yourself and your … [Read more...]
Leptospirosis Cliff notes: Screen, test and treat leptospirosis better (webcast)
Complimentary commercial content from VETgirl and Merck Animal Health Natalie Marks, DVM, reviews common and uncommon presentations of leptospirosis in general practice, lab abnormalities not to miss and keys to successful therapy. The review includes clinical signs of leptospirosis in dogs, signalment, what treatment is, and how to diagnose it. Also included is a brief … [Read more...]
Neutering study lays out guidelines for 35 dog breeds
Our industry has struggled to answer questions about when or if to consider neutering for dogs because of great disparity between breeds. A new, 10-year study by researchers at the University of California – Davis, examined 35 dog breeds and found vulnerability from neutering varies greatly depending on the breed, size and sex. Source: UC Davis, July 15, 2020. Link. “We … [Read more...]
Pigs used to save human lungs
Here’s an exceptional extension to the human animal bond. While still in early development, using pigs to revive damaged human lungs is promising. By hooking up lungs that had been rejected for transplant to the pigs, research scientists were able to revive the lungs in 24 hours.” Researchers indicate there are two possible applications for this research. Pigs could be used … [Read more...]
Getting to the bottom of goosebumps
Scientists have found the same cell types that cause goosebumps are also important for regulating stem cells that regenerate the hair follicle and hair. In this study, we identified an interesting dual-component niche that not only regulates the stem cells under steady state, but also modulates stem cell behaviors according to temperature changes outside.” - Ya-Chieh … [Read more...]
10 fun facts about mosquitoes
Fun? Well maybe for an entomologist. ;-) Animal health pros are the perfect sources to CONFIDENTLY help animal owners decrease the risk from mosquito-borne diseases. But, products on the shelf or not discussed never repel or kill one of the pests. Talk about them. Mid-summer is the peak time for mosquitoes!” Source: The Outdoor Wear, July 16, 2020. Link. People with Type O … [Read more...]
Dictation platform built for veterinarians now available on Mac
Mac users are celebrating as Talkatoo announces it has finished production of its revolutionary dictation software in a version for macOS. Up until now, it was only possible to do so on Windows. Talkatoo’s voice dictation solution offers tremendous flexibility and convenience for vets everywhere, even on their personal laptops. . . Windows or Mac.” Source: Talkatoo. Link. … [Read more...]