Choke looks spooky, especially to novice horse owners, but when handled correctly it usually resolves on its own. Horses don’t stop breathing like humans do when choke occurs. In time the chunk of apple or wad of food moves on in most cases. Horse owners will appreciate the counseling in this article, including the guidance to call their veterinarian. Consider it for social … [Read more...]
Reduce prednisone and prednisolone confusion
Complimentary Educational Content Elaine Blythe, Pharm D discusses glucocorticoids and why prednisolone is used for horses and cats. She also shares an inventory management tip to keep the skus from getting confused. Source: Veterinary Pharmacy Education, Instagram, August 29, 2023. Link. … [Read more...]
Veterinarians reach for software to build practices and expand their customer base
Complimentary Commercial Content Stretched to their limits, rural veterinarians are seeking better ways to serve their clients and build their practices. Growing herd sizes and geographic distances are opportunities for those practitioners who understand the value of supporting producers remotely instead of running the proverbial fire truck practice. Waylon Wise, BSc, Ag, … [Read more...]
What pet food manufacturing contributes to the U.S. economy
The direct contributions made by pet food manufacturers to the U.S. economy include nearly $11 billion in added value, including $2.9 billion in labor income representing 32,938 jobs. That’s almost $35 billion in sales according to research detailed in the American Feed Industry Association’s April 2023 report <Link>. Source: PETFOOD Industry, August 15, 2023. … [Read more...]
Prevent the spread of disease in the grooming salon
In addition to the pets, groomers and their staffs also have high exposure to many of the same diseases and infections veterinary teams encounter. For that matter, some of the risks are inherent in pet sitting and boarding businesses, too. Cliff Favor, DVM, shares ways to manage the risks of zoonotic infections. He says the most significant risks come from the bacteria and … [Read more...]
Empathy – the secret sauce
Empathy is one of the building blocks of healthy business relationships. Source: headspace, July 2023. Link. Being able to recognize and relate to the feelings of others does not come in degrees. Like any skill, it is there, or not. INSIGHT: The ability to suspend your own point of view for the moment is confidence. Also see: Search results for: Empathy, AHD. Link. … [Read more...]
Bored and brilliant. The lost art of spacing out.
Commentary Even before the pandemic attention deficits, Manoush Zomorodi was challenging us for being distracted by our phones. Her TED talk is worth 16 minutes of an animal health pro’s time. She has included the knowledge, voices and stories from various professionals. Consider watching the video with team … [Read more...]
Here’s how much workers are demanding for a new job
Employers might be eyeing smaller raises than they have in the past couple of years, but don't tell that to employees: job seekers are expecting record-high offers. Workers' average reservation wage, the lowest salary employees say they would take for a new job, has risen to $78,645 and college graduates expect even more. Source: SHRM, August 23, 2023. Link. … [Read more...]
Fabian Kausche, M.S., Dr.med.vet. awarded the 2023 KCAHC Iron Paw Award
The Iron Paw award is given to an individual from research, academia, industry or government regardless of title or years of service who has provided a significant impact on or contribution to the global animal health industry. Dr. Fabian Kausche is no exception although many animal health pros may not be aware of how his leadership has driven culture, diversity, inclusion and … [Read more...]
KCAHC Summit 2023 key takeaways
In the press release linked here, the KC Corridor’s supporting team provides a summary of the #AHSummit23 including the emerging companies presentation results, the Iron Paw award, as well as key takeaways from the Insights from Top Leaders panel. The vision to develop industry potential was unscored by a focus on the health and welfare of our industry’s people. Animal health … [Read more...]
Everything’s up to date in Kansas City!
Commentary A line in the 1955 lyrics from Rodgers’ and Hammerstein’s stage show Oklahoma says, “They’ve gone about as fer as they c’n go!” They were wrong. Each year, a few more animal health pros are missing from the original group of about 100 of us that met in 2003 in a fall gathering sponsored by the Kansas City Area Development Council. From those SmartCities … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – August 24, 2023
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, August 17, 2023. Link. Most read post(s) from August 17th AHD Bulletin – Building rapport with questions. Link. …another dental treat? The inventor of Greenies™ says, “Yes.” Link. Taking care of thirsty pollinators. Link. Place keeper: 2023 Veterinary Conferences provided by Galaxy … [Read more...]
Neogen Corporation, launch of Igenity Enhanced Dairy
Complimentary Commercial Content <BQ> Data plays a crucial role in decision-making, and the Igenity Enhanced Dairy platform gives producers a useful tool that contributes to the improvement of genetic selection in the dairy cattle market.” – Victor Pedrosa, PhD Source: Feedstuffs, August 16, 2023. Link. By integrating in-herd phenotypic data, pedigree information, … [Read more...]
4 health issues for calves on pasture
Includes Complimentary Commercial Content Norbrook’s Eric Moore, DVM, shares four calf health problems for calves on pasture. His proactive assertions about preventing pinkeye, parasites, scours, and pneumonia are as applicable now as they were in the spring. Source: Successful Farming, December 28, 2022. Link. INSIGHTS: Producers in drought-affected areas are likely … [Read more...]
Black vultures killing calves in the Midwest and their territory is expanding
As if drought, poor quality forage, cattle diseases and parasites aren’t enough, some Midwest cow-calf producers are dealing with the black vulture, a federally protected bird that has a reputation for killing newborn livestock. The scavengers have expanded their range northward into Illinois, Indiana and Missouri over the past decade. Source: KCUR 89.3, NPR, August 21, … [Read more...]
We need a lot of blue to remain green
Paper: How advances in animal efficiency and management have affected beef cattle’s water intensity in the United States: 1991 compared to 2019. Benjamin Franklin once said, “When the well is dry, we know the worth of water.” Animal health pros realize water quality affects animal health outcomes. So does water availability. While the beef industry has been focusing on … [Read more...]
Equine experts refute standard cooling out practices; restricting water to hot horses
Two experts challenge some standard practices asserting horses need to rehydrate promptly after exercise so their body's cooling mechanisms function effectively, especially if the horse is receiving the diuretic Lasix (furosemide). They also shared thoughts on hosing horses down and using cooling sheets. “A horse has to sweat; it's their basic mechanism to dissipate heat. . … [Read more...]
An integrated approach to older cat care
Includes added content referencing animal chiropractic Relating aging care approaches for humans to aging cats, Narda Robinson, DO, DVM, MS, FAAMA, shares why integrative geriatrics using patient-centered, primarily non-pharmacological approaches makes sense for felines in their twilight years. The practice of integrative geriatrics is rooted in lifestyle interventions, … [Read more...]
One Health central to Senate Veterinary Medicine Caucus
ICYMI. The U.S. Senate has established a bipartisan Veterinary Medicine Caucus, aimed at educating lawmakers and their staffs about the challenges facing the profession and advancing legislation that benefits the veterinary community. The group will serve to represent the vital role veterinary medicine plays in research, public health, food safety and the … [Read more...]
The inside-out approach to customer centricity
Being customer-centric sounds easy but it is tough to execute well. These authors share five customer centricity models indicating there is more than one way to be customer-centric. The article is good perspective as strategies are modeled for 2024 and beyond. You can’t transform your customers’ experiences unless you align the organizational culture—especially the day-to-day … [Read more...]
Enter the “I protect pigs” biosecurity photo contest
This APHIS photo contest seeks to capture the essence of biosecurity in pig farming. Photographers’ photos can play a vital role in educating the world about the pig biosecurity protocols that keep our pork industry safe. Source: PORK, August 4, 2023. Link. INSIGHTS: Share this with youth groups and swine producers on social media, in newsletters and with local radio and … [Read more...]
Foreign animal disease outbreaks on minds of producers
More than 65 percent of persons interested in swine health and production are concerned about foreign animal disease getting into the U.S. hog population based on this snapshot of a National Hog Farmer reader poll. Qualitative measurements help animal health pros identify opportunities to support producers’ prevention efforts to keep animals and the food chain safe. Source: … [Read more...]
Virtual fencing, rotational grazing as a climate adaptation strategy
A lot of wire has been strung to create separate pastures and save grasses for grazing in the last few years of drought. The photo here is an example. Now, the advancements in virtual fencing can be used to contain animals within a desired area, exclude them from undesired areas, or move them to new landscapes without the need for physical fences. Morgan Lawrence shares how … [Read more...]
Marketing cull cows
Cull weight and cull cow price are significant elements of profitability for cow-calf producers. Other factors amount to decisions, decisions, decisions. Do we: Buy hay? Pray for rains so pastures hold out? Sell cull cows early? Find an alternative feed source? The cull cow market is variable from one year to the next, and producers need to be flexible and innovative.” - David … [Read more...]
Taking care of thirsty pollinators
Complimentary Commercial Content Without bees, our environment would be drastically different as 60 percent of the fruit and vegetables would disappear, as well as approximately 25,000 species of flowering plants. Each of us can create a bee-friendly habitat in our own yard or gardens to make a difference for bee populations on the local level.” The National Wildlife … [Read more...]
Insect control strategies for horse owners
Includes Commercial Content Owning and keeping horses healthy requires a significant commitment beyond time to train and ride. Alayne Blickle shares the importance of an integrated, multitiered insect control plan to combat flies, mosquitoes, midges and other insects that create nuisance and health issues for horses and their owners. Source: The Horse. Link. A successful … [Read more...]
Animal rights groups bring in more than $800M annually
Nearly one-third of animal rights extremist attacks documented in 2022 targeted farmers and food workers, putting them and animals in danger, according to reports from the Animal Agriculture Alliance.* The major animal rights extremist groups like PETA are effective fundraisers and acquire millions of dollars annually to support lobbying efforts, public relations campaigns and … [Read more...]
Health economist; increasing number of drugs in short supply (video)
No drugs at any price? Geoffrey Joyce, PhD, believes the escalating drug shortage problem illustrates a major shortcoming of capitalism. He says the problem boils down to the nature of the pharmaceutical industry and how differently the markets for brand and generic drugs operate. Current shortages include widely known drugs such as the antibiotic amoxicillin; the heart … [Read more...]
Discourse on rewarding A performers while hoping for Bs
James Heskett lobs a topic for consideration in this article. He expresses the hypocrisies that occur when leaders hope for collaboration and teamwork for the benefit of the organization but provide incentives for individual performance. . . . we speak of the desirability of good long-term business performance, but almost all incentives, especially those imposed by markets, … [Read more...]
Highlights from the Agricultural Media Summit
The Agricultural Media Summit took place July 30th through August 2nd in Palm Springs, Calif. The nation’s largest gathering for ag media is a joint meeting of Agricultural Communicators Network, Livestock Publications Council and Ag Media Council. A few highlights from the event mirror the challenges animal health pros face. First, the panel discussion, “How Different … [Read more...]