Shared by an industry colleague, this Bowman Report Special Edition looks at sustainability in the veterinary industry. Contributions from Mars Veterinary Health, MWI Animal Health and Zoetis reveal the steps major animal health companies are taking to become more environmentally responsible. Also, a Packaged Facts analysis spotlights important insights into what consumers want … [Read more...]
Things that fit through a surgical mask
This Facebook Reel stopped me in my tracks. It is a vivid illustration of particle size and just how vulnerable animal health pros are to particles, viruses, bacteria and more. Yes, we already know much of this information, but reviewing it with your teams could deepen the understanding and importance of infection control. Source: Lawton Green, Facebook Reel. Link. (0:30) … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – September 7, 2023
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, August 24, 2023. Link. Most read post(s) from the August 24th AHD Bulletin – Here’s how much workers are demanding for a new job. Link. Empathy – the secret sauce. Link. The need for vigilant African swine fever on-farm prevention. Link. Place keeper: 2023 Veterinary Conferences provided by … [Read more...]
Cryptosporidium parasite is endemic to even the tidiest dairy farms
Just one tablespoon of feces from a Crypto-infected calf contains enough oocysts to infect dozens of other calves if they consume it orally. The tiny oocysts have a hard outer shell that encloses and protects the parasite making them difficult to kill. . . . the most effective way to keep Crypto at bay is to remove moisture from calf environments and feeding utensils as … [Read more...]
Locomotion and reproduction issues top reasons for sow mortality
A nine-year study revealed prevalent risk factors associated with sow mortality, a growing concern for hog producers. The average annual replacement rate is around 50 percent, with most removals occurring on parity-zero or parity-one females before a positive net present value is achieved. Chris Wright observes the majority of deaths occur during summer. He shares the … [Read more...]
New thinking and approaches to cribbing
Researchers still aren’t sure why some horses crib while others managed the same way do not. Most agree that horses do not adopt this behavior by mimicking others. The current thinking is that an individual horse might have a genetic predisposition to crib, but the behavior isn’t triggered until he is subjected to stressors related to his lifestyle, shares Heather … [Read more...]
Lessons learned raising chickens for meat, a family experience
Many of us can relate to this story. It may not have been chickens but the risk/reward aspects are similar. If you work with 4-H or FFA kids whose parents are not sold on the ideas of their young entrepreneurs, this story might lend some insight into the commitments, preparations and work raising animals requires. Source: Backyard Poultry, July 17, 2022. Link. … [Read more...]
Ringworm can easily be mistaken for girth gall
Despite its name, ringworm is actually a fungal skin infection that is easily passed from horse to horse on shared equipment. It can also be passed by a rider’s boots, which would rest on the horse just behind the girth area during riding. Plus, ringworm is zoonotic and easily spread from horse to rider and vice versa. The girth area is a common site for ringworm to … [Read more...]
Expanding veterinary schools: Will they solve the veterinary shortage?
During the past decade, the conversation about opening new veterinary schools has been top on the list to solve our veterinary shortage challenges. The Bridge Club is hosting a conversation to better understand how new schools may address the veterinary shortage, the way DVMs are educated and any affect on veterinary technicians. The panel for this discussion includes: Dr. … [Read more...]
Understanding the climbing cost of veterinary care (article, podcast)
Sharing her experiences working with animal owners, as well as her own pets, Jennifer Sperry, DVM, addresses reasons why veterinary care costs have increased. Among them are better educated and trained personnel, advances in medical technology, 24-hour monitoring, specialty care and meeting client expectations. . . . insured clients seem to be able to do more for their sick … [Read more...]
Rocky Mountain spotted fever on an alarming rise
Rocky Mountain spotted fever, a disease spread through bites of ticks that live primarily on dogs, remains rare, but its frequency is rising. It is at epidemic levels in northern Mexico. In Baja California, there were 92 cases in 2022 which prompted a team of Mexican and U.S. scientists to pluck ticks off dogs, scour homes for larvae and warn residents to keep their dogs off … [Read more...]
The best way to apologize (video)
Apologies take time. They take intention. They require we seek to understand, not excuse our actions. Three elements of apology are shared in this video and apply to personal and professional relationships: Take the victim’s perspective Accept responsibility Make an offer to repair* Source: TED-Ed via Linked In, September 1, 2023. Link.(5:04) INSIGHTS: … [Read more...]
PTO remaining? Use the fall foliage prediction map to plan a retreat.
September and October are good times to act on the importance of taking time away and reconnecting to nature. If you enjoy frosty mornings, apple orchard visits and pumpkin patches along with the turning of the leaves, the 2023 Fall Foliage Map is the ultimate visual planning guide to the annual progressive changing of the leaves. While no tool can be 100 percent accurate, … [Read more...]
Health management of early weaned beef calves
Many producers are facing rapidly disappearing forage resources. Additionally, available forage may have decreased nutritional value. Both factors are considerations in early weaning decisions shares Terry Engelken, DVM, MS, who urges producers to proactively plan to ease the transition for younger, lighter weight calves. Early weaning can be a profitable way to stretch … [Read more...]
Slick mutation keeping Puerto Rican dairy cows cool
Heat stress costs the U.S. dairy industry as much as $670 million yearly. Scientists predict it could cause a 6.3 percent drop in milk production by the end of the century. However, some dairy cows in Puerto Rico have a natural mutation recognized as “slick,” which gives them an advantage in hot humid conditions. Slick cows have a shorter coat and more active sweat glands than … [Read more...]
Fall calving in hot weather challenges calves and cows
Heat stress is actually harder on young calves than cold stress. Newborn calves have an immature “thermostat,” writes Mark Z. Johnson. He shares best practices for fall calving taking place during high temperatures. The thermoneutral zone for a young calf is between 50 – 77 degrees Fahrenheit.” Source: Drovers, August 21, 2023. Link. Shade and fresh water is critical. In … [Read more...]
Studies show need for vigilant African swine fever on-farm prevention
These two articles address issues with protecting against African swine fever infections and the spread of disease. In the absence of an effective vaccine, the importance of biosecurity for pork producers is paramount. Source: National Hog Farmer, August 14, 2023. Link. Source: PORK, August 17, 2023. Link. INSIGHTS: An industry colleague who recently interviewed … [Read more...]
Making meat goat farming pay
Reports from the Iowa, Minnesota and Missouri State Fairs indicate the popularity of goats is not diminishing. While popular as 4-H and FFA projects, goats are the fastest-growing animal agriculture enterprise in the U.S. <Link>. Commonly referred to as chevon or mutton, the high demand for goat meat is frequently linked to ethnic buyer demand on special occasions and … [Read more...]
Choke: The right steps to take
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...]