For millions of Americans, this time of year is tough. As the days get shorter and colder, they suffer from sadness and struggle. What affects them is winter pattern season affective disorder, or SAD. It’s more than just the winter blues and can last up to five months. This article offers sources believed to cause SAD, its signs and ways to get relief. Source: The Washington … [Read more...]
People aren’t taking this seriously. Experts say U.S. Covid surge is big risk.
Commentary If the photos and videos from VMX are any indication, mask-free animal health professionals may fall into the group of Americans who are “collectively forgetting” or hopefully, have stayed current with boosters. Moving into the fourth year, Covid-19 is again spreading across America. It is being driven by the recent holidays, fewer precautions and the … [Read more...]
Iowa governor announces funding for ISU Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory project
Governor Kim Reynolds has committed $40 million in funding to help complete Phase 2 of Iowa State University’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. The Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory is enormously important to Iowa’s nation-leading livestock industry and provides immeasurable expertise on worldwide animal health and food safety issues.” - Mike Naig, Secretary of … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – January 19, 2023
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, January 12, 2023. Link. Most read posts from January 12th AHD Bulletin – Social media users more inclined to browse than post content. Link. Place keeper:2023 Veterinary Conferences provided by Galaxy Vets. Link. ====================================== New strain of bird flu kills hundreds of snow … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – January 12, 2023
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, January 5, 2023. Link. Most read posts from January 5th AHD Bulletin – Handling tardy clients. Link. Clarifying the recission of the FDA VCPR waiver. Link. Does post-transport, pre-processing rest make a difference in calf growth performance. Link. Virus hunters spotting threats in new … [Read more...]
We’re not winning the war on feral swine!
The collective war on feral swine is 10 years old. In addition to various agencies, landowners and deer hunters affected by feral hogs are deploying effective tactics against pigs. Gray Anderson, PhD, shares 10 noteworthy pieces of intelligence he learned at the 2022 International Wild Pig Conference regarding feral hog biology, new weapons, tactics and more. Source: … [Read more...]
It’s not the cow. It’s the how . . . and the who!
Livestock play a major role in sustainable food systems globally. There are widescale efforts to improve livestock sector practices so that they are more sustainable, more equitable and pose less risk to animal and human health. The trajectory of the livestock sector’s growth can be improved by investing in sustainable intensification and climate-smart strategies, as well as … [Read more...]
Are beef-on-dairy calves being over-vaccinated?
Dan Thompson, DVM, PhD, shares industry concerns about the distinct disparities between the lives of full-blood beef calves and their beef-on-dairy cousins before they reach the feedlot. He reviews the likelihood of over-vaccination, overloading the immune systems and pain associated with near-weekly needle pokes. . . . during the first 90-100 days of their lives, … [Read more...]
Umbilical infections taking a toll on dairy calves
David Renaud, DVM, PhD, considers navel infections to be the most under-diagnosed disease in dairy calves, particularly in the first two weeks of life. Sharing research and on-farm experiences, Renaud and Matthias Wieland, DVM, say the symptoms of diarrhea and pneumonia are often readily seen but umbilical infections are rarely noticed. Renaud encourages veterinarians and … [Read more...]
Calving season begins
Calving season brings promise and challenges to producers and the veterinary teams who support them. An early calf born in Missouri reminds us of the need to help producers get ready for late winter and spring calving. Here are several calving resources we’ve shared in AHD posts over the last seven years. Source: Search results for: calving, Animal Health Digest. Link. … [Read more...]
Water temperature is key to keep horses hydrated in cold weather
To encourage water consumption during cold weather, providing either continuously heated water, ranging from 68°F to 95°F, or filling buckets with water ranging from 115°F to 120°F twice daily at feeding time as an effective strategy for most horses. Source: EQUUS, January 4, 2023. Link. Also see: Cold weather colic, AAEP. Link. Horses must drink 10-12 gallons of fresh … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – January 5, 2022
Top five most read posts from December 2022 - Middle managers are exhausted. Top teams need to listen. Link. Find happiness at work instead of quiet quitting. Link. What a cat friendly veterinary experience looks like. Link. The top pet products of 2022. Link. Thank you! Link. ================================================= Quiz: Surgical … [Read more...]
Silvopasture; forest stewardship meet animal agriculture.
Silvopasture is a regenerative farming method involving the deliberate integration of trees and livestock grazing on the same land. It is one of five forms of agroforestry, and the only one that includes livestock. It is considered a sustainable method of rearing livestock because grazing animals benefit the forested environment and vice versa. Silvopastures can be … [Read more...]
Does post-transport, pre-processing rest make a difference in calf growth performance
A Kansas State University research project evaluated the impact of post-transport rest periods on calf growth performance, mortality and morbidity. The findings show a rest period has little affect on calf performance. Additionally, calf response to anthelmintics and blood serum metabolites were not increased by rest periods. Source: BEEF, November/December 2022. … [Read more...]
The costs of buying, caring for and feeding goats
Goat life spans are similar to dogs and are kept for a variety of reasons. Marissa Ames offers a comprehensive look at the various costs of acquiring and keeping goats for pets, meat, milk and weed control. Source: Backyard Goats, December 22, 2022. Link. … [Read more...]
Is it safe to feed Christmas trees to livestock?
Lancaster Farming features Penn State Extension Livestock Educator Chelsea Hill’s article about feeding Christmas trees to livestock. She shares safety and health tips about using them as feed. Source: Lancaster Farming, December 13, 2022. Link. … [Read more...]
Honeybee vaccine receives conditional license from USDA’s Center for Veterinary Biologics
Dalan Animal Health, Inc., has been granted a conditional license by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for vaccination of honeybees against American Foulbrood disease caused by Paenibacillus larvae. Source: businesswire, January 4, 2023. Link. The bacterin was developed by Dalan Animal Health, and is manufactured by Diamond Animal Health, a wholly owned subsidiary of … [Read more...]
Clarifying the recission of the FDA VCPR waiver
The Veterinary Virtual Care Association explains how the FDA’s rescission of the Covid-era waiver to agency regulations concerning the VCPR may affect practices and their clients. Source: VVCA, December 28, 2022. Link. This is not a new FDA policy, but simply a federal agency rescission of the COVID-era waiver pertaining to a regulation instituted decades ago. The … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – December 21, 2022
Last week’s most read posts – Happiness and meetings. Link. Last AHD Bulletin - Animal Health Digest Bulletin, December 15, 2022. Link. ==================================================================== U.S. warns of escalating ransomware attacks Source: Security Affairs, October 2022. Link. U.S. government agencies warned that the Daixin Team cybercrime … [Read more...]
Dairy cows need to lay down
If you notice very few cows lying down during a farm call, it may be time to discuss the importance of sternal recumbency and recumbent rumination. Rick Grant says in a cow’s perfect world over 80 percent of rumination should occur when the cow is lying down. Resting with the sternum, or breastbone, on the ground and a slight left-side preference is the cow’s optimal resting … [Read more...]
5 tips to winter cattle through a drought
How cattle owners in drought-affected regions graze and supplement cattle in dry spells have long-lasting economic and ecological effects. Noble Research Institute’s Ranch Manager Clark Roberts offers five tips to consider before making winter management decisions. 1) Consider culling 2) Know the quality and quantity of your forages 3) Know each animal’s demands 4) … [Read more...]
Prepare winter pigs to be summer hogs
Proactively thinking about pig management now will go a long way to having full-value hogs during warm weather and traditionally strong market periods, says Jordan Graham, DVM, MS. Pigs born from the late weeks of November through January have historically been the highest value weaned pigs and subsequent market hogs for the year, making how we manage health important to … [Read more...]
FDA approves revised Micotil 300 labeling
To decrease the risk of accidental human injection and other potential routes of exposure, Micotil 300 is now packaged inside a tamper-proof shroud. Access to the product requires a quick-connect device, which is provided with a tube-fed safety syringe by Elanco or its distributors. Safe use and handling instructions are attached to the shroud so that the user can review … [Read more...]
Dairy industry posts lowest positive drug residue yet; sets new standard
Data from the National Milk Drug Residue Database website dates back to 1994 and represents 99 percent of the U.S. milk supply. A recent report showed only 424 out of 3,879,182 samples tested positive for an animal drug residue. This is lowest positive test rate in the history of the program and it is also the fifth consecutive year fewer than 600 milk samples tested positive … [Read more...]
FDA releases 2021 report on antimicrobial use in livestock
The FDA instituted elements of veterinary oversight of antimicrobials in 2017. The recent 2021 Summary Report on Antimicrobials Sold or Distributed for Use in Food-Producing Animals shows that compared to 2015 (peak year of sales), 2021 sales decreased 38 percent. Sales in 2021 versus 2020 decreased by less than 1 percent between 2020 and 2021. Source: National Hog … [Read more...]
How to keep goats warm in cold weather
Successfully keeping goats in the coldest conditions and climates is possible. It requires acclimation, nutrition, and habitation. Herdsmen also prepare housing to keep goats warm in cold weather and select sturdy breeds ahead of the season. Source: Backyard Goats, November 27, 2022. Link. … [Read more...]
Cannabinoids in veterinary medicine (video)
Complimentary Content For those who did not join live, The Bridge Club’s in-depth conversation with experts from across the profession addressed questions it has about cannabinoids. Cheryl Good, DVM, moderated conversation with guests: Mark Cushing, J.D. CEO, of Animal Policy Group Jeffery Pollard, DVM, DABVP, from the advocacy committee, Veterinary Cannabis … [Read more...]
If you see a brown clump on your Christmas tree, throw it out immediately
If you discover a walnut sized/shaped egg mass, on your Christmas tree, don’t fret, clip the branch and put it in your garden. That brown clump is likely 100 to 200 praying mantis eggs. The inside temperatures cause them to hatch and then without a natural environment, they starve. Source: Elvis Duran, December 1, 2022. Link. … [Read more...]
Scott A. Dee, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVM, on his career (video)
Discussing his career transition intentions after 35 years, Dr. Dee will be staying with Pipestone and adjusting his focus on a subset of specific projects, including feed risk, U.S. SHIP, and our IMAGINE AMR study. He shares standout moments, major contributions, some untold stories, what he will miss most and more. Source: Swineweb, December 6, 2022. Link. (21 minutes) He … [Read more...]
Sow mortality: What are the main risk factors?
A recent retrospective observational study demonstrated that the disease status of the breeding herds, barn characteristics and whole-herd feed medication were associated with the sow mortality rate. The main causes of sow mortality in this study were sudden deaths (30.89 percent), lame deaths (29.10 percent), prolapses (26.96 percent) and other causes (13.05 percent), … [Read more...]