The best animal care begins with providing daily hydration. We focus on it more during the warmer months, but it remains a daily need. Jared Mitchell, DVM, CVMA, shares why keeping dogs and cats hydrated is so important and how to help ensure enough water is being consumed. He also writes about recognizing dehydration and what to do about it. Water is known as the forgotten … [Read more...]
The Great Resignation is becoming a great midlife crisis
The changing composition of who is quitting jobs paints an increasingly complicated picture of the state of work in America. Although quit rates have decreased slightly from their highs last year, the phenomenon is not going away just yet. Older and more tenured people are especially likely to be quitting in knowledge worker industries like finance and tech. Source: Vox, May … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – April 28, 2022
Last week’s most read posts Asian longhorned ticks are on the move. Link. Last week’s AHD Bulletin Animal Health Digest Bulletin, Thursday, April 7, 2022. Link. =================================== Love is the key to career success: Marcus Buckingham Source: Harvard Business Review, April 15, 2022. Link. (video) Buckingham says you don’t have to love all … [Read more...]
Weaning beef calves: higher feed costs but short-term savings may affect long-term profits
Opinion The story seems to repeat year after year. There’s always something to question. This year cow-calf producers face higher feed costs and extended drought in some areas which will likely raise questions about preconditioning expenses. Wesley Tucker shares his perspectives on investing in preconditioning protocols. His tips can help cattle producers sharpen their … [Read more...]
Hoof ulcers: Don’t blame the ration
Gerard Cramer, DVM, DVSc, isn’t too concerned about subacute ruminal acidosis. Instead, he sees laminitis more broadly. Along with sole ulcers, common contributors are white line lesions, digital dermatitis, foot rot and toe ulcers. . . . the most common contributors causing lameness are standing time, flooring problems, and failure to control digital dermatitis.” - Gerard … [Read more...]
Attracting and hosting mason bees. You can RENT them!
There are more than 150 species of native, non-imported mason bees, writes Amy Grisak. They are gentle and efficient pollinators who don’t have hives like the more familiar honeybees. Nesting* in wood piles, trees and other plant materials, they lay their eggs in existing gaps or tunnels. Their life cycle is like a butterfly with females laying only 15 eggs in their 4- to … [Read more...]
Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year nominations now open
Farmers and ranchers have until July 1 to nominate their dogs to become the Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year. The contest celebrates farm dogs and how they support farmers and ranchers in producing food for families and pets. The grand prize winner will win a year’s worth of Purina dog food and $5,000 in prize money. Source: American Farm Federation, April 12, 2022. Link. … [Read more...]
Equine health educational resources are a click away
Sponsored Content Considering foaling season is ending soon and the positive responses to the recent equine toxins infographic <Link>, we’re sharing more equine resources from the ASPCA® Pet Health Insurance digital library. Any equine enthusiast will agree that horses enrich their lives, but they also come with some predictable health risks and associated … [Read more...]
Pets being poisoned by careless handling of cannabis
Increased access to legal marijuana products in Canada and some U.S. states may be behind the growing number of dogs, cats and other pets ingesting the drug, most likely in the form of THC-dense edibles that look and smell like normal food, according to a study in PLOS ONE. The survey notes most exposures were accidental which emphasizes the need to promote pet owner … [Read more...]
How to stop procrastinating
Most of us procrastinate, writes Alice Boyes, who believes the problem probably stems from one of three things: your habits and systems (or lack thereof) your desire to avoid negative emotions (like anxiety and boredom) your own flawed thinking patterns (which can make a task seem harder than it is). Boyes shares simple strategies for managing each and getting off … [Read more...]
Antibiotic-resistant MRSA strain genes spilling over to native hedgehogs in Europe
The coronavirus pandemic has served as a stark and tragic example of how closely animal health and human health are linked. Think about what we’ve seen in the last three years: Covid found in about 29 animal types <Link> HPAI spreading from wild fowl to poultry and now to eagles and other wild birds We’re just learning a MRSA strain may have been transferred … [Read more...]
Inflation is hurting dairy farmers
Opinion Costs are rising throughout the dairy business. Producers are seeing higher prices for diesel, fertilizer and feed. A gallon of milk costs as much as 30 cents more than it did in January 2022. Reducing expenses is a natural reaction to higher costs but in the case of animal health products, now is not the time to avoid health sustaining strategies.” – Kirk … [Read more...]
How cattle vaccination and nutrition connect
Complimentary Sponsored Content Shelby Roberts, PhD, discusses the symbiotic relationship of sound nutrition and proper vaccination which helps to maintain healthy immune functions in cattle. Vaccinations and nutrition have a symbiotic relationship in terms of maintaining healthy immune functions in cattle.” - Shelby Roberts, PhD Source: Alltech, March 8, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
Asian longhorned ticks are on the move
The Asian longhorned tick reached 17 states by last fall. In the United States, the tick has been found in or near counties with large horse, cattle and sheep populations. They do not discriminate however and will use a human or a pet as a host, just the same as livestock or wildlife. The Asian longhorned tick is known to carry the virulent Theileria orientalis Ikeda … [Read more...]
Hunting feral hogs makes the problem worse
Hunting and killing may help with the feral hog population numbers, but it’s not the solution to this disastrous problem, according to John Tomecek, associate wildlife professor and extension wildlife specialist at Texas A&M University. Hunting spreads hogs across the landscape. Feral hogs move in groups called sounders. The best way to get rid of them is to get rid of a … [Read more...]
Spring grass and horses
Juliet M. Getty, PhD, provides guidance on fresh grass and the potential problems it can cause for horses. She continues with tips on monitoring grasses throughout the season. Source: Equine Wellness, April 15, 2014. Link. Tasty spring grasses can offer too much sugar and starch for the insulin resistant horse, thereby increasing the risk of laminitis. However, with careful … [Read more...]
First aid tips for pet owners
Spring and outdoor activities are wonderful but come with risks of injuries for pets. Pet owners need to be prepared to offer first aid to their pets when an injury occurs. First aid is not a substitute for veterinary care, but it can help save a pet's life until it gets veterinary treatment. The AVMA offers several resources suitable for social media, newsletters and … [Read more...]
Veterinary app to provide education, real-time disease surveillance for rural practitioners
Real-time information, smart phone technology and artificial intelligence converge to support rural practitioners. The Veterinary Syndromic Surveillance System website and app are now live. The platform will provide veterinarians a tool to access and input disease information into a central database and more readily see local disease risks and trends. The new app is … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – April 14, 2022
Last week’s most read posts Traditional recruiting is broken. 6 ways to reimagine it. Link. Last week’s AHD Bulletin Animal Health Digest Bulletin, Thursday, March 31, 2022. Link. =================================== How long is too long to leave a dog alone? Source: Whole Dog Journal, January 10, 2020. Link. 10 to 12 hours is too long for a dog to be … [Read more...]
Umbilical care, avoiding joint ill goats
Rebecca Sanderson shares the importance of umbilical care in newborn kids. Improper closure of the navel can result in bacteria transferring into the goat causing navel ill, also known as joint ill. If you do little else for your does at kidding time, do consider at least dipping the umbilical cord of the new babies to help prevent navel ill.” – Rebecca Sanderson Source: … [Read more...]
Mosquito-borne virus an ordeal for Australian swine producers
Swine producers are fighting with a new virus that challenges even the best biosecurity. Flooding and wet conditions have supported an increase in mosquitoes which carry the virus. Source: PORK, April 5, 2022. Link. The Japanese encephalitis virus is a flavivrus in the same family as West Nile virus, St. Louis encephalitis virus, and Murray Valley encephalitis virus. The … [Read more...]
Turning manure into flowerpots
Poop-to-pots are not a gimmick. Freund’s Farm, a Connecticut dairy operation is using digested, then composted manure as the fiber component to make disposable flowerpots. The farm has sold millions of CowPots over the years. They make 14 different sizes, ranging from 3-inch starter squares to large round pots that are 17 inches in diameter. Source: American … [Read more...]
The cute factor is almost too much to resist
Janet Garman shares what to know when buying baby chicks, ducklings and bunnies. There is a lot to consider before making an impulse decision. Those cute little balls of fluff are a lifetime commitment, at least the expected lifetime of the animal.” – Janet Garman Source: Backyard Poultry, March 29, 2021. Link. INSIGHTS: Consider sharing this article on social media and in … [Read more...]
Guard donkeys, an experiment in the defense against wolves
Colorado ranchers and wildlife advocates are carefully watching Don Gittleson’s experiment with donkey as defenders. He would prefer to shoot the wolves which is illegal under federal and state law. The hope is the donkeys will make his herd a tougher target for local wolves. Source: CPR News, March 23, 2022. Link. INSIGHTS: Large breed dogs and llamas have been used for … [Read more...]
Poor saddle fit, shoeing-related problems, even riders can cause horse lameness
Farrier Steve Kraus shared perspectives on how lameness, gait faults, shoeing problems, and even personality problems can occur from poor saddle fit. He also writes riders can cause some of the same issues, even in a correctly fitted saddle. Source: Paulick Report, April 8, 2022. Link. . . . <horses> should not carry more than 30 percent of the horse's body weight.” … [Read more...]
Current HPAI is spreading in American birds, may be here to stay
Scientists believe the current flu virus seems capable of hanging around in populations of wild birds, which can pass the virus on to poultry farms. More than 40 wild bird species in more than 30 states have tested positive. This strain of bird flu virus has turned up in everything from crows to pelicans to bald eagles.” Source: NPR, April 9, 2022. Link. So far, the risk to … [Read more...]
Distracted driving skyrocketing by more than 30 percent
April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Some believe distraction cannot be solved by more regulation or enforcement. Some suggest we redesign roads. Over the past two years, distracted driving has been like a pandemic within a pandemic, increasing at alarming rates and changing drivers’ behaviors as the pandemic wears on.” - Ryan McMahon Source: Treehugger, April 8, … [Read more...]
People want to work for a company that cares about them (podcast)
Company culture, professional versus personal, well-being as a foundational element and gender sensitivities all get fleshed out in this podcast featuring Jane Miller, Gallup president and CEO. Source: Gallup, April 8, 2022. Link. (15 minutes) Well-being is a significant component to any strong culture. It's a foundational element. It impacts how a person shows up at home, … [Read more...]
Over-the-counter access to antibiotics is going away
Medically important antibiotics in feed and water were removed from OTC channels when the Veterinary Feed Directive was implemented in 2017. The first phase of the VFD regulations did not address OTC antibiotics delivered via other methods like injectables, boluses and intramammary mastitis tubes. . . . the FDA has issued a new directive to bring all OTC drugs under veterinary … [Read more...]
How 5G is affecting the economy?
With faster data speeds and more reliable connections than ever, 5G is changing the economy and increasing opportunities to capitalize on new ways of conducting business through digital tools and engagement. The authors advise a proactive approach to implementing new technologies will help businesses remain competitive. Source: SimplyGeeky, March 28, 2022. Link. The value of … [Read more...]