Deliberation is an essential quality, especially when we have so many options. Yet, decision making can get stalled with overthinking. Melody Wilding shares five strategies to break the cycle of overthinking and make confident decisions in less time. Wilding focuses her strategies on a profile type she calls a sensitive striver. These are high-achieving persons who process … [Read more...]
Reducing meetings
Whether those meetings were face-to-face or virtual, every employee and leader has felt the pain of pointless, aimless, unfocused, and generally inefficient ones. Source: Forbes, May 31, 2022. Link. A meeting without a clear objective is going to be painful for all involved. And the data would suggest that the pain of unproductive meetings could seriously damage employees' … [Read more...]
Over 55, not retired after all
The pandemic created opportunities for many persons to leave the workforce as they had known it. Some took early retirement. Some quit to avoid Covid. Now they find themselves needing to make ends meet or being lured back for more flexible jobs and higher wages. The return of older workers has been concentrated among those in their late 50s and early 60s, people who were … [Read more...]
VetX International seeking input for 2022 VEER Study
VetX International recently launched a survey for veterinarians, nurses and students to assess the key drivers of career happiness, stress and mental wellbeing. More survey entries will enable deeper insight into the current landscape of veterinary medicine. Take 10 minutes to share your perspectives. Survey Link. Source: Brendan Howard, LinkedIn. June 1, 2022. Link. … [Read more...]
Email remains the cornerstone of many marketing initiatives
Myriad marketing efforts influence the buying behaviors of online shoppers. Emails have the most influence, from general mailings seen as influential among 44 percent of those who are part of the post-purchase communication flow. A recent Digital Commerce 360 survey reviewed buyer preferences and responses to different types of marketing communications. Saving shoppers money … [Read more...]
Chewy behind Amazon, ahead of Walmart in automatic reorders
Forty-four percent of Chewy’s customers are enrolled in its Autoship program, which lets customers specify when they want replenishment orders. Those customers spend considerably more than others who shop on Chewy.com. Autoship customers buy $820 per year on average from Chewy versus $423 for other Chewy customers. They buy 15.5 times annually versus 10.4 times and spend $53 … [Read more...]
Facts versus myth. Telling the story of beef sustainability.
Grilling season often elicits concerns about meat production. Sustainability, environmental perceptions and the lack of consumer education can escalate those discussions. The beef industry has responded to the criticisms assertively addressing fact versus myth and reminding consumers that beyond the meat, there are a lot of uses for cattle byproducts. We’re sharing two … [Read more...]
GROSS! Dealing with dogs eating poop
Coprophagia is common in dogs. It is a natural, normal behavior, writes Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA. Dogs may eat all kinds of poop. Deer, horse, bunny, even human poop, but cat feces seem especially delectable. She says stopping poop eating is more a matter of managing your dog than training him out of this disgusting habit. Managing access to feces is important to keep … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – June 2, 2022
Last week’s most read posts Why is it so hard to shut up? Link. Last week’s AHD Bulletin Animal Health Digest Bulletin, Thursday, May 26, 2022. Link. =================================== The best (legal) site for free e-books, music, and movies Source: Fast Company, May 15, 2022. Link. Hoopla acts like a library, meaning that you’re “borrowing” content for a … [Read more...]
2022 World Pork Expo live June 8-10, 2022
Since 1988, the National Pork Producers Council has presented World Pork Expo at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. There’s something for everyone including an expansive trade show, educational seminars, industry updates and networking. PLUS, there is tasty pork being cooked every which way. Source: World Pork Expo. Link. … [Read more...]
Researchers find newborn dairy calves fed probiotics healthier in crucial first weeks
When fed a cocktail of four strains of beneficial gut bacteria, newborn calves appeared to be more protected against common disease-causing bacteria, with few falling ill. Maddison Degenshein’s research is the first to test particular bacterial strains derived directly from bovines. It builds the understanding of how probiotics could shield calves from disease until their … [Read more...]
Performance impact of weaning pigs at older age
Raising pigs to meet market demands has required considerable research to manage pig health, sow fertility, genetics, nutrition, meat quality and production costs. Weaning age trials done by Pipestone Applied Research shows promising results across many factors. An older pig grew faster and was hardier, requiring less labor and overall production inputs on the finishing … [Read more...]
Horses don’t need glasses
Remembering the famous Mr. Ed from reruns of the 1960s television program, Rebecca Berry became curious about horses’ eyesight. She says horses rarely have issues with their eyes focusing light, which is why they don’t need glasses, contacts or a powerful light source. Source: Horse Network, May 17, 2022. Link. Horses are thought to have 20/30 to 20/60 vision. This … [Read more...]
No rain? No problem for mosquitoes.
The thing about mosquitoes is they’re very diverse in the habitat they can modify to, and it’s their adaptive behaviors that allow them to be successful.” - Justin Talley, PhD Source: Drovers, May 26, 2022. Link. 3 of 5 core equine diseases are spread by mosquitoes. EEE, WEE and VEE are spread to horses by mosquitoes, which feed on infected birds and rodents that serve as the … [Read more...]
Will a super bug keep dogs out of our beds?
A recently reported gene, mcr-1, can make bacteria resistant to colistin, the last-resort antibiotic for some multidrug-resistant infections. The spread of mcr-1 may increase due to the gene being distributed between pets and humans. Dogs can hold mcr-1 in their gut before the gene is transferred through microscopic fecal particles. Source: KFBK, May 25, 2022. Link. Experts … [Read more...]
Plants that keep mosquitoes away
Plants that keep away mosquitoes and provide food, for both wildlife and humans, are ideal for home environments. In addition to tasting great and reducing the mosquito population, they provide us with the options to offset the use of some chemicals. Among the plants listed are lavender, basil, thyme and rosemary. Source: Countryside, May 16, 2022. Link. … [Read more...]
IBPSA Fast Bites, May 20, 2022
Common questions about industry M and A, Pet Advocacy Network formerly PIJAC adds new director of membership, the reshaping of small business banking, PetCo CEO advises pet owners, ElleVet Project and more . . . Source: IBPSA Fast Bites, May 20, 2022. Link. … [Read more...]
How to negotiate your salary for any job
According to Jacqueline Twillie, the whole salary negotiation process is a conversation, not a battle. The author discusses ways to negotiate the next time you’re interviewing for a new job or angling for a raise. Figure out what you need to be successful–and ask for it.” Source: Fast Company, May 20, 2022. Link. Lifestyle has no place in a salary negotiation. If you bring … [Read more...]
Would your life improve if you just accepted it?
We received positive comments about including content from John P. Weiss in a recent AHD Bulletin. In his Saturday letter, Weiss shares his perspectives on the power of acceptance. He challenges us to avoid resignation and embrace acceptance. Imagine how your life could change if you embraced acceptance, let go of what’s not working, and started focusing on the areas where … [Read more...]
Negativity dominates daily thoughts. Why and what to do about it.
It turns out we humans might be built for negativity, making us our own worst enemy, writes Merilee A. Kern. She shares the perspectives of several professionals. Thoughts are powerful things, and both the positive and negative lead to our moods, our physiological symptoms and our behaviors. . . “ - Monica Vermani, B.Sc., M.A., Psy.D. Source: Fast Company, May 21, 2022. … [Read more...]
Commencement speeches consistently share 4 tips
With most graduations and Memorial Day weekend now hindsight, we found Bruce Feiler’s article timely. He and team members analyzed patterns in 100 of the thousands of commencement speeches spread all over the web. They found the four tips they all contain: Dream big Work hard Make mistakes Be kind Source: The Nonlinear Life, May 19, 2022. Link. Life is for … [Read more...]
OIE is now WOAH
The World Organization for Animal Heath is the new brand of the Office International des Épizooties. Since 1924, WOAH has worked around the globe to improve animal health and welfare. It is designated as OMSA in French and Spanish. Source: WOAH, May 28, 2022. Link. (includes video) As the interdependence of animal health systems with human health, livelihoods and ecosystems … [Read more...]
Did you smile or laugh a lot yesterday?
Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas are on a mission to bring humor back into our lives. They say humor is a teachable skill and one of the most appreciated assets at work. . . . as far as our brains are concerned, laughing is like exercising, meditating and having sex . . . at the same time, but logistically easier.” Source: TEDMonterey, July 20, 2021. Link. (9 minutes) Our … [Read more...]
8 rules for working with your relatives
Family members may be ripe for hiring this summer. Rhonda Abrams recommends definitive and proactive rules when hiring family members. These rules also apply should you hire close friends or even third cousins once removed. When bringing family members into the business, discuss touchy issues like salary, schedule flexibility and reviews upfront. Then put it all in … [Read more...]
Most read companion animal posts of 2022
Miss some companion animal content? Catch up now. Here are the most read companion animal posts so far this year. Source: Animal Health Digest Cat obesity up more than 100 percent in 10 years. Link Cleaning up after feline messes. Link Considerations before switching a pet’s food. Link Land area twice the size of the UK needed to feed the world’s pets. Link … [Read more...]
Malone’s 2022 most-read posts to date
While Patrick T. Malone took a short break, we looked back on his posts for this year. We’re sharing six posts that were read and noticed in the top 40 percent of all AHD posts since 2022 began. Source: Animal Health Digest. Stopping the Great Resignation. Link. Emotions – make them work for you. Link. Pandemic lessons for all. Link. Ghosting. Link. … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – May 26, 2022
Last week’s most read posts 5 employer strategies to help with rising inflation. Link. KC Animal Health Corridor announces dates, speakers for 2022 Animal Health Summit. Link. Engaging veterinary technicians improves practice success. Link. Last week’s AHD Bulletin Animal Health Digest Bulletin, Thursday, May 19, 2022. Link. One year ago: most read posts … [Read more...]
Sexed semen becoming popular in beef
Using sexed semen, beef producers can selectively breed cows to a desired bull and choose the sex of the offspring. This is beneficial if they want replacement heifers from their best cows, or bull calves from certain pairings. Source: Western Farmer-Stockman, May 12, 2022. Link. To know if use of sexed semen would be of economic value in a beef operation, each producer … [Read more...]
The importance of observation in cattle handling
Across dairy and beef country, cattle are on the move. These activities give producers an opportunity to review good stockmanship practices with seasoned and new employees. Anything that causes a cow to associate an action with something negative will cause her to be reluctant to repeat that action. It can be a huge source of frustration when cows don’t easily move when and … [Read more...]
Understanding colostrum intake by newborn pigs
Consumption of colostrum is critical for newborn piglets. We know that. We also know farrowing can last over several hours creating variability in individual piglet vitality. Various interventions are implemented for late born pigs in farrowing units across the U.S. A recent study in more than 600 piglets examined relationships among birth characteristics, early nursing … [Read more...]