With accurate facial recognition technology for humans in almost 630 million facial recognition cameras throughout China, Chinese entrepreneurs see opportunity in applying the technology to livestock operations. Alibaba, China’s tech giant, is developing voice recognition technology for pigs to detect if they are in pain. Another company is working on an artificial intelligence … [Read more...]
Milk alternatives are missing a lot
“There’s a lot of things you’re missing out on if you’re not drinking milk,” said Yvonne Greer, a registered dietitian who recently shared her views on alternative milk beverages. Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, August 24, 2020. Link. Coconut milk and almond milk . . . don’t have enough protein. So, if you’re substituting that to children, they’re not getting the same things they … [Read more...]
Check out the top 21 value-added beef programs
Value-added beef marketing programs can be divided into two categories, consumer-based programs and calf-based programs. Consumer programs provide animals that fit specific criteria while calf-based programs focus on procurement of specific value requirements. These programs help increase beef quality, while producers remain more engaged in the total marketing process. Jamie … [Read more...]
Microchips that monitor temperature work, but not yet ready for primetime
The dairy industry has anxiously awaited a day when calves would pass through a gateway where RFID-enabled readers would record health metrics by individual animal. The technology exists and works to record temperature passively, but according to recent research the temperatures recorded do not yet correlate to traditional rectal temps. Source: Journal of Dairy Science, … [Read more...]
Pet owners realizing cost of pet ownership
Commentary Read this article with a pet insurance or wellness program mindset. It’s past time for animal health pros to redouble our efforts to help pet owners understand the value of having a pet on an insurance plan. The amortization math is simple when put against normal costs of veterinary care before special needs. Thirty-three percent of Americans have or have … [Read more...]
Rising mobile use among women is a concern
Working parents have been some of the hardest hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. According to media reports, more than 50 percent of working parents are without childcare, and one in five said either they or their partner are considering leaving the workforce to care for their children. Women are reporting a 70 percent increase in mobile device usage compared to pre-pandemic and … [Read more...]
Growing during a pandemic
With social distancing and other safety measures in place, a virtual component to your business strategy is vital. Cost-effective and instantaneous, digital marketing can serve as a lifeline for business during these uncertain times. Source: LinkedIn Pulse, May 4, 2020. Link. Complementing the local outreach strategy, look for ways to inspire and champion your community. If … [Read more...]
Self-care tips for coping with crisis fatigue (includes video)
Nicole Spector shares seven ways to cope with crisis fatigue, which is an effect of unrelenting stress. “Crisis fatigue is when a stressful incident becomes enduring or chronic,” Eric Zillmer, clinical psychologist, says. “The reason for this is that humans are not equipped to deal with extensive periods of stress over long periods of time. Our defensive systems are designed to … [Read more...]
Mayo Clinic leader speaks out on effect of Covid-19
Human medicine and animal medicine approaches have become more amalgamated than ever before. Covid-19 restrictions have similar effects on any business that historically required customers to enter a brick and mortar location to be provided services. Gianrico Farrugia, president and CEO of the Mayo Clinic, discusses how Covid-19 spurred rapid transformation there and issues … [Read more...]
Updated Veterinary COVID Guidelines
Canada’s Ontario province has been very proactive and successful in managing changes to the practice of veterinary medicine in the face of Covid-19 risks. The Ontario Veterinary Medical Association recently released its stage 3 set of recommendations for Ontario veterinary clinics. Scott Weese, DVM, says much of it applies more broadly as veterinary teams seek to balance the … [Read more...]
6 survival items to keep in your car
It’s important to keep emergency tools in your vehicle. As more of us return to driving regularly, this list offers good reminders. Survival items are not just for winter. They can be important during intense weather of any kind. Source: The Outdoor Wear, November 2019. Link. … [Read more...]
USDA proposes new rules to combat organic fraud
While it is unlikely USDA will require labeling of any food containing carbon as organic, it has opened comments on a set of new organic rules. It hopes the rules will streamline operations, promote transparency and combat fraud, including the standardization of organic certificates. Source: Feed Strategy, August 9, 2020. Link. INSIGHTS – just for fun! Personally, I don’t … [Read more...]
Back to school time . . . maybe?
Commentary Historically, the end of August includes the rush to finish vacations, prep children for school, fall sports practices and moving young adults onto college campuses. Animal health pros often find themselves with extra time as Labor Day arrives and animal owners are focused on other things. This year? Who knows? One of the traditional activities to occupy this … [Read more...]
Research shows dogs understand words and intonation
We often hear, “I know Spot knows exactly what I am saying.” Dog owners spell out words like “walk,” “treat” or “ride” to avoid recognition by their dog. According to recent research, dogs not only understand the emotional tones of what we say, but also recognize and understand more words than previously known. <researchers>. . . demonstrated that dog brains can also … [Read more...]
Utah mink test positive for coronavirus. Plague reported in Lake Tahoe.
Once again reports of zoonoses are in the news. While the source to this mink infection is not known, it seems likely small rodents or their fleas were involved with the plague case. Source: Associated Press, August 17, 2020. Link. High mortality in two mink ranches prompted testing for Covid-19 virus. Five live mink tested positive. The Utah mink farms have also reported … [Read more...]
Veterinary tech associations’ role in public education
Christen Puckett-Smith, BS, RVT, and Kenichiro Yagi MS, RVT, VTS (ECC, SAIM), have it right when they write, “. . . as credentialed veterinary technicians, we are walking billboards.” Their article focuses on association activities that help educate the public about the role veterinary technicians play in veterinary practice. Source: Today’s Veterinary Nurse, Spring 2020. … [Read more...]
VVCA inaugural summit sets the stage for virtual care
Congratulations to the Veterinary Virtual Care Association team on their successful Virtual Care Summit, which took place August 18. Concurrent with the summit, the organization launched an updated website <link>. A substantial set of educational options were offered. They included compelling speakers and animal health pros experienced in hands-off virtual medical care … [Read more...]
Don’t skip that vacation
Rebecca Zucker reminds us of the reasons and benefits of taking time away from our daily work. The pandemic has changed many plans, but vacation benefits remain clear whatever you do: Improved productivity Lower Stress Better overall mental health Spurs greater creativity Source: Harvard Business Review, August 11, 2020. Link. Plans may look different than … [Read more...]
Work-life balance gives way to work-life integration
Companies all over the world are realizing that working from home is not only more efficient, but more suitable for the wants and needs of today’s workers, writes Matt Klassen. He shares two big changes we can expect to see in the future: Businesses will embrace flexibility Automation will be increasingly essential Source: Fast Company, August 16, 2020. Link. Company … [Read more...]
Whoops! That was a faux pas.
It was just a throwaway remark. You didn’t mean to offend. But now a colleague has indicated what was said was hurtful. So how should you respond after committing a microaggression? First, make sure the other person feels heard. Follow your colleague’s lead in the conversation; be curious and empathetic. Offer a sincere apology that expresses gratitude for their … [Read more...]
Empowering empowerment
Firms are finding out that transitioning from an authoritarian model to an employee-empowerment model is not easy. It requires new behaviors and new ways of thinking for executives and employees. Source: Forbes, August 4, 2020. Link. Empowerment is an active process. It involves coaching or teaching team members to self-serve, to make decisions, and to use less of their … [Read more...]
Flu season nears. Time for a flu-shot (video)
The most powerful tool we have to combat disease is vaccination, Robert Redfield, CDC director, said during a recent interview. Flu cases are expected to start increasing early in October and could last late into May. This makes September and early October the ideal time to get your flu shot. The flu vaccine takes up to two weeks to reach peak effectiveness” Source: The … [Read more...]
Business air travel is evolving
There is much conjecture, yet limited consensus about what air travel will look like in the next normal. Natasha Frost discussed the evolution of business travel with leaders in the travel industry, covering safety, costs and the efficiencies of digital communications. Flying seems to have lower transmission rates than inside dining or religious services, among other ‘risky’ … [Read more...]
Birds and beef have a lot in common (video)
“The era of big conservation is over,” says Audubon’s Marshall Johnson. “It’s up to us to drive the outcomes for the next 100 years.” He explains the importance of cattle, grasslands and cattle ranchers participating in Audubon’s Conservation Ranching Initiative to conserve ecosystems and sustainability. Their efforts are third-party verified to bear Audubon’s “grazed on … [Read more...]
Understanding pinkeye; a laboratory overview
Commentary including sponsored content from Addison Biological Laboratory. Infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis, also known as pinkeye, is a common eye disease cattle producers hate treating. Routinely transmitted by flies, pinkeye’s frequently observed pathogens are Moraxella bovis, Moraxella bovoculi, Mycoplasma bovis, Mycoplasma bovoculi and bovine herpesvirus type 1 … [Read more...]
3rd annual NAVC Media E-Commerce+ Summit to be (appropriately) virtual
Complimentary commercial content This year’s NAVC E-Commerce+ Summit will take place virtually September 22nd and 23rd. The speaker lineup will examine where our industry is headed, and how generational expectation differences continue to change the landscape. The conference will help you prepare for future developments. Topics include: How pets have transformed … [Read more...]
Working after a bad night’s sleep
Get more sleep! We hear this often and it is good advice. There are days, however, when we work after getting too little sleep or a night of poor-quality sleep. Christopher M. Barnes discusses what to do to get through the day with a sleep shortage. Research indicates that sleep deprivation is most harmful to novel tasks, or those which require creativity and … [Read more...]
How fear creates clutter and how to stop it
Good news! Amanda Sullivan says overgrown filing cabinets, closets, stacks in the garage or mounds on your desk do not indicate slovenliness. She says it may indicate fears and discusses what to do about them: Fear of financial problems Fear that you’re in over your head with something important Fear of missing out Fear that anything short of perfection is not … [Read more...]
Ventilation, air filtration help prevent the spread of coronavirus
By now, some of us have experienced a person inside a business shamelessly not wearing a face mask. Masks do a decent job at keeping the coronavirus from spreading into the environment. But, if an infected person is inside a building, inevitably some virus will escape into the air, writes Shelly Miller, mechanical engineering professor, University of Colorado Boulder. The … [Read more...]
All ears
You’re not listening to me.” Your customer is actually saying you aren’t taking them seriously and it is probably because you didn’t acknowledge their concern before you offered a solution. Source: Vet-Advantage Magazine, June 2016. Link. By responding to the other person, you are telling her that she has the power in the conversation. Remember, they are the … [Read more...]