Cold temperatures often bring an increase in sick calves. There are physiologic reasons why it increases the risk of respiratory disease. This should prompt caretakers to further tune in more to the health of their calves. Early detection and treatment is important to calves’ immediate health as well as to long-term production. Source: Dairy Herd Management, January 14, … [Read more...]
Producers turning to vaccines, biosecurity
A Brakke study conducted among beef, dairy, swine and poultry producers in late 2016 found that vaccination protocols and improved sanitation were the top two strategies for 70 percent or more of all producers in response to the loss of shared use antibiotics. Source: WattAgNet.com, January 12, 2017, (partial access). The study found that, among the changes in feed … [Read more...]
Manage to minimize lameness
Marcia Endres, dairy specialist at the University of Minnesota, acknowledges lameness will never fully be eliminated from dairy herds, but producers need to be proactive to reduce its incidence. Review this article and discuss it with producers during on-farm calls or planning meetings. Studies referenced show dairy farmers only identify about 25 percent of lameness. Source: … [Read more...]
Veterinary hospice helps clients and patients
We found this article thoughtful, informative and relevant as the average life span of pets continues to increase. In veterinary hospice, the goals of care include managing clinical signs, promoting patient comfort and preserving or improving quality of life; not attempting to cure the patient. Source: Veterinary Team Brief, November/December 2016. Clients increasingly … [Read more...]
Get in line with VFD
January 1st came and brought a new set of rules and questions. This article reconfirms the regulatory details and offers some questions for producers should ask themselves before inspections occur. They include: Did you keep copies of VFD orders for at least two years? Did you feed the authorized number of animals on the VFD order? Did you feed VFD feed for … [Read more...]
Earn $300 more per cow
Kris Ringwall, North Dakota State University Extension, must be good with a calculator. He presents economic factors for cow-calf producers that focus on profit per unit of production. Representatives and veterinarians can use this article to engage producers in a discussion about profit improvement versus input costs. Source: Drovers CattleNetwork, January 7, 2017. Success … [Read more...]
Monthly preventives are not 100-percent effective on worms
Richard Gerhold, veterinary parasitologist, sets the record straight about monthly preventive medications and the possibility of pets still picking up parasites. He discusses a case where a dog picked up hookworms, even though the client was believed to be compliant on a monthly preventive regimen. Source: DVM360, January 3, 2017. The preventive effectiveness and the … [Read more...]
Heat and ice therapy explained
Dr. Lydia Gray answers horse health questions at HorseChannel.com: Ask the Vet. In this Q&A article, she explains the difference between hot and cold therapy and under what circumstances each should be used. Source: HorseChannel.com, January 10, 2017. In a nutshell, cold is for early stages of injury while heat is for the final states of healing. Each in their own way, … [Read more...]
Catster promotes vet visits
Consumer media sources don’t often tell pet owners the importance of veterinary visits. Not so with this Get-your-cat-to-the-vet for a checkup article. Source: Catster, January 4, 2017. Cats are experts at hiding pain and illness. Just because your cat doesn’t seem sick doesn’t mean she isn’t. She could have dental disease — by three years of age, most cats have signs of … [Read more...]
Bones to pick – the good, bad and ugly
Deb M. Eldredge, DVM, discusses the pros and cons of bones for dogs. She writes, “Bones can be good, bad or ugly. If you choose to feed bones, use care in the bones you feed and how you feed them. If you choose to avoid bones altogether, they are absolutely not necessary for your dog’s health or happiness.” Source: Petcha.com, January 10, 2017. Dog Bones and Safety. Is … [Read more...]
Separation problem could be excess energy
Destruction, inappropriate elimination and incessant vocalizing are common signs of a separation issue. However, they must be assessed in context with the rest of a dog's behavior. Here’s an excerpt on the subject from a book sold by Whole Dog Journal. It’s up to you if you want to buy it, but the recommendations are good to discuss with pet owners. Source: Whole Dog Journal … [Read more...]
Dr. Scott Dee discusses antimicrobial resistance
A recent CDC report that listed the most worrisome threats associated with antibiotic resistance did not implicate livestock, veterinarian Scott Dee says. Veterinarians, producers and others in the food industry are nevertheless working to improve stewardship of antimicrobials. Source: Pork Network, January 9, 2017 via AVMA Animal Health SmartBrief. Research to better … [Read more...]
It’s National Train Your Dog Month
Behavior issues are among the top five reasons people give away their dogs. January is National Train Your Dog Month. See what VetFolio offers animal health pros about canine behavior. Source: VetFolio, January 7, 2017. Behavior Questions and Answers Diagnosing and Treating Aggressive Dogs: So Many Medications, So Little Time! Recognizing Patient Fear, Anxiety and … [Read more...]
Protect dairy cows’ teats during winter
Though winter is in full swing and a winter management plan for udder health should be in place, revisiting best practices is never out of place. Skin that is flaking and chapping increases risks of infections. Paula Mercadante, DeLaval solution manager for herd health, offers solid udder health reminders in this article, complete with a chart about wind chill effect on teat … [Read more...]
Tail docking still best practice in swine
The issue to dock or not dock the tail has been under scrutiny. The standard operating procedure of tail docking, performed to prevent the common problem of tail biting, is also criticized for inflicting pain. A University of Minnesota research team took another look at the consequences of raising pigs without tail docking under modern, confinement housing system conditions. … [Read more...]
Price matters
The internet has significantly impacted price transparency and it also gives us a picture of price variability. Frank Rumbauskas speaks to salespersons in this article and recommends establishing a fair price that is not the absolute maximum discount. Source: B2C, December 15, 2016. If you’ve read my materials before, you know that I am very blunt about speaking the truth, … [Read more...]
Study looks at group housing for sows
Consumers have been driving the conversation about the use of group housing for sows. The swine industry has been hesitant to adopt this practice because of concerns over sow aggression and lack of control over individual feed intake. Source: National Hog Farmer, December 28, 2016. For producers, this means that a variety of mixing options can be used successfully for sows … [Read more...]
Top 10 BEEF articles in 2016
Looking backwards is most valuable when it helps you focus forward. The top 10 list featured in this article reflects the continual need for practical solutions, as well as basic education. The review of metrics is also an eye-opener for animal health pros at all levels. Source: Beef, December 29, 2016. Here are a few facts from the digital world of Beef. In 2016, over 2.3 … [Read more...]
Summaries from Drs. Blach and Clark
Dr. Ed Blach and Dr Andrew Clark develop and write Is My Practice Healthy? It is formatted to be quick-hitting, thought-provoking and actionable. These three posts from holiday installments caught our attention. Leadership versus management in veterinary medicine Science versus service Manage Creeping Incrementalism Out of Your Expenses Source: Is My Practice … [Read more...]
Hay, its winter!
Mike Rankin writes about feeding hay, the challenges, strategies and opportunities during these winter months. Winter chores are a survival game, but don’t lose sight of what’s going on during the hay-feeding ritual, he says. One of the tasks associated with bale feeding is removing the bale-binding material, be it net wrap, plastic twine or sisal twine. Source: Hay and … [Read more...]
Social video viewing enhances purchasing
Animal health pros use social media routinely. Yet, the use of video to educate and influence customer buying decisions has not become mainstream during sales calls or follow-up communications. According to new research commissioned by Brightcove, Inc., 74 percent of consumers say there is a connection between watching a video on social media and their purchasing … [Read more...]
Fade the use of treats when training dogs
Reducing the use of food rewards should be a goal when training dogs, but always be ready to to use more or better treats when you add distractions, duration or distance to a behavior. Here’s a good excerpt on the subject from a book sold by Whole Dog Journal. It’s up to you if you want buy it, but the practical training tips are good to share with pet owners. Source: Whole … [Read more...]
Communicate well in the exam room
From the minute a client walks in the door, the experience they have sets their perception of value for the services they receive. To ensure continuity in staff deliverables starts with everyone being on the same page. Checklists in this article provide instructions for duties and responsibilities associated with patient exam rooms. Source: MWI Messenger, January 2017, page … [Read more...]
Transition, we’re getting closer
A recent study from the University of British Columbia suggests both rumination monitoring and recording of feeding behavior are effective in gathering data for preventive health care. Sick transition cows tend to avoid eating much like humans with a stomachache or head cold. Preventative treatment then is all about getting out in front of these conditions and getting cows … [Read more...]
10 most popular pet food industry news stories of 2016
In 2016, news about pet food contamination, top dog and cat food companies and market trends topped the list of most popular stories published by Petfood Industry. The rankings were determined by the number of page views recorded by Google Analytics. Source: Petfood Industry, December 27, 2016. These 10 stories received the most attention on Petfood Industry’s … [Read more...]
Know the risks of transporting horses
All horses are subject to tendon and ligament injuries, regardless of breed or whether they are performance horses or ridden for occasional trail rides. Transporting them adds to the risk of injury and disease. Ligament injuries can occur in the forelimbs or hindlimbs and can be serious enough to end an athletic career or impact lifestyle. Colic aside, injuries to the … [Read more...]
Horse breeding how-to: making them marketable
How do you breed and raise a horse that appeals to today’s buyers? To find out, AQHA writers picked the brains from three breeding programs: small-time breeder Colton Reid, Cindy McCraw of Riverside Ranch and Brian Egan of Pennsylvania State University’s equine program. Source: AQHA Daily, December 9, 2016. For mare owners, it all starts with finding Mr. Right. After you’ve … [Read more...]
Look into the ears
Ear problems rank in the top five of reasons a pet owner seeks treatment for their dog or cat. This ear cleaning image gallery will make for a good discussion about the importance of ear health. Consider using the video in a staff meeting to discuss various ear health approaches. Source: Veterinary Team Brief, October 2016. (full access requires sign-on) Ear cleaning … [Read more...]
Keep pets safe from winter hazards
Sheila Fitzpatrick, DVM, submitted good guidance to her local newspaper readers. In Vail, Colorado, winter comes early, so her warnings are timely as the arctic front blankets the northern U.S. Consider submitting a similar story to your own local media with appropriate reminders for your area. Source: Vail Daily, December 2, 2016. There are many cold weather dangers to be … [Read more...]
Cesar’s short guide to shopping with your dog
U.S. businesses are increasingly accommodating to our pets, especially dogs. Dog owners have responsibilities when taking dogs into businesses. They need to make sure that dogs are calm, well-behaved and always on a leash. Cesar Millan shares tips on preparing dogs for shopping and where to shop. Source: Cesar’s Way, December 2016. Shopping with dogs can be a bonding … [Read more...]