Seven innovations offered progress in genetics, efficiency and profitability in the beef industry also provide a “paradigm shift philosophy” for future management decisions, according to Bill Rishel, Nebraska Angus producer. He cited these innovations that helped everyone from ranchers to beef consumers: Performance record systems Artificial insemination Boxed beef … [Read more...]
Helping cattle stand the heat
Every summer, livestock media sources of all types feature piece about heat stress in cattle. Whether cow-calf, feeder or dairy cows, heat can damage their ability to maintain their rate of gain or milk production. The combination of hot temperatures, high humidity, and lack of air movement can result in severe cases of heat stress for cattle. When temperatures remain above … [Read more...]
USDA forecasting largest annual increase in grocery prices since 2011
Grocery prices will rise by a higher-than-average 3 percent this year, due largely to the coronavirus-propelled surge in the cost of meat, poultry and fish at the supermarket, according to the USDA forecast released June 25. At the same time that grocery prices are rising, the food insecurity rate has doubled since the coronavirus struck. Source: Successful Farming, June 26, … [Read more...]
Mentoring women is not about trying to rescue them
W. Brad Johnson, PhD, and David G. Smith, PhD, discuss cross-gender mentorships toward high-value reciprocal mentoring. These are essentially partnerships in which men and women play complementary roles leading to career and personal development for both parties, and ultimately, greater gender equality in the workplace. Source: HBR Ascend, June 23, 2020. Link. … [Read more...]
New research shows gender bias remains an issue, including with veterinarians (video)
Andrea Morris summarizes recently completed research on gender bias, the progress to reduce it and implicit biases, regardless of gender. It is timely. Sociologist Shelley Correll discusses the stalled gender revolution and how women can overcome bias at work. Deeply embedded systemic bias influences our thinking in such subtle and profound ways that we may unwittingly … [Read more...]
Sponsored content from May’s AAHA NEWStat
Covering industry trends and breaking news, innovative new research and technology, and legislative updates, AAHA’s NEWStat blog and weekly e-newsletter keep a finger on the pulse of current events that matter to the veterinary community. Commercial content is an important part of animal health pro awareness and education media. Source: AAHA NEWStat. Link. Current … [Read more...]
The Bridge Club now engaging two audiences
The Bridge Club expansion into the consumer pet segment with The Bridge Club Pets is keeping Bridgers engaged with this unique virtual community platform. Catherine Haskins leads discussions focused on guest speakers and educators. The schedule for The Bridge Club (industry group) events, as well as registration can be found here as available <link> The Bridge Club … [Read more...]
For hospital managers, numbers speak louder than words!
Veterinary practice managers generally track and report on a number of Key Performance Indicators. These critical figures provide valuable insights into how the practice is performing and specific factors that influence performance over time. This group of highly motivated animal health pros have received considerable support from their association in recent months. The VMHA … [Read more...]
PRIDE VMC shares with The Bridge Club
Commentary – developed with Catherine Haskins, The Bridge Club Leaders from the Pride Veterinary Medical Community (PRIDE VMC) organization participated in a virtual discussion organized and produced by The Bridge Club, Monday June 22. Even with the cloud of uncertainty from Covid-19, recent civil rights issues and supreme court decisions were top of mind for the … [Read more...]
How discomfort enables growth
Let’s be honest: There’s comfort in routines and predictable workflows, writes Michelle Eggleston Schwartz. But, navigating life on cruise control lacks the richness and reward gained from accomplishing difficult goals. Schwartz is correct. The pandemic has enmeshed home and work. Many have discovered the pleasure of applying creativity, new levels of resilience and … [Read more...]
Autoship sales projected to help Chewy retain 1.6 million new customers
Commentary: includes complementary commercial content from VetSource® Chewy’s success is getting noticed by our industry. For veterinary hospitals, it is a definitive call to action to embrace, implement and optimize home delivery” - Kirk Augustine Like Amazon and other e-commerce retailers, Chewy has seen the kind of growth that was expected to take years to achieve, get … [Read more...]
TODAY! Webinar: Pandemics and Preparedness in the Anthropocene
Provided by Virox Animal Health™ The Virox team has been diligent in providing education for animal pros during the pandemic. Today, June 25th, at 2:00 p.m. EDT, Virox will host Dr. Craig Stephen, who will explore how global changes, including climate change, globalization and urbanization will affect zoonotic disease risks and management. He will also propose general … [Read more...]
VVCA board members present at ATA conference (video replay)
The animal health industry was represented at the American Telemedicine Association conference. VVCA Board members Mark Cushing and Deb Leon discussed the future of pet virtual care, the importance of improving the health care of animals and the effort to provide veterinary care access for an extended group of animal owners. . . . like human telemedicine, the ongoing … [Read more...]
Polyclonal antibodies being developed IN cows for Covid-19 virus
SAb Biotherapeutics of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is pursuing an extension of previous research in genetically modifying dairy cows so that certain immune cells carry the DNA that allows people to make Covid-19 antibodies. Cows become giant bioreactor antibody factories. They have more blood engineered to synthesize human versions of the proteins and their blood can also … [Read more...]
Wildlife among us
Commentary A fecal deposit on my deck and a latrine under a tree recently are stark reminders that suburban backyards are frequented by an ever-increasing citified wildlife population. Animal health pros immediately think of rabies and ideally have been able to keep vaccinations current in pets that go outdoors. Beyond deer eating in our yards and predators like foxes, … [Read more...]
Don’t flush cat poop!
Cat poop is implicated for causing fatal toxoplasmosis in wild southern sea otters, according to a recent study published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B < link >. The Toxoplasma agents spread to the ocean from cat feces to land. Toxoplasma oocysts (eggs) accrue in kelp beds, where they are eaten by snails. Otters then eat the snails. Source: Catster, June 10, … [Read more...]
DOGPARCS study shows parasites are common in recreational canine sites
What has been suspected to be true about dog parks and parasite risks has been quantified. This study assessed the prevalence of these infections in dogs visiting off‑leash dog parks. It is the first large-scale effort to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites in dogs visiting dog parks throughout the USA. Source: BMC, June 1, 2020. Link. Intestinal parasites, the … [Read more...]
Why dog import legislation is important to animal health pros
Commentary Art Parola, a pet industry consultant, recently wrote the column, Why Cattleman Should Care About Dog Import Legislation, for Drovers. He highlights the real risk of Bont ticks being imported while attached to dogs coming into the U.S., especially those from the Caribbean region. It is highly infested with heartwater for which hont ticks are vectors. Heartwater … [Read more...]
Focus on the lifetime value of the customer – always
Lifetime value (LTV) is the most important number in your business and the one to be obsessed with increasing, says Fernando Camacho. He shares perspective on building daycare and boarding businesses by prioritizing LTV in current customers, plus using LTV to measure return on investment of new customer acquisition efforts. Source: Pet Boarding and Daycare Magazine, May/June … [Read more...]
Survey reveals 1 in 3 adults misused bleach
The Centers for Disease Control says about one in three adults intentionally used chemicals and disinfectants unsafely, according to results from a recent survey < link >. Some of the high-risk practices included using bleach to wash fruits and vegetables, applying household cleaning and disinfectant products to bare skin, and inhaling, gargling or ingesting cleaners and … [Read more...]
Dr. Ramey on the equine microbiome
When it comes to the equine microbiome, we don’t really know enough about what’s normal to make strong recommendations or have firm conclusions about what to do when things are abnormal. Happily, horses seem to do pretty well on their own, but there’s certainly a lot more to learn. David Ramey, DVM, discusses the nuances of the equine microbiome with researcher Dr. Carolyn … [Read more...]
Dairy topics: Milk fever, dry cows, inbreeding, heat stress, sperm dose
Here are worthwhile topics to discuss with dairy producers during National Dairy Month. Veterinarians and direct-to-dairy representatives often find a third-party article opens the door to discussions beyond normal dialogues and details. The pandemic has taught us the importance of educational communications. Share these in person, on social media or in … [Read more...]
The Bridge Club now engaging pet owners
Expanding their audience to pet owners, The Bridge Club has successfully launched TBC Pets. It is a virtual community where pet owners can gather in a casual conversation to gain insight and guidance directly from veterinary professionals. More than 5,000 pet owners have attended the five virtual events to date. “The feedback has been overwhelming with immediate survey … [Read more...]
Upcoming Bridge Club Community events
Mark your calendars for these upcoming Bridge Club Community events. Join other animal health pros for the discussion and learning. Source: The Bridge Club. Link. Veterinary Innovation: Who is doing what and how it will impact veterinary medicine. Wednesday, June 24, 2020, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM CDT. Register < link > Medical Mysteries: Can you crack the case? … [Read more...]
Cats need heartworm prevention too
A noticeable number of heartworm infections are found in indoor-only cats. This, along with limited treatment options, makes prevention important for every cat. Brian Calabro, DVM, discusses heartworm disease in cats. Source: DVM 360, June 8, 2020. Link. Cats are not small dogs making it good to review what we know about heartworm disease in cats and to refocus our efforts … [Read more...]
Dogs and hot summer weather
Heat and sunshine can be deleterious to the health of our dogs. The articles collected for this post all refer to taking precautions with dogs during summer. Given the number of new pet adoptions recently, reinforcing this information with pet owners is important. Source: Can Dogs Get Sunburned? PetMD, June 1, 2020. Link. It’s actually very important to put sunscreen on … [Read more...]
Dog life after WFH. Prepare for separation anxiety (video).
Once stay-at-home mandates end, pet owners won't be home as much. Prepare dogs for separation anxiety before it starts. Steve Dale shares concerns about upcoming separation stress. He shares proactive tools and ideas. Source: Good Morning America, May 2, 2020.Link. Also see: Separation anxiety training, The Bark, April 2020. Link. Also see: Pet separation anxiety … [Read more...]
Burnout recovery: 11 strategies to help you reset
People in our networks are feeling the deepening fatigue of adjusting to the rigors of the initial pandemic period. Whether working from home or working with PPE restrictions, ongoing high stress takes a toll on the brain and body. Burnout happens gradually. You might not notice symptoms immediately. However, once it takes hold, it can affect your ability to function across … [Read more...]
Email marketing: what to do when reopening is on the horizon
Natasa Djukanovic shares perspectives on email messaging in preparation for the next normal stages. Intent, empathy and positivity are all foundational elements of her suggestions. Source: Marketing Profs, May 26, 2020. Link. INSIGHTS: This is good guidance for sales team members and marketers. We all can do a better job of writing a short email even though it takes a … [Read more...]
Storm clouds on the next pandemic horizon (video)
Scientists believe another pandemic will happen during our lifetime. A global team has developed a pattern-recognition system to identify diseases in wildlife with a high potential for zoonosis. . . . our behaviors on a global scale are facilitating the movement of a pathogen from an animal population into humans” Source: BBC, June 6, 2020. Link. The surveillance system scans … [Read more...]