The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission continues to issue guidance to employers on how to evaluate medical exemption requests, but not every situation will be covered. Helene Hechtkopf* shares the basic process by which an employer should evaluate a medical exemption request and presents factors that will impact decisions. Source: Human Resource Executive, November 1, … [Read more...]
Time to FOCUS on biosecurity
Opinion The theme for the Kate Dion’s discussion of the biosecurity research currently in progress could be begin with the end in mind. She describes current work at Iowa State University to understand the rate of disease transmission in growing pigs and associate the timing of disease introduction with <location> biosecurity characteristics or events that could cause … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – November 3, 2021
Last week’s. . . . . . most read post Beef upcycles well. It’s a great story we all can share. Link. . . . AHD Bulletin Animal Health Digest Bulletin - October 28, 2021. Link. Culling moose in Maine to control ticks Source: Wall Street Journal, November 1, 2021. Link to PDF. To save Maine’s moose population from being decimated by ticks, … [Read more...]
60 percent more milk from 30 percent fewer cows
Karen Bohnert shares some of the drivers changing the future of U.S. dairy including areas where cows will be milked in the future. Source: Dairy Herd Management, August 31, 2021. Link. Sponsored Content Our industry’s researchers have investigated all aspects of individual cow health during, ahead of and at the end of milk production. Early detection of infection at … [Read more...]
Cattle rendering, an unsung sustainability success story
Key points from last week’s post, Beef upcycles well Link, are reinforced in this article from Jennifer M. Latzke. Without the rendering industry, America would fill to capacity every one of its landfills in four years just with the offal and other parts of cattle that don’t go into the butcher’s meat case, she writes. This was one key point from a peer-reviewed study … [Read more...]
Paired housing in lieu of group housing
Group housing for dairy calves is not an easy system for all farms to implement. Dairies can still reap the benefits that come from raising calves in social groups by housing two calves together as a pair. I really like pair housing because we get a lot of the advantages of social housing without the detrimental effects of large groups. There is a lot of opportunity to modify … [Read more...]
Offer proper winter ventilation for calves
Calves are constantly producing water vapor as they breathe. At 37°F it is estimated that a calf is producing about 1.25 ounces of water per hour that generates a quart of water per day. The winter focus needs to be on controlling and removing excess moisture produced within the calves’ shelters. Source: The Bullvine, November 1, 2021. Link. Cold temperatures within calf … [Read more...]
Old horses would rather move
Just because a horse is older and might experience chronic pain doesn’t mean he wants to stand around. In a study monitoring how horses budgeted their time, researchers found age and orthopedic pain didn’t deter horses from moving around when given the opportunity. Source: The Horse, September 24, 2021. Link. Environment matters more than age and lameness in older … [Read more...]
The biggest whales can eat the equivalent of 80,000 Big Macs in one day
Baleen whales, the biggest animals to have ever lived on earth, gobble up much more food than scientists thought, according to a new study of filter-feeding whales that reveals just how important their eating habits could be for recycling nutrients in the ocean. Source: NPR, November 3, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
Equine eye microbiota assessed for fungi
A look at the eyes of 24 horses and applying advanced genomic sequencing technology have revealed which fungi are most common in healthy eyes and how those microscopic populations differ in pastured horses compared to stalled horses <Link>. The research team determined that the most common fungi in their study horses’ eyes were: Leptosphaerulina, 22.7 percent … [Read more...]
New study suggests vegan pet food as healthful* for dogs and cats as meat
A controversial new research study showed that cats and dogs on a plant-based diet had health outcomes that were as good or better as those pets being fed diets containing meat. *Study leader Dr. Andrew Knight was quick to point out that the results only apply to vegan meals that have been formulated to include added nutrients that ensure that dogs and cats are getting a … [Read more...]
AAHA releases first veterinary guidelines for working, assistance and therapy dogs
The 2021 AAHA Working, Assistance, and Therapy Dog Guidelines are the first comprehensive consensus report to guide veterinary teams who care for: Protection dogs (police, military, security) Odor/scent detection dogs Service dogs for people with diagnosed disabilities or physical limitations Emotional support dogs Therapy dogs Source: AAHA NEWStat, November … [Read more...]
Finalists for Pet Product News’ Annual Editors’ Choice Awards
Here’s a look at the most promising new products in the array being considered for the 2022 Pet Product News’ annual Editors’ Choice Awards. Source: Pet Product News, October 5, 2021. Link. INSIGHTS: There are a lot of new treats in this mix. Consider the importance of managing Kcals since treats are frequently a part of what is fed that contributes to overweight pets … [Read more...]
If you’re cold, they’re cold (video)
It is that time of year to consider the effects of colder weather on animals. Danika Harvey, DVM, says any sick, young or senior animals should be brought indoors when temperatures start to drop to avoid any risks of hypothermia. It’s just the same as if you had a very old person or an infant, you know, they don’t do well in cold temperatures and our animals at our ages don’t … [Read more...]
IBPSA Fast Bites – November 1, 2021
Shelter dog makeovers, conservation dogs helping endangered species, digital marketing for small business, who spends the most on their pets, how to get paid as a small business owner and more . . . Source: IBPSA Fast Bites, November 1, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
Know and share the signs, risk of EHD in deer and livestock
We’re posting this because deer seasons have opened around the country. Please consider sharing it with local media to encourage hunters and livestock producers to be on the lookout for deer, particularly whitetail deer, and livestock exhibiting symptoms. EHD is a reportable disease in North Dakota where drought has caused many producers to relocate their cattle. The virus … [Read more...]
Cost of veterinary care concerns consistent among generations
Includes Sponsored Content Addressing concerns about the affordability of veterinary care runs high among pet owners of all generations, according to data presented in VetWatch™: For emergency services, 42 percent of vet clients are strongly concerned, 32 percent are somewhat concerned. For routine healthcare, 33 percent are strongly concerned, 35 percent are … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – October 28, 2021
Last week’s. . . . . . most read post When do we need to re-treat? Cattle Chat discussion. Link. . . . AHD Bulletin Animal Health Digest Bulletin - Oct 21, 2021. Link. "Pandemic posture" hurting your back? You can fix it! Source: Harvard Health Letter, October 1, 2021. Link. Here’s what to do if you’ve developed back pain from poor posture habits … [Read more...]
Canine coronavirus was found in human pneumonia samples
Coronavirus outbreaks aren't rare and will likely occur every decade or so. Research published in May 2021 has identified a canine corona virus in patients hospitalized with pneumonia. The samples came from patients at a hospital in Malaysia, taken by a collaborator in 2017 and 2018. Virologist Xuming Zhang says he wouldn't be surprised if this dog virus is, in fact, a new … [Read more...]
Pigs will upcycle almost anything into nutritious food
There’s no animal superior to the pig at converting surplus nutrients into dense, living flesh. You might call pigs on-the-hoof food storage, writes Shawn and Beth Dougherty. Their context is hobby or subsistence farming, but the list of things hogs will eat should be interesting to anyone who never slopped the hogs. Pigs, like humans, are omnivores; they eat just about … [Read more...]
Stay safe when pumping manure
Sometimes before harvest is completely finished, manure slurries get pumped and put on fields already harvested. It is an important part of the pork industry's sustainability story but handling manure is inherently risky. Ted Funk shares 10 tips to control the risks to employees, manure handling contractors and avoid the potential to transfer diseases to … [Read more...]
Get BQA certified, assure customers of quality beef
Consumers trust beef producers more when they get BQA (Beef Quality Assurance) certified, which can be done online or in person in some states. Funded by NCBA, the program teaches techniques of sound animal care and resource management. BQA training certifies producers’ commitments to do things right when it comes to injections, pest protection, resource management and overall … [Read more...]
Behaviors that indicate equine lameness
There’s a relatively new tool for identifying subtle signs of musculoskeletal pain in horses, shares Christine Barakat. The Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram is a compilation of 24 behaviors, such as “head tilting,” “tail swishing” and “spontaneous changes of gait” that have been proven to correlate with musculoskeletal pain. If a horse exhibits eight or more of the behaviors, chances … [Read more...]
Helping pet owners deal with pet behavior issues
Getting past hesitancies to proactively discuss pet behavior is difficult, says Melissa Spooner-Raymond LVT, VTS. She reminds us that pet owners have different learning styles and provides links to various resources to help get ahead of behavior problems before they occur. Source: Today’s Veterinary Nurse, Summer 2021. Link. A simple way to provide clients valuable … [Read more...]
Counter the negative effects of sitting
According to a recent study, standing up and moving for roughly three minutes every half an hour may mitigate the negative effects of over-sitting. . . . those who exercised the most – averaging 75 steps during the three-minute breaks – saw the biggest gains.” Source: Runner’s World, October 19, 2021. Link. Over-sitting is an area we should all take seriously. Its impacts are … [Read more...]
Surgeons attached a pig kidney to a human. It worked!
Researchers in New York successfully attached a kidney grown in a genetically altered pig to a human patient. The kidney worked normally representing a scientific breakthrough that may yield a new supply of organs for severely ill patients. Though the procedure won’t be available anytime soon, experts say the surgery is a milestone. Source: New York Times, October 19, 2021. … [Read more...]
Viruses are the villains and heroes of life as we know it
Bacteriophages are viruses known to infect bacteria and keep bacterial populations in check. Their ability to selectively kill bacteria also has medical doctors excited. Natural and engineered phages have been successfully used to treat bacterial infections that do not respond to antibiotics. Ivan Erill, PhD, discusses how virulent and temperate phages work, invade and … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – October 21, 2021
Last week’s. . . . . . most read post Grain-free? Grain-ful? The Chatfields discuss pet food choices. Link. . . . AHD Bulletin Animal Health Digest Bulletin - Oct 14, 2021. Link. Label pea-protein cat food as not for ferrets, vet says Source: Petfood Industry, October 11, 2021. Link. Bladder stones in ferrets may be related to diets containing … [Read more...]
Soundness exams. No bull, they’re for bulls.
With harvest underway it is easy to put off soundness exams for herd bulls kept for breeding. Fall is the optimal time to get your beef bulls examined and identify any performance issues before turning them in with the cows. Source: Farm Progress, October 14, 2021. Link. Bull soundness exams include: Assess the body condition Rate the feet Check the … [Read more...]
Undeniably Dairy campaign designed to reach Gen Z
Did you know The dairy checkoff’s Undeniably Dairy campaign has a new wave to create deeper connections between Gen Z and dairy products. The campaign will use media channels and marketing strategies, including gaming, social media influencers and digital content, to engage with Gen Z to grow sales and trust of dairy. Did you know dairy can do more than set you at ease? It … [Read more...]