This article reinforces the importance of obesity management in cats as our industry works to support growth in feline health interest and veterinary visits. Results from a recent study highlight the importance of recognizing the impact of body condition score on feline health. Obese cats exhibited significantly higher SBP and blood glucose concentrations compared to their … [Read more...]
Body condition score at calving a key predictor of reproductive success
New information? No, but a timely reminder for producers who may have shifted their focus to other summer activities at turnout. Consider sharing this article with producers in newsletters, social media and leave a few copies at the coffee stop. With most spring calving done, assessing cows now is important to the next generation of calves. BCS at calving is one of the best … [Read more...]
Quality over quantity driving milk revenue in U.S. dairies
Karen Bohnert says the U.S. dairy industry is evolving from a fluid milk nation into the world’s premier nutrient-dense global powerhouse. She shares analytics from Farm Journal’s 2026 State of the Dairy Industry Report that shows a staggering 89 percent of producers are now actively and surgically adjusting their rations to target specific milk components (fat and protein) … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – June 4, 2026
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, May 28, 2026. Link. Most read posts from May 28, 2026 AHD Bulletin – New insights on the hidden impact of veterinary care: global survey. Link. Malone: Bad and good pain. Link. Just trying to save lives and survive! (video). Link. Role ambiguity is the top workplace stressor, not workload. … [Read more...]
Making the pet food to pet health connection
Pet owners are turning to pet food to boost their pets’ health and wellness, writes David Sprinkle. His takeaways from the January 2026 Packaged Facts survey data show the priority of pet food as a pet health product rises up the generational ladder, tied to a greater likelihood of populations owning more senior pets than ever before. Source: PETFOOD Industry, May 11, 2026. … [Read more...]
What’s wrong with this picture?
May 24, 2026. Southeast Central Nebraska. Feeding hay while drought-affected grass tries to recover. The lack of moisture is putting significant pressure on producers in this state. Around 62 percent of the U.S. cattle inventory is in an area experiencing drought. The latest U.S. Drought Monitor shows nearly three-quarters of the U.S. cattle herd is being affected by … [Read more...]
Study uncovers how cattle break down seaweed
Climate change is forcing producers and scientists to rethink some long-held assumptions about livestock nutrition. Researchers studying what happens inside the gut of cows fed seaweed as an alternate nutrient source observed a bloom, or proliferation, of bacteria they believe was involved in digestion, which suggested the cattle were successfully breaking down and digesting … [Read more...]
World Pork Expo opens June 3
The world’s largest pork industry-specific trade show brings together pork producers and industry professionals from around the world for two days of education, innovation and networking. It takes place Wednesday, June 3 and Thursday, June 4, 2026, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. Source: World Pork Expo. Link. There’s something for everyone — an expansive trade … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – May 21, 2026
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, May 14, 2026. Link. Most read posts from May 14, 2026 AHD Bulletin – Words + Action = Trust. Link. 1 common skin bacteria, 2 outcomes. Link. These pet brands dominate ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Perplexity. Link. Turn feline visits into lasting relationships. Link. Vesicular stomatitis … [Read more...]
Considerations when choosing an SGLT2 inhibitor for a newly diagnosed diabetic cat
Diabetes management in cats requires a different approach than in dogs. Section 6 of the 2026 AAHA Diabetes Management Guidelines for Cats provides primary care providers with ways to better serve their feline patients, including SGLT2 inhibitors. Two SGLT2 inhibitors are now licensed for use in newly diagnosed, otherwise healthy feline diabetics not previously treated with … [Read more...]
Postbiotics may calm dogs via the gut-brain axis
Research centered on postbiotics suggests they may support stress management indirectly through gut health modulation rather than direct behavioral changes in dogs. The gut-brain axis links intestinal health to neurological responses, according to Erik Eckhardt, PhD, who emphasized, “it is a direct line, literally, between intestine and the brain.” Source: PETFOOD Industry, … [Read more...]
The pet economy is splitting in two
The middle of the pet marketplace is fading away, says Marshall Morris, explaining we are in a K-shaped economy. He offers perspectives for brands that choose to play in premium segments versus store brands. Morris notes the category showing the most resilient growth now isn’t food. It is "preventive" wellness: supplements, OTC treatments and functional ingredients. These … [Read more...]
Hill’s releases its first World of the Kitten Report
Complimentary Building upon Hill's World of the Cat Report, the World of the Kitten Report is positioned as a comprehensive, evidence-based guide that delivers expert insights into optimal kitten growth, nutrition, socialization and veterinary care, to help ensure healthier, happier feline companions across the globe. Hill's encourages a shift in focus to the first 12 … [Read more...]
Vets write ‘Dr. Cluck’ book to help keep chickens healthy, safe
Science-based advice for poultry care at every life stage is now available in a new book from University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources. ‘Dr. Cluck’s Backyard Chickens’ is fun to read, peer-reviewed, poultry vet-approved and and reads like a sitcom. Maurice Pitesky, professor at the UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine and veterinarian Evan Adler share … [Read more...]
Planning for the 3 most stressful days for a beef-on-dairy calf (video)
Trey Gellert, DVM, outlines how birth, weaning and transport shape lifetime performance in beef-on-dairy calves. His focus for producers is to plan ahead to reduce risk and to set the stage for the best calf to send to the next production stage. Source: The Beef Site, April 27, 2026. Link. [5:49] Before weaning, <producers> need to start programming the calf at a … [Read more...]
Hill’s Pet Nutrition introduces product to support feline mobility, weight management
The new Hill's Prescription Diet Metabolic + j/d, brings two innovations together to help manage feline weight and mobility issues in one formula. Cat owners who have overweight cats struggling with mobility no longer have to choose which condition to address with their veterinarian. Source: Hill’s Pet Nutrition, PR Newswire, April 30, 2026. Link. Hill's Prescription Diet … [Read more...]
Two industries, one mission, mostly disconnected
There is something about pets that overrides conventional career logic, writes veterinary nutritionist Megan Sprinkle, DVM. She shares her observations from a trip to Global Pet Expo 2026 and contrasts parallel industries with a common customer commenting on the opportunity of shared purpose. Source: Animal Health News and Views, April 2026. Link. Diverse perspectives and … [Read more...]
Chicken bone guidance for dogs and cats
Picnic and grilling season puts cats and dogs at more risk of being tempted by bones in garbage containers or tossed near park shelters. These two articles address bone safety for cats and dogs. Pet owners and their families need to understand the danger of feeding bones reinforced to avoid an incident. Consider sharing these on social media and in newsletters. Sources: … [Read more...]
“Watch out” for heifers out of first-calf heifers
Getting the most out of replacement heifers was the focus of a presentation by calf and heifer specialist Bethany Dado-Senn, PhD, at the recent Central Plains Dairy Expo. She shared benchmarks from birth to 12 months of age, highlighting specific areas along each growth stage, including possibly managing heifers out of first-calf heifers separately. Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, … [Read more...]
Keeping cows on track from calving to conception
Commercial references The picture above defines the what and how of optimal cow management. The first 100 days, a critical stress window, is the when. Management and nutrition in this period largely decide whether a cow breeds back on time, writes Angie Stump Denton. Alltech’s Anne Koontz and Shelby Roberts provide details on prevention‑minded nutrition and management, … [Read more...]
Defining the next chapter of beef-on-dairy with genetics, data
The days of “any black bull will do” are over, shares Karen Bohnert in this article, relaying information from the recent High Plains Dairy Conference in Amarillo, Texas. The reason the beef-on-dairy movement has been so successful is rooted in its ability to solve the beef industry’s greatest challenge: variability. Source: Dairy Herd Management, April 6, 2026. Link. To … [Read more...]
Replacement heifers have different needs than finishing heifers
When short on grass and hay, cattle producers may contemplate how to manage replacement heifers in a dry lot or in confinement. The Nebraska wildfires were the catalyst for Karla Wilke’s article, but it is good guidance to share with producers who face similar challenges. Source: BEEF, April 6, 2026. Link. Replacement heifers do not need the high-energy diet fed to finishing … [Read more...]
Fast-growing pasture creates risk of grass tetany in lactating cows
Surges in forage growth create grass tetany risk across many beef operations. Andrea Bedford shares ways to reduce the risks. While grass tetany is a seasonal risk that follows predictable patterns, producers may need to monitor animals closely in areas where wildfires burned and forage grasses are recovering. Source: Bovine Veterinarian, March 23, 2026. Link. Risk … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance April 2, 2026
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, March 26, 2026. Link. Most read posts from the March 26th AHD Bulletin – Before PRDC takes control: Bordetella bronchiseptica’s early role. Link. The Farmer’s Dog to be in Walmart. Link. Customer hesitation. Link. CAPC 2026 Pet Parasite Forecast: vectors, hotspots, year-round risk. Link. From … [Read more...]
Improving digestive health in feedlot cattle
Sponsor Content from Novonesis Dr. Steve Lerner, senior scientific and business advisor with Novonesis, recently joined Sarah Muirhead, managing director of Feedstuffs, to discuss ways to improve digestive health in feedlot cattle, make every pound of gain count and potentially improve carbon intensity. Here are notable takeaways. In practical terms, digestive health in … [Read more...]
What feral cats actually need from the people who feed them
Includes commercial references Living two to five years versus domestic cat lifespans into the late teens, feral cats need more than food to live longer, writes Dan Seymour. The causes for a brief life include untreated injuries from fights or accidents, exposure to extreme weather, infectious diseases spreading through colonies, parasite burdens that slowly weaken them and … [Read more...]
Drinking behavior of horses: 6 facts about water intake
Consider and share these basic principles of horsemanship regarding water: Depending on body weight, in a moderate climate will drink five to 15 gallons per day Variations in water intake for individual horses may occur from day to day Diet affects water consumption Well-fed mature horses spend only five or six minutes a day drinking water in several visits … [Read more...]
We measure milk. The cow measures time. Management defines both.
Complimentary Content The recent heat wave across the West and Midwest is a reminder of the effects of heat stress on cows. The farms that succeed are not just cooling cows. They are managing time, environment and consistency as one system, explains Muhammad Wasim Iqbal, DVM, MS, PhD. The graphic from Dr. Iqbal’s post is saved here as a poster to use when communicating … [Read more...]
The greening of America, potential dangers are hidden, inherent
Correctly managing spring grass growth isn’t easy, but having an effective plan in place will optimize both cattle and grass production for the remainder of the season. Don’t be too early; overgrazing slows subsequent growth and pasture resilience Early grass is water-laden; consider energy and/or dry matter supplements Hay boosts daily dry matter intake. Source: … [Read more...]
The Farmer’s Dog to be in Walmart
Walmart is partnering with The Farmer's Dog to offer human-grade dog meals across its nationwide retail network. The products are set to be available for the first time in Walmart stores and online in April. The move puts Walmart directly into the premium pet food conversation. Source: Yahoo, March 24, 2026. Link. … [Read more...]