Eco-friendly products from SuperZoo, Dolly Parton’s pet line, Bark’s pricing strategy, Petco launching fresh frozen pet foods, small business marketing ideas, veterinary hospitals facing staffing issues and more . . . Guide to IBPSA Flow Business conference is now available. Link. Source: IBPSA Fast Bites, September 5, 2022. Link. … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – September 1, 2022
Last week’s most read posts Stop the high turnover in the front office (video). Link. Wendy Hauser, DVM: Client trust, human-animal bond and meeting client concerns. Link. Last AHD Bulletin - Animal Health Digest Bulletin, Thursday, August 25, 2022. Link. =================================== 28 pet food industry mergers and acquisitions 2022 Source: … [Read more...]
Randy Blach receives CAB Industry Achievement Award
Randy Blach earned the 2022 Industry Achievement Award for his relentless focus on the data and how it can deliver solutions to producers. He was recognized at the recent Feeding Quality Forum in Kansas City, Missouri. Source: BEEF, August 24, 2022. <Link> … [Read more...]
The nearer the bone, the sweeter the meat
Commentary My first thought reading this was, “don’t forget to invite me to dinner!” The authors explain the lack of research evaluating the impact of bone on beef palatability and whether it depends on quality grade as the impetus for a taste study. Their findings are shared in the article linked here. . . . bone status had minimal impact on palatability traits. … [Read more...]
7 things to think about when it comes to BRD
Bovine respiratory disease remains the costliest disease in the U.S. cattle industry. Despite research and years of work trying to manage for the disease, the industry struggles to address it. Rhonda Brooks, Bovine Practitioner editor, assembled experts to offer seven ways to help manage BRD. Source: Bovine Veterinarian, August 25, 2022. Link. Here are seven factors – from … [Read more...]
Don’t feed dogs cooked bones
Here’s a friendly reminder that dogs should only be given raw bones. Cooked bones can contain harmful seasonings and cause other severe problems. Source: Masterclass, April 27, 200. Link. Dogs should not eat cooked rib bones, T-bone steak bones or other cooked bones like pork bones or chicken bones. As a dog chews on a cooked bone, it can crack and break. These small pieces … [Read more...]
Couple’s trick to get dog to take medicine goes viral (video)
Getting pets to take their medicine can be challenging. In a TikTok video the owners of Daisy, a golden doodle, show how they trick their dog into thinking she's getting away with stealing dropped human food. Source: Parade, August 24, 2022. Link. INSIGHTS: Whatever it takes, right? People have viewed the video more than 500,000 times. So don’t be surprised if you hear … [Read more...]
Dog food myth-busting
Nancy Kerns addresses the seven most common dog food myths and misconceptions. Source: Whole Dog Journal, January 2021. Link. . . . read the fine print on the labels. Which nutritional adequacy standard does each candidate meet? How much fat and protein do they contain? What ingredients are they made of?” Also see: Do dogs have taste buds? Pet MD. Link. … [Read more...]
Colgate investing in fastest-growing unit: pet food
Colgate-Palmolive Company is investing heavily in three U.S. manufacturing facilities to support and grow its Hill’s Pet Nutrition unit. Hills accounts for a fifth of Colgate’s revenue and over the past 12 months has driven about 70 percent of its growth. Source: Bloomberg, August 23, 2022. Link. The success of the Hill’s revamp will hinge on its ability to compete in the … [Read more...]
IBPSA Fast Bites – August 29, 2022
Benefits and care in pet condos, pet inflation 2022 over 2021, marketing plus ecommerce in the pet market, monkey pox, business scams and more . . . Source: IBPSA Fast Bites, August 29, 2022. Link. … [Read more...]
Each time you place an order for a product, the labor cost is $17.25
Complimentary Commercial Content In a recent post, Nicole Clausen, CSSGB, CCFP, CVBL, takes a non-traditional approach to calculating cost per SKU when replenishing inventory in an animal hospital. Using a loaded cost of $23 per hour for inventory personnel, she estimates 45 minutes to order, unpack, receive, record, pay the invoice and keep track of an item each time it is … [Read more...]
KCAHC #AHSummit22 exceeds expectations
Kudos to the KCAHC team; Corridor committee; Spencer Breithaupt, Chairman; panel participants; speakers and presenting companies. Congratulations to: Scott Campbell, DVM, who was awarded KCAHC Iron Paw <Link> Vidium Animal Health for being selected as the 2022 Innovation Award recipient for @vidiumah which provides veterinarians and pet owners more tools to manage … [Read more...]
Planning for winter grazing
Cattle producers across the country are experiencing the end of forage as fall approaches. Whether limited forage is caused by drought or poor rotation, Denise Schwab offer ideas to help extend the grazing season as fall approaches. High feed costs coupled with high fuel costs makes extended grazing options important to consider.” Source: FEED-LOT, August 16, 2022. Link. … [Read more...]
Some sugar substitutes affect blood glucose and gut bacteria
In a new study, human participants who consumed sugar substitutes showed an altered microbiome and spikes in blood glucose. However, the effects of the sweeteners on blood glucose are likely highly personalized, Eran Elinav says. But the results suggest these compounds don’t just pass through the body, as some originally thought. Source: Scientific American as seen in AAHA … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – August 18, 2022
Last week’s most read posts – 10 years and counting elevating care for cats. Link. Get ready! All livestock antibiotics will be prescription-only in 2023. Link. Changes coming to compounded animal health medication. Link. Last week’s AHD Bulletin - Animal Health Digest Bulletin, Thursday, August 11, 2022. Link. =================================== Dog … [Read more...]
Allen D. Leman Swine Conference slated for September 17-20.
The 2022 Leman Conference will feature sessions covering everything from foreign animal disease and biosecurity to Prop 12 and gene editing for porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome. Internationally acclaimed for bringing science-driven solutions to the complex challenges facing the industry, the event garners hundreds of participants from over 20 countries each … [Read more...]
National Dog Day is August 26
There is still time to promote National Dog Day. The National Today website offers fun facts about dogs and their owners. Source: National Today. Link. Scroll down to see the top 3 Dog Day survey insights. … [Read more...]
Prussic acid toxicity risk, a problem in drought areas, after rains
Clark Roberts shares the importance of keeping an eye on cattle that graze where Johnsongrass is present, due to the risk of prussic acid toxicity. Anything that physically stresses Johnsongrass, such as drought in summer or freezing in the fall, can increase the amount of prussic acid in this invasive forage plant. Secondly, with rain after drought, or warm temperatures after … [Read more...]
U.S. hog production: Rising output and changing trends in productivity growth
Opinion Consider a quick scan of the latest hog production report from USDA’s Economic Research Service. Beyond reading the simple summary <Link>, scan the full report introduction and conclusions <Link> to better understand how this animal health segment has met challenges and continued to thrive. The report shows productivity growth and structural change, … [Read more...]
The three most common and preventable canine maladies
With simple observation and proactive management, dog owners can prevent the three conditions that most frequently compromise dogs' quality of life, writes Nancy Kerns. She says many dogs will suffer from one of these common disorders: Obesity Dental disease Over-long nails Source: Whole Dog Journal, August 9, 2022. Link. INSIGHTS: Note the cutlines under the … [Read more...]
10 veterinary trends worthy of attention
Bob Lester, DVM, shares trends in the veterinary profession he is watching. He outlines 10 of the galvanizing issues facing veterinary medicine: The workforce shortage The rise of the connected pet Regulatory The bond Veterinary education Consolidation Work-Life Segmentation Preventive care Team health care delivery Source: Today’s Veterinary … [Read more...]
Reasons for optimism in the animal health market
Based on recent industry figures, things are looking up for the animal health market, says Graham Garrison, who shares industry figures and estimates that bolster confidence in the pet care segment. <factors contributing to U.S. pet industry growth> include a heightened focus on pet health and wellness among pet owners in closer contact with their pets, a ramped-up … [Read more...]
Best ways to help overweight dogs lose weight
Opinion The last paragraph of this article makes it shareworthy. The tips on ways to address obesity in dogs are good and worth reinforcing. There’s little doubt that a large percentage of U.S. dogs are overweight. Final words: It’s the responsibility of us to help our dogs maintain a healthy weight. It’s up to pet owners to feed nutritious and healthy foods and treats and … [Read more...]
Pet food growth may outstrip animal protein supply
Demand from dog, cat and other pet food industries for animal proteins may surpass supply from the United States’ agricultural system, according to researchers from Kansas State University. The units of pet food produced in the U.S. have been growing at a faster rate than animals slaughtered for human consumption. This is significant because if these growth rates continue … [Read more...]
Improving the narrative on pet food
Pet food is deeply personal for many cat and dog owners and their choices are compounded by the explosion of choices. Raw, organic, fresh, frozen and nearly any other human food trend you can imagine make pet food choices challenging. Ernie Ward DVM, CVFT, says, “to successfully educate and avoid offending clients, veterinary professionals need to have a communication strategy, … [Read more...]
Reptile- and feeder rodent-associated Salmonellosis: Alberta
Reptile contact is a very well-known risk factor for acquiring Salmonella, especially in kids. Scott Weese, DVM, shares the challenges of feeder rodent-associated Salmonella sp. outbreaks as a reminder for reptile owners and handlers. Weese shares some important basic preventive measures when it comes to Salmonella sp. including: Feeder rodents should be handled like … [Read more...]
The secret language of heat stress: What dry cows are telling you.
Dairy farmers and veterinarians are noticing the effects of heat stress in the dry cow herd. While dry cows can stand a bit more heat than the milking herd, their comfort is important for optimizing future production. Research has shown that dry, pregnant cows or nulliparous pregnant heifers exposed to heat stress will make less milk in their next lactation, and their gestated … [Read more...]
Preventing thumps
Synchronous diaphragmatic flutter, thumps for short, is a metabolic disorder in horses. Typified by rhythmic twitching of the muscles near a horse’s flanks, thumps is a warning that his internal calcium reserves are running low. Laurie Bonner and Melinda Freckleton, DVM, share how to address active thumps in horses when they occur and how to avoid future incidents in horses … [Read more...]
Microbiological quality and presence of foodborne pathogens in raw and extruded canine diets and canine fecal samples
A Chilean study sought to determine pet food safety based on the presence of zoonotic pathogens in extruded and raw meat-based diets. The researchers also sought to determine the prevalence of Salmonella spp., C. jejuni, and L. monocytogenes in canine fecal samples. Moreover, the genetic relationship between bacteria isolated from pet food and fecal bacterial isolates was … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – July 21, 2022
Last week’s most read posts 7 important facts about mosquitos and horses. Link. Consolidation trends of veterinary practices acquired by corporate groups are important to observe. Link. Last AHD Bulletin - Animal Health Digest Bulletin, Thursday, July 14, 2022. Link. =================================== Antivenin: Five myths to remember this … [Read more...]