A feeding practice developed in the 1970s called the Konefal method, remains the most dependable practice to promote daytime calving. Daytime calving makes overseeing cows more efficient and help ranchers get some rest. Source: Progressive Cattleman, January 16, 2018. Kansas State University scientists recorded data on five consecutive years in a herd of spring-calving … [Read more...]
Insulin resistance and cold weather laminitis in horses
Eleanor Kellon, VMD, says cold-induced hoof pain strikes horses with insulin resistance (IR). IR is a well described risk factor for laminitis. Even when a horse is not glaringly lame it is causing damage to the laminae. We haven’t uncovered all the mechanisms behind laminar damage from high insulin levels but one known factor is elevated levels of endothelin-1. Source: … [Read more...]
Make sure backyard chickens get proper nutrition
Janet Garman sorts through a variety of choices for feeding backyard chickens. Between types and stages of chickens and a multitude of brands, buying chicken feed is not a simple choice. Source: Countryside Daily, January 4, 2017. Chickens need protein, carbohydrates, and fats, along with the appropriate vitamins and minerals. Most starter and grower rations will have 18% … [Read more...]
Calving starts in fewer than 50 days
March 1 is often a target calving date. The third trimester is a critical time for beef cows who are not only growing a calf, but also trying to maintain their own condition, in spite of cold weather. Sandy Johnson shares insights into the critical third trimester. Source: Drovers, November 9, 2017. Producers need to take note of the start of the third trimester because … [Read more...]
Top 10 from Petfood Industry.com
Four posts topped the list of most read. The number of page views per article recorded by Google Analytics determined the rankings: 11 pet food trends industry experts forecast for 2017 Prescription dog, cat foods face anti-trust lawsuit Blue Buffalo faces lawsuit over alleged lead in dog food Infographic: Most of world owns pets; Dogs are tops Source: Petfood … [Read more...]
Organic pet food tops interest level across ethnic boundaries
Understanding pet ownership is important to implement sound business strategies and to understand customer preferences. Branded surveyed 14,755 U.S. residents and found that nearly 66 percent of respondents own at least one pet. However, pet ownership differed by self-reported ethnicity. Source: Petfood Industry, December 22, 2017. In a related survey, Branded analysts … [Read more...]
NAVTA Animal Health Bi-Weekly
The National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America highlights positive trends, issues and topics of interest to its constituency. This issue includes the following: Treating incontinence in female dogs Vaccinations are key to fighting canine influenza Dog food recalled for salmonella Veterinary profession looks promising for 2018 AVMA supports … [Read more...]
Horse coughing may indicate trouble
Sometimes coughing in horses is harmless. It may be the first sign of serious trouble. Heather Smith Thomas reviews how to tell the difference. Notice the background information about the horse’s activities. These references will help veterinary staff members ask good questions when receiving a call from a horse owner. Source: Equus, October 5, 2017. Knowing when to call … [Read more...]
Why dogs snack in cat litter boxes
A litter box is bad enough without having Muffy decide to go there for snacks. The reason for cat litter box treats is one of three topics in this edition of Fear Free Happy Homes. How Much Protein Does Your Cat Really Need? and Fear Reactions: Fight, Flight, and Freeze bookend the litter box phenomena. Source: Fear Free Happy Homes, December 5, 2017. Handouts for … [Read more...]
Prevent holiday diarrhea in dogs
The last thing you need is a dog with explosive diarrhea when friends and family are gathered for the holidays. Unfortunately, many dogs experience gastric upsets around the holidays. Jackie Brown outlines some causes and some home remedies that will treat mild cases of dog diarrhea. Source: Dogster, November 29, 2017. The bottom line about holiday diarrhea in dogs: … [Read more...]
Managing the skinny, older horse
Impending winter weather and loss of good pasture should make all owners of thin senior horses anxious. An underweight horse is a concern regardless of age, but seniors have additional considerations. Eleanor Kellon, VMD, shares perspectives on dentistry and nutrition. Source: Horse Network, November 23, 2017. Problems such as heart failure, kidney failure, liver disease or … [Read more...]
Feed bees so they survive the winter
The implementation of the VFD has increased animal health pros’ apiary concerns. Angi Schneider writes about feeding bees in winter to help them survive. Unlike other insects, bees do not hibernate during the winter or lay eggs that overwinter and emerge in spring. They stay active all winter long. Source: Countryside Daily, November 24, 2017. Once temperatures reach about … [Read more...]
Make winter calf care a priority
Don’t let calf care take a back seat, writes Karen Anderson. Her article addresses feeding and housing concerns for those who raise pre-wean calves during winter. Just because animal health pros have been through these considerations many times is no excuse for avoiding the topic during farm visits. A key point Anderson makes is to consider each calf individually. Her tips … [Read more...]
375 kittens help identify obesity risks
A prospective study attempted to identify early life risk factors for cats to become overweight or obese. Results largely agreed with previously reported investigations of obesity risk factors. At two years of age, 25.3 percent of the study population was overweight or obese according to owners. The proportion was 36.8 percent when body condition score was measured by a … [Read more...]
November is Pet Diabetes Month
Pet Diabetes Month is observed in November and is a fitting opportunity to work with pet owners to achieve and manage a healthy weight for their pets. The AVMA offers good resources to guide those discussions. Direct clients to view information on Your Pet’s Healthy Weight page Keep healthy weight brochures on-hand in your clinic for easy distribution Discuss … [Read more...]
December’s Journal of Dairy Science
We’ve linked to the Interpretive Summaries in this issue. Of special note are several summaries reviewing 100 years of dairy production in a variety of categories. If you like seeing how dairy production has advanced, these historical reviews will be of interest. Source: Journal of Dairy Science, December 2017. The table of contents is linked here < table of contents … [Read more...]
Don’t forget the salt
The growing trends toward the small farm or urban livestock production comes with great educational needs. Many urban or suburban schools have abandoned ag-related classes and FFA or 4-H options are limited. Parents, grandparents and family members may remember raising poultry, rabbits or small ruminants but those memories may not reflect today’s realities. Rhonda Crank … [Read more...]
Whew! Dog gas; normal or a problem?
Fido can sometimes run you out of the room with his flatulence. Jackie Brown covers what’s normal and what’s not when it comes to dog gas. This article is a good resource for websites, newsletters and social media posts as holiday table scraps become available to pets. Source: Dogster, November 6, 2017. Excessive gas may be caused by a less-than-ideal diet. If the … [Read more...]
Eating “clean’ food wasteful, Iowa State says
We are constantly reminded of organic, all-natural and raised without antibiotics designations on food items. Beyond these definitions are even more food label considerations. New research from Iowa State University shows that consumers are unaware of the costs related to producing “clean” label foods. Source: Drovers, November 10, 2017. Ruth Litchfield, an expert on food … [Read more...]
Human food trends are mirrored in 2018 pet food market
Knowing what is trending in pet foods or pet owners’ minds is important for animal health pros to understand since we seek to proactively help manage pet health. Debbie Phillips-Donaldson reviews the first of many trend predictions released by Mintel. Trends that have been in play for a few years now, such as transparency, health and wellness, and personalization will take on … [Read more...]
Opinion – Immune response and nutrient metabolism swine research evolving rapidly
This research information should interest to any animal health pro as whose focus is on prevention and managing disease. The immunes system has high biological priority. When pathogens are detected, the immune response becomes the animal’s energetic priority and changes how dietary nutrients and calories are utilized. Source: National Hog Farmer, October 2017. Any energy … [Read more...]
Chicken anatomy 101: digestion (includes video)
Here’s a resource you can use to review your chicken knowledge. It also can be used to help educate new chicken owners, 4-H or FFA groups or staff members. Patrick Biggs, PhD, a flock nutritionist with Purina Animal Nutrition explains the journey from feed to egg. Source: Countryside Daily, November 6, 2017. Chickens are excellent converters of chicken feed, channeling … [Read more...]
Pork facts (slideshow)
Pork is big business today. More than 2 billion pounds of it is produced annually in the United States. As the most versatile meat, it can be marinated, roasted, barbecued, pan-fried, stir-fried, grilled, dry rubbed, boiled and baked. No matter how you fix it, pork is a protein-packed treat. Cheryl Day shares some facts about pork that animal health pros may find useful and … [Read more...]
Natural remedies for treating hock pain in horses
Arthritis is a commonly diagnosed problem of the hock and many vets recommend joint injections to treat the problem. But, joint injections carry the risk of infection and joint degeneration, among other things. Neutraceutical options aren’t miracle workers, but they can make a difference for horses with mild to moderate hock pain. Source: Horse Network, October 26, … [Read more...]
Study finds dairy has anti-inflammatory effect (includes video)
“Dairy products, particularly fermented dairy products, have anti-inflammatory properties in humans not suffering from allergies to milk,” said Bradley Bolling, citing research from University of Wisconsin during the World Dairy Expo. Source: Dairy Herd Management, October 5, 2017. A UW study involving 132 women over nine weeks, yogurt provided some anti-inflammatory … [Read more...]
October is National Pork Month (slide gallery)
The designation of October as pork month marks a time of year when hogs were traditionally marketed. The United States is the third-largest pork-producing country, following China and the European Union. Pork is safe, efficient, environmentally friendly and a superior source of protein. Source: National Hog Farmer, October 1, 2017. According to an analysis by the USDA, pork … [Read more...]
Help clients understand therapeutic diets
Elisa Jordan writes about discussing therapeutic diets with clients and addressing their benefits, effectiveness, cost and necessity. Emphasizing the medicinal qualities of such diets help pet owners understand exactly what they’re paying for and how they’re actually treating their pets. Source: Veterinary Practice News, August 25, 2017. A problem surrounding these diets, … [Read more...]
A quadrillion reasons those microbes matter
When cattle are fed, producers feed an ecosystem of bacteria, protozoa and fungi. Rumen microbes work together to break down what a cow eats, turning the feed into energy and protein. Keeping microbes flourishing can keep cows productive and in the herd. The numbers are mind-boggling. Source: Beef, August 24, 2017. Three main microorganisms are responsible for breaking down … [Read more...]
Groom advice, stop feeding horses treats
Megan Withers offers advice to horse owners about feeding too many treats. In her experiences, horse owners train horses to exhibit some bad behaviors by over-treating. This is good content for clients with unruly critters, new horse owners or young people just getting involved in horsemanship. Source: Horse Network, September 9, 2017. When your horse nickers for you as you … [Read more...]
Cat food variety growing rapidly
While kibble remains the mainstay, the cat food category is expanding with new options as manufacturers seek to meet customers’ varied demands. Nutritional science, as well as consumer and feline preferences, drive the trends and appear to be following the trends in dog foods for increased numbers of natural offerings and unique protein sources. Source: Pet Product News, … [Read more...]