According to market intelligence firm IRI, 57 percent of U.S. consumers are motivated to purchase products based on factors within social strategy and cultural alignment. Animal welfare certifications on packaging and companies that promote responsible production are moving rapidly to capitalize on the growing influence of millennial and Gen Z purchasing power. For … [Read more...]
Keep pets away to prevent foodborne illness
Animal waste tainting fresh produce is one of the major causes of foodborne ailments. So, farmers’ markets and pick-your-own growers are increasingly guarded about tolerating pets near their edibles. Home gardeners should be cautious, too, writes Dean Fosdick. Source: Associated Press, April 30, 2019. Link. Whether human, dog, cat, cow or deer — all animals can be the … [Read more...]
Biosecurity tips for livestock exhibitors
Livestock show season is still in full swing and biosecurity protocols should be in full swing, as well. Worthwhile biosecurity tips to follow before, during and after a stock show are featured in this blog post. Source: Neogen Blog, May 22, 2019. Link. Careful vigilance is essential while the event is ongoing. This is where risk are highest, so act accordingly. Monitor … [Read more...]
RFID is it for USDA’s mandatory animal disease traceability. Deadline is January 21, 2023.
The pressure is on fruit and vegetable growers all over the world to implement traceability systems in the next 12 months. USDA’s Gregory Ibach believes the meat industry will be next on the traceability agenda. USDA took another step toward enhancing the nation’s mandatory animal disease traceablity (ADT) program by requiring official electronic radio-frequency identification … [Read more...]
Keep pets safe on July 4th
Independence Day is one week from today. It’s a fun holiday, but the noisy festivities can really scare pets. Noisy fireworks can cause pets to run away, holiday food can be harmful and the heat can bring trouble. The AVMA has assembled common-sense tips to help prepare for the holiday and and to keep everyone and their pets as safe as possible. Source: AVMA. Link. Safety … [Read more...]
The flies have it!
As summer kicks off, Travis Meteer reviews four main types of flies that bother livestock. Wet spring conditions have provided favorable breeding conditions and we’re likely to see considerable fly pressure through the summer months. Cattle facilities are not the only places flies are nuisances. Meteer’s strategies for control apply to urban and suburban locales, as … [Read more...]
Anthrax, a risk in wet or dry conditions
Dr. Susan Keller reminds producers and veterinarians to remain vigilant and vaccinate cattle against anthrax, especially where the disease has occurred in the past. Spores of the bacteria Bacillus anthracis cause anthrax when consumed and they can survive in the soil for years. In both dry and wet conditions anthrax spores can be transported and become available for cattle to … [Read more...]
Get serious about kidding time
Goat popularity continues to rise. As people learn to raise them, it is inevitable they will experience kidding time. Durvet’s Kassie Miller assembled a goat kidding kit to help prepare for that magical phase. This is a good list to help goat raisers be prepared. Source: Durvet. Link. Advanced prepping and quick access ensures access will ensure you will have all the tools … [Read more...]
Microbiome; it’s a bug eat bug world
“The microbiome is a collection of different microorganisms that we find in the intestinal tract of animals, and we know these microorganisms are essential to immune development,” says Christopher Chase, DVM. “Understanding how they interact with the gut, and particularly the epithelium of the gut, is really important.” In the last decade, research has shown the epithelial … [Read more...]
Collegiate meat judging featured by Sports Illustrated
Comparing the core components to NCAA athletics, Mike Piellucci goes in-depth into the recruitment, rivalries, commitment, competitions and impact of this intercollegiate meat judging. The skill set of a champion meat judge is both eminently teachable and difficult to master: quick decision making, critical reasoning, self-assurance and, above all, the ability to quiet one’s … [Read more...]
Goats are cute, but they aren’t easy pets
Brian Barth wonders if 2019 will be the year that goats join dogs, cats and parrots in the pantheon of animals that have gone from wild to domesticated. Barbara Jamison, owner of Puget Sound Goat Rescue, shares goat husbandry requirements about this farm animal trying to become a pet. They include: Most importantly, you must adopt at least two. Herd animals are profoundly … [Read more...]
Goat packing revisited
We first posted content about pack goats in September 2016. < link > Theresa Miller shares her experience with pack goats and discusses how they carry gear for camping, hunting and trail maintenance into the Rocky Mountains. Goats are well suited to the high country. Their surefooted nature makes them able to navigate steeper, rougher, and less-maintained trails than … [Read more...]
Dairy goats expanding faster than any major livestock group
The U.S. dairy goat herd grew 61 percent between 2007 and 2017, according to the latest Census of Agriculture. Numbers for hens and beef cattle were flat. Numbers for specialty animals dropped out of sight. While goat numbers are predicted to continue increasing, the business is not without challenges. Source: Washington Post, April 23, 2019. Link. . . . To this day, banks … [Read more...]
Opinion – New TV program, Animal ER Live, demonstrates the complexity of veterinary care
The launch of Animal ER Live on Nat Geo WILD is a game-changer for animal owner perceptions of veterinary hospitals, veterinarians and veterinary staff members. Animal ER Live joins current family friendly veterinary programs featured on the network that include Secrets of the Zoo, Dr. K’s Exotic Animal ER, Dr. Oakley, Yukon Vet and the network’s number-1 series, The Incredible … [Read more...]
Opinion – Animal well-being IS as people problem
Taking care of animals is more challenging today because we know more about their needs and behaviors. Still, day to day management often falls into the category of chores. It should instead rise to the category of opportunity. With consumer and ecological pressures rising, we’ve been seeing a variety of changes in how we care for animals. Yet, one common denominator to … [Read more...]
Learn how to manage the gut
Prebiotics and probiotics are frequent considerations for multimodal therapies in monogastrics, regardless of species It can be difficult to remain objective about their benefits, but the growing body of work indicates that considering the microbiome will become more prevalent in managing disease risk and potential treatments. We gathered several references for … [Read more...]
Call it welfare or well-being, it’s about proper husbandry
Portia Stewart tackles semantics that help non-ag persons comprehend the challenges of raising meat and being good animal stewards. Young consumers want to learn a lot more about their food. One of the problems we have today is a lot of young consumers are totally removed from the world of the practical.” - Temple Grandin, DVM. Source: PORK, February 28, 2019. … [Read more...]
Avoid poisonous plants for goats
Goats eat everything, right? Apparently not. Knowing what to feed goats involves education. Katherine Drovdahl reviews toxic plants and acknowledges there is not a comprehensive list of toxic or poisonous plants for goats. Even good plants can develop into a dangerous toxic condition called enterotoxemia if goats overeat on any plant they are not used to Source: … [Read more...]
Transportation biosecurity is imperfect at best
Biosecurity is one of the greatest ways to mitigate risk. Procedures cannot fully eliminate cross contamination. Clayton Johnson, DVM, suggests producers focus on controlling what they can when it comes to risk management in their pork operations. Source: PORK, February 7, 2019. Link. There are three main principles that come into play when it comes to biosecurity on the … [Read more...]
Hay! Plastic bale netting is not digestible
Modern technology for hay bale wrap is causing rumen problems that can be just as damaging and fatal as the miscellaneous hardware cows often ingest. Many producers never remove net wrap and never have problems, while others say these risks are the reason they always remove net wrap before feeding hay or running it through a processor,” Cody Creelman, DVM, says. Source: … [Read more...]
Miniature goats create connections
Goats of all sizes, including miniature goats, to create connections with them and their owners. Smaller goats can be practical, affordable and affectionate. For some small-scale breeders, miniatures are the perfect starting point for raising goats. (Miniature goats) . . . can be kept in a small backyard, are easy to handle, and are the perfect size for young children to … [Read more...]
Hoof trimming important in goat care
Goat hoof trimming is a necessary part of keeping and raising goats. The trick is to teach the goats to be cooperative. Gail Damerow shares hoof trimming equipment, ideas and diagrams to make the job easier. Source: Countryside Daily, December 10, 2018. Link. A goat’s four hooves don’t necessarily all grow at the same rate, and back hooves tend to grow faster than the … [Read more...]
When euthanizing livestock is necessary
JoAnn Alumbaugh shares some perspective on the potential challenges of euthanizing livestock following weather events, wildfires and in the face of an epidemic disease following the 2018 USAHA meeting. Unlike a foreign animal disease outbreak. . . the reason to euthanize after a fire or blizzard is to end animal suffering. Source: Dairy Herd Management, October 31, … [Read more...]
The silky, Milky, totally strange saga of the spider goat
This is not click bait! It’s a transgenic story of something that seems to be going right and a potential source of natural fibers that are stronger than Kevlar. The only outward difference between spider goats and your garden-variety ruminants is in their milk: It contains elements of golden orb spider silk. Source: Modern Farmer, September 2013. Link. This special silk is … [Read more...]
Nigerian dwarf goats now approved as livestock dairy goat
4-H and FFA participants can now use Nigerian dwarf goats in livestock projects. The breed is experiencing a rise in popularity due to its small size and colorful markings. The goats have gentle personalities which makes them good pets, plus they are easy to handle and take little space. Source: Countryside Daily, October 1, 2018. Link. Most owners do not raise their goats … [Read more...]
Antibiotics and vaccines are critical to livestock production
Those of us in the U.S. are well-aware of efforts to vaccinate for disease prevention and use antibiotics judiciously. Some organic and antibiotic-free operations operate with them. Perspectives from other parts of the world offer insight into why antibiotics remain necessary for humane livestock production. Kenneth Wameyo, secretary of the Kenya Veterinary Association, shares … [Read more...]
Avoid toxic plant risks for livestock
Fall changes in plants, dryer conditions and a tendency to overgraze can put livestock at risk to consume toxic plants. Anna O'Brien reviews some common toxic plants to help livestock avoid: Milkweed Rhododendron/Azaleas/Mountain Laurel Pigweed Ragwort Foxglove White Snakeroot Cherry Trees Black Walnut Source: Hobby Farms, August 27, 2018. Link. … [Read more...]
Change in cattle deworming practices may reverse resistance
Parasitologists saw dewormer resistance in cattle coming before most producers did. But, overuse of benzimadazoles, macrocyclic lactones and levamisoles in all their forms has increased reports of nematode resistance. However, Ray Kaplan, a professor of parasitology with the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Georgia, says what sheep raisers have learned about … [Read more...]
How gut health promotes animal welfare in monogastrics
Jackie Roembke reviews how changes in production systems and animal welfare expectations challenge nutritionists and producers to maintain healthy animal populations. Focusing on immunity first to reduce antibiotic use requires a gut health perspective. With 70 percent of an animal’s immunity concentrated in the gut, fostering a strong gastrointestinal system will improve its … [Read more...]
Study of animal personality, mood to give new welfare insights
AgResearch’s Animal Welfare Team is working to expand the knowledge of livestock behavior, at a time of growing consumer demand for strong welfare standards. Studies like this could be used to compare how animals experience different farming situations and to improve design of production systems. Source: Feedstuffs, June 12, 2018. Link. New research exploring the moods and … [Read more...]