Complimentary The Asian longhorned tick is an emerging threat to cattle producers across the U.S., capable of spreading quickly and impacting herd health. In this Farm Journal TV exclusive, you'll learn what every producer should know about identifying the risk, recognizing early warning signs and implementing practical strategies to help protect your operation. Source: … [Read more...]
Animal Health Institute announces its officers and executive committee
The Animal Health Institute's Board of Directors recently elected Jamie Brannan of Zoetis as board chair and Brad McCollum of Ceva as vice-chair for the 2026-28 term. Joseph N. Huff, president of Colorado Serum Company, was elected to another term as treasurer. Richard R. DeLuca Jr., executive vice president and president of Merck Animal Health, continues as immediate past … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – August 6, 2026
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, July 30, 2026. Link. Most read posts from July 30th, 2026 AHD Bulletin – U.S. states grapple with workplace noncompetes. Link. NARMS Strategic Plan for 2026-2030. Link. Malone, Little leadership. Link. IBPSA Fast Bites – July 26, 2026. Link. Keeping small ruminants cool especially during the … [Read more...]
Debunking the myths of distributive veterinary education
Distributive clinical education is no longer an experimental approach but a well-established model that prepares graduates for contemporary veterinary practice, writes Stacy Anderson DVM, Ph.D., DACVS-LA. Addressing some of the misconceptions that persist, she says the available evidence and graduates’ success demonstrate that high-quality clinical education can occur outside … [Read more...]
FDA releases NARMS Strategic Plan for 2026-2030
The newly released the NARMS Strategic Plan: 2026-2030 marks the 30th anniversary of the NARMS program. The plan is anchored in three themes that reflect a commitment to improve and expand antimicrobial resistance monitoring and data sharing, plus translate decades of surveillance data into actionable research and evidence-based policy. Source: Feedstuffs, July 24, 2026. … [Read more...]
Keep coyotes, raccoons and other predators away
This slideshow is a reminder that habits to entice wildlife near homes increase risks to domestic pets. Consider sending it to pet owners via social media or in newsletters. Coyotes and foxes are dangerous to free-range cats, backyard chickens and small dogs. Source: Fix it Homestead, July 15, 2026. Link. Slide show Link. Related: 8 things that bring skunks too close in … [Read more...]
Small ruminants are cool. Keep them that way. Especially during the fair.
Goats and sheep may be more heat-tolerant than cattle, but it’s still critical to reduce their exposure to heat stress as much as possible. It decreases dry matter intake, weight gain, milk production, body condition and overall performance. Temperature-humidity index, or THI, is the most accurate measure of animal heat stress in goats and sheep, which can be moderately … [Read more...]
Docility: Understanding pressure and selection
The selection processes used to improve herd outcomes take many forms. As an industry, culling practices receive plenty of attention <Link>. In recent years docility, often discussed as a behavioral or management trait, is now known to be moderately heritable. Neogen’s Kirk Ramsey, DVM, offers a view of where docile cattle behavior plays out in herd development and how … [Read more...]
Understanding Theileria (“TIE-leer-ee-uh” (thī-ˈlir-ē-ə)
Complimentary Content Podcast guest Dr. Gregg Hanzlicek provides the latest information on the emerging disease theileriosis, a growing protozoan threat to thousands of cattle, their owners and those who care for the health of the herds. Most frequently associated with long horn ticks, it is often confused with anaplasmosis. Source: EAHAO podcast, Medgene, July 29, 2026. … [Read more...]
New World screwworm field guide now available
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service released a field guide for beef cattle producers to help guide operators through the detection, reporting, collection, submission, treatment and prevention processes. It is available online at AgriLife Extension’s New World screwworm resource hub at https://tx.ag/screwworm (4th bullet on the left). Fact sheets and the latest news about … [Read more...]
What milk can tell us about heat stress
New analysis suggests milk mid-infrared spectrometry could become an unexpected tool for selecting dairy cows that are better equipped to cope with heat stress. Rather than relying on environmental measurements such as temperature-humidity index, the approach estimates an individual cow’s physiological response using information collected through routine milk … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – July 30, 2026
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, July 22, 2026. Link. Most read posts from July 22nd, 2026 AHD Bulletin – Malone: The power of questions. Link. Nurses consistently ranked as America’s most trusted profession. Link. Pets are one of the most important relationships in people’s lives. Link. How sleep shapes canine behavior. Link. … [Read more...]
Headbutting gives goats brain damage
It’s often assumed goats must be protected against head injury by the shape of their skull and strong neck muscles but a new study challenges that assumption. Researchers have found early signs of neurodegeneration in headbutting goats at just one year old <Link>. Three, 6-month-old male goats were acquired for the study. They were recorded for six months to track the … [Read more...]
Cyber criminals hit Fairlife. Are your customers’ dairies next?
A cyberattack caused Fairlife to suspend all U.S. production operations on July 16. Fairlife owner, Coca-Cola, assures customers that existing products are safe. This Dairy Herd Management article highlights the reality that if hackers can break through Coca-Cola’s defenses, they’re able to get into most any dairy’s system. Based on this incident and recommendations from … [Read more...]
Finding hidden fly breeding sites (video)
Successful fly control starts long before producers reach for an insecticide, says David Prentice, DVM. “Fly populations are like icebergs. The flies that we’re actually seeing are only about 20 percent.” In this article, he discusses prioritizing premise and environmental management, different fly species and matching insecticide use to individual farm situations. Our July … [Read more...]
#$@!% feral hogs
Kevin Schulz tagged the growing feral hog population as potential disease vectors for African swine fever and New World screwworm last fall. His article suggests that feral hogs can carry the NWS parasite and deliver it to animals that mainly live outdoors, such as horses, cattle, wildlife and even pasture-raised swine. Source: The Farmer, November 10, 2025. Link. It has … [Read more...]
2026 is a reality check for swine health
2026 is proving that viruses don’t take vacations, writes Jennifer Shike. She shares a conversation with three swine health experts* who share their biggest health surprises of the year so far and the specific, high-stakes gaps in biosecurity that are leaving herds vulnerable. These topics are among those discussed: Early and repeated viral sequencing is an essential … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – July 23, 2026
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, July 16, 2026. Link. Most read posts from July 16th, 2026 AHD Bulletin – How the ‘Knowing-Doing Gap’ undermines even the best ideas. Link. What if the mid-level practitioner role wasn’t clinical at all? Link. Professional burnout. Link. If you think your cat is being nice, think again. Link. … [Read more...]
What if the mid-level practitioner role wasn’t clinical at all?
If you’re as comfortable seeing your nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant as you are with your doctor, this may resonate with you. We’ve not seen much recognition of this alternate concept to mid-level practitioners since April. See what you think. Registered veterinary technician Jodi Belongié suggests that the debate over mid-level practitioners in veterinary … [Read more...]
Ticks and flies: Time to reapply
No fly control or tick control measure should be considered a “one-and-done” strategy, writes Beth Reynolds. With summer in full swing, now is an ideal time to review what strategies were used for prevention, if those strategies actually impact ticks or flies, and the effective window for each. Reynolds’ review of prevention methods, habitat modification and reproductive … [Read more...]
Hog numbers fall as pigs per litter increases to 11.87
Animal husbandry and improving genetics have raised the production bar from fewer than 10 pigs per sow per year in the 1930s to the current level north of 20 to 30 piglets per sow per year. Source: The Farmer, July 13, 2026. Link. The number of hog farms has diminished while the amount of production on those farms has improved in both quantity and quality. U.S. pork … [Read more...]
Monitoring medicator accuracy
Water medicators play a central role in delivering health products throughout swine production systems, yet their accuracy is often assumed rather than verified. This study highlights the substantial variations that can exist among medicators operating under commercial conditions and the implied costs of inaccuracy. Note: Only one in four medicators delivered within 10 … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – July 17, 2026
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, July 9, 2026. Link. Most read posts from July 9, 2026 AHD Bulletin – Beyond exercise: The role of stretching routines for dog joint health. Link. Review: Understanding the three stages of laminitis in horses. Link. Tick, tick-borne disease - requires integrated One Health approach. Link. Most-read … [Read more...]
Tick, tick-borne disease management requires an integrated One Health approach
A new review <Link> emphasizes that tick and tick-borne disease control in the United States now requires a coordinated One Health strategy that accounts for changing tick distributions, wildlife and domestic animal hosts, environmental conditions and human exposure patterns. Kristen Coppock Crossley, MA, shares the rationales in this article. The expanding range of … [Read more...]
Keep water clean on dairies for cows’ safety
Reinforcing the importance of clean water, Russ Cavanaugh addresses the potential of water as a fomite. He contrasts how most poultry and hog producers approach water treatment with a relative lack of water treatment systems on dairies. His article is a call to action for dairy operators to know what is in their water and to devise a treatment and monitoring system to ensure … [Read more...]
Build cows that stay: Smarter heifer development for long-term productivity
Early conception during the first breeding season is one of the most important predictors of lifetime productivity and retention in heifers. Kacie McCarthy explains that long-term cowherd performance comes from managing heifer development as part of the whole system. Early conception, environment, nutrition, age at first calving and body condition all work together to influence … [Read more...]
Start with foot baths to reduce lameness
Some dairy producers gauge the impact of lameness by the number of cows requiring treatment, but Abbie Goldenberg with Farm Inc. believes that measure misses the bigger picture. Experts say better hoof bath management is what keeps cows healthy in the first place as noted in this article about proper footbath design and maintenance. Aerica Bjurstrom with the University of … [Read more...]
Merck Animal Health announces EXZOLT® (fluralaner oral solution) for northern fowl mites in backyard chickens
EXZOLT® (fluralaner oral solution) is now available for the treatment and control of northern fowl mites (Ornithonyssus sylviarum) in laying hens and replacement chickens in backyard settings. Each dose of the product is given in two administrations via drinking water, seven days apart, providing an effective option without the need for injections or individual bird … [Read more...]
Minimum wage rate increases took effect July 1st: Interactive location tracker
A wave of minimum wage increases took effect July 1, raising base pay across multiple states, cities and counties. Attorneys advise employers to verify the rate for each work location, not the company headquarters, since local ordinances govern where the work is performed. The tipped-wage complexity deserves a second look for the same reason. Source: HR Executive, July 6, … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – July 9, 2026
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, July 2, 2026. Link. Most read posts from July 2, 2026 AHD Bulletin – Choose thriving. Link. Pet owners seeking help sooner; telehealth becoming the first step. Link. A new framework for assessing dog bite risk. Link. Behavior and health problems during short-distance transport. Link. Pet vaccine … [Read more...]