Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, August 21, 2025. Link. Most read posts from August 21, 2025 AHD Bulletin – Many problems with extreme conformation in dog and cat breeds. Link. 8 Gen Z habits that make others say, “Huh?” Link. Time management or prioritization? Link. Expert views on the importance of recordkeeping. Link. … [Read more...]
Expert views on the importance of recordkeeping
Imagine a team meeting at a veterinary hospital. The leader says, “Today, let’s discuss our medical records, why, not how, we do them and make sure they are a positive element of the client’s experience.” The why needs to provide context as well as content. This article is a good resource for that discussion. Source: Clinician’s Brief, July 2025. Link. … [Read more...]
I’m not hot, so the cows must be fine
This article is a good reminder about heat stress myths dairy producers hang on to year after year. Gabriela Maldini, PHD, MSc, shares some of the top myths she has encountered. Note her comments as they pertain to dry cows and seasonality. Source: Progressive Dairy, August 13, 2025. Link. INSIGHTS: Consider sharing this article with dairy producers via social media or … [Read more...]
Vets urge smarter parasite control to combat drug resistance
Commentary The topic of parasite resistance is not new to U.S. livestock production. However, the British Veterinary Association’s actions described in this article are important. Many foreign production environments are more condensed than those in the U.S. and can foretell future domestic production issues. The BVA’s new policy position warns that routine, blanket … [Read more...]
Veterinary team targets FAD hotspots to protect U.S. livestock
This article is informative and timely. The related article* linked at the end of this post describes how researchers found a gap between biosecurity perception and practice on farms, as well as a reliance on veterinarians for biosecurity-related advice. The health and protection of food animals from foreign animal diseases remains a significant concern and efforts to stay … [Read more...]
USDA to build $750M sterile fly facility to combat New World screwworm spread
USDA is moving ahead with plans to build a sterile fly production facility at Moore Air Base near Edinburg, Texas, to produce 300 million sterile flies to combat New World screwworm and reduce reliance on foreign sources. Source: Farm Progress, August 18, 2025. Link. Also see: Emergency use of animal drugs authorized for screwworms, BEEF, August 19, 2025. Link. HHS … [Read more...]
Dr. Gary Smith awarded CAB’s Industry Achievement Award
Likely the most renowned meat scientist in the U.S., Dr. Gary Smith received the Industry Achievement Award from Certified Angus Beef during its Feeding Quality Program in Rochester, Minnesota, on August 24. Source: Certified Angus Beef, August 2025. Link (includes video). Dr. Gary Smith originally had no plans to become a meat scientist. But thank goodness he did. … [Read more...]
CattleCon 2026 registration is now open
Registration is now open for CattleCon 2026, the annual gathering for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and NCBA Trade Show. The event will take place from February 3 through February 6 in downtown Nashville, Tennessee. Source: NCBA, August 20, 2025. Link. Full convention details. … [Read more...]
Tetanus creates problems for animals after storms
Because animal environments are commonly populated with Clostridium tetani, or tetanus, any wound can easily become contaminated at any time. However, caution is warranted in areas damaged by storms. Storm damages provide abnormal opportunities for horses, cattle and hogs to be injured and get a tetanus infection. Source: Feedstuffs, August 6, 2025. Link. Following a storm, … [Read more...]
Analgesic relief during castration. The right thing and it pays
Sponsor Content A study at Kansas State University demonstrated how lidocaine-infused castration bands help calves transition through the painful castration phase more smoothly and comfortably than after standard castration practices. Increased lying time versus controls between days 21 and 35 post-banding demonstrated how Solvet’s LidobandTM improves calf comfort as … [Read more...]
Combine disease. A good reminder for livestock producers
Kevin Schulz shares an important reminder as crop harvesting season arrives. Whether swine, cattle or poultry, maintaining good observation of animals is critical despite the focus on gathering crops. Source: The Farmer, August 11, 2025. Link. You’re spending too much time on the combine and not enough time in the barns. You need to pay more attention to your sows, even … [Read more...]
Does vaccination influence PRRSV evolution?
A new paper from the University of Minnesota shares strong experimental evidence that vaccination influences PRRSV-2 evolution and can drive genetic changes that result in viral populations distinct from the original challenge virus. Vaccinated animals harbored viruses that were more genetically diverse and distinct from the parent virus. However, even though viruses … [Read more...]
Should we target longevity or extend lactation length for dairy cows?
Commentary For animal health pros who work with dairy producers or monitor elements of dairy production, this article from Stephen LeBlanc, BSc(Agr), DVM, DVSc, may challenge some of the corporate thinking being applied to the dairies you serve. His discussion of where a cow fits in dairy management decisions and how various scenarios influence culling provides perspectives … [Read more...]
Simplot study: Sage grouse, cattle can thrive together
Environmentalists take note. A decade-long research project confirms what Simplot Land and Livestock employees have observed firsthand: that sage grouse and cows can exist and have been existing together. The study also shed new light on nest predation, with coyotes, not ravens, being the main culprit. However, less predation occurred where cows were actively grazing. The … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – August 14, 2025
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, August 7, 2025. Link. Most read posts from August 7, 2025 AHD Bulletin – Goodbye trial by fire, hello strategic onboarding. Link. Team successes dependent on emotional intelligence (video). Link. The ABCs of dog blood work: What the results really mean. Link. Financial strain often shapes horse … [Read more...]
It’s (past) time to rethink gun use when handling cattle (video)
Trey Patterson shared 2022 National Beef Quality Audit data that revealed a significant problem: 100 percent of non-fed slaughter plants reported finding foreign objects in beef, with half experiencing customer complaints about items like shotgun pellets. This is an all-cattle issue happening predominantly in the production phase, whether it be cattle gathering techniques or … [Read more...]
Beware of blue-tinted pig tissue, an indicator of rodenticide contamination
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife urges hunters to always use caution when harvesting game animals and be aware of potential risks. Wildlife can be inadvertently exposed to rodenticides either by eating rodenticide bait or by eating other animals that have ingested rodenticides. Rodenticide baits often contain dye to identify them as a poison. Blue-colored … [Read more...]
Dairy calf production practices offer insights to beef calf producers
Comparing the management approaches between beef and dairy calves, Kansas State University experts revealed opportunities for beef calf producers to learn from how dairy calves are raised. Regardless of the production system, early digestive development is key to future performance, shared Billy Brown, MS. “Whether a calf is on pasture or in a hutch, getting the rumen … [Read more...]
Essential tips to optimize cow comfort in the holding area
If you get uncomfortable waiting in line for a concert or sports event, think about cows doing something similar two or more times per day. The importance of crowd gate management cannot be overstated, writes Shaun Hardtke. Cow flow should be smooth and calm, with no unnecessary crowding or rushing in the holding area. He reminds us that cow comfort is the ultimate priority … [Read more...]
CDC ends emergency response to H5N1 bird flu
“As reports of animal infections with avian influenza A virus have declined and no human cases have been reported since February 2025, CDC’s H5N1 emergency bird flu response was deactivated to transition back to regular program activity on July 2, 2025.” Source: CNN, July 7, 2025. Link. Surveillance, readiness and response for influenza, including H5N1 bird flu, will … [Read more...]
Timing BRD vaccines likely improves calf health, performance
A comprehensive review article published in Applied Animal Science examines vaccination strategies across three critical phases of cattle development: maternal vaccination during pregnancy, early calf vaccination from birth through branding (60 to 120 days of age), and vaccination timing around weaning (approximately 205 days). The study found that current vaccination … [Read more...]
“If we wait, we lose.” Screwworm coming for U.S. beef
Fresh on the heels of bird flu, the New World screwworm is rattling Agriculture Department officials and livestock producers more than any threat in 50 years. This is because few believe we’re equipped to handle an outbreak of screwworm. Once eradicated from the U.S., screwworm has returned, similarly as has measles. A natural barrier and sound management practices once kept … [Read more...]
Synthetic bait, insecticide designed to attract adult screwworm flies being deployed
Swormlure-5, created using modern science and built upon previous versions, is a potent synthetic attractant that mimics the scent of open wounds, drawing adult screwworm flies to the bait, where they die, according to Sid Miller, Texas agriculture commissioner, who is quoted in this article. Source: Bovine Practitioner, July 2025, 2025. Link. The attractant only impacts … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – July 31, 2025
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, July 24, 2025. Link. Most read posts from July 24, 2025 AHD Bulletin – The stares we can’t ignore. Link. Decoding pet insurance: Navigate policies, client questions (podcast). Link. Improve employee communications by these 9 phrases. Link. Difficult customers. Link. Hunter ticks and pathogen … [Read more...]
Hunter ticks and pathogen transmission variables
The quest to better understand ticks continues. We shared longhorned tick information in the July 17 AHD Bulletin <Link>. Speaking at the AVMA conference last week, Susan E. Little, DVM, PhD, DACVM, shared a range of tactics that affect how quickly ticks can spread disease. The overview differentiates the methods tick species use to find a host and factors that influence … [Read more...]
County fair, starter calf, high school friends. It takes community
Here’s a feel-good story where friends, animals and lending a hand come together. Memphis Luginbill, who is 18 years old and 17-year-old Cooper Steele are good friends. Memphis has cerebral palsy, but he wanted to raise a calf to show at the county fair. This year, Cooper helped make it happen. Source: Wane 15, July 21, 2025. Link. Memphis placed first in his division and … [Read more...]
Camel walks again with prosthetic leg
A camel in Pakistan is learning how to walk on a prosthetic leg developed by workers at an animal shelter. It is thought to be the largest animal in the country to get a prosthetic limb. Source: BBC, July 20, 2025 (short video) Link. … [Read more...]
Calving difficulty and earlier age at first calving reduce milk yield
Commentary Production research and measurements are tedious and fascinating. Research often allows producers to fine-tune their animal management processes to optimize production and animal welfare. With a little help from veterinarians and animal health pros, dairy producers will appreciate learning about the research shared here. Two takeaways stand out. Heifers … [Read more...]
Dealing with pasture lameness
Producers are well into the summer grazing months when many “turn ‘em out to let them grow.” Among the things that need monitoring are grass height, fly load, supplement availability and lameness. J. Tarpoff, DVM, MS, reviews some of the common causes of lameness and the key differences between the clinical signs in this article. The estimates of 88 percent to 92 percent of … [Read more...]
H5N1 bird flu takes major toll on dairy herds
Managing different elements of production on dairies occupies a lot of content in livestock and veterinary publications. Like fine-tuning a race car, multiple factors affect production outcomes. In this article, Laura Reiley shares how H5N1 affects cows gleaned from a new paper published by a team of Cornell researchers. Bird flu causes severe mastitis and decreased milk … [Read more...]