Meteorologists predict the smoke from wildfires could potentially affect air quality in one-third of the western and midwestern states. A combination of high temperatures and elevated levels of particles from fires can affect even healthy lungs. For someone with lung damage or respiratory illness, moderate levels of smoke particulate can exacerbate respiratory problems, writes … [Read more...]
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USDA proposes new rules to combat organic fraud
While it is unlikely USDA will require labeling of any food containing carbon as organic, it has opened comments on a set of new organic rules. It hopes the rules will streamline operations, promote transparency and combat fraud, including the standardization of organic certificates. Source: Feed Strategy, August 9, 2020. Link. INSIGHTS – just for fun! Personally, I don’t … [Read more...]
Back to school time . . . maybe?
Commentary Historically, the end of August includes the rush to finish vacations, prep children for school, fall sports practices and moving young adults onto college campuses. Animal health pros often find themselves with extra time as Labor Day arrives and animal owners are focused on other things. This year? Who knows? One of the traditional activities to occupy this … [Read more...]
Stall size affects dairy cow rest
Like us, if a cow’s bed is not the right size, her ability to rest is negatively affected. Resting time is critical to optimizing milk production. Katelyn Allen shares information about stall size, stall use index and other factors for cow comfort. Design the stalls for the largest cow in the group or the stalls will determine the largest cow in the group eventually” – Dan … [Read more...]
Don’t skip that vacation
Rebecca Zucker reminds us of the reasons and benefits of taking time away from our daily work. The pandemic has changed many plans, but vacation benefits remain clear whatever you do: Improved productivity Lower Stress Better overall mental health Spurs greater creativity Source: Harvard Business Review, August 11, 2020. Link. Plans may look different than … [Read more...]
Whoops! That was a faux pas.
It was just a throwaway remark. You didn’t mean to offend. But now a colleague has indicated what was said was hurtful. So how should you respond after committing a microaggression? First, make sure the other person feels heard. Follow your colleague’s lead in the conversation; be curious and empathetic. Offer a sincere apology that expresses gratitude for their … [Read more...]
Chickens, Salmonella sp. and people
Raising chickens comes with built-in health risks for them and their keepers. In the United States, the CDC reports increased popularity of backyard poultry flocks has been associated with increases in live, poultry-associated salmonella outbreaks. Arizona veterinarian Stephanie Lamb, a boarded specialist in avian medicine, discusses the ins and outs of salmonella in … [Read more...]
Don’t scruff that cat and other things cat owners will appreciate
The articles gathered for this post are resources to help educate cat owners. Simple information can often improve the quality of life for a cat and its owners. The articles begin with a reminder that scruffing a cat is NOT a proper feline-handling skill. Source: Scruffing a cat is not the right way to restrain a kitty, Catster, August 3, 2020. Link. Scruffing can be … [Read more...]
Let them eat dirt
Eat dirt? That was an insult once upon a time. Fast forward to Emily Stein, PhD, who shares how a diverse diet, regular dental care and a little bit of dirt can help a dog’s gut microbiome thrive. She offers: Microbes from the mouth survive the stomach to impact gut function and gut health Growing friendly bacteria in the mouth leads to increased levels of friendly … [Read more...]
Managing heat stress in horses
Aubrey Moore reminds us that days with high temperature, plus high humidity put horses at the greatest risk for heat exhaustion. All horses are susceptible to overheating, regardless of their activity. . . . when in doubt, if you’re overheated, they’re overheated.” Source: The Horse Network, August 3, 2020. Link. The Fédération Équestre Internationale recommends continuous … [Read more...]
Identify what pasture plants are poisonous to cattle (slide show)
There are many plants that can cause illness, death, abortion, birth defects, metabolic disorders, photosensitization and other problems in cattle, writes Heather Smith Thomas. Her slide show includes photos of plants cattle producers should look for. Source: BEEF, March 2020. Link. … [Read more...]
Working after a bad night’s sleep
Get more sleep! We hear this often and it is good advice. There are days, however, when we work after getting too little sleep or a night of poor-quality sleep. Christopher M. Barnes discusses what to do to get through the day with a sleep shortage. Research indicates that sleep deprivation is most harmful to novel tasks, or those which require creativity and … [Read more...]
Ventilation, air filtration help prevent the spread of coronavirus
By now, some of us have experienced a person inside a business shamelessly not wearing a face mask. Masks do a decent job at keeping the coronavirus from spreading into the environment. But, if an infected person is inside a building, inevitably some virus will escape into the air, writes Shelly Miller, mechanical engineering professor, University of Colorado Boulder. The … [Read more...]
To wether or not, when and how
When a male goat gets castrated, he becomes a wether. While it is possible to castrate surgically, it is not the preferred method, shares Karen Kopf. Banding is considered the safest, gentlest, least intrusive way to accomplish castration when done in a timely manner. One of the greatest risks of banding goats is tetanus since the band creates an anaerobic environment. Care … [Read more...]
Feed cows when THEY want to eat
Isaac Salfer, PhD, says our tendencies to avoid summer feeding times in the heat of the day are not consistent with natural biological rhythms and eating patterns of dairy cows. He says night feedings are not a best practice and to avoid feeding after 3:00 p.m. Cows have this strong biological drive to not eat at night” - Isaac Salfer, Ph.D. Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, August … [Read more...]
Cats get separation anxiety, too
It’s hard to picture a cat tearing up a pillow because its owner left the house. A recent study showed that cats living with humans have similar attachment styles to pet parents as dogs and children do. 64 percent of the cats evaluated were described as securely attached to their humans. These cats showed less stress when near their caregivers.” Source: PetMD, June 8, 2020. … [Read more...]
Favorite 5 articles from Clinician’s Brief
We’re sharing this group of articles from Clinicians Brief in the event you hit delete before taking a good look at this group of peer reviewed tips. Source: 5 tips for treating otitis externa, Clinician’s Brief, June 2019. Link. Source: Top 5 complications of gonadectomy, Clinician’s Brief, February 2020. Link. Relevant information in light of this recent post: Neutering … [Read more...]
FAMILY: help your kids be fearless
Kids! School decisions. To sport or not. To interact with peers. Alone at home. Whew, what a time to have kids. Fears are normal in children, until they prevent them from experiencing life, writes Rachel Buchholz. It is rare to not hear something about kids and choices in industry conversations these days. We’ve included Buchholz’s recent National Geographic newsletter … [Read more...]
Be a coach, not a micromanager
Around the early 1900s as we shifted from an agrarian economy to an industrial engine, micromanagers were needed to help farm hands become industrialists. A couple of decades later, they were obsolete. But, they managed to evolve so that, unfortunately, they are still around today. Do you work for one, are one, lead one or have a culture of micromanagement? This article may … [Read more...]
Rev up replacement heifers
Patsy Houghton, president and general manager of Heartland Cattle Co., McCook, Nebraska, gave advice for developing heifers in fall 2020, spring 2021 and beyond in a recent Angus University webinar. She offered seven challenges to help commercial cattlemen improve their replacement heifers: Place selection pressure on fertility Enhance your calf crop value Improve … [Read more...]
Quarantined farm kids captured on video
A great deal of what we see in media coverage deals with all the challenges of urban parents and their children. Farm kids have been affected by Covid-19 confines as well. Like some of their city kid friends, they add some creativity to their lives on the farm and the human animal bond is also apparent. Holly Spangler shares the fourth installment of farm kids in quarantine … [Read more...]
Toilet training cows?
What? YHTBKM, right? We had to share this one along with some tongue-in-cheek. Behavioral scientists’ research results concluded that cattle have the intelligence and neurophysiological foundations that make toilet training possible. The learning method of so-called operant conditioning, which is based on a reward for the desired behavior, has proven itself. Practical … [Read more...]
Right way to perform CPR on a pet
Veterinary teams need CPR training for animals just like we need training on how to perform CPR on a human. RECOVER, which stands for the Reassessment Campaign on Veterinary Resuscitation, was developed by a group of emergency and critical care specialists from multiple veterinary schools across the globe based on evidence from scientific literature. Published in the Journal of … [Read more...]
Pet pain points and tools for assessment
Pain! It’s one of the biggest challenges and important topics in veterinary medicine. Pets naturally avoid showing pain. Clients do not recognize pain and taking a pet to a practice likely masks pain even more with an adrenal response. Fortunately, there are now tools to identify and differentiate pain. Source: JAVMA, April 1, 2020. Link. Katie Burns shares these tools for … [Read more...]
Guide to answering the most common interview questions
This list of more than 40 common interview questions can help you get comfortable with what you might be asked, what hiring managers are really looking for in your responses, and what it takes to show that you’re the right person for the job. Source: The Muse. Link. … [Read more...]
For cat owners
Cat owners are passionate about all things cat. The number of media items on a monthly basis aimed at cat enthusiasts can be intimidating. It is always fascinating to curate some of these articles that interest animal health pros, including those suitable for sharing in client communications. We assembled a selection you can easily use. Source: Why do cats purr? Animal … [Read more...]
For dog owners
As much as animal health pros prefer to share knowledge and education from their own perspective, time limits the ability to create new content to share. To help keep communication going, we assembled articles for dog owners worthy of sharing. Source: Steve Dale; Ban retractable leashes, PetVet Magazine, April/May 2020. Link. Source: Chiggers on dogs: What you need to … [Read more...]
Groomers sound off on skin care
Whether dog or cat, groomers are often the first to discover skin issues. We assembled articles published by GroomertoGroomer to provide perspective on groomers’ involvement in skin care. Source: Stepping up skin care in the salon, Groomer to Groomer, March 2020, page 34. Link. Source: Feline skin issues? Take a bubble bath! Groomer to Groomer, March 2020, page 46. … [Read more...]
Advising pet owners on nutritional adequacy
“Is this kibble okay to feed my dog?” This is a common question asked of veterinary team members. With the amount of press pet obesity garners, animal owners are sensitized to get the right food for their pets. Human food trends also impact pet owner choice. Label confusion and lack of knowledge about nutrients and ingredients add to the challenges. Clinicians need to focus … [Read more...]
Slap some honey on that wound
David Ramey, DVM, breaks stride to talk about the natural healing properties associated with honey. Yes, the stuff from bees. He reviews some honey history and then digs into the chemical properties of honey which has a high sugar content, acid, and hydrogen peroxide all packaged in a gooey natural liquid that doesn’t spoil if kept airtight. Source: Horse Network, July 13, … [Read more...]