Wes Ishmael shares what must have been a refreshing discussion with John Groves, DVM from Eldon, Missouri. They discuss how applying elements of system thinking impacts overall outcomes and flexibility in stocker beef operations. Whether systems thinking or a holistic approach, the animal is seen as being part of the complete farm ecosystem.
The most exceptional operations are not only good at fixing bad health events as they arise, they are motivated to look at the fundamental roots causes that led to the disease event in the first place and they work on long-term strategies to mitigate those fundamental causes.”
Source: BEEF, September 1, 2020. Link. Without also considering the proverbial forest where the individual tree exists, seemingly logical solutions can lead to unintended consequences and unsustainable results.
INSIGHTS: Stop, look and listen to the threads in this excellent article. Systems thinking is evolutionary when applied. Consider how far we’ve come in our BVD trek in the last 50 or more years and we’re still chasing its eradication even with more comprehensive planning.
Whether sales rep or veterinarian making farm calls, this article will support a much deeper discussion every producer needs.” – Kirk Augustine