Client relations

12 Tips If You’re Feeling Isolated and Lonely

Mon, 26 May 2025 21:35:54 GMT

Mental health is not a luxury – it’s foundational to every part of life, including showing up for family and friends, holding a job, getting through school, enjoying rest and relaxation, and simply being able to connect with others.

Rural Minds, a non-profit organization that serves as the informed voice for mental health in rural America, encourages individuals to seek help during times of struggle with loneliness or isolation. If you are feeling lonely, here are some steps that can help you build social connection:

Understand the power of social connection and the consequences of social disconnection by learning how the vital components (structure, function and quality) can impact your relationships, health and well-being.
Invest time in nurturing your relationships through consistent, frequent, and high-quality engagement with others. Take time each day to reach out to a friend or family member.
Minimize distraction during conversation to increase the quality of the time you spend with others. For instance, don’t check your phone during meals with friends, important conversations, and family time.
Seek out opportunities to serve and support others, either by helping your family, co-workers, friends, or strangers in your community or by participating in community service.
Be responsive, supportive and practice gratitude. As we practice these behaviors, others are more likely to reciprocate, strengthening our social bonds, improving relationship satisfaction, and building social capital.
Actively engage with people of different backgrounds and experiences to expand your understanding of and relationships with others, given the benefits associated with diverse connections.
Participate in social and community groups such as fitness, religious, hobby, professional and community service organizations to foster a sense of belonging, meaning and purpose.
Reduce practices that lead to feelings of disconnection from others. These include harmful and excessive social media use, time spent in unhealthy relationships, and disproportionate time in front of screens instead of people.
Seek help during times of struggle with loneliness or isolation by reaching out to a family member, friend, counselor, health care provider or the 988 crisis line.
Be open with your health care provider about significant social changes in your life, as this may help them understand potential health impacts and guide them to provide recommendations to mitigate health risks.
Make time for civic engagement. This could include being a positive and constructive participant in political discourse and gatherings (e.g., town halls, school board meetings, local government hearings).
Reflect the core values of connection in how you approach others in conversation and through the actions you take. Key questions to ask yourself when considering your interactions with others include: How might kindness change this situation? What would it look like to treat others with respect? How can I be of service? How can I reflect my concern for and commitment to others?

Your Next Read: Rural Minds: Breaking the Silence Around Mental Health in Agriculture

BVDV: A Threat The Beef Industry Can’t Afford to Ignore

Tue, 06 May 2025 19:43:33 GMT

Some veterinarians and producers think of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) in narrow terms – as the virus that causes persistently infected (PI) cattle. And while that perspective is correct, Dr. Thomas Passler, DVM, PhD, says there are broader implications for BVDV and its impact on cattle and some other animal species worldwide.

“(BVDV) has evolved over the years and is not a single virus or just a diarrhea-causing problem. Today it’s made up of three related viruses and 19 subtypes that cause similar diseases,” explains Passler, the Jack Rash professor of internal medicine for food animal medicine at the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine.

“It’s a sneaky, insidious disease,” he adds.

Passler estimates 0.5% of U.S. cattle are persistently infected by BVDV. Of that percentage, only a small number of those animals become PI cattle – a result of infection caused during fetal development between 40 and 125 days of gestation and which persists during the animal’s entire life.

The PI problem differs from transient infection (TI), which occurs when an animal becomes infected after birth. A TI animal is infected temporarily, but during that time is capable of shedding the virus and transmitting it to other herd members or pen mates.

Multiple Health Issues And Losses Across Species
BVDV-positive animals, especially PI cattle, significantly impact U.S. herds by causing immunosuppression, weakening immune systems and making herd mates more susceptible to other infections. Passler says that immunosuppression often manifests as increased calf death losses from diseases such as scours and pneumonia, as well as poor weaning weights.

Passler adds that he has seen similar problems from BVDV in other animal species, including hogs, white-tailed deer, alpacas and goats.

BVDV is one of the costliest bovine diseases for beef producers and dairy producers, as well. Losses average between $15 to $88 per head, conservatively, according to Indexx Laboratories , citing older data from 2002 and 2008.^1-3

Despite the associated costs, a 2017 National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) study of 75 U.S. cow-calf producers (the summary was released in 2023) reported only 57.5% of participating producers said they knew some basics or were fairly knowledgeable about BVDV. In addition, 26.9% of producers said they “recognized the name but not much else,” and 15.3% of respondents said they had never heard of it (see Figures 1 and 2).

Furthermore, most BVDV infection problems in cattle herds go unnoticed since 70% to 90% of BVD infections are subclinical (do not result in observable disease), according to the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory .

The Beef 2017 study was conducted in 24 of the nation’s major cow-calf States. In 2017, operations in these states accounted for 86.6 percent of the U.S. beef cow inventory and 78.9 percent of all U.S. operations with beef cows.

(NAHMS)

Only 24.4% of the cattlemen surveyed said they are “fairly knowledgeable” about BVDV.

(NAHMS)

Contributing Factors To PI Cattle
Direct contact with infected animals and with contaminated fomites (water buckets, calf feeders, feed bunks, IV equipment, etc.) are common ways BVDV gains a foothold in a herd.

One risk factor that often flies under the radar is the use of intranasal vaccines that do not address BVD viruses, reports Dr. Dan Thomson, PAC veterinarian and Iowa State University professor emeritus.

“We’re using a lot more intranasal vaccinations, thinking that we’re covering for BVDV when we’re actually not,” says Thomson, who spoke with Passler recently on an episode of DocTalk.

It’s a perspective Passler says he agrees with. “We see mucosal disease in the clinic – something we shouldn’t be seeing at all – and often from herds that vaccinate,” he adds.

Intranasal vaccines for respiratory disease do not currently contain BVDV Type 1 & 2, so a separate injectable BVDV vaccine is required, according to Craig A. Payne, DVM, and Celeste Morris, DVM, respectively, at the University of Missouri. Payne and Morris discuss this contributing factor further in their online article, Vaccination Program for a Cow-Calf Operation .

Key Into The Correct Timing To Test Calves
Payne and Morris recommend that “because PI animals are so detrimental, the standard recommendation in herds where BVDV is suspected is to implement a testing strategy and remove any PI animals detected. Vaccination alone cannot counter the effects PI animals can have.”

Specific to calves, Passler says it’s important for veterinarians to let producers know the timing of the testing can impact results – maternal antibodies can skew the results.

“Either test the calf as soon as it hits the ground, before it can nurse, or wait at least a week or [even up to] a month later,” he advises.

He encourages practitioners to talk with cow-calf producers about testing calves to identify BVDV.

“A lot of people don’t test until those animals are stockers or going to the feedlot, and that’s too late,” Passler says. “We want producers to test earlier so they can remove PI cattle sooner.”

Evaluate Vaccines And Protocols
There are two main types of vaccines for BVDV: modified-live (attenuated) and killed (inactivated).

The most significant value for beef producers in using a vaccine that addresses BVDV is being able to protect a dam’s fetus, Passler says. But no vaccine is perfect, he adds, noting producers must also be diligent with their management practices.

“What we have seen here in the clinic is that even in well-vaccinated herds – those we know use killed vaccines religiously – they still get PI cattle if they’re not careful about biosecurity,” he says. “These might be herds that religiously vaccinate, but they still go to the stockyards and buy replacements or take some other sort of risk.”

As for vaccine use protocols, Passler says his review of other researchers’ work indicates it’s best if producers use at least one modified live vaccine and then an inactive (killed) vaccine to vaccinate cows and heifers.

“I’d probably [vaccinate] two cycles and well before gestation, because vaccine seems to reduce fertility a little bit,” he says. “Some researchers say 42 days in advance [of gestation] is a good number to use”

Another practice Passler advises is using products from more than one manufacturer. “Different manufacturers use different vaccine strain viruses, so you might increase endogenic exposure,” he explains.

Thomson supports that recommendation. “We do that when we deworm, we do it with how we treat bacteria, so why wouldn’t we do that to prevent BVDV? That’s great advice,” he says.

Your next read: Can Oxytocin Boost Colostrum?

References

1. Bartlett B, Grooms D. BVD-PI eradication: unintended consequences. Michigan Dairy Review. 2008;13(3).

2. Chi J, VanLeeuwen JA, Weersink A, Keefe GP. Direct production losses and treatment costs from bovine viral diarrhoea virus, bovine leukosis virus, Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis, and Neospora caninum. Prev Vet Med. 2002;55(2):137–153. doi:10.1016/s0167-5877(02)00094-6

3. Ridpath J. Why BVD is a tough problem. Hoard’s Dairyman. 2002;147:697.

The 1,500 lb. Question: Are Cows Too Big?

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 16:22:50 GMT

Cow size has been on the rise for decades. Cows today weigh 1.4 times as much as their predecessors in 1980. In fact, cow weight is rising 100 pounds every 10 years.[1]

Why has this occurred?

“Producers get paid for pounds, so ‘growth-bulls’ are selected and the biggest heifers are retained,” says Ron Scott, Ph.D., cattle nutritionist with Purina Animal Nutrition.

This has achieved positive outcomes as producers aim to maximize profit by increasing pounds of production and selling heavier calves each year. While this breeding and management strategy has shown its merits, on the output side of the equation, larger cows aren’t always as profitable as you might think.

“Larger cow size can come with a larger price tag when you factor in higher inputs and reduced efficiency in pounds weaned,” says Scott. “To maximize profit potential, finding the middle ground between the cost of raising larger calves and their value at sale time can be important.”

Here are three tips to help you determine the optimal cow size for an operation and manage it to improve efficiency:

1. Consider both inputs and outputs

It’s important to account for all profitability aspects when evaluating the right cow size.

On the input side, larger cows eat more than smaller cows, resulting in higher costs for feed and forage. The good news is that cows get slightly more efficient per pound as they grow. A 1,500-pound cow is 50% larger in weight, but her energy requirements are only approximately 36% greater than those of a 1,000-pound cow.[2]

“However, the accuracy of this, in practicality, is debatable because of the ‘boss-cow’ effect,” says Scott. “Those bigger cows are the dominant cows, and they always will be first on the pecking order for feed resources. In other words, they take more than they need and that ‘extra’ is taken away from the smaller cows.”

On the output side, you’re selling bigger calves and getting paid for their increased weight. However, it might cost more to raise those calves. With larger calves, you must respond to their nutritional needs, ensuring they can keep up and continue gaining weight.

“Another consideration is that while cow size has been increasing, the percentage of weaning weight for calves hasn’t equally adjusted its ratio to make up for the larger size,” says Scott.

Data from North Dakota State University shows that a 1,000-pound cow weans 48.5% of her body weight compared to 43.6% for a 1,400-pound cow.[3] Essentially, calves born from larger cows aren’t as efficient as calves born from smaller cows.

“Getting a complete picture of inputs and outputs can help you find the sweet spot when it comes to cow size to maximize profits,” says Scott.

2. Maximize forage resources

While cows have become larger, stocking rates have not kept up with genetic gain in cow size. Many producers are running the same number of cows on the same amount of acres as they always have.

“Overstocking can be problematic because cows may not get the nutrients they need from forage,” says Scott. “Traditional stocking rates are based on a 1,000-pound mature cow size, yet many cows surpass that threshold today.”

Consider this: A 1,500-pound cow is 1.5 times larger than a 1,000-pound cow. This means the larger cow needs about 1.5 times more nutrients than the smaller cow. To meet her forage needs, you would need to increase your stocking rates by 1.5 times.

“Adjusting stocking rates can ensure cows aren’t short-changed on nutrients and that pasture resources are used more efficiently,” says Scott. “Since most producers can’t easily weigh their cows, it can be challenging to know how much to increase the stocking rates for your specific operation.”

Consider investing in a digital or portable scale; this year is a great time to reinvest in your facilities with the added profits from the bullish cattle market. If an on-farm scale isn’t in the cards, consider weighing your herd on the trailer at a local cooperative when hauling your cows to pasture or evaluating cull cow weight using the weights listed on the sale bill.

3. Avoid nutrition gaps

While increasing stocking rates can help support nutritional needs, we can’t expect cows to get by on forages alone. Across the industry, particularly on the cow side, producers run the risk of not optimizing their profit potential by not fully meeting the nutritional needs of larger-sized cattle.

“Bigger cows have more significant nutritional requirements,” says Scott. “Meeting their increased nutritional needs can have cascading effects that could lead to improved profitability.”

Cows managed for optimal body condition scores at calving have been shown to rebreed with 88% or greater conception rates.[4] And, by providing adequate nutrition to cows during each stage of gestation, you can better support the calf’s birth and weaning weight, immune function, finishing growth and value to the herd if the calf is kept back. A nutrition program that meets your herd’s requirements helps ensure your genetic investment can be fully maximized, regardless of your average cow size.

“Free-choice tub, block or liquid supplements can help you more efficiently meet any nutrient gaps cows might face,” says Scott. “Monitoring intakes can also help you manage forages and stocking rates.”

If cows are eating more of the supplement than the target, dig in and ask some questions. Do I have enough forages? Is the forage quality high enough? Do I have an accurate pulse on my cows’ nutrition requirements? Free-choice products help give you a barometer for your nutrition program overall.

“Bigger cows can mean bigger costs, but also bigger profit potential,” says Scott. “Finding the right cow size for your operation and managing cows to help maximize efficiency may lead to greater profit potential.”

[1] National Agricultural Statistics Service. United States Department of Agriculture. 2019.
[2] NASEM (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine). 1984. Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle. 6th ed. The National Academies Press.
[3] Dhuyvetter, J. 2009. Focusing on cows in a high cost world . North Dakota State University. Accessed Aug. 21, 2024.
[4] Rasby, R.J, Stalker, A, and Funston, RN. Body condition scoring beef cows: A tool for managing the nutrition program for beef herds . Accessed Aug. 21, 2024.

I'm Going Into 2025 With Increased Concerns About HPAI H5N1

Thu, 02 Jan 2025 20:41:31 GMT

As we leave 2024 behind and start the New Year, the U.S. needs to step up its efforts to stop the spread of HPAI H5N1 — for all our sakes.

Based on the official numbers of virus cases reported in the dairy industry and beyond, in poultry and wildlife, it doesn’t appear we are moving fast enough individually or collectively to rein in this virus.

I’m trying to tread lightly on this topic, but candidly, I’m afraid.

The Impact On People

I’m very concerned about what this virus has the potential to do to human beings — our dairy farmers, farm workers, veterinarians — and, yes, the rest of us.

While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says the “current risk to individual and population health remains low in the U.S.,” that statement is less reassuring to me as time marches on and the virus spreads.

As of Dec. 30, 2024, the CDC has confirmed “only” 66 cases of the virus in people. See H5 Bird Flu: Current Situation.

That number is likely very low, based on what veterinarians have told me since March 25, 2024, when the virus was first confirmed in dairy cattle.

More importantly, consider what scientists are saying.

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) reported on Dec. 30 that “the virus strain found in dairy cows in the U.S. may only need one mutation for it to be able to spread among humans, according to a study published in the journal Science in early December.”

Dr. Les Sims, a veterinary consultant who has worked internationally for over 30 years on the prevention and control of major infectious diseases of food-producing animals, warns in the article: “The longer this virus circulates unchecked, the higher the likelihood it will acquire the mutations needed to cause a pandemic. We need to act urgently to prevent this scenario.”

The AVMA’s complete article is available here:
Novel bird flu strain continues to threaten animal, public health

Virologists Share Their Perspectives
Another insightful article is The state of H5N1 infections and research as 2025 approaches, posted on Dec. 24 by Chemical & Engineering News. It notes:

“As more cows get infected with H5N1 bird flu, and more people get exposed to infected animals, there’s increased opportunity for the virus to evolve into a version that’s more capable of spreading between people,” says Ed Hutchinson, a virologist at the University of Glasgow. “The process could result in the virus accumulating mutations that allow for better replication and transmission, including between people.”

“Virologists are also concerned about a situation where a person simultaneously gets infected with H5N1 and human influenza virus H3N2 or H1N1, each of which is currently circulating as flu activity gains pace . But it’s hard to predict whether genetic reassortment between those viruses would create a version of H5N1 that’s more adept at spreading in humans,” says Richard Webby, an influenza virologist at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, in the Chemical & Engineering News article.

Consider what one physician told NBC News Science Reporter Evan Bush on Dec. 23:

“The traffic light is changing from green to amber,” said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, who studies infectious diseases. “So many signs are going in the wrong direction.”

See Bird flu warning signs are going in the wrong direction

Impacts In Dairy, Poultry, Wildlife
The virus continues to spread in the dairy industry, and it’s alarming the toll it’s already taken in domestic poultry and wildlife. In summary:

In Dairy: On March 25, 2024, the USDA, CDC and FDA made their official confirmation of the virus in dairy herds in two states, Texas and Kansas. A short nine months later, on Dec. 30, 2024, we officially had 913 herds affected in 16 states, according to the CDC. See Domestic Summary.

In Poultry: the USDA says HPAI H5N1 outbreaks in poultry have been detected in all 50 states —1,324 commercial flocks and 729 backyard flocks—resulting in the depopulation of more than 125 million turkeys and chickens. See the Full Report .

In Wildlife: The virus has affected more than 200 wildlife species across the U.S. See Detections of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Mammals.

Do What You Can
I don’t want to experience “another Covid” or a virus that could be even worse. I’m sure no one else does, either.

We must act individually and collectively to stem the spread of HPAI H5N1.

Please don’t “kick the can” on down the road and expect someone else to do your part. Take the steps you can to help, however small they might be.
That’s what I’m trying to do, too.

HPAI H5N1 is Content Focus of Special Issue

A Message to the Ag Industry about H5N1

California Issues State of Emergency Warning in Response to More Bird Flu Found on Dairies

New Zealand Reports First Case of HPAI

USDA Reports First H5N1 Detection in Swine

Navigating HPAI: Supporting Producers and Safeguarding Cows

Become a Better Client for Your Veterinarian in 5 Steps

Thu, 23 May 2024 12:48:46 GMT

“Veterinarians only have so much bandwidth. If you don’t want your vet to burn out, you probably need to implement some of these things we’re going to discuss,” urges Lacey Fahrmeier, DVM, Valley Vet Supply technical service veterinarian.

In light of Mental Health Awareness Month, our attention is laser-focused on the shortage of rural veterinarians, combating soaring levels of burnout and navigating the ongoing mental health crisis affecting the veterinary profession.

“There is a lack of rural veterinary services and people wanting to come into our industry. It’s a crisis. We have to change the mentality and culture of our industry in order to make it a profession that people want to be a part of again,” says Dr. Fahrmeier, who also is a practicing veterinarian/owner at Stillwater Veterinary Clinic in Montana and represents the Private-Practice Predominantly Food Animal interests of the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Council on Veterinary Service.

The rural veterinary shortage is greater than ever before. In 2023, the United States Department of Agriculture reported 237 rural veterinary shortage areas across 47 states. Couple these statistics with the stark reality that veterinarians experience a suicide rate four times higher than the general population. To reduce unintentional daily stressors regularly faced by veterinary teams, let’s delve into insights from Dr. Fahrmeier to help foster stronger connections and mindful adjustments.

1. Have a “daylight relationship” and a true partnership with your veterinarian.
“This is very important so that the only time a veterinarian sees you isn’t just for emergencies. This allows for a true veterinary-client-patient relationship where your veterinarian really understands your operation and promotes the development of good herd health prevention plans. View your veterinarian as an asset to provide you with another set of eyes, someone to brainstorm ideas with about how to improve your operation – from not only a health perspective but also nutrition or technologies that could benefit your operation. I think that clients will find that it’s well worth the investment to have that strong relationship with your veterinarian.”

2. Implement healthy boundaries and better communication.
“Because of the deep desire that veterinarians typically have to help animals and people, I think that lends itself to having difficulty with maintaining healthy boundaries. The results of that, unfortunately, can be seen in the high level of burnout in the veterinary profession. As with any good relationship, whether that’s personal or professional, it does require (a) solid communication from both partners (b) understanding healthy boundaries (c) having mutual respect for one another and (d) sharing some common goals. Taking those principles and applying them to the relationship that you have with your veterinarian, making them a key team player, can better assist you with your operation. There are only so many hours in a day, and veterinarians only have so much time and energy. Concise communication on non-urgent items through channels like email is often really appreciated.”

3. Understand, with inflation, there may be potential increases in clinical services.
“Veterinarians are not trying to price gouge anyone, but with inflation and the cost of doing business, prices for veterinary services have had to go up to continue providing services in those communities. Historically, veterinarians have not been very good at making incremental price increases. Clinics seek to have technicians who stay in the profession and veterinarians be able to afford to purchase their own home and support their families. These aspects are made possible with support for your local veterinarian, and understanding.”

4. Prioritize safety for your veterinarian and their staff, always.
“Anything you can do to ensure the safety of the veterinarian and their team is really appreciated and crucial for them to be able to do their job and continue to serve the community. Do a walk-through of your handling facilities days before the appointment to ensure that all gates, chutes and any restraints you’ll be using are working properly. Make the veterinarian aware if there is something in particular that an animal is averse to or that frightens them, so that we can do the best we can to prevent them from being fearful and have a positive outcome to what we’re trying to accomplish that day.”

5. Give potential emergency situations great thought.
“I recommend assessing the situation and asking yourself, ‘is this truly an emergency?’ As a client, if you can try to respect your veterinarian’s time and avoid after-hours communications, unless absolutely necessary, this will help decrease the level of burnout and make sure that veterinarians are available and have the energy, should an urgent health issue need to be addressed. In this case, acting quickly and calling your veterinarian before things are at a catastrophic level will result in a better outcome for both the animal and the people involved.”

In closing, Dr. Fahrmeier thoughtfully shared, “As a veterinarian, sometimes you just run out of resources in a day, and that that’s where being flexible and understanding really does go a long way. We want to take care of the animals and our communities. And, if veterinarians can feel that you appreciate that we gave it our best effort, it really means a lot.”

What Swine Veterinarians Need Most Right Now

Phil Plourd: Not Easy Isn’t the Same as Not Optimistic

North American Cattle Groups Advocate for Oversight of Lab-Grown Proteins, Beef Imports

Sustainability is not Going Away. What are You Going to do With It?

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 23:51:22 GMT

Rhonda Brooks is editor of Bovine Veterinarian.

Amarillo By Morning, a big hit by mega star George Strait back in the day, has been playing in my head all week. You probably know the song. If you don’t, it’s worth a listen on YouTube.

I was in Amarillo for a couple of days this past week to attend a sustainability media program hosted by Merck Animal Health. The company has its sights firmly locked in on sustainability and how to help its customers, both veterinarians and producers, adopt sustainable practices.

I would be remiss if I did not add that most other animal health companies — many of which advertise with Bovine Veterinarian, including Boehringer Ingelheim, Elanco, Phibro, U.S. Vet, Virbac and Zoetis, along with others — are also focused on sustainability and what it means to their customers.

“Not A Fad”

I believe Ben Weinheimer, president and CEO of the Texas Cattle Feeders Association, shared an important fact at the meeting when he said, “We’ve been at this topic long enough to know now it’s not a fad.”

(Farm Journal)

That resonated with me. Why? Because so often I’ve held out on adopting various practices in my business because I thought they would go away.

That’s not the case with sustainability. I’m on board with the concept, because I believe it’s a good thing for animals and our customers, U.S. consumers, and for those of us working in the livestock industry, as well.

Instead, the challenge for me is what do I do with the concept of sustainability? How do I implement it? It’s the old but real issue of “the devil’s in the details.”

Please know I am not throwing shade or pointing any fingers at anyone regarding this topic, especially veterinarians.

I can truly say every bovine veterinarian I have worked with has demonstrated, in word and deed, that they are working diligently to use practices that take animal health and well-being into consideration, first and foremost.

Self-Assessment Can Help

I’m simply wrestling with the sustainability concept. Working out the details is a messy undertaking at times (i.e. For instance, I took three flights to and from Amarillo this week.).

Perhaps you have similar struggles?

If so, take a few minutes to check out the resources offered by the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef on its website. In particular, please check out the self-assessment tool available here: https://nobleapps.noble.org/usrsbassessment

There are five options for consideration, including one for cow-calf producers and feedyard operators.

The idea is for producers to assess and measure their business/operation against the U.S. Beef Industry Sustainability Framework to find opportunities for improvement – many of which you and your clients are likely already doing. Consider trying out one of the options with a handful of clients to see what you think.

In my opinion, we all need to be laser focused on the topic of sustainability if we want to achieve continued success and longevity in the livestock industry — whether that’s beef, dairy, pork or poultry.

Like the song says, “Amarillo by mornin’, Amarillo’s where I’ll be.” Sustainability is a daily pursuit. It takes effort to travel there, but it’s a destination worth trying to reach.

North Platte Approves Support for Sustainable Beef Plant

Panhandle Ranch, Environmental Technology Co. Plan New ‘Sustainable’ Feedlot

Hereford and CSU Begin Sustainable Genetics Research

A Sustainable Approach to Sustainability

U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef Launches New Industry Sustainability Goals

U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef joins Trust In Beef

What to Expect from the 2020s

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:54:41 GMT

During the past decade, we saw numerous changes in beef and dairy production, and in the ways veterinarians serve those industries. These include the emergence of remote monitoring, advanced data systems, new diagnostic tools, genomic technologies, acceleration of antibiotic-resistance in cattle pathogens and drug resistance in cattle parasites.

Most of these trends will continue through the 2020s, and we’ll see the emergence of new trends, new insights and applications for science and technology in animal agriculture, along with changes in regulations, production practices, consumer perceptions and preferences.

While no one can predict every trend, veterinarians serve as forward-looking change agents in animal agriculture, as they continuously evaluate new systems, products, practices and philosophies for potential adoption on their clients’ operations.

With that in mind, we asked veterinarians for their thoughts on the key challenges and opportunities for success in eight categories during the decade of the 2020s. Following are their responses related to labor

Bob Larsen: Because less than 2% of the U.S. population is directly involved in agriculture production, many in the next generation of agriculturalists will come from but non-agriculture backgrounds. The skill sets and training needed to be prepared for agriculture jobs are diverse and provide opportunities for students with a wide variety of interests and strengths. Formal classroom education and work experience to build knowledge of animal husbandry, science, mathematics, computers, and business will help to prepare the next generation looking for agricultural careers. Skills and training in communication and management will also be important to connect consumers with producers and strengthen transparency and accountability.

Scott MacGregor, DVM, MacGregor Consulting, Boise, Idaho: I believe issues with labor are the largest challenge facing our industry the next 10 years. How do we recruit, train, and retrain our labor force? How are we going to consistently build cultures that have passion toward their work and execute at a high level? With low unemployment, our base of a well-qualified work force is being divided and diluted to other industries that offer better pay. Beef veterinarians should be in the middle of this.

Placing emphasis on technologies that will replace our dwindling labor force will become more important. With fewer people on the payroll, we could afford to pay them more and allow them to wear different hats. A skilled pen checker driving a feed truck makes a lot of sense to me.

As veterinarians, we have role to help future leaders. This succession of younger people coming of age will be a strong positive for our Industry.

Jacob Geis: Labor shortages will come to a head this decade. Expansions will be put on hold while robotics and automation will become more predominant. For veterinarians, competition for quality associates and technicians will increase. Areas that experience veterinary shortages will increasingly be served by non-veterinarians.

Tom Furman: It is very hard to find people with the skills and work ethic to be in agriculture. Pen riders qualified to work in a feedyard need skills and work ethic to care for millions of dollars’ worth of cattle, but are paid $10 to $15 per hour.

For responses relating to other subject categories, see these articles on BovineVetOnline:

Part 1: Client Services and Communications

Part 2: Medical Technology

Part 3: Animal genetics

Part 4: Antibiotic Stewardship

Part 5: Industry Structure

Rural veterinarian shortage: Are you experiencing it?

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:52:30 GMT

It’s been debated whether or not there’s a shortage of veterinarians in rural areas, with the USDA asking for nominations of areas that are in shortage. Industry experts are suggesting the rural community maybe unable to support a sustainable business model for these practitioners, or maybe veterinary technicians could be better leveraged to help fill gaps.

We want to know what you’re seeing on the ground in your area. Are you a solo practitioner who wishes there was another veterinarian closer to you? Are you a producer who has no trouble getting access to veterinary care no matter when you need it? Let us know by taking the poll below.

Click here to take the poll.

More about the rural veterinarian shortage:

USDA Solicits Nominations for Veterinary Shortage Areas

Is There Really a Rural Veterinarian Shortage?

Veterinary Technicians Key to Underserved Rural Areas

Angus VNR: A Call for Backup

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 02:28:05 GMT

Treating a sick calf may can be a challenge with all the regulations on shared-class antibiotics—unless you have a solid V-C-P-R.

“VCPR is a veterinary-client-patient-relationship. Each state has a marginally different definition of what that means legally. For the most part, it is the responsibility of the veterinarian into your operation and then how you interact with your veterinarian in return,” says Keelan Lewis, DVM, of Salt Creek Veterinary Hospital in Olney, Texas.

“So with the lack of medications being available over the counter now, having that established VCPR is more and more important to the producer,” she says.

Relationship goals must be clear and communicated: do you want a lot of contact, or just damage control?

“The concept of a VCPR being scary in my mind, is only if you do not have a VCPR or you’re not willing to look and reach out to have that relationship with a veterinarian. So an example of that is constant interaction with a veterinarian and persistent decision making back and forth between the two of you for your operation. Look and find, and search and define your goals and then interview and find a veterinarian that fits that. And it is going to be a massive benefit,” Lewis says.

Your chosen area veterinarian may still be 60 miles from the ranch—all the more reason to establish those professional relationships.

“There’s actually a lot of discussion of whether there is a shortage of food animal veterinarians or if there is a poor distribution of food animal veterinarians. From a producer standpoint, a shortage of veterinarians to me only means that you need to support your VCPR even more thoroughly. So reach out to your existing veterinarians, describe to them how your operation goals could help them build their practice larger, help you have more availability to the veterinarian,” she continues.

In the past, veterinarians were not as readily available, interactions were strictly business. But expectations are evolving.

“Newer generation of veterinarians and sometimes producers will express this to me as a concern, is that they want to be more actively involved in your operation, where they demand that in order to get [inaudible 00:05:52] prescriptions. They want to help you on a day to day basis. They want to know what you’re doing is a benefit to production. And if we can switch our mindset from having a VCPR as an obstacle to having a VCPR as a benefit, then all of a sudden production across the board has benefitted,” Lewis says.

To foster innovation, Lewis started a Producers Alliance at her practice to bring like-minded cattlemen together.

“So educationally, things that are of interest to them market wise, feed wise, you know that group has reached out as far as to buy feed together. They buy drugs together. We interact on a routine basis about production goals across the whole group. They have put together calves and sold calves together. So our clinic initiated that. The group of producers as a whole have taken it way farther than we ever anticipated it would go,” she says.

It starts with sorting out needs and goals for a cattle enterprise, then finding the veterinarian who best fits into those plans.

Maternal Bovine Appeasing Substance Reduces Stress, Cortisol Levels In Cattle, Research Shows

When you observe a mama cow soothe an upset calf – taking it from bawling to calmly nursing in nearly an instant – you’ve just witnessed a naturally produced pheromone, called maternal bovine appeasing substance (MBAS), at work.

The pheromone, which is secreted through the skin of the mammary gland of lactating cows, is now available as a synthetic analog in the U.S., called FerAppease, for use in cattle experiencing stress from routine practices that are part and parcel in beef and dairy production.

Developed and marketed by FERA Diagnostics & Biologicals, FerAppease has been researched and evaluated by animal health scientists across a variety of production practices for the past decade.

“The maternal bovine appeasing substance is something that I’ve been investigating for nearly 10 years now, and the results are always consistently positive,” reports Reinaldo F. Cooke, DVM, PhD, endowed professor of beef cattle production at Texas A & M University.

FerAppease is designed to be topically administered to the nuchal skin (poll) and the skin above the muzzle. The product is locally assimilated by the vomeronasal organ located in the nasal cavity and is effective for 14 days.

“When the animal smells the bovine appeasing substance, the vomeronasal organ picks up that stimulus and translates into the brain as an appeasing, calming effect. It basically alleviates perception of the stress by the calf’s brain,” Cooke told Dr. Dan Thomson, Production Animal Consultation veterinarian and host of DocTalk, during a recent podcast.

Health Outcomes In Dairy And Beef Animals

In beef animals, Cooke has evaluated the product in a variety of production stages: at weaning in cow/calf herds, in calves being placed in feedyards and in finished cattle being shipped to a packing plant.

He also has conducted one study on the use of the technology in dairy calves ready for weaning¹. The dairy study was conducted on a commercial dairy in New York to evaluate health outcomes in treated vs. untreated Holstein calves. Application of the MBAS decreased the incidence of diarrhea (71% in controls and 59% in treated calves) and decreased mortality (7.8% in controls and 2.4% in treated calves).

An overview of the dairy study results is available in the American Association of Bovine Practitioner (AABP) The Bovine Practitioner.Cooke also addressed the study in Episode 184 of the AABP podcast Have You Herd? Listen to it here: AABP PodCasts - Effect of Maternal Bovine Appeasing Substance

More Than 10 Studies Conducted In Beef Cattle

For beef cattle, Cooke and his colleagues have authored articles from more than 10 published studies demonstrating the performance of FerAppease. One of the latest Texas A&M University peer-reviewed studies published in the August 2024 Journal of Animal Science².

Results from this study showed that administrating FerAppease resulted in decreased physiological stress markers in beef cattle. Compared to the control group, cattle receiving FerAppease had lower serum cortisol concentrations after castration and lower hair cortisol concentrations during the initial 28 days on feed.

“An increase in cortisol levels is the key negative physiological driver resulting from stress that impacts cattle appetite, health and weight gain,” Cooke says.

Specific to health benefits from administering FerAppease, the study results demonstrated improved immuno-competence with higher serum antibody concentrations against Parainfluenza 3 upon initial and booster vaccinations, according to a FERA news release.

Overall improved health response and better recovery from Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) were also observed in this study for FerAppease-treated beef cattle. A higher portion of cattle administered the technology required only a single antibiotic treatment to recover to positive health after BRD diagnosis compared to the control group. Mortality rates due to BRD were 83% lower in cattle treated with the product compared to the control group.

Multiple, Practical Uses With Positive ROI

As Cooke has considered where the technology fits within livestock production, he says his first thought was for calves at weaning, “especially because the calf takes about two weeks to recover from the separation from the cow,” he says.

“Then my next focus was on high-risk receiving cattle, because of all the stresses associated with the feedlot receiving. Reimplant is also another time point where we can address the stress of processing cattle. And the last period that I suggest is right before they go to the packing plant to address the stress of loading, transport, arrival, and waiting at the packing plant, which can translate into more carcass dressing,” Cooke told Thomson during the DocTalk podcast. Watch it here:
DocTalk Ep 634 - Bovine Appeasing Substance (FerAppease)

Cooke adds that the study published in the August 2024 Journal of Animal Science showed that by alleviating stress related to the process of shipping cattle to the packing plant, there was an increase of 1.5 percentile points in carcass dressing, roughly an additional 14 pounds of carcass.

“That’s $3 a pound of carcass today, so an additional $30 to $50 per head, which is significant” Thomson estimates.

Cooke adds that the economic analysis for use of FerAppease, depending on the production stage for use, offers producers a return on investment between 20:1 to 30:1.

Rodrigo Bicalho, CEO FERA Diagnostics & Biologicals, says A FerAppease treatment retails for about $3 per head for adult cattle and $1.50 per head for calves.

FerAppease use doesn’t require a veterinarian’s prescription or a Veterinary Feed Directive plan, and there are no meat withholding requirements. For more information and study data, visit www.FERAah.com .

References:¹Bringhenti, L., Colombo, E., Rodrigues, M., and Cooke, R. Effect of maternal bovine appeasing substance on health and performance of preweaned dairy calves. The Bovine Practitioner, Volume 57, No. 2, 2023. Available at: https://bovine-ojs-tamu.tdl.org/bovine/article/view/8772 .

²Pickett, A., Cooke, R. de Souza, I., Kertz, N., and Mackey, S. Administering the maternal bovine appeasing substance improves overall productivity and health in high-risk cattle during a 60-d feedlot receiving period Journal of Animal Science. Manuscript ID for Peer Review: JAS-2024-8536.

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