Antibiotics are commonly used to prevent and treat diseases, but their overuse or misuse may lead to antibiotic resistance in cattle. Resistance to antibiotics occurs when bacteria evolve to survive exposure to drugs that are meant to kill the bacteria, and it can have severe consequences for...
Nowadays, using animals as models for human biomedical research is an important part of scientific studies. In particular, pigs share a lot of gastrointestinal, anatomical, and pathophysiological similarities with humans, which means there is a lot we can learn from conducting research trials in...
Increasingly, genomics is used in poultry breeding to improve the efficiency and productivity of chickens and other poultry species. The poultry industry can benefit from genomics by identifying and selecting traits that increase growth rate, feed efficiency, and disease resistance. As a result,...
Animal welfare on dairy farms is critical and depends heavily on comfort assessments. In other words, taking good care of dairy cows means providing them with living conditions that are comfortable and where they are not subjected to unnecessary stress or discomfort. That is why comfort...
Cows can adapt to different environments if we allow them to experience some stress. However, is adaptation the key to profitability? A decrease in beef production costs is needed, and understanding the challenges and opportunities is an important goal. In this episode, Dr. Travis Mulliniks...
One of the most difficult and unfortunate things in pig production is having to accept that pain is a reality when we are talking about certain practices. That is why, as responsible pig producers, we need to find ways to mitigate that pain as much as possible. In this episode, I talk with Dr....
Poultry sustainability is a growing concern within the poultry industry as consumers and regulators demand more environmentally friendly and sustainable practices. There are currently several initiatives aimed at improving poultry sustainability, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions,...
What do you know about lactose intolerance? You probably know someone who is affected by this disorder, right? In a few words, lactose intolerance is a common condition in which the body cannot digest lactose, a sugar found in milk and other dairy products. This condition is caused by a lack of...
Animal welfare has become a widely discussed topic in animal production, and of course that includes the beef industry. In order to answer the new questions raised by consumers about meat production, we have been doing an excellent job at developing new research and adapting our practices to...
Technology came to stay and changed the way we see and do things. Dairy farming is an example of that. There has been a lot of progress in the development and application of technology in various ways, including monitoring cow health, facilitating labor shortages, improving production facilities,...
After the 2015 avian influenza outbreak, many changes needed to be implemented in our poultry farms to protect our birds. In order to avoid repeating the mistake, it becomes essential to understand what was wrong. Now we see more clearly why it is important to maintain communication between...
Mother nature can be tough on us – humans and livestock alike. This year, we were given proof of that once again, as a devastating drought led the US to emergency measures. Truth be said, there are limitations when it comes to mitigation strategies to minimize the impact of these climate...
