Gaining weight: livestock are bigger now at slaughter than in previous decades.

gaining

WEIGHT Livestock are bigger now at slaughter than in previous decades By Greg Cima

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JAVMA News

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attle are about 200 pounds heavier when sent to slaughter today than they were in the 1980s, now reaching a mean weight of 1,300 pounds Turkeys have gained a mean of 10 pounds in that period, up from 20 pounds to 30. They averaged 17 pounds each in the 1960s. Figures from the Department of Agriculture indicate that pre-slaughter weights of livestock species have been increasing since at least the 1920s, and some of the largest gains have occurred in the past 25 years. The USDA’s monthly data on livestock weights, averaged by decade, show that, since the 1980s, mean hog weight has increased by 8 percent, mean sheep and lamb weights by 21 percent, mean broiler weight by 38 percent, and mean weight of other chickens by 27 percent. Kenneth H. Mathews, PhD, an agricultural economist for the USDA Economic Research Service, said U.S. beef industries today produce almost the same amount of meat they did with the peak cattle population of the mid-1970s, despite having a third fewer cattle. He thinks genetic selection likely is the largest factor in the size increases, along with changes in technology, nutrition, care, and management.

Faster gain, larger at slaughter

The weights recorded by the USDA ERS at slaughter show faster growth, but not always a corresponding change in the proportions of adult animals. Dr. M. Gatz Riddell, executive vice president of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, said cattle’s mature weights, rather than slaughter weights, likely have not increased since introduction of more heavily muscled cattle breeds from Europe during the 1970s or 1980s. Vol. 244, No. 6


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“If you look at a mature 5-year-old bull or cow from the breeds in the same two decades, they probably have not changed,” he said. Instead, the cattle slaughtered at 12 or 18 months of age have body proportions similar to those of their predecessors, but more muscle relative to fat, Dr. Riddell said. Dr. Dan Thomson, a professor of production medicine and epidemiology and director of the Beef Cattle Institute in the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, said the rise in slaughter weights is not only a result of selection for factors such as increased lean body growth and more efficient growth but also of sorting that better divides cattle into groups slaughtered when they reach ideal weights. Steve R. Meyer, PhD, president of Paragon Economics and a consulting economist for the National Pork Board, said pigs are still slaughtered at 6 or 7 months of age, but they are heavier at that age because they grow more quickly. He said the changes in hog slaughter weights were driven by economics and limited by factors such as the genetic ability of an animal to convert feed into lean meat instead of fat.

Keith Williams, vice president of communications and marketing for the National Turkey Federation, said that, in response to Americans’ increased desire for turkey meat starting in the 1970s, turkey owners bred in favor of turkeys with broader breastplates as well as for stronger legs that can support the larger birds.

Adapting with the animals

Dr. Riddell said cattle raised for beef carry the added weight about three to six months of their 12- to 18-month lives. While cattle with substantially higher mature weights would be at risk for joint problems, Dr. Riddell does not think the short period they are carrying the added weight is cause for concern. He also noted that lameness and joint disease are affected by diet. “As these animals are growing faster and converting feed more efficiently, if we weren’t doing things like trying to minimize digestive upsets, we could expect more foot problems,” Dr. Riddell said. Cattle veterinarians also know that the larger animals are at greater risk of injury when they become stressed, Dr. Riddell said.

Courtesy of National Turkey Federation/Copyright Iowa Turkey Federation


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s

Mean weights prior to slaughter 1,500 (in pounds, by decade) 30

1,500

25 Cattle

20

1,200

15

1,200

10 900 900

1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

1960s 2000s

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

0

2010s

2010s

1960s

1970s

1980s

300

 Hogs

Sheep/lambs

250

H

Hogs

Hogs

200

200 150

Sheep/lambs

150 100 100

1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

1960s 2000s

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

2010s

30

Turkeys

25

Mature chickens Turkeys

20

Broilers

Mature chickens*

15 10

*”Mature chickens” includes egglaying hens and broiler breeders.

5 0

1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s Vol. 244, No. 6

Sheep/lambs


1

S

300  Sheep/lambs 250

5

Broilers

Source: USDA Economic Research Service


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Courtesy of USDA ARS/Photo by Stephen Ausmus

“If we kept doing the things we had been doing for the last 30 years, and the cattle got bigger, the way we handled them can lead to problems,” Dr. Riddell said. He later added, “Because we’ve increased our skills in handling them and we’ve increased our knowledge base in how we need to have good footing for them that is safe and healthy for their feet, we have counteracted some of the potential negatives.” Breeding programs also include efforts to select for calmer animals, he said. As pigs have increased in size, companies have scrutinized stocking densities and tried to make sure facilities used by the animals, such as loading chutes and alleys, still work well, said Meyer of the pork board. “The heavier pigs today are probably handled better than they used to be, because we know more about it,” he said. Williams, of the National Turkey Federation, said he thinks turkeys grow more quickly, in part, because they have less stressful lives than did their predecessors that were more exposed to weather changes, predation, and communicable disease, and because turkeys now are given continuous access to food and water. Kurt D. Vogel, PhD, an assistant professor who teaches animal welfare and physiology at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, said he worked in beef cattle 632



slaughter facilities at the start of his career, and he noticed that the mean weight of carcasses already was higher than what he was taught in school. But he has not seen changes in cattle behavior or mortality associated with weight gain, although he said mortality is known to increase among turkeys and chickens that exceed certain weights. “In all cases, care from vets and farm employees is very important, regardless of the size and age of the animals,” he said.

Breeding’s potential

Temple Grandin, PhD, a professor of animal science at Colorado State University and an author of animal welfare standards, said she is concerned that livestock are being pushed beyond optimal production. “I think one of the biggest animal welfare issues in the future is going to be what I’m going to call ‘biological system overload,’” Dr. Grandin said. In the second edition of “Genetics and the Behavior of Domestic Animals,” published in 2014 and edited by Dr. Grandin and Mark J. Deesing, a design consultant for Grandin Livestock Handling Systems, they wrote that selecting animals for production traits alone will result in unintended harm to the animals. The book describes a “metabolic drain” on Holstein cows that

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“

produce twice as much milk as cows 30 years earlier, chickens that are “spent” after a year laying eggs, and declines in relative heart and lung sizes among broiler chickens that reach market weight in less than half the time of their ancestors a century earlier. Dr. Grandin said in an interview that she is not suggesting that the country return to raising “1950s-style animals.” Instead, she said that pushing animals toward a goal requires trade-offs, with energy from feed divided among needs, whether to grow, fight disease, produce milk, or grow feathers. And she thinks livestock industries, especially the dairy and egg industries, are approaching limits on acceptable trade-offs favoring increases in production over increased stress. As an example, Dr. Grandin cited pectoral muscle necrosis, which she said can occur in turkeys and broilers when fast-growing muscle outstrips its blood supply. Noninfectious hoof problems seem to be more common among dairy cows, she said, and larger pigs are more likely to become fatigued than smaller pigs if they experience rough handling. She also has felt flimsy feathers on egg-laying hens, which she noted can also develop osteoporosis and bone fractures. But Dr. Grandin noted that industries have made changes when problems have emerged. Lameness was a more substantial problem in pigs about 10 years ago, but since then, she said the pork industry has implemented lameness assessments to reduce the problem. She also said livestock industries can breed animals and change practices in ways that increase strength or correct problems. She recalled visiting a slaughter plant where half of arriving pigs were lame, a problem she attributed to a genetic condition affecting the animals’ feet and legs that was exacerbated by administration of more-than-ideal doses of a beta-adrenoceptor agonist. Culling boar lines and halving the drug’s dosage corrected the problem, she said. Joy A. Mench, PhD, a professor of animal science at the University of California-Davis, said selection for rapid growth in broilers, which reach market age in as little as six weeks, has caused negative health consequences such as skeletal and cardiovascular disorders. But the broiler industry has, over the past decade, made improvements by selecting for attributes such as walking ability and improved health. She said selecting for increased growth rate also selected for increased appetite, which has become a welfare concern in breeding stock. Those birds will become obese and unable to reproduce if given access to as much food as desired, but the feed restrictions leave them hungry. Efforts to supplement feed with non-nutritional substances have not been effective. Dr. Kate Barger, director of animal welfare for broiler producer Cobb-Vantress, provided a company statement indicating breeder companies bal-

I think one of the biggest animal welfare issues in the future is going to be what I’m going to call ‘biological system overload.’ Temple Grandin, PhD, professor of animal science at Colorado State University and author of animal welfare standards

ance production, health, and welfare, as demonstrated through improved quality of life and fewer birds euthanized along with improvements in fertility rate, feed efficiency, and rate of weight gain. Selection of a particular processing weight is less important than managing broilers to ensure optimal health, well-being, and development. The opening chapters of the 2003 book “Poultry Genetics, Breeding and Biotechnology” similarly describe unintended negative consequences of selection—such as metabolic disorders and skeletal defects—but also indicate selective breeding can be an instrument to improve animal well-being. The book’s first chapter indicates the growth rate of broilers has roughly quadrupled since commercial breeding began in the 20th century, and at the time of publication, broiler producers had been trying to balance selection pressures to counteract problems. “The body composition of the birds has changed dramatically, especially the relative size of pectoral muscles,” the book states. “Although commercial breeding programmes have been successful in counteracting this basic imbalance by genetic improvement of leg strength and other aspects of general livability such as susceptibility to ascites, there is no doubt that commercial broilers today are showing higher mortality and higher susceptibility to suboptimal management of nutrition and environment than broilers that have been selected less extremely for efficiency and meat yield.” Asked about the risk that livestock owners would overshoot the limits of animals’ potential, Dr. Meyer said he has confidence in those owners’ abilities to select for production within acceptable limits and continue to provide benefits. “I don’t see it slowing down any,” Dr. Meyer said. Vol. 244, No. 6



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AVMA

Arce, Carlson-Lammers to join Executive Board Photo by Craig Lamere

Photo by R. Scott Nolen

By Katie Burns to work as a companion The AVMA has animal practitioner. In announced that Drs. 1993, she became coJosé V. Arce and Rena owner of Alpine Animal Carlson-Lammers will be Hospital in Pocatello, the next representatives which has grown into a for districts IV and XI, six-veterinarian, mixed respectively, on the AVMA animal practice. She Executive Board. The sole is attending veterinarcandidates for their seats, ian for the Idaho State they will begin their sixUniversity Animal Care year terms in July. Facility, which handles Dr. Arce will succeed care of laboratory aniDr. Larry G. Dee as the mals. She also helps on board representative for Dr. José V. Arce Dr. Rena Carlson-Lammers her parents’ cattle ranch. AVMA members residDr. Carlson-Lammers ing in Florida, Georgia, served as president of the Eastern AVMA vice president in the 1949-1950 and Puerto Rico. Dr. Carlson-Lammers Idaho VMA in 1991. She was president Association year, but the Association will succeed Dr. Thomas F. Meyer as of the Idaho VMA in 2000 and has been did not add the vice president to the the board representative for AVMA on the association’s board for 16 years, board until 1967. members residing in Alaska, Idaho, serving as chair in 2001. She became Current veterinary issues in Puerto Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho’s alternate delegate to the AVMA Rico are much the same as in the Wyoming. House of Delegates in 2005 and curStates, Dr. Arce said, except the terriDr. Arce, a native of Puerto Rico, rently serves as delegate. tory’s economy is worse. He and his and his wife, Dr. Anik Puig, graduated Political advocacy is a passion for Dr. from Louisiana State University School wife have a personal tie to the issue Carlson-Lammers. At the state level, of student debt because they are still of Veterinary Medicine in 1997 and she has focused on scope-of-practice moved to Puerto Rico in 1998. He held paying off theirs. issues. She believes advocacy must Dr. Arce said he brings a global and positions early in his career at several remain a priority for the AVMA. diverse perspective to the board as a animal hospitals and the San Juan Among the other priorities for Dr. Municipal Shelter. In 2003, he founded native of Puerto Rico who is Hispanic. Carlson-Lammers are representation He believes the AVMA must continue Miramar Animal Hospital in San Juan. for women in veterinary leadership, to take a leadership role globally— Since 2000, Dr. Arce has served on maintaining the economic viability of especially in animal welfare, one the board of the Puerto Rico VMA. the profession, and reform of AVMA health, and veterinary education. He is secretary of the association’s governance. After he first attended the AVMA Legislation Commission and is a mem“The profession demographically Veterinary Leadership Conference in ber of the association’s Convention is changing. Economically, things are 1999, Dr. Arce knew the AVMA was Committee. He was Puerto Rico’s alternate delegate to the AVMA House the right place for him. “This is where I changing. We really need to be in wanted to give my two cents and help position to deal with those changes of Delegates from 2000-2010 and has and stay relevant,” she said. “We need the future of our profession. I enjoy it. been its delegate from 2010 to the to engage young members. We need I think if we don’t work for our profespresent. to engage women. There are a lot of Dr. Arce might be the first represen- sion, nobody will,” he said. ways we can structure our Association Dr. Carlson-Lammers, a native of tative from Puerto Rico to serve on the to make sure it’s reasonable for all of Idaho, is a 1989 graduate of WashingAVMA Executive Board, which dates those groups to be involved and play ton State University College of Veterback to 1916. Dr. Olaguibeet Lopeza role.” inary Medicine. She returned to Idaho Pacheco of Puerto Rico served as an 634



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Issues Horse slaughter defunded again The ongoing saga over whether to allow commercial horse slaughter plants to operate in the U.S. appears settled for now. On Jan. 17, President Barack Obama signed into law a spending bill that provides funding for the federal government for the 2014 fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30. A provision in the measure stops the Department of Agriculture from spending money on inspections necessary for slaughterhouses to ship horse meat interstate and, ultimately, export it to overseas consumers. The first federal ban on the use of taxpayer funds to inspect horse slaughter facilities took effect in 2006. That and state legislation forced the last operating horse slaughter facility, in Illinois, to close in 2007. Congress reversed its position in 2011 and lifted the federal funding provision that prohibited USDA inspections. The first company to apply for horse meat inspections by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service was Roswell, N.M.-based Valley Meat Co. in December 2011. Almost a year later, Valley Meat owner Rick de los Santos sued the USDA for delaying the processing of the application. The department granted the company’s request in June 2013 to convert its cattle facility into a horse slaughter plant and start operations.

But before Valley Meat could begin processing horse meat, Obama signed the spending bill. That same day, a New Mexico judge granted a preliminary injunction against Valley Meat from moving forward with its plans to slaughter horses. The ruling keeps alive a civil lawsuit by New Mexico Attorney General Gary King, who is seeking to permanently block horse slaughter in the state. Meanwhile, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources turned down a permit request from Rains Natural Meats in Gallatin, Mo., which had also sought to process horses for meat. The Jan. 23 MDNR letter cited the new federal budget for its denial. Responsible Transportation in Sigourney, Iowa, was the only other company that had an active application for equine inspection services with the USDA FSIS. The House of Representatives and Senate are considering another piece of legislation that relates to horse slaughter: the Safeguard American Food Exports Act of 2013 (H.R. 1094/S. 541). It would amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to permanently prohibit the export of horses to processing plants in Canada and Mexico, which is currently legal. Annually, tens of thousands of horses are shipped to these countries (see graph).

Number of U.S. horses exported to North American countries, 2012-2013* CANADA 2012: 48,455 2013: 36,591

MEXICO 2012: 110,202 2013: 102,254

Source: USDA *The USDA compiles only aggregate numbers of horses shipped and not specifically numbers of horses moving to slaughter in these countries.

For more information, visit http://goo.gl/9gvX5g

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Photos courtesy of NAVC

Practice

Veterinary students take a quiz for fun during some downtime at the 2014 North American Veterinary Community Conference.

A young conference attendee gets up close with an alligator.

NAVC grows its brand NAVC COVER AGE

NAVTA, Vetlearn now under NAVC umbrella

T

he North American Veterinary Community—the nonprofit that includes the annual conference, other continuing education offerings, a journal, and partner conferences abroad—has expanded its scope with some new resources and partnerships. During the 2014 NAVC Conference, held Jan. 18-22 in Orlando, Fla., the NAVC debuted VetFolio (http://vet folio.navc.com), which seeks to bring the conference experience online. An NAVC press release touts VetFolio as a mobile-friendly website that supports professional development for all members of the veterinary health care team. VetFolio provides access to more than 500 hours of veterinary CE through the Registry of Approved Continuing Education, 2,500 NAVC conference proceedings, “Clinical Views” written by veterinary faculty, moderated discussion forums, how-to articles for practice success, and industry and animal health research news. Monthly subscriptions cost $45 for practices of up to 15 members and $25 for individuals. Students, faculty, and professional staff at veterinary colleges have free access to VetFolio.

Also in January, the NAVC began retaining shared rights to publish all content from the information resource Vetlearn. That covers about 4,600 articles, 100-plus CE components, and more than 100 slideshows and videos, not to mention new material from the Vetlearn team. In addition, NAVC will begin to manage and publish Vetlearn’s publications and websites, such as Compendium, Veterinary Technician, and Standards of Care; however, both organizations will co-own the material produced. Vetlearn and NAVC had partnered for more than 30 years prior to this announcement. According to an NAVC press release, the new arrangement is intended to keep intact the Vetlearn editorial teams. In addition to using current Vetlearn content in VetFolio, the NAVC will add new content monthly. Late last year, the NAVC announced another formal partnership, with the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America. The NAVC is now helping manage NAVTA’s day-to-day operations. The two nonprofit associations will work

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together to develop products and services for veterinary technicians, including webinars, articles, conference lectures, and online courses. Julie Legred was named NAVTA executive director Jan. 7; she had filled the position on an interim basis since Nov. 1, 2012. Legred is also the senior manager of veterinary technician programs for NAVC and has been involved with NAVTA in other roles for many years, including serving as its president twice. Legred said in an NAVC press release that NAVTA will remain its own entity and operate under its existing constitution and bylaws. “This partnership will now enable NAVTA to offer and provide input into many additional benefits and opportunities for veterinary technicians, while polishing and enhancing the communications and services provided to its members,” she said. About 1,512 veterinary technicians attended this year’s NAVC conference in addition to 6,296 veterinarians, 583 practice managers, 377 support staff members, and 870 students.

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veterinarians, and how to overcome hurdles in data sharing among clinics. Rep. Kurt Schrader of Oregon gave the talk “Effecting change as a volunteer on the national level through political service.” Another new session at the conference was “Hospital Design for the 21st Century.” It featured panel discussions with architects, builders, and financing professionals. In all, more than 1,200 hours of CE were offered. Finally, the NAVC hosted its first Wellness Screening and Assessment Center during the conference, cosponsored by the AVMA Group Health

and Life Insurance Trust and Zoetis’ Pet Wellness Report. Attendees were offered blood chemistry profile and lipid panel analyses along with prostate-specific antigen testing and rabies titer testing. The 2014-2015 NAVC officers are Dr. Charlotte Lacroix, Whitehouse Station, N.J., president; Dr. Christine Navarre, Baton Rouge, La., president-elect; Dr. Melinda D. Merck, Gainesville, Fla., vice president; Dr. Laurel Kaddatz, Pound Ridge, N.Y., secretary-treasurer; and Lynne E. Johnson-Harris, Hinckley, Ohio, immediate past president.

N AVC COVE R AGE

The conference introduced a new learning opportunity, Ignite! (http:// navc.com/ignite), which consisted of a full day of 15-minute talks and breakout sessions Jan. 21. The sessions were meant to explore new ideas and perspectives in veterinary education, practice, professionalism, and community. Ignite! is modeled after the popular TED talks, which are filmed presentations owned by the private nonprofit Sapling Foundation that have the slogan “Ideas Worth Spreading.” Presenters at Ignite! touched on personal wellness and mental health, the future of drug dispensing by

Website provides tools for pet nutrition The Pet Nutrition Alliance has developed a website to provide veterinary professionals with credible resources on pet nutrition. The PNA announced the website Jan. 19 at the North American Veterinary Community Conference in Orlando, Fla. The American Animal Hospital Association, the AVMA, and other veterinary organizations established the PNA to promote the importance of proper pet nutrition and the value of nutritional assessments for every pet at every veterinary visit. The PNA website offers a collection of tools on pet nutrition for veterinary professionals to use in practice and to educate clients. “Our goal was to create this go-to website where people could find all sorts of nutritional information from pretty much every credible source out there,” said Kate Spencer, AAHA communications manager. A PNA committee developed the website by compiling existing resources on pet nutrition and writing answers to frequently asked questions, Spencer said. She noted that the website does not have any company branding, although some of the tools come from companies. The PNA is rolling out the website to veterinary professionals now and will roll out the website to pet owners later this year. The website has sections with resources for veterinary teams, nutritional guidelines, and resources for pet owners. Tools include the following:

• Online training on weight loss programs for pets. • A Web conference on pet foods. • A “Healthy Weight Protocol” tool to determine an overweight pet’s ideal weight. • Feline and canine assessment forms. • Checklists for physical examinations. • Feeding guides and charts. • Charts for body and muscle condition scores. • Nutrition pamphlets for pet owners. • Step-by-step instructions on how to report problems with pet food. • A tool to translate pet weight to comparable human weight. • Printable client information sheets. • Articles on communicating with clients about weight and nutrition. “With obesity and weight-related diseases on the rise, education about proper nutrition for optimal pet health is more important now than ever before,” said Dr. Kate Knutson, chair of the PNA. “Veterinary health care teams need tangible tools they can use to meet this challenge head-on. Our vision in launching these resources is to bring a variety of credible, vetted nutrition tools to veterinary professionals so that they can better address nutrition in their practices.” The website is at www.petnutritionalliance.org.

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Practice

Survey delves into veterinarians’ personal financial health

Many veterinarians believe they are personally not doing well financially, according to a new survey. Veterinary Pet Insurance, Veterinary Economics magazine, and Brakke Consulting produced the VPI–Veterinary Economics Financial Health Study as a follow-up to the Bayer Veterinary Care Usage Study. The survey was conducted July 25-Aug. 4, 2013. The companies released the results Jan. 19 at the North American Veter inary Community Conference in Orlando, Fla. Dr. Carol McConnell, VPI chief veterinary officer, said the objective was to look at the personal side of the changing economics of veterinary practice and “How is this affecting individuals in our profession?” The study sample was 1,193 veterinarians from the database of Advanstar, publisher of Veterinary Economics, who responded to an email invitation to an online survey. Respondents were owners and associates whose practice consisted of at least 75 percent companion animals. Forty-one percent of owners and 31 percent of associates said they were doing well financially, rating their personal financial condition as 8 to 10 on a 10-point scale. A quarter of owners and 30 percent of associates said they were doing poorly, 0 to 5 on a 10-point scale. Male and older veterinarians were more likely to be doing well than female and younger veterinarians. The mean income for associates was $84,000, and their mean household income was $138,000. The mean income for owners was $109,000, and their mean household income was $187,000—falling into the top 10 percent of all U.S. households, according to the 2010 U.S. Census.

Percentage of veterinarians

NAVC COVE R AGE

By Katie Burns

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Veterinarians’ rating of their personal financial condition on a scale of 0 to 10

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 Practice owners  Associates

15 10 5 0

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“We don’t feel that we’re doing very well financially, and once you dive deeper into it, it’s for a host of reasons,” Dr. McConnell said. A third of owners said their practice was doing well, but another third said their practice was doing poorly. Twentytwo percent of associates were unaware of the financial health of their practice. Just over half of owners were paying off loans for the practice, with mean debt of $362,240. Twenty-two percent of owners had student loans, with mean debt of $66,110. Forty-nine percent of associates had student loans, with mean debt of $112,082. Twenty-seven percent of owners were planning to delay retirement because of the poor financial condition of their practice. Fifty-eight percent of owners worked more hours than they would have liked because the practice needed the revenue, overlapping with the 69 percent who would have liked to work less but needed the income personally. Dr. McConnell noted that owners and associates often have personal debt beyond student loans, and other members of their households often have student loans and additional debt. “They feel they have to work really hard and a lot of hours to sustain the income that they need,” she said. Only a third of owners believed the sale of their practice would provide them with a comfortable retirement income. Forty-four percent of associates were interested in owning a practice, although few believed they had the financial means to do so. Dr. McConnell wrote a blog post about the study at http://vpivetchannel.com/study with a link to a white paper about the results.

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Revised heartworm guides add resistance information The American Heartworm Society’s guidance on heartworm infection in dogs and cats now includes information on resistance to heartworm preventives. The organization also increased the prominence of prevention instructions in its 2014 guides on prevention, diagnosis, and management of heartworm infection. The AHS published in January updated editions of the two sets of guidelines—one each for dogs and cats. They are available under “Veterinary Resources” at www.heart wormsociety.org. Through the guides, the AHS also now recommends microfilaria testing

along with antigen testing to reduce the likelihood of false-negative tests from antigen testing alone. The guides include updated recommendations on adulticide treatment in dogs as well as added diagnostic differentials for infections in cats. AHS officials published a separate statement that describes resistance to macrocyclic lactones as an issue of great importance in veterinary medicine. “Every compound currently marketed in every form of administration (oral, topical, and parenteral) has been shown to be less than perfect in at least one study,” the publication states.

“However, while the evidence indicates that resistance affects all macrocyclic lactones, differences in active ingredients, doses, and product formulation among the available preventives can result in varying rates of failures.” The statement notes that heartworm preventives remain effective in the “vast majority” of uses, and appropriate use according to the label is of paramount importance. Inappropriate uses include administering macrocyclic lactones alone to treat heartworminfected dogs and administering products that are intended for use in large animals as heartworm preventives in dogs or cats.

New resource targets veterinary students, recent graduates Zoetis launched an online resource Jan. 22 for soon-to-be or recently minted veterinarians. Vetvance (www.vetvance.com) features free educational content and resources to help prepare these individuals in starting their careers and handling nonclinical aspects of the job. At launch, Vetvance had about 100 short multimedia modules in which industry experts discuss topics in the following three areas: • Professional Development: This covers resume writing, interview techniques, career options, the job search, and client service and leadership skills. • Business Skills: A focus in this section is on the elements involved in running a successful veterinary business. • Financial Literacy: Information in this area highlights top-

ics such as financial basics, budgeting, and student loan repayment. In addition, veterinary students or recent graduates who subscribe to the website gain access to a job search engine co-hosted with the American Animal Hospital Association. They may also connect with other veterinary students and recent graduates to share experiences, get real-world advice from veterinary professionals, and find mentors. Vanessa Mariani, Zoetis director of academic and professional affairs, said in a press release, “We know that veterinary students and graduates are equipped with the medical knowledge and know-how to provide the best care possible for animals. Vetvance is a platform dedicated to providing crucial information for their long term success and thus help sustain a strong profession.”

FDA offers resource on medication errors The Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine has developed a Web page on prevention of medication errors. The page covers topics such as causes and consequences of errors with veterinary medications, the role

of the CVM in preventing medication errors, case examples of medication errors, and how consumers can avoid errors with veterinary medications. The resource is at www.fda.gov/ AnimalVeterinary/SafetyHealth/ ProductSafetyInformation on the left side under “Veterinary Medication Errors.”

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Community LMU appoints Hoffsis as dean Exactly a year since departing from the University of Florida, Dr. Glen F. Hoffsis will lead Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tenn., as it launches its College of Veterinary Medicine. He has been appointed dean of the veterinary college and associate vice president of health sciences starting July 1, according to an LMU press release. Dr. Hoffsis formerly served as dean of the veterinary colleges at Florida for seven years and The Ohio State University for 11 years, and he was the associate director of veterinary services at P&G Pet Health and Nutrition (formerly Iams Co.). Dr. Glen F. Hoffsis He replaces Dr. Randall K. Evans, who was chosen as the founding dean of the emerging veterinary college in 2011 after serving as the founding dean of the LMU School of Allied Health for four years. In addition, Dr. Evans was director for 19 years of Lincoln Memorial’s veterinary technology program, which is accredited by the AVMA Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities. Dr. Evans will serve as an associate dean at the veterinary college. Dr. Hoffsis has held many professional positions, including president of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, chair of the Food and Drug Administration’s

now-disbanded Veterinary Medicine Advisory Committee, and president of the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges. He currently serves on the board of directors of Banfield Pet Hospital of Portland, Ore., and Live Oak Bank of Wilmington, N.C. He is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. Lincoln Memorial received a letter of reasonable assurance of future accreditation of its veterinary college from the AVMA Council on Education in July 2013. The college is on target for provisional accreditation. It will accept its first class of 85 students this August and anticipates full accreditation in 2018 at the time those first students are graduating. The veterinary college will be part of the university’s Division of Health Sciences, which includes osteopathic, physician assistant, nursing, veterinary technology, and other allied health programs. “I’m excited to have the opportunity to create an innovative program from square one,” Dr. Hoffsis said in the press release. “This is a rare opportunity to institute new concepts in veterinary education.”

Croney chosen to head Purdue animal welfare center Purdue University associate professor of animal sciences Candace Croney, PhD, began overseeing the university’s new Center for Animal Welfare Science this February when it opened. The mission of the Center for Animal Welfare Science is to promote the welfare of animals through innovation in research, education, and outreach. It hosts a large collaborative group of scientists working in a variety of related fields and brings together diverse, cross-disciplinary approaches to animal well-being issues in animal and poultry science, veterinary medicine, psychology, philosophy, genetics, public health, and zoology. “Members of the sciences and animal industries are often perceived as being uncaring or tone-deaf on issues pertaining to animal well-being,” Dr. Croney said. “Purdue’s investment in creating a Center for Animal Welfare Science is a timely and necessary step toward changing this perception. The new center will permit exploration of both the scientific and socioethical issues underlying public concerns.”

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Dr. Croney will lead a center that includes scientists and educators from the Purdue colleges of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine and the Livestock Behavior Research Unit of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service. Her responsibilities Candace Croney, PhD include soliciting both traditional and nontraditional sources of extramural funding for the center’s research and outreach activities, serving as spokesperson and resource person on welfare issues in public policy, and disseminating knowledge, guidance, and expertise on animal welfare science through a variety of media. In addition, Dr. Croney will develop and maintain national and international relationships with leaders in animal agriculture, animal welfare faculty at other universities and institutions, nongovernmental organizations, and the public.

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Cancer center receives large donation Courtesy of Colorado State University

among others, demonstrate the A family has pledged $10 relevance of the center’s work to million to the Colorado State human cancer as well. University Flint Animal Cancer The Hadley and Marion Stuart Center, which is the single largFoundation was established by est contribution in the center’s heirs to the founder of Carnation history. Milk Products Co., a family dairy The gift comes from the turned industry-leading food Hadley and Marion Stuart company best known for its Foundation, led by two of the condensed milk. Nestlé acquired Stuarts’ children, Nan and Brett Carnation in 1985. Stuart of Longmont, Colo., and Nan Stuart’s interest in cancer nearly doubles operational research in dogs stems from one funds for the center. The donaof her Golden Retrievers, Keester, tion also completes the fundwho developed neurofibrosaring of two endowed academic coma in a forelimb. A CSU team chairs, the university said in a developed a radiation protocol press release. and rehabilitation plan that In 1983, the late E. Hadley reduces pain for the 8-year-old Stuart first brought one of his dog. Golden Retrievers to CSU’s Keester and Stuart’s other College of Veterinary Medicine Golden Retrievers are award& Biomedical Sciences for canwinning service dogs that are cer care. Since then, the Stuart trained to perform emergency family has provided nearly $22 rescues from swift water and million toward cancer research ice. Stuart’s dogs have helped to and clinical treatment of natutrain thousands of emergency rally occurring cancers in dogs, Dr. Nicole Ehrhart, a surgical oncologist at the CSU Flint Animal Cancer Center, provides a patient named Berkley responders through Code 3 including this most recent with a checkup following limb amputation to successfully Associates, a nonprofit Stuart donation. treat osteosarcoma. founded to provide professional Opened in 2002, the Animal animal disaster response and Cancer Center houses the training. appointments per year and provides world’s largest group of scientists The Stuart family has had three an additional 3,000 consultations by studying cancer in pets, according to other dogs treated at the center for phone and email. Collaborations with CSU, with more than 100 faculty clinihemangiosarcoma, Nan Stuart said. the National Cancer Institute and cians, staff members, and veterinary students. The center books about 6,000 University of Colorado Cancer Center,

Texas A&M dean an official cowgirl Dr. Eleanor M. Green (AUB ’73), dean of Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, was inducted into the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame this past October. She and three others joined 211 previous honorees. At the start of her career, she worked as a veterinary practice owner before she became one of the founding faculty members at Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1976. The museum and hall of fame cited Dr. Green for being the first female veterinary dean at Texas A&M, the first woman in the nation to officiate at a National Intercollegiate

Livestock Judging Contest in 1974, and the first female president of three national associations: the American Association of Equine Practitioners, American Association of Veterinary Clinicians, and American Board of Veterinary Practitioners. Dr. Eleanor M. Green Dr. Green is an avid horsewoman who has owned and shown horses for nearly 60 years, winning numerous circuit and state championships. She has also served on the boards of directors of a number of horse industry organizations. Vol. 244, No. 6



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American College of Veterinary Radiology

Event: Annual meeting, Oct. 8-11, 2013, Savannah, Ga. Awards: Outstanding Resident-Authored Paper Award: Dr. Erin Keenihan, Royal Veterinary College, for “Canine meningeal disease: Associations between magnetic resonance imaging signs and histologic findings.” Outstanding Oral Presentation by a Resident: Dr. R.A. VanHatten, Cornell University, for “Comparison of electroretinography and brainstem auditory response to three-dimensional time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography for detecting reduced blood flow in the maxillary arteries of cats with the mouth opened”; and Dr. K.C. Lynch, University of Illinois, for ““Ex vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1HMRS) of normal, reactive, and malignant canine lymph nodes: Evaluation of the choline metabolite as a marker for malignancy.” Outstanding Poster Presentation by a Resident: Dr. A.M. Adrian, Colorado State University, for “Sedated computed tomographic angiography: A novel method for improving the diagnosis of canine pancreatitis”; and Dr. J.M. Gambino, Mississippi State University, for “In vivo

noninvasive single voxel 1h magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 3t for the evaluation of intracranial neoplasms in dogs.” New diplomates: Thirty-six new diplomates were welcomed into the ACVR. They are as follows: Radiology

Dustin Adams, Fort Collins, Colo. Kristy Barksdale, Longwood, Fla. Ann Bettencourt, Christiansburg, Va. Lawrence Brown, Auburn, Ala. Fernando Castro, Somerset, N.J. Kemba Clapp, Blacksburg, Va. Eli Cohen, Palmerston North, New Zealand Ilva Drumm, Leopoldshoehe, Germany Matthew Enroth, San Antonio Aaron Feagin, Melissa, Texas Nicole Geyer, Cary, N.C. John Haller, Columbia, Mo. Kevin Koernig, Southport, N.C. Chelsea Kunst, Temecula, Calif. Meghann Lustgarten, Cary, N.C. Alyce Marks, Missouri City, Texas Alexis McMurray, Mercer Island, Wash. Rachel Moon, Hudson, Ohio Kathryn Phillips, Raleigh, N.C. Erin Porter, Alachua, Fla.

Jeff Ruth, Christiansburg, Va. Christopher Ryan, Philadelphia Kurt Selberg, Athens, Ga. Miriam Shanaman, La Jolla, Calif. Meg Sislak, Fairlawn, Ohio Kenneth Waller Ill, Madison, Wis. Jennifer White, San Diego Meghan Woodland, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island Alex Young, Davis, Calif. Radiation oncology

Tara Ehling, Oro Valley, Ariz. Elias Gumpel, Kelvin Grove, Australia Katherine Hansen, Berkeley, Calif. Lyndsay Kubicek, Gainesville, Fla. Dustin Lewis, Atlantic Highlands, N.J. William Ratterree, Pompano Beach, Fla. Kim Selting, Columbia, Mo. Officials: Drs. Anthony Pease, East Lansing, Mich., president; Elizabeth Watson, Key West, Fla., president-elect; Sheri Siegel, Waltham, Mass., president of Radiation Oncology; Thomas Nyland, Davis, Calif., secretary; Robert McLear, Swarthmore, Pa., treasurer; and Clifford Berry, Gainesville, Fla., immediate past president

Nebraska VMA Event: Annual conference, Jan. 23-25, Lincoln Awards: Veterinarian of the Year: Dr. Ann Kramer, Columbus. A 1983 graduate of the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Kramer practices at Columbus Small Animal Hospital. She is a past president of the Nebraska VMA. Outstanding Young Veterinarian of the Year: Dr. Jeremy Young, Albion, won this award, given to a veterinarian who has graduated in the past seven years. A 2006 graduate of the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Young works at Town and Country Veterinary Clinic, which he has co-owned since 2008. He serves on the NVMA Continuing Education Committee. Distinguished Service Award: Alan Moeller, Lincoln, for outstanding service contributing to the advancement of veterinary medicine in all aspects of the profession. Moeller served as assistant vice chancellor of the Institute of Agricultural and Natural Resources from 1977 until retire-

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Dr. Ann Kramer

Dr. Jeremy Young

Alan Moeller

ment in 2013. He played an important role in the partnership between the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine and in the building of a new veterinary diagnostic laboratory at UNL. Officials: Drs. Mark Hughes, Grand Island, president; Henry Cerny, Lincoln, president-elect; Shane Pedersen, Pierce, secretary-treasurer; and Vergil Heyer, Ainsworth, immediate past president

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Michigan VMA

Obituaries

Event: Annual conference, Jan. 24-26, Lansing Awards: Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award: Dr. Janver D. Krehbiel, Mason. A 1962 graduate of Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine and a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists, Dr. Krehbiel was acting director of the international program, senior associate dean for administration, and associate dean for academic programs at the Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine prior to retirement. During his tenure at the college, he also served as director of the clinical pathology laboratory, was acting and associate chair of the Department of Pathology, and served as acting dean. Dr. Krehbiel was chair of the AVMA Executive Board from 2012-2013 and served as the District V representative from 2007-2013. He is a past president of the American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology and Michigan VMA and has served on several AVMA committees and councils, including the Council on Education, Council on Research, and Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities. W. Kenneth McKersie Service Award: Dr. Al W. Stinson, Norcross, Ga.,

AVMA member AVMA honor roll member Nonmember Rayford B. Albritton

Dr. Albritton (GA ’58), 83, Fayetteville, Ga., died Aug. 8, 2013. He worked for for cumulative service and accomplish- the Department of Agriculture, retirments benefiting the veterinary profes- ing as deputy director in charge of sion, the community, and the Michigan meat and poultry inspection in the VMA. A 1956 graduate of the University Southeast. Dr. Albritton was a Navy of Georgia College of Veterinary veteran of the Korean War. He is surMedicine, Dr. Stinson retired as provived by his wife, Margaret; two daughfessor emeritus from Michigan State ters and a son; and five grandchildren. University in 1994. During his tenure, Memorials may be made to the he taught microscopic anatomy and American Society for the Prevention animal behavior and helped raise of Cruelty to Animals, P.O. Box 96929, money to support research on pureWashington, DC 20090; or Hospice bred dogs at the university. A member Advantage, 101 Yorktown Drive #223, of the MVMA Legislative Advisory Fayetteville, GA 30214. Committee until 2012, Dr. Stinson has supported Michigan dog breeders with Mark Berens legislative lobbying and remains active Dr. Berens (COR ’87), 67, Pelham, in the veterinary and dog breeding Mass., died Dec. 1, 2013. A small aniindustries. mal veterinarian, he owned Dr. Berens’ Officials: Drs. Therese Burns, Caledonia, Animal Hospital in Northampton, president; Julie Cappel, Warren, presiMass., prior to retirement. Dr. Berens dent-elect; Kevin Stachowiak, Caseville, served with the Peace Corps in 1st vice president and treasurer; Bruce Ecuador in the 1960s. His wife, Leslie Cozzens, Traverse City, 2nd vice presiNyman, survives him. dent; and Ralph Huff, North Branch, immediate past president David C. Berglund Dr. Berglund (OSU ’49), 88, Anguilla, West Indies, died Dec. 26, 2013. He owned a home-based mixed animal practice in Anguilla from 1972 until the mid-2000s. Following graduation, Dr. Berglund served as a captain in the Army, working as a post veterinarian and food inspector. In 1957, he established Hill-Chester Hospital for Animals, a small animal practice in Hillside, Ill. Dr. Berglund was active with the Anguilla Rotary Club and was The American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists a founding member of the Anguilla announces the seventh annual ACVO National Service Freemasons Association. Animal Eye Exam Event to provide free eye examinations He is survived by his wife, Charlotte; for service animals in May. Animal owners and handlers two sons and a daughter; a stepson; can register in April at www.ACVOeyeexam.org. and five grandchildren. Dr. Berglund’s brother, Dr. Nevin E. Berglund (OSU Dr. Janver D. Krehbiel

Dr. Al W. Stinson

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past president of the Montfort Village Board and Ruritan International and was active with Little League, Boys Scouts, and 4-H Club. Dr. Klindt’s son, James D. Carroll three daughters, and eight grandchilDr. Carroll (TEX ’52), 89, Corsicana, dren survive him. He is also survived Texas, died Nov. 24, 2013. Following Patrick M. Hourigan graduation, he practiced large animal Dr. Hourigan (IL ’84), 57, Williams Bay, by his companion, Donna Petersen. Memorials may be made to the medicine in Corsicana, where two years Wis., died Dec. 7, 2013. A small aniRobert and Martha Klindt Memorial later he co-founded Carroll and Harper mal practitioner, he was the founder Scholarship Fund, c/o Julie Anderson, Animal Hospital. In 1957, Dr. Carroll’s of Richmond Veterinary Clinic in 751 N. 57th Ave., Omaha, NE 68132. brother, Dr. Ray D. Carroll (TEX ’57), Richmond, Ill. Dr. Hourigan donated joined the practice. Dr. James Carroll his services to Fellow Mortals Wildlife retired in 2008 after serving Texas’ Hospital. He was a member of the Stewart McConnell Navarro County and surrounding areas Williams Bay Lions Club. Dr. Hourigan is Dr. McConnell (TEX ’50), 90, College for 56 years. During that time, he iden- survived by his wife, Donna; a daughStation, Texas, died Dec. 4, 2013. A tified neonatal isoerythrolysis in calves ter; and two sons. Memorials may diplomate of the American College and determined the cause. As an aucbe made to Fellow Mortals Wildlife of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, he tion barn veterinarian for more than 50 Hospital, W4632 Palmer Road, Lake was professor emeritus at the Texas years, he initiated aging and pregnancy Geneva, WI 53147, http://fellow A&M University College of Veterinary testing of cattle at the sale barn. mortals.org Medicine & Biomedical Sciences Dr. Carroll served in the Army during since 1985. Following graduation, World War II. He is survived by three Dr. McConnell practiced briefly in Gene R. Kind daughters and a grandson. Memorials Dr. Kind (MIN ’55), 82, St. Peter, Minn., Las Vegas before joining the Army may be made to the Dr. J.D. Carroll Veterinary Corps. During his military died Dec. 15, 2013. He owned Kind Youth Exposition Award, Community Veterinary Clinic, a mixed animal prac- service, he worked at the Walter National Bank and Trust, 321 N. 15th Reed Army Institute of Research in tice in St. Peter, prior to retirement in St., Corsicana, TX 75110; or Family First 1998. Dr. Kind was a past president of Washington, D.C.; served as an adviser Hospice, 109 S.W. Main St., Ennis, TX the Minnesota VMA. He was active with to the Bolivian government in La Paz, 75119. the Boy Scouts, Rotary Club, and Meals where he helped establish vaccine production capabilities and assisted on Wheels. Dr. Kind’s wife, Naomi; two in the identification and control of sons and a daughter; and two grandEverard L. Cooper an outbreak of hemorrhagic fever; children survive him. Memorials may Dr. Cooper (ONT ’52), 87, Chesterbe made to Blue Earth–Nicollet County and conducted research on vaccine ville, Maine, died Nov. 30, 2013. He development and prevention of aniHumane Society, 1250 N. River Drive, practiced mixed animal medicine in mal diseases at Fort Detrick, Md. In Mankato, MN 56001; or University Chesterville. Dr. Cooper began his 1965, Dr. McConnell received an Army of Minnesota College of Veterinary career working for the Ontario Racing Commendation Medal for his work in Medicine, St. Paul, MN 55108. Commission. He then practiced in Bolivia. He retired from the veterinary Kamloops, British Columbia, and corps as lieutenant colonel in 1968 and Farmington, Maine, before establishing Robert W. Klindt a mixed animal practice in Livermore Dr. Klindt (ISU ’59), 79, Montfort, Wis., joined the Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Parasitology at Falls, Maine. Dr. Cooper eventually died Jan. 9, 2014. He was a partner TAMU. moved that practice to Turner, Maine. and co-owner of Montfort Veterinary Dr. McConnell was a member of He was a member of the Maine VMA. Service, where he practiced primarily Dr. Cooper is survived by his wife, large animal medicine from 1963 until the United States Animal Health Joan; two sons and two daughretirement in 1995. Dr. Klindt began his Association. He served in the Army Air Corps during World War II and received ters; 15 grandchildren; and 16 career with the Army Veterinary Corps a Purple Heart. Dr. McConnell is surgreat-grandchildren. as officer in charge of the Veterinary vived by his wife, Willie; a son and two Food Inspection Detachment. He daughters; and four grandchildren. joined Montfort Veterinary Service in Ernest R. Griner 1961. Dr. Klindt was a past president of Memorials may be made to the 95th Dr. Griner (GA ’50), 85, Atlanta, died Bomb Group Memorials Foundation, the Southwest Wisconsin VMA and a Aug. 26, 2013. A small animal practic/o Nancy Freemantle, Treasurer, member of the American Association tioner, he owned Atlanta Pet Hospital. P.O. Box 6154, Eureka, CA 95502; of Bovine Practitioners and Wisconsin Dr. Griner’s three children, a grandhttp://95thbg.org/95th_joomla/ VMA. Active in civic life, he was a child, and three step-grandchildren 644

’52), is a small animal veterinarian in Wilmette, Ill.



survive him. Memorials may be made to Northside Drive Baptist Church, 3100 Northside Drive S.W., Atlanta, GA 30305.

Vol. 244, No. 6

2/19/2014 2:47:02 PM

Why GPS makes distances bigger than they are.

Bigger than his bite.

Bigger than Ebola.

Are our babies becoming bigger?

Familial hypercholesterolaemia in children and adolescents: gaining decades of life by optimizing detection and treatment.

Lords debate welfare at slaughter.

From the 90's to now: A brief historical perspective on more than two decades of estrogen neuroprotection.

Reprint of: From the 90׳s to now: A brief historical perspective on more than two decades of estrogen neuroprotection.

Giant pituitary adenoma: can it grow bigger than this?

Giant craniopharyngioma: can it grow bigger than this?

Ovarian volumes measured by US: bigger than we think.

Extra giant occipital encephalocele--can it grow bigger than this?

Decompensated cirrhosis … are we gaining ground?

Ribose Accelerates Gut Motility and Suppresses Mouse Body Weight Gaining.

Are breast cancer patients treated with radiotherapy younger now than ten years ago?

Livestock transport from the perspective of the pre-slaughter logistic chain: a review.

A Perspective on Consumers 3.0: They Are Not Better Decision-Makers than Previous Generations.

Two decades at the helm.

Are our expectations bigger than the results we achieve? a comparative study analysing potential advantages of ankle arthroplasty over arthrodesis.

Prestun checks and mis-stuns during conventional slaughter: welfare at slaughter.

NIPPV: Where Are We Now?

Prevalence of microfilariae in cattle at slaughter in Zaria, Nigeria.

Mindfulness in psychiatry - where are we now?

Grazing livestock are exposed to terrestrial cyanobacteria.