November 2016 ASM 1
For us at ASM, change is exciting. The Animal Science Monitor is going through an evolution. This last quarter of 2016, we decided to give you guys a double dose of ASM monthly. This means 2 newsletters from us to you per month!
We have improved our industry news section too. We want to give our readers the latest information about the fields or specialties we recruit in because Dan believes knowledge is wealth and that it should be shared.
We didn't want to stop at news. ASM will do feature interviews with top university professors in the animal science field and influential industry leaders early next year. We have also added zoo, wildlife and companion animal articles as well to keep our readers entertained.
You will see more insightful and fun articles in 2017, as we evolve steadily to achieve our goal. We want to become a purveyor of interesting and informative content, an influencer in this industry. But we promise not to bore you either
So what do you think of the new Animal Science Monitor newsletters so far? Are we on our way to achieving our goal? If you have any comments and suggestions, do not hesitate to send us our feedback! Send us an email to tell us what you think!
Horses Living Wild and Free
Do not attempt to touch these feral horses. They kick and bite.
Last month, I spent the day on Assateague Island on Maryland/Virginia border and enjoyed seeing the only wild horses east of the Mississippi, the Assateague ponies. After a bit of research, I realized that this lovely breed has such an intriguing history. These wild horses come in all colors and are the main attraction of the island.
This article is sure to interest equine enthusiasts and professionals in this industry. If you are looking for a fun way to spend a weekend, you should schedule a visit to Assateague Island.
The Assateague ponies are a sight to behold. They are also called Chincoteague ponies. In feral state, they roughly span about 13.2 hands in height but they grow to about 14.2 hands when they are domesticated and are given proper nutrition. I'm no horse expert, so in layman's terms, they are somewhere between a miniature and regular horse in stature. With a bloated stomach - they say this is due to the salt content of the cord grass they consume. This makes them drink twice as much water as a regular horse.
While there are variations in their physical characteristics due to introduction of genes from other breeds, they usually have a concave or straight profile. Their throatlatch is refined and the forehead area is broad. Assateagues have well-angled shoulders with well sprung ribs and a broad chest. They have a rounded croup and a low-set tail.
Every last Thursday of July, people visit Assateague Island to watch the horse-pennings. This tradition dates back to 1925. This happens a day after the pony swim. Some are auctioned off by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Co. The yearlings and younger ponies are sold off. However, many of them are donated back to populate the herd with their genes.
Domesticated Assateagues are said to be intelligent and make perfect trail horses, as they are willing to please their humans. Health-wise, these ponies are quite hardy as well. They come in all colors. However, the pintos tend to sell for higher amounts during auctions in comparison to the solid colors.
These feral ponies have an interesting back story. According to Horsetalk.co.nz, there are several legends passed down by locals that talk of the origins of these ponies. It is said that they are descended from horses released on the island by 17th century colonists, as they were trying to escape taxes and livestock laws in the mainland.
Another interesting myth is that these horses came from a Spanish galleon that was shipwrecked on Assateague Island. In 1750, La Galga, a Spanish 56-gun warship entered shallow water at the island. Its intended course was from Cuba to Spain. While the ship did not sink, many of the Spaniards drowned in the surf as they tied bags of money to their belts. Some of them were unable to swim such a short distance.
After Misty of Chincoteague became popular, the federal government stepped up and the National Park Service historian published research to educate the public. The study proved that there were no horses on the island when the English colonists arrived in the mid-1600s. He said the horses were pastured in the area in the late 1600s.
According to the historian, it was impossible that they were set free there to avoid taxes as well. During that period, horses were quite valuable. In fact when their owners died, the court would order inventory of possessions. This would include cattle and horses.
In 1991, Robin Goodloe's findings were published in the Journal of Wildlife Management. It dealt with the genetic similarities of the Assateague ponies to the Paso Fino breed. These horses are descended from animals brought by Spaniards into the New World.
At present the Assateague ponies enjoy a feral lifestyle. There are two herds, split up due to the fence found at the Maryland and Virginia state line. People who visit the island are asked not to touch or feed them. The NPS urges visitors to treat them like wild animals as they may kick or bite humans who get too close to them.
If you would like to find out more about Assateague Island and their ponies, you can reach the NPS at (410) 641-1441. You may also choose to plan your visit here.
Trish Valenzuela specializes in recruiting for poultry feed additive companies. 
She has filled positions in technical support, sales, and sales management across the USA.
Trish joined Continental Search in July 2015 and through hard study, she passed two certification programs. She is now a Certified Personnel Consultant and a Professional Recruiting Consultant.
Meet Trish at the annual National Meeting on Poultry Health, Processing, and Live Production in Ocean City, Maryland in September.
Send her your resume at trish@consearch.com or call her at (302) 248-8242. Visit her LinkedIn profile to connect with her and stay updated with current poultry trends. Trish can be reached at (302) 248-8242, through LinkedIn, or at trish@consearch.com.
Superfoods You Can Share With Your Dog
I am always in search of healthy food options that I can add to my dog's diet. While I feed them commercial dog food, I make sure that they eat a home-cooked meal a few times a week to ensure their over-all health. This article by Dr. Karen Becker of Healthy Pets talks about incorporating superfoods in our pet's diet.
Max, (owned by our publisher Dan Simmons) for our first companion animal article.
"Superfood" is a term that is used a lot in nutrition these days. This refers to food that are nutritionally-dense, assists in disease prevention, promotes well-being and contains minimal calories. Food in this category are highly sought-after and in most cases, are available at most local grocery stores.
The origin of canines, the domestic dog, are yet unclear. Yet in the thousands of years that they have been domesticated, dogs are genetically capable of enjoying a wide range of food that their wild counterparts would be unable to. Here are some easy to source food that any dog will enjoy.
According to Dr. Becker, broccoli is widely available and it helps provide much-needed fiber to assist in digestion. Kale, which has gained popularity in recent years, has also been included in the list for its antioxidant properties. Sweet potato is another healthy option that contains anti-inflammatory properties and is considered a potent anti-oxidant as well.
Dog owners who want to provide their dogs with tasty treats will enjoy reading the full article. Keep in mind that it is important to start them off with smaller doses as their bodies will require time to get used to new types of food. Please note the importance of incorporating good quality dog food to their diets.
Superfoods should only serve as an addition to their regular meals. These can be given 
as part of their meals or as training treats. Dr. Becker also suggests finding organic and non-GMO food that is locally-grown to ensure freshness. She also urges dog owners to have their pets checked for possible health concerns before introducing anything new to their diet.
Maria Codilla
Maria Codilla is the Content Manager for Continental Search, writing about pet health, wildlife and advances in the animal sciences. For comments and topic suggestions, you can reach her at maria@consearch.com.
Why US Milk Production Increased
I like to stay informed about the latest dairy news to share with clients in this industry. I came across an informative dairy report on Farm Journal's MILK.
According to the article, in August, U.S. dairy producers were able to milk more cows in that month than any month in about 20 years. The USDA's Milk Production report states that the country's dairy herd may even be larger than the numbers that appear in their report.
The USDA's initial estimate was that the nation milked about 9.36 million cows. They revised this in July, stating that the milk herd may be higher by 12,000 heads. They also claimed that the July to August increase was a staggering 16,000 head.
In the report, they said that the intense August heat did nothing to slow down milk production. Cows were producing 3% more than their usual volume. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said that every state in the contiguous United States experienced hotter than normal summer temperatures. This area is home to some of the top-10 dairy regions.
The heat did nothing to stop Michigan from increasing their yield to 3.5% higher than the previous year. This is also due to the low cull rate of dairy cows. Most owners balk at the net cost involved in culling and replacing older cows.
Another probable cause would be the lower value of meat. This year, sales to feedlots are happening less than the previous years. With the number of dairy heifers rising, this will affect the industry greatly.
Rick Pascual recruits in dairy nutrition for feed companies and their suppliers across the USA. Rick joined Continental Search in January 2015 and has successfully filled a number of searches for nutritionists, sales, and sales management for leading companies.
After completing coursework and a grueling exam, Rick became a Certified Personnel Consultant in November 2015, as well as a Certified Professional Recruiter by AIRS in April 2016. Visit his LinkedIn profile for more info and to stay updated with news about recent dairy trends.
McDonald's Says This Antibiotic is Ok
When McDonald's announced that they would ask their chicken suppliers to stop using antibiotics, they made one exception to the rule. There is a class of antibiotics called ionophores. This encompasses medicines like salinomycin, lasalocid and monensin. These are some of the drugs that fall under the ionophore class.
They are vital to poultry producers because they are not considered medically important to humans, according to the World Health Organization. Therefore, it will not promote antibiotic resistance, which is the main reason why many people are demanding antibiotic-free food.
While ionophores are classified as antibiotics, they are not used to treat bacterial infections. This class is reserved for coccidiosis management. Coccidia are parasites found on poultry farms. One oocyst can make 500 progeny. This occurs in the span of 4 to 7 days.
Coccidia causes gut damage, severe discomfort and death. If the condition were to spread, it could mean a major loss of a poultry producer. This condition also makes poultry susceptible to clostridial bacterial infections and other severe diseases.
Ionophores are derived from naturally-occurring bacteria. This is why they are different from the rest of antimicrobials, despite the different mode of action. However, they also lose their effectiveness if used for prolonged periods.
With the latest innovations in this field that focus on product health and safety, more companies have decided to invest heavily in poultry. This will provide more people with jobs in this field for years to come, since the demand for it is great as well.
Trish Valenzuela, CPC, Recruiter
Trish Valenzuela specializes in recruiting for poultry feed additive companies. She has filled positions in technical support, sales, and sales management across the USA.
Trish joined Continental Search in July 2015 and through hard study, she passed two certification programs. She is now a Certified Personnel Consultant and a Professional Recruiting Consultant.
Send her your resume at trish@consearch.com or call her at (302) 248-8242. Visit her LinkedIn profile to connect with her and stay updated with current poultry trends. Trish can be reached at (302) 248-8242, through LinkedIn, or at trish@consearch.com.
