Have You Herd? AABP PodCasts

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299

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Aug 2026

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EN-US

About the show

Have You Herd? is brought to you by the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, an international association of cattle veterinarians and veterinary students dedicated to the health, productivity and welfare of cattle.

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September 28, 202638 min

Epi. 310 – Getting Out in Nature for Your Mental Health – Sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. Aaron Pospisil to discuss the mental health benefits of spending time in nature. This episode was developed by the AABP Mental Health and Well Being Committee. If you are interested in joining the AABP Mental Health and Well Being Committee, please visit the committee page here . This episode of Have You Herd? is sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim and Pyramid® vaccines. When it comes to bovine respiratory disease — BRD — your calves need protection as soon as possible. Because calf health is everything, choose a vaccine as premier as your herd. PYRAMID® vaccines deliver relentless protection against the primary viruses and bacteria that lead to BRD — like BVDV Type 1b, BRSV and Mannheimia haemolytica — even in the face of maternal antibodies. Get Relentless Protection at PyramidVaccines.com. Pospisil shares his personal story of mental health struggles and burnout that led to suicidal thoughts. He discovered the Buckeye Trail in Ohio and set out a goal of hiking the trail and discovered the benefits to his mental health hiking with his family. We discuss some triggers that veterinarians may experience in practice, how these change over time and the generational differences regarding our veterinary medicine identity and stressors. Pospisil reviews some of the published research on the benefits to our mental health of experiencing nature which is known as the biophilia hypothesis. There are multiple opportunities for ambulatory veterinarians to pause during the day to experience and appreciate their surroundings and the dose can be as low as 20 minutes per week to see benefits. Sharing favorite hikes and outdoor activities is a great way to collaborate and network as colleagues to support our mental health and well-being. LINKS: Aaron Pospisil Photography Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/PospisilPhotography Jimenez, M.P.; DeVille, N.V.; Elliott, E.G.; Schiff, J.E.; Wilt, G.E.; Hart, J.E.; James, P. Associations between Nature Exposure and Health: A Review of the Evidence. Int. J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18:4790. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094790 Zhang, Z.; Ye, B.; Yang, W.; Gao, Y. Effect of Nature Space on Enhancing Humans’ Health and Well-Being: An Integrative Narrative Review. Forests. 2024;15:100. https://doi.org/10.3390/f15010100 Ruirui Zhu, Liyun Yuan, Yanting Pan, Yefan Wang, Danping Xiu, Weiyi Liu. Effects of natural sound exposure on health recovery: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sci Total Environ. 2024;921. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171052 . Gaekwad JS, Sal Moslehian A, Roös PB, Walker A. A Meta-Analysis of Emotional Evidence for the Biophilia Hypothesis and Implications for Biophilic Design. Front Psychol. 2022;13:750245. PMID: 35693493; PMCID: PMC9186521. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.750245 The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier and More Creative by Florence Williams: https://florencewilliams.com/the-nature-fix/

September 21, 202636 min

Epi. 309 – Results of the AABP Mental Health Survey – Sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. Jackie Graber, chair of the AABP Mental Health and Well-Being Committee and clinical assistance professor at Large Animal Field Services at Tufts University, and Dr. Laurie Fonken, a counselor and consultant in the area of health and well-being for veterinarians for over 35 years. This episode of Have You Herd? is sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim and Pyramid® vaccines. When it comes to bovine respiratory disease — BRD — your calves need protection as soon as possible. Because calf health is everything, choose a vaccine as premier as your herd. PYRAMID® vaccines deliver relentless protection against the primary viruses and bacteria that lead to BRD — like BVDV Type 1b, BRSV and Mannheimia haemolytica — even in the face of maternal antibodies. Get Relentless Protection at PyramidVaccines.com. The AABP Mental Health and Well-Being Committee developed two surveys, one in 2023 and one in 2025. Find the results of the surveys on this page . The goal was to understand how important mental health was to veterinarians, any stigmas associated with mental health, and challenges or obstacles to treatment that veterinarians encounter. Graber walks through some of the key findings in comparing the responses to both surveys. One notable point was that stigma as an obstacle to mental health treatment declined from 60% of respondents in 2023 to 42% of respondents in 2025. Access to care for mental health services and time available to seek care continues to be an obstacle for rural veterinarians and Fonken discusses opportunities with virtual care access in rural communities. We also discuss the apparent disconnect between employers and employees on mental health support in the workplace and solutions to addressing burnout in new graduates. The AABP Mental Health and Well-Being Committee continues to provide resources for AABP members and welcomes interested AABP members to join the committee. Anyone interested in participating can email fred@aabp.org for information. Find the resources from the committee on this page . We also encourage donations to the mental health fund within the AABP Foundation. The fund is used to provide resources, speakers and CE opportunities about mental health and well-being. Donate to the fund, or any fund in the AABP Foundation, at this link .

September 14, 202629 min

Epi. 308 - 59th AABP Annual Conference Wrap Up - Sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich provides a report on the 59th AABP Annual Conference held in Minneapolis, Minn. August 27-29. This episode is sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim and the Pyramid line of vaccines. When it comes to bovine respiratory disease — BRD — your calves need protection as soon as possible. Because calf health is everything, choose a vaccine as premier as your herd. PYRAMID® vaccines deliver relentless protection against the primary viruses and bacteria that lead to BRD — like BVDV Type 1b, BRSV and Mannheimia haemolytica — even in the face of maternal antibodies. Get Relentless Protection at PyramidVaccines.com. Gingrich reports that there were 909 attendees at the conference including 269 students, 8 registered veterinary technicians, 56 accompanying persons and 18 families utilizing the childcare room. There were 79 exhibits in the trade show with nearly 300 booth representatives. Overall ratings and feedback for the conference was excellent with 90% of respondents reporting a great or good conference experience. AABP members will have access to the recordings from the conference within the next few weeks through our members-only free CE portal found here . All upcoming CE events from AABP can be found under the continuing education menu of the AABP website . Attendees of the conference can still take the survey to provide suggestions for the 60th AABP Annual Conference held in Louisville, Ky. September 16-18, 2027. Planning will take place on November 14.

August 31, 202639 min

Epi. 307 – Student Loan Repayment – The latest Rules and Strategies – Sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. Meredith Jones, a 2008 graduate of North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine. After spending time in emergency practice, Jones is now a certified financial planner and student loan consultant. This episode of Have You Herd? is sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim, manufacturers of Pyramid ® vaccines. On a beef operation, risk is everywhere. When it comes to bovine respiratory disease — BRD — your calves need protection as soon as possible. Because calf health is everything, choose a vaccine as premier as your herd. PYRAMID® vaccines deliver relentless protection against the primary viruses and bacteria that lead to BRD — like BVDV Type 1b, BRSV and Mannheimia haemolytica — even in the face of maternal antibodies. Get Relentless Protection at PyramidVaccines.com . Jones discusses the first decision for borrowers to make is if they will enroll in a traditional pay to zero repayment plan or a loan forgiveness plan called Income Driven Repayment (IDR). There are several IDR plans and recent federal legislation changed these plans and we walk through each of them. Jones also offers financial advice such as saving for a potential tax liability on the forgiven portion of the loan, saving for retirement and not delaying major life plans while on a loan repayment program. She also offers advice for how to lower your monthly payment and how your tax filing status can also influence your monthly payment. Jones also discusses the opt mistakes she sees borrowers make when they are enrolled in a loan repayment program. Borrowers should consider utilizing the expertise of a loan consultant and financial planner to help the navigate the plan best suited to their needs as well as receiving the benefits of financial planning. Jones can be contacted at one of the links below or search for the Veterinary Financial Podcast or the Facebook group Debt Free Vets. Links: https://allvetfinancial.com https://vinfoundation.org/resources/student-debt-center/

August 24, 202642 min

Epi. 306 – AABP Conference Logistics – Episode Sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich provides details and logistics for attendees of the 59th AABP Annual Conference in Minneapolis, Minn. August 27-29, 2026. This episode of Have You Herd? is sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim, manufacturers of BOVIKALC ®. Is your fresh cow calcium supplement protecting dairy cows’ full potential? BOVIKALC® bolus contains the two critical forms of calcium for immediate and lasting performance with no filler ingredients. For more than 20 years, BOVIKALC has consistently delivered what fresh cows need — right when they need it most. Talk to your Boehringer Ingelheim representative to see why BOVIKALC boluses are designed for milking greatness. For more information, visit this link . The theme of the conference, created by the program committee working under the leadership of AABP President-Elect Dr. Mark Hilton, is “Developing Practices of Excellence”. Gingrich provides information on the CE sessions and events that will take place at the conference. He also provides information on how to travel from the airport to the downtown hotel area, which is about 12 miles. Registration and conference sessions will be in the Minneapolis Convention Center. Committee meetings, clinical forum breakfast meetings, and preconference seminars will be in the Hilton Minneapolis downtown hotel. Make sure to download the YAPP app before arriving to view the conference schedule and session descriptions or you can find them online under the Continuing Education menu at this link . The city of Minneapolis has also created an attendee information webpage found here . This includes information about taking the light rail to the hotel area and a restaurant guide . Thank you to all our sponsors, volunteers and the AABP staff for your work in planning this conference.

August 17, 202639 min

Epi. 305 - Short- and Long-distance Transport: Health, Survival and Growth of Preweaned Dairy and Dairy-beef Cross Calves – Sponsored by Merck Animal Health

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. Juan Piñeiro, Department of Animal Sciences at Texas A&M University and Dr. Gustavo Schuenemann, Department of Preventive Medicine at The Ohio State University, to discuss their paper published in the Journal of Animal Science in September 2025. This episode of Have You Herd is sponsored by Merck Animal Health, manufacturers of Resflor Gold®. Find out more information about Resflor Gold® at this link . Our guests discuss the rationale for this retrospective study to evaluate the effects of transportation times on newborn calves and the importance of this subject to our current industry practices. The study involved 15 farms, nearly 400,000 calves and evaluated transport durations of 0.5, 8, 17 and 24 hours in both dairy breed and beef x dairy calves. Data collected in the evaluation included birth weight, dystocia events, dam parity, gestation length, colostrum practices, passive transfer in a subset of calves, diarrhea and pneumonia events, mortality and average daily gain in a subset of calves. One of the key findings in the study was that cofounders were important to evaluate morbidity and mortality. Transportation length alone did not explain the differences in groups when evaluating cofounders and the authors suggest that evaluating transportation length alone misses other factors that could improve calf health and productivity. To improve preweaning calf health, veterinarians should work with clients on prepartum management to optimize fetal programming and immunity, maternity pen management and colostrum program, transportation practices, and preweaning calf management such as nutrition and housing. Ensuring that all calves being transported are fit for transport is important to optimize welfare and health. Find the AABP Transportation and Fitness-For-Transport Recommendations for Cattle at this link or the Spanish translation here . Reference:Schuenemann GM, Piñeiro JM. Short- and long-distance transport: Health, survival and growth of preweaned dairy and dairy-beef cross calves. J Ani Sci. 2025;103:skaf341. https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skaf341

August 10, 202634 min

Epi. 304 – Recruiting in Rural Practice – Building a Sustainable Roster of Veterinarians – Sponsored by Heritage Vet Partners

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. Travis Arledge, Pioneer Veterinary Clinic, Drs. Val Baumgart and Boone Schmitz, United Veterinary Services, and Dr. Melissa Detwiler from Heritage Vet Partners. This episode of Have You Herd? is sponsored by Heritage Vet Partners, the sponsors of the childcare room at the AABP Annual Conference. Find out more information about Heritage Vet Partners at this link . Arledge discusses participation with the Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine and their role in the distributive program. He was awarded the Excellence in Practice Partner Service from more than 150 participating clinics. Arledge discusses the benefits to his practice for finding associates from the students who complete their externships with him. Baumgart was recently highlighted in Bovine Veterinarian Magazine for being the first female veterinarian at United Veterinary Services. She discusses her experiences and how it has shaped current relationships with students and associates, as well as the benefits of having a multi-generational team of veterinarians. Schmitz joined United Veterinary Services after graduating from the University of Minnesota in 2026. He describes his experiences as a student and how that developed his interest in joining this practice after graduation. Detwiler discusses her experiences with students and the importance of identifying barriers for students in gaining rural practice experiences. Ensuring your practice is welcoming to all levels of backgrounds and experiences will improve recruitment and sustainability of rural veterinary medicine. Our panel encourages veterinarians to welcome students to their practice, demonstrate rural practice as a career path, and use externships to develop relationships with students to recruit your next associate. Find out about the AABP externship grants here and list your practice on the AABP website by going to this page . AABP also asks members to serve as mentors in our mentorship program. You can sign up to serve as a mentor on this page .

August 3, 202632 min

Epi. 303 – Economics of Subclinical Hypocalcemia and Fresh Cow Management – Sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. Jess McArt, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, and Dr. Jen Roberts, Senior Associate Director Professional Services Veterinarian for Boehringer Ingelheim. This episode is sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim. Find more information about the product portfolio for cattle at www.cattlefirst.com . This episode explores the widespread, often invisible, impact of subclinical hypocalcemia on dairy herds, with a focus on economic consequences and fresh cow health. The conversation explores how veterinarians can guide producers beyond reactive treatment toward proactive calcium strategies during the critical fresh period. On average, 30-40% of multiparous cows in a herd have dyscalcemia during the transition period, but this varies significantly between herds. McArt explains that after calving, the demand for calcium doubles from what the cow typically requires. Roberts discusses how this affects cow performance and health. Suclinical hypocalcemia is often unrecognized and underestimated because it is silent but can have health, production and economic impacts downstream. We discuss strategies for veterinarians to screen cows for dyscalcemia and proactive solutions to this problem in fresh cows.

July 27, 202629 min

Epi. 302 – Beyond the Bug: Building Gram-Negative Resilience in Cattle Using Salmonella Dublin as the Test Case – Sponsored by Endovac Animal Health

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. Travis White, Chief Veterinary Officer for Endovac Animal Health. Endovac is the sponsor of the student reception at the 59th AABP Annual Conference in Minneapolis, Minn. Find information about Endovac and their portfolio of animal health products on this page . Gram-negative diseases remain a major challenge across beef, dairy, calf ranch and feedlot systems. White discusses these challenges and why the focus should not necessarily be on the organism itself, but thinking about endotoxin, immune stress and animal resilience. Endotoxin exposure drives the clinical signs associated with these disease challenges leading to inappetence, depression, fever and leukopenia. White reviews core-antigen technology and how this approach differs from a conventional multi-antigen bacterin. He also discusses Immune Plus from Endovac and how veterinarians should think about immune stimulation. This technology can fit into existing vaccine and herd health programs vs. replacing currently used tools. White also reviews a challenge study with Salmonella Dublin and the take-aways from this study to help veterinarians who want to build stronger Gram-negative disease control programs.

July 20, 202643 min

Epi. 301 - Veterinary Student Demographics and Impacts on Recruitment and Retention for Rural Practice – Sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Lisa Greenhill, Chief Organizational Health Officer for the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC). This episode of Have You Herd is sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim and Bovikalk. Is your fresh cow calcium supplement protecting dairy cows’ full potential? BOVIKALC® bolus contains the two critical forms of calcium for immediate and lasting performance with no filler ingredients. For more than 20 years, BOVIKALC has consistently delivered what fresh cows need—right when they need it most. Talk to your Boehringer Ingelheim representative to see why BOVIKALC boluses are designed for milking greatness. Find out more information about BOVIKALC boluses at this link . Enrollment at veterinary schools has doubled over the last 20 years and currently there are approximately 17,000 veterinary students in U.S. schools and another 3000-4000 U.S. students in foreign schools. Demographics of students has changes during that time period as well with females comprising 86% of students and 30% of students are non-white. Students now fill out a common application and each student applies to 5-6 schools. The national applicant:seat ratio is currently 2.4 but each institution applicant:seat ratio varies. Greenhill discusses the gender disparity in veterinary schools and explains that the issues of fewer men in veterinary schools is due to fewer men obtaining a bachelor's degree. Only 37% of men in the U.S. complete a bachelor's degree compared to nearly half of women. Men also take longer to complete the degree compared to women. Students from rural communities comprise about 20% of veterinary students. AABP membership data indicate that 70% of our members grew up in rural communities. Nationally, 23% of adults in rural communities have a bachelor's degree or higher. Greenhill discusses some of the challenges and barriers for students in rural communities to seek out a veterinary education including changes to loan regulations and Pell Grants, lack of educational opportunities, and evaluation of rural mixed animal versus urban companion animal experiences. Find AABP survey information under the Member Resources page of the AABP website at this link .