What makes a great clinical team? Stakeholder perspectives on the attributes of effective veterinary health care teams in Australia

Extensive research in the business and organisational literature links teamwork to enhanced productivity and employee job satisfaction. Good teamwork capability is also a highly regarded graduate attribute linked to employability. This study explored desirable teamwork attributes for veterinary technology graduates in Australia, by surveying veterinarians, veterinary technology graduates, veterinary nurses, clients and academics. Respondents highlighted the importance of seven attributes sourced from the cross‐disciplinary teamwork literature—‘flexibility’ (in approach to work), ‘agreeableness’, being ‘cooperative’, ‘socially sensitive and perceptive’, ‘conscientiousness’, being ‘accepting of others’ and ‘sharing professional values’. The majority in each stakeholder group viewed all attributes important for teamwork concurring with findings in other fields. Few differences were found between and within groups with veterinarians and academics rating ‘conscientiousness’ higher than others and female clients placing more importance on relational attributes compared to male clients. Thematic analysis of an open‐ended item asking the veterinary health care groups, and veterinary academics, to define teamwork generated nine themes centred on: collaboration, goals and outcomes, sharing values, relationships, diversity, communication, task‐orientation, personal attributes, and workplace culture. This study illuminates an interprofessional perspective on veterinary teamwork. Results will be useful for veterinary technology, veterinary nursing and veterinary educators when developing a curriculum for interprofessional teamwork to enhance team performance, employability and, ultimately, the quality of veterinary services.     

Can online conference systems improve veterinary education? A study about the capability of online conferencing and its acceptance

In veterinary medicine, there is an ongoing need for students, educators, and veterinarians to exchange the latest knowledge in their respective fields and to learn about unusual cases, emerging diseases, and treatment. Networking among veterinary faculties is developing rapidly, but conferences and meetings can be difficult to attend because of time limitations and travel costs. The current study examines acceptance of synchronous online conferences, seminars, meetings, and lectures by veterinarians and students. First, an online survey on the use of communication technology in veterinary medicine was made available for 15 weeks to every German-speaking veterinary university and via professional journals and an online veterinary forum. A total of 1,776 persons (620 veterinarians and 1,156 students) participated. Most reported using the Internet at least once per day; more than half reported using instant messengers. Most participants used the Internet for communication, but less than half used Skype. Second, to test the spectrum of tools for online conferences, a variety of "virtual classroom" systems (netucate systems iLinc, Adobe Acrobat Connect Pro, Cisco WebEx, Skype) were used to deliver student lectures, veterinary continuing-education courses, and academic conferences at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover (TiHo). Of 591 participants in 63 online events, 99.4% rated the virtual events as enjoyable, 96.1% found them useful, and 92.4% said that they learned a lot. Participants noted that the courses were not tied to a certain place, and thus saved time and travel costs. Online conference systems thus offer new opportunities to provide information in veterinary medicine.     

Do stocking rate and a simple run management practice influence the infection of laying hens with gastrointestinal helminths?

The aim of this experiment conducted at four sites in Switzerland was to investigate the transmission and infectivity of the two main helminth parasite species of poultry (Ascaridia galli and Heterakis gallinarum) in outdoor runs with two different stocking rates. Additionally, the influence of a simple management practice (mowing of run) on helminth transmission was studied. Three run types were created on each site: runs C served as control (stocking rate 10 m²/hen, no management), runs B corresponded to runs C but were managed (10 m²/hen, management). In runs A stocking rates were doubled compared to control runs (5 m²/hen, no management). During two subsequent layer flocks, a set of parasitological parameters (faecal egg counts (FECs), prevalence, worm burdens in hens and in tracer animals, helminth eggs in soil) as well as parameters describing the run vegetation were determined. The increased stocking rate (runs A) led to a larger proportion of bare soil and to a reduction of the average vegetation height. In runs with a lower stocking rate (B and C), the proportion of bare soil did not increase during the experimental period. Irrespective of the run type, numbers of helminth eggs in the soil decreased significantly with an increasing distance to the hen houses, while the percentage of ground coverage as well as vegetation height increased. However, across runs the correlation between the percentage of ground cover and the values of eggs per gram soil between runs was very low (r² = 0.0007, P = 0.95) indicating a non-causal relationship. Significant differences in FEC were found in flock 2 (P < 0.001): FEC of hens in managed runs B were 24% lower (P < 0.05) than those of the control animals. Although not significant, the corresponding prevalence was lower (−9.7%) in hens from managed runs as well. Hens from runs with a high stocking rate (A) had significantly higher FEC than hens from control runs (C). In flock 2 management (n.s.) and higher stocking rates (−62%, P < 0.05) decreased the worm burdens. Tracer animals from runs with a high stocking rate (A) had significantly higher FEC than tracers from runs B and C in two tracer series. This was not reflected in the worm burdens. Overall, the stocking rate of hens in the outdoor run seemed not to influence the transmission patterns of A. galli and H. gallinarum and repeated mowing of runs did not reduce helminth infections. Lower stocking rates, however, led to a substantial improvement of the run vegetation.     

Galyean Appreciation Club Review: revisiting nutrition and health of newly received cattle—what have we learned in the last 15 years?

Our objective was to review the literature related to the health and management of newly received cattle published since a previous review by Duff and Galyean (2007). Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) continues to be a major challenge for the beef industry. Depending on disease severity, animals treated for BRD have decreased performance and lowered carcass value. Diagnosis of BRD is less effective than desired, and progress on developing real-time, chute-side methods to diagnose BRD has been limited. Systems that combine lung auscultation with temperature and body weight data show promise. Assessment of blood metabolites and behavior monitoring offer potential for early identification of morbid animals. Vaccination and metaphylaxis continue to be important tools for the prevention and control of BRD, but antimicrobial resistance is a concern with antibiotic use. Dietary energy concentration and roughage source and level continue to be important topics. Mineral supplementation has received considerable attention, particularly the use of organic vs. inorganic sources and injectable minerals or drenches given on arrival. The use of probiotics and prebiotics for newly received cattle has shown variable results, but further research is warranted. The health and nutrition of newly received cattle will continue to be an important research area in the years to come.