Reading Time: 4 minutes Televised necropsies may be the next big thing in determining causes of death in cattle and other livestock, according to results of a proof-of-concept research project. Using video conferencing technology, researchers with the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine found that connecting specialized pathologists with in-the-field large animal veterinarians in real time delivered a […] Read more
Remote post-mortems boost diagnoses in cattle
'Telepathology' brings vets and specialists together in real time
U.S. cowboy poet and veterinarian Baxter Black, 77
Black appeared on Carson, NPR and in Grainews
U.S. cowboy poet, storyteller and veterinarian Baxter Black, whose work was a fixture for years in farm journals including Grainews, died Friday at age 77, his family reported. Born in New York in 1945, Black grew up in southern New Mexico and graduated from Colorado State University in 1969. He later relocated from Colorado to […] Read more
More money helps, but fixing rural vet shortage a daunting task
U of Calgary vet school is doubling enrolment but also working on ways to make rural practices more attractive
Reading Time: 3 minutes The shortage of rural vets is no secret to any livestock producer, but there is fresh hope that may change in the years ahead. Flush with major new provincial funding, officials at the province’s vet school say they have a plan to address the long-standing problem. It will start with a slight increase in veterinary […] Read more
Timing is (almost) everything when it comes to reproductive success
Pay attention to the length of your breeding season, calving distribution, and postpartum interval
Reading Time: 3 minutes Tackling reproductive failure in a beef herd starts with understanding what reproductive success looks like — and for most Alberta cattle operations, the usual measure of success doesn’t tell the whole story. “A lot of people might think, great, I got greater than 90 per cent (pregnancy rate), that might mean success,” said veterinarian Dr. […] Read more
U of Calgary professor wins cattle welfare award
Reading Time: < 1 minute University of Calgary animal health professor Dr. Karin Orsel has won a cattle welfare award for “her transformational contributions to the advancement of care in the bovine species.” “Dr. Orsel is a world leader in bovine health, and mentor to veterinarians, researchers and producers across Alberta and beyond,” said Jocelyn Dubuc, president of the Canadian […] Read more
What we can do to address the shortage of large-animal vets
More spots in veterinary schools and more support for new grads would go a long way
Reading Time: 4 minutes After talking with large-animal veterinarians, observing the number of ads for large-animal veterinarians, and taking part in a job fair at the University of Calgary’s vet school, it’s clear that there is getting to be a real shortage of veterinarians wanting to do either mixed- or large-animal practice in Western Canada. But strategies are starting […] Read more
Is there really any need to brand cattle anymore?
The reasons have largely disappeared
Reading Time: 4 minutes I hope everyone will seriously question if we need to brand — and if we do, how best to do it. I have heard several veterinarians and animal welfare scientists discuss if branding in its original form is even needed today. Lots has changed from the days of the wide-open range where cattle were mixed […] Read more
Less rain equals more danger for cattle on your ranch
Reading Time: 3 minutes Polioencephalomalacia, fog fever, blue-green algae, and vitamin A deficiency. Those are just four potential health threats to cattle when conditions are extremely dry. “The biggest problem we have on the Prairies is water that is high in sulphates,” said Dr. John Campbell, professor in the department large animal clinical sciences at the University of Saskatchewan. […] Read more
Rabies case in farm cat prompts vaccination warning
Two people were recently bit by a farm cat that likely contracted rabies from a bat
Reading Time: 2 minutes A rabid farm cat that bit its owner and another person has prompted the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association to warn pet owners to vaccinate against rabies. The association said the Office of the Chief Provincial Veterinarian received notification of the positive rabies test on Nov. 13. “This nine-year-old, indoor-outdoor cat was born and lived on a […] Read more
Vet award winners announced
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Alberta Veterinary Medical Association has announced the recipients of its 2018 ABVMA awards. Dr. Robert (Bob) Jones has been named Veterinarian of the Year while Dr. Peter Martin will receive the Meritorious Service award when the association holds its awards banquet in February. The Young Veterinarian of the Year award will go to Dr. […] Read more
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