Reading Time: 2 minutes The University of Calgary has just one message for aspiring veterinarians: There’s plenty of jobs out there — especially in rural Alberta. “We have areas in rural Alberta where I still get a phone call after a class has graduated that they have a job and need a veterinarian,” said Dr. Alistair Cribb, dean of […] Read more
Love rural Alberta and want to be a vet? Call U of Calgary
There’s a huge demand for livestock and equine veterinarians — and vet school wants to train more rural practitioners
New pain control medication for livestock hits the market
Calgary-based company creates affordable medication for horses and cattle
Reading Time: 2 minutes A Calgary-based company has created a pain control drug that could be a game changer for the North American cattle and horse industries. Oral Meloxicam, a tasteless liquid that can be administered orally or added to feed, is the first pain control medication developed for livestock in North America. “The most common procedure we can […] Read more
Straw and chaff are a good — but incomplete — diet
Provincial forage specialist Barry Yaremcio offers guidelines for mineral supplementation
Reading Time: 3 minutes Turning cows out onto stubble fields is a good feed choice, but there are some things to consider, says a provincial beef and forage specialist. Cattle “pick and choose” what they want when grazing stubble, slough hay, or mature hay growing along the fences and headlands, said Barry Yaremcio. Straw, chaff, and overmature grass hays […] Read more
We need a better approach to dealing with wildlife
Beef 911: Farming has created a great environment for wildlife but farmers are paying a steep price for the damage it causes
Reading Time: 4 minutes There have been many articles on the escalating conflict between wildlife and agriculture (both livestock and grain production) in certain areas of Canada. Our governments are struggling as to what to do and the most recent survey on wildlife damage by Alberta Beef Producers and the Miistakis Institute shows a high percentage of farmers impacted […] Read more
VAHS wins veterinary Practice of the Year Award
Reading Time: < 1 minute Veterinary Agri-Health Services (VAHS) in Airdrie has been given the Practice of the Year Award by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association. The award recognizes a veterinary practice team for outstanding achievement within its local community. VAHS was also cited for its research projects with a number of academic, government and pharmaceutical industry partners. VAHS was […] Read more
Checking cattle for pregnancy: Rectal palpation versus ultrasound
Beef 911: Both methods have advantages, but the key is having reproductive exams at least once a year
Reading Time: 4 minutes Both rectal palpation and ultrasounding for pregnancy have advantages depending on their intended application, and both require a skilled veterinarian performing the pregnancy exam to get accurate results. I will outline the pros and cons of each method so you can see how to best fit them into your farming operation, and dispel some myths […] Read more
Do you know what to do in an animal emergency?
It’s all about making it real and keeping rescue efforts simple, American expert says of upcoming Olds workshop
Reading Time: 3 minutes When a truck carrying livestock flips, or there’s a need to rescue horses or cattle during a flood, most people don’t know what to do. That’s where Rebecca Gimenez comes in. Gimenez, who hails from Macon, Georgia, will be teaching a workshop on animal rescue and emergency preparedness in Olds on June 25 and 26. […] Read more
Now’s the time to make a list on improving calf processing
Beef 911: There are always ways to improve and it’s worthwhile reviewing how things went this year
Reading Time: 4 minutes Since the traditional time for getting calves ready for grass is close to over, it is good to review your protocols, methods, and any issues you had this year and introduce ways to improve next year. There are two main ways ranchers process calves. The first is the traditional way we call ‘branding,’ where calves […] Read more
What if my horse needs colic surgery?
Horse Health: The majority of cases can be addressed non-invasively, but sometimes surgery is necessary to save the horse’s life
Reading Time: 3 minutes The chance that your horse might require surgery for colic is low, very low, yet mentally entertaining the possibility and having a game plan could make a difference for you and your horse. The reason for this is simply because a successful outcome to colic surgery is time sensitive. While deciding to do colic surgery […] Read more
The last thing you want to see in a prized bull
Beef 911: Injuries that prevent a bull from breeding can be successfully treated, and about 50 per cent of cases will heal
Reading Time: 3 minutes Numerous times during the breeding season, calls come in to veterinary clinics in regards to swellings along the sheath of bulls. In many instances, a favourable outcome is highly attainable. And with today’s bull prices this may be good news. The location of the swelling says a lot about its cause. Generally if the penis […] Read more
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