Reading Time: < 1 minute Dr. Jennifer Willans is the recipient of the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association’s Meritorious Service Award. This award is presented to an association member who has demonstrated outstanding service to the organization. Service may be over the past year or several years. Dr. Alastair Cribb is the recipient of this year’s Veterinarian of the Year Award. […] Read more
Alberta Veterinary Medical Association award winners
Livestock drug use back in the spotlight
New ‘superbug’ gene has alarm bells ringing around world and will likely mean more oversight of antimicrobials here
Reading Time: 3 minutes The discovery that a much feared “superbug” gene has somehow crossed the border into Canada is increasing calls for more oversight of on-farm antibiotic and antimicrobial use. The new gene, called MCR-1, makes bacteria immune to a group of antibiotics used as the last defence to fight resistant bugs. MCR-1 was confirmed to have surfaced […] Read more
Science lacking in alarmist report on beef safety
The numerous misleading statements in a new report are no reason for consumers to lose confidence in the safety of Canadian beef
Reading Time: 3 minutes Consumer Reports’ Food Safety and Sustainability Center released its Beef Report last month. A number of questions, concerns and criticisms have been raised by the North American Meat Institute, the International Food Information Council, Business Insider, and others. Rather than answer the specific questions raised, Consumer Reports encouraged people to read the report more closely. […] Read more
Horses can have allergic reactions, know the symptoms
Horse Health: There are multiple triggers that can cause either skin or respiratory reaction
Reading Time: 3 minutes Horses, just like humans, can and do get allergies. Although allergies in horses are not fully understood, we do know that the root cause lies in the immune system. The body becomes hypersensitive and appears to “overreact” to seemingly innocuous substances called allergens. Histamine, a naturally occurring hormone in the body, reaches overly high levels, […] Read more
Spate of new EIA cases may up pressure to combat ‘swamp fever’ in horses
Many consider Western Canada to be lax in its efforts to eradicate equine infectious anemia, but that may soon change
Reading Time: 4 minutes A smattering of new cases of equine infectious anemia in Alberta and Saskatchewan may intensify the pressure to implement new, and costly, measures to control the potentially devastating disease. Four cases of the disease (typically called EIA or ‘swamp fever’) have been found in Alberta and two in Saskatchewan this year. The first three Alberta […] 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
Wayne Burwash given horse industry distinguished service award
Veterinarian has been active in research, equine welfare, breed improvement, and service to the horse industry
Reading Time: < 1 minute Dr. Wayne Burwash’s contributions to the Alberta equine industry have been recognized by the Horse Industry Association of Alberta with its 2015 Distinguished Service Award. The Balzac native has been a practising vet for more than four decades, and since 1977 has operated Burwash Equine Services. He has been a mentor for other veterinarians, a […] Read more
Records show powerful antibiotic for cattle often misused by farmers
Ceftiofur accounted for one-fourth of USDA drug-residue violation reports in 2013
Reading Time: 3 minutes It is one of the most potent antibiotics used by U.S. cattle and dairy farmers. But the strength of the ceftiofur and the frequency with which it’s being misused has created a threat to human health that may overshadow the drug’s effectiveness, a Reuters examination shows. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration cautioned in 2012 […] Read more
A full breech birth is a dangerous situation
Beef 911: Cows with a history of twins more likely to have a full breech birth
Reading Time: 3 minutes In the true breech, the calf presented tail first with both back legs pointing forward under the body of the calf. A lot of producers refer to a straight backwards calf as a breech, but that is a misnomer. The true full breech has both back legs forwards so the first thing you feel when […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
