Within this landscape, linebreeding is often presented as a thoughtful, strategic way to reinforce excellence, while inbreeding carries a sharper, more cautionary edge of the proliferation of genetic diseases and the loss of health.

Biologically, however, the distinction is mostly semantic. Both increase homozygosity, reduce genetic diversity and concentrate not only desirable traits but also hidden vulnerabilities that may take generations to appear.

Recognizing this truth allows us to discuss breeding practices clearly and safeguard the horses that inherit our choices.

How linebreeding works

Classically, inbreeding refers to matings between very close relatives such as full siblings, half-siblings, or parents and offspring.

Linebreeding slows the rhythm, repeating the influence of a notable ancestor further back in the pedigree, such as a shared grandparent for both sire and damn.

The language is gentler and the tone more palatable, but the mechanism is the same: every repetition increases homozygosity. Over generations, linebreeding quietly concentrates latent weaknesses that only become visible when the horses themselves, not the papers, reveal the cost.

Studbooks established in the 18th and 19th centuries placed lineage at the heart of breeding culture, and modern reproductive technologies now extend that influence far beyond natural limits.

Reproductive technology amplifies problem

Global semen distribution, frozen semen and embryo transfer allow the genetics of a few high-profile sires to saturate entire populations at a pace no natural breeding system could ever sustain.

Their traits — desirable and deleterious alike — spread rapidly through the gene pool, contracting genetic diversity as predictability increases and resilience diminishes.

Used thoughtfully, these tools can preserve rare bloodlines; used uncritically, they become engines of genetic narrowing that quietly reshape the biological landscape of entire breeds.

Four categories of genetic vulnerability

Across breeds and bloodlines, four major “targets” of genetic vulnerability appear repeatedly.

First, the connective-tissue disorders — HERDA in Quarter horses, WFFS in Warmbloods, CPL in draft breeds and the broader spectrum of collagen fragilities found in Friesians.

Second are the muscle-enzyme and contractility defects such as HYPP, PSSM1, MYH1 myopathy and GBED, which cluster predominantly in heavily muscled Quarter horse lines shaped by a handful of influential sires.

Third are immune-system vulnerabilities, most famously SCID in Arabians.

Finally, intense selection for discipline-specific traits can produce horses with increasingly reactive nervous systems or sensitive temperaments, which is an inherited fragility of a different kind.

These categories represent consistent genetic bottlenecks where repeated ancestry, concentrated selection and human ambition converge to narrow resilience.

Often, the barn sees these patterns long before science names them.

Owners and practitioners notice reproductive struggles, unexplained fragilities, metabolic crashes, behavioural issues or horses that fail to “hold together” despite excellent care.

By the time a DNA test is developed, the mutation has often already threaded through celebrated pedigrees, carried forward by seemingly successful members of the breed.

Name value fallacy

Pedigree culture encourages a particular kind of logic: repeated “good” names signal quality.

Seeing an influential ancestor appear multiple times in a pedigree is often celebrated as a badge of honour. Yet the story we tell ourselves about this pattern is misleading.

Repetition is not evidence of exceptional quality; it is an early warning of decreased genetic variation. What tradition labels as linebreeding is, biologically, a form of inbreeding softened by language and commercial polish.

Concentrating ancestry does not simply “fix type” or “lock in quality.” It narrows the genetic landscape and magnifies vulnerabilities that would otherwise remain safely diluted.

What COI and ROH actually tell breeders

Modern genomic tools strip away euphemisms.

COI (coefficient of inbreeding) estimates the probability that a horse inherited two copies of the same gene from a shared ancestor. ROH (runs of homozygosity) reveal long, identical stretches of DNA, the genomic fingerprint of a bottleneck.

In Friesians, high ROH reflects a small founding population, a closed studbook and aesthetic selection.

Certain Quarter horse subpopulations — descendants of stallions such as Impressive or Poco Bueno — show similar patterns.

Together, COI and ROH reveal the truth hidden by pedigree’s traditions: repeated ancestors are indicators of increased biological risk.

Yet genetic vulnerability is not destiny.

Disease emerges where heritage meets environment: processed feed, confinement, intensive training, metabolic strain and extreme selection pressure can bring hidden weaknesses to the surface.

HYPP attacks, metabolic collapse and sudden aortic ruptures are events shaped by inheritance, management and intensive training regimes.

The deeper truth is ethical as well as biological.

When phenotype becomes fashion and sport results dictate breeding choices, the cost is paid by the horse.

Balance is not merely lost — it is bred out.

How breed associations manage risk behind closed doors

Across breed associations, genetic issues are often managed quietly, internally, long before the public is aware.

Testing requirements, restricted matings or discreet removal of certain lines occur behind closed doors. From the outside, the breed appears healthy; inside, risk continues to intensify since the general public is unaware of the risks selected pedigrees raise.

Linebreeding is simply inbreeding that the industry labels as acceptable. The euphemism protects human interests, not equine well-being.

The central question remains: are we breeding to glorify a few celebrated bloodlines or to safeguard the long-term vitality, soundness and integrity of the horse?

The answer is not in the pedigree book or the sale catalogue. It is written in the living body of the horse, carrying the legacy of our choices, one generation at a time.

By shifting from name-collecting to true genetic diversity, breeders can move beyond the façade of linebreeding toward practices that protect the health, resilience and integrity of the horse for generations to come.

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The affected farm currently has three-kilometre and 10-kilometre buffer zones established to prevent the disease from spreading. No other farms are located within these zones. Alberta Pork will communicate updates on this outbreak as new information is received.

WHY IT MATTERS: PEDv is highly fatal in piglets and can be crippling to an operation.

The first case of PEDv was found in Alberta in 2019.

Javier Bahamon, Alberta Pork’s quality assurance and production manager, said producers should enhance their biosecurity.

Producers have multiple ways of enhancing their biosecurity. One key way to do so is monitoring their barns.

“They need to be watching who is coming inside. Not only the people that are in your farm, your household, but you need to know where any of them have been before they get into the barn, so you can really start to look at it if there is a risk to it. Any time we go to different places or have contact with different animals in our day, that’s when you need to be careful too,” Bahamon said.

“We are trying to tell the industry right now; you need to be alert.”

A full investigation has been launched to determine the source of the outbreak in southern Alberta. The impacted producer, the producer’s herd veterinarian, the office of the Chief Veterinarian and Alberta Pork are all working together to contain the disease and avoid further spread.

As of Feb. 19, all facilities participating in Alberta Pork’s Environmental Disease Monitoring Program have tested negative for PEDv and porcine deltacoronavirus.

Enhancing biosecurity

Bahamon said a key component of biosecurity is controlling the access to the animals. Producers may want to limit or cut off visitors who don’t need to be in the barn.

There’s an increased risk for disease any time hogs are moved, whether it is to a marketplace or an abattoir.

“You need to look at what kind of movement it is, and if there is any risk to it,” he said.

Bahamon said Alberta Pork is not limiting movement, but just wants producers to think about potential risks.

He said all places should be treated as if they were contaminated.

“You need to go to one of those facilities that are available, truck washes, and you need to clean and disinfect your trailer, your vehicles, your equipment, footwear, whatever you’re using to do that delivery, in order to reduce the risk of bringing any of these viruses or bacteria to your farm,” he said.

When producers are around other groups of pigs, they need to change booties or footwear and change clothes after they’ve moved the animals. Producers should remember to submit all swine manifests, including farm-to-farm movements, in a timely manner. Any place off-farm is a potential source for spreading the disease.

Producers should also make sure that other stakeholders, like people who bring feed or any other suppliers, follow biosecurity protocols.

Producers can also be alert for PEDv by monitoring activities on their farm.

Signs of PEDv

“You take care of animals every day. If you see something odd, you just need to call your vet right away,” Bahamon said.

Signs can include pigs showing lethargy or having yellowish diarrhea or seeing an increase in mortalities. Pigs with PEDv have reduced appetites and don’t move as much as normal. Young piglets, like those in the farrowing area or in the nursery, need to be monitored closely for signs of diarrhea.

If any of these signs occur, a producer should call their vet immediately.

“The herd vet will come and assess the situation and that’s how we get the information when it’s a reportable disease like this,” said Bahamon.

The vet will send samples to the lab, which will confirm the disease.

Alberta Pork has a book called “the producer book” on its website. It contains a lot of information about how to deal with swine diseases, including PEDv.

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The two-year, $250,000 Veterinary Student Recruitment and Retention Pilot Grant Program is funded through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (SCAP) and targets practices that provide livestock veterinary services in communities with a current or anticipated demand for veterinarians.

Alberta’s rural veterinary shortage

The demand for veterinarians across Alberta is high, but the shortage is most acute in rural communities.

A 2021 report from the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association and Alberta Veterinary Technologist Association found the provincial vacancy rate for veterinary positions sits at roughly 17 per cent — rising to nearly 19 per cent in rural areas — compared to a provincial average of about three per cent across all jobs. The report estimated Alberta will need more than 1,600 new veterinarians by 2035.

“Rural and mixed-practice veterinarians are essential to the well-being of our livestock and the sustainability of our agriculture sector,” said RJ Sigurdson, Alberta’s Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation.

Lethbridge Polytechnic is also addressing the pipeline with a new pre-veterinary medicine diploma launching in fall 2026.

How to apply

Eligible clinics can apply now for the 2026 intake. Applications for 2027 will open next year. The program is centred around practices that provide livestock veterinary services and demonstrate a current or anticipated need for veterinarians.

The Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership is a five-year, $3.5-billion federal-provincial-territorial investment (2023–2028) supporting competitiveness, innovation and resiliency in Canada’s agriculture and agri-food sector.

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The two-year science program prepares students for advanced studies in veterinary medicine through coursework in animal genetics, biochemistry, anatomy, physiology and nutrition, with hands-on lab experience throughout.

Transfer pathway to U of C veterinary medicine

A transfer agreement with the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine allows students who complete a 10-course requirement to apply directly to the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program.

Career pathways for pre-vet grads

Graduates also have several other pathways:

• Continue into Lethbridge Polytechnic’s Bachelor of Agricultural Sciences post-diploma degree
• Pursue the MCAT for medical school admission
• Enter the workforce as a laboratory assistant, animal researcher, livestock technician or animal nutrition consultant
• Rural vet clinics in Alberta are also offering paid summer placements through a new SCAP-funded grant program

Apply for fall 2026

For more information or to apply, visit lethpolytech.ca/pre-vet. Prospective students can also attend Lethbridge Polytechnic’s Winter Open House on Sunday, March 22, from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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For one thing, it’s good to review what’s available for treatment and prevention and what could happen if they were not allowed.

As well, new diseases will inevitably arise, requiring new treatments and the funding into their research and development.

It’s with a heavy heart that I heard recently of the many agricultural federal research facilities that will be shut down.

How do we test new products or develop new varieties of plants and test and validate growing or harvesting techniques without qualified researchers trying to answer these difficult questions and work doggedly to make the livestock industry safe?

The two protozoal diseases I am referring to are:

• coccidiosis
• cryptosporidiosis

Coccidiosis was once a very common disease in slightly older calves and feedlot animals.

In the past several years of practice, it was getting rarer and rarer to see a case.

The big question is why the improvement?

Both protozoal diseases have a life cycle that starts with an egg or oocyst, and then lives in the intestinal cells, destroying them before the eggs start to appear in the manure.

Coccidia

With coccidian, this whole life cycle takes about a month.

Again, prevention or control starts with treating before animals are likely to start to contract it.

This condition can be largely prevented with ionophore products such as rumensin or bovatech provided in complete feed rations in the feedlot or put into minerals for calves or mixed into pellets.

All cows carry some coccidia, but it is the calves that get clinical disease.

Cows will increase shedding before calving, which is why producers used to treat their cow herd to prevent shedding and infection of newborns.

This has changed considerably in the last 10 to 20 years.

A product called toltrazuril (Baycox) was developed as a specific preventive for coccidiosis. It is given more as a preventive long withdrawal, but also used on young animals, and specifically for cocci in pigs and sheep as well as calves.

Veterinarians often prescribe antimicrobials such as potentiated sulphonamides, if cocci get out of control, but by then the damage has already been done and calves suffer a big setback.

Prevention is key so that less antimicrobials are used.

My big worry is that in these antibiotic-free programs, there was talk about ionophores falling into disregard, which would be a very bad move long term.

Practices such as manure cleaning help with biosecurity, of course, but the oocysts are very small and very resistant in the environment and so a very pesky thing to totally eliminate.

Crypto

The other protozoal disease is cryptosporidiosis, which these days commonly comes to mind if you hear of a bad scours outbreak in a vaccinated herd.

Very bad diarrhea in slightly older calves is hard to treat and recover from and is very contagious because one clinical case quickly spews out millions of eggs that other calves can ingest.

This is also the disease that people can catch from handling calves, and many a technician at a clinic or farm worker has contracted crypto over the years.

That’s another good reason to prevent this disease.

It’s likely the most common zoonosis that people contract from cattle besides ringworm.

Veterinarians in Manitoba figured out about 20 years ago that toltrazuril works to prevent cocci and crypto.

They started compounding the toltrazuril in capsules for oral use and these diseases pretty much disappeared.

I don’t know what percentage of herds have been prescribed this treatment, but it is quite high in many beef-producing regions across Western Canada.

It is now compounded by an Alberta company for veterinarians.

It’s given as an oral pill at birth or shortly after.

This is something that your veterinarian would have to prescribe.

Toltrazuril is the best example I can give of an extra label usage of a product to treat disease that went viral (word of mouth) between veterinarians.

This also means our friends in the medical profession don’t have to treat crypto in people.

The disease is still around and recently made the news when it got into the water supply of an Indigenous community.

It would be nice if research could eventually be done to allow on-label use of this medication.

However, in light of the recent closure of federal research facilities, we may need more products to go extra label through our veterinarians, which puts a lot of pressure on them.

The good news is that these medications are used only on young animals, so the long withdrawal requirement becomes a moot point because they are six months or more away from slaughter.

If you’ve had trouble with either crypto or cocci — even one case — ask your veterinarian for their thoughts on using toltrazuril in its many forms.

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These take on many forms, and I was involved in many when I was with the pharmaceutical industry.

I always encouraged the local veterinarians to speak on topics specific to their area because producers trust their local veterinarian’s knowledge, thoughts on new advances and opinions on what they read about.

The latest meeting that I was involved with was in Westlock, Alta., as one of several speakers. Many important points were raised that may have helped the clinic’s producers.

This meeting is generally held every other year, so attendance is good.

The display booths are well attended and good questions.

As well, there is always great networking among the progressive clients who attend.

Having many of the pharmaceutical companies in attendance, as well as banks and other distributors allows producers to ask questions and pick up information.

Their presence says they support the clinics, and they are able to provide information about their products.

This is good because we need many companies serving the veterinary cattle sector, and it’s valuable to know about alternative products in case others are in short supply.

Cattle vaccines

One veterinarian presentation was about vaccines.

Producers were told that the diseases they need to vaccinate for and the timing of administration as well as handling of the vaccine is much more important than the brand name.

Many vaccines can be interchanged, and while companies understandably promote their products, they can be substituted for another.

This is why it’s critical to have yearly conversations with a veterinarian about vaccine protocols.

Clinics may change vaccine lines or have two available because of short supply.

Calving occurs generally over two months, so producers try to hit peak immunity in the first third of calving season.

Producers always like to hear about the new advances, especially if they benefit their herds.

There was a presentation about the appeasing products — FerAppease, CattleZen and DeStress — from an objective third party (the veterinarian), which went over well with producers because they can compare the advantages of all three products.

Clients trust the products recommended by veterinarians because of the nature of their work.

Third-party veterinary experts

Veterinarians are sometimes told we are in a conflict because clinics sell the products that they recommend. In the presentations at the Westlock meeting, veterinarians provided good, better and best vaccination scenarios so producers could see the difference in the products.

One veterinarian at this clinic does embryo transplant work as well as some in vitro fertilization, so clients have that possibility.

The narrative was really about producers helping their best cow produce many more calves in her lifetime.

Semen and embryos are the mainstay of “frozen” sales, and the purebred industry has evolved away from export and import of live animals and toward exporting and importing frozen genetics.

Some clinics are offering more reproductive services, including synchronized breeding.

Another veterinarian has a real interest in feet and hoof issues and has a tilt table, which is important for clients to know.

Some clients phoned in their queries, which were answered during a question-and-answer session.

Questions ranged from what to do with an abscess to what is the most frequently used treatment for pneumonia to what to do or not do about warts and ringworm.

The answers came from practising veterinarians who do these things every day.

Other presentations included lots of examples of practice tips, such as paying attention to where claw amputations could extend a productive life and how deworming and lice treatments and their application are changing.

Other topics included handling vaccines properly, the safety of implants, how to implant and the accuracy of pregnancy checking cows and the value of this information for clients.

I hope other clinics considering holding their own producer meetings and spreading the word about services they offer, new developments and the expertise that is available.

They can partner with nutritionists, the pharma industry, banks, foot trimmers and provincial and federal veterinarians.

This networking creates trust with clients, and I hope other clinics and producers use this article as motivation to have a producer function in their area.

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In a presentation at the MNP Ag Connections Conference in Medicine Hat last month, she cited a survey showing only 30 per cent of producers isolate new animals and 16 per cent inquire about disease history.

WHY IT MATTERS: With old and new emerging pathogens making their rounds, having a biosecurity plan in place for cattle is important to minimize disruptions in the supply chain.

The Beef Cattle Research Council divides biosecurity into a three-part strategy: bio-exclusion, management and containment.

The council has developed interactive map diagrams for producers to use to list all biosecurity risks and identify major points of entry for disease on their operations.

A common entry point is people accessing the facility, but secondary points must also be identified, such as side rooms where dead stock may be transported, a dead pit or an area where many different species graze.

“Animal movement is probably the most important,” Webster said.

“If you can get your cows from moving anywhere, having everything sourced on farm, you wouldn’t have any mingling. You wouldn’t have that unknown factor of where was this animal, what has it gotten? You don’t have that missing history.”

She said producers increase their risk for diseases by 2.2 per cent if they are buying outside cattle, while another study showed an increased risk factor for calves born in a herd where older mature cows were purchased a few months before calving.

Webster advises two weeks of quarantine for new outside animals coming into the herd. If producers do not have the land space, they can perhaps divide pastures with a temporary wire fence.

“If you don’t know what you’ve got, but you have a sick animal, move it two fence lines away from the rest of the herd,” she said.

“You need to not have that nose-to-mouth contact or nose-to-tail contact with the next fence line because you’re still not isolating them. If you don’t have that distance in the airborne pathogen to separate them, you’re still going to be sharing, so you’ll do all your efforts to try and move them into that spare space you have on the farm.”

Tools and equipment should be another focus.

Webster said it’s critical to do an inventory of what is needed and updated as well as looking at doping best practices and building consistent habits to maximize their efficiencies. It can be something as simple as gloves to minimize zoonotic disease transfer between humans and animals.

“It’s not necessarily that contact area that we’re trying to prevent you from getting something from them, or you’re giving something to them,” Webster said.

“Gloves are just a reminder for you not to touch your face after if you have something on your hands that makes you think you’re not gonna pop something in your mouth.”

She said precautions will end up being ineffective if good biosecurity habits are not formed, such as forgetting to hose off boots or equipment before applying disinfectants or having the spray radius leak from the dirty to the clean zone.

“If you disinfect before you get rid of the debris, you often deactivate that disinfectant. It doesn’t work on organic material.”

She said the contact time needed for disinfectants is often 10 to 30 minutes.

Dividing a farm’s animal areas into “clean” and “dirty” zones helps build habits as well ensuring that biosecurity tools are used for their intended purpose. Simply drawing a line between the two zones is not enough because workers won’t notice it. Instead, a physical barrier is needed as a reminder.

“Like a little boot stock where you sit down, take off your old boots, leave your house shoes over here, hop over and grab some boots on the other side. Something to make you stop and think about what you’re doing.”

Because of a new emerging high pathogenicity avian influenza, dairy producers and their workers would ideally use gloves, goggles, a mask and a hair net along with other protective equipment.

The standard is not as high with cow-calf operations, but erring on the side of caution is always encouraged.

Current pathogens of concern are foot-and-mouth disease, BVD, BLV, salmonella, cryptosporidium, E. coli, coccidiosis, BRSV, IBR, PI3, trich, digital dermatitis, lice/mites, Johne’s disease and neospora caninum.

“Do you have a scouring calf isolation somewhere where you’re going to be going in and nursing a bunch of bottle cows that have scours to get them through?” Webster said.

“We need to have some of this just to protect you, to protect the next calf, and before you go back out again and find the next calf out in pasture, that that second stock can help save another calf from getting that extra dose of scours.”

There are steps producers can take to prepare for the next veterinarian visit, such as helping set up protocols to identify sick animals and training new staff to tell the difference between a depressed and lively calf.

Stay up to date on effective common herd problems and effective medications.

Assessment plan templates can be found online, including at Healthy Farms Healthy Agriculture. There are farm bio-security signs that can be printed off and posted on the farm in both English and Spanish.

Rules of thumb to intervene depends on mortality and morbidity rates.

“Morbidity is how many treatments you have if you have an outbreak. We have defined it as 10 per cent that are treated within recent timeline, not over the course of the full year,” said Webster.

“If you have one dead calf, profitability is on your mind, but you’re also going to be worried about the rest of the heard. You’re probably going to reach out to your vet and you’re probably gonna get you a diagnosis by the time you have a second or third one.”

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That connection is needed now more than ever as the veterinary profession faces a crisis-level shortage across North America.

The shortage of veterinarians is reaching near-crisis level in Alberta and much of the Prairies.

The U of C has been able to double its capacity to 100 seats, thanks to $68.5 million in funding from the Alberta government.

“It’s pretty common for people in rural settings to own a bunch of different animals, from pets on up to horses and cattle or pigs or chickens. Those are pretty common in their environment, even if you don’t own a farm, but you live in a small town, you’re going to people in 4-H to have these opportunities,” said Robert McCorkell, associate dean of admissions for the university’s faculty of veterinary medicine.

“That gives them a very good starting point to answer the kind of questions that we ask (in interviewing). It’s important that to be a veterinarian that you’re familiar with that. There’s a small advantage to our rural applicants because they have that relationship with animals. They know how they’re used for food production. They also just know how to interact with them because they’ve been around and they’ve seen them in their environment.”

The academically demanding medical program traditionally had a reputation of being difficult to get into. However, that has been de-emphasized in recent years, and the program now requires a 3.0 grade point average and a score of 495 on the Medical College admission test.

“That’s a solid ‘B’ average. What we have determined is a GPA of 3.0 should indicate you have the skill set that you’ll be able to be successful in this demanding academic environment,” said McCorkell.

“People who score 495 or greater on the MCAT complete their health sciences program on time 90 per cent of the time. We want some assurance that if you get into a demanding program, you’re going to complete it on time. … Below 495, that drops off significantly, and so that’s kind of the threshold. These are thresholds that are very achievable.”

Canada is seeing a nation-wide shortage of veterinarians, with the agriculture industry particularly feeling the pinch.

The four-year program has access to more than 100 partner practices across Alberta and parts of British Columbia and Saskatchewan.

As well, block weeks in the earlier years provide students the opportunity to work in the field, whether it’s a feedlot or dairy/poultry farm.

The U of C also owns W.A. Ranches, a working cattle operation that was donated in 2018 for teaching and learning, research and community engagement.

“Almost every community in the province, be they rural or urban, their practices in those spaces are looking to hire. (The Canadian Food Inspection Agency) is looking to hire veterinarians. The pharmaceutical industry is looking to hire veterinarians, and this is international,” said McCorkell.

“The last study I’ve seen is in Alberta, the shortage over the next few years is something more than 600 positions. It’s a very wide range of opportunity. Whatever career path or whatever interests you, there’s going to be a lane in veterinary medicine that’ll accommodate you.”

Applications are now open for 2026.

McCorkell recently visited southern Alberta to promote the program, and he regularly makes his way to high schools and community events to answer questions.

He was a member of the first graduating class of the University of Saskatchewan’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon when it first opened in 1969. Alberta sent about 20 students a year to the school before the U of C opened its own veterinary medicine program in 2008.

Alberta’s population has increased significantly in that period, creating a huge demand in the field.

“Alberta grew from something less than two million population to something approaching four million. Opportunities for veterinarians grew as well. You end up having this demand situation that was underserved,” said McCorkell.

“When we opened in 2008, we added 30 seats that more than doubled the opportunity for Albertans that went from 20 to 50. Now, we’ve gone from 50 to 100. The labour shortage hasn’t gotten smaller. The population of the province now is pushing five million.

“This challenge we face for employment is going to be ongoing. So if they’re a young person right now, the job market I’m talking about, we’re not going to have it fixed by the time, say, you’re in Grade 10 and thinking about coming to the profession.”

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According to a Feb. 25 Olds College news release, all three animal health programs including veterinary technician assistant (VTA), veterinary medical receptionist (VMR) and veterinary technician (VT) diploma will now have intakes in fall, winter and spring starting in September 2025.

Also, graduates of the four-month VTA program will be able to transition directly into the second term of VMR, allowing them to complete both programs in two terms instead of three. Graduates from the VTA program may also be eligible.

After completing VMR, graduates can enter the workforce or apply for admission to the VT diploma through the alternate admission pathway. The VT diploma program includes four semesters on campus plus a six-week practicum.

The college has also signed an articulation agreement with St. Matthew’s University, Cayman Islands, creating a direct pathway for students pursuing a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. An articulation agreement allows transfer of credits to a separate post-secondary institution.

“These program enhancements reflect our commitment to providing students with flexible, high-quality education that aligns with industry needs,” wrote Amos Ngai, dean of the School of Life Science and Business at Olds College.

“By expanding intakes, streamlining pathways and strengthening career opportunities, we are equipping future animal health professionals with the skills and experience needed to succeed in a rapidly evolving field.”

The newly renovated Animal Health Education Centre opened in Fall 2024. It includes a small animal hospital with surgical, dental and radiology suites, diagnostic labs and animal housing space. The new facility also integrates with large animal treatment areas on the Olds College Smart Farm.

Western Canada has been experiencing a vet shortage for several years. The phenomenon has been studied since 2020, and the shortage is projected by some experts to last through 2031.

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It opens its doors just in time to welcome a new cohort of students this week who are studying in the college’s programs like the veterinary technology diploma, veterinary technical assistant certificate and veterinary medical receptionist certificate. It’s also home to the National Meat Training Centre and retail store.

“Our goal is to create an environment where students can immerse themselves in real-world experiences, collaborate with industry professionals and make a meaningful impact on animal health,” said Dalin Bullock, dean, School of Life Science and Business in a media release. “This is a transformative step forward in how we approach animal care education.”

Initially announced in July 2020, the extensive renovation project that was completed in phases. It has enabled expanding the capacity of animal health programs from 90 students to 120 for the 2024-25 academic year.

“The expansion includes a small animal hospital with surgical, dental and radiology suites, as well as diagnostic labs and amazing animal housing space,” Bullock said. “It also aligns with large animal treatment areas on the Olds College Smart Farm — supporting a comprehensive learning experience and further enhancing our students’ practical skills and career readiness.”

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