Saskatoon will soon be host to a UK company that develops rapid bacteria detection tests using blood and milk samples. Announced today, PBD Biotech has chosen Saskatoon, SK, as the headquarters for its Canadian subsidiary. The company’s Actiphage technology is a “highly sensitive and specific assay” that detects live bacteria in the blood or milk of… Read more »
Category: Animal Health
Getting involved in the conversation with Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan
Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan was launched in 2015 to foster conversations with people in Saskatchewan about food and farming. We recently had a chance to catch up with Clint Monchuk, Executive Director with Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan (FFCS). Farm and Food Care had its origins in the Food and Animal Council (FAC). When… Read more »
Get ready to access antibiotics: Establishing a vet-client-patient relationship
Beginning later this year, livestock owners across Canada will have to jump through one extra hoop before accessing certain antibiotic veterinary products. The move is part of a broader strategy to manage antibiotic resistance in human health, and it’s not without controversy. Starting in December, farmers will need an existing vet-client patient relationship (VCPR) to… Read more »
Ontario tweaks rabies vaccination rules for livestock
At issue Ontario is set to introduce new rules and regulations as of July 1, 2018, regarding requirements for livestock rabies vaccination. All animals that will interact with the public will be required to maintain up-to-date vaccinations. Why is this a concern? Rabies isn’t fun, you guys. But also, the changes to rabies immunization requirements for… Read more »
Waterbed design aims to keep cows comfy and cool
Better cow comfort can deliver a host of benefits for both the animal and the milk tank. Improving overall cow health, increasing cow longevity, and putting more milk in the tank are all byproducts of cow comfort. Dairy equipment suppliers are also focusing on the growing impact of heat stress, and French manufacturer Bioret Agri… Read more »
Canadian Dairy XPO set for April 4 and 5
The countdown to the sixth annual Canadian Dairy XPO is on as the dairy industry showcase readies to open its doors at the Stratford Fairgrounds on April 4th and 5th. Show attendance topped 16,000 in 2017, with 350 exhibitors representing 30 countries. CDX general manager and founder Jordon Underhill says a key driver of the show’s growth… Read more »
Beef School, Ep. 8: Improving on-ranch vaccination implementation
From storage requirements to difficult-to-spell words like ‘Mannheimia haemolytica’ and ‘rhinotracheitis,’ there’s a lot to consider when it comes to vaccinating cattle. And that complexity is one of the reasons Cody Creelman, veterinarian and managing partner of Veterinary Agri-Health Services, suggests producers develop a customized, written vaccination protocol, with annual reviews. “It’s important to [re-assess it] every… Read more »
Using synchronization and induction as a lambing time-management tool
Lambing is an exciting but exhausting time for sheep farmers. A typical breeding cycle with natural service over two heat cycles usually results in well over two weeks of late nights, early mornings, and intense work. To manage the labour load (pun intended), some farmers have adopted a synchronization and induction program to tighten the… Read more »
Building consumer trust is our responsibility, says ‘Farmer Tim’
Tim May says he’s “just a farmer down the road.” But the Rockwood, ON dairy farmer — better known as ‘Farmer Tim’ in the social media world — and his 43 cows are certainly punching above their weight in the fight to help consumers understand what really happens on the farm these days. Three years… Read more »
12 lessons for a new sheep farmer
There’s a reason young and beginning farmers often choose to start a sheep enterprise — local demand for lamb is double what we produce, you can keep quite a few sheep on a limited land base, and they’re affordable livestock that reproduce quickly. There’s also a reason that many new sheep farmers don’t last more… Read more »
Dual-active dewormer approved for use in Canadian sheep flocks
A short-acting, oral drench offered by Zoetis — Startect— has received Canadian approval for use in sheep for treatment and control of a range of adult and immature worms, including Haemonchus contortus (barber pole), and nematode parasites including Teladorsagie and Trichostrongylus. Startect contains two active ingredients, abamectic and derquantel, in one product so as to… Read more »
Producers warned about veterinarian shortage
If you have a sick animal, there’s no such thing as a “timely” veterinarian shortage. But the current situation, which is seeing fewer veterinary service hours available and much more demand expected, is particularly worrisome. It’s raising caution flags in the veterinary sector, and has a leading veterinary educator searching for solutions. Here’s the situation…. Read more »
Determining where to cut antimicrobial use for dairy calves
All livestock producers have been urged to cut unnecessary antibiotic use, to try to prevent resistant bacteria from developing in their herds and flocks. But on the farm, the question is where, and how? Consider dairy calves, for example. More than half of the deaths of dairy calves are from diarrhea. Producers often treat that… Read more »
Toxins in the feed — Identifying and managing mycotoxins
We often focus our efforts on what to add to a total mixed ration in order to offer our animals the highest plane of nutrition necessary for their life stage. But, what about the substances that could create serious health concerns, or even death? “Moulds are a fungal growth, and the mycotoxins are actually a… Read more »
Livestock disease winging its way north as climate warms
Flying, biting midges (Culicoides spp.) — sometimes called no-see-ums — are a scourge to wildlife. Hunters recognize their effects on deer in particular, which are highly susceptibility to a group of midge-transmitted viruses. But there are growing concerns about their potential effect on livestock, too. Here’s why. A midge swarm will blood-feed on animals, causing… Read more »