A ramp designed by pork company HyLife for vaccinating weanlings has potential to improve animal care across the industry, the company says. The ramp was created by HyLife’s Continuous Improvement Team (CI), and has received approval from renowned animal behaviouralist, Dr. Temple Grandin. Grandin was brought in by HyLife to tour its farms and processing… Read More
Category: Animal Health
The last significant update to Ontario’s Veterinarians Act was over 30 years ago, in 1989. Stating that the current act no longer reflects the realities of modern veterinary practice, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) Lisa Thompson today announced the Ontario government is launching consultations to modernize the Act. The review will “explore… Read More
Artificial intelligence is making it easier for farmers and ranchers to keep an eye on their livestock. At the recent Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show at Woodstock, Ont., OneCup AI showcased how its AI technology uses computer vision technology to identify and monitor livestock. In this video, the company’s CEO, Mokah Shmigelsky gives us a snapshot… Read More
The highly-pathogenic avian influenza (AI) virus that has swept North America in 2022 will likely remain a threat in 2023, but there have been some lessons learned in the past seven months by producers, veterinarians, and poultry industry stakeholders when it comes to responding to the often-devastating disease. As of October 17, the Canadian Food… Read More
A new link between horn size and reproductive fitness in female bighorn sheep highlights a potential conservation issue, according to a University of Alberta study. The study found that females with small horns are less reproductively fit and are slow reproducers, says Samuel Deakin, first author and PhD candidate in the department of Biological Sciences…. Read More
Laboratory results have confirmed that the recent death of nine animals within the RM of Piapot #110, was due to anthrax. The RM is located within the southern part of the province just east of Maple Creek. Saskatchewan Agriculture posted a release August 24, 2022, reminding producers to be on the lookout for anthrax in… Read More
A relatively new vaccine for cattle from Merck Animal Health is combining both bacterial and viral protection in one intranasal dose, reducing the number of instances producers have to administer vaccines to each animal. Bovilis Nasalgen 3-PMH, simply called Nasalgen, has been on the market for roughly one year and combines three virals and two… Read More
In any large-scale livestock operation, pen checkers have their hands full surveying herds daily looking for animals who are showing signs of illness, something that is now being streamlined by a monitor by Allflex Livestock Intelligence. The monitor, which can be a collar or a tag, tracks changes in the animal’s temperature, movement and also… Read More
Johne’s disease can be tricky to detect but with cases on the rise, it’s vitally important that producers are armed with proper knowledge and are choosing the best testing option for the herd. A new online testing decision tool, developed by a team led by Dr. Cheryl Waldner, the NSERC/BCRC Industrial Research Chair in One Health… Read More
A private member’s bill aimed at reducing the risks of biosecurity breaches and trespassing on farms was re-introduced in the House of Commons on May 30. Bill C-275 was brought forward by Foothills MP and Conservative shadow minister for agriculture, John Barlow. Like Barlow’s previous Bill C-205, the new bill would amend the Health of… Read More
Scientists with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture Research Service (ARS), have announced that a vaccine candidate for African Swine Fever (ASF) has passed an important safety test required for regulatory approval, moving the vaccine one step closer to commercial availability. African swine fever is a highly contagious, viral disease of domestic and wild pigs, whose… Read More
Update, as of late March 27: On March 27, 2022, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (AI), subtype H5N1, in a poultry flock in southern Ontario. The CFIA has not said which type of poultry farm. To control any potential spread of the disease, the CFIA has… Read More
There’s a rising number of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) cases in Manitoba’s hog population. The numbers are so high in fact, that Cam Dahl, general manager of the Manitoba Pork Council, has deemed the issue to be a “general outbreak.” “Normally, this is a disease that we see spread in late spring or summer, a… Read More
Producers, consumers, and members of industry have until January 27, 2022, to submit their comments on a draft version of the Dairy Code of Practice. The comment period has been open since late November. The Code of Practice is extensive, covering all aspects of dairy cattle care, from housing and bedding, to pain management for routine… Read More
The drought across much of the Prairies has forced plenty of cows to “come to town” long before the rancher had intended due to a lack of feed. Early weaning creates a challenge for the rancher, as they try and get these calves to a heavier weight before selling. When it comes to feeding light… Read More