It was 2004, less than a year after BSE hit the Canadian cattle industry, when Canada’s first outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) devastated poultry production in B.C. Without any playbook on how to manage the virus, a decision was made to cull all the birds on commercial farms in B.C.’s Fraser Valley. While… Read More
Category: Animal Health
Dr. Tim Henshaw never missed an opportunity to promote the Canadian dairy industry and its contribution to this country and the world. A champion for agriculture, Henshaw, a 1979 Ontario Veterinary College graduate, spent over 40 years as a veterinarian on cattle reproductive health at United Breeders, then Gencor and finally EastGen. He examined more… Read More
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) says a domestic dog in Oshawa, Ont., died last week after contracting highly pathogenic avian influenza. The actual cause of death has not been confirmed, but the dog had scavenged a dead wild goose several days prior to its passing. Samples subsequently taken from the dog tested positive for… Read More
A probiotic developed at the University of Alberta (U of A) that supports milk cows before and after calving is heading towards being commercially available in Canada. Burim Ametaj, immunobiologist and professor in the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences at the U of A, says this is the first of its kind to… Read More
The popularity of robot milkers continues to grow dramatically across Canada. Today, between 15 and 20 per cent of Canadian farms milk cows using robot technology. Ten years ago, that number hovered near five per cent. Western Canadian dairy farmers are the biggest adopters with between 25 and 50 per cent of farms in different… Read More
In order for dairy farms to produce milk, the cows first have to produce calves, many of which are classified as surplus calves that are destined for the beef industry or veal operations, rather than being raised as dairy cow replacements. Across North America more than five million surplus dairy calves are produced each year…. Read More
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
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