The American Association of Bovine Practitioners will now refer to highly pathogenic avian influenza in cattle as bovine influenza A virus, or BIAV, and is encouraging everyone to do the same. In an open letter dated April 8, 2024, the AABP says that though caused by the same virus, the disease presents very differently in… Read More
Category: Animal Health
Editor’s note: As of April 8, the Association of Bovine Practitioners is referring to an HPAI infection in cattle as BIAV: bovine influenza A virus. For the first time, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been confirmed in dairy cows. Cattle in the Texas panhandle first tested positive for the virus, but more dairy cattle… Read More
Editor’s note: Updated with CDC confirmation of a human HPAI case in Texas. U.S. animal health authorities say they cannot rule out cow-to-cow transmission of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) after detecting bird flu in dairy herds in another three states. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) has confirmed the presence… Read More
There’s a growing problem in rural and remote areas of Ontario. A lack of large animal veterinarians is looming for the region, and the problem will only get worse without strategies to address the impending issue. Already, farmers and ranchers have identified that large distances and too few vets makes proper veterinary care expensive. Now,… Read More
Getting timely access to a veterinarian can be challenging for many livestock farmers. It’s not only a problem for Canadian farmers: a shortage of veterinarians is being felt around the globe, as farmers across the U.S., the UK, and Australia struggle to find health care for their animals, says Dr. Colin Yates, CEO of a… Read More
A new data sensor from DeLaval promises to help dairy producers identify cows in heat, sick cows, and also pinpoint the location of every cow in the barn. DeLaval Plus Behavior Analysis, with the help of artificial technology (A.I.), will give producers better decision-making capabilities, the company says. “By responding to a cow quickly and… Read More
Dr. Kim Ominski is being honoured for her role in furthering the environmental and economic sustainability of forage-based beef cattle production systems in Canada. Ominski received the Canadian Beef Industry Award for Outstanding Research and Innovation at the Canadian Beef Industry Conference this week at Calgary, Alta. A researcher, professor, and acting department head at… Read More
It may be hard to believe but something as simple as a humble nose flap on a calf can turn a very stressful event — weaning — into a manageable process. That matters, because stress can have significant negative impacts on a calf and impacts the animal’s ability to adjust to new feed and new… Read More
It’s been over four years since the federal government changed the rules regarding accessing antibiotic and antimicrobial products for livestock use. A key change to antimicrobial access was the move to requiring that any livestock producer seeking antibiotic products must have a vet-client-patient relationship (VCPR). It also meant that many common medications were removed from… Read More
Earlier this year, Lancashire, England-based Hoofcount made its first visit to the Canadian Dairy XPO since the foot care company set up Canadian operations in 2021. In this interview at the annual dairy showcase at Stratford, Ont., Hoofcount director Jane Marsh shares how the company’s success is built on effective, reliable and labour-saving foot bathing… Read More
A biosecurity and animal disease prevention company based at Guelph, Ontario has announced it’s merging with a U.S.-based company that has developed a facial recognition entry system for barns. Farm Health Guardian Ltd. and NoveTechnologies, LLC (NoveTech) say they have combined forces as of June 5, 2023, and will operate under the Farm Health Guardian… Read More
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
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