Numbers by themselves have little purpose until they are arranged and presented in a way so they tell a story that means something to the reader. The Alberta Veterinary Surveillance Network (AVSN) is a case in point. The Veterinary Practice Surveillance (VPS) component of AVSN gathers animal health data every day over a secure website […] Read more
Mapping Disease Trends In Cattle Herds
Preventing the blemish of downer cows
Animals unable to stand or walk without assistance are a major welfare issue for the beef and dairy industries. Unfortunately, it took the Westland/Hallmark Meat Company incident in 2008 to sound the need for review. Video footage of downers being dragged or treated inhumanely in processing facilities varnished an entire industry and created an attitude […] Read more
Agriculture As A Social Piñata
Bruce Vincent, a Montana logger turned activist, recently warned the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association leadership team that agriculture may very well become the next cultural piata for the conflict industry. Through his animated and at times emotional address, he prevailed on professional groups working with agriculture to “show up.” Vincent talked at length how the […] Read more
Ergot Poisoning
Ergot is a serious problem in feed this year. This parasitic fungus of the Claviceps genus starts its damage in the field, replacing one or more kernels in a mature grain head with a hard, dark mass called a sclerotia. In addition to reducing yield, the fungus produces a number of poisonous alkaloids toxic to […] Read more
Vet Advice – for Mar. 14, 2011
Animal Welfare was the topic of the Dr. O.M. Radostits Seminar during the Western Canadian Association of Bovine Practitioners 20th Annual Conference in Saskatoon, January 13-15. Speakers provided insight into animal welfare from the perspective of sustainable agriculture systems, accountability as a driver of progress, responsible supply-chain management, pain control and public relations. Welfare is […] Read more
Striking a balance essential for health
A balanced mineral intake is essential for optimal performance. Mineral requirements in cattle vary depending on body type, age, pregnancy, weight gain and milk production. As well, the mineral content of feed varies widely from year to year and the unreliability of guessing what the mineral content might be lies at the root of most […] Read more
Calving Season Is A Time To Take Stock Of Bvd
Most cow-calf producers are aware of bovine viral diarrhea (BVD) and the dangers it presents to beef cattle. Some have experienced it first hand, seeing the economic toll of declining conception rates, frequent abortions or unthrifty calves. Others have seen the impacts of BVD further down the production chain, with sick and poor-doing calves moving […] Read more
Good Bugs Gone Bad
This time of year veterinarians are often asked, “Where do the bad bugs come from?” TheE. colistory is a good place to start. E. colihas been a normal inhabitant of the lower intestinal track of mammals for as long as mammals have existed. Then something happened to make certain strains of the garden variety bug […] Read more
Calving Season Scorecard
Careful observation while in the calving barn and notes kept by producers during calving season becomes an important scorecard for improvement and a management tool for the entire year. As with most things in life, victory lies in planning, a successful calving season among them. Planning starts by understanding where risk resides in an operation […] Read more
Vet Advice – for Dec. 6, 2010
Anaplasmosis, caused by the rickettsial hemoparasite Anaplasma marginale, is the most common tick-transmitted disease of cattle worldwide. Domestic and wild ruminants, including cattle, sheep, goats and deer can be infected. Only cattle develop clinical signs. Anaplasmosis is endemic in the U.S. where it represents a major obstacle to profitable beef production. Two tick species common […] Read more
Canadian Cattlemen Presents: Depth of Field
