A newborn cow stands in straw

Preparing for calving season

Veterinary Case Study: Dr. Clarke coaches a beef producer who has purchased 50 first-calf heifers right before calving season

Jim came into the clinic one day. He’d even called ahead to say he needed a few minutes of my time to talk about the 50 new heifers he bought and what they might need to help them through calving season without problems. Jim had become an astute cattleman through the years, always trying to […] Read more

(Baxter Black video screen grab via YouTube)

U.S. cowboy poet and veterinarian Baxter Black, 77

Black appeared on Carson, NPR and in Grainews

U.S. cowboy poet, storyteller and veterinarian Baxter Black, whose work was a fixture for years in farm journals including Grainews, died Friday at age 77, his family reported. Born in New York in 1945, Black grew up in southern New Mexico and graduated from Colorado State University in 1969. He later relocated from Colorado to […] Read more


An Angus bull wearing a rope halter at a cattle show.

The essentials to achieving anything worthwhile

Veterinary Case Study: The three great essentials to achieving anything worthwhile are hard work, stick-to-it-iveness and common sense

It turned out to be Don’s first day of work. Third-year exams at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine had sapped most of his academic capacity. Now he searched for hard-core field experience and the savvy that comes with being a step closer to being a real veterinarian. I looked forward to someone to relieve […] Read more

RFID tags can act as a cross-reference to the dangle tag.

Multiple uses for RFID tags

Traceability: There are still many positive uses for the tags

RFID tags can be useful to you, the Canadian cattle producers, as well as for traceability and unique animal identification purposes. More uses are emerging all the time. I will be the first to admit there have been problems in the past such as deadline changes, retainability and in rare cases inability to read them […] Read more


Most of the attention for antibiotic use in the beef industry is focused on the feedlot sector, but antibiotic use at the cow-calf level is also important.

Antibiotic use on Canadian cow-calf operations

Research on the Record with Reynold Bergen

Antibiotic use records are important for producers who want to track the effectiveness of the antibiotics they use. Industry groups need antibiotic use data to refute misleading claims about our production practices. Even restaurant chains and meat companies marketing “antibiotic-free” beef need records to keep treated animals out of their “never-ever” supply stream. When it […] Read more

“I’m not an anomaly. I would guess that there are many technicians like me, that have ambitions like me, but they’re not being given the opportunity.” – Ashley Gaudet

Are veterinary technicians ready to take on a larger role?

Ashley Gaudet says they already are

Whether she’s working to advance her skills in veterinary medicine or teaching Air Cadets to fly, Ashley Gaudet’s ambition takes her to great heights. Gaudet, a veterinary technician at Veterinary Agri-Health Services (VAHS) in Airdrie, Alta., grew up in Cornwall, P.E.I. Her family’s neighbours gave her an introduction to agriculture, allowing her to help with […] Read more


A bull recovering from foot rot, which can be caused when cattle avoiding flies stand in water for long periods.

Fly bites a nuisance that can also lead to foot rot

Chemical controls and pasture rotation are options for control of stable flies

Fly problems are prevalent in some parts of North Dakota this year, North Dakota State University Extension livestock specialists warn. Horn, face and stable flies all are irritating to cattle, but stable flies have been particularly bothersome. “They will bite and irritate the animals on the legs and belly, and control of these pests is […] Read more

Shortages of Vitamin A and E will have an impact on calf survival and breeding season this year.

Livestock industry faces trouble ahead from vitamin shortage

Health: News Roundup from the May 2018 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

My all-time favourite TV show remains the 1990s comedy “Home Improvement,” and my favourite actor: Tim “The Toolman” Taylor (Tim Allen). Since the show aired three decades ago, I have crossed paths with remakes of every character in racehorse barns, in feed alleys, at stock shows across Canada, and in western Canadian branding corrals. I’ve […] Read more


If a heavily pregnant cow has prolapsed, your veterinarian should have a clear idea when she is due to calve.

A vaginal prolapse is not just a prolapse!

Once diagnosed, it’s critical to treat the medical cause as well as the prolapse

This article will focus on only vaginal prolapses. The act of replacing these is the visible part but there are many other aspects veterinarians consider when working on these conditions. The cause, method of replacement, long-term care and expected force of straining afterwards must all be considered when vaginal prolapses are being corrected. As an […] Read more

Thomas, Sonja, Brian, and Kristelle Harper.

Circle H Farms receives Manitoba Environmental Stewardship Award

NewsMakers from the March 2018 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

Rick Toney of Gull Lake is the new chair of the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association. Joe Jackson of Moose Jaw is vice-chair and Arnold Balicki from Shellbrook is the finance chair. Garret Hill of Duval is the member at large. Ben Fox of Dauphin was re-elected to another term as president of the Manitoba Beef Producers […] Read more