Animal Health Week comes around once a year in October (Oct. 1-7 this year), sponsored by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association. The week has a theme and this year it is It Takes a Team.
This refers to the entire team at your veterinary clinic, and I would like to explain the benefits of the entire team that make your animal operation complete.
This will mainly focus on beef cattle production but it can be extrapolated to other species.
Everyone in this team has expertise in some aspect of animal care and has your best interests at heart.
Read Also
Beef check-off collection system aligns across the country
A single and aligned check-off collection system based on where producers live makes the system equal said Chad Ross, Saskatchewan Cattle Association chair.
Depending on your operation, the receptionist at the vet clinic may be your first contact and they will have good working knowledge on how urgent the problem is, and which veterinarian primarily deals with your herd.
Usually, they also schedule appointments in the clinic and veterinarian visits to farms. They try their best to avoid waiting time for the clients and the vets. They know what cases should be brought in for a specific species or problem and which veterinarian can best handle the problem. It is good to give them all the information you have so the veterinarian knows if specific issues must be looked at and whether they need to bring specific equipment or supplies such as sampling vials. Receptionists are valuable members of the team.
Veterinary technicians are the veterinary nurses, so to speak, and their scope is expanding. They can carry out some examinations and treatments, under veterinary supervision.
Vet techs can sample animals for diagnostic testing, assist with semen evaluations or help with general processing of animals. Their attention to detail can speed up the process. I know large animal veterinarians who have a tech with them on farms because they make things considerably faster.
Sometimes, technicians are hired out through the clinic to help with processing, doing inventories, some regulatory work and BSE testing. Some have extra training and can perform ultrasound exams for pregnancy.
In the clinic, technicians carry out blood work, do fecal exams, submit specimens to laboratories and work with patients, including scouring calves.
They take a great load off veterinarians and provide a great service to the clinic’s clients. This is why most clinics have at least a one-to-one ratio of veterinary technicians to veterinarians.
A good working relationship between producers and the veterinary team will lead to good service and care for your animals. I know from experience that in cases where producers have faith in the vet team and vice-versa, the results seemed better. Once trust goes both ways, it is beneficial to everyone.
Your herd health veterinarian should cross over with many other professionals that are necessary for the health and productivity of your herd.
Nutritionists are integrally involved in most large herds. Because feed nutrient values change year to year, feed analyses are necessary. There is often good co-operation between veterinarians and nutritionists when working on herd-related production problems.
When issues such as mycotoxins, mineral deficiencies or neurological cases arise, the answer is often found quicker when both groups are working together.
As veterinarians, we often say, tongue in cheek, that the problem is a nutritional problem. But often it is mixed problems or one problem leads to another. When major herd-related issues arise, get both your veterinarian and nutritionist involved. Together, they have a better chance of sorting out the problem.
Other members tied together as your team and the veterinarian’s team include agrology extension specialists, commodity specialists, hoof trimmers and those involved in the artificial insemination industry. There are also the veterinary reproductive specialists that perform embryo transplanting and collect and freeze bull semen. They all have the interests of your herd, its production and profitability in mind.
The last professional group somewhat involved with the veterinary clinic is the medical profession. Many articles have been written about zoonosis, which are diseases humans can get from animals, and animals can contract from humans. This was evident during the COVID-19 pandemic when humans spread the disease to mink and the animals could then spread it among themselves and back to people.
We are all intertwined and the biosecurity measures and principles we learned from COVID help prevent other diseases from spreading through our farms and between farms.
We must be aware of biosecurity measures and keep the lines of communication open between all members of the team.
We all have a role to play and provide expertise where it is needed to help improve productivity and profitability, while adhering to good animal welfare standards and help insure high food safety standards.
Roy Lewis works as a veterinarian in Alberta.
