Livestock Management
Participants in a recent judging course in Alberta receive a crash course in what it takes to rate Nigerian Dwarf goats
LEDUC, Alta. — “I place the goat three over four, four over one and one over two, or maybe I should place one over two.” Watching judges in any show ring is impressive but learning how to confidently judge and place animals is a skill that takes years of training. “My head is going to […] Read more
Livestock Management
Alberta increases funding to expand vet college
Provincial government adds another $8.4 million to the $59 million it committed to U of C veterinary school this winter
The Alberta government will provide a further $8.4 million to help ease a critical shortage of veterinarians that is increasingly affecting the province’s farmers and ranchers. Annual student enrolment will be doubled under a major three-year expansion of the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. The funding will be used to hire more instructors. […] Read more
Wild pig program asks public for help
Report, don’t shoot. That’s the message of a new wild pig awareness campaign in Manitoba designed to flag populations so control can begin. “Anybody who goes into the outdoors can contribute to the program,” said Dr. Wayne Lees, project co-ordinator of the Manitoba Invasive Swine Eradication Project. Called Squeal on Pigs, the project calls on […] Read more
Castrating older bull calves comes with pros and cons
Castrating bull calves is one elective procedure that poses risks, whether done on our own or with a veterinarian. There are also animal welfare concerns and decisions to be made about when painkillers, such as NSAIDs, should be used. Documentation shows younger calves experience less stress than older calves, so banding calves at birth or […] Read more
Saskatchewan storm relief program hits complication
Saskatchewan officials are looking at what they can do to iron out a wrinkle in a program they hoped would compensate livestock producers for snow storm losses. The province announced after April snow storms that cattle producers who lost calves could receive money through the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program if their rural municipalities declared disasters. […] Read more
Drought not included in census herd hike
The latest cattle inventory numbers show a slight increase in overall totals for beef and dairy but they fail to account for the impacts of last year’s drought. Statistics Canada’s agricultural census shows total beef cow numbers rose slightly in 2021, the first increase in the last decade. Beef cow numbers rose by slightly more […] Read more
Winged predators a threat to cattle
Ravens and other birds are among the range of predators that can harm or kill livestock. Cam Hill, program co-ordinator with the British Columbia Cattlemen’s Association livestock protection program, says program verifiers are trained to determine the cause of livestock kills by wolves, coyotes, bears or cougars. “We are also seeing increases in bird kills, […] Read more
Uterine infection significant risk after calving
Uterine infections in cows are most commonly caused by retained placentas and by calving problems that damage the uterus and birth canal. Dr. Steve Hendrick of the Coaldale Veterinary Clinic in Coaldale, Alta., says most of the research on uterine infections involves dairy cattle but the problem also occurs fairly often in beef cows. “As […] Read more
Response trailer ready for epidemic
Manitoba Pork says it is better prepared for a disease outbreak through a partnership with the Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute. In 2019, PAMI designed and built a disease response trailer, which it said is the first of its kind in the world, with patents pending. It is used to humanely euthanize animals when the need […] Read more
Take advantage of spring shedding to assess horse health
Spring has arrived on the Prairies and that means our horses are shedding their puffy winter coats in favour of their short, sleek summer look. With less hair on their bodies, it is a good idea to take a few minutes to assess visual health indicators. Spring is an important time to determine your horse’s […] Read more
