It is the time of year when cow-calf producers occasionally need to deal with a frustrating disease known as pinkeye. The term pinkeye refers to any kind of inflammation of the conjunctiva of the eye. This is perhaps more of an “umbrella diagnosis” or clinical syndrome as there are numerous causes of these infections including […] Read more
Tag Archives Animal Health column
Veterinary pathologist observes 50 years of changes
This June, animal health professionals gathered for the Canadian Animal Health Laboratorians Network meeting. Like many things in 2020, the in-person conference was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine hosted the meeting in a virtual format. The organization includes people from a range of laboratory specialties […] Read more
Weaning piglets at older age may pay off in longer term
In these times of extremely high input costs (feed contributes approximately 70 percent of the cost of production), pig farms continue to push for production and health improvements. Many times, we need only look at management strategies to achieve significant production and health improvements that will have a significant positive financial impact on the farm. […] Read more
Age of onset provides clue to cause of diarrhea in calves
Calf scours, or calf diarrhea, continues to be one of the significant causes of calf mortality in beef cattle herds. Dr. Jennifer Pearson from the University of Calgary published data from the Western Canadian Cow-Calf Surveillance Network that documented an overall pre-weaning calf mortality level of 4.5 percent and a pre-weaning treatment rate for all […] Read more
Most penile problems found in bulls can be corrected
Today, most large-scale producers have breeding soundness exams carried out on their breeding bulls yearly. Almost every purebred 12- to 15-month-old bull calf will have a breeding soundness exam performed by a veterinarian. The consistency of this exam is very good in the profession. The ReliaBull scrotal circumference tape has made scrotal circumference measurements accurate […] Read more
Rabbit hemorrhagic disease identified in Alta.
Pet rabbits in southern Alberta have been diagnosed with rabbit hemorrhagic disease. A tiny virus, known as a calicivirus, causes this deadly rabbit disease. The virus spreads easily between animals, which allows it to rampage through rabbit populations. Most rabbits that become infected die. So far, the source of the virus in this outbreak remains […] Read more
Introduce bulls properly to protect health and welfare
Nothing frustrates me more than when big bulls are unnecessarily injured. This happens a lot when bulls are introduced or reintroduced to one another. It also happens when bulls are transported together in trailers. Bull pens must be big enough to allow bulls to escape from one another. Every time we move bulls, whether for […] Read more
New Ontario study explores heart infections in horses
Infections that localize to the heart are rare but serious in any animal. A recent study published in the Canadian Veterinary Journal by Dr. Brianne Henderson and colleagues at the University of Guelph’s Ontario Veterinary College sought to better understand heart infections in horses. They focused specifically on infections of the heart valves, which is […] Read more
Reproductive success can depend on sexual motivation
Reproductive success is key to profitability for cow-calf operations. To achieve this success, two things have to happen. First, our breeding cows and heifers must cycle early in the breeding period. Second, they must conceive when bred. The first factor is largely influenced by the nutritional program and body condition of the cows and heifers. […] Read more
If branding is deemed necessary, it must be done right
Branding remains necessary in many modern cattle operations because it is still the only permanent form of cattle identification. We must make the effort to do it well. In this column, we will look at hot iron branding. A good brand should be legible from quite a distance. In Alberta, Livestock Identification Services carries out […] Read more
