Pay attention to post-weaning programs for dairy cattle

Pay attention to post-weaning programs for dairy cattle

You want replacement heifers to grow at an optimum rate, but not too fast or too slow

Almost every time I visit a dairy barn, I make a point of looking at post-weaned replacement heifers as well. Raising young dairy heifers can be one of the greatest challenges even on the best-run dairies. I believe implementing a good post-weaning heifer program makes good sense and contributes to their future success as high-milk-producing dairy […] Read more



Culicoides sonorensis. (Scott Bauer photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Livestock seen threatened as biting insects press north

Bluetongue’s most recent appearance in the Canadian cattle herd may be a taste of what’s to come as insect species expand northward, a new study warns. Anna Zuliani, previously a graduate student in veterinary medicine at the University of Calgary (UCVM), recently published a paper on how geographical distribution of biting midges relates to the […] Read more

(UoGuelph.ca/Alfred)

Guelph animal science department rebrands

The Ontario Agricultural College’s department of animal and poultry science has hatched a new name meant to better take in the scope of its work. The new name, the Department of Animal Biosciences, “helps describe the department’s evolution from a livestock husbandry department in the 1870s to the highly dynamic and integrated department it is […] Read more


Putting thought into changing vaccine lines

Putting thought into changing vaccine lines

Animal Health: With a bit of planning, it is possible to switch from one manufacturer to another

There are many difficult decisions to be made when changing the brand or manufacturer of a vaccine line. The real comparisons can be made when you know what specific diseases you need to vaccinate for in your herd, whether to use a modified live, killed, or combined program and rate the effectiveness of your original […] Read more

Lake Mead’s Boulder Basin in July 2008. (Andrew Cattoir photo courtesy NPS via Flickr)

Deal would let southern California buy surplus water from Nevada

Reuters — A US$45 million deal that would let southern California’s biggest water agency access a major supply of water that would normally go to southern Nevada won approval on Thursday from the Southern Nevada Water Authority. The board of the Metropolitan Water District, a wholesaler that supplies public utilities in heavily populated southern California, […] Read more



(Dave Bedard photo)

Study alleges U.S. fast food still mostly raised on antibiotics

Los Angeles | Reuters –– Most large U.S. fast-food chains still serve meat from farm animals that have been routinely fed antibiotics, consumer groups said in a new report, which concluded that many companies have not yet laid out plans to curb the practice. Subway, Starbucks, KFC and Domino’s Pizza were among the industry leaders […] Read more


Post-secondary students interested in Federated Co-operatives’ ag acholarship program now have until Oct. 15 to apply. (CoopAg.ca)

Co-op moves up timetable for scholarship program

Prairie students planning careers in agriculture or agribusiness now have an earlier deadline to seek funding support through the Co-op Excellence in Ag program. Excellence in Ag, Federated Co-operatives’ (FCL) multi-year scholarship and summer internship program, previously had a Jan. 31 deadline, but for the 2016 round, the application deadline will be Oct. 15 this […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Yukon to help cover livestock vets’ travel costs

The Yukon government has launched a pilot program to help cover veterinarians’ travel and service expenses for farm calls. The territory government on Tuesday announced it will accept up to 30 farmers for the pilot of the Veterinary Services Program, running from now to the end of March 2016. The program will reimburse participating veterinarians […] Read more