(Photo courtesy Elections Alberta)

Pre-election reports analyze Alberta’s ag issues

Three reports focus on party histories, ag sector concerns, current platforms

Alberta farmers’ concerns with provincial policy, and the two major parties’ stances on those concerns, are the subjects of a three-part analysis leading up to a provincial election on Monday. The Simpson Centre for Food and Agricultural Policy, a think tank operating out of the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy, says its three […] Read more


Alberta’s Advanced Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides announces funding for the University of Calgary’s faculty of veterinary medicine on May 10, 2022 at the university’s Spyhill campus. (Government of Alberta video screengrab via YouTube)

More funds put up to boost Calgary vet school enrolment

Funding added for more staff, materials on top of infrastructure money

The University of Calgary’s faculty of veterinary medicine, fresh off a major capital funding boost in February’s provincial budget, now gets another $8.4 million over three years to help expand enrolment. “This targeted enrolment funding will go towards hiring on more faculty/staff to teach the increased number of students,” Sam Blackett, press secretary for Advanced […] Read more

FIle photo of Dr. Baljit Singh, dean of veterinary medicine at the University of Calgary, leading a tour the UCVM’s Spy Hill campus in 2017. (Gov.ab.ca)

Universities can adapt to COVID-19, UCVM dean says

As administrators and faculty modify the system, dean calls for renewed public focus on food production and distribution

As COVID-19 pushes universities to change the way they teach, carry out research and conduct clinical work, the dean of veterinary medicine at the University of Calgary is confident that they can adapt. The academic system “from coast to coast is very intact,” Dr. Baljit Singh said. “We will continue to develop new technologies. We […] Read more


Jack Anderson and his daughter Wynne Chisholm donated a $44 million gift to University of Calgary veterinary school.

Calgary vet school ready to go ranching

Gift of a fully functioning ranch takes teaching and research to a new level

It’s not every day a 19,000-acre working cattle ranch lands in your lap, but that’s the very welcome problem the University of Calgary Veterinary Medicine School (UCVM) is dealing with this fall as a gift from an Alberta ranching family propels the 13-year-old school into a league of its own among vet schools in North […] Read more

The leather tooling on this old saddle looks nice, but it is a pain to clean.

Reporter’s Notebook: The other side of ranching

A new book focuses on the role of women in Alberta’s ranching history

In a recent column on clubroot, I suggested that Sask Crop Insurance look at a carrot-and-stick policy to crop rotations in the province. Later, I was a little worried some might interpret that part of the column as me shaking my finger at farmers with tight rotations. That wasn’t my intention. There are plenty of […] Read more


Bulls should be in god athletic condition, but not fat.

Be leery about buying fat bulls

It may look good in the sale ring, but too much fat can lead to permanent damage

Most of the bulls that go through a sale ring are over-conditioned to some extent. Fat is beautiful because it covers up a lot of conformational faults, but it is also very detrimental for reproduction, good health, and future soundness. Many young bulls have gone through a bull test/feeding program to measure rate of gain […] Read more

Advanced Education Minister Marlin Schmidt and Baljit Singh, dean of veterinary medicine at the University of Calgary, tour the UCVM’s Spy Hill campus. (Gov.ab.ca)

Alberta to reallocate veterinary school funding

Alberta is set to gradually pull its $8 million in annual funding from the University of Saskatchewan’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) and instead expand the vet school at the University of Calgary. The province announced Thursday it will expand enrolment for the University of Calgary’s Veterinary Medicine program (UCVM) from 130 students currently […] Read more



 This kind of diarrheal mess at the back of a calf is clear sign of coccidiosis.

Tackling coccidiosis on several fronts

There are effective treatments, but the best approach is prevention

Coccidiosis can be one of the most frustrating diseases to treat in your young beef calves. If not caught early, death losses can be as high as 20 per cent and many calves will have enough intestinal damage to make them poor doers for life. Coccidiois has a long life cycle and the oocyst (like […] Read more