veterinarians Archives

A view shows a sign with bird flu protocols on the door of a poultry house at the University of California, Davis, March 6, 2025. Photo: Reuters/Fred Greaves/File

Staff exodus at U.S. farm agency leaves fewer experts to battle bird flu

Animal disease unit of USDA has lost 16 per cent of staff

By Leah Douglas, Tom Polansek May 12, 2025

Chicago/Washington | Reuters – Hundreds of veterinarians, support staff and lab workers at the animal health arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture have left under the Trump administration’s push for resignations, according to three sources familiar with the situation, leaving fewer specialists to respond to animal disease outbreaks. The departures come as the country […] Read more

Bull scrotal size is important to measure before purchasing a beef sire.

Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner, Columns

Finding ideal scrotal size important in sire purchasing

Animal Health: Be careful not to buy a bull with too large of a scrotal size

By Roy Lewis November 12, 2024

If there’s something the market desires, there’s no doubt that purebred beef breeders can make it happen. A few years ago we did notice breed averages for scrotal size coming up a bit, so the minimum accepted scrotal sizes were adjusted up just a bit (one centimetre) in some cases. I think that is about […] Read more

Cattleman’s Corner, Columns, Livestock

There are now many veterinary clinic models

Animal Health: Veterinarians have specialized and also offer more telemedicine

By Roy Lewis October 8, 2024

In rural Western Canada, the veterinary clinic was traditionally a mixed-animal practice, with everyone being a jack of all trades and emergency work in all species. But cattle were the bread and butter. We have all heard of the shortage of veterinarians for both small and large animals, but there has also been a big […] Read more

Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner, Columns

How to manage two similar livestock pharmaceuticals

Animal Health: Subtle differences can give one medication an advantage over another

By Roy Lewis September 13, 2024

This article provides some clarity for when new products or combinations of products come onto the market. These days all antimicrobials, NSAIDs and a few other products are prescription products and most come under the VCPR (veterinary-client-patient relationship). The two products in this case have already been on the market for years, but now, with no […] Read more

General, Livestock

Veterinary association calls on federal government to address workforce shortage

National testing centre is needed to onboard internationally-trained vets, CVMA says

By Geralyn Wichers, GFM Network News March 20, 2024

An organization representing Canadian veterinarians is calling for the federal government to intervene as it faces what it calls a severe workforce shortage.

The shortage of veterinarians often becomes most apparent during calving season. |

Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock

How to manage in a veterinarian shortage

Hauling an animal to a clinic is one solution, as are larger clinics with satellite sites

By Roy Lewis March 8, 2024

There’s huge talk about the shortage of veterinarians — especially large-animal, but also small-animal and emergency animal care. There was a recent announcement that the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (UCVM) will raise the number of training seats to 100 from the current 50, when an expansion is completed next year. I would […] Read more

The Callicrate bander with different sizes of rings has many uses when treating cattle.

Cattleman’s Corner

Banding can be used for more than castration

Properly applied, it’s a safe alternative to surgery, provided veterinary advice is followed

By Roy Lewis October 6, 2023

The Callicrate bander was developed for a safe, blood-free method of castrating larger bull calves in both the beef and dairy industries. It’s a procedure that producers and processing crews can be trained to do, but veterinarians in some clinics still do lots of castrations with the bander or by other surgical methods. We know […] Read more

Veterinarian Dr. Cope who was just at the Thomas ranch this fall doing ultrasound preg checking has died after serving his clients for some 44 years. Although in failing health he remained active until the end.

Cattleman’s Corner, Rancher’s Diary

Community mourns the loss of a longtime veterinarian

Rancher’s Diary: Dr. Cope served his clients for 44 years, working right up until he died

By Heather Smith Thomas February 15, 2023

December 26 Last week I added a short pole to the little bulls’ feeder to divide the space where one of the upright bars is missing, so they can’t climb into it. I went to the dentist late that afternoon to have a broken tooth prepped for a crown and the dentist put a temporary […] Read more

Livestock

Ontario seeking new rules on scope of vet services

Changes also considered to veterinary sector oversight

By Dave Bedard, GFM Network News November 22, 2022

Updated Nov. 23 — Ontario’s government is considering new legislation to more clearly spell out who can provide what kinds of animal care in the province’s veterinary sector. The provincial ag ministry on Monday launched a round of public consultation on the Veterinarians Act, which governs licensing of veterinarians and accreditation of veterinary facilities in […] Read more

Livestock

Saskatchewan, Manitoba to boost vet college seat quotas

Each province adding five subsidized seats at WCVM

By Dave Bedard, GFM Network News September 30, 2022

Updated, Sept. 30 — With livestock producers’ needs at top of mind, 10 more student seats at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan will be spoken for starting next year. The college and the Saskatchewan and Manitoba governments on Thursday announced the two provinces will each step up their funding […] Read more

Alberta crop conditions improve: report

U.S. grains: Corn sets contract lows on expectations for big US crop

U.S. livestock: Cattle strength continues

GFM Network News