Health & Production

If you’re planning an international trip or will soon be welcoming international visitors to your operation, keep biosecurity in mind. While Canada is free of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), this highly contagious virus is presently the greatest health risk to Canadian livestock. Many countries in Asia, Africa, and South America are positive for FMD,…

Producers add pain medication to their routines and benefit their herds By the Beef Cattle Research Council Pain management for beef cattle has evolved significantly in the past two decades. Scientists have gained a greater understanding of what pain looks like in an animal and how reducing pain can affect an animal’s well-being. The beef…

By Dr. John Campbell, The Beef Cattle Health and Nutrition Podcast “This week’s episode is a bit different from usual. I don’t have a guest this week, but I’ll be presenting an outbreak from our Disease Investigation Unit case files.  “This case was also presented as part of a series of cases in a webinar…

By the WeCAHN Podcast, produced by the Western Canadian Animal Health Network Dr. Karin Orsel, a professor in epidemiology and infectious diseases from the University of Calgary, has some up close and personal experience with the impacts of bovine infectious disease outbreaks for some diseases of cattle that currently don’t exist in Canada. These foreign…

With calving season in full swing for many beef producers, the issue of calf scours may arise. Understanding the causes of this disease can help with our preventative efforts. This fact sheet, created through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, provides valuable information on why a calf may be susceptible to scours, and the differences in major…

Clearly livestock need water to survive, and enough good water, helps them thrive. Yes, livestock may be able to get this in frozen form: there are situations where they can survive or even thrive on snow, but it needs to be consistently available and of suitable type, which isn’t always the case. Chopping a hole for…

What’s your take on feed testing? Complete the Western Canadian Feed Testing and Ration Balancing Survey to share how you use feed testing or other methods of analyzing feed quality. This online survey is open to commercial cow-calf producers in Western Canada who run a minimum of 25 head. As the researchers behind the survey…

Researchers at the University of Calgary are looking at potential ways to manage the health of wild wood bison with a focus on tuberculosis and brucellosis, and they need your help. Drs. David C. Hall and Kyle Plotsky, independent researchers employed by the University of Calgary, are working to understand peoples’ attitudes about wood bison, the disease…

Fall is manure spreading season for many producers, including confined feeding operators, and the Natural Resources Conservation Board (NRCB) wants to remind you of a few things. Manure application Under the Agricultural Operation Practices Act (AOPA), you must incorporate manure or compost within 48 hours of the start of application on cultivated lands. If you…

Let’s do what we can to keep our animals safe from blue-green algae By Roy Lewis, for Alberta Farmer Express Over the years with increased phosphorus and nitrogen getting into bodies of water, there have been more blue green algae blooms and that means more contact with cattle, as well as dogs, birds, wildlife and,…