5:30 AM

I wake up in my hotel room in Rimouski, just in time to catch the sunrise over the Appalachian peaks. Coffee in hand, I open my laptop and take a quick look at the emails already piling up: replies to my follow-up requests, questions about product availability, posts about new products in our internal group chat…

After a quick shower, I get ready—hair, makeup, my favourite outfit—and review my document one last time: a big business breakfast is coming up.

7 AM

When the first vets enter the local diner’s private room, I’ve already set up my slides and projector. I recognize some familiar faces and am pleased to see a few new ones as well.

Trying not to get distracted by the comings and goings—or the pervasive smell of bacon—I present the results of the Achieve 25 % + Together program: best practices to help improve the pregnancy rate of dairy cows. It’s much more than a pitch to boost performance indicators—it’s a tangible way to help farmers feed their communities even better, one animal at a time. It’s all about maximizing the resources they already have.

The group is engaged and asking excellent questions. I see their eyes light up with exciting new possibilities and ways to grow their practice. I love these conversations.

9 AM

Back alone in the restaurant, I take detailed notes from the post-meeting discussions while everything’s still fresh in my mind. Who wants the latest clinical trial results? Who has a question for our team of veterinary technicians? Following up on these small requests—quickly and reliably—is how we earn people’s trust.

9:45 AM

I hit the road along Route 132 toward my next stop in Rivière-du-Loup, about a hundred kilometres away. I’m always amazed at the beauty of the Bas-Saint-Laurent, where the river stretches wide and the far shore barely shows on the horizon. It puts everything in perspective.

11 AM

I arrive at my destination: a family dairy farm, where I’m accompanying a veterinary partner on a consultation. It’s a beautiful stretch of land nestled between the hills, where cows graze, watching us with quiet curiosity. There’s something soothing about being here—mud on my boots, the smell of the herd in the air. This is where my roots are. Animals have always been part of my life.

I listen and observe the vet, getting to know her. I also take the opportunity to speak directly with the producers. I share information about our Club Vetoquinol loyalty program, including how the points system works and the rewards available to members.

12 PM

I accompany the vet to a friendly village bistro. Between spoonfuls of soup and bites of grilled cheese, we talk about upcoming innovations, industry trends, and growth targets—but also about our families and travel plans. Real trust is built between people in moments like these.

1:30 PM

I check my emails before hitting the road again. One clinic has an urgent question about a product. Another needs clarification about how two drugs interact.

2 PM

I get on the Trans-Canada Highway to begin the long journey back to our head office, just in time for tomorrow’s strategy retreat. Somewhere on the way to Chaudière-Appalaches, I spot an eagle circling over the fields. It reminds me of the condors in Ecuador—just much smaller!—where I studied veterinary medicine for a few years. These moments of introspection between appointments are like a breath of fresh air.

3:30 PM

About halfway through the journey, I make a quick stop at a long-standing partner clinic. The vets are rarely available at this hour, but I take the opportunity to catch up with the technicians and receptionist— the people who handle the day-to-day operations. I ensure everything is running smoothly with the inventory, answer any outstanding questions, and, most importantly, take the time to say hello. These little informal visits strengthen our bonds.

4:45 PM

Parked at a rest area, I get out to stretch my legs and call a colleague at head office.

5:30 PM

I stop at a café to let the rush hour in Quebec City pass. I take advantage of the good Wi-Fi to write up and submit my reports for the day. I jot down the topics we discussed, the needs expressed, and the commitments I made.

The admin side of the job isn’t the most exciting, but I take it seriously. Having managed my own businesses before, I know how much every follow-up counts.

9 PM

The last few kilometres go by, and I finally make it home. I breathe a sigh of relief as I take off my boots. I check my laptop one last time, scan my emails, and review tomorrow’s to-do list. I close the screen, satisfied that I’ve given it my all. I ease into my usual end-of-day routine: a bit of quiet, a moment to unwind. Tired from a full day’s effort, I know I’ll be asleep before my head even hits the pillow.

This job asks a lot, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

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Shanelle’s immense love for large animals

Growing up on a farm in Saskatchewan, Shanelle Bleakney has been at home with cattle and horses since childhood. “There’s nothing more peaceful than watching cows in pastures on a sunny day,” she says. She also emphasizes that cattle are not just part of the landscape—they sustain us, and that’s a bond that should inspire us to care for them in return.

Shanelle’s career path has been straight as a well-worn trail: she was hired by Weir Veterinary Services in Lloydminster, Alberta, after graduating from a veterinary technologist program in 2019 and has been there ever since.

How Andrei discovered her true calling

In another small town in Northern Saskatchewan, Andrei Heiland was raised on her family’s farm. She roamed through various fields after finishing high school, searching for where her true interests lay. Everything fell into place when her oldest sister mentioned the veterinary technologist program at Saskatoon’s Saskatchewan Polytechnic. “I liked that the program was short,” says Andrei. “In just two years, I could be out of school and back where I belong—working with animals, something I’ve always loved.”

Andrei journeyed across the prairies, working with a mix of both small and large animals. She fondly recalls her time on the feedlot. “It’s kind of a tough and dirty job, but there’s something satisfying about putting on your hat and coveralls,” she adds. She finally put down roots in 2017 when a veterinarian she enjoyed working with invited her to join her practice at Berry Creek Vet Services in Wardlow, Alberta. “I leapt at the chance,” says Andrei.

A typical day as a veterinary technologist

Routine tasks like handling bloodwork, placing catheters, giving injections, administering medication, and bandaging wounds are all part of a veterinary technologist’ daily workload. Many also assist during surgeries; Shanelle readies cattle for C-sections at her clinic, while Andrei helps perform procedures on lame horses.

On the less glamorous side, the job also requires cleaning—a lot of cleaning. “You need to stay on top of everything by keeping the floor and instruments clean and making sure nothing’s left over from the last emergency,” explains Andrei.

The most significant difference from small animal practice is the way patients are handled. “It’s a lot less hands-on, because they weigh anywhere from 100 to over 2,000 lbs!”, points out Shanelle. “So, restraint is done using chutes, pens, or sometimes sedation.”

Learning never stops

The veterinary technologist program teaches advanced clinical skills and encourages students to acquire first-hand experience by volunteering at a veterinary clinic. But that’s just the first step. “You learn as you go,” says Shanelle. “Dealing with people, making patients feel safe and comfortable, and handling big animals the right way all become part of your skill set.”

Continuing education is an important tool for developing a career and a requirement to keep the RVT designation. Veterinary technologist are thus constantly sharpening their skills through courses, conferences, and other industry events. Having attended a few large animal handling and transportation courses, Shanelle sees several more topics worth exploring: “I’d love to see more herd health courses, as well as additional training on pregnancy checking, artificial insemination, and calving issues directed specifically for veterinary technologists, so that we could better assist veterinarians in those situations.”

Further learning happens naturally among colleagues, like the countless things Andrei has absorbed as her veterinarian’s right-hand woman. “My vet has taught me so much about horses since I’ve been here—I couldn’t even begin to list everything I’ve learned!” she says.

What makes the job rewarding? How could it be improved?

Both veterinary technologists feel fortunate to work in positive environments where their contributions are valued and appreciated. “It’s a good feeling to apply the skills you’ve learned to help large animals overcome a condition that’s been hindering them”, explains Shanelle.

For Andrei, a flexible schedule made possible by her close relationship with her employer has been a blessing in maintaining a work-life balance. “We work really well together, and having a strong relationship with the people you work with is essential,” she adds. She felt confident taking maternity leave to raise her two children in recent years, knowing that returning to work would be easy.

However, when considering the profession more broadly, both women agree that veterinary technologists should be more utilized, particularly in large animal practices. “Veterinarians are in short supply, and it’s a hard program to enter, but skilled veterinary technologist could certainly lighten their load,” Andrei points out. “For example, we can triage and take the animal’s history before a veterinarian even walks into the room to work more efficiently, or educate producers on best practices to keep their herds happy and healthy.”

Veterinary technologist are highly trained individuals who play a critical role in veterinary medicine.  Their versatility and expertise make them an indispensable part of the veterinary team.

The post What’s it like being a large animal veterinary technologist in Western Canada? appeared first on Club Vetoquinol.

Colostrum

Calves are born with an underdeveloped immune system, which makes them vulnerable to disease-causing pathogens. Their health depends heavily on the transfer of passive immunity through their mother’s colostrum, the first milk produced after calving, which is rich in proteins, nutrients, and most importantly antibodies. Feeding high-quality colostrum to a newborn calf within the first 30 minutes of life is widely considered one of the most crucial steps for ensuring calf health.

Colostrum has its own mnemonic, the summarizing how to assess and handle it:

1. Colostrum quality is commonly measured with a Brix refractometer; a reading of 22% or higher is considered good.
2. Colostrum should be fed with the utmost quickness – ideally immediately after birth.
3. Most Calves require a quantity of 4 litres of colostrum, which should be fed within 30 minutes after birth. An additional 2 litres should be provided within 8 hours of birth.
4. To prevent contamination, all equipment used to prepare or feed the colostrum must be quite clean. Thoroughly disinfect feeding nipples, bottles, or tubes after each use.

Calories

To grow, calves must consume more calories than they expend – a significant amount. They need even more in cold weather, a significant health stressor, when they spend a lot of energy simply retaining their body heat. At 20°C, just maintaining their current weight requires roughly 2,400 calories. If calorie intake is insufficient, calves are less likely to grow and more likely to become sick.   

For young calves, calorie intake should come from milk, milk replacer, and calf starter. Over time, they gain the ability to digest straw and hay. In addition, fresh water should always be available, as its consumption promotes increased dry matter intake.

Weighing calves regularly is helpful for monitoring growth and ensuring they’re meeting  target gains, adjusting feeding quantities as necessary. Ideally, a calf should double its birth weight by the time it’s weaned, which could be achieved by gaining 1.2 to 1.8 lb daily.

Cleanliness

A clean, dry, well-bedded, and draft-free environment is essential for newborn calves. This setup promotes their overall well-being and serves as a critical preventative measure against future health issues. Maintaining cleanliness in the calving area minimizes bacterial exposure, giving calves an optimal start to life when their immune systems are the most fragile.

Cleanliness also applies to the equipment used to care for the calves. As mentioned above, it’s important to thoroughly disinfect calf feeding equipment between uses. Oral ingestion of bacteria can easily cause disease, like diarrhea, in these animals. It’s best practice to wear disposable gloves when handling calves and change them between animals to prevent disease transmission.

Comfort

While mature cows can typically withstand cold as low as -20°C without experiencing stress, newborns may show discomfort as soon as temperatures fall in the 10 to 15°C range. Exposure to wind and wet conditions compromises their natural insulation and increases their vulnerability to cold. Providing newborn calves with an insulated jacket during extreme cold was shown to improve their weight gain while simultaneously lowering their feed requirements.

A warm, adequately ventilated, and well-bedded shelter is essential for ensuring calf comfort. Calves require far more bedding than needed to keep the floor clean; 3 to 4 inches of shavings topped with 12 inches of straw is ideal. Only a calf’s head and back should be visible when it’s lying down in the straw.

Ensure bedding is in sufficient quantity and dry enough by performing the “Kneel Test”: kneel on it for 20 seconds. If your knees become wet, add more straw or replace it entirely.

Consistency

Like many animals, calves are creatures of habit. Routines provide them with a sense of safety and stability. They enjoy being fed the same diet every day at a consistent time.

Avoid feeding calves waste milk or mixtures of whole milk and milk replacer. Such practices lack stability and consistency, which may upset their digestive systems.

Make dietary changes gradually to ensure a smooth transition and prevent diarrhea. For example, mix 75% of calves’ current feed with 25% of the new feed for two feedings. Gradually adjust to a 50/50 mix, then 25/75, until the transition is complete.

Incorporating the 5Cs of calf management—colostrum, calories, cleanliness, comfort, and consistency—provides a strong foundation for raising healthy, productive calves. By focusing on these key principles, caregivers can ensure calves are well-nourished, protected from disease, and set up for long-term success.

The post The 5Cs of A+ calf management appeared first on Club Vetoquinol.

The importance of efficient reproductive programs

The latest Cow Reproduction Benchmarks  from Lactanet show that pregnancy rates are below 20% on over half of Ontario and Western Canada cattle farms. Producers have, therefore, plenty of room for manoeuvre to improve the reproductive performance of their herds by working closely with their veterinarians to establish appropriate strategies such as hormone synchronization protocols.  

Such improvement leads to healthier herds with increased milk production per cow. A Canadian study explains that “improved reproductive efficiency reduces both the number of reproductive culls and the need for replacement heifers,” further boosting the bottom line.

The Achieve 25%+ pregnancy rate program

Just like F1 racing, reproduction is driven by precision and performance. The Achieve 25%+ program challenged producers to aim for a collective pregnancy rate (or an average pregnancy rate) of 25% or higher through close monitoring of their operations. The results speak for themselves: teams that completed the challenge improved their average pregnancy rate from 21.5% to 25.6% in just one year, a 4.1 percentage point increase.

Team British Columbia took first place with a 4.58 percentage point increase, closely followed by Quebec with 4.31 points.

From Rookie to Champion: Legend Dairy Farm

If Grand Prize winner Douglas Groenendijk looks familiar, it’s because he’s also known for starring in CTV’s Farming For Love reality series.

As the competition started, Doug had just founded Legend Dairy Farm, a brand-new operation between Chemainus and Crofton, BC. Veterinarian Dr. Jackie Wrigglesworth found this unique opportunity to start the farm on the right foot especially exciting.

“Doug’s enthusiasm was infectious,” says the veterinarian. “We both wanted to get his farm started with a solid foundation and then work towards continual improvement as we figured out what worked best for him.” Regular monitoring of conception and pregnancy rates, along with reviewing related health events, helped Legend Dairy Farm achieve its goal.

Doug’s small herd proved to be a challenge. Building numbers and gathering reliable statistics takes time, ensuring that decisions lead to desired outcomes and observed trends are fact-based. Fortunately, the breeding program is already addressing that challenge. “We were really lucky and ended up with a huge wave of calves,” says Doug. “Now we’re working on spacing out the next ones!”

Doug adds that the increased pregnancy rates and efficiency have been a major boost for his business. “Good reproduction truly is a blessing,” he says.

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Stock up on hay

As the cold halts grass growth (or turns the blades into frozen greensicles), your horses will transition from pasture to hay. Be sure to stock enough: horses typically eat 2% of their body weight daily to maintain their body heat. Horses with a low Body Condition Score (BCS) will even require additional calories.

In addition to the quantity of hay, it’s wise to add 25% more as a safety buffer, ensuring you don’t run short during the colder months. However, dry hay lacks the essential vitamins and minerals found in fresh grass. Consider supplementing their diet with a vitamin mix, mineral-enriched salt blocks, and digestive aids to support their overall health through the winter months.

Inspect barns and shelters

Even horses that roam outdoors in winter need respite from biting winds, freezing rain, and snowstorms. A three-sided run-in shelter may be sufficient, but harsher climates might require insulated stables.

Additionally, in larger herds, there’s often an established hierarchy. Consider building multiple shelters so even the lower-ranking horses have a place to go, ensuring everyone has access to warmth and protection.

Once the shelters are in place, it’s crucial to check their structural integrity. Look for loose boards, exposed nails, or any other hazards that could cause injury. Ensure the roof is sturdy, leak-free, and capable of withstanding heavy snow or ice buildup.

Provide dental care

Healthy teeth and gums are essential for your horses to chew hay comfortably and digest it more efficiently. Pain-free eating helps maintain a healthy weight, which is crucial for conserving enough energy to stay warm throughout the winter.

To prevent any wintertime complications, schedule dental exams with your veterinarian twice a year, with one appointment ideally before winter sets in.

During the cold months, keep a close eye on your horses’ eating habits. Changes such as slow chewing, difficulty eating, or weight loss could signal dental issues that need immediate attention.

Give your horses warm water

There’s a fine line between refreshing and brain-freeze-inducing water. To encourage sufficient water intake during the winter, make sure your horses always have access to warm water (around 4°C or 39°F). Long-term dehydration can lead to a loss of appetite and colic, which is abdominal pain caused by a lack of moisture in the gut.

To prevent this, check water systems daily to ensure they don’t freeze, and monitor your horses’ intake closely. Horses typically drink 5 to 10 gallons (19 to 38 liters) of water per day, so maintaining access to fresh, unfrozen water is key to their health and well-being.

By giving your horses plenty of hay, warm water, sturdy shelter, and proper dental care, you’ll ensure their well-being until spring arrives. Please contact your veterinarian if you have any health concerns about your horses.

The post 4 key steps to prepare your horses for winter appeared first on Club Vetoquinol.

From farm to faraway lands… and back home

Raised as an only child on a small farm west of Beiseker, Alberta, Amanda’s childhood companions were often covered in fur or feathers. “I tried to save every injured cat or bird I could find, even the odd gopher,” she recalls. Making her way through high school, she realized becoming a veterinarian was out of her reach—but she was thrilled to discover the profession of veterinary technician.

After graduating from Olds College, Amanda was offered various opportunities. She started her technical career with small animals, then mixed animals, some wildlife work in Australia, and even worked as a sales representative for a pharmaceutical company. “The nice thing about this industry is that it lets you experience multiple fields over a long career,” she says.

She found her calling in Equine Internal Medicine and joined Moore Equine Veterinary Services in Calgary in 2016 as an internal medicine technologist. “The team is amazing, and within a month, I knew this is where I wanted to stay,” adds Amanda. Her journey has come full circle: the clinic where she works is just a half hour away from her childhood home.

From farm to faraway lands… and back home

Raised as an only child on a small farm west of Beiseker, Alberta, Amanda’s childhood companions were often covered in fur or feathers. “I tried to save every injured cat or bird I could find, even the odd gopher,” she recalls. Making her way through high school, she realized becoming a veterinarian was out of her reach—but she was thrilled to discover the profession of veterinary technician.

After graduating from Olds College, Amanda was offered various opportunities. She started her technical career with small animals, then mixed animals, some wildlife work in Australia, and even worked as a sales representative for a pharmaceutical company. “The nice thing about this industry is that it lets you experience multiple fields over a long career,” she says.

She found her calling in Equine Internal Medicine and joined Moore Equine Veterinary Services in Calgary in 2016 as an internal medicine technologist. “The team is amazing, and within a month, I knew this is where I wanted to stay,” adds Amanda. Her journey has come full circle: the clinic where she works is just a half hour away from her childhood home.

How to earn a Veterinary Technician Specialty (VTS) certification

The VTS program, managed by the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America and delivered through affiliated academies, recognizes veterinary technicians’ advanced knowledge and skills across various disciplines, including dental health, diagnostic imaging, and internal medicine.

Although requirements vary by academy, the rigorous screening process generally includes three to five years of full-time experience in the chosen field, letters of recommendation, 40 hours of continuing education, a comprehensive set of short case logs, detailed case reports, and demonstrated mastery of advanced technical skills. Candidates who successfully meet all these criteria are invited to sit for an exam the following year, which, if passed, results in admission to the academy.

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Early threats to calf health

Respiratory diseases and diarrhea together account for nearly three quarters (73%) of pre-weaning calf deaths . “Calves generally have an underdeveloped immune system in the first few weeks of life and face challenges from various pathogens in their environment,” Dr. Edwards explains. For instance, a calf might become ill with diarrhea after ingesting contaminated materials or develop pneumonia due to poor air quality.

Animals that survive past weaning despite early illnesses remain at a disadvantage throughout their lives. Pre-weaning respiratory diseases present calves with “an increased risk of culling and reduced first lactation milk yields,” says Dr. Edwards.

A prospective study published in the Journal of Dairy Science  associates diarrhea with a 50 g/d reduction in average daily gain (ADG) and 325 kg less milk in the first lactation. A subsequent study demonstrates a correlation between the number of days of diarrhea, calf survival rate, and weight gain, with calves that had fewer days of diarrhea showing better figures overall.

Why colostrum management is critical

To combat these early challenges, calves depend on the transfer of passive immunity through their mother’s colostrum, which is naturally rich in nutrients and antibodies. “Feeding clean, high-quality colostrum within the first hour from birth is one of the most important things we can do for calf health,” says Dr. Edwards.

Not all colostrum is created equal, therefore it should be assessed and handled according to the Five Qs of Colostrum Management:

1. Quality: The IgG content (an antibody), measured using a Brix refractometer, should be at least 25% . .
2. Quantity: Feeding about 10% of body weight, so 3 litres for a Jersey calf and 4 for a Holstein calf.
3. Quickness: The calf should be fed colostrum ideally within the first hour after birth (but definitely within the first 6 hours), then again after about 12 hours.
4. Quite Clean: The total bacterial count should be below 100,000 cfu/mL to ensure contamination does not inhibit IgG absorption. (Admittedly, the “Q” is a bit of a stretch here.)
5. Quantify: Measuring total serum proteins or serum IgG from a blood sample, ideally within the first 72 hours of life, can assess the transfer of passive immunity.

Numerous factors can compromise a calf’s ability to absorb colostrum, including being born to heat-stressed dams, as noted in a University of Florida study[JM1] [KE2] . Yet its timely administration remains paramount to prevent diseases. “Calves undergo gut closure, and as time passes, their ability to absorb the immunoglobulins in colostrum decreases,” warns Dr. Edwards.

Small changes make a big difference in calf health

Disease development is often described in medicine by the “Epidemiology Triad”—the interaction of an agent, a host, and the environment. “Effective prevention and control strategies are based on improving these interconnected elements,” explains Dr. Edwards.

Maintaining cleanliness reduces the prevalence of bacteria and other pathogens. Similarly, environments that feature low-dust bedding, reduced stocking densities, and excellent ventilation are less conducive to the spread of airborne illnesses. Colostrum management, nutrition, and trait selection through artificial insemination will, in turn, improve calf immunity and resilience.

Additional procedures may be incorporated to improve calf health monitoring and early disease detection. An ATP luminometer offers an efficient method for assessing environmental hygiene by detecting bacteria, yeast, and mould. Dr. Edwards frequently uses thoracic ultrasounds in her practice to look for lung lesions and subclinical pneumonia. She notes, “Lung lesions of 3 cm² or greater in calves before 56 days of age are associated with 525 kg less milk during their first lactation.”

Implementing such measures provides benefits throughout every animal’s lifespan. “By improving calf health, we improve their growth, welfare, milk production, and the farm’s overall profitability,” says Dr. Edwards. For starters, raising healthier animals reduces the need for culling and costly replacements. A comprehensive meta-analysis also reports that for every 100-gram increase in preweaning ADG, there’s an associated increase of 155 kg in milk in first lactation.

Switching to an entrepreneurial mindset

“Producers should view calves as a profit centre rather than a cost centre,” explains Dr. Edwards. “For example, instead of looking at feeding costs per day, consider the increased return on investment that comes from every kilogram of weight gain.”

A well-known management principle attributed to Peter Drucker states, “What gets measured gets improved.” Yet calf health data is poorly recorded on many Ontario dairy farms, a 2023 survey concludes.

“As part of our prevention strategies, improving the accuracy of data will help us implement protocol changes and reduce the incidence of disease overall,” says Dr. Edwards. She recommends meticulously recording everything related to birth, colostrum quantity and feeding times, Brix readings, serum total proteins, illnesses, all administered treatments or therapies, as well as weight gains at birth, 30 days, and at weaning. This has been a cornerstone of the calf health program she runs at Tavistock Veterinarians.

Improving calf health through better protocols, colostrum management, and environmental hygiene significantly boosts growth, resilience, and milk production. By viewing calves as a profit center and meticulously recording health data, farmers can enhance animal welfare and profitability, ensuring long-term success and sustainability in dairy farming.

The post Calf Health Management: Raising larger, healthier animals appeared first on Club Vetoquinol.

1. Many small ranches make up the backbone of the Canadian beef industry.

While the endless prairies may capture our imagination, the reality is that most Canadian cattle producers are part-time farmers on mixed-income farms. According to Canadian Beef, 61% of ranchers manage fewer than 47 heads of cattle each.

However, the collective might of these small-scale operations is impressive. According to the Canadian Cattle Association, 60,697 farms and ranches reported raising beef cattle in the 2021 Census of Agriculture, a 1.5% increase since 2016.

In 2024, this national network of dedicated farmers were managing over 9 million beef cattle in total, including over 3.4 million beef cows.

• Just three provinces make up 84% of Canadian beef.

Alberta reigns supreme among beef-producing provinces, contributing to a whopping 44% of the country’s national output. Saskatchewan ranks second with 29%, followed by Manitoba at 11%. In addition, the average size of a cow-calf farm tends to be larger in Western Canada, where it stands at 85 heads, well above the national average of 69, as reported by the Canadian Beef Agency.

These provinces fully utilize their extensive and relatively affordable land to manage large-scale cattle operations. The flat and fertile terrain, abundant sunny weather, and moderate rainfall are also ideal for grazing.

• Breeding methods vary significantly between the East and West.

Bull breeding is the standard breeding system among cow-calf producers in the vast expanses of Western Canada. This natural process is cost-effective and well-suited to the area’s large herds and farm size, providing significant economies of scale. Bulls are carefully selected to meet the needs of genetic improvement and breeding efficiency, and service around 25 cows per season.

Meanwhile, Eastern Canadian farms are more inclined to leverage artificial insemination. Studies from 2017 showed that 32% of Ontario producers and 53% of Atlantic producers have bred at least one cow using this process, compared to just 18% in Western Canada. Despite requiring a more significant upfront investment, the use of such technology improves conception, calving, growth uniformity, and calf weaning rates through specific trait selection, enhancing overall profitability.  

• More than three times as many calves are born in the first half of the year as in the latter half.

In 2019, an overwhelming majority of calves – 3.24 million, to be precise – were born between January and June, compared to just 1.1 million in the following months. Although most beef cows give birth in spring, 9 months after the grazing season, late summer births do happen. Defining a controlled calving season improves uniformity in calf size and quality, and streamlines labour, vaccination, and care schedules.

Why the preference for the early spring? Calving from January to March means the young animals are robust and market-ready by the traditional sales time. The later spring period, from March to May, offers mild weather and abundant pastures, which supports lactating cows and reduces the need for costly feeds.

Conversely, summer and fall present unique challenges. Cows calving out on pasture from June to August may face increased complications. From September to November, shorter days and limited housing space can complicate management as winter approaches.

• Newborn calves depend on the first suckling for protective immunity.

The primary challenge to calf survival is dystocia, or complications during calving, followed by infections such as diarrhea and pneumonia. Nutrient- and antibody-rich colostrum from the cow is the most powerful tool to combat these early threats. Beef calves should consume the equivalent of 5% of their body weight in colostrum—that’s 2 litres for a 40 kg newborn—within their first hour to benefit from protective immunity, followed by another litre about 12 hours later. Providing calves with this life-saving elixir is crucial for bolstering their resilience during these vulnerable early days.

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From your morning latte to late-night cookie dunks, cow milk is a source of joy and comfort to many Canadians. It’s easy to take this nourishing ingredient for granted without giving a second thought to all the hard work and dedication poured into every drop. Here are a few fun facts about dairy production that may help you savour your next glass just a tad more.

1. Wisconsin is home to a record-breaking bovine.

The average Holstein cow produces 30 to 40 litres of milk daily, which is equivalent to roughly 24,575 lb per year. But a certain celebrity cow has hoofed its way well beyond these figures.

Meet the affectionately named Aftershock 3918, a prime bovine of the Selz-Pralle Dairy farm near Humbird, Wisconsin. In her fifth year of lactation in 2017, this overachiever set the world record for most milk produced in a year with a staggering 78,170 lb. This milk marvel consistently churned out between 95 and 127 litres daily.

In an interview with Dairy Herd, proud owners Scott Pralle and Pam Selz-Pralle shared some of the secrets to their farm’s success: being mindful of the smallest details, minimizing cow stress, focusing on disease prevention, maintaining consistency, keeping good daily habits, and motivating their team.

• Chocolate milk was invented in Jamaica.

You may already be in on the trade secret that chocolate milk doesn’t come from brown cows. But did you know its origin can be traced back to the sunny shores of 15^th-century Jamaica?

Historian James Delbougo claims that as far back as 1494, Jamaicans concocted “a hot beverage brewed from shavings of freshly harvested cacao, boiled with milk and cinnamon.”

Fast forward to the early 1700s, when the National History Museum in Britain reports that Irish botanist Sir Hans Sloane spent some time in Jamaica. Sloane had the opportunity to sample this local drink – and found it nauseating. He transformed the recipe into something more palatable and brought it back to England, where local apothecaries hawked it as a medicine for many years.

Only in the 19^th century did the enterprising Cadbury Brothers pick up Sloane’s recipe and start producing chocolate milk on a grand scale for the world’s delight.  

• India is (by far) the largest milk producer in the world.

When it comes to milk production, India stands in a league of its own. The 2023 Dairy Market Review by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations expected milk production in India to hit a colossal 232 million tonnes. This leap is fuelled by increasing herd numbers and more efficient collection techniques by dairy cooperatives, nudging a 2.5% increase from the previous year.

To fully grasp India’s dairy dominance, consider this: with global milk production estimated at 950 million tonnes, nearly one in every four litres of milk comes from an Indian cow.

This staggering statistic completely dwarfs the production of its closest single-country rival, the United States, which ranks second with 103 million tonnes. (Production from all European Union countries is tallied collectively and adds up to 160 million tonnes).

Meanwhile, Canada’s estimated yield—shy of 10 million tonnes—places it 13^th in this ranking.  

• Canadian milk is considered one of the best worldwide.

Canadian milk may not top the charts for quantity, but it can certainly compete for quality. The Dairy Farmers of Canada proudly tout their product as “the highest quality milk in the world.” Skeptics may consider the organization a little biased, but there’s compelling evidence to back up this bold claim:

• Canadian farmers collaborate with nutrition experts to ensure their cows receive a healthy, well-balanced diet, which is essential for crafting top-tier milk.
• The only additives in local white milk are vitamins A and D, added as required by law to help boost Canadians’ intake of these essential nutrients. No preservatives are used from coast to coast.
• Every dairy farm and processing plant in Canada implements stringent quality checks to ensure no trace of antibiotics lingers in the milk. Whenever antibiotics are needed, the milk from treated cows is discarded until it’s clear of residues and meets strict safety standards.
• Using artificial growth hormones in dairy cows is prohibited in Canada. Despite increasing milk production, these products pose a risk to bovine health and stir concerns about their potential effects on human health.

• There are more cows across Canada than people in Saskatchewan.

In 2023, AAFC tallied over 1.4 million dairy cows and heifers grazing across 9,443 commercial farms in Canada. To put this in perspective, these numbers surpass the human population of Saskatchewan, home to just over 1.2 million people.

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Antimicrobial stewardship is an integral component of responsible veterinary practice, requiring a concerted effort to ensure the judicious use of antimicrobials. As professionals committed to the well-being of animals and public health, veterinarians play a pivotal role in implementing effective stewardship practices. Antimicrobial stewardship simply relies on “The use of the Right Antibiotic, in the Right Amount, at the Right Time, at the Right Dose, for the Right Reason”.

The concerns with use of antimicrobials always stems from the development of resistant bacterial infections. Although this conversation typically focuses on human medicine, antimicrobial resistance is also a concern in our veterinary practice as well. Each time antimicrobials are used resistant bacteria are selected – we never achieve sterility with treatment. New antibiotics are not being developed quickly, and there are limitations imposed in animal production systems. This can easily lead to our antibiotics becoming less effective to treat common diseases. For this reason, it is important to consider when not to use antimicrobials to avoid their overuse and unnecessary resistance development.

The WHO’s Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (2015) serves as a foundational document outlining the critical strategies for combating AMR, and various versions have been developed for the veterinary community as well. The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association has their own guidelines for prudent antimicrobial use available. Veterinarians and producers are urged to adhere to these guidelines, which can be simplified into “The 5 Rs”: Responsibility, Reduction, Refinement, Replacement, Review.

Anyone who uses antimicrobials is responsible for any harm that can be caused beyond the disease being treated. When antimicrobials are used, they need to be recorded, and the response to treatment monitored. Ideally, we should be working proactively to reduce out antimicrobial use through vaccination, biosecurity, and animal husbandry practices whenever possible. Of course, antimicrobials cannot be avoided in all situations. When they are required, they should be carefully considered rather than used empirically. This is where the concept of the “The use of the Right Antibiotic, in the Right Amount, at the Right Time, at the Right Dose, for the Right Reason” comes in to play to refine our antimicrobial use. In other situations, we may not need to rely on antibiotics at all, and instead could seek out a replacement treatment options that promotes health or prevents the disease. Lastly, none of these actions can occur alone, therefore a team review of current management practices is needed to ensure that everyone understands the goal.

We can already begin to see how “The 5 Rs” are reliant on each other and will naturally lead to reduced antimicrobial use!

It is evident that there are roadblocks to prudent antimicrobial use in the veterinary world, as we have grown accustomed to our antibiotics being fairly effective, therefore changing practices can be difficult. There is a burden of cost associated with modifying the diagnostics used and timed taken to properly diagnose a condition, to the best of our ability. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee of optimal therapeutic protocol for treatment of every condition either, therefore guidelines have been developed to help with decision making.

For all of these challenges, protocols can be developed between veterinarians and producers to speed up and simplify some of the hurdles seen with antimicrobial stewardship. In other situations, a review of the biosecurity, cleaning, and disinfection protocols can reduce the exposure to certain diseases, negating the need to treat animals. Standard operating procedures help facilitate the identification of sick animals and manage them based on the veterinary-guided treatment plan. One example is the algorithm developed for the treatment of diarrhea in calves which significantly reduced the used of antibiotics without affecting the overall mortality on farms that implemented it. Regardless of the protocol or treatment plan implemented, farm and medical records are an essential factor in monitoring the efficacy and success of the livestock and the use of antimicrobials.

There is no simple solution because antimicrobial stewardship is a shared responsibility that necessitates a collective commitment from the veterinary community. Through ongoing education, implementation of best practices, and a dedication to diagnostic precision, veterinarians can play a pivotal role in ensuring the sustainable use of antimicrobials for generations to come. Producers in turn can do their part in seeking alternative options to antimicrobials, such as changes in farm management, biosecurity, and vaccination to help prevent disease occurrence.

Vetoquinol Canada supports the Stewardship of Antimicrobials by Veterinarians Initiative (SAVI) and reminds all our partners to review the CVMA veterinary guidelines for antimicrobial use published in 2018 (canadianveterinarians.net/AMU-UAM). Although the SAVI project was scheduled to end in 2023, the efforts, resources, and beliefs live on. To learn more about the Stewardship of Antimicrobials by Veterinarians Initiative, please visit https://savi.canadianveterinarians.net.

More information about antimicrobial stewardship in general can be found in the Farmed Animal Antimicrobial Stewardship Initiative (FAAST) https://www.amstewardship.ca/.

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