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Ontario Veterinary College's Blog (35)

Annual Mike Wilson Swine Research day provides updates and networking opportunities

Traceability and predicting future research areas were two of the topics on the agenda at the recent Mike Wilson Swine Research Day at the University of Guelph.

The annual Swine Research Day provides updates on current research as well as networking opportunities with faculty, grad students, industry representatives and keynote speakers. Wilson was a faculty member in OVC’s Population Medicine department from the late 1960s to the mid-1990s.

The research day provides an…

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Added by Ontario Veterinary College on June 10, 2015 at 2:08am — No Comments

OVC announces New Dairy Welfare Program

A new animal welfare program will be offered at the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph.  The Saputo Dairy Care program was made possible by a $500,000 gift from Saputo Inc. and will be taught through the Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare.  The focus will be on providing practical dairy welfare education, including workshops for veterinary students, veterinary practitioners, and dairy producers. It will also include a fourth year Dairy Welfare rotation for students…

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Added by Ontario Veterinary College on June 9, 2015 at 2:19am — No Comments

Symposium speaker outlines best practices for handling dairy cattle

It’s easy to recognize play behaviour in calves when you see it, says Dr. Jeff Rushen, they run and jump.  Exploring these positive emotions can be useful tools to assess animal welfare.

In two presentations at the recent Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare’s (CCSAW) annual Research Symposium at the University of Guelph, Rushen outlined what science has taught about best practices for handling dairy cattle and about exploring positive emotions in animals by…

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Added by Ontario Veterinary College on May 15, 2015 at 2:07am — No Comments

Symposium includes livestream of dairy keynote speaker

This year’s Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare’s (CCSAW) 8th annual Research Symposium will include poultry and companion animal sessions, as well as a dairy focus with keynote speaker Dr. Jeff Rushen.

Rushen will outline what science has taught us about the best practices for handling dairy cattle, and about exploring positive emotions in animals by studying play in young calves and how that may be useful in the assessment of animal welfare.

He has worked on many…

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Added by Ontario Veterinary College on May 11, 2015 at 10:12am — No Comments

Attention dairy farmers - have you completed the research survey on calf feeding?

Researchers at the University of Guelph want to find out more about the way dairy farmers feed and manage young dairy calves. In particular, they are interested in the use of automated milk feeders in Canada. Dairy farmers across Canada are encouraged to fill out an online survey at http://fluidsurveys.com/s/milkfeedingdairycalves/

You may have already seen or heard about this survey through CanWest DHI,…

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Added by Ontario Veterinary College on March 10, 2015 at 7:39am — No Comments

Research event highlights ongoing dairy research

A recent dairy research event at the University of Guelph provided research updates to Dairy Farmers of Ontario board members and staff, as well as local dairy producers and industry partners.

“It is highly important and rewarding to share research results with the end users, such as dairy producers and dairy advisors,” says Dr. Todd Duffield, a professor in the Population Medicine Department at the Ontario Veterinary College. “If our dairy research results are to be adopted…

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Added by Ontario Veterinary College on February 19, 2015 at 4:55am — No Comments

Farm clients thanked for supporting OVC teaching programs

A recent Appreciation Day for OVC Ruminant Field Services (OVC-RFS) clients not only offered research updates they can put to use on their farms, it was an opportunity to thank clients for their support of OVC’s teaching programs.

“We want to thank you for your patients and your patience,” said Dr. Todd Duffield, OVC professor and one of the faculty veterinarians with the OVC-RFS, as he welcomed clients to the day.

Student veterinarians gain valuable experience working with the…

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Added by Ontario Veterinary College on December 22, 2014 at 10:11am — No Comments

OVC professor receives Canadian Animal Health Coalition’s Carl Block Award

An OVC professor and researcher with a distinguished career in animal health and welfare education, small animal ruminant industries and food-animal agriculture, is this year’s recipient of the Canadian Animal Health Coalition (CAHC) Carl Block Award.

Dr. Paula Menzies was presented the award at the Canadian Animal Health Coalition’s annual Appreciation Reception in…

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Added by Ontario Veterinary College on December 5, 2014 at 6:09am — No Comments

Early detection of ketosis can provide invaluable data

Early detection of ketosis can provide dairy farmers with invaluable data to improve their cattle’s health and productivity. 

In a health monitoring program, a cow’s ketone levels can be measured in milk, blood or urine samples weekly for two to three weeks post-calving. Advancements in milking systems are incorporating ketone measurement into…

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Added by Ontario Veterinary College on November 19, 2014 at 3:19am — No Comments

Healthier cows may produce more bioactive compounds in colostrum

Dairy cattle with enhanced immune responses not only have lower incidents of disease, but may also produce more bioactive compounds in their colostrum that are critical to newborn calves and are beneficial in fighting mastitis-causing pathogens, an Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) graduate student has found.

Research has shown that High Immune Responder (HIR) cows have a lower incidence of diseases, such as mastitis, metritis, ketosis and retained placenta. The HIR technology,…

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Added by Ontario Veterinary College on October 20, 2014 at 2:52am — No Comments

Unique scholarship program brings science and business together

The connection between science and business is an important one and one that’s gaining credence through the Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP) Graduate Scholarship program.

Funded under the OMAFRA-U of G Partnership, HQP scholarships are awarded to support future generations of researchers, policy-makers and innovators in agri-food. Students gain a better understanding of business models and business management while completing research in their area of study. 

The program also…

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Added by Ontario Veterinary College on August 5, 2014 at 4:58am — No Comments

OVC Student Veterinarian Externship Project: Ultrasounds…more than just a pretty picture

Each summer DVM students from the Ontario Veterinary College delve into practical experience at veterinary clinics across Ontario and additional locales. These blog posts are an opportunity to tag along with five of them this summer. This week student veterinarian Chelsea describes the value of ultrasounds.  Check out all the student blogs at www.ovc.uoguelph.ca/externship

Follow us on Twitter at…

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Added by Ontario Veterinary College on July 24, 2014 at 3:00am — No Comments

OVC Student Veterinarian Externship Project: “B” is for Biosecurity

Each summer DVM students from the Ontario Veterinary College delve into practical experience at veterinary clinics across Ontario and additional locales. These blog posts are an opportunity to tag along with five of them this summer. This week student veterinarian Chelsea talks about biosecurity. Check out all the student blogs at www.ovc.uoguelph.ca/externship

 

Biosecurity, it’s more than just a…

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Added by Ontario Veterinary College on July 14, 2014 at 2:13am — No Comments

OVC Student Veterinarians Share Externship Experience: Apparently all hay is not created equally

Each summer DVM students from the Ontario Veterinary College delve into practical experience at veterinary clinics across Ontario and additional locales. These blog posts are an opportunity to tag along with five of them this summer. This week student veterinarian Jodi took a pasture-to-plate approach to some hay samples. Check out all the student blogs at www.ovc.uoguelph.ca/externship

Working with Dr.…

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Added by Ontario Veterinary College on July 4, 2014 at 2:19am — No Comments

U of G OVC Student Veterinarians Share Experiences Working With Animals in Local Clinics - Externship

Diagnostics, clinical skills, problem solving, and working with clients are all critical pieces in a student veterinarian’s education. This summer, five student veterinarians have been blogging during their practical experience (externship) at veterinary practices.

Funded by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food and Ministry of Rural Affairs (OMAF and MRA), students must complete an eight-week Externship Course between third and fourth year in a rural (companion and food animal…

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Added by Ontario Veterinary College on June 24, 2014 at 5:45am — No Comments

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

Soybean Fungicide Decisions

As soybean crops move into flowering, questions are sure to be raised about whether fungicide applications are needed. In anticipation, let’s take a closer look at the potential disease threats and what Manitoba On-Farm Network research has told us. What Should We Be Concerned About? Foliar diseases infecting soybeans in Manitoba typically occur at low severity levels and are not expected to impact yield most years. These usually include bacterial blight, downy mildew and Septoria brown spot. Stem diseases generally have a greater impact on yield. White mould: infections begin at nodes along the main stem. Wilted plants may be spotted from afar, within a humid canopy may find white mycelial growth and black sclerotia bodies later in the season. This disease is the main target of fungicide applications. Cool, wet conditions throughout July and August favour white mould. For every 10% increase in the percent of plants infected with white mould, 2-5 bu/ac of yield are lost in soybeans.

Fungicide Decision Tool for Managing Mycosphaerella Blight in Field Peas

When your peas have reached V10 (10th node stage), it is an ideal time to start scouting each field to evaluate if a fungicide application to manage Mycosphaerella blight is warranted. Continue scouting for symptoms from V10 (10th true node) to R2 (beginning bloom), during mid-June to late July. Mycosphaerella (Ascochyta) blight is the most widespread and economically damaging foliar disease of Manitoba field peas. Peas are the single host crop of Mycosphaerella but it can be managed by foliar fungicide. This pathogen can be stubble-, air-, soil- and seed-borne. Spores can travel long distances by air, meaning there is a disease risk even in fields where peas have not been grown previously. The impact of disease severity on yield will depend on how early the disease sets in and how quickly it progresses into the upper crop canopy. Early infections during the bloom to early/mid-pod stages cause the most damage if left untreated. Use this fungicide decision worksheet when scouting to

Manitoba pork, canola producers hold steady amid heavy tariffs

A slab of back bacon from Natural Raised Pork comes with a waitlist. Ian Smith points to tariffs. Since the United States placed levies on imports from Canada, Manitobans have increasingly been calling Smith about his farm near Argyle, some 40 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg. “There’s more people wanting to support local and I’m one of few people that do what I’m doing,” said Smith, 62. He estimates 90 per cent of his pork products are bought by Manitoba households; the latter goes to a packing plant. Last year, it was a 50-50 split. Smith works alone, hustling to meet the four-to-six week waitlist that’s accumulated. He keeps hundreds of feeder pigs and a couple dozen sows; it’s a relatively small operation, he noted. “If there’s any mistakes to be made, there’s only one person to blame and that’s me,” he said with a laugh. Smith doesn’t export to China — so he’s shielded from that nation’s levies still hanging over the Canadian industry.

KAP Welcomes Appointment of New U.S. Trade Representative

Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) welcomes the appointment of Richard Madan as Manitoba’s new trade representative to the United States. “We commend Premier Kinew and Minister Moses for making Manitoba’s voice a priority in Washington, D.C.,” said KAP President Jill Verwey. “We look forward to working with Mr. Madan to advance the interests of Manitoba farmers and the agricultural industry, ensuring these interests are at the forefront of his work as he forges stronger relationships with American policymakers and trade officials.” Agriculture is an important part of Manitoba’s economy, with $4.29 billion in agri-food exports to the U.S. alone in 2024, and KAP sees the new presence in Washington as instrumental in fostering strategic relationships with key states that are important to our trade interests. “The U.S. is Manitoba’s largest agri-food export destination and is one of Manitoba’s key trading partners on the international stage,” added KAP General Manager Colin Hornby. “

2025 Annual General Meeting

On Wednesday, June 18th, the Ontario Farmland Trust hosted its Annual General Meeting. The meeting was held hybrid again this year, with members and friends joining both virtually and in person.

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