Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

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 or companion and equine) practice.

This week student-veterinarian Lindsay talked about the broad knowledge required by dairy veterinarians. Check out www.ovc.uoguelph.ca/externship for the latest blog and click on each student's photo to access all of their blogs.

Many factors contribute to dairy herd health

After completing three years of veterinary school I feel like I have been taught a lot of information! However, going into a career of dairy medicine requires knowledge about so much more than just dairy medicine.

One important component of dairy farming that is important for vets to know about is nutrition. Nutrition affects production and transition cow health and therefore is very important for a vet to know about. There are several vets at Heartland Veterinary Services that are very interested in nutrition and I have learned a lot talking with them and walking crop fields to know when they are ready to be harvested.

One aspect of dairy farming that I am very interested in is barn design. Many farmers ask veterinarians about their opinion when building a new barn so it is something I would like to learn more about. There are five key things that need to be assessed when building a new barn: cattle resting space, cattle walking space/flooring, water sources, feeding space and ventilation. Within each of these categories are many aspects of barn design to think about. Now when I go into a barn with a veterinarian I try to remember to assess the barn for these five things.

Another thing key to being a good dairy veterinarian is being able to assess production traits. Many dairy farmers use a milk recording service called CanWest DHI. This company collects production data on farms to be used for management purposes. Things that are recorded include: herd average milk production, fat and protein production, individual cow measurements, somatic cell measurements, average age at first calving, longevity, etc. These values are used to assess how the dairy farm is doing and how it can be improved. The veterinarian plays an integral part in this!

Growing up on a dairy farm I was lucky enough to be exposed to many of these components of dairy farming, but I still have lots to learn!

 

Views: 112

Comments are closed for this blog post

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

Farm tractor struts its stuff on F1 track

A Valtra T236 reached 54 mph at the Red Bull Ring in Austria

Diploid Potato Breeding May Improve Yield and Storage

AAFC researchers have found that diploid potatoes offer improved genetics, high yields, and disease resistance, providing a resilient alternative for Canadian potato growers.

Boosting soybean protein: The essential role of zinc and sulfur in sustainable crop production

Soybean is a critical element of the global food supply: Between its use for animal feed and human consumption, it accounts for roughly two-thirds of plant-based protein meal output world-wide. Canada is a global leader in sustainable soybean production, with 70% of its crop, one of the country’s top three by value, exported annually. According to Brazilian scientist Gabriel Montanha, soy production has “exploded” in recent decades to meet demand – but there hasn’t been a corresponding increase in soybean’s protein content. “To ensure soy remains a sustainable crop, we need to increase the protein content of soy seeds,”  says Montanha, who is doing a postdoctoral fellowship at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble, France. “It's critical we find ways want to generate more protein without increasing the amount of land we’re currently cultivating.” Montanha and colleagues used the Canadian Light Source (CLS) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask), and Brazil

New insights into lung health risk for female farmers

Exposure to a mix of common airborne agricultural contaminants could lead to lung effects in females, a new University of Saskatchewan (USask) study has uncovered. Farmers are exposed daily to a variety of potential contaminants such as endotoxins (substances associated with certain bacteria) in dust, which are well-known to trigger lung inflammation and asthma. However, how endotoxins specifically impact women’s health is not well understood, particularly when there is also exposure to a herbicide called glyphosate, widely used in agricultural work. Now, USask researchers have detected lung effects in female mice models just five days after a combined exposure, simulating the same quantity of endotoxins and herbicide farmers could breathe over a work week. The team was able to take detailed images of the affected lungs thanks to the powerful X-rays of the Canadian Light Source (CLS) at USask. These images showed that fluid had built up in the lungs during this short exposure perio

Wet harvest? Protect Stored Cereals from OTA

Wet harvest conditions across parts of the Prairies have put added focus on how cereal grain is managed in storage. Cool, wet weather has slowed harvest progress in some areas, with reports of tough cereals and grain quality concerns. For growers bringing grain off at higher moisture levels, careful drying, cooling and monitoring will be especially important this fall. Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin that can develop in stored cereal grain when moisture and temperature conditions are favourable for fungal growth. Unlike deoxynivalenol (DON), which develops in the field as a result of Fusarium infection, OTA develops during storage. Grain stored above safe moisture levels, condensation or water entering the bin, contaminated dust or soil, and residues from previously stored grain can all contribute to OTA development. Even a small pocket of damp grain can create problems. That means managing the entire grain mass, not just relying on an average moisture reading. Make Storage Manage

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service