Newly-infected pigs most likely to yield lab test answers

Post-mortem specialists offer tips on how to sample pigs on-farm to aid diagnostics

Pigs that are only beginning to be affected by pathogenic infections typically yield the most insightful biological samples for laboratory analysis, meaning hog producers may need to euthanize otherwise healthy pigs if they want to get ahead of potential herd-threatening health issues. That was the first message delivered by presenters from the University of Guelph’s […] Read more

Province launches Veterinary Incentive Program

Veterinary graduates can now apply for funding to practice in areas with critical labour shortages

To encourage newly licensed veterinarians to practice in northern and underserviced communities in Ontario, the provincial government has launched the Veterinary Incentive Program. The program will provide grants of up to $50,000 over five years to veterinarians who provide care to livestock and poultry in these communities. Program funding will be delivered by the Agricultural […] Read more

(Baxter Black video screen grab via YouTube)

U.S. cowboy poet and veterinarian Baxter Black, 77

Black appeared on Carson, NPR and in Grainews

U.S. cowboy poet, storyteller and veterinarian Baxter Black, whose work was a fixture for years in farm journals including Grainews, died Friday at age 77, his family reported. Born in New York in 1945, Black grew up in southern New Mexico and graduated from Colorado State University in 1969. He later relocated from Colorado to […] Read more

Increasing veterinarian capacity on Ontario farms

Increasing veterinarian capacity on Ontario farms

Ontario farmers will soon have improved access to veterinary services when and where they need it. The Livestock Veterinary Innovation Initiative is a new, cost-share program that will increase the access options for veterinary care, especially in rural and northern Ontario, to better support animal health, the livestock agri-food sector and the strength of the […] Read more

Dr. Kelly Barratt, pictured with her son Archie, was awarded the 2021 AABP Bovine Practitioner of the Year award for her leadership and contributions to the North American bovine industry.

Ontario vet receives prestigious North American bovine practitioner award

Dr. Kelly Barratt is the first woman and the youngest to win the award

Dr. Kelly Barratt of Listowel is this year’s recipient of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners Bovine Practitioner of the Year award sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim. It is the top honour that a member of the AABP can obtain in their career.  Although unable to attend in person, Barratt was recognized during the 54th AABP […] Read more


Dr. Tim Henshaw with some of his long-time clients: Roger and Janice Spence, Robert and Nadia Spence of Spencroft Holsteins, at Elmvale.

‘Dr. Tim’ to continue advocating for farm causes

Tim Henshaw is known for veterinary work over 40 years, but also his social media presence

Dr. Tim Henshaw worked his final day on the farm on New Year’s Eve, but the EastGen veterinarian will continue contributing to the dairy sector during semi-retirement. The veterinarian for the cattle genetics company says he has examined more than 1.1 million animals and met “a lot of new friends… and a few enemies” in […] Read more

Kelly Barratt is a veterinary practitioner with Heartland Veterinary Care.

Trust and telehealth services keep veterinarians rolling

Normal biosecurity focus moves to include human health

Technology and long-established client relationships have allowed farm animal veterinarians to maintain somewhat regular operations, albeit with some notable changes, during the ongoing pandemic. Widely used telehealth services, in particular, have helped keep a semblance of normalcy. “We’re a large vet service so that means we’ve had to make more changes than if we only […] Read more

Veterinarians more likely to have suicidal thoughts: study

Veterinarians more likely to have suicidal thoughts: study

Canadian veterinarians, particularly women practitioners, think about suicide more often than the general population and suffer poorer mental health overall, a study by University of Guelph researchers has found. As an occupation, veterinarians have higher levels of stress, burnout, compassion fatigue, anxiety and depression, and reported more suicidal ideation and lower resilience than Canadians generally, […] Read more


Farmers Pharmacy will be located in this building in Cambridge.

First Ontario livestock pharmacy opens

The new pharmacy will give farmers an alternative to only buying antimicrobials from a veterinarian

Farmers will now have an alternative to purchasing antibiotics from their veterinarian with the opening of the first independent agriculture pharmacy in Ontario. The GVF group of companies, which includes the Grand Valley Fortifiers feed manufacturer and Farmers Farmacy animal health and equipment supply company, received approval to launch Farmers Pharmacy Rx, a dispensary for […] Read more