Accessing Veterinary Care and Recent Announcements

Following the Ontario government’s recent announcements and investments to improve Ontario’s veterinary capacity, we wanted to dedicate this edition of Beef Beat to highlighting these efforts and the ongoing issue that many beef farmers experience around accessing large animal veterinary care.

One of the very first meetings I participated in when I joined the Beef Farmers of Ontario team had to do with the shortage of large animal veterinarians in Ontario, and the challenges faced by beef farmers in northern Ontario and other rural areas of the province to access care for their animals. The meeting was with individuals representing veterinarian and veterinary technician associations, the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC), and large animal veterinarians and beef producers. The meeting was designed to identify the core contributing factors to the issue and identify potential solutions to help rectify the problem. At the time, this issue, admittedly, was not on my radar as, coming from Stormont County and with our veterinarian approximately a twenty-minute drive from the farm,

We enjoy sourcing Canadian bred bulls for our AI program

• Our bulls are structurally correct with adequate frame and length of body

• These young bulls have good testicle development and stand on sound feet and legs

• The bulls are semen tested and ready to work my family rarely had any issues with the vet not being able to make it out. However, the long-term extent of this issue was made quite clear to me during this meeting when someone noted they had been involved in discussions on this very subject since the early 1990’s, before I was even born.

In addition to the long-term nature of this issue in Ontario, challenges accessing large animal veterinary care is becoming a concern in other parts of the province, outside of the areas that have historically experienced shortages. Many in the veterinary profession have reported that the shortage of veterinarians now goes beyond just large animal veterinarians and exists throughout Canada, which is also concerning. According to an article in a 2021 issue of the Canadian Cattlemen magazine, of the pool of vet graduates each year in Canada, it’s equivalent to approximately 2.9 per cent of Canada’s veterinary workforce, which is coupled with an approximate three per cent veterinarian retirement rate.

In regards to improving access to large animal care, this is being tackled differently by various jurisdictions. Within Canada, other provinces have implemented various programs and funding initiatives to increase the number of large animal veterinarians and improve access to veterinary care for farmers. For instance, both Alberta and Saskatchewan have financial incentive programs to encourage veterinarians to practice in northern and other underserviced areas (the Saskatchewan program also includes veterinary technicians); Newfoundland and Labrador and New Brunswick have government employed farm animal veterinarians that are regionally situated; and Nova Scotia and Yukon have programs that support farmers to utilize large animal veterinary services. A number of provinces, in recent years, have also allocated more funding to expand the number of seats at their veterinary colleges.

As for Ontario, different solutions have been examined and programs created to address this problem – some of which have come and gone. One of the programs that has been around for many years is the Veterinary Assistance Program. It operates in northern Ontario and other underserviced areas of the province and it provides financial assistance to large animal veterinary clinics for travel expenses to farms, continuing education and locum assistance. The province has also long supported the OVC in training domestic students; however, the number of seats for domestic students had been capped at 105 since the late 1980’s. In early 2022, the provincial government also announced the Livestock Veterinary Innovation Initiative to enhance virtual care options and enhancements for mobile clinics.

Last fall, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) announced its Grow Ontario strategy, which stated a commitment to support efforts to increase veterinary capacity in underserviced areas of Ontario, and plan to modernize the Veterinarians Act. With the release of the provincial budget in March,

Ross & Beth Gladstone operate Eden Farm, a century farm, near Highgate Ontario. Together they have sought to produce the highest quality beef available and built a loyal customer base and reliable sales for his freezer beef and stockers from his small herd of cows. Ross has sought to make the best possible cross, raise better beef and be open to new possibilities and directions with his cattle. Beth has been by his side keeping him grounded, and making sure the operation runs without a glitch. Ross is committed to a full AI program relying on good data, and EPD’s to inform his decision making in an effort to always get the perfect cross. At the center of his operation are shorthorn cows.

A teacher and consummate learner, Ross experimented with different breeds, crosses and trends over the years, searching for the right mix with a belief that “heterozygous offspring have an important role in progressive beef production.” Ross shared his aim over a lifetime of work “... to develop the next big thing, the perfect beef animal, great conformation, gain, tenderness, carcass qualities, growth, reproduction potential and birth weights.”

Though he has a diverse group of cattle, Ross relies on a consistent core of shorthorn cows for the base of his program for their great maternal instincts and milking, that “ability to jump start a good calf.” Ross believes in hands on herdsmanship for the wellness of the herd and the impact happy, content cattle have on the final results. “Shorthorns have the right temperament” to make that possible.

Ross touts the consistency of shorthorns that makes them great to cross with. Not just in terms of temper and maternal instincts but in feed conversion and ease of keeping as well. Through his program Ross has found consistency with well marbled beef he sells locally, stockers averaging 700lbs, and efficiently finished steers and fats.

For Ross and Beth, being “creative with a rock-solid breed” has led to a successful formula.