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Large Animal Services

Since 1949, when Dr. Norm Amos first established the practice, we have been dedicated to serving local farmers, pet owners, and their animals with expertise and compassion. We are proud to provide bovine (dairy & beef) and small ruminant (sheep & goat) services.

Call now: 519-229-8911

Bovine – Dairy

Preventative Medicine

Herd Health

Pregnancy Diagnosis
Performed as part of a comprehensive regularly scheduled herd health program or by appointment as required.

  • Manual palpation
  • Ultrasound imaging

Early Pregnancy Diagnosis – Ultrasound
Used to determine the pregnancy status of a cow/heifer as early as 25 days post-breeding. The benefit of early pregnancy diagnosis is that open cows are detected earlier allowing for action to be taken to decrease the number of days open.

Fetal Sexing – Ultrasound
Performed between 60-90 days pregnant with the limitations of less than 60 days being that the fetus is too small and greater than 90 days the fetus falls over the pelvic brim and cannot be reached.

The benefit is that the sex of the pregnancy of that particular cow/heifer is known enabling the producer to make culling and peri-calving management decisions.

Reproductive Analysis/Monitoring
Performed as part of a comprehensive regularly scheduled herd health program.

Analysis of DHI/Dairy Comp 305 records to determine pit-falls in herd’s reproductive programs and then to troubleshoot these problems.

Vaccination Programs
Designing and implementing programs that specifically meet your farms needs.

Nutrition Programs
Farm specific programs for calves, heifers, and cows to optimize health and performance.

Calf/Heifer Health

  • Monitoring of calf/heifer health and growth rates and troubleshooting problems.
  • Monitoring/creating vaccination and deworming programs.
  • Analysis of DHI/Dairy Comp 305 reproductive records for heifers.

Fresh Cow Monitoring
Performed weekly or on an as-needed basis.

Technician attends the farm and performs a complete physical exam of all fresh cows including Temperature, Pulse, Respiration, Rumen fill, Vaginal discharge score, tests for Ketosis, and California Mastitis Tests (CMT) all quarters and cultures all CMT positive quarters. The technician can also take any samples required e.g. rumen tap, blood samples, etc.

Results of the technician’s visit are reported to the herd health veterinarian who then contacts the producer and an action-plan is created.

Hoof Health

  • Corrective trimming
  • Functional trimming
  • Monitoring/analysis
Feed Ration Analysis
Milking Equipment Evaluation
Milking Routine Evaluation
Milk/Mastitis Lab and Udder Health Program

CQM Advisors – Canadian Quality Milk Program

All Kirkton Veterinary Clinic food animal services veterinarians have been officially trained as CQM Advisors, allowing us to assist clients with preparation and application of the CQM program on farm. We offer both types of training that the DFO has made available – in class and on farm. In class training occurs in small groups, where producers will be introduced to the program and its requirements, and will be given the confidence to start the program on farm. On farm training occurs individually on the producer’s farm and will review the program’s application on farm and offer recommendations to ensure a successful validation. All initial training costs are covered by the DFO, however Kirkton Veterinary Clinic has developed additional resources that are useful for navigation through the program, that may have additional fees.

Embryo Transfer

  • Flushing
  • Freezing

Sexing/Splitting

Embryo Sexing:
Embryo sexing is a technology that enables producers to select embryos of a desired sex to be implanted or frozen.

Benefits:

  • Genetic improvement of female or male lines in the herd.
  • Reduce the costs associated with growing or purchasing recipients by using
    50% less recipients on only the desired sex embryos.
  • Eliminates the costs associated with progeny of the unwanted sex.

Embryo Splitting:
Embryo splitting is a technology used to double the number of embryos recovered from a flush. Split embryos can also be sexed by doing a biopsy on one of the halves.

Ventilation

  • Consultation and design for ventilating calf barns using barn-specific positive pressure systems.
  • Trouble shooting of existing positive pressure systems.
  • To learn more visit thedairylandinitiative.vetmed.wisc.edu.

Triage

24 hours a day, 7 days a week for on farm triage of livestock emergencies or over the phone consultations.  Phone 519-229-8911 or 1-888-443-4184.

Bovine – Beef

Preventative Medicine

Herd Health

Pregnancy Diagnosis
Performed as part of a comprehensive regularly scheduled herd health program or by appointment as required.

  • Manual palpation
  • Ultrasound imaging

Early Pregnancy Diagnosis – Ultrasound
Used to determine the pregnancy status of a cow/heifer as early as 25 days post-breeding. The benefit of early pregnancy diagnosis is that open cows are detected earlier allowing for action to be taken to decrease the number of days open.

Fetal Sexing – Ultrasound
Performed between 60-90 days pregnant with the limitations of less than 60 days being that the fetus is too small and greater than 90 days the fetus falls over the pelvic brim and cannot be reached.

The benefit is that the sex of the pregnancy of that particular cow/heifer is known enabling the producer to make culling and peri-calving management decisions.

Bull Breeding Soundness Evaluation

On farm evaluation of your bull’s reproductive soundness that includes a thorough exam of the reproductive system and semen testing/evaluation.

Triage

24 hours a day, 7 days a week for on farm triage of livestock emergencies or over the phone consultations.  Phone 519-229-8911 or 1-888-443-4184.

Embryo Transfer

  • Flushing
  • Freezing

Sexing/Splitting

Embryo Sexing:
Embryo sexing is a technology that enables producers to select embryos of a desired sex to be implanted or frozen.

Benefits:

  • Genetic improvement of female or male lines in the herd.
  • Reduce the costs associated with growing or purchasing recipients by using
    50% less recipients on only the desired sex embryos.
  • Eliminates the costs associated with progeny of the unwanted sex.

Embryo Splitting:
Embryo splitting is a technology used to double the number of embryos recovered from a flush. Split embryos can also be sexed by doing a biopsy on one of the halves.

Export/Import/Storage

Certified by the Canadian Embryo Transfer Association (CETA) for the export, import, and storage of export qualified embryos.

All embryos produced by the Kirkton Veterinary Clinic can be export certified as long as the embryos and donor meet the requirements of the purchasing country.

Cattle Processing

Vaccination, Deworming

Dehorning

Castration

Sample Collection

Mobile Chute

We have a mobile straight chute equipped with weigh scales available for clients who need a more robust handling facility to process cattle efficiently. This is available upon request by client.

Small Ruminant (Sheep/Goats)

Preventative Medicine

Herd Health

Pregnancy diagnosis

Vaccination protocols

Fecal flotations

Fecal egg counts

Deworming recommendations and protocols

Emergency and Sick Animal Services

On farm evaluation of your bull’s reproductive soundness that includes a thorough exam of the reproductive system and semen testing/evaluation.

KIRKTON
VETERINARY
CLINIC

Contact
Phone: 519-229-8911
Toll Free: 1-888-443-4184
office@kirktonvetclinic.ca
Emergency
Location
1911 Mary Street
P.O. Box 96, Kirkton, ON
N0K 1K0
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Hours
Mon – Fri: 8 AM – 6 PM
Saturday: 8 AM – 3 PM
Sunday: Closed