Canadian Association of Swine Veterinarians elects new executives

Mar 13, 2018

Association members also recognized new lifetime and honourary members

By Kate Ayers
Staff Writer
Farms.com

The Canadian Association of Swine Veterinarians – Association Canadienne de Vétérinaires Porcins (CASV-ACVP) elected a new president and vice-president at its annual meeting on Mar. 4.

The association elected Dr. Jim Fairles as its new president, replacing Dr. Blaine Tully of Steinbach, Man. Fairles is the client services veterinarian at the Animal Health Laboratory at the University of Guelph in Ont., according to a CASV release yesterday.

“I am looking forward to being the president of the CASV-ACVP this year,” Fairles said at the meeting in San Diego, Calif.

“I will do my best to serve the needs of our members and continue the good work of the previous president and directors.”

CASV members elected Dr. Christian Klopfenstein of Saint-Pie, Que. as vice-president. He is a faculty member at the University of Montreal and is a manager of sector health at the Centre de Développment du porc du Québec inc.

Association members also approved a new lifetime and honourary membership class for those retired from active practice but who had a substantial influence on the swine veterinary medicine sector, the release said.

Dr. Ernest Sanford of London, Ont. and Dr. Michael Sheridan of Steinbach, Man. were the first two recipients of a lifetime membership. Sanford writes the ‘Herd Health’ section in the Better Pork magazine. In this department he provides Canada’s pork producers with timely information about swine diseases.

CASV-ACVP was established in 2003 to unite Canadian veterinarians who have a special interest in swine. Members include individuals in private practice, industry, academia and government. CASV was founded to provide a responsive and proactive voice for vets in Canada’s swine industry.

Video: FLEECED! Sheep Shearer Hands Over Clippers!

It's sheep shearing day at Ewetopia Farms! ?? Our Dorset lambs and ewes are getting fleeced — and for the first time, our shearer hands over his clippers to a beginner. We finish shearing the last of our adult ewes and this year’s Dorset ewe lambs.

From moving the sheep between barns, loading them into chutes, and watching the wool come off, this is always one of the most satisfying days on the farm. But this video has a twist — we welcomed a new helper, Gian, who’s not only lending a hand but also learning how to shear! With guidance from our experienced shearer, he got a crash course in sheep shearing and even tried his hand at shearing a couple of lambs himself.

You’ll see firsthand how both teacher and student handled this unique challenge. Shearing is more than just removing wool — it’s about sheep health, comfort, and giving us a closer look at the flock. It’s always amazing to see the transformation from woolly sheep to freshly shorn ewes and lambs.