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1. Input Selection |
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FHMS advises clients on the optimal selection
of: |
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Cattle types that should be sought relative to price and marketing intentions
- Feed
additives, vitamins, and minerals
- Pharmaceuticals for prophylactic and
therapeutic protocols
- Equipment and tools for diagnostics, weight and
measuring
- Consumables for day-to-day production
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2. Production |
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FHMS provides monitoring services and
strategies in these key production areas: |
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Animal Health Monitoring |
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Our veterinarians travel daily to local
production sites to ensure all health concerns are addressed and get a
first-hand understanding of each situation. Distant producers also receive
regularly scheduled visits, and further consultation is always available,
either by telephone or on-site. FHMS continually monitors the health of all
animals, using our advanced FHARM software. At each production site, data is
entered into chute-side computers and transferred to our office for analysis.
We also provide digital necropsy services, especially for remote rural
feedlots, enabling them to perform necropsy procedures on their own and send us
a set of digital photo images from prescribed angles. These digital images
allow our veterinarians to diagnose situations daily, which might not otherwise
be possible for remote clients. |
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Prophylactic and Therapeutic Strategies |
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We provide detailed protocols for the use of
antimicrobials, vaccines, implants, antiparasitics, anti-inflammatories,
electrolytes and so on. |
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Feeding Strategies |
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FHMS offers recommendations on ration
composition, feed delivery and processing methods for feed ingredients. |
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Carcass Optimization Strategies |
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The FHARM program has several features that
allow for individual animal management. These include implant analysis and
"days on feed" before processing, so that the best possible carcass is
produced, with respect to yield, quality and size.
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Environmental Strategies |
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FHMS provides information on facility design,
sprinklers, wind shelters, bedding, manure management, pharmaceutical waste disposal and interventions to
combat odour and dust. |
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Food Safety Strategies |
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FHMS addresses residue avoidance, the
management of cattle with chronic illness and methods of reducing employee
exposure to enteric pathogens. |
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Quality Control Procedures |
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FHMS has developed standardized procedures for
scale calibration, thermometer calibration usage/technique, monitoring of
injection sites, implant evaluations, pen-checker evaluations and so forth. |
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3. Marketing |
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FHMS advises beef producers on how they can
better market their animals and services in areas such as: |
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Marketing Cow/Calf Producers' Calves to
Feedlots |
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FHMS aligns producers with feedlots that are
interested in purchasing ranch-direct calves. |
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Marketing Backgrounded Cattle to Feedlots |
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FHMS helps backgrounders find customers for
their feeder cattle. |
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Marketing to Processors |
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FHMS will help producers find the best market
for slaughter animals, based on the historical distribution of carcass size,
quality grade and yield grade that they produce and consideration of the type
and availability of value based "grids" offered by processors. |
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Marketing Services Provided by Beef
Producers |
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FHMS will help clients structure custom feeding
arrangements for cows, stocker cattle, backgrounders and full-fed cattle. We
also coordinate alliance programs and value-chain initiatives. |
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Education |
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FHMS provides a wide range of education and
training, at our office and on-site. Courses are offered regularly and most are
included as part of our complete consulting program. They include: |
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Administering pharmaceuticals for crew and animal safety
- Training animal
health personnel to detect illnesses
- FHARM software training
- Workshops
for animal health personnel
- Digital imaging to collect necropsy data
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Specialized Reports |
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Our clients can use our extensive
infrastructure and help to generate reports for such diverse purposes as
obtaining bank financing and providing information to the Canadian Food
Inspection Agency (CFIA). |
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Certification |
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FHMS and CCHMS have jointly developed Verus
Audit Solutions. This program provides the training and guidance to help beef
producers comply with provincial and federal initiatives such as the Alberta
Beef On-Farm Food Safety (ABOFFS) program or private initiatives such as
branded beef programs. |
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Sourcing Industry and
Technological Research |
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If a client wants information on virtually any
subject, FHMS has the resources to locate and provide all relevant material. |
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