More Livestock in Japan Receive Telehealth Care Due to Vet Shortage

Online System Helps Shorten Time Taken to Examine Animals and Reduce Costs

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SAPPORO - Online medical examinations for livestock are becoming more common, particularly in Hokkaido, and part of the reason is due to a shortage of large animal veterinarians.

As veterinarians in Hokkaido sometimes need to travel hundreds of kilometers a day, online medical exams are expected to decrease their burden and help them treat animals more quickly.

The Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry is promoting online exams for livestock, aiming to develop a system in which farmers on remote islands and other areas that are not easily accessible can get help for their animals.

In June, the press was invited to see how an online medical exam was conducted at a dairy farm in Ebetsu, Hokkaido. The farm keeps nearly 650 dairy cows and other animals.

By looking at his tablet, veterinarian Shota Tominaga was able to conduct a visual examination of a cow.

"She probably has hypocalcemia after giving birth," he said, and gave instructions on how medicine should be administered.