Dr. Cheryl Waldner PhD, DVM, FCAHS

Dr. Waldner has more than 275 peer-reviewed publications (>8050 citations) as well as an h-index of 47 and an i10-index of 194 (view Dr. Waldner's Google Scholar link). More than 149 publications deal directly with issues in beef cattle.

Please click the green button (below) to review a selection of Dr. Waldner's research publications in a range of categories.

• Publications in Focus Areas

Dr. Cheryl Waldner is actively involved in research examining factors affecting the productivity of beef herds in Western Canada. She is particularly interested in evidence to inform tools for the management of antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance, but has been working on developing tools for the surveillance of the health and productivity in beef herds since 1990.

Dr. Waldner holds an NSERC/Beef Cattle Research Council Industrial Research Chair in One Health and Production Limiting Diseases, and also leads the Genomic ASSETS for Livestock Project funded by Genome Canada's Large Scale Applied Research Program.

Dr. Waldner has completed numerous projects examining neonatal disease in beef calves, the prevention and control of infectious diseases such as BVDV, bovine genital campylobacteriosis, trichomoniasis, and neospora. She has also examined the effects of vaccination, body condition score, trace mineral and vitamin nutrition on reproductive performance in cow-calf herds.

In addition, Dr. Waldner has a broad transdisciplinary research focus including environmental and infectious disease epidemiology in humans and animals, and the application of innovative tools such as advanced Bayesian statistical models, Bayesian risk assessment, spatial statistical and predictive modeling, agent-based and discreet event dynamic simulation models, and big data sources including smart phone technology to addressing One Health questions. She was elected as a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences in recognition of her wide ranging contributions to human and animal health, and recently received the University of Saskatchewan Distinguished Researcher Award.

She and her husband own and operate a small commercial cow-calf herd west of Saskatoon, Sask.

Dr. Waldner was appointed as the NSERC/Beef Cattle Research Council Industrial Research Chair in One Health and Production Limiting Diseases in January 2020. 

She also serves on the Beef Health Management Committee for the American Association of Bovine Practitioners.

In 2016, Dr. Waldner was appointed as co-chair of the AMR Research and Innovation Task Group for development of the pan-Canadian frame work and then action plan on antimicrobial resistance, Public Health Agency of Canada and CIHR.

Dr. Waldner has delivered more than 100 invited talks at regional, national and international scientific meetings and three full-day invited workshops on statistical and GIS modelling.

She has also given numerous invited community extension presentations on cow-calf productivity and health issues and provides extension services for disease outbreak investigations. Dr. Waldner recently worked with the Beef Cattle Research Council to make an interactive tool that allows producers to examine testing and control strategies for Johne's disease publicly available on the BCRC website, and described and demonstrated the model at a webinar event available online. 

• 2023 - Distinguished Researcher Award, University of Saskatchewan
• 2021 - Elected Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences
• 2015 - Provost’s Award for Outstanding Graduate Teaching, University of Saskatchewan
• 2015 - John Snow Award, Saskatchewan Epidemiology Association
• 2011 - Canadian Veterinary Medical Association Award (for contributions to large animal medicine)
• 2009 - University of Saskatchewan New Researcher Award
• 2005 - Pfizer Award for Research Excellence, Western College of Veterinary Medicine

• 1999 PhD, Epidemiology — Large Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan

• 1988 DVM, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan

Dr. Waldner obtained her DVM and PhD from the University of Saskatchewan. Before joining the faculty she was a consulting cow-calf veterinarian in central Alberta.

• 2015: Interim Associate Executive Director, School of Public Health, University of Saskatchewan
• 2008-2017: Joint member, School of Public Health, University of Saskatchewan
• 2007-present: Professor, Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan
• 2003-07: Associate Professor, Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan
• 1999-03: Assistant Professor, Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan
• 1990-1999: Private veterinary consultant (beef and dairy outbreak investigation/herd management/surveillance), Alberta

During her research career, Dr. Waldner has contributed to successful grants totaling over $35.9 million. She was principal investigator (PI) for over $19.3 million.

Selected recent examples:

• Waldner, C., Campbell, J., Windeyer, C., Gordon, J., Rosusseau, M., Larson, K., 2023. ANH.04.21C: The Canadian Cow-Calf Health and Productivity Enhancement Network (C3H/PEN). Beef Cattle Research Council. $1,378,350, 2023-2028.
• Stephans, E.C., Larson, K., McAllister, T., Peardon, T., Kelln, B., Waldner, C., Campbell, J., 2022. Motivations, barriers and alternatives to feed testing for cow-calf producers. Beef Cattle Research Council. $39,000, 2021-2023.
• Larson, K., Waldner, C., Kelln B., Stephans, E.C., McAllister, T., Campbell, J., 2022. Motivations, barriers and alternatives to feed testing for cow-calf producers. Beef Cattle Research Council. $44,000, 2021-2023.
• Osgood, N., Soteros, C., Waldner, C. & Liu, J. 2021. University of Toronto (Kumar Murty):  Mathematics for Public Health.  Emerging Infectious Diseases Modelling Initiative, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada - PHAC. $50,000. 2021-2023
• Zhu, H., Moyles, I., et al. 2021. One Health Modelling Network for Emerging Infections. NSERC - Emerging Infectious Disease Modelling (EIDM). $1,250,000. 2021-2022.
• McCabe, C., Cotton, C., Magpantay, F., Day, T., Lloyd-Ellis, H., Colijn, C., Adamowicz, W., Joffe, M., Fischer, C., Waldner, C., Lloyd-Smith, P., Jones, M., 2021. One Society Network: mathematical modelling of multi-sectoral impact of pandemics and control policies. NSERC - Emerging Infectious Disease Modelling (EIDM). $625,000. 2021-2023. (Waldner: Leader, Agricultural theme $ 83,000).
• Adams, G. Anzar, M., Dadarwal, D., Hill, J., Links, M., Mastromonaco, G., Plastow, G., Poissant, J., Singh, J., Waldner, C., 2021. Integrated Genomics for Sustainable Animal Agriculture and Environmental Stewardship. Canadian Foundation for Innovation. $6,766,155. 2021-2022. (Waldner: Leader, Genomics Based Diagnostic Solutions).
• Lardner, H., Waldner, C., 2021. Alternative trace mineral supplementation strategies for improved cow performance. NSERC – Alliance Grant. $135,790. 2021-2024.
• Waldner, C., Gow, S., Campbell, J., 2021. Respiratory pathogens in calves at weaning: A pilot sentinel surveillance project evaluating AMR risk for calves prior to feedlot entry. Beef Cattle Research Council. $62,137. 2021-2023.
• Waldner, C., Zhang, M., Huang, Y., Otto, S., Hill, J., Gerdts, V., Campbell, J., Freeman, C., Links, M., Ellis, J., 2021. Rapid characterization of the viral microbiome in arriving feedlot calves to inform vaccine gaps and risk assessment for bovine respiratory disease. Beef Cattle Research Council. $227,010. 2021-2024.
• Waldner, C., Zhang, M., Huang, Y., Otto, S., Hill, J., Gerdts, V., Campbell, J., Freeman, C., Links, M., Ellis, J., 2020. Towards 1‐Step Testing – Rapid Identification Of Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) Viruses To Inform Vaccine Use & Development. Agriculture Development Fund. $212,230. 2021-2024.
• Waldner, C. 2020. Antimicrobial use and resistance in cow-calf herds: Will anything change after the switch to prescription only sales of medically important antimicrobials? NSERC – Alliance Grant. $264,039. 2020-2022.
• Waldner, C., Wobeser, B., McAllister, T., Erickson, N., Funk, T. 2020. Development of multiplex recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) assays for the detection of antimicrobial-resistant bacterial pathogens causing bovine respiratory disease (BRD). Ontario Beef Producers. $10,000. 2020-2022.
• Waldner, C., Wobeser, B., McAllister, T., Erickson, N., Funk, T. 2020. Development of multiplex recombinase polymerase amplification assays for the detection of antimicrobial-resistant bacterial pathogens causing bovine respiratory disease. Beef Cattle Research Council. $79,023. 2020-2023.
• Waldner, C., Gow, S., Erickson, N., Campbell, C. 2020. Antimicrobial use and resistance in cow-calf herds: Will anything change after the switch to prescription only sales of medically important antimicrobials? Beef Cattle Research Council. $163,070. 2020-2023.
• Waldner, C. 2020. NSERC/Beef Cattle Research Council Industrial Research Chair in One Health and Production Limiting Diseases, $2.35 million. More information can be found on the BCRC site.  
• Waldner, C., Otto, S., et al. 2019. Genomic ASSETS (Antimicrobial Stewardship Systems from Evidence-based Treatment Strategies) for Livestock. Genome Canada, $5.6 million.  2019-2023. Find out more about this project on the Genomic ASSETS for Livestock Website.
• Waldner, C., Larson, K., Campbell, J., 2019. An Interactive Tool to Inform Johne’s Disease Control in Beef Herds: What Test, When and How Often. Saskatchewan Agriculture Development Fund, $85,200. 2019-2022.
• Campbell, J., Waldner, C., Trokhymchuk, A., 2019. Treatment guidance for bovine respiratory disease: Optimizing prudent and economical antimicrobial decision making. Saskatchewan Agriculture Development Fund, $348,000. 2019-2022.
• Waldner, C., 2018. An interactive tool to inform Johne’s disease control in beef herds: what test, when and how often? & Managing calves before arrival at the feedlot to reduce infectious disease, antimicrobial use and resistance: what is it worth? Alberta Beef Producers and Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association, $9775. 2018-2019.
• Campbell, J., Waldner, C., Trokhymchuk, A., 2018. Treatment guidance for bovine respiratory disease: Optimizing prudent and economical antimicrobial decision making. Alberta Beef Producers and Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association, $23,000. 2019-2022.
• Erickson, N., Ellis, J., Gow, S., Waldner, C., 2018. Comparison of immune response and respiratory disease sparing effect of homologous and heterologous vaccine programs in neonatal calves. Alberta Beef Producers and Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association, $34,500. 2019-2022.
• Campbell, J., Waldner, C., Parker, S., et al. 2018. The Canadian Cow-Calf Surveillance Network. Beef Cattle Research Council, $1,624,231. 2018-2023.
• Lardner, B., Wood, K., Erickson, N., Waldner,C.,et al., 2017. Alternative trace mineral supplementation strategies for improved cow performance. Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association, $30,000. 2018-2020.
• Bharadwaj, L., Waldner, C., Osgood, N., et al., 2017. Agent Based Modeling as a tool to Investigate Comprehensive Indigenous Health Impacts of Flooding. Global Water Futures Program. $350,000. 2017-2020.
• Waldner, C. Big data for infectious disease surveillance and the potential contribution to the investigation of foodborne disease in Canada: An overview and discussion paper. National Collaborating Centre for Infectious Diseases. University of Manitoba. $11,000. 2017.

Dr. Waldner has supervised or co-supervised the following: 

• fifteen PhD students (ten successfully defended, five in progress)
• seven MSc students (five successfully defended, two in progress)
• four postdoctoral fellows (three complete, one in progress)
• one MPH thesis student (complete)
• eight MPH non-thesis students (all complete)
• six research associates (complete)
• numerous summer students (complete)

Dr. Waldner has also participated in 30 master's program student committees and 17 PhD program committees.