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Obituary: Dr. Mike R. Wilson (1934-2025)
March 20, 2025
The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) is saddened to hear of Dr. Wilson’s passing.
Mike Wilson passed away at his home in Australia on February 21. Dr. Wilson had a distinguished academic career but was also successful in a diversity of other fields. All bear testament to one of the most fertile minds we have known. It was a privilege for us to have him as mentor, colleague, and friend.
Born in Norfolk, UK and grew up in St. Ives, Huntingdonshire, son of a butcher, Mike left school early. Working as a poultry post-mortem technician at Houghton Research Centre he was determined to become a veterinarian. That meant cycling some miles to evening classes in Cambridge. He succeeded in securing a place at Bristol University Veterinary School.
Following graduation in 1962 he stayed on as a graduate student gaining a PhD for studies on lead poisoning in calves. A faculty position at Bristol provided the opportunity for a sabbatical in the Pathology Department at the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC), University of Guelph. In 1969 Mike returned to Guelph as Head of the new unit of Clinical Research within the Department of Clinical Studies. In 1979 Mike became Chair of the Department of Clinical Studies and in the mid-1980s he helped create the new Department of Population Medicine.
Mike’s area of teaching and research at OVC was in swine health management and he was an internationally recognized leader in this field, often promoting concepts of husbandry and disease control well ahead of their general acceptance. He eventually put some of these ideas (such as multi-site production) into practice by owning or co-owning several pig farming enterprises. In the 1980s and early 90s, Mike along with three other internationally recognized swine veterinarians (Drs. Al Leman, Mike Muirhead and Richard Penny) produced a monthly newsletter (Pigletter) for swine veterinarians and industry leaders that was widely distributed and led to speaking tours around the world.
Mike always looked to provide practical solutions to real problems. This was the stimulus to founding Langford Laboratories to provide customized, autogenous vaccines with a rapid turnaround, using novel production technology and vaccinating sows to provide maternal antibody protection for the critical neonatal period. Gradually dossiers were put together that produced approval for a variety of general use vaccines for various species. Another of Mike’s practical innovations was to combine antigens for different diseases to reduce the number of vaccinations. Combinations and vaccine regimes that have since become standard.
Anything that Mike Wilson turned his attention to was pursued with a thirst for knowledge, understanding problems, and conceiving solutions. Whether his beekeeping hobby or choosing a novel location for a prize-winning winery in New Zealand, he applied his unique approach with a high component of lateral thinking.
When Mike turned his attention to Standardbred horse breeding, he started with an analysis of the stud book, his knowledge of which became encyclopedic. Then using those data, and a holistic scientific approach to selective breeding and foal raising, Mike with his partner Dr. Julie Yager, built Warrawee Farms, in Rockwood, Ontario. It became one of the most successful in North America and Warrawee-bred horses have become World Champions. In 2012 Mike was named breeder of the Year by Standardbred Canada.
In 2022 Mike and Julie retired to Australia, Julie’s native land and where they had spent many Canadian winters. We extend our deepest sympathy to Julie and Mike’s children, Matthew and Sophie, and their families. Mike Wilson was an essentially modest man who never flaunted his towering intellect. He has been a prime example of the varied pathways that the veterinary degree can provide.
Drs. Bob Friendship & Chas Povey