While cleanup and water testing continue on the North Saskatchewan River, livestock producers with river access are still advised to find alternate water sources. Jenifer Heyden, livestock specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture in North Battleford, said ministry staffers and Husky Energy did work with a few producers who were having trouble accessing alternate water sources, to […] Read more
Livestock water supplies still a concern after oil spill
Passionate about livestock? AFAC needs you
Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta Farm Animal Care (AFAC) is seeking volunteers to help with the ALERT line. Volunteers need to be passionate about livestock welfare and knowledgeable about current practices of care. AFAC is especially in need of volunteers with knowledge of any livestock species in northern Alberta and in remote locations, but welcomes volunteers from anywhere in […] Read more
Cargill stops using human antibiotic against disease in turkeys
Chicago | Reuters –– U.S. meat processor Cargill has stopped using an important antibiotic for people to prevent disease in turkeys, the company said Tuesday, the latest food maker to drop the drug amid concerns about the impact on human medicine. Cargill has not used the drug, gentamicin, to prevent disease in turkeys that supply […] Read more
Shareholders press Yum for stricter antibiotics policy
Los Angeles | Reuters — Yum Brands investors on Tuesday filed a shareholder proposal requesting that it quickly phase out harmful antibiotic use in its meat supply, taking aim at the practices of the company’s KFC fried chicken chain. The proposal from shareholder activists As You Sow, of Oakland, Calif., and the Sisters of St. […] Read more
A great idea takes flight in Alberta
Reading Time: 3 minutes The following is a report from Logan and Megan Andrews of the South Slope 4-H Beef Club in Newell County on their experiences with last year’s 4-H pheasant project. Logan, 15, has just completed his seventh year in the club and has done market steer and heifer projects in addition to the pheasant project. Megan, […] Read more
Wendy’s aims for antibiotic-free chicken by next year
U.S. fast food chain Wendy’s aims to source all of its chicken products from birds raised without the use of antibiotics “important to human medicine” by 2017. Columbus, Ohio-based Wendy’s, the world’s No. 3 burger chain behind McDonald’s and Burger King, said in a blog post Wednesday about 50 per cent of its chicken supply […] Read more
McDonald’s to remove corn syrup from buns
Reuters — McDonald’s Corp. will replace corn syrup in hamburger buns with sugar this month and has removed antibiotics that are important to human medicine from its chicken months ahead of schedule, it said Monday, moves that are part of its drive to target increasingly health-conscious consumers. The fast food company also said it eliminated […] Read more
Alberta farmers putting on a really big show
Open Farm Days scheduled from Aug. 20 - 21
Reading Time: < 1 minute Nearly 100 Alberta farm families will be welcoming visitors to their operations for Open Farm Days on Aug. 21. The long list of participants includes a variety of livestock operations (cattle, bison, alpaca, sheep, llama, goat, poultry, and heritage pigs); crop farms (honey, fruit, vegetable, and grain); organic operations; and agri-tourism businesses (U-pick, corn mazes, […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME live cattle futures shrug off early selling
Chicago / Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle contracts settled higher on Monday after short-covering and futures’ discounts to late last week’s cash prices offset early-session losses, traders said. August live cattle ended 1.525 cents per lb higher at 112.450 cents, and finished above the 20-day moving average of 112.05 cents. October closed 0.775 cent […] Read more
Last avian flu-related block on U.S. poultry lifted
The last of Canada’s temporary avian flu-related rules against cross-border travellers bringing in poultry and/or eggs from the U.S. has been lifted. According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, live birds, raw poultry, eggs and certain other raw or less-than-cooked poultry products originating in Indiana may again be brought into Canada. Lifted effective June 27, […] Read more