Brussels | Reuters — EU member states backed a plan on Wednesday to combat antimicrobial resistance, an increasing global health issue, that would reduce the use of antibiotics in the food chain and limit certain drugs to humans. Antimicrobial resistance threatens the effectiveness of medicines such as antibiotics to treat infections in humans, as bacteria […] Read more
EU backs plan to tackle antimicrobial resistance
Cora Scheele elected new AFAC chair
Reading Time: < 1 minute Cora Scheele of Linden is the new chair of the Alberta Farm Animal Care (AFAC) board of directors. “Alberta Farm Animal Care plays an important role in the province, representing all livestock sectors by communicating the industry’s best practices to producers and sharing our story with the public,” said Scheele, a hatching egg producer. James […] Read more
OIE declares Brazil free of foot-and-mouth, with vaccination
Paris | Reuters — The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) declared Brazil free of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) with vaccination on Thursday, opening new export prospects for the world’s largest beef exporter. The OIE already considered most of Brazil to be free of FMD with vaccination. The declaration, which the government had been expecting since […] Read more
Australian lawmaker pushes to end live sheep exports
Sydney | Reuters — An Australian backbencher on Monday introduced legislation to parliament to ban the export of live sheep after the death of 2,400 animals led to widespread criticism of the A$250 million (C$241.96 million) industry. The bill threatens to expose fractures within the ruling coalition government, which last week introduced tougher oversight of […] Read more
Forage supplies starting to dip on dry Prairies
CNS Canada — Forage supplies are starting to dwindle across Western Canada following a long, cold, winter and rain is needed soon to make for a good forage crop this year. “People tended to kind of blend hay this year and they managed to get through. But the prolonged cold spring really I think put […] Read more
It’s a new era when it comes to livestock medication
Don’t wait until the new rules go into effect in December — the time to get ready is now
Reading Time: 3 minutes Having a professional relationship with your veterinarian has never been more important. New regulations passed by Health Canada that come into effect Dec. 1 will require that all medically important antimicrobials (MIA) — including those that are injected, dissolved in water, fed in feed, or administered as a bolus — will need a prescription. Just […] Read more
Got some new cuties on your farm?
Reading Time: < 1 minute Agriculture for Life is running a #FarmBabies18 photo contest as a “fun way to welcome spring on the farm and celebrate the countless hours of work that farmers and farm families spend caring for their new arrivals.” “Many people don’t understand the dedication and care that goes into raising livestock, so by sharing these photos and […] Read more
Goats and beetles used to fight invasive species
Leafy spurge is found across Alberta and its creeping root system makes it very difficult to control
Reading Time: < 1 minute Pull, mow, burn, and spray. These are common ways that Ducks Unlimited Canada manages invasive plant species on projects located on agricultural land. But there’s a new management tool in the mix now being used by the organization. It has started using goats and flea beetles to help combat leafy spurge at its Frank Lake […] Read more
BE PREPARED: How new drug rules will affect your ranch
Now is the time to get ready for when a host of antimicrobials will no longer be available over the counter
Reading Time: 6 minutes The clock is ticking on new rules that will require a prescription for livestock drugs that can currently be bought over the counter. This blog from the Beef Cattle Research Council looks at how to prepare and why antimicrobial resistance needs to be on everyone’s radar. The article has been edited for length, but the […] Read more
Rural Ontario leader appointed to Senate
A leader in Ontario’s agriculture and rural community is one of Canada’s newest senators. Rob Black, executive director of the Rural Ontario Institute and a former president of 4-H Canada, was named Thursday as one of two new senators from Ontario by Governor General Julie Payette. Why is this significant? It has been a long […] Read more