Beijing/Reuters – With China’s Lunar New Year festivities fast approaching, pig farmers in the world’s biggest pork market have little to cheer. As they fatten herds to meet peak demand, a slump in retail prices and a spike in feed costs are grinding up profits. A wave of imports has squeezed pork retail prices 10 […] Read more
Fat herds, leaner profits: For China’s pig farmers, New Year feasts bring cold comfort
Ruminant parasite drugs are a precious tool — here’s how to use them
Rotating drugs, underdosing, and overtreating can lead to drug resistance in ruminants, says expert
Reading Time: 3 minutes There’s no denying it — drugs used to treat parasites in sheep and goat production need to be employed properly. If they’re not, that could lead to parasitic resistance and drugs that just don’t work. “You can’t just hammer drugs at the problem, because they won’t work forever,” said Lynn Tait, a sheep producer and […] Read more
Manage your sheep pasture to reduce parasites
When it comes to sheep and goats, pasture management is not just about nutrition
Reading Time: 3 minutes Parasites in small ruminants can become a production problem that can’t be solved by throwing dewormer on your animals once a year. Keeping a parasite load low requires a strategy and good management. “Your goal is not to be completely free of parasites,” said Lynn Tait, small-ruminant veterinarian and co-owner of OC Flock Management. “That […] Read more
If the flow starts to slow, contact a water well contractor
Routine maintenance can extend the life of the well on your farm and ensure good water quality
Reading Time: < 1 minute There’s no predicting how long a well will last. “Some wells can last for a very long time. I have worked on wells that are so old they quit making the parts for them in 1929,” said Rene Arts, a water well contractor from Westlock. “These aren’t the norm, but I still keep a stock […] Read more
New mobile unit will take farm safety education on the road
Reading Time: < 1 minute Thanks to a $650,000 donation from Agrium, Agriculture for Life is undertaking its largest safety initiative — the Rural and Farm Safety Mobile Unit. The unit is a trailer with educational displays, and will be taken to rural schools, communities, fairs, and other events around North America to educate, encourage and promote farm safety to […] Read more
How to get your sheep on the move
Understanding sheep behaviour is the key to getting them to go where you want them to
Reading Time: 3 minutes If you want to move a sheep, the worst thing you can do is isolate it, yell at it, and then try to move it from behind. “If you understand animal behaviour, that is 90 per cent of handling — the biggest knowledge gap that we have is true understanding of animal behaviour,” livestock-handling specialist […] Read more
Australia approves sale of giant Kidman pastoral holdings
Sydney | Reuters –– Australia on Friday approved the A$386.5 million (C$379.3 million) sale of the country’s largest private landholder S. Kidman and Co. to a consortium led by the country’s richest woman Gina Rinehart, after blocking two previous bids. Rinehart and her minority partner, Chinese developer Shanghai CRED, will now complete the purchase of […] Read more
U.S. forecaster sees weak La Nina likely to fade in early 2017
New York | Reuters — A U.S. government weather forecaster on Thursday said weak La Nina conditions were present but favoured to dissipate in the coming months. The National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center said in a monthly forecast that conditions were likely to transition back to neutral during January through March. The report said […] Read more
College pioneers first livestock research student-managed farm
Managing a research herd is a different ball of wax, and students and instructors say it teaches many new skills
Reading Time: 3 minutes Sixteen students are getting a taste of applied research as part of Lakeland College’s first student-managed farm livestock research team. The second-year students, all enrolled in animal science technology, are managing a herd of 50 cattle involved in research trials. “They have to manage the herd for profitability, but we also have a commercial (cattle) […] Read more
Livestock transport regulations up for comment
The public can comment until mid-February on proposed new livestock transport regulations which the government says will help Canada line up with international standards and limit how long livestock can go unfed during shipping. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Monday announced amendments to the federal Health of Animals Regulations dealing with transportation have been […] Read more