Reading Time: 3 minutes If you want to make more money on your ranch, get more data. “You can’t manage what you don’t measure,” Irricana cattleman Doug Wray said at the recent Livestock Gentec conference. “We measure a lot of things. To have a successful ranching operation, you have to manage the resources you have. Every ranch is different.” […] Read more
Big or small, data makes all the difference, says veteran cattleman
Doug Wray is a well-known intensive grazing expert but he’s also an advocate of using genomics to push herd performance
Genomics testing now available for commercial herds
Knowing more about your cattle’s DNA can help you make better decisions, says non-profit developer of test
Reading Time: 3 minutes Delta Genomics has released a new genomics tool that will help commercial cattle producers determine breed composition and fertility of their cattle. EnVigour HX, which was released in February, allows producers of crossbred cattle to tap into the power of genomics, said Michelle Miller, chief executive officer of the not-for-profit genomics service division of Livestock Gentec. […] Read more
Don’t write NAFTA’s obituary just yet
‘Absurd’ demands have heightened fears that President Trump aims to kill the trade pact, but experts say that’s premature
Reading Time: 4 minutes Stay calm and keep negotiating’ seems to be the mantra of Canadian farm groups even as a growing number of experts warn NAFTA may be doomed. U.S. negotiators dropped a series of bombshells in the fourth round of talks on renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement — demands that Canada and Mexico had said […] Read more
New technology brings new risks to the farm, say experts
Advances — from needleless injectors to auto steer — make farming easier, but also have safety implications
Reading Time: 3 minutes New technology brings many advantages to the farm, but can also result in unintended hazards, both for farmers and animals. This was stressed numerous times during presentations on technology at this year’s Canadian Agricultural Safety Association annual general meeting. Read more: AgSafe Alberta offering free safety programs for farmers “There’s a lot of routine work on […] Read more
AgSafe Alberta offering free safety programs for farmers
New producer-run organization has free advisers who can make visits to help you improve farm safety
Reading Time: 2 minutes Newly formed AgSafe Alberta now has boots on the ground, says extension co-ordinator Donna Trottier. “There are a couple of things that we want farmers out there to know,” she said at the recent Canadian Agricultural Safety Association conference. “We have three advisers who are available to come out to your farm and help introduce […] Read more
Harvest better than expected in most — but not all — areas
Expectations were low in many areas of the province, but yield and quality have generally been decent
Reading Time: 3 minutes This year’s crop quality and yields are better than expected, which comes as a major surprise to both farmers and agronomists across the province. “Even as late as seeding was done, the yield seems to be average or better than expected, which is surprising, when some canola was planted on the 7th or 8th of […] Read more
Unique physiotherapy clinic treats both horse and rider
Reading Time: 2 minutes What do horses and physiotherapy have in common? Plenty, say Sandra Oxtoby and Keira Forsyth, the owners of Equus Physio. “Keira and myself are registered human physiotherapists,” said Oxtoby. “We both grew up riding horses and we had our own injuries.” The two say many chiropractors, physiotherapists, or massage therapists, many of the health-care professionals […] Read more
Farmers need to be ‘heroes’ to win over consumers
People respond to powerful stories centred around people they can admire, says Monsanto official
Reading Time: 3 minutes Producing food isn’t enough these days — you’ve got to be a hero, too. That was one of the messages delivered at the recent Public Trust Summit put on by the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity. The conference, in its second year, attracted a diverse crowd of farmers, food processors, retailers, communications experts, and even […] Read more
The door to Europe isn’t quite open yet
The EU trade deal is now a go, but ‘very few producers’ have signed up for a program that makes their cattle eligible
Reading Time: 3 minutes The European Union has the potential to be a big marketplace for Canadian beef producers, but it’s going to take some effort to get them here. “We are concerned that to date very few producers are enrolling their cattle in the EU program,” the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association said in a recent edition of its e-newsletter. […] Read more
Rootstock blends rock music, local food, and conversations about farming
Reading Time: 3 minutes Rootstock rocked its third year out at the Flint Rock Ranch. About 400 people attended the fundraiser — which brings together city folk and local farmers to enjoy a farm-to-table dinner — late last month. “In the last few years, we’ve started raising grass-finished beef in an attempt to nurture and be good stewards of […] Read more