Reading Time: 5 minutes Producers, do you have a Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship? As of Dec. 1, all antimicrobials used in animals will require a prescription from a registered veterinarian — and vets can only write a prescription if the four conditions that define a Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship (VCPR) are met. Some producers may be wary of this new set of regulations, […] Read more
Livestock producers and vets need to communicate in the new VCPR world
The days when you could just phone a vet and ask for a prescription are now done and dusted
The nuts and bolts of a Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship
A veterinarian needs to know your operation and you need to agree to his or her recommendations
Reading Time: 2 minutes The requirement for a Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship for obtaining a prescription for an antimicrobial isn’t just a Canadian thing. “It’s much bigger than us, it’s a global initiative,” said Dr. Mike Jelinski, a partner in Veterinary Agri-Health Services in Airdrie. This whole initiative of tightening up on antibiotics came down from Health Canada because it is […] Read more
‘The ideas keep getting better’ for Agri-Trade’s innovations program
This year’s trio of winners keep you safe, protect your fuel tanks, and prevent spoilage in the bin
Reading Time: 5 minutes One of the highlights of Agri-Trade is the trio of innovative new products chosen by a panel of farmers and business people. “It is always difficult to get it down to three winners — however, this year we reached new heights with the largest amount of applications received for this program since its inception,” said […] Read more
Agri-Trade growing and shrinking at the same time
Popular Red Deer show is adding new features and spaces while moving to a three-day format
Reading Time: 3 minutes To celebrate its 35th anniversary, Agri-Trade is aiming to be bigger and better even while getting shorter. The former is already taken care of with the opening of Exhibit Hall at Westerner Park in Red Deer. “We are going to be the first event to take place in the new building,” said David Fiddler, Agri-Trade […] Read more
Opinion: A cheerful wave or sympathetic ear this harvest season really does help
A little empathy will be much appreciated during this year’s long and difficult harvest
Reading Time: 2 minutes Please don’t read this as a complaint; this isn’t meant to be a complaint. With the recent snows in Alberta over the past two weeks, there are a lot of farmers on edge. So many farmers haven’t even turned a wheel in their fields, or if they have, they are either drying their grain or […] Read more
Grass is your foundation, but great grazing doesn’t happen by itself
Irricana rancher Doug Wray intensively manages his five dozen paddocks and makes their health his top priority
Reading Time: 5 minutes After two decades of refining his grazing plan, Doug Wray knew long before the snow melted which of his 60 paddocks would be the first to see cows. The Irricana rancher also has a rough plan for all of his 2,000 acres of pasture for the rest of spring and into summer — but Mother […] Read more
Mentorship program links the lab to the ranch
Reading Time: 3 minutes The future of forage research is looking bright, and that’s exciting, says one of the country’s newest researchers in this area. Stacy Singer started work at Ag Canada’s Lethbridge Research and Development Centre just over a year ago and was also one of three scientists chosen for the 2017 edition of a mentorship program created […] Read more
Audits and blogs: How to drive change and win over consumers
Temple Grandin has long been an agent of change and says individual farmers can be, too
Reading Time: 4 minutes Livestock producers, you are doing good things — at least Temple Grandin thinks so. “I have been in this industry for 45 years, and there has been a lot of improvement,” she said at Alberta Farm Animal Care’s Livestock Care Conference last month. But the problem is that so few people — including, sometimes, producers […] Read more
Your facilities don’t have to be fancy to be good
Certification for sustainable beef requires having proper handling facilities, but most ranches have those
Reading Time: 4 minutes Thinking of producing certified sustainable beef, but worried your cattle-handling equipment is not up to standards? Don’t fret. “At entry level, if you have cattle it’s pretty hard not to have facilities that are working,” said rancher Stephen Hughes. The third-generation Longview rancher has been part of the Certified Sustainable Beef Production (CRSB) initiative right […] Read more
A little basic planning can go a long way
All sorts of issues can crop up when handling cattle, but preparation makes the day go a lot smoother
Reading Time: 3 minutes When it comes to working cattle there’s more to just ‘running them through the chute.’ Being prepared for the day can also make things go smoother for both the operators and the cattle. Focusing on “just the basic repairs and maintenance” can make all the difference, said Peggy Johnson, a former rancher and 2W Livestock […] Read more
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