Livestock
Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta Agriculture has posted a new fact sheet on identifying and remedying soil compaction. Soil compaction can impair water infiltration into soil, crop emergence, root penetration and crop nutrient and water uptake, all of which result in depressed crop yield. This factsheet reviews the various types of human-induced compaction, the causes and consequences of soil […] Read more
New Fact Sheet
Getting The Cow-Calf Producer More Of The Consumer Dollar
Reading Time: 3 minutes The take-home pay for the cow-calf producer has dropped from 23 per cent of the total beef dollar to 6.4 per cent in the past 25 years. Is this madness, a market catastrophe or a slow erosion of production efficiencies? During the past 25 years there have been price, inflation and currency fluctuations. It would […] Read more
Cattle Assistance Wanted
Reading Time: < 1 minute The presidents of Wild Rose Agricultural Producers of Alberta (WRAP), the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) and Keystone Agricultural Producers of Manitoba (KAP) appealed to governments late last month to stop waiting and get moving on assistance for struggling cattle producers. “October is nearly over; excess moisture in many areas of Saskatchewan and Manitoba […] Read more
Organic Milk Products Now Widely Available
Reading Time: < 1 minute Saxby Foods of Edmonton is launching the widest variety of organic fluid milk products produced in Alberta. The products can be purchased at Safeway stores in Alberta and across Canada under the O Organics brand starting this November. Alberta Milk says that until now, some organic milk was shipped from other provinces to fill the […] Read more
Prudent Antimicrobial Usage Guidelines
Reading Time: 3 minutes All food animal veterinary clinics across Canada recently received a set of guidelines on antimicrobial prudent use. The list includes beef and dairy cattle as well as swine and poultry veterinarians. The guide was published after extensive research and collaboration with veterinary and industry stakeholders. The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA), which developed and distributed […] Read more
Calgary RTE meat processor packing for Ontario
A Prairie meat processor serving the retail ready-to-eat market has picked up public funding to move its business from Calgary to the Niagara region. New Food Classics, based in Calgary, will get $1 million from Ontario’s Rural Economic Development program for its planned move to a former poultry plant at St. Catharines, Ont. “With the […] Read more
Soaked Man., NE Sask. ranchers join tax deferral list
The income tax deferrals usually granted to drought-stricken ranchers on their sales of breeding stock will now be extended to livestock producers left waterlogged this year in Manitoba and northeastern Saskatchewan. Producers in Saskatchewan’s northeast and parts of northern, central and western Manitoba including the Interlake and Westlake regions were hit with excessive moisture and […] Read more
Math models misread methane from cows: Study
A new Canadian-led study, testing the math used to estimate the greenhouse gas (GHG) output from belching, farting dairy cows, shows the current models either overshoot or undershoot the mark. The equations used to predict cows’ methane emissions are inaccurate and need improvement soon to help dairy farmers adjust their animals’ GHG releases, according to […] Read more
Beef mentorship program takes nationwide step
Following up on its pilot program this year in Alberta, the Cattlemen’s Young Leaders program will now accept applications for mentorship spots available nationwide in 2011. “Beef enthusiasts” between ages 18 and 35 may apply online now to seek one of 16 eight-month CYL mentorships available beginning in April 2011. Applications will be accepted until […] Read more
Egg farmers rip doctors’ “Double Down” comparison
A Canadian doctors’ warning unfavourably comparing the cholesterol from just one egg yolk to that of KFC’s notorious “Double Down” bunless sandwich has Canada’s egg producers boiling. Billed as a warning about the danger of dietary cholesterol for those at risk of a strike or heart attack, a new review published by three physicians in […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
