Livestock
Feeder cattle prices in Western Canada were steady to $2 higher last week; U.S. prices were $1 to $3 higher on average. Despite the U.S. Memorial Day holiday, the market was fairly solid as U.S. fed cattle sold for $1 to $2 higher. Gains in the slaughter market were transferred immediately into the feeder complex […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder prices marginally recover
CANADA’S SHRINKING HOG HERD
Reading Time: < 1 minute Canadian hog farmers continued a four-year downsizing trend in the first quarter, but the pace is slowing even though the government is paying some to cease production. Farmers reduced the national pig herd 2.1 per cent from a year earlier to 11.635 million head as of April 1, Statistics Canada said last month.
Feeding The Modern Sow In Lactation
Reading Time: 3 minutes As sows have been selected for greater milk production and productivity levels have been improved in commercial units, both milk production and litter weaning weights have increased substantially, says Casey Neill, a nutritionist with PIC North America. With increased potential for milk production, management and nutritional factors must be changed to meet these demands for […] Read more
Currency Volatility Takes Its Toll On Cattle Prices
Reading Time: 3 minutes Cattle feeders need to make a little money before they pour it back into the feeder cattle Global currencies and commodities have fluctuated to the extreme recently. The collapse in equity markets spilled over to the commodities and beef was caught in the vortex. Then, as oil gained momentum, so did Canadian currency, again pressuring […] Read more
Bar-Coded Cattle ID Tags De-Listed July 1
Reading Time: < 1 minute Any bar-coded dangle tags still hanging from Canadian cattle’s ears will officially become plastic jewelry effective July 1. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency, which was previously expected to de-list bar code tags as of Jan. 1, 2010, said May 28 that the bar code tags will be de-listed July 1 in favour of radio frequency […] Read more
Make The Most Of A Pass Through The Chute
Reading Time: 4 minutes I never like the statement “we can do that later” because often “later” never seems to come, or a person is too busy with other things and the details get lost. Some pre-planning by the cattle producer and consultation with the herd veterinarian ahead of a major processing will accomplish many things including herd improvement. […] Read more
Better Pork Genetics Through Science
Reading Time: 3 minutes “If a boar has greater genetic merit, then every pig born from that boar will have that,” “The pig is one of the few mammalian species where we can’t actually do that… it means that if you want to take some outstanding genetics from Canada and move them to China or Russia, it’s done on […] Read more
FOOD YOU CAN PRONOUNCE
Reading Time: < 1 minute Maple Leaf has launched a line of deli meats containing pronounceable ingredients, the company says in a release. The preservative-free Natural Selections product line features turkey, chicken, ham meats that contain no more than nine easy-to-recognize ingredients such as vinegar, lemon and sea salt. According to a recent national survey, the majority of Canadians (65 […] Read more
THREE NEW FACTSHEETS ATFORAGEBEEF.CA
Reading Time: < 1 minute Foragebeef.cahas added three timely factsheets from Lee Manske of North Dakota State University: Healthy Plants Have Smaller Forage Reductions during Precipitation Shortages, Management Practices Contributed to Last Summer’s Herbage Reductions, Proper Grazing Management Can Minimize Severity of Problems during Drought. These and others are in the Drought on Pastures and Rangelands folder.
Dexter Cattle — A Thriving Niche Breed In Canada
Reading Time: 2 minutes “Our grandchildren like it because they get the whole ribeye and don’t have to share.” Adrian Hykawy ADRIAN HYKAWY DEXTER BREEDER Adrian Hykaway takes pride in the size of his cattle – how small they are, that is. Adrian and his wife Rita have been raising Dexters since 1998 and now have a herd of […] Read more
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