Quebec ag minister Bechard gets surgery

Quebec’s agriculture minister is recovering from surgery Saturday to remove a cancer-related blockage in his small intestine. Claude Bechard was first hospitalized in mid-January for what was then expected to be a 10-day stay, due to a tumour on his pancreas blocking the intestine near the bile duct. According to a provincial government release Monday, […] Read more

N.L. to consolidate animal welfare laws

“Modern and tougher” animal health and protection legislation is being drafted to merge six separate sets of Newfoundland and Labrador’s laws for poultry, other livestock, heritage animals and pets. The provincial government confirmed Monday it will introduce a single new Animal Health and Protection Act in its spring session. “We are now ready to bring […] Read more


Ont. funds cheesemakers for wastewater holding tank

A southeastern Ontario dairy producers’ cheesemaking co-op has picked up provincial funding for new wastewater tanks. The province, through its Rural Economic Development program, will kick in $187,000 toward a 45,000-litre wastewater holding tank and aerator for the Empire Cheese and Butter Co-op at Campbellford in Northumberland County, about 55 km east of Peterborough. Empire […] Read more

Twin Calves — More Beef Or Just Double Trouble?

Reading Time: 4 minutes Ioften hear producers complaining about twins. If twins are both born alive, are the same sex and you have a cow to foster one of the calves, life is great. We all know the opposite picture – twins coming malpresented (mixed up). You finally get them out (with or without veterinary assistance) and both are […] Read more


Troubleshooting Swine Reproductive Problems

Reading Time: 4 minutes Reproductive problems in pigs are complex and requi re a sys temat i c approach to solving them, based on a thorough understanding of the physiology involved, says Dr. Billy Flowers, from North Carolina State University. Speaking at the recent Banff Pork Seminar, he noted that knowing what should normally occur in sows and gilts […] Read more

Feed ‘Em Or Ship ‘Em? Program Helps Decide

Reading Time: 2 minutes At this time of year, cattle producers are probably thinking about how slowly winter is moving and how quickly the feed stack is disappearing. Some tough decisions may have to be made before grazing starts again in late spring – buy more high-priced hay to hold the herd over or pull the trigger and sell […] Read more


Province Waives Fees For Moving Grassers

Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta cattle producers who temporarily move animals to pastures in Saskatchewan or British Columbia this spring or summer won’t need to pay inspection fees on the way out. The provincial agriculture and rural development department (AARD) said Feb. 17 it will provide a $25,000 grant this year to Livestock Identification Services (LIS) to cover the […] Read more

Ag Ministers To Consult On Risk Programs

Reading Time: < 1 minute Canada’s federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) Agriculture Departments plan to launch a new round of consultations with producers and ag groups on business risk management (BRM) programs. The results of these consultations, which will include discussion on “challenges facing the sector” and “opportunities that lie ahead,” are to be reported back to the FPT agriculture […] Read more


New Pig Disease Poses A Puzzle

Reading Time: 2 minutes “These pigs look very similar to pigs that simply starve to death.” – John Harding, U Of S Scientists at the University of Saskatchewan have discovered a new and baffling swine ailment in which newly weaned pigs fail to eat and starve to death. Postweaning Wasting/Catabolic Syndrome (PWCS), can cause death losses of up to […] Read more

Canada Beef Exports To Rise Slightly In 2010

Reading Time: < 1 minute Canadian beef exports will increase slightly this year despite the cattle industry’s decline, as exports to Mexico and Asia offset fewer shipments to the United States, a top export official said Feb. 18. Farmers and ranchers have downsized their herds of hogs and cattle to the smallest levels in more than a decade due to […] Read more