Livestock

A government fund to upgrade federal lab facilities across the country will put up almost $1 million for renos at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s Burnaby, B.C. lab. “This investment of almost $1 million will go toward updating and enhancing this facility,” Vancouver MP Andrew Saxton said in a release Friday. “As a result, lab […] Read more

RCMP at Portage la Prairie, Man. have turned to the public in their bid to find a loaded artificial insemination (A.I.) tank stolen from an area property. The Mounties, in a press statement Friday, said they’re seeking the public’s assistance following a reported theft on March 9 in the R.M. of North Norfolk, west of […] Read more

Alberta’s agriculture department will put some of its Growing Forward funding toward a mentorship program to encourage sustainable grazing. The sustainable grazing mentorship program (SGMP) will give producers the opportunity to work directly with experienced grazing mentors for eight or 16 hours to develop a customized grazing plan. A mentor for this program will be […] Read more

New Brunswick poultry producers Groupe Westco and Quebec meat packer Olymel say they’re willing to take their plans for a new joint-venture poultry plant into mediation with another New Brunswick packer. The two partners on Tuesday announced plans for a $30 million poultry slaughter and processing plant at Clair, southwest of Edmundston in northern New […] Read more

The Manitoba government has application forms ready for farmers seeking funding from the federal/provincial Growing Forward programs, apart from business risk management (BRM) plans such as AgriStability or AgriRecovery. The province, in three separate statements Wednesday, announced applications are now available for the Environmental Farm Action Program (EFAP), Manitoba Sustainable Agriculture Practices Program (MSAPP) and […] Read more

The product safety agency that approved an electric fence controller for livestock for sale in Canada and the U.S. warns that its approval doesn’t extend to other uses, like shocking wild birds. Illinois-based Underwriters Laboratories (UL) said in a release Tuesday that the controllers are being sold by other companies under the brand names “Bird-B-Gone” […] Read more

The pandemic flu strain H1N1 has crossed over to hogs in various areas of Manitoba, causing only “very mild” effects in assorted feeder barns, nursery barns and sow barns. The Manitoba agriculture department’s chief veterinary officer, Dr. Wayne Lees, delivered that assessment last week on ProMed, an online archive operated by the Massachusetts-based International Society […] Read more

The Prairie Swine Centre is selling its Elstow, Saskatchewan research farm to a U.K. company that will operate it on its behalf. Lee Whittington, president and CEO of PSC says the announcement comes after many months of discussions. The deal puts the PSC Elstow Research Farm facilities under the ownership of JSR Genetics Ltd. of […] Read more

Saskatchewan honey producers who suffer losses due to bear damage will now be compensated under the wildlife damage compensation program, administered by the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation.  Compensation is now available for bear damage to bee hives and huts, loss of honey production, and loss of honey bees and leaf cutter bee larvae. “Bears cause […] Read more

Poultry firm Groupe Westco and meat processor Olymel have scrapped plans to buy a competing slaughter plant to house their New Brunswick joint venture, and have chosen a site to build new. Westco and Quebec-based Olymel announced Tuesday that they expect to get the authorizations they need “shortly” to start construction on a $30 million […] Read more