Livestock
Reading Time: < 1 minute Scientists at the University of Calgary say they may have found a common DNA denominator in animals with BSE or related diseases. That, in turn, may mean BSE could eventually be confirmed simply and cheaply by a live blood test. Such a testing method would likely be the grail of BSE research. Confirming BSE currently […] Read more
Calgary Scientists Hope For BSE Blood Test
Cattle Feeders Hear Message For Change
Reading Time: 2 minutes RED DEER More than 400 cattle producers came from far and wide to attend the 2009 Feeder Associations of Alberta (FAA) conference here in January. The annual event sees delegates gather from associations across the province. Feeder associations were first established in Alberta over 70 years ago to provide government-guaranteed financing to producers who wanted […] Read more
Second infected B.C. farm’s birds destroyed
All the birds on a second commercial poultry farm in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley have been destroyed following Wednesday’s confirmation of an H5 type of avian flu on the property. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said in a release Saturday that the second farm’s birds were “humanely destroyed” and would go to disposal “in accordance […] Read more
Prairie beef co-op gets “sustainable” certification
A ranchers’ beef co-operative in Alberta and Saskatchewan has picked up certification from a U.S. group for meeting a long list of social and environmental standards for their product. Food Alliance Certification Co-operative, based in Portland, Ore., has given Prairie Heritage Producers its certification for “sustainably-produced” beef. Prairie Heritage becomes the first company in Canada […] Read more
Bird flu found in another B.C. flock
Less than three weeks after H5N2 avian flu appeared in a commercial turkey flock in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley, a neighbouring flock has been confirmed with avian flu. This second flock had been tested within a ring of surveillance for three km all around the Abbotsford-area turkey farm where low-pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza was found […] Read more
Quebec extends traceability rules to cervids
Farmed cervids such as elk, deer and moose are to be covered under Quebec’s livestock ID and traceability regulations by the end of this month. Provincial Agriculture Minister Laurent Lessard said Wednesday that he would amend the regulations, which first included cattle in 2002 and was amended to include sheep in 2004. The amendments announced […] Read more
Tight U.S. market to shut Cargill feed mill
Citing costs and restrictions making the U.S. feed market uncompetitive, the Canadian wing of U.S. agrifood giant Cargill plans to stop production at a southwestern Ontario feed plant. Winnipeg-based Cargill Ltd. announced Tuesday it will “cease” operations at its animal feed production mill at Arkona, Ont., about 55 km west of London, in June 2009, […] Read more
Agropur acquisitions pay off in 2008
New acquisitions poured added revenue into Quebec dairy processing firm Agropur during 2008, the producers’ co-op reported Wednesday. During its annual meeting Wednesday in Quebec City, Agropur reported earnings (before patronage dividends and taxes) of $121.3 million for 2008, on sales of $2.8 billion. That marks an increase in sales from over $2.45 billion in […] Read more
Cattle manure on fields less prone to P runoff
While it has the same total phosphorus (P) as liquid manure from hog barns, the P available from solid cattle manure is less likely to be lost to runoff or leaching, a new University of Manitoba study finds. The study, conducted by soil scientist Don Flaten, was sponsored in part by the Manitoba Livestock Manure […] Read more
Obama warns on “Buy America,” gives hope for COOL
(Resource News International) — While the new U.S. administration decides whether it will re-open the debate on country-of-origin-labelling (COOL) legislation, Canadian livestock groups hope President Barack Obama’s recent warnings on “Buy America” provisions show a commitment to pragmatism, not ideology. COOL legislation was thrown into limbo Jan. 22 when Obama put a hold on all […] Read more
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