Livestock
Reading Time: < 1 minute Coping with hotter, drier, and less predictable weather is one of the priorities of the new Canadian Beef Research and Technology Transfer Strategy 2018 – 2023. The strategy, created by the Beef Cattle Research Council and Beef Value Chain Roundtable, is meant to guide research through to 2023 while avoiding duplication. Developing and adopting of […] Read more
Dealing with climate change a priority for BCRC
U.S. livestock: Cattle, hog futures mixed on end-of-year positioning
Chicago/Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures were narrowly mixed on Friday, paring earlier steep gains on end-of-year positioning, traders said. Stronger bids for cattle in U.S. Plains cash markets underpinned prices. But some investors took profits after most-active February futures hit an eight-month high before turning slightly lower. Despite the recent rally, cattle […] Read more
Watch to see if cattle eating cobs when grazing standing corn
There’s a high incidence of mouldy corn this year and if cattle aren’t eating the cobs, they need supplemental feeding
Reading Time: 2 minutes Providing supplemental protein and grain is one option if cattle are grazing mouldy standing corn. “Some corn crops left for late-season grazing have been damaged by the fall weather,” said provincial beef and forage specialist Barry Yaremcio. “High humidity, frequent rainfall, and frosts have created ideal conditions for moulds to form. Saprophytic moulds that cause […] Read more
Here’s how to assess the risk when bringing in calves
Beef 911: Mingling animals, transport times, light weights, and even weather can be factors that increase the risk of BRD
Reading Time: 4 minutes There are many factors to consider when bringing in calves to feed in order to minimize BRD (bovine respiratory disease), which is still the No. 1 cause of morbidity and often mortality in our feedlots. Knowing the history of the calves regarding weaning time, distance transported, vaccination, and health history — as well as upcoming […] Read more
Beef checkoff agency has (another) name change
Reading Time: < 1 minute The agency that handles beef checkoffs once again has a new name. “In the past, the handle for the organization managing the checkoff has bounced around a bit,” the newly rechristened Canadian Beef Check-Off Agency said in a release. Once known as the National Check-Off Agency, it’s also been known as Canada Beef and then […] Read more
Fat herds, leaner profits: For China’s pig farmers, New Year feasts bring cold comfort
Beijing/Reuters – With China’s Lunar New Year festivities fast approaching, pig farmers in the world’s biggest pork market have little to cheer. As they fatten herds to meet peak demand, a slump in retail prices and a spike in feed costs are grinding up profits. A wave of imports has squeezed pork retail prices 10 […] Read more
Ruminant parasite drugs are a precious tool — here’s how to use them
Rotating drugs, underdosing, and overtreating can lead to drug resistance in ruminants, says expert
Reading Time: 3 minutes There’s no denying it — drugs used to treat parasites in sheep and goat production need to be employed properly. If they’re not, that could lead to parasitic resistance and drugs that just don’t work. “You can’t just hammer drugs at the problem, because they won’t work forever,” said Lynn Tait, a sheep producer and […] Read more
Manage your sheep pasture to reduce parasites
When it comes to sheep and goats, pasture management is not just about nutrition
Reading Time: 3 minutes Parasites in small ruminants can become a production problem that can’t be solved by throwing dewormer on your animals once a year. Keeping a parasite load low requires a strategy and good management. “Your goal is not to be completely free of parasites,” said Lynn Tait, small-ruminant veterinarian and co-owner of OC Flock Management. “That […] Read more
New leaders at Alberta Barley, Alberta Milk, and Grain Growers of Canada
New Year brings new faces on the boards and executives of farm groups
Reading Time: 2 minutes With a new year dawning, a host of producers are assuming farm leadership roles or taking on new ones. At Alberta Barley, Jason Lenz has stepped up to chair (from vice-chair) after Sylvan Lake producer and past chair Mike Ammeter “termed out” after serving on the board of directors for the last six years. “It’s […] Read more
Quarantines added in bovine TB probe
Federal inspectors’ search for animals exposed to one of six Alberta cattle confirmed with bovine tuberculosis (TB) has led them to quarantine more farm sites for testing. As of Wednesday, “approximately 50” farm sites, mostly in southeastern Alberta with “approximately five” in southwestern Saskatchewan, are under quarantine and movement controls, affecting about 26,000 animals, the […] Read more