Livestock
Reading Time: 2 minutes Malcolm Miller, pasture manager at the Pembina Provincial Grazing Reserve (PPGR) and his team prefer to manage their pasture the cowboy way, using stockmanship and horses instead of quads. “We endeavour to handle our stock quietly and without stress,” said Miller. “By using horses, we can do that, two people can do all the riding […] Read more
Grazing reserve serves patrons from wide area
Alberta broiler producers want more quota
Two markets Differences in fresh versus processed distribution affect how market share is distributed
Reading Time: 2 minutes Alberta’s growing population means a growing demand for chicken, but the province’s producers have been turned down in past attempts the request to supply it here. Alberta Chicken Producers (ACP) is part of the national supply management system administered by Chicken Farmers of Canada (CFC). ACP chair Erna Ference, a producer from Black Diamond, says […] Read moreOpportunity awaits specialty cheese makers in Alberta
CHEESE PLEASE Canadians have a growing appetite for specialty brands or those made by artisanal methods
Reading Time: < 1 minute Swiss, Gruyere, goat cheese — just uttering these words will make most people hungry. And pull out their wallets. Growth of specialty cheeses is extremely strong, says Chris Panter, an Alberta Agriculture livestock market analyst who has researched specialty cheese in Alberta. “Growth of cheddar consumption is positive but consumption of specialty cheese is up […] Read moreStudy refines animal care practices for poultry producers
NEW STUDY Creates provincial protocols for ammonia and humidity in Alberta poultry barns
Reading Time: < 1 minute A new initiative will result in made-in-Alberta standards for ammonia and humidity in provincial poultry barns. The effort to set provincial standards stems from the Canada Animal Care initiative, which was implemented in 2010 and has since seen all 238 of Alberta’s chicken producers audited and certified on their animal care protocols. “We’re the first […] Read moreForage crops don’t get enough respect
Reading Time: 3 minutes Forages should no longer be considered the poor sister to Alberta’s other crops, says Stephanie Kosinski, forage specialist with Alberta Agriculture in Leduc. They’re overlooked crops that are essential to a number of industries in Alberta. To highlight the importance of this crop, the Alberta Forage Industry Network (AFIN) and Alberta Agriculture have prepared a […] Read more
Expert says grazing poultry is not a bird-brained idea
GRAZING GURU Bert Dening says putting chickens or pigs on pasture has many benefits but strong management is needed
Reading Time: 2 minutes Grazing is for the birds — or should be, says an Alberta Agriculture official. It’s not just cows and sheep that benefit from chowing down on pasture, business development officer Bert Dening told attendees at a recent Alberta Farm Fresh Producers conference. Poultry need some grain and other nutrients in their diet, but chickens can […] Read moreBiosecurity a team effort
SIMPLE THINGS Whether it’s washing hands or changing boots, small steps can have a big impact on biosecurity
Reading Time: 2 minutes Is your boot bath full of feces or dead frogs? You might as well just dip your feet in the toilet, says Jean-Pierre Vaillancourt, an expert on poultry biosecurity. And yes, the University of Montreal professor actually once came across a boot bath full of dead frogs. But it’s the former situation he runs into […] Read moreResearcher tests new way to grow plants and fish at home
Reading Time: 2 minutes Got a hankering to go farming in your basement? Odd as that sounds, it may actually be possible thanks to aquaponics — a combination of aquaculture and hydroponics — and new-generation LED lighting. The potential has Nick Savidov excited. “Integrated farming is becoming a reality,” said the senior research scientist with Alberta Agriculture at Edmonton’s […] Read more
U.S. packer suing ABC News over ‘pink slime’ reports
ABC News was hit with a US$1.2 billion defamation lawsuit Thursday by a South Dakota meat processor that accused it of misleading viewers into believing a product that critics have dubbed "pink slime" was unsafe. Beef Products Inc. (BPI) sued over ABC reports aired in March and April about the nation’s largest producer of "lean […] Read more
Maple Leaf sees slightly smaller hog supply ahead
Canadian hog supplies should tighten only modestly in 2013, one of the country’s biggest pork processors said on Thursday, even as farmers close their barns or struggle to stay afloat. A severe drought in the United States has decimated crops, which has led to higher costs for feed grains and pushed North American hog farmers […] Read more
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