Livestock
Alberta’s beef cattle industry is mourning a renowned livestock geneticist credited with "revolutionizing" the business by pioneering selective cross-breeding of cattle. Dr. Roy Berg died Tuesday at age 85 after a "long illness," the University of Alberta said Wednesday. Berg’s hybrid breeding programs led to a 30-40 per cent increase in production, helping make Alberta […] Read more
Cattle genetics pioneer Roy Berg, 85
Canada blocks horses coming from New Mexico
An outbreak of vesicular stomatitis (VS) in livestock in New Mexico has prompted Canada to block the entry of horses from that state. As of last Friday (May 4), horses originating from New Mexico will not be permitted to enter Canada — except for Canadian horses returning from that state, subject to "additional import requirements." […] Read more
NSAC, Dal formal merger pushed to Sept. 1
Provincial legislation formalizing the merger of Nova Scotia Agricultural College into Dalhousie University pushes the official merger date back to Sept. 1. The new start date is about what the two schools expected when they announced merger talks in May last year, but tacks another two months onto the effective start date of July 1, […] Read more
Alberta justice minister shuffled to ag file
Alberta Premier Alison Redford’s returning cabinet will include her previous attorney general and justice minister as her new minister for agriculture and rural development. Redford on Tuesday announced lawyer Verlyn Olson, the MLA for Wetaskiwin-Camrose since 2008, will take over the agriculture file from Evan Berger, who lost his seat in the April 23 election. […] Read more
Dairy co-ops to keep making Yoplait for Canada
The dairy farmer co-operatives now making Yoplait for the Canadian market will do so for at least six more years but will also launch their own new yogurt and dairy goods line this summer. A custom processing agreement announced Tuesday between Ultima Foods and the Canadian arm of the Yoplait brands’ majority owner, U.S. food […] Read more
Safeway to aim for ‘stall-free’ pork supply
The Safeway grocery store chain, one of North America’s biggest by sales, says it will start "formulating plans" to cut out the use of gestation stalls for breeding sows in its pork supply chains. The California company, which as of Dec. 31, 2011 includes 225 stores in Western Canada and Ontario, said in a release […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder cattle prices stabilize
Western Canadian feeder cattle prices appear to have stabilized for the time being. Auction market volumes are declining in line with the seasonal tendency and demand is sufficient to sustain the current price structure. Fed cattle prices were down as much as $3 per hundredweight (cwt), which continues to weigh on the feeder complex. Alberta […] Read more
Barnmates of missing Ont. sheep negative for scrapie
A quarantined southeastern Ontario farm where 31 sheep vanished last month, just before they were to be destroyed and tested for scrapie, is now down by nine more sheep, all scrapie-negative. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency confirmed this week that it took nine sheep from Linda Montana Jones’ farm last weekend, and that the nine […] Read more
Tim Hortons moves on sow stalls, layer hen housing
Canada’s iconic Tim Hortons chain has given its pork suppliers until the end of this year to have “clear plans” in place to phase out sow gestation stalls. The Oakville, Ont.-based quick-service restaurant firm said it also set a target of purchasing at least 10 per cent of its eggs from producers using “enriched hen […] Read more
Alta. Wildrose names new ag critic
Alberta’s new official Wildrose opposition has named Vulcan County farmer Ian Donovan as its critic for agriculture and rural development. Donovan won his first term as the MLA for the Little Bow riding in the April 23 provincial election, defeating Progressive Conservative candidate John Kolk, a former chairman of Chicken Farmers of Canada. Donovan, who […] Read more
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