Reading Time: 4 minutes Producers who were forced to cull their herds during last year’s drought may need years to rebuild their herds back to pre-drought levels. “When the drought hit last summer, one of the questions that came up was what if guys had to cull really hard,” said Brenna Grant, executive director of Canfax. “Every operation has […] Read more
Be strategic when rebuilding your cattle herd following drought
Rebuilding your herd with your own heifers will be the best option for most operations
Golden era for canola isn’t over by a long shot, says industry vet
As he heads into retirement, Ward Toma says the crop’s future is as bright as it was when he was starting out
Reading Time: 3 minutes As he looks into the rear-view mirror of history, Alberta Canola general manager Ward Toma points to 2003 as a turning point. But not because of what happened in the canola sector, but rather the earthquake that hit the cattle business when BSE was discovered in an Alberta cow. In each of the two years […] Read more
Klassen: Canadian feeder market divorces from feeder cattle futures
Timing of new-crop feed grains leads to shift
Compared to last week western Canadian yearling markets traded $3-$4 on either side of unchanged. The quality was quite variable resulting in the wide price structure; however, decent genetic and lower flesh packages were red hot. Feedlot operators were extremely aggressive on 700- to 800-lb. steers although higher weight categories were also well bid. Auction […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder market develops two-tier price structure
Compared to last week, western Canadian yearlings markets traded $2-$4 higher on average; feeder cattle in the 600- to 800-pound weight category were up $3 to as much as $6 while calves under 600 lbs. traded $4-$8 higher. The Canadian dollar strengthened on Friday but the softer tone from Monday through Thursday contributed to the […] Read more
High-path avian flu reaches Vancouver Island
Saskatchewan extends ag fair ban for birds; B.C. restarts lab testing; FCC to offer flexibility
North America’s latest round of highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks has now made its way from one end of Canada clear to the other. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Tuesday confirmed Canada’s westernmost case ever of high-path avian flu in domestic birds, finding an H5N1 virus in a small-scale poultry flock in the Regional […] Read more
Prairie cash wheat: Bids climb higher
MarketsFarm — A rally in U.S. wheat futures together with a downturn in the Canadian dollar combined to take Prairie wheat bids sharply higher during the second week of May. Average Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS, 13.5 per cent protein) wheat prices were up by $40.80-$45 per tonne during the week ended May 12, according […] Read more
Feed weekly outlook: Market watching new-crop weather
MarketsFarm — With excessive moisture in the eastern Prairies and persistent drought in southern Alberta, uncertainty over new-crop grain production is keeping some caution in the feed market. The spot market is relatively steady as the market waits for a better picture on this year’s growing conditions. “A lot of the feedlots have all the […] Read more
ICE weekly outlook: Conditions a challenge for Prairie canola
MarketsFarm — Wet conditions throughout much of the eastern half of the Canadian Prairies continued to delay spring planting this week. Meanwhile, the western half of the region remained mired in drought and in need of rain to help recently-seeded crops get off to a good start. “Get it in the ground and get some […] Read more
More funds put up to boost Calgary vet school enrolment
Funding added for more staff, materials on top of infrastructure money
The University of Calgary’s faculty of veterinary medicine, fresh off a major capital funding boost in February’s provincial budget, now gets another $8.4 million over three years to help expand enrolment. “This targeted enrolment funding will go towards hiring on more faculty/staff to teach the increased number of students,” Sam Blackett, press secretary for Advanced […] Read more
Tightening supplies likely to underpin chickpea market
MarketsFarm — Tightening worldwide chickpea supplies could bode well for prices later this year, although Canadian acres will likely be down and there’s still a long growing season ahead. Canadian farmers intend to seed 175,200 acres of chickpeas in 2022, which would be down 5.5 per cent from the previous year and the smallest acreage […] Read more
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