Chicago | Reuters — Wal-Mart Stores is pressing meat, seafood, dairy and egg suppliers to reduce the use of antibiotics, becoming the first large retailer to take a stand against the excessive use of drugs in raising farm animals. The guidelines announced on Friday would limit suppliers to using antibiotics to treat and prevent disease, […] Read more
Wal-Mart urges meat suppliers to curb antibiotic use
New beef cattle researcher award offered
For researchers involved in programs related to competitiveness and sustainability
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) has introduced a new award that honours outstanding researchers for their contribution to the competitiveness and sustainability of the Canadian beef industry. The Canadian Beef Industry Award for Outstanding Research and Innovation will publicly recognize scientists and academics actively involved in strong research programs aligned with industry priorities, continually […] Read more
New animal care assessment tool to measure animal welfare in Canadian feedlots
With the new assessment program, cattle feeders can show consumers exactly how they’re ensuring the welfare of their animals
Reading Time: 3 minutes The organization that represents Canada’s cattle feeders is staying one step ahead of changing consumer demands, through a new feedlot animal care assessment program. “The National Cattle Feeders’ Association decided that it wanted to be proactive and develop a national animal care assessment program for feed yards,” said Dr. Joyce Van Donkersgoed, a feedlot veterinarian […] Read more
Temple Grandin in Calgary
Reading Time: < 1 minute Renowned animal welfare expert Temple Grandin will be the keynote speaker at the Canadian Livestock Transport conference in Calgary on May 5-6. Grandin will speak about overcoming adversity on May 5 and give a presentation on animal welfare the following day. The Innovation, Education and Awareness conference will also have sessions on hog transport research, […] Read more
Livestock sector needs the mindset to improve animal welfare
David Fraser says a ‘professional animal production’ approach to animal welfare is needed to reassure society
Reading Time: 3 minutes Much of the debate on farm animal welfare changes has centred on major infrastructure shifts such as facilities improvements and housing approaches. But the greatest challenge — and also opportunity — facing animal agriculture may lie not in the physical environment but rather in the mindset of producers, says David Fraser, a professor of applied […] Read more
Telling farming’s story — the good, the bad and the ugly
Airdrie vet Cody Creelman says being open and honest takes away power from foes of livestock production
Reading Time: 3 minutes Eight seconds is a good bull ride. And in the new age of Tweets, Vines and Snapchats, it’s also about all the time needed to create a viral video or have someone form an impression — good or bad — about animal agriculture. So how can producers benefit from social media? Airdrie vet Cody Creelman […] Read more
Want to earn a premium? Take a page from Rolex’s playbook
Heritage Angus Beef became one of Canada’s largest specialty beef producers by positioning itself as a luxury product
Reading Time: 3 minutes What do BMWs and bison have in common? More than you might think, says the CEO of Heritage Angus Beef. “Bison or high-end beef are no different than high-end Scotch or Grey Goose Vodka or a Rolex,” Christoph Weder said at the Wildrose Bison Convention earlier this month. “Bison are not a commodity. They’re a […] Read more
New agency to handle Sask. animal welfare enforcement
Saskatchewan’s animal protection officers will start Wednesday with a new not-for-profit agency handling animal welfare enforcement work in the province. The provincial agriculture department on Thursday announced a two-year, $610,000-per-year agreement to fund investigative services provided by Animal Protection Services of Saskatchewan, effective April 1. A new toll-free phone number, 1-844-382-0002, will be in place […] Read more
Pork producers will soon need to use pain medication in routine swine procedures
Pork producers will need to use pain medications for procedures such as castration and tail docking starting in July 2016
Reading Time: 3 minutes Change is coming, but it won’t be huge change nor difficult for pork producers to adopt. Effective July 1, 2016, producers will have to use pain mitigation medication when performing procedures like castration and tail docking. “There are a number of these elective husbandry procedures in the code, and these are painful procedures for pigs, […] Read more
Temple Grandin says producers ‘pushing biology too hard’
High-profile animal welfare expert says producers must address livestock issues or society will dictate solutions
Reading Time: 4 minutes Farmers, you have issues — downer dairy cows, structurally unsound cattle, and osteoporosis so bad in laying hens that huge numbers of them suffer broken bones. That’s the latest message from world-renowned animal scientist Temple Grandin, and it comes with a stark warning: Producers need to address these issues before society steps in and dictates change. […] Read more
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