Reading Time: 2 minutes The website foragebeef.ca contains the latest information on forage and beef research for producers in Canada and the northern United States. “The site summarizes research for farmers and ranchers,” said Ken Ziegler, provincial beef and forage specialist. “It’s a unique approach to developing and organizing North American research information for the Canadian forage and beef […] Read more
Website offers latest info on forage and beef research
Approximately 200 research papers have been added to www.foragebeef.ca over the past year
Advocating for forage crops is critical work and needs to continue
The Canadian Forage and Grassland Association works on a tight budget, but is in it for the long haul
Reading Time: 3 minutes Recent reports on the financial situation of the Canadian Forage and Grassland Association suggest its future is grim. But while we’ll be on a tight budget in the coming year, the association is on firm financial footing and we intend on being around for a long time. In fact, the need for an organization like […] Read more
The cattle industry hasn’t fully embraced animal welfare
The cattle sector has come a long way but there are still areas to be addressed and it should be leading the way
Reading Time: 3 minutes The children and I have a map marked with every road I drove in the 20 years in the 1980s and 1990s I spent speaking about animal welfare in Canada. There were a few empty spots, but those travels included hundreds of farm stops and thousands of participants. It was my mission to bring the […] Read more
Paying it forward — family’s donation to create animal welfare ‘win-wins’
Already a leader in the field, the U of C’s vet school will expand research to help both producers and the animals in their care
Reading Time: 3 minutes It is, by any measure, a lot of money. But her family’s $5-million donation to the University of Calgary’s faculty of veterinary medicine for animal welfare research is money well spent, says Cochrane-area rancher Wynne Chisholm. “We love animals and have a soft spot for cows. Cow-calf is underserved in terms of research,” said Chisholm, […] Read more
Better animal welfare is also better for your bottom line
Consumers are beginning to demand higher animal welfare standards for livestock — but improving welfare isn’t ‘rocket science’
Reading Time: 2 minutes Animal welfare and beef cattle productivity are “inseparable,” says a federal research scientist. “Sick animals are not productive animals,” said Dr. Karen Schwartzkopf-Genswein. “Incidences of sickness and lost performance are really heavily linked to welfare.” Stressors like castration, transportation, weaning, and handling have been linked to things like slower rate of gain, greater chance of […] Read more
Getting beef back on the table
Health advocates want to get people back in their kitchens, and out of fast-food joints, and that’s an opportunity for the meat sector
Reading Time: 3 minutes As marketers, we’re always on the lookout for trends and how we can latch on to the waves to build momentum for messages. One of the waves gaining momentum is ‘food skills.’ In a broad context, food skills is just about what it takes to get a meal on the table. This includes: Knowing what […] Read more
New centre to boost profile of Canadian beef
The $3.8-million facility in Calgary aims to ‘bring the brand to life’
Reading Time: < 1 minute A new Centre of Excellence is going to do for beef what Cigi has done for grains and oilseeds, says the president of Canada Beef. “I’ve always been high on Cigi — the folks there have done a tremendous job of ensuring Canadian grains have strong international recognition,” said Rob Meijer. Over the last four […] Read more
New co-ordinator for Verified Beef Production program
Reading Time: < 1 minute Shannon Argent of Cremona is the new provincial co-ordinator for the national Verified Beef Production (VBP) program in Alberta. Argent will be managing education and on-farm audit services for cow-calf and feedlot producers participating in the national beef on-farm food safety program. Formerly an animal health technician, Argent has also worked in both the genetics […] Read more
No meeting date in sight for Council of Beef Leaders
Reading Time: 2 minutes The Council of Beef Leaders proposed in last year’s Straw Man Beef Industry Initiative may not meet until the fall, said the man in charge of bringing all the players to the table. “We haven’t had a meeting yet,” said Colin Jeffares, a former provincial assistant deputy minister of agriculture. “I’m not sure when a […] Read more
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