Agropur has gone back to Plan A for the fate of a major Quebec soft cheese processing plant after halting talks with the province’s goat dairy farmer association. Canada’s biggest dairy co-operative had announced in September last year it would close the former Fromagerie Damafro plant at Saint-Damase, Que. in April this year, but delayed […] Read more
Agropur halts talks with Quebec goat dairy producers
Family of goat lovers lives off the grid
Family uses mainly solar power and a wind turbine while raising goats, free-range chickens, turkeys, geese, and hogs
Reading Time: 3 minutes Kids abound at Will O’ the Wisp Paddocks. Amy Leitch and husband Kevin have four of their own, along with numerous goat kids in their flock of 77 goats. “We chose Kiko goats which are from New Zealand. They’re bred from the best of the best and this is a breed that is known worldwide,” […] Read more
Copper toxicity an issue for lamb producers
Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta Lamb Producers says there have been reports of copper toxicity in market lambs and is urging producers to take care. The organization says rations for cattle, goats, or horses should never be fed to sheep, and that land fertilized with hog manure can have high levels of copper. “Since copper is stored in the […] Read more
Anthrax warning issued after two bison die near North Battleford
There is a greater risk of anthrax in dry conditions and a sudden unexplained death is the key warning sign
Reading Time: 2 minutes Authorities are warning that the anthrax danger is higher after two bison northwest of North Battleford, Sask. recently died after contracting the highly contagious disease. “Whenever we have drier summers, anthrax is always a higher risk,” said Dr. Kent Weir, associate veterinarian with Weir Veterinary services in Lloydminster. Anthrax spores can survive for decades in […] Read more
Consult vet when newborn sheep and goats die
If a common infectious agent is the cause, steps can be taken to reduce the risk
Reading Time: < 1 minute Outbreaks of abortions and stillbirths in sheep and goats, and deaths in newborn lambs and kids, can have severe economic impact on a farm’s profitability. With the help of their veterinarian, producers can identify common infectious causes of abortions, stillbirths and deaths in newborn lambs and kids. This will allow the producer to take preventive […] Read more
Sherwood Park man invents new cattle tracker with multiple uses
Wireless rumen bolus can track cattle and other livestock and also measure their temperature to predict sickness or fertility cycles
Reading Time: 2 minutes It all started with a simple idea. Neil Helfrich, a Sherwood Park inventor, had a moment of inspiration when his wife brought home a puppy in 2007. The dog had a microchip implant, which identifies the animal but can’t track it if it runs away. A device able to do the latter, Helfrich realized, would […] Read more
Pot-bellied pigs, Shetland ponies and rabbits, oh my!
Lloydminster Rare and Exotic Fall Sale, Saturday, Sept. 27
Reading Time: 2 minutes Pssst… Do you want to buy a duck? Or sell a goat? How about a donkey? Then the annual Lloydminster Rare and Exotic Fall Sale on Sept. 27 is for you. The sale, which has been running for 31 years, is popular with hobby farmers and attracts about 800 people from Alberta and Saskatchewan each […] Read more
Trade mission to Turkey opens doors
Need to upgrade cattle, sheep and goat genetics offers opportunities for Alberta companies
Reading Time: 2 minutes A provincial trade mission to Turkey has identified significant opportunities for Alberta in the areas of sheep and goat genetics, live cattle and cattle genetics, pulses, pet food, and agriculture-focused post-secondary education and training. The Alberta delegation included OC Flock Management (a Bowden-based company specializing in small ruminants’ reproductive technologies and genetics), ITS Global (a […] Read more
No kidding – there’s a great future for Alberta’s goat industry
Whether it’s milk, meat, or for multi-species grazing, the demand for goats far outstrips the available supply
Reading Time: 4 minutes Demand is not a problem facing Alberta’s goat industry these days — but supply certainly is. With a growing number of Albertans hailing from countries where goat is a staple, producers simply can’t keep up with demand, said Laurie Fries, president of Alberta Goat Breeders. “Our numbers are the lowest they’ve ever been,” the Edgerton […] Read more
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