Reading Time: 3 minutes A shortage of feed and a dry start to the grazing season may make it worthwhile to investigate some retained ownership or other off-farm feeding opportunities, says a risk management specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. “For some producers who may not have sufficient feed carry-over to sustain their production plans, moving yearlings or replacement […] Read more
Partnering could be an option if feed is in short supply
There’s a lot of volatility in cattle markets right now and that could open the door to some ‘interesting value propositions,’ says expert
Fewer downers being shipped, says hog exchange
An undercover video showing abuse has prompted widespread changes at the hog assembly yard
Reading Time: 2 minutes The Red Deer hog assembly yard at the heart of animal abuse allegations almost two years ago has seen industry-wide improvements in animal handling. “Since the Mercy for Animals incident, we have made significant strides in improving our level of animal care and husbandry,” said Brent Moen, chair of the Western Hog Exchange. “And I […] Read more
Changes come to traceability database
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Canadian Cattle Identification Agency has enhanced the Canadian Livestock Tracking System database. The agency has enabled system users to submit an Import event for any foreign country tag ID numbers. The supported format is 15 digits in length, starting with the country code. Since current regulations only permit the farm of origin to age […] Read more
Draft a plan before rejuvenating tired forage stand
Forage ecologist Mike Schellenberg offers his insights on how to reinvigorate pastures and boost productivity
Reading Time: 4 minutes “Five years to forever.” That’s a long time for a forage stand to be highly productive — and yet that’s the answer producers often give when asked how long they expect the benefits of rejuvenating pastures to last, said Mike Schellenberg, a range and plant forage ecologist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada at Swift Current, Sask. […] Read more
VBP program being expanded
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Verified Beef Production (VBP) program is being expanded to VBP Plus. The new version of the on-farm food safety program will use third-party audits of production practices and include modules for biosecurity, animal care, and environmental stewardship. The expanded program will allow producers to demonstrate that Canadian beef is being “produced in systems that […] Read more
The secret life of your cow’s reproductive system
Becoming adept at artificial insemination takes time and a lot of practice — here’s what you need to know
Reading Time: 4 minutes Many people are nervous about artificially inseminating their cattle. But knowing a few of the basics about a cow’s reproductive system can help get you on the way to creating an artificial insemination program, said Colin Palmer, associate professor at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan. “The ultimate goal is […] Read more
More producers eligible for livestock tax deferral
Reading Time: < 1 minute Ottawa has announced additional regions where livestock producers are eligible for tax deferrals. This allows producers who faced feed shortages to defer a portion of their 2015 sale proceeds of breeding livestock until the following year. The cost of replacing the animals in the next year offsets the deferred income, which reduces the producer’s taxes. […] Read more
Doing it right pays off for Vandervalk family
Reading Time: 3 minutes Being recognized by their peers is an honour, but the Vandervalk family has also discovered that good environmental practices pay off in a big way. “We found out that we can make more money and do less work by doing rotational grazing on what we used to call hayland,” said Jack Vandervalk, a recipient of […] Read more
Extended grazing saves time and money — if done right
Winter grazing is a simple concept, but the trick is in things like good body condition scores in fall and the right grazing sequence
Reading Time: 3 minutes Winter feeding cattle is a matter of using the right tool at the right time, says a federal forage specialist. “Placing grazing methods in sequence is probably going to be the efficient method time after time to reduce risks and costs,” said Vern Baron, a research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. “In this day […] Read more
4-H forum for equine project leaders
Equine Leaders’ Forum will be held in Westerose on Feb. 5-7
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Equine Leaders’ Forum will be held at the Alberta 4-H Centre and Lakedell Arena in Westerose on Feb. 5-7. The forum features sessions and speakers to assist equine project leaders working with 4-H project members. This year’s schedule will include an equine project roundtable discussion, where you’ll meet new counterparts and swap ideas. Sessions […] Read more
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