Compared to last week, Western Canadian yearling prices were relatively unchanged; prices for mid-weight calves were $2 to $5 higher. Calves under 550 pounds were up $6 to $8 on average while feather light bawlers were up a sold $10 above week-ago levels. Weaker feed grain prices along with strength in the deferred live cattle […] Read more
Klassen: Light test of feeder cattle reflects hot demand
Feed weekly outlook: Barley, wheat prices starting to soften
MarketsFarm – It appears that the days of feedlots on the Prairies primarily using corn may be coming to an end. After nearly a year of feedlots importing corn from the United States, due to tight supply and higher prices for feed barley and feed wheat in Western Canada, demand has mostly turned towards cereal […] Read more
Canada launches offset credits to help tackle emissions
Landfill gas protocols now launched; ag-related protocols soon to follow
Reuters — Canada on Wednesday launched a credit system for greenhouse gas offsets, a major part of its plan to cut carbon emissions, starting with a set of rules stipulating how projects can generate tradeable credits by capturing gas from landfills. The government said protocols for four other sectors including agriculture and forest management are […] Read more
Hybrid rye brings flexibility and vigour for cattle feeders
Still a relatively new crop here, hybrid rye deserves a good look as a feed grain, say proponents
Reading Time: 4 minutes Hybrid rye might just be the closest a producer can come to a one-size-fits-all solution for feeding cattle, attendees at a recent webinar were told. “There’s a lot of flexibility to it,” said Nathan Penner, commercialization manager at FP Genetics. “The thing I like about it is there’s options to use it in multiple different […] Read more
Taking the two-week grain-free challenge is worthwhile
Removing grain or processed feeds from your horse can be a good starting point in identifying dietary issues
Reading Time: 3 minutes Even though the ‘two-week no-grain challenge’ may be anxiety inducing, implementing it can offer surprisingly beneficial results for both horse and human. Humans often equate food with love and unknowingly project these feelings on to their animal family — cats, dogs and horses. So this grain-free challenge, touted in some horse websites and forums, often triggers […] Read more
Feedlots in a tight spot as shipments of corn lag
A perfect storm has led to a shortage of corn shipments from the States
Reading Time: 4 minutes Feedlot owners will be anxiously watching for rail deliveries of American corn for the rest of the winter. “For us, we haven’t run out as of yet,” said Bryan Thiessen of Namaka Farms, a 29,000-head feedlot near Strathmore. “I don’t see that we are going to run out in the near future, but we’ve kept […] Read more
Feeding cattle this winter is all about striking the right balance
Determine your priorities, feed test and then take a look at alternate feed sources
Reading Time: 4 minutes Whether feeding in a normal year or through a drought, cattle producers need to look at nutrition from a “40,000-foot vantage point” to make the most of their feed. “No matter what we’re doing, we’re always striving to get that perfect mix and perfect balance so that everything is used to its optimum,” Barry Yaremcio […] Read more
China to make protein for livestock from carbon monoxide
Beijing | Reuters – Chinese researchers say they have found a way to produce an animal feed protein from carbon monoxide in what is being hailed as a breakthrough that could help reduce the country’s reliance on huge volumes of imported soybeans. China is by far the world’s top buyer of soybeans, bringing in around […] Read more
Know what you’ve got is the golden rule when feed is short
Nitrate levels are higher in drought-stressed crops, so testing feed is an absolute must
Reading Time: 4 minutes Testing your feed should top your to-do list this fall and winter. “Get that crop tested,” said Bart Lardner, a University of Saskatchewan professor who holds a research chair in cow-calf and forage systems. “Know what you’re starting with and know what you’re dealing with in terms of energy density, protein density, and anti-quality factors […] Read more
Doubling down: Turning brewery waste into food — and then into feed
First Alex Villeneuve uses spent grain to grow mushrooms, and then it becomes high-protein feed
Reading Time: 3 minutes Five years ago, Alex Villeneuve was growing mushrooms in the closet of his college dorm, trying to turn brewers’ spent grain from local craft breweries into food. Now he’s transforming the waste from his mushroom farm into livestock feed — and it’s gone way beyond closet size. “We’re going to produce around 12,500 pounds of […] Read more
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