A worker dumps pre-consumer food waste before being fed to black soldier fly larvae at the Enterra Feed Corporation in Langley, British Columbia.

Don’t bug out: Giant fly larvae factory is coming to Alberta

High-protein insect meal is an easy — and sustainable — way to feed livestock

Reading Time: 3 minutes There’s an unassuming factory in Langley, B.C., where thousands of tonnes of premium protein are being produced every year using neither land nor water. Welcome to the world’s largest insect farm — and the future of food. Or, at least, the future of feed. And that future is coming to Alberta next year, when Enterra […] Read more


A feed shortage is a big financial hit, but how much depends on how you respond and the particular situation on your ranch.
 Photo: Michael Moskaluk, special to Alberta Farmer

Four options to help deal with a feed shortage

What is your best option if you’re short on feed? “Each farm is different and therefore doing your numbers as they pertain to your situation is paramount,” said provincial economics extension specialist Herman Simons. “In addition, each option has different pros and cons, which should be listed and taken into account when determining the best[...]
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(Video screengrab from TalentsLaCoop.coop)

Coop federee buys into Ontario feed sector

Fresh off its recent investment in the Prairie livestock feed business, Quebec ag co-operative giant La Coop federee is headed down a similar path in southwestern Ontario. The co-operative announced Monday it will pay an undisclosed sum for a 50 per cent stake in W-S Feed and Supply, based at Tavistock, Ont., about 30 km[...]
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Haystack on winter Field in Alberta Canada

Don’t spoil your hay — store it properly

Forage expert offers tips for reducing spoilage, and makes a pitch for having a hay shed

Reading Time: 2 minutes While hay quality varies across the province, how to store that hay for the best results doesn’t. “We’ve got a mixed bag this year,” said provincial beef and forage specialist Barry Yaremcio. “Some people cut their hay early, got caught with the rains and had it discolour before it even got into the bales. Others[...]
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Unlike swathed fields, nitrate levels in hailed-out crops can continue to rise and that increases 
the risk of nitrate poisoning.

If you’re going to feed hail-damaged crop to livestock, test it first

Doing a feed test ‘is much cheaper than losing an animal,’ says beef extension specialist

Reading Time: 2 minutes Hail damage this summer is approaching an all-time high — and with many producers putting livestock on their ruined fields, the risk of nitrate poisoning is also shooting up. So be sure to do a feed test first, said a beef extension specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. “A feed test is much cheaper than[...]
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