Reading Time: 3 minutes When Stuart Somerville first started researching Icelandic sheep on the internet back in 2009, he never realized he would fall in love with the animals. He and wife Kayla ended up purchasing two ewes and a ram and bringing them to their farm near Endiang, 150 kilometres southeast of Red Deer, in 2009. Somerville had […] Read more
A little bit of Iceland thrives in central Alberta
Icelandic sheep are rare in the province but the hardy breed does well in its new homeland
Merger a game changer for the Canadian lamb sector
New company will produce lambs year round — and that could transform the Canadian sector
Reading Time: 4 minutes A merger of two major players in the Canadian lamb sector is designed to be a game changer for the industry. The deal brings together the country’s largest processor of federally inspected lamb (and also a major feeder) and one of the biggest sheep-farming operations in North America. North American Lamb Company will control lamb […] Read more
Agritourism sustains central Alberta sheep farm
Reading Time: 3 minutes Susan de Rosemond had three strikes against her when she decided to become a sheep farmer in the late 1970s. First, she was an immigrant. Second, she was a woman. And the killing blow? She wanted to be a sheep farmer in beef country. “When I went to apply for my mortgage, the bank managers […] Read more
Efficiency in sheep production measured in pennies
Reading Time: 3 minutes Some livestock producers think about saving a buck when feeding their animals. But for sheep producers, it comes down to cents. “With sheep, you’ve always got to think about costs,” said Paul Luimes, a livestock nutrition researcher at the University of Guelph. “You’ve got to look for pennies to save because there’s not a lot […] Read more
Calling Alberta deer hunters
Reading Time: < 1 minute The University of Calgary faculty of veterinary medicine is looking for help from deer hunters. Researchers at the faculty are conducting a study on gastrointestinal parasite diversity in deer. For that, they need fresh feces samples. Hunters who see deer defecate are asked to collect samples and send by courier to the department. Samples can […] Read more
Sheep industry struggles to match supply with demand
Reading Time: 3 minutes The law of supply and demand may usually prevail, but it’s having a bit of trouble working in the Canadian sheep industry. “The No. 1 challenge we face is a shortage of supply,” said Miles Kliner, general manager of Sungold Specialty Meats in Innisfail. “That has been going on for 15 to 16 years. We […] Read more
Ready to relocate? Don’t just jump in, says livestock facility expert
A successful move means checking off a lot of boxes, but there’s lots of help available to ensure the move goes smoothly
Reading Time: 4 minutes Do your corrals flood every year because you are close to a water body? Does your manure storage area have a river running near it? If so, the chances are you need to relocate your facilities — although you might also be eligible for funding to help you out. But the first step is to […] Read more
Ruminant parasite drugs are a precious tool — here’s how to use them
Rotating drugs, underdosing, and overtreating can lead to drug resistance in ruminants, says expert
Reading Time: 3 minutes There’s no denying it — drugs used to treat parasites in sheep and goat production need to be employed properly. If they’re not, that could lead to parasitic resistance and drugs that just don’t work. “You can’t just hammer drugs at the problem, because they won’t work forever,” said Lynn Tait, a sheep producer and […] Read more
Manage your sheep pasture to reduce parasites
When it comes to sheep and goats, pasture management is not just about nutrition
Reading Time: 3 minutes Parasites in small ruminants can become a production problem that can’t be solved by throwing dewormer on your animals once a year. Keeping a parasite load low requires a strategy and good management. “Your goal is not to be completely free of parasites,” said Lynn Tait, small-ruminant veterinarian and co-owner of OC Flock Management. “That […] Read more
How to get your sheep on the move
Understanding sheep behaviour is the key to getting them to go where you want them to
Reading Time: 3 minutes If you want to move a sheep, the worst thing you can do is isolate it, yell at it, and then try to move it from behind. “If you understand animal behaviour, that is 90 per cent of handling — the biggest knowledge gap that we have is true understanding of animal behaviour,” livestock-handling specialist […] Read more
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