Reading Time: 4 minutes Livestock producers, you are doing good things — at least Temple Grandin thinks so. “I have been in this industry for 45 years, and there has been a lot of improvement,” she said at Alberta Farm Animal Care’s Livestock Care Conference last month. But the problem is that so few people — including, sometimes, producers […] Read more
Audits and blogs: How to drive change and win over consumers
Temple Grandin has long been an agent of change and says individual farmers can be, too
The revised Beef Code of Practice a win for everyone
Beef 911: Everyone involved in the cattle industry should keep a copy handy and consult it frequently
Reading Time: 4 minutes There has been a lot written about the revised Beef Code of Practice, which was released in 2013 and was the first revision since 1991. It is most definitely worth a read, whether you are a beef producer, transporter, marketer, nutritionist, veterinarian, or are involved with the cattle industry in any way. At 56 pages, […] Read more
Get rid of your cattle if they’re getting too big
Heavier cattle — particularly ones with small frames — can develop feet problems, especially if they suffer heat stress
Reading Time: 3 minutes Don’t keep big, fat cattle around because it could increase animal welfare problems. Animal welfare icon Temple Grandin has recently been sounding alarms about more lameness in beef cattle and part of that is related to heavier weights and genetics. “There are certain genetic lines of beef cattle that are repeating a mistake the pig […] Read more
We no longer have the luxury of time in making changes
When consumers decide a livestock practice is wrong, they expect changes to be made immediately
Reading Time: 3 minutes We used to believe — and many companies still do — that we could maintain consumer trust by going through the exercise of a food safety or production protocol. We have discovered in this very tribal age of transparency, this is not sufficient. Consumers are expecting actions to be taken and are moving away from […] Read more
The great divide: Earls controversy has larger implications for beef industry
A move to woo customers with ‘certified humane’ beef ignited a firestorm — and highlighted the gap between producers and consumers
Reading Time: 5 minutes The decision by Earls Restaurants to stop using Canadian beef and move to American “certified humane” proved short-lived, but the issue is much bigger than one restaurant’s choice of suppliers. Earls quickly reversed the decision that sent waves of displeasure through the beef industry. But the controversy has highlighted both consumers’ lack of knowledge about […] Read more
Earls retreats from U.S. beef sourcing
Canadian upscale-casual dining chain Earls Restaurants has pulled back from its recent public commitment to the “Certified Humane Beef” brand. Mo Jessa, president of Vancouver-based Earls, said Wednesday the company will instead begin to “work with local ranchers to build our supply of Alberta beef that meets our criteria” for animal care and treatment. The […] Read more
Earls ups ante on beef sourcing
Vancouver-based Earls Restaurants, owner of the upscale-casual dining chain Earls Kitchen + Bar, has gone all in on Certified Humane Beef — but has also gone outside Canada to get it. The company, which operates 59 Earls restaurants in Canada and seven in the U.S., on Tuesday billed itself as the first North American chain […] Read more
The time has come to rethink single-trait selection
Temple Grandin was right about animal welfare, and she’s right about respecting the dual purpose of food animals, too
Reading Time: 4 minutes I am a big fan of Dr. Temple Grandin. A long time ago we stood in a small community hall in Alberta with 60 farmers in attendance. She talked about an animal’s reaction to light, movement, and sound, and encouraged producers to see their facilities through the eyes of their livestock. I talked about shrinkage […] Read more
Temple Grandin in Calgary
Reading Time: < 1 minute Renowned animal welfare expert Temple Grandin will be the keynote speaker at the Canadian Livestock Transport conference in Calgary on May 5-6. Grandin will speak about overcoming adversity on May 5 and give a presentation on animal welfare the following day. The Innovation, Education and Awareness conference will also have sessions on hog transport research, […] Read more
Temple Grandin says producers ‘pushing biology too hard’
High-profile animal welfare expert says producers must address livestock issues or society will dictate solutions
Reading Time: 4 minutes Farmers, you have issues — downer dairy cows, structurally unsound cattle, and osteoporosis so bad in laying hens that huge numbers of them suffer broken bones. That’s the latest message from world-renowned animal scientist Temple Grandin, and it comes with a stark warning: Producers need to address these issues before society steps in and dictates change. […] Read more
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