Writing a mission statement on a website is easy. Acting on that mission statement is hard. The leaders of the Manitoba Beef and Forage Initiatives (MBFI), a partnership of Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Beef Producers, Ducks Unlimited and the Manitoba Forage and Grasslands Association, have moved beyond the talk and are now acting on the hard […] Read more
Livestock — page 3
Man. learning centre focuses on beef, forage
Dairy producers look for lameness solutions
The problem, which farmers often underestimate, is persistent around the world and in many cases is not getting better
VANCOUVER — Lameness is the number one problem among dairy cattle affecting a cow’s quality of life and health. “It is such a painful disease and most of the costs are related to the production loss,” said Laura Solano, a Calgary animal care specialist who works with dairy farmers through her company, Farm Animal Care […] Read moreHigh mountain disease growing problem in feedlot cattle
Heart failure in cattle is most often caused by conditions such as hardware disease or bacterial endocarditis or myocardial infections with the Histophilus somnus bacteria. Very young calves may suffer from heart failure due to congenital defects. However, there is a very unique condition that can cause right-sided heart failure in cattle known as high […] Read more
Benefits found feeding hybrid fall rye to hogs
New Alberta Agriculture research shows the cereal can go a long way; it also beat wheat as a feed alternative for pigs
WAINWRIGHT, Alta. — Hog farmers should consider feeding their animals hybrid rye as an alternative to wheat, according to new research. The research, led by Alberta Agriculture, found that more animals could be fed on an acre of hybrid fall rye compared to an acre of wheat. For instance, researchers found that if rye yields […] Read more
Good bacteria: they’re found in yogurt and silage
Researchers look at using the next generation of inoculants to help livestock producers turn silage into a probiotic
FRIEDENSFELD, Man. — With probiotics, it’s hard to separate hype from reality. Supporters claim that probiotics, products loaded with beneficial bacteria, are a cure-all for a long list of diseases. Others aren’t convinced. They believe that probiotics don’t stand up to scientific scrutiny. Nonetheless, it’s becoming common for dairy farmers and other producers to include […] Read more
Small producers can keep their turkeys
Marketing council rejects request to reduce off-quota turkeys in Alberta to 100 from 300
The group that regulates Alberta’s crop and livestock commissions has rejected a proposal from the Alberta Turkey Producers to reduce the number of birds that some farmers are allowed to raise. The turkey board requested in May for the reduction of off-quota birds from 300 to 100. Off-quota turkeys aren’t part of the supply management […] Read more
Necropsies can boost sheep, goat profitability
Producers are encouraged to carry out their own necropsies and send photos to a vet or veterinary college for analysis
DUNDURN, Sask. — Sheep and goat producers could reduce death rates in their flocks and herds and boost their bottom lines by making better use of necropsies, said a veterinarian. Many farmers never learn the cause when ewes and lambs die, said Fritz Schumann from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of […] Read more
Sheep splurge on spurge on southern Alberta ranch
LUNDBRECK, Alta. — The 65,000-acre Waldron Grazing Co-operative has 600 weed pickers. Leafy spurge, an invasive weed unpalatable to cattle, was taking over parts of the ranch so intervention was required. The weed pickers are sheep owned by the nearby Livingstone Hutterite Colony. Instead of spending thousands of dollars on weed control, which failed to […] Read more
Exclosure demonstrates value of grazing
A patch of grassland in Alberta that hasn’t been grazed for 30 years has less carbon and diversity than grazed prairie
LUNDBRECK, Alta. — A fragment of the 65,000-acre Waldron Grazing Co-operative has been fenced off for 30 years in an “exclosure” protected from grazing animals and man-made disturbance. Compared to the grassland just outside the wire, it has fewer plant species and long, weathered grass. Waldron manager Mike Roberts bent down to search through the […] Read moreSheep company merger hopes to boost supply
A major merger in the Canadian sheep business announced July 20 is designed to establish an integrated lamb supply chain. Alberta-based SunGold Specialty Meats announced plans to merge with Fresh Canada Meats to form North American Lamb Company Ltd. (NALC). SunGold’s processing plant in Innisfail, Alta., and the Canada Gold lamb lot at Iron Springs, […] Read more
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