Saskatchewan premier Scott Moe and retired agricultural broadcaster Jim Smalley burned the brand to officially open Canadian Western Agribition Nov. 20. Moe said he was thrilled to be asked. “It’s one of the coolest things I’ve had the opportunity, the honour, to be a part of. It really is,” he said after the event. “This […] Read more
Beef cattle
Gov’t urged to support ag environmental contributions
Committee report recommendations include more recognition and assistance to help farmers continue their stewardship
The standing agriculture committee has released 15 recommendations for the federal government to consider after its study of the sector’s environmental contributions. In a report submitted in the House of Commons last week, the committee said Canadian farmers have a tradition of environmental stewardship but the government could help “unleash their full innovative potential and […] Read more
Truckers request more flexibility
Sector cites animal welfare concerns as it asks for more flexibility in enforcing hours of work while transporting livestock
The Canadian livestock sector wants flexibility in the enforcement of truck driver hours-of-work rules to account for unforeseen circumstances. Animal transporters said they don’t want to be fined for taking animal welfare into consideration if they are unexpectedly delayed and exceed the maximum 13 hours of truck operation per day. However, Transport Canada said the […] Read more
Approval times frustrate pharmaceutical firms
Health Canada’s Veterinary Drugs Directorate says there are no backlogs in drug submissions, despite industry complaints
When Solvet tried to get Canadian approval for its castration bands infused with lidocaine for pain management in cattle, the company was met with a delay. Merle Olson, founder and director of development and research at Solvet, an Alberta veterinary pharmaceutical company, said its product will come out in the United States at least a […] Read more
Jerky market can be tough
There are some mean hombres in the beef jerky corral. There’s the giant Jack Link’s brand, which does more than US$1 billion in annual sales. There’s Old Trapper, which enjoys a comfortable position in gas stations and convenience stores south of the border. In Canada, Big Chief is available in most places where snacks are […] Read more
Canfax report
This cattle market information is selected from the weekly report from Canfax, a division of the Canadian Cattle Association. More market information, analysis and statistics are available by becoming a Canfax subscriber by calling 403-275-5110 or at www.canfax.ca. Fed prices slump Following 12 weeks of static pricing, average Alberta fed steer prices slipped to a […] Read more
Policy-makers should never take agriculture for granted
The following passage shouldn’t be surprising: “Agriculture is the backbone of the provincial economy. As the minister of agriculture, you are the steward of this essential sector. Your goal will be to support the sector so that Manitoba can be a leader in agricultural innovation, research and job creation. A strong agricultural sector means a […] Read more
Study favours controlled bunk feeding
Research finds that consistent feed delivery, feed mix order and mix time can help improve cattle’s feed-to-gain ratio
Monitoring the behaviour of cattle at the feed bunk can maintain rumen health and improve efficiencies in feedlots. “You don’t want to throw out all that hard work by mismanaging the feed bunk,” said Megan Van Schaik, beef cattle specialist with the Ontario agriculture ministry. “We’re talking about the timing of feeding, frequency of feeding… […] Read more
B.C. ranchers want focus on water management
Cattle industry lobbies for ‘beaver dam approach’ to storing water for irrigation projects, flood mitigation in watersheds
Beef producers in British Columbia who will receive help under a $71-million AgriRecovery program following record wildfires and drought want long-term solutions to what is becoming an increasing problem because of climate change. Major discussions are being held with provincial officials about how to improve water management, said Kevin Boon, general manager of the B.C. […] Read more
Initiative aims to protect country’s grasslands
The Grasslands Conservation Initiative is designed to create a unified front in the effort to stem native pasture loss
Three organizations with a history of conservation on the Prairies have launched a new initiative to protect one of the most threatened agricultural and ecological landscapes in the West. The Grasslands Conservation Initiative is the product of joint discussions between the Canadian Cattle Association, Ducks Unlimited Canada and the Nature Conservancy of Canada that were […] Read more
