Alberta’s cattle sector is like a locomotive leaving the station. It has built a full head of steam, the pressures of market forces have reached a boiling point, and it’s heading to a profitable destination in 2025. As the new year arrives, there is no shortage of optimism. “We’re walking into a historic time for […] Read more
Alex McCuaig
Stories by Alex McCuaig
Community papers survive on truth
Communities support local publications because these newspapers cover events and issues important to them
MEDICINE HAT — The newspaper business has been written off many times in the past century, first with the advent of radio, then television and then the internet. But the business continues, especially in rural, agricultural communities, say news people on the Prairies. From the Lac du Bonnet Clipper in Manitoba to the Moosomin World-Spectator […] Read more
Residents push back on rural decline
Rural revitalization in this part of east-central Alberta takes a village — and a community, a school and a group effort
MEDICINE HAT — Along the rolling Neutral Hills of east-central Alberta near the Saskatchewan border, a group of communities are bucking the trend of declining rural towns. Kirriemuir, Altario and Compeer, collectively known as KAC, and the nearby communities of Consort and Veteran, are pushing back against pressures that see populations shrink in many hamlets, […] Read more
Calving season may suffer drought hangover
Covering the basics of calf care will be especially important for cattle producers if dry conditions continue into spring
MEDICINE HAT — There’s a small measure of relief from dryness heading into spring calving season, but an abnormally warm winter may leave cows in less-than-ideal condition. Dr. Krista Dayman of Badlands Veterinarian Service said cow body condition is a concern in areas where feed and water may have been tough to access. “Colostrum intake […] Read more
Charges laid over horse transportation
MEDICINE HAT — As parliamentarians continue to debate banning live shipments of horses for meat, an animal advocacy organization says it’s successfully launched a private prosecution concerning the trade. The charges stem from a December 2022 shipment from Winnipeg to Japan, which was delayed due to bad weather during a layover in Anchorage, Alaska, resulting […] Read more
Need for rain, snow pervades much of Canada
Unless significant precipitation reaches the West in coming weeks, the impacts could stretch beyond agriculture
MEDICINE HAT — Dry conditions stretch across the Prairies and beyond, with nearly half the country experiencing moderate to exceptional drought. It’s the culmination of several dry years across the Prairies. Pockets along the Alberta-Saskatchewan border face exceptional drought conditions as the growing season approaches. Trevor Hadwen, agroclimate specialist with Agriculture Canada, said the impact […] Read more
Most Alberta river flows within normal range
MEDICINE HAT — Water levels on the Bow River from Calgary to the mouth of the South Saskatchewan River are running within normal seasonal ranges as of mid-February and the Red Deer River is also flowing at average levels. Flow in the Oldman River continues to be below average. In a Feb. 12 update to […] Read more
Water expert warns of changes in runoff, demand
Canada Research Chair in Water Resources says mountain runoff in the future may come too soon for adequate capture
MEDICINE HAT — It will be increasingly difficult to predict conditions on southern Alberta rivers, according to John Pomeroy, and the University of Saskatchewan professor is confident that there will be changes to mountain runoff in coming years. Pomeroy, who also holds the title of Canada Research Chair in Water Resources and Climate Change, said […] Read more
Game farmers encouraged by new CWD rules
Saskatchewan Cervid Alliance says new provincial regulations better manage chronic wasting disease on deer, elk farms
MEDICINE HAT — Regulatory changes in Saskatchewan are making it easier for ranchers to raise deer and elk for either meat or game preserves, according to a spokesperson with the Saskatchewan Cervid Alliance. The changes recognize chronic wasting disease as a more manageable issue for those raising deer and elk in domestic herds than trying […] Read more
Sheep testing urged to protect Bighorn
MEDICINE HAT — A wild sheep preservation group seeks better education about a minor domestic sheep ailment that can prove fatal to their Bighorn cousins. A Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae, or Movi, outbreak west of Diamond Valley, Alta., in 2023 resulted in 18 Bighorn sheep that were either found dead or needed to be culled to prevent […] Read more
