The seven rodeo horses rescued from what would have been an icy grave near Hythe, Alta., were doing well April 21, almost one week after their harrowing escape. On April 16, Easter Sunday, 10 horses fell through the ice on a dugout, sparking a rescue effort involving crews and members from six fire and rescue […] Read more
Barb Glen
Stories by Barb Glen
Parasite control key to making cattle profitable
They’re tiny but mighty, and able to steal profits from cattle producers while remaining invisible. They are gastrointestinal parasites, primarily roundworms, and they can reduce cattle appetites and corresponding weaning weights if left unchecked. “You see very little sign of them quite often, but the impact is a loss of production,” said John Gilleard, a […] Read more
Preparing for swath grazing
Picture it: the cattle out feeding themselves on swaths this winter while you, the cattle rancher, have that extra cup of morning java without having to face the cold, start the tractor and haul bales. And it’s cheaper too, given that 65 to 75 percent of cattle production costs come from feed, pasture and bedding. […] Read more
The church that beef built
Cattle sale fundraisers were the backbone of Airdrie United Church — one reason it registered its own cattle brand
It’s a church built upon Alberta beef. And that’s why it’s also a church that once had a registered cattle brand, the simple AUC registered for the left rib. Airdrie United Church celebrates its 115th anniversary April 28-30 and while preparing display material for the festivities, Reverend Karen Holmes came across the notice of renewal […] Read moreAlberta encourages local hiring as first option
The Alberta government wants employers to hire provincial residents first before using temporary foreign workers or other options. Alberta Labour Minister Christina Gray recently announced the Employer Liaison Service, a federal-provincial pilot project she said is designed to ensure Albertans are “first in line” when employees are needed. The 24-month pilot program will connect employers […] Read more
Calculating feedlot emissions
Cattle feedlots emit smells. Some say it’s the smell of money, which is true in times of good cattle markets and is always true because of gases produced by animals and manure. About 50 to 60 percent of feed nitrogen is lost as ammonia in feedlots, and that loss lowers the nitrogen fertilizer potential of […] Read more
Strength, stamina and skill meet shears
WILSON SIDING, Alta. — It takes a special kind of crazy to enjoy sheep shearing. That’s what Allison Preston says, anyway. The 26-year-old lives on a sheep operation near Hays, Alta., where the family has a flock of 800. In a few days, she and her brother and father will shear 200 of those sheep, […] Read more
Historical finds can be reported
PINCHER CREEK, Alta. — An arrowhead, bison skull or circle of stones that could be a teepee ring: such findings are not uncommon on Alberta farms and ranches. Wendy Unfreed, regional archeologist with the Archeological Survey of Alberta, told the Southern Alberta Land Trust Society meeting March 29 that numerous archeological finds were exposed during […] Read more
Carbon policies spur ag sector to form bio-sector coalition
Federal and provincial carbon pricing policies, current and pending, have prompted more than 75 agriculture industry leaders and organizations to plan a “bio-offset hub” designed to lead the way on biological emissions reductions. The Coalition on Offset Solutions has members from crop and livestock groups, as well as agribusiness, government, non-government organizations, universities and First […] Read more
Feed additive may reduce methane
A cattle feed additive shows promise in reducing methane emissions by the animals, according to research by an Agriculture Canada scientist in Lethbridge. Karen Beauchemin, who specializes in ruminant nutrition, has been working with inhibitor 3-nitrooxypropanol (NOP), which is a compound synthesized by a Swiss company. The compound interferes with normal ruminant digestion so that […] Read more
