Alberta’s minimum wage rose by $1 Oct. 1 to $12.20 per hour, the third highest level in Canada behind Northwest Territories at $12.50 and Nunavut at $13. The increase is part of the New Democrat government’s plan to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour as of Oct. 1, 2018. As of Oct. 1, […] Read more
Barb Glen
Stories by Barb Glen
Right to strike rule a roadblock in Alberta farm labour changes
A group working through details of Alberta’s farm and ranch workplace safety legislation, also known as Bill 6, has agreed to disagree on whether unionized farm workers should be allowed to strike. The labour relations roundtable, one of six working groups appointed by the provincial government to work out details of Bill 6, found no […] Read more
Cow’s DNA can determine feed efficiency, productivity
LUNDBRECK, Alta. — Who wants a cow that eats less feed than average, but produces the same-sized calf and rebreeds just as quickly as heavier-eating counterparts? Every cow-calf producer, that’s who. Finding that cow and others like it depends on residual feed intake — the difference between an animal’s actual feed intake and its expected […] Read more
Urban farming a growing trend
Food production within city limits becoming more popular as producers seek new sustainable food sources to feed growing population
Josh Hellawell farms 18 plots of land. His largest piece of equipment is a Toyota Forerunner, and he doesn’t use any synthetic chemicals or fertilizers. His farm, all told, is just short of one acre in size, but it is spread out among various yards and boulevards within the City of Lethbridge. Hellawell is an […] Read more
Is there a calf in there?
Rectal palpation
There’s a drawback to checking cattle for pregnancy via rectal palpation. OK, maybe more than one. And even though inserting an arm into the rectum of a cow is the most common method of preg checking in Western Canada, other methods are available and can be more accurate. Dr. Jessica Gordon, a veterinarian and assistant […] Read more
‘Range maggots’ to the rescue on ranch pasture
LUNDBRECK, Alta. — Cattle ranchers traditionally aren’t keen on sheep but the “range maggots” they sometimes disparage have brought a major weed problem to heel on southern Alberta’s Waldron Ranch. Several years ago, leafy spurge flourished on parts of the ranch, turning the prairie greenish-yellow with its blossoms and foliage. Leafy spurge chokes out native […] Read more
Feedlot news concern cattle sector
The pending closure of one of Alberta’s largest feedlot operations has sent ripples throughout the industry and provoked concerns about the future of the cattle business in Western Canada. Western Feedlots announced Sept. 21 that its shareholders had decided to wind down cattle feeding operations by 2017 in Mossleigh, High River and Strathmore, removing capacity […] Read more
Pregnancy checks: when they pay and when they don’t
Pregnancy checking isn’t always a good idea from an economics standpoint, says Canfax manager Brenna Grant. In fact, it hasn’t paid off financially for the last 10 years because higher prices made it feasible to keep open cows and heifers through the winter and sell them at heavier weights in spring. Now, that trend may […] Read more
Student seeks producers for animal welfare research
A University of Alberta student wants to talk to beef and dairy producers about animal welfare. Emilie Bassi is working on her master’s degree in rural and environmental sociology and became intrigued with people’s perceptions about animal welfare following the recent controversy surrounding the Earls Kitchen and Bar chain. Earlier this year, Earls announced plans […] Read more
Alberta increases minimum wage
Alberta’s minimum wage will rise by $1 Oct. 1 to $12.20 per hour, the third highest level in Canada behind Northwest Territories at $12.50 and Nunavut at $13. The increase is part of the New Democrat government’s plan to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour as of Oct. 1, 2018. As of this […] Read more
