Former Calgary chefs understand the service industry and now provide tailor-made lamb cuts to restaurants and hotels
VULCAN, Alta. — What do two experienced chefs have for breakfast? Coffee. Lots of coffee. Nancy and Ray Nolan need caffeine to keep them alert during lambing at Lambtastic Farms. The lambs from their 350 Suffolk-cross ewes are coming thick and fast and at all hours of the day and night, so the former chefs […] Read more
Barb Glen
Stories by Barb Glen
New flooring could end muddy feedlot pens
Rolled compacted concrete is easier to install than regular concrete but provides a rough, hard surface that is durable
PICTURE BUTTE, Alta. — Feedlot operators in southern Alberta are testing new flooring material in cattle pens that shows promise in addressing muddy conditions. Rolled compacted concrete is a blend of traditional concrete ingredients but in different ratios, sometimes including fly ash, and mixed using less water. It can be poured and compacted in pens […] Read more
Navigating farm succession: a tool kit
The 2011 Census of Agriculture, released in stages between 2011-14, pointed to several demographic trends:
PINCHER CREEK, Alta. — In his law practice, Travis Bissett has seen many cases of farm succession go horribly wrong. Fortunately, he has also seen many resolved in a satisfactory way, just as the farm owners want. He prefers the latter scenario, and so he was one of four people who offered expertise at a […] Read moreClub Moo promotes milk
Club Moo is a program fostered by Alberta Milk to encourage children from kindergarten to Grade 6 to regularly drink milk. It has been operating for 31 years, when six schools began offering milk several times a week to their students. Schools in Barrhead, Bonanza, Rocky Mountain House, Niton Junction and Two Hills were the […] Read more
Efficient handling lowers shrink, increases profit
Minimizing cattle price discounts due to shrink will increase producers’ bottom lines and there are ways to do it, says an independent market consultant and cattle producer. “I think a lot of people don’t realize how much shrink can affect the bottom line and how there’s certain ways we can manage shrink that will increase […] Read more
Cost study shows benefits of AI over natural service
Artificial insemination in commercial cattle may be one way to increase productivity in the cow-calf operation and in the national herd. Kathy Larson, a beef economist with the Western Beef Development Centre (WBDC), outlined that potential in a recent webinar organized by the centre. “I think it’s important to note that we have a national […] Read more
More PED found in Ontario
Three new cases of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus were reported on Ontario hog farms in January. One new case was confirmed Jan. 15 in a farrow to partial finish operation in Bruce County, a second was confirmed Jan. 21 in a Huron County finishing barn and a third was confirmed Jan. 28 in another Bruce […] Read more
Delay expected on pork trade to Europe
BANFF, Alta. — Canada’s pork industry is paying careful attention to pending trade deals, but it is difficult to estimate when or if their benefits will be felt. Martin Rice, executive director of the Canadian Pork Council, said a dispute over the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) between Canada and Europe could potentially scuttle the […] Read more
Tag loss study shows higher rate in cows
Ear tag loss is a problem for cattle producers, and complaints about retention are common. National traceability requirements demand that lost radio frequency identification tags be replaced on the animal, and producers can be fined if cattle arrive for sale without one. The issue led the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency to study tag loss. Results […] Read more
Club Moo focuses on milk
Club Moo is a program fostered by Alberta Milk to encourage children from kindergarten to Grade 6 to regularly drink milk. It has been operating for 31 years, when six schools began offering milk several times a week to their students. Schools in Barrhead, Bonanza, Rocky Mountain House, Niton Junction and Two Hills were the […] Read more
