Cattle markets in Canada and the United States are being knocked around with uncertainty due to the threat of COVID-19. Canada follows the United States cut-out wholesale beef price, which is soaring while live prices struggle. “We are hearing from our producers across the country that the spread between the boxed beef side and the […] Read more
Barbara Duckworth
Stories by Barbara Duckworth
Vet shortage hits critical level
An international shortage of veterinarians has reached critical levels. Livestock producers, veterinarians and government are talking but there is no single solution to address the areas of greatest need, such as filling positions at rural practices. “It is a challenge encouraging people to go into veterinary medicine but even more to become a large animal […] Read more
Beef sector forms team to ensure stable production
The Canadian beef sector has formed a cross industry team to ensure stable beef production and trade can continue under the restrictions of COVID-19. The first desire is to ensure people stay safe but it is also important to ensure business continuity and make sure food is abundant in stores as well as keep trade […] Read more
Calf implants show multiple benefits
Research shows suckling calves given one implant can gain an extra 20 lb. by the time they are weaned
RED DEER — The improved weight gain and feed efficiency among beef cattle receiving growth promoting hormones has been well-studied since these products were approved in the 1950s. Implanting calves could be an added advantage for cow-calf operators, said veterinarian John McKinnon of Zoetis and former beef industry chair at the University of Saskatchewan. Field […] Read more
Is your calf shy or a risk taker?
People working with cattle often recognize different personality types among individuals. There are the friendly calves and shy ones and curious types. Research from the University of British Columbia has been able to quantify personality types among dairy calves and that knowledge could improve their overall welfare. “In the agriculture industry we have tended to […] Read more
Test project to allow foreign workers to stay in country
OTTAWA — A pilot project to help foreign agriculture workers stay in Canada starts March 31. The three-year pilot is to designed to address the labour needs for year-round mushroom and greenhouse production, as well as the meat and livestock sectors. The project is open to 1,470 applications per year through Immigration Canada. Specific occupations […] Read more
La Nina’s return could bring warmer, wetter summer to West
RED DEER — Western Canadians can expect a warm summer with more precipitation as La Nina emerges. “It already looks like it is going to be a pretty good growing season because of La Nina,” said Art Douglas, climatologist and professor emeritus from Creighton University in the United States. El Nino cycles warm equatorial waters […] Read more
Heterosis valve deserves more attention
Heterosis is defined as the performance superiority of crossbred progeny over the average of its parents
North American beef herds lack hybrid vigour and that directly affects every calf crop. “Looking around the country there is a very high proportion of straight breeding going on,” said Alison Van Eenennaam, extension genomics specialist of the University of California, Davis. “From a genetics perspective, when I look at the competing protein industries like […] Read moreCOVID-19: Planning for change
Farm preparation in the face of COVID-19 means making plans that are subject to change to protect people, livestock and farm assets. Emergency management specialist Rebecca Gimenez Husted provided a disaster response plan for the livestock sector during a virtual conference sponsored by Alberta Farm Animal Care on March 19. “This is an unforeseen thing […] Read more
Closing tech gap could boost GDP by $11B: RBC
RED DEER — Canada could gain $11 billion in annual gross domestic product in 10 years by closing the agriculture labour gap and accelerating investment in technology. This would boost agricultural GDP to $51 billion making it bigger than automobile assembly and aeronautics industries combined, said a senior vice-president with the Royal Bank of Canada. […] Read more
