UPDATED: Saturday March 7, 2015 – 1430 CST – Andrew and Emma Cross are among the bluebloods of the Calgary bull sale. They are the fifth generation of Crosses to attend the sale, which their great-great grandfather A.E. Cross helped found 115 years ago. This year the pair of teenagers joined in to prepare a […] Read more
Barbara Duckworth
Stories by Barbara Duckworth
Experts examine virus in new Ontario PED case
Tissue samples from the latest case will be examined to determine if it is a hog or bird virus, says epidemiologist
Ontario confirmed another case of porcine epidemic diarrhea Feb. 20 on a farrow to finish operation in Oxford County. The deadly viral disease has been contained mainly in Ontario and Quebec, but other provinces continue to collect samples at hog assembly yards, truck washes, processing plants and other high traffic areas, Alberta veterinarian Dr. Egan […] Read moreExpanded laying hen production fails to satisfy demand for eggs
An increase in population and demand has sparked duty free imports
RED DEER — Eggs have cracked their anti-nutrition image. Canadians have been eating more eggs for the last eight years, with consumption increasing by more than three percent last year. Egg Farmers of Canada chair Peter Clarke called it a good news story, considering the bad rap eggs have received for contributing to high cholesterol. […] Read moreNew quota deal will expand chicken allocation
After six years of negotiations, the agreement is ‘a careful balance of give and take,’ says official
RED DEER — Chickens farmers are developing a new quota agreement that allows all provinces to expand production in an orderly fashion. Alberta pulled out of the federal-provincial agreement on chicken production last year because it wanted a higher allocation amount. A memorandum of understanding was signed last November after six years of negotiations. “This […] Read morePain control required, but with what?
Only two products are approved in Canada to ease pain during dehorning and castration
OLDS, Alta. — Cattle producers are facing a conundrum. They must start using pain control by next year for their animals during dehorning or castration, but few approved medications are available. “We have two products that are available to producers with label claims. That is all we have,” said Merle Olson, a veterinarian, as well […] Read moreProducers must heed public push for pain mitigation
If consumers lose trust in the industry, the result is regulation, warns an animal welfare expert
OLDS, Alta. — The 17th century French philosopher Rene Descartes believed animals were cleverly designed machines, and humans had no obligation to treat them well because they were mindless and lacked feelings. He favoured live animal dissection, arguing they did not feel pain, despite their screams as they were cut open. “There has been lots […] Read moreMore BSE testing urged
OLDS, Alta. — Alberta and Sask-atchewan continue to fall short on BSE tests. Canada needs to sample about 30,000 cattle per year under World Organization for Animal Health rules. Alberta is the largest cattle producer and should complete 10,000 tests a year. However, it handled only 60 percent of that in 2013 with 6,500 tests […] Read more
Turkey sector seeks standards
RED DEER — Turkey Farmers of Canada wants national standards that guarantee a high level of care and welfare for birds. The plan comprises the industry’s on-farm food safety and flock care programs and incorporates the code of practice for the humane handling of turkeys. Under the plan, independent auditors would assess farms to prove […] Read more
Chicken sector awaits trade deal
Chicken farmers and egg producers are confident of a positive outcome
RED DEER — Canada’s chicken industry is confident supply management will remain largely untouched when the Trans Pacific Partnership deal is signed. “We are confident because the Canadian government has signed nine trade deals since 1994 with 42 countries, and in every single one of those trade agreements they have achieved increased market access for […] Read moreCalgary Bull Sale starts with heifer show and sale
The 115th Calgary Bull Sale kicked off yesterday with a people’s choice heifer show and sale. Ten pens of commercial heifers were on display with the grand champion going to Wes Garrett of Landis, Sask. The pen of five straight-bred Hereford heifers sold for $2,200 each to Clark Nixdorff of MN Herefords at Airdrie, Alta. […] Read more
