Barbara Duckworth

Barbara Duckworth

Mail Icon Twitter Icon

Barbara Duckworth has covered many livestock shows and conferences across the continent since 1988. Duckworth had graduated from Lethbridge College’s journalism program in 1974, later earning a degree in communications from the University of Calgary. Duckworth won many awards from the Canadian Farm Writers Association, American Agricultural Editors Association, the North American Agricultural Journalists and the International Agriculture Journalists Association.

Stories by Barbara Duckworth

It is important for producers to understand the pros and cons of killed and modified live vaccines. | File photo
Livestock Management

Cattle’s vaccination history important

Producers are advised to talk with a veterinarian once a year about vaccination programs to get the best results

RED DEER — There are different kinds of vaccines on the market and it is important that producers know what their cattle have received in the past. “It is really important to know the history of animals and what they have had in their lives when you are vaccinating mature animals,” said veterinarian Craig Dorin […] Read more
Farm Living

Food guide has little influence, study finds

RED DEER — Most Canadians know a food guide exists but it may not make much difference in their meal choices. “What I am reading from this is the food guide is completely detached from our own reality as Canadians. That is a huge problem,” said Sylvain Charlebois of Dalhousie University. Partnering with the University […] Read more
News

Immune system terms explained

RED DEER — The immune system is like the military where each division has a different job to protect the body. Understanding the terms can help in setting up a disease management plan, said Claire Windeyer of the University of Calgary’s faculty of veterinary medicine. Pathogen is a term used to describe various bugs that […] Read more
“Consumers still spend a lot of money on beef. It is their number one protein expenditure,” said Brian Perillat of Canfax. 
 | File photo
Markets

Strong beef demand continues to keep industry healthy

RED DEER — The story of Canada’s shrinking cow herd is getting repetitious yet the industry continues to do reasonably well thanks to good demand for beef. “Consumers still spend a lot of money on beef. It is their number one protein expenditure,” said Brian Perillat of Canfax. Consumption has grown for the last three […] Read more
China’s African swine fever outbreak is expected to have a global impact on the meat trade. | Reuters/Jordan Gale photo
Livestock Management

African swine fever threat hangs over industry

China’s sow numbers are estimated to be down 15 percent, which could force it to look for alternative protein sources

RED DEER — The calamity of African swine fever in China could completely change the global protein structure. Millions of pigs have died from the fatal virus so China will begin a multi-year surge of pork imports and probably beef and poultry as well to fill demand and replace lost production. Chinese meat prices will […] Read more
Livestock Management

China faces long-term African swine fever effects

HOUSTON, Texas — African swine fever is hitting China with a vengeance and it could be a decade before the effects of the deadly virus are brought under control. “This is potentially the worst animal health crisis of the modern world,” said Don Close of Rabo AgFinance at the International Livestock Congress held in Houston […] Read more
The American livestock inventory has just gone through a five-year expansion that has put record amounts of meat on the market. A shallow correction is expected soon. | Jeanette Greaves photo
Markets

U.S. meat sector expected to slow down soon

The herd liquidation is expected to be mild and unlikely to close feedlots and packing plants, as occurred in 2011-14

HOUSTON, Texas — North American meat consumption has increased because of population growth, but the latest beef cattle cycle could be slowing, says a Rabobank official. While Canada’s livestock inventory has been stable for several years, the United States went through a five year expansion that put record amounts of meat on the market. The […] Read more
Alberta rancher Clay Chattaway and University of Calgary historian Warren Elofson collaborated to write a ranching history called the Rocking P Gazette and the Second Frontier of Cattle in Western Canada. The book uses a series of hand-written and illustrated newspapers produced by Chattaway’s mother and aunt, Maxine and Dorothy Macleay of Nanton, Alta. | Barbara Duckworth photo
Farm Living

Ranch history book based on old newspaper

Dorothy and Maxine Macleay published the paper as teenagers in the 1920s, writing about life on the Rocking P Ranch

A tribute to the history of ranch life in Western Canada has been published. The Rocking P Gazette and the Second Frontier of Cattle in Western Canada is based on 17 volumes of a local newspaper published by Dorothy and Maxine Macleay from 1923-25. The teenaged publishers illustrated and wrote about life on the Rocking […] Read more
In 2017 Canada exported more than 167 million kilograms of poultry meat and edible byproducts (fresh, chilled, frozen) worth $511 million to 67 countries with the largest importers being the United States, Philippines, Hong Kong and South Africa. Source: Chicken Farmers of Canada. | Getty Images
Livestock Management, News

Foreign access concerns poultry producers

The sector has presented the federal government with five initiatives to counter the impact of recent trade agreements

RED DEER — Future trade agreements should not give more access to foreign chicken or turkey entering Canada, said the executive director of Chicken Farmers of Canada. “The government must ensure no further access is conceded in future trade agreements,” said Michael Laliberte. More access was granted in the United States-Mexico- Canada Agreement, as well […] Read more

Latest video

More Videos