When grandparents reminisce about walking uphill to school, through deep snow in bitterly cold winters, their memories may not be blurred by time. Winters were colder in the past, says climate researcher David Sauchyn of the University of Regina. January 2019 marked the 409th consecutive month where world temperatures were above the 20th century average. […] Read more
Barbara Duckworth
Stories by Barbara Duckworth
Agriculture for Life focuses on promoting local ingredients
The organization marked the country’s recent Agriculture Day with a Feed a Farmer celebrity cook-off in Calgary
Letitia Chrapchynski feels like she is getting back to her roots when she cooks with Alberta-grown ingredients. “I take it for granted when I select food and I don’t realize it is part of our everyday living and our roots,” she said. An award-winning chef who has worked at top restaurants in Calgary and Montreal, […] Read more
Denser the better when it comes to wrapping forage
Denser bales with greater total acid production stay cooler during the fermentation process, further contributing to reduced spoilage
NEW ORLEANS, La. — Research on forage quality and storage has shown the denser the bale, the better. “The moral of the story is you want to have as dense a bale as possible. That is going to help improve your overall bunk life, as well as increasing the forage quality,” said forage researcher Jessica […] Read morePractical management helps reduce disease
NEW ORLEANS, La. — A solid animal health program is built on a foundation of managing exposures to potential pathogens and accessing premium markets. “Your business is to sell your cattle to the one who will pay the most money for them,” said Robin Falkner, a private technical services veterinarian based in Tennessee. “Your health […] Read more
Alta. college helps measure up clothing sizes for right fit
Finding the right fit when buying clothes off the rack may become easier when the results of a North American sizing survey are released. The survey started in 2017 to measure more than 17,800 people of all ages, sizes and ethnicity. The surveyors plan to visit 30 sites across North America and when the survey […] Read more
Alta. group looks for ways to manage the Bow
A devastating flood in 2013 was the catalyst for finding ways to mitigate flooding and droughts in the Bow River basin
Floods and droughts are common in Alberta but after a flood in 2013 caused $6 billion in damage, a working group was formed to find ways to control nature. The minister of environment and mayor of Calgary asked the group of water experts, municipalities, First Nations and major water licence holders to look at the […] Read more
Saskatchewan bison operation wins big in Denver show
Regular trips to the National Western Stock Show in Denver, Colorado, have paid off for Wolverine Bison Company. After years of entering the livestock super show held every January, bison from the Humboldt, Sask., ranch won grand champion and reserve bull. Wolverine Bison was also named producer of the year. During the sale the grand […] Read more
Farms set stage for healthy sector
NEW ORLEANS, La. — Careful use of antibiotics, well-timed administration of vaccines and improved biosecurity can produce healthier calves. Veterinarians attending a cattle health session at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association convention talked about improvements that can start on the farm. “As a cow-calf industry, we really need to be conscious of what the next […] Read more
Rumen microbes are powerful force
A researcher says altering the composition of feed to speed up the work of these microbes will increase productivity
NEW ORLEANS, La. — A cow’s rumen is teeming with bacteria, protozoa and fungi. “One of the most fascinating ecosystems is the rumen itself because it has among the densest populations of microbes of any known ecosystem on the planet with over 100 billion per millilitre of rumen fluid,” said Tim McAllister of Agriculture Canada. […] Read moreTrace mineral supplements can be a struggle
NEW ORLEANS, La — Trace mineral supplements are imperative for profitable cattle production, but the variety of available organic and inorganic products and formulations can be confusing for some. Minerals can boost productivity, but cattle have to eat them to derive the benefits, said a group of researchers during an Alltech-sponsored session at the recent […] Read more
