NEW ORLEANS, La. — U.S. livestock groups want clear labelling on plant based protein and meat products generated in a laboratory so consumers know they are buying an imitation product. “There are too many terms out there and I am not sure consumers are fully aware,” said Danielle Beck of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. […] Read more
Barbara Duckworth
Stories by Barbara Duckworth
Next generation ready for the world
Twenty-year-old Tyra Fox has become the public face of Justamere Ranch and is determined to keep the name alive
DENVER, Colo. — Evidence of Tyra Fox’s purebred cattle career shows up in a picture from Farmfair International in Edmonton, where her father, Jonathan Fox, is seen giving the two-year-old a cuddle behind the family’s champion bull. A fifth generation member of the Justamere Ranch family, the 20-year-old is now the official exhibitor for the […] Read more
Sask. Angus producer shows well in Denver
Ward Cockburn says attending the National Western Stock Show is about promotion more than winning ribbons
DENVER, Colo. — Pretty show heifers come and go, but that broody heifer in the pen may be the mother of the next grand champion. That is the opinion of Ward Cockburn, who showed his Red Angus females and a bull at the National Western Stock Show in Denver, Colorado, Jan. 14. Entering the prestigious […] Read more
Proper ID helps treat calf disease
The type of pathogen that can cause scours will largely depend on the calf’s age, and knowing which one is important
Disease is like a hydra with many tendrils, and each should be identified for the best treatment. In the case of calf scours, the age of the animal, environmental factors and different bugs may contribute to debilitating diarrhea. “It makes a lot of sense to have your diagnosis in mind because you can have direct […] Read more
Mineral, vitamin deficiencies can delay calf development
Newborn calves that are slow to get up and do not respond right away could be affected by a trace mineral or vitamin deficiency. If pregnant cows are low in selenium in the fall, the calves may be wobbly when they are born the following spring. They could suffer from a variety of maladies, including […] Read more
Manitoba teenager kicks career up a notch at cattle show
DENVER, Colo. — For her first foray into the ring with a new heifer calf, Robyn Tibble decided to enter the National Western Stock Show, which was held in Denver, Colorado, Jan. 12-27. The tenacious teenager from Swan River, Man., went one step further by entering the highly competitive junior Angus show to compete against […] Read more
B.C. finds different bovine TB strain
A different strain of bovine tuberculosis has been identified in a British Columbia beef herd under quarantine since last November. Test results of the infected herd identified a strain not seen in Canadian livestock or wildlife, according to Canada’s chief veterinarian, Jaspinder Komal, in a technical briefing Jan. 9. A distinct strain is not necessarily […] Read more
Antibiotic-free poultry present challenges
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The consumer desire for poultry raised without antibiotics is gaining traction but disease challenges are increasing. “There is a big trade-off with the health of the birds,” said veterinarian Mueez Ahmad, head of technical services with Arm and Hammer animal and food production. “Consumers have to understand this is a big […] Read more
Producers track resistant bacteria
It’s been a month and a half since new Health Canada rules began requiring poultry producers to reduce antibiotic use. The new regulations came into effect Dec. 1, but Chicken Farmers of Canada has had an antimicrobial use strategy for five years starting by voluntarily eliminating the use of Category 1 products as a preventive […] Read more
Farm sees benefits to converting to open sow housing
RED DEER — Converting a large hog operation from a gestation crate system to loose sow housing was a major undertaking for Mountain Vista Farm but the renovation has been advantageous. Owned by Sunterra Farms, the company decided the time was right to convert the farm built in 1997. Farm manager Duane Molton said the […] Read more
