LETHBRIDGE – A pasture mix of legumes and grass offers the best of both worlds to improve forage yields and cattle weight gain. “Generally you see a 10 to 15 percent improvement in the overall yield so there is the potential to get more production by having that legume there with the grass,” said Alan […] Read more
Barbara Duckworth
Stories by Barbara Duckworth
U.S. food inspections back to normal
The United States is resuming normal testing of Canadian meat and poultry imports. Concerns over E. coli O157:H7 in beef from Canada prompted increased testing of these products in early November. Following an audit of seven establishments in Canada, the U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service decided to return to normal testing levels as of […] Read more
Gelbvieh marks 35 years in Canada
EDMONTON – Gelbvieh means yellow cow in German but in North America those types are hard to find these days. “When they first came, they were yellow and horned. Now they are red and black and polled,” said Scott Severtson, who has been raising Gelbviehs on his ranch near Innisfail, Alta., since the mid 1980s. […] Read more
Gelbvieh deal was leap of faith
EDMONTON – John Milne was making big changes in his life 40 years ago. He moved from the family farm at Viking, Alta., to the Peace River district in 1965 and six years later was travelling throughout Germany to select a new breed of cattle. While the rush was on to import Charolais, Simmental and […] Read more
Lassies display Shorthorn pride
REGINA – It is a rare group of teenaged girls who would reject blue jeans for knee length kilts, but the three young women who serve as Shorthorn lassies all opted for the traditional Scottish costume to represent their breed. Raylene Moellenbeck of Manitoba and Evelyn Thompson and Dayna Huber of Saskatchewan have represented the […] Read more
Show sees quality cattle, high spirits
REGINA – Ted Serhienko exemplifies good humour at Canadian Western Agribition. With his cigarette hidden between curled fingers, there is always time to share a joke with everyone as he makes his rounds through the Agribition barns. The Saskatoon-based owner of T Bar C Cattle Co. manages purebred sales across Canada. He said the most […] Read more
2007 best ever: buyer
REGINA – After a five year absence from Canadian Western Agribition, Norman Catto decided to leave Argentina for a week to see what was on offer. “This is the best show I’ve seen at Agribition,” he said. Little trade has happened between Canada and Argentina since BSE closed borders. Catto has a purebred consulting business […] Read more
Limousin continue winning ways
REGINA – It has become a tradition for Limousin bred steers and heifers to win the Canadian Western Agribition carcass competition. Colin Baber of Balcarres, Sask., had the top steer carcass and reserve went to Delbert Warren of Ogema, Sask. Andy Rock and Stan Skeels of Rimbey, Alta., had the best heifer carcass and the […] Read more
Canada called lax on traceability efforts
A government official says investigators would struggle to fully trace what happened if Canada ever had another serious animal disease outbreak or major food recall. “A disease outbreak will occur,” Brent McEwan told the recent Alberta sheep symposium in Calgary. “Can we deal with it fast enough before there is another crisis?” McEwan is part […] Read more
Charolais set for comeback
REGINA – It’s time for cattle producers to start using white bulls again, says the president of the Canadian Charolais Association. “It is time to own more cows and it is time for new breeders,” said Cameron Sparrow, adding that the commercial beef industry needs more Charolais-sired calves to improve rates of gain because packers […] Read more
