Anne Dunford, senior market analyst with Canfax is leaving the market tracking firm after 21 years. She leaves at the end of December to become the new market analyst for Gateway Livestock of Taber, Alta., where she will be working directly with the feedlot sector from a home office near Okotoks. “It’s been a good […] Read more
Barbara Duckworth
Stories by Barbara Duckworth
Several elements play key role in soil health
LINCOLN HALL, Alta. – Producers who understand the connection between soil, grass and grazers make better choices about forages and better maintain soil quality. “As grazers, we have an opportunity to recycle our nutrients back into the soil,” said agrologist Dennis Laughton, who works with the Foothills Forage Association. He told a cattle producer’s seminar […] Read more
New pig waterers save energy, water
When Dennis McKerracher heard about a better way to water pigs, he decided to test the system on his grower-to-finish farm at High River, Alta. After a year-long test on grower pigs, he found ball bite waterers commonly used in Europe were superior to nipple waterers. His daily records showed water use dropped by 35 […] Read more
Cattle producers ponder mandatory price reporting
The time may be ripe for a mandatory price reporting in Alberta. The Alberta Beef Producers annual meeting in Calgary Dec. 4, passed a resolution recommending mandatory price reporting on all cattle slaughtered provincially. “The logic of going to mandatory price reporting is that we are missing a few pieces of information in Canada as […] Read more
U.S. inches toward open border
New regulations in the United States that would allow older Canadian cattle and beef to enter the country have moved a baby step forward. Known as Rule 2, the risk assessment on older Canadian cattle was sent to the White House’s Office of Management and Budget on Nov. 24. It is expected to remain there […] Read more
Canada eats beef; U.S. appetite slows
Canadian beef demand is holding up, but economic factors and changing diet fads have reduced American demand in recent months. With a record number of cattle on feed in the U.S., the weaker American demand for beef is putting negative pressure on cattle prices on both sides of the border. While the first three quarters […] Read more
Good grazing starts with knowing the soil
LINCOLN HALL, Alta. – The circle of life for grasslands starts with what lies beneath. “If you take care of your grass, you will also be taking care of your soil,” said forage manager Albert Kuipers at a cattle producer’s seminar held Nov. 17 near Lacombe. Planning for next year’s grazing should start the previous […] Read more
Siblings vie for top spot in junior show
REGINA – Agribition’s Extreme junior beef show was a severe case of sibling rivalry. The all breeds youth show at Canadian Western Agribition’s final day had brothers and sisters vying for a total of $5,000. The youth show invites young people from ages nine to 21 to show cattle according to breed. There is also […] Read more
Agribition’s commercial component highly praised
REGINA – When international guests visit Canadian Western Agribition they can see elite purebred cattle with their polished hoofs and coifed coats, but the reality of what Canadian cattle can do is seen in the commercial barns. The commercial component of the sale has been running almost since Agribition began 36 years ago. A highlight […] Read more
Black heifer pays tuition
REGINA – Crystal Young had a good feeling when she entered the Simmental sales ring at Canadian Western Agribition with her pure black heifer. The bidding kept going up until the hammer came down on $15,000, selling Young’s 2006 black heifer to Austin McGuire of Calgary, who is just entering the business. “It is exciting […] Read more
