Canada has a good story to tell about grain production sustainability but few know about it. The Canadian roundtable for sustainable crops includes growers, commodity groups, processors and food companies involved with grains, oilseeds and pulses. Much of their work is outward looking because requirements are often based on what the international market wants rather […] Read more
Barbara Duckworth
Stories by Barbara Duckworth
Feeder associations hire new executive director
Janice Tranberg is the new president and chief executive officer of the Alberta Cattle Feeders Association and National Cattle Feeders Association as of Nov 1. She is replacing Bryan Walton, who retires in early 2019. Tranberg has been executive director of the Saskatchewan Canola Development Commission, an assistant deputy minister for the Saskatchewan ministry of […] Read more
Donation earmarked for centre of excellence
The $44 million gift from W.A. Ranches is intended to be used for animal health and welfare research and public outreach
A donation of a 19,000-acre ranch to the University of Calgary faculty of veterinary medicine is the largest gift of its kind to any Canadian university. W.A. Ranches near Cochrane, Alta., is worth an estimated $44 million and was donated by Calgary entrepreneurs Jack Anderson and his daughter Wynne Chisholm. The plan is to build […] Read more
Beef grading gets an upgrade
Trying to make kabobs out of stewing meat is going to be a wasted effort. “As a society, North America-wide, there is a loss of cooking ability generally across the board,” said Marty Carpenter, chair of the Canadian Beef Grading Agency and formerly with Canada Beef Inc. Carpenter is also a chef and he knows […] Read more
Try a little tenderness
The tender middle cuts are found on 28 percent of a beef carcass. That leaves the shoulder, hip, belly and brisket and many cooks are unsure how to handle them successfully. With some creative cutting and cooking methods, these less tender cuts may still yield an easy to cook, tasty meal at a lower price […] Read more
New standardized beef grading system could help exports
Canada plans to realign its beef grading system with more yield classes. For the last seven years the Canadian beef industry has considered moving from three to five yield classes to align with the United States system, said Marty Carpenter, president of the Canadian Beef Grading Agency. “It would make it easier for our customers, […] Read more
Gentle livestock handling reduces bruising, carcass discounts
Bruises are painful but the extent of them is not seen until cattle reach a packing plant. Once the hides come off carcasses, bruises are often found on the dorsal midline and can affect high-value cuts, said Lily Calloway Edwards of Colorado State University. “Bruises tell us a story,” she said at a recent University […] Read more
Why carcasses are condemned at slaughter
About 2,000 cattle are condemned at Canadian slaughter plants each year but the number has been going down since 2013. Canadian Food Inspection Agency veterinarians condemn about 0.15 percent of cattle presented for inspection in federal facilities in the West, said Eway Abel, a CFIA veterinary specialist for western area operations. She presented the top […] Read more
U of Calgary vet school receives record donation
The donation of a 19,000-acre ranch to the University of Calgary faculty of veterinary medicine is the largest gift of its kind to any Canadian university. W.A. Ranches near Cochrane, Alta. is worth an estimated $44 million and was donated by Calgary entrepreneurs Jack Anderson and his daughter Wynne Chisholm. It will become a beef […] Read more
Genetics vs. environment: finding balance
DNA results may indicate that cattle have the potential to be productive, but the environment affects the final outcome
LONDON, Ont. — Applying new genomic technology to improve beef cattle is a noble goal, but other factors like environment must be part of the equation. “It is tough to work this out genetically because environment has such a large part in terms of the beef industry,” said P.J. Budler of Global Livestock Solutions and […] Read more
