RED DEER, Alta. – There is more to alpacas than a pretty face framed by a fringe of bangs hiding shy, brown eyes. For breeders like Andy Tillman of Bend, Oregon, they are valuable animals he has loved and studied for more than 20 years. Llamas and alpacas have established themselves as genuine livestock in […] Read more
Barbara Duckworth
Stories by Barbara Duckworth
Rancher hears call of the dial
KAMLOOPS, B.C. – Hugh McLennan has been torn by two loves all his adult life. Life on the ranch has always competed with his love of working on radio. With his strong, resonant voice and a broad smile shaded by a cowboy hat, McLennan has become a fixture at western Canadian cowboy poetry gatherings, cattle […] Read more
Dry days hurt central and northern Alberta
A couple weeks ago the Hanna Herald ran a classified ad: “Lost: 95 acres of topsoil. Last seen going north, south, east and west. Call …” When Jean Curry recognized her neighbor’s number in the ad she was tempted to let him know she had seen the missing soil. “I thought about phoning him and […] Read more
Thieves snatch costly farm chemicals; reward offered
More than $500,000 worth of farm chemicals have been stolen in southern Alberta this spring and a reward of $10,000 for information about the thefts has been offered by private individuals and companies. In the past two years farm chemical thefts topped $1.5 million. Bruce Schmaltz, who owns Beiseker Agri Services, was robbed last month. […] Read more
Beef centre pushes red meat increase
KAMLOOPS, B.C. – Canadians are not eating enough meat and the Beef Information Centre wants to do something about it. Studies have told them half of the population doesn’t eat the Canada food guide-recommended two to three servings of meat each day. Further research showed 60 percent of women are not eating the recommended servings, […] Read more
Cattle imports to be easier
KAMLOOPS, B.C. – Moving American feeder cattle into Canadian feedlots should get easier as the government streamlines some of its animal health regulations. The North West Pilot Project was an initiative to trade cattle freely across the borders without costly health tests while protecting the health status of both countries. However the program saw less […] Read more
Animal behaviorist urges farmers to think like a cow
KAMLOOPS, B.C. – Learning to think like a cow may be the best advice cowboys can get. Animal behaviorist Temple Grandin, of Colorado State University, has devoted her life to understanding how cattle view the world. Most of her knowledge is based on studying how animals’ instincts for self preservation trigger predictable behavior. Her instructions […] Read more
Outdoorsman keeps pioneering spirit alive
SUNDRE, Alta. – As he reminisces about his experiences as a construction boss in the oil patch, a chuckwagon driver, a horse trainer and a wagon builder, Lorne Sharkey reveals a life full of friends and adventures. His fingers are bent with arthritis and old injuries and his step is probably slower than it used […] Read more
Beef overloads market scales
KAMLOOPS, B.C. – Heavyweight cattle continue to plague the beef industry while demand is slipping. The total number of animals continues to shrink but final carcass weights remain high for the year, producing more beef than the market wants. Anne Dunford, senior market analyst with Canfax, said carcass weights could reach record levels this year. […] Read more
Small cattle attracting larger-than-life interest
A 10-day-old calf peering curiously through the rails at Bill Busslinger’s farm draws more than its share of smiles. Cute as a teddy bear, this little black calf is a Lowline and stands less than two feet tall. Owned by the Canadian Lowline Cattle Co., he is one of 25 on the ground in this […] Read more
