CALGARY – Canada had a record level of beef exports in 1995 but faces continued competition from other countries eager to ship beef here. Over the last four years Canada has exported 40 percent of its beef production either as live animals or meat, said Canfax market analyst Anne Dunford. At one time about 80 […] Read more
Barbara Duckworth
Stories by Barbara Duckworth
Grain meetings launched
LETHBRIDGE, Alta. – There was one thing everyone at the first grain marketing town hall meeting agreed on: There is no consensus on how to improve the system. About 100 people gathered in Lethbridge Jan. 8 for the first of 15 workshops. They broke into groups to discuss the grain marketing system and their thoughts […] Read more
Ohio 4-H champs charged with fraud
CALGARY – Scandals over illegal activities erupted at some major American youth livestock shows in 1994, but incidents have slowed since the laying of fraud charges against 17 professional groomers in Ohio. Investigations showed seven of the 10 champion animals at the 1994 Ohio State Fair youth show had been tampered with, said Denise Wible […] Read more
New farm lobby emerges in Alberta
CALGARY – A new farm organization for Alberta with a different name and a revised mandate will emerge in 1996. Alberta farmers are invited to an open meeting of Unifarm Jan. 9-11 for the unveiling of the Wild Rose Agricultural Producers with its new constitution and membership structure. Recreating a new general farm organization has […] Read more
Grain needed to halt decline in world stocks
ROME, Italy (Reuter) – World cereal output must increase by at least four percent in 1996 to safeguard food security, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization said. “With 1995 crop estimates now much firmer, it is certain that cereal stocks will be drawn down sharply even to meet the reduced consumption requirements now expected,” […] Read more
Flocks fare better if shepherd understands them
RED DEER, Alta. – Understanding sheep behavior can create a productive flock that is fertile and mothers its lambs well. Tips were offered by animal behaviorist Joe Stookey from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine during the recent Alberta Sheep Symposium. The first thing to remember is that sheep are social animals that become distressed […] Read more
Easy-to-use information priority of new record keepers
RED DEER, Alta. (Staff) – Agriculture Canada has turned over the duty of keeping sheep records to the Canadian Sheep Federation. The service will be known as the Sheep Information Unit and will be managed by Tig Shafto in Ottawa. The federal government has provided $1.5 million in start-up funds. One of the unit’s first […] Read more
Sheep anatomy makes AI a challenge
RED DEER, Alta. (Staff) – While artificial insemination is a common practice among beef and dairy cattle, the same can’t be said for sheep. Artificial insemination is more common in the United Kingdom where about 37,000 ewes were impregnated this way in the last year. It’s not as common in Canada although considerable work is […] Read more
B.C. stock growers cool to province’s support scheme
KAMLOOPS, B.C. – The Net Income Stabilization Account may be the farm program of choice for the British Columbia government, but farmer response to the safety net isn’t as enthusiastic as the province’s agriculture minister had hoped. “There’s a lot of concern about the NISA model. We thought it was the one and it would […] Read more
No magic breed of meat animal: researcher
CALGARY – An American researcher says it’s time to set aside breed preferences and start selecting cattle on the basis of type. There is no magic bullet breed that will produce the right kind of beef animal every time, said Bill Mies of Texas A & M University. He spoke at the Western Stock Growers […] Read more
