Recommended management practices for infected herds include:
Cattle producers should not let their guards down when it comes to Johne’s disease. A prairie-wide disease surveillance program of more than 100 beef herds showed about 1.5 percent of herds tested positive for Johne’s, a slow moving, wasting bacterial disease. “I am not sure we can say it is definitely getting higher but it […] Read more
Barbara Duckworth
Stories by Barbara Duckworth
Input purchases add indirect carbon tax to agricultural sector
Fuel and electricity are essential parts of the business, yet there are no tax benefits for maintaining grasslands or protecting water
Alberta farmers are already noticing higher utility bills because of the provincial carbon levy, but the greater impact may be indirect costs. Alberta is charging $20 per tonne of combustion emissions with an increase to $30 per tonne next year. “The carbon tax is not necessarily going to have a big effect on the agriculture […] Read more
Lamb price steady but no herd expansion seen
Alberta lamb prices are projected to remain stable, supported by tight supplies and limited growth in herd size and in consumer demand. A similar situation exists around the world, where flocks are not growing and demand for lamb is flat, Jason Wood, a livestock market analyst at Alberta Agriculture, said in a recent webinar. “Consumption […] Read more
Giving animals rewarding life
LEDUC, Alta. — Life improved for many farm animals when scientists got involved. More knowledge about nutrition, health care and behaviour has resulted in positive outcomes for livestock, said animal welfare researcher David Mellor of Massey University in New Zealand. Science-based animal care began with problem solving rather than relying on tradition and opinions about […] Read more
Alta. RMs want tax exemption
EDMONTON — Alberta rural municipalities want an exemption from the provincial carbon levy. “We don’t believe that municipalities should have to pay the carbon levy,” said Al Kemmere, president of the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties. “It is a provincial levy we have to pay and pass on the extra costs to ratepayers.” […] Read more
CFIA wants traceability gaps filled with better info on livestock movement
OTTAWA — Amendments to Canada’s livestock traceability regulations are expected later this year. In the event of an animal disease outbreak, investigators need more information about animal movement, as well as the exact location of livestock beyond the owner’s name and address, said Elizabeth Corrigan of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Current gaps in the […] Read more
RMs discuss rules in legalized pot era
EDMONTON — In a pivotal scene from the movie The God-father, a meeting of mafia dons discusses how to implement the drug trade in an orderly fashion. One of the dons is adamant that the trade must be kept away from children and schools. Municipal rural councillors probably feel the same way when the federal […] Read more
Awards recognizeanimal welfare efforts
LEDUC, Alta. — Innovation and efforts to improve lives for farm animals were recognized at the Alberta Farm Animal Care annual meeting. The award of distinction for communication was presented to Alberta Beef Quality Starts Here, the non-profit organization that delivers the Verified Beef Production program. VBP is part of a national network established 14 […] Read more
FMD emergency response study needed: consultant
If Canada had an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, a plan is needed to handle issues around quarantine, depopulation and vaccinations
OTTAWA — The fear of a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak lingers in Canada. “It will hit us hard if and when we have a major outbreak,” said Matt Taylor, a private consultant commissioned to evaluate the potential impact of the disease for the Alberta Cattle Feeders Association. “Outbreaks do happen even in countries that are free […] Read moreB.C. offers traceability funding
OTTAWA — The British Columbia government is offering up to $3,500 to help livestock producers buy equipment to improve traceability. The Livestock Tag Reader Rebate program covers up to 70 percent of the costs of readers and the necessary software to scan cattle, pork, sheep, goat and venison tags. Applicants must be B.C. residents and […] Read more
