American country-of-origin labelling, otherwise known as COOL, may be more harmful to Canadian beef and cattle if U.S. lawmakers revert to an earlier form of the bill, cattle producers say. COOL regulations being debated as part of the U.S. farm bill would require that livestock be tracked from place of birth to slaughter. The original […] Read more
Stories by Michael Raine
Sask. beef groups may reorganize
Saskatchewan beef producers might soon speak with one voice. Cattle producers in the province rely on a government-run beef industry committee to decide how check-off dollars are spent. The Saskatchewan associations for cattle feeders and stock growers say the industry committee has done a good job of funding research and beef promotion projects. But they […] Read more
Bison prices rebound as border reopens
A day after Neil Kramer’s auctioneering gavel fell on their sale, two Canadian bison became the first in 31/2 years to cross the American border, bound for Oklahoma. Canadian bison prices are rising and with them are expectations that the industry will expand with U.S. sales. The Canadian national bison sale at Canadian Western Agribition […] Read more
Faithful return for show’s 37th year
REGINA – And then there were four. Thirty seven years after the start of a small, regional prairie cattle show, Canadian Western Agribition in Regina has grown into one of the world’s largest annual livestock events. Throughout those years, only four families are known to have shown purebred cattle at each show every year. “Something […] Read more
Bison numbers, meat demand rising
REGINA – Bison numbers are rising. Since 1996, the Canadian bison population has risen from 45,000 head to what is expected to be 250,000 by the end of 2007. Farm size and the number of producers have jumped along with the animal population. Ten years ago there were 745 Canadian farms with bison; today there […] Read more
Saskatoon show in squeeze
The Saskatoon Fall Fair is facing a dilemma. The cattle show is being isolated by its neighbouring shows in November and it has to choose when to go in 2008. Saskatoon Exhibition agriculture manager Lori Cates’ said the fall cattle show was a success again this year, despite the pressures of higher costs and fewer […] Read more
Farmers weigh election results
The Saskatchewan Party was first past the post, but will it put the fence post first? Gregor Beck doesn’t think his Rouleau, Sask., grain farm will become more profitable with the change in government. “It’s something I would like to think. Farmers like to think many things might happen,” he said of Saskatchewan’s Nov. 7 […] Read more
New drug targets shipping fever
Excede is the latest antibiotic offering from Pfizer Animal Health targeted at bovine respiratory disease. BRD, or shipping fever, costs the North American cattle industry more than half a billion dollars annually and has been the target of drug makers for years. The disease causes higher levels of illness and death and ties up feedlot […] Read more
Lloydminster sale draws from two provinces
LLOYDMINSTER, Sask. – If livestock shows were cattle, the Stockade Roundup would be the one that every purebred producer in Lloydminster’s border region would bid on. In tough times and in good, the event draws local commercial cattle producers from a 250 kilometre radius, and that brings in the purebred breeders. “This show isn’t the […] Read more
Wall, Sask. Party to form next provincial government
SWIFT CURRENT, Sask. — Saskatchewan voters handed Brad Wall and the Saskatchewan Party a majority government Nov. 7, ending 16 years of NDP rule. Unofficial results showed the Saskatchewan Party with 37 seats and the NDP with 21. The standings heading into the campaign were NDP 30, Sask. Party 28. Recounts in close ridings are […] Read more
