The adage about having the right tool for the right job is good advice for calving season. Given that monitoring calving can require long and tiring hours, having the tools at hand can save stress for people and animals. Cody Creelman of Veterinary Agri-Health Services in Airdrie, Alta., says there isn’t much that surprises experienced […] Read more
William DeKay
Stories by William DeKay
Delivery time? Moocall knows tell-tale sign
A new calving tool monitors expectant mothers while freeing up ranchers to do other things. Like sleep. The Moocall calving alert sensor straps to a cow’s tail and can accurately predict when the cow is in labour. The device sends a text message to the rancher’s phone, forewarning that the calf is on its way. […] Read more
Cattle breeders seek quality over quantity
(Editor’s Note: This story has been modified from the original) CRAIK, Sask. — It started as a farm wife’s dry sense of humour and has become a landmark along Saskatchewan’s Highway 11. The Riskan Hope Farm sign on the hip roof barn reminds travellers of the precarious nature of agriculture. Myrna Luther painted the letters […] Read more
Reporting fire doesn’t result in liability for costs
Hazel Morris wants to dispel a myth. The Neudorf, Sask., area resident is miffed that a couple of large fires on her pastureland last year could have been contained sooner had people called 911. Morris claims that the fires were made worse because people didn’t call the emergency number for fear of being held financially […] Read more
Trudeau’s town hall tour stops in Saskatoon
About 500 people attended Justin Trudeau’s ninth town hall of his cross Canada tour, which stopped at the University of Saskatchewan, Jan 25. During the hour-long question and answer period, the Prime Minister fielded questions on a host of wide-ranging topics – from the federal carbon tax to first nations’ issues to international trade and […] Read more
Out of touch: fixing rural internet
Dan Mazier thinks it’s high time that rural digital infrastructure be treated as an essential service, much like landline telephone service. “It’s a mandatory utility and it’s no different than water, it’s no different than electricity. It’s one of those utilities that we now need to function as a Canadian,” said the president of Keystone […] Read more
Girl Power 101 — it’s how things get done
HARRIS, Sask. — Since her late husband died in 2005, Nita Wilson has learned many tough lessons, particularly in the male dominated banking world. “Because I was a female, they (lenders) thought I wasn’t serious,” said Nita. “As a woman, you’ve got to be twice as good as a man at whatever you do to […] Read more
Corn grazing is about finding right balance
Trials compare different corn allocations to make sure grazing cattle obtain the correct amount of nutrition and fibre
LANIGAN, Sask. — How do you manage the behaviour of cattle if they’re always going to eat their dessert first? It’s a question of balance, said Breanna Anderson, a University of Saskatchewan graduate student who is looking for answers at the Western Beef Development Centre near Lanigan. “We’re trying to create a balanced diet because […] Read moreCase made for labelling, but questions abound
To label or not to label: that is the question. And according to one food biotech critic, we will never know the answer as to whether Canada should legislate mandatory labels for genetically modified ingredients in food unless we try it. “We can say there’s a discrepancy, but until we put labelling on the products, […] Read more
A vet’s newest tool
Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan are designing an endoscopy capsule capable of making detailed photographs of a horse’s innards, which are a largely unexplored frontier. “Whenever I talk to students about the horse abdomen, I put up a picture of a horse and put a big question mark in the middle,” said veterinary researcher […] Read more
