Livestock Management
The sector recognizes that stamping out the virus is labour intensive, but living with the disease is becoming impossible
Sometimes it’s best to live with a virus. Sometimes it’s better to try to stamp it out. For managing porcine epidemic diarrhea virus in Manitoba, the Manitoba Pork Council is urging producers to embrace the latter. PED-zero is hard to achieve, but living with PED is becoming impossible. “It’s intensive,” Jenelle Hamblin of MPC said […] Read more
Livestock Management
Genetics may answer methane riddle
Researchers plan to search for genetic traits that can help producers reduce greenhouse emissions in the dairy industry
A dairy industry group plans to study methane emissions to find genetic traits in cattle that will reduce greenhouse gases while not cutting production. Lactanet Canada is expected to launch its methane efficiency program in April, adding the genetic trait to its portfolio in evaluating Holstein dairy cattle. Brian Van Doormaal, chief services officer with […] Read more
Swath grazing study needs respondents for online survey
A researcher is looking for cow-calf producers across Western Canada who want to take part in an online survey about swath grazing. “We hope to capture information from about 500 or 600 beef producers about their experiences on swath grazing,” said Obioha Durunna, livestock research scientist at Lakeland College in Vermilion, Alta. “We want to […] Read more
B.C. replaces flood-damaged diagnostic facilities
Severe flooding in 2021 shut down a veterinary facility providing disease testing of livestock and testing of milk supplies
New diagnostic facilities are planned to help British Columbia’s farmers. They will replace facilities near Abbotsford that were severely damaged by 2021 floods. The new Plant and Animal Health Centre will provide diagnostic services that will support producers, as well as food safety and public health, said B.C. Agriculture Minister Pam Alexis in an email. […] Read more
Deadly fungus threatens bat population as it reaches Alberta
The fungus that causes a deadly infection called white nose syndrome in wild bats has been detected in Alberta for the first time this winter. Samples of bat guano from the southeastern portion of the province tested positive for the fungus. Similar guano-sampling efforts led to the identification of the fungus in several areas of […] Read more
Understand the five Ws of feed tests
Producers encouraged to better understand the what, where, when, why and how when planning a feed testing program
Successful feed testing starts with understanding why, followed by what, when, how and where. Answering these questions will provide information that can improve efficiencies and benefits for beef cattle operations. “Feed testing is an important tool that producers can use to make informed decisions about their operation,” said Breeanna Kelln, who leads the University of […] Read more
Customize grazing plans to a specific situation
Make the grazing plan to suit the land, the people and the animals, advised a grazing management specialist during a webinar hosted by the Beef Cattle Research Council. “There is no prescriptive grazing plan that works best in every situation,” said Saskatchewan agrologist Jeremy Brown. He has 18 years of experience in the field and […] Read more
Careful planning required when corn grazing
Cattle like corn but should be introduced slowly to the cereal plant. Having cattle graze standing corn during winter can provide high-energy forage, but management is key, said Bart Lardner, cow-calf and forage systems specialist at the University of Saskatchewan. He provided several tips. Cattle should be eased into grazing corn Cattle unfamiliar with the […] Read more
Barn fire kills 10,000 pigs
Provincial fire investigators and insurance officials were on scene today after a hog barn fire near Sturgis, Sask., killed about 10,000 pigs. The Olymel facility near the east-central Saskatchewan community was a finishing barn, said Richard Vigneault, a company spokesperson. It was known as the Kopje barn. “It’s very unfortunate,” he said of the Feb. […] Read more
Size of cattle herd takes major hit in Manitoba
Industry says many producers decided to get out of the business after last spring’s snowstorms played havoc with calving
Statistics Canada data for cattle inventories as of Jan. 1 will not come out until later this month, but the size of Manitoba’s cattle herd and the number of cow-calf operators took a substantial hit in 2022. A Manitoba Agriculture report on how the 2021 drought affected the provincial cattle sector, released in late January, […] Read more
