Livestock Management
B.C. researchers cross Red Angus with a Caribbean breed that has shorter coat and can better cope with hot temperatures
A scientist is working to create a composite Canadian breed of beef cattle that will be more resistant to the increasingly extreme swings in temperature expected under climate change. A heat dome that killed thousands of cattle in Kansas underlines how bad things could get for Canadian beef producers, said John Church, British Columbia regional […] Read more
Livestock Management
Bolus provides real-time view into cattle’s gut
A smart rumen bolus gathers information such as internal temperature, water intake and whether cows are in heat
Beef producers who rely on educated guesses to manage their cattle can now get real-time data from smart devices permanently placed inside their animals. “They’re handy for all kinds of different functions,” said Wyatt Cook of Buck Lake Ranch, southeast of Kelowna, B.C. “I mean, that’s kind of going to be the future of monitoring […] Read more
Postcards draw attention to Canadian wool
Organizers of the campaign hope to increase industry’s profile and attract government funding for the domestic sector
The federal government has released its policy framework designed to “strengthen and grow” Canada’s agriculture sector and some Canadian shepherds and processors think they know where some of those funds should go. They are carrying out a postcard campaign that includes letters to federal and provincial government officials to attract more attention to the wool […] Read more
Early pneumonia detection in adult cows helps treatment
Pneumonia in cattle is a common yet dreadful condition. In addition to compromising the health of the animal, raging inflammation in the lungs can reduce growth and production, decrease animal welfare and may even cause death. Clinical signs of pneumonia include fever, widespread front legs (trying to give the chest as much room as possible […] Read more
Smithfield Foods to pay US$75 mln in pork price-fixing settlement
(Reuters) - Smithfield Foods Inc has agreed to pay US$75 million to settle a lawsuit by consumers who accused the meat producer and several competitors of conspiring to inflate prices in the US$20 billion-a-year U.S. pork market by limiting supply. A preliminary settlement in the antitrust case was filed on Tuesday night with the federal court in Minneapolis, […] Read more
U.S. sees beef, pork export boom
America’s red meat exports are booming, says an industry official. The United States shipped a record US$18.7 billion worth of pork and beef products around the world in 2021 and is on pace to exceed that total this year. Beef exports have topped $1 billion in six of the seven months that data is available […] Read more
Sask. issues avian flu health order
Saskatchewan Agriculture’s chief veterinary officer is issuing an animal health order to help limit the spread of avian influenza. Effective until at least Oct. 21, the order prohibits movement of birds across the province for auctions, agricultural fairs and other events where any bird might be brought together from multiple locations. The response comes after […] Read more
Community-led opposition helps derail Alberta feedlot
A proposed feedlot near Pigeon Lake in central Alberta met most of the criteria set out in provincial regulations but not enough to counter the public outcry of residents and Indigenous communities in the region. In its decision regarding G & S Cattle’s application to build a 4,000 head confined feeding operation, the Natural Resources […] Read more
Grass-finished beef all about forage
A growing number of cattle producers are marketing grass-finished beef. The challenge, especially in a northern climate, is having high quality forage in the months that cattle need to gain weight and finish. Experts say it’s important to have genetically efficient cattle that do well on grass and to feed energy-dense forages in the finishing […] Read more
Researchers study bison-to-cattle disease threat
Project will focus on herd in Wood Buffalo National Park, where bovine tuberculosis and bovine brucellosis are endemic
Researchers have launched a survey seeking feedback on the potential threats of diseases in Alberta’s Wood bison population being transmitted to cattle. Both bovine tuberculosis and bovine brucellosis have been endemic within the bison populations in Wood Buffalo National Park since the 1920s. Anthrax within the population also is a concern for researchers. Project lead […] Read more
