Livestock Management
Recent research has uncovered new ways to improve birth rates among cattle bred through in-vitro production. Research from the University of Kent and the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom and L’Alliance Boviteq Inc. based in Quebec have found a method to significantly improve IVP in cattle by removing irregular embryos from the gene […] Read more
Livestock Management
Feedlot operator speaks out on border blockade
An Alberta feedlot operator says he is frustrated and without a voice at the table five days after the border crossing at Coutts, Alta., was closed by protesters opposed to COVID-19 public health measures. Kevin Serfas said he is speaking out, despite fears about repercussions from blockade supporters, because government and industry are not doing […] Read more
U.S. cow herd drops to seven-year low, beef prices set to rise further
CHICAGO, Jan 31 (Reuters) – The United States has the fewest beef cows in seven years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Monday, signaling that high meat prices will continue to rise. Ranchers increasingly sent cows to slaughter last year, rather than keeping them to reproduce, as dry weather reduced the amount of pasture […] Read more
Philippines lifts suspension of Canadian beef imports
WINNIPEG, Manitoba, Jan 29 (Reuters) – The Philippines has lifted its suspension of Canadian beef imports, which it imposed due to detection of a cattle disease last month, Canadian Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said on Saturday. Canada detected a case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in December on an Alberta farm, the country’s first known […] Read more
Vaccine mandate slams hog sector as truckers avoid border
Hog farmers are scrambling to find trucks to carry their pigs across the border. With the joint Canada-United States vaccine requirement now imposed on cross-border journeys, a sudden shortage in truckers is leaving small shippers like farmers facing delays, cancellations and uncertainty about how to move their animals. “We’re already hearing reports that shipments of […] Read more
Beef sector urged to find hope in high demand
High feed costs and the divide between retail prices and producer returns are challenges, but demand remains strong
Canfax analyst Brian Perillat said there is reason for optimism in the cattle market, even if producers don’t think so. Speaking to the virtual Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference Jan. 20, he said he understands producers’ frustration over prices. “Alberta fed cattle prices were actually the second-highest on record last year, but it sure doesn’t feel […] Read more
Latest Man. PED wave continues to get bigger
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Manitoba hog producers are trying to manage a pig epidemic that hasn’t been contained. “We’re at the point of managing this rather than our hoped-for outcome of trying to contain the virus,” said Cam Dahl, general manager of the Manitoba Pork Council. Sixty-one provincial facilities are now infected […] Read more
Injured livestock slaughter now allowed in Alta.
A program permitting the processing of animals unfit for transport and allowing producers to receive funds from the sale of the meat is now operating in Alberta. Under the Video Ante-Mortem Inspection program, as of Jan. 1, livestock injured in traffic accidents during transportation or in the field can now be slaughtered onsite and processed […] Read more
QR code enlisted to promote beef
Canada Beef is looking at better ways to get the domestic product into the fridges of more people by giving them an easy way to access nutritional information along with cooking tips for dozens of cuts of meat. The first phase of the Information Gateway initiative will give consumers access to a digital profile of […] Read more
Wool advocates hope to boost domestic sales
Industry says synthetic materials pushed wool out of fibre markets, but consumer demand for sustainability is growing
An opportunity exists to build a larger, higher quality wool production industry in Canada, according to The Campaign For Wool Canada, and the organization has developed a five-year strategic plan to do just that. “There are definitely challenges but there are huge opportunities in Canadian wool,” said Matthew Rowe, TCFW Canada chief executive officer. “With […] Read more
