Livestock Management
Recommended solutions included eating less animal protein, subscription systems to control use and increased private investment
Overuse of antibiotics and underfunding development of new ones will lead to catastrophic consequences in both human and animal health, an international panel of antimicrobial resistance experts told a group of well-heeled investors this month. “Unless we act now, the alarm bells will soon turn into the death knell of modern medicine,” Sally Davies, the […] Read more
Livestock Management
Teenagers taking the ribbons home
For 50 years, Agribition has been the training ground for the industry’s future, 2021 was no exception
Jorja Beck is a determined teenager. Once the 16-year-old from Lang, Sask., decided she wanted to show cattle at a September show she made it happen — with a little help from her family. “I had an old 4-H heifer that had a pretty decent bull calf,” she explained. “I told my brother I wanted […] Read more
Shortage of veterinary drugs looms as Canadian possibility
Veterinary drugs have been plagued with supply-chain issues but Canada has avoided rationing so far, according to the association representing animal pharmaceuticals and manufacturers. There have been close calls, said Catherine Filejski, president and chief executive officer of the Canadian Animal Health Institute. An explosion in late 2020 at a drug manufacturing plant that makes […] Read more
Speckle Park rancher watches breed take off
A Canadian cattle breed, the Speckle Park has grown from exotic livestock to mainstream, international cattle status
When Jason Goodfellow started bringing his Speckle Park cattle to Regina’s Canadian Western Agribition in 2006, they were put in the same barn as the exotic animals. Now, 15 years later, the Speckle Park breed has grown. Goodfellow started breeding Speckle Park in the late 1990s, even though it didn’t become a recognized breed until […] Read more
Years of breeding pay off for Sunnyhill Alpacas
For Kevin and Leanne Sept, alpacas is what they do. They’ve run Sunnyhill Alpacas, located near Leduc, Alta., for 23 years. Raising huacaya and suri alpacas, the Septs have been passionate about the animals since Day One. “We started with nine, once upon a time. Now we’re up to about 130,” Leanne said. “And now […] Read more
Use of intranasal vaccines particularly beneficial for calves
With so many intranasal vaccines on the market, I thought a quick review of their administration might be in order. All intranasal vaccines are live or avirulent live so they need to be mixed and the powder activated. Like other modified live vaccines, their time active when mixed is one to two hours. There are […] Read more
Calves must be prepared for backgrounding
Nutritionist tells producers that preparing calves for backgrounding starts with developing a solid frame for the animal
The weaning process can be stressful for calves, which can cause susceptibility to disease, specifically bovine respiratory disease, says veterinarian Daniel Pecoskie. Combined with transportation, mingling of cattle in crowded pens and changes in weather and feeding patterns, it can cause various health problems. “Typically, following stress, you’re going to see cases of pneumonia peak […] Read more
U.S. short on livestock inputs
CHICAGO, Ill. (Reuters) — Michigan dairy farmer Doug Chapin has been unable to buy bottles of veterinary penicillin for his cows for more than a month. In Minnesota, pig farmer Randy Spronk reformulated feed rations due to a shortage of the widely used ingredient lysine, an amino acid that helps livestock grow. Supply-chain disruptions are […] Read more
Tentative deal offered in Cargill meat plant dispute
(Updated 07:22 CST 2/12/2021) Workers at a Cargill meatpacking plant in High River, Alta., that provides much of the beef in Canadian grocery stores are slated to vote on a tentative deal only days away from a strike or lockout deadline of Dec. 6. “The company’s new offer is a dramatic improvement from the offer […] Read more
Supreme Beef winners both from Bashaw and repeat
If winning Canadian Western Agribition’s Beef Supreme is the pinnacle of achievement for purebred cattle breeders, winning it more than once is undoubtedly a sign of continued excellence. The winners of the 2021 event have both won before, and both are from Bashaw, Alta. “Never gets old. It’s a fabulous, fabulous thing to win,” said […] Read more
