Livestock Management
Any injury to the testicles that damages stored sperm may put a bull out of action until it heals and produces new sperm
Scrotal frostbite in bulls is a risk to fertility and ranch profitability. Cold weather and wind chill can damage bulls’ testicles and deteriorate semen but it is hard to gauge without a test. Dr. Colin Palmer, associate director at the Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence at the University of Saskatchewan, says scrotal frostbite commonly […] Read more
Livestock Management
U.S. pork plants can go faster
CHICAGO, Ill. (Reuters) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Nov. 10 that nine pork plants can apply to operate faster processing-line speeds under a one-year trial, after a federal judge in March struck down a Trump-era rule that removed line speed limits. Faster slaughtering would help meat companies like WH Group’s Smithfield Foods and […] Read more
U.S. Senator Warren calls for probe of soaring poultry prices
CHICAGO, Nov 22 (Reuters) – U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren on Monday called on the Justice Department to open a broad investigation on the impact of price- fixing and consolidation in the poultry sector on consumers and farmers. The former Democratic presidential candidate also urged the department’s Antitrust Division to review “with suspicion” any large mergers […] Read more
Producers say beef boom passing them by
Soaring beef prices endured by consumers don’t reflect what farmers and ranchers actually earn for their cattle, leading an industry leader to fear for the future. Although costs ranging from feed to fuel “are going through the roof,” producers aren’t seeing any increases in cattle prices, said Melanie Wowk, chair of Alberta Beef Producers. “There’s […] Read more
B.C. floods shine spotlight on AgriRecovery
The likelihood of the AgriRecovery disaster relief program being triggered for the second time in British Columbia in only a few months is highlighting ongoing discussions to improve risk management for Canadian producers in the face of climate change. Although “we’ve shown that this program can react very quickly,” officials have been eyeing ways to […] Read more
Dairy licence reinstated amid abuse concerns
Provincial SPCA continues with its investigation into allegations of animal abuse and neglect at British Columbia farm
The dairy licence of a British Columbia farm has been conditionally reinstated by the B.C. Milk Marketing Board after being suspended Oct. 27 due to allegations of animal abuse. Cedar Valley Farms in Abbotsford was investigated after a video was submitted to the B.C. SPCA that allegedly included workers beating cows with wrenches. “B.C. Milk […] Read more
Racehorses given chance for second careers
Retired Thoroughbreds are retrained for competitions such as obstacle challenges, dressage, freestyle and hunter-jumper
Thoroughbreds have a reputation for one skill — going fast. Last month at Prairieland Park in Saskatoon, the OTTB (Off-Track Thoroughbred) Challenge aimed to dispel this reputation and show the versatility of retired racehorses. While the 2021 Equine Expo was cancelled due to COVID-19, the standalone OTTB Challenge was still held in front of about […] Read more
Essential oils in poultry feed gain increased popularity
Saskatchewan researchers say benefits include increasing feed’s palatability and improving the digestibility of nutrients
Essential oils in poultry feed are becoming a popular addition as researchers show the benefits. Natacha Hogan, a professor in the department of animal and poultry science at the University of Saskatchewan, said research on essential oils has been ramping up. “What we do know from the research done in poultry is that essential oils […] Read more
Vaccine reactions rare but deadly
Occasionally cattle have a reaction to vaccine. Most commonly, the reaction is mild, with local swelling and soreness at the injection site, but sometimes a reaction is serious and can be fatal if the animal goes into anaphylactic shock. Dr. Andrew Niehaus of Ohio State University says anaphylaxis is a systemic reaction that affects the […] Read more
Vet traces recent mystery of pig deaths to rare cause
Hoofbeats on the Prairies aren’t always horses. Sometimes they are zebras. Diagnosing toxicities in modern swine production is rare. Housing pigs in confinement reduces accidental exposure to a lot of toxic substances that may be found in farmyards. Pigs, by their nature, are also somewhat resistant to noxious compounds and chemicals that can be toxic […] Read more
