CHICAGO, Ill. (Reuters) — COVID-19 vaccines are making their way into the arms of American meat and agriculture workers, but companies and union officials say progress needs to be faster after coronavirus outbreaks idled slaughterhouses and sickened thousands of workers. Vaccinating food workers could help prevent further production disruptions that sent meat prices soaring in […] Read more
Livestock — page 2
Feedlots, consumers paid beef price
Consumers paid more for beef, processors and retailers increased their profits and feedlot owners lost millions in 2020 because of COVID-19. A paper published through the University of Calgary Simpson Centre, written by project co-ordinator Karen Spencer, indicates feedlots lost an estimated $379 million in gross revenues for 2020 compared to the previous year, reducing […] Read more
Large animal veterinarian shortage starts with students
The shortage of large animal veterinarians in Western Canada is an age-old problem that seems to be improving with time. First, we have to look at the number of seats available for veterinary students in general. There is a rumour that seats for Alberta students went up with the addition of 20 seats at Alberta’s […] Read more
Water Box inventor wins innovation award
Lee Smith, inventor of The Water Box cattle watering system, is recipient of the award of distinction for innovation from the Alberta Farm Animal Care Council. The rancher from the Consort, Alta., area devised the trademarked invention as a way to provide water to livestock throughout the winter without the need to constantly chop holes […] Read more
Whole Farm Income Insurance program gains traction
Support for an alternative program to AgriStability continues to gain momentum. Canadian agricultural ministers are continuing to consider replacing AgriStability with a margin-based income protection program as soon as 2023. Complaints of AgriStability being costly and ineffective, particularly on the Prairies, prompted governments in those jurisdictions to explore other options. Talks to reform AgriStability, thus […] Read more
Report expected soon on meat processing
A draft report on Canadian meat processing capacity was to be considered March 23 by the federal standing committee on agriculture and the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association is hopeful it will include several requests made during presentations earlier this month. Among them is creation of a red meat development fund, a request that has been on […] Read more
Canada, U.S. agree on plan if ASF infects wild pigs
Wild pigs are a worry in Canada and the United States for reasons beyond the damage they do to farms, pasture land and ecosystems. They could be an uncontrollable factor if ever infected with African swine fever. Though the fatal swine illness has not yet arrived in North America, it devastated China’s hog population and […] Read more
Project aims to boost bison’s genetic diversity
U of S researchers will develop tools so that they can detect bison that have been hybridized between Plains and Wood
The world’s first bison genome biobank is being developed at the University of Saskatchewan’s Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence. The university was recently awarded $6.76 million from the Canada Foundation for Innovation to help revive the bison population and strengthen the cattle industry. It’s part of a Canada-led effort to conserve bison and other […] Read more
Consider upstream factors when investigating disease
The other day, I presented a case of a deceased wolf to the veterinary students’ pathology rounds. This is a weekly event at the University of Calgary where veterinary pathologists take turns showing and discussing interesting cases to create a less formal learning experience for the students in the program. Like many things this year, […] Read more
Test forage to protect cow health
Producers advised to ask for a wet chemistry test on forage samples rather than near infrared reflectance spectroscopy
Low snowfall and relatively dry winter conditions are raising concerns about spring pasture conditions. Ensuring proper nutrition for cows after calving could be more of a challenge than usual. Livestock nutritionist Barry Yaremcio of Yaremcio Ag Consulting said there is a good quantity of hay available in most areas to get producers through to spring […] Read more
