Livestock Management
Producers in parts of the four western provinces and Quebec will be eligible for 2019 tax relief as a result of extreme weather conditions. Agriculture Canada announced the designated regions in a July 22 news release in which it notes “livestock producers in Western Canada and Quebec are experiencing significant forage shortages due to drought […] Read more
Livestock Management
Youth shine at Summer Synergy
The Calgary Stampede and its partner Summer Synergy at Olds, Alta., have become the livestock nexus for high achieving young people to compete and vie for more than $74,000 in scholarships. In addition, the junior steer classic on the last day of the Stampede has grown into a rich show where teenagers face off for […] Read more
Stampede bulls double as research subjects
The animals’ behaviour is observed to assess stress levels and possible handling improvements that could be made
A team of University of Calgary researchers is attempting to learn how rodeo performances affect horses and bulls bred to buck. A partnership between the university’s faculty of veterinary medicine and the Calgary Stampede allows a research team to spend each day of the rodeo observing bucking bulls to assess stress levels, humane handling and […] Read more
Study looks for naturally raised beef premium
Research is determining how much to pay producers for raising beef without hormone implants and antibiotics
University of Saskatchewan master’s student Janelle Smith is in the second year of a two-year study to determine the cost differences between common methods of raising calves in Western Canada. “There is a lot of interest in marketing natural beef. It’s still a small sector of the market but there is growing demand for natural […] Read moreHow to reduce antimicrobial use on cow-calf operations
Every cow-calf producer probably has situations where they use antibiotics unnecessarily, or use the wrong ones for the problems at hand, or use the wrong ones in situations where a lower class antibiotic would get the job done. Recently, I have been changing the advice I give as the beef industry makes adjustments for how […] Read more
Ground bison recall issued
Ground bison products are the subjects of a cross-border food recall due to risk of E. coli contamination. No Canadians have reported illness as a result of eating the products, said the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, but more than 20 people in the United States have become ill in connection with eating the meat. Northfork […] Read more
Central banks chained to the Promethean rock
Gun-shy governments have put too much responsibility onto central banks, and they're reaching the end of their strength
If Canada faces a combination of increasing prices and faltering economic growth, the Bank of Canada can’t do much to fix that killer combo. “In that moment you have a tradeoff between a slowing economy (and) rising unemployment, and rising inflation at the same time. Obviously monetary policy can’t buffer both of those,” said Stephen […] Read more
Immigration program offered for CDN ag
The federal government has announced a three year Agri-Food Immigration pilot to open 2,750 immigration spots per year for agriculture workers. The goal is to fill hundreds of job vacancies in the meat processing, mushroom and other agriculture sectors, Ahmed Hussen, minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship, said July 11. “One of the ways […] Read more
Feds fund beef projects
The federal government is investing $8.3 million to support six projects within the Canadian beef industry. The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, Canada Beef, the Canadian Beef Breeds Council and the Canadian Angus Association will receive funds through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership’s federally delivered programs. Announced by federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau at the Calgary Stampede July […] Read more
VIDEO: Initiatives aim to root out wild pigs
An approach called the Moose Mountain strategy hinges on identifying a group of pigs and killing every single member
Bob Brickley’s team has pored over aerial surveillance data, drawn up a detailed plan of attack and possesses extensive knowledge of their target’s behaviour. War games? A Call of Duty video game scenario? Nope. Brickley of the Moose Mountain eradication team has outlined these as key factors to success in bringing down the population of […] Read more
