Some cattle seized under animal protection laws in Saskatchewan last winter were sold in error. According to Livestock Services of Saskatchewan, which conducts brand inspections, three owners will be compensated after their animals were sold along with those owned by the person from whom they were seized. President Jason Pollock said a complex ownership structure […] Read more
Livestock — page 3
Improper sale of seized cattle sparks procedural change
No changes in legislation needed, says livestock services president
Blackleg incidents prompt vaccination reminders
Several animals died of blackleg on a farm in the Melville, Sask., area in mid-August. The incident prompted veterinarian Zachary Johnson to remind producers about the importance and effectiveness of vaccination against the fatal illness. “That producer in particular hadn’t vaccinated within the last five years for blackleg,” said Johnson about the case. “So we […] Read more
Rodeo heritage
The Old Time Ranch Rodeo was held Aug. 18 at the Bar U Ranch National Historic Site near Longview, Alta. | Mike Sturk photos
Dairy farming in the delta proves interesting
Martiann Holsteins manages operations in British Columbia’s densely populated Lower Mainland region
DELTA, B.C. — Running a dairy farm in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia could be like sleeping next to an elephant named Vancouver. Located at Delta, B.C., Martiann Holsteins was started by Martin and Ann Hamming in 1974. Perry and Angela Hamming and their daughter Lorna followed in their footsteps. The property is a […] Read more
Feedlot worker retention a challenge
Feedlot owners and ranchers urge the agriculture industry to do a better job of addressing the sector’s labour needs
Finding suitable hired hands on the farm is one thing. Keeping them is another. Alberta feedlot owner Ryan Kasko and Saskatchewan rancher Lynn Grant of Saskatchewan understand the importance of encouraging Canadians to work on farms but their experiences reflect the reality of living in rural areas. Foreign workers from rural regions often fit in […] Read more
Co-ordinated animal disease response sought
The National Farmed Animal Health and Welfare Council is working with government and industry representatives
The catastrophic consequences of a potential foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Canada terrify the livestock industry. Different sectors have already experienced the impact of foreign animal diseases like BSE, avian influenza, porcine epidemic diarrhea and bovine tuberculosis, said veterinarian Megan Bergman, head of the National Farmed Animal Health and Welfare Council. “We are in a situation […] Read more
Growth elusive for key livestock sectors
Canada’s cattle herd is 27.4 percent smaller than the peak registered in 2005; hog and sheep numbers are also down
The Canadian cattle herd shows no signs of growing, nor do the hog and sheep sectors. Statistics Canada released its inventory report last week showing numbers as of July 1, 2019, and indicating continued domestic cattle herd decline that has been ongoing since 2005. The national cattle herd shrunk 1.3 percent from July 2018, to […] Read more
B.C. ranch recognized for conservation efforts
The Clifton family of Keremeos, B.C., receive the national environmental stewardship award for their range practices
Long-term improvements to a family ranch in south-central British Columbia were recognized when the Clifton family received the national environmental stewardship award. Clifton Ranch, which is based on arid land near Keremeos in the Similkameen Valley, received the award at the Canadian Beef Industry Conference in Calgary. The family has been in the area for […] Read more
Improvements have been made in ear tag retention
The national cattle identification system has been around for slightly less than 20 years. Developers have gone through lots of growing pains and are starting to fine-tune the system. Producers are deriving more benefits from using the farm management systems linked to readers and scales, which are based on the ability to read the RFID […] Read more
Producers need disease information
Better information for commodity groups and producers is needed on how to respond when a foreign animal disease emergency occurs. “We want to focus on prevention but the reality is most of this project is geared around response,” said Matt Taylor of the Canadian Animal Health Coalition. The coalition developed a standardized approach for provinces […] Read more
