Livestock Management
Japan reopened its market May 17 to Canadian beef from animals of all ages. The change comes 16 years after Japan closed its borders in 2003 to Canadian beef in the wake of a BSE discovery. It partially reopened to trade in beef from animals younger than 21 months in 2005 and then in 2013 […] Read more
Livestock Management
Japan opens doors to full access of U.S. beef imports – USDA
WASHINGTON – Japan has agreed to eliminate its long-held restrictions on American beef imports, opening full access to U.S. cattle products after more than 15 years, the head of the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a statement on Friday. “The new terms, which take effect immediately, allow U.S. products from all cattle, regardless of […] Read more
Pig behaviour study uncovers surprises
British researchers find that levels of play fighting in young pigs did not differ between the socialized and control groups
Research into pig behaviour carried out at Queen’s University in Belfast, Northern Ireland, has come out with some surprising findings. The research team at the Institute for Global Food Security (IGFS) at the university described the results as “intriguing” and “unpredicted.” It also found gender differences in the social-play behaviour of young pigs, with links […] Read more
Fifty activists occupy B.C. hog barn
Members of an animal rights group enter barn implicated in video; one person charged with break and enter, mischief
A busload of animal activists invaded a British Columbia hog operation April 28 in response to video footage claiming to show horrific conditions for the pigs within. B.C. media reports indicate about 50 protestors from a group called Meat the Victims entered the barn at Excelsior Hog Farms and occupied it for a short period […] Read more
Animal rights groups said growing more aggressive
A recent tactic across the country has been for activists to enter livestock barns without permission and refuse to leave
When it comes to inspiring change, there are different schools of thought as to how to make it happen. One option is marching around with signs and screaming at those who disagree with you. Another option is working with people who may have a different point of view, and talking about potential solutions. World Animal […] Read more
Citizen’s arrest can be risky move for farmers
In 2009, David Chen became a hero to many Canadians. Chen, the owner of a small grocery mart in Toronto’s Chinatown, caught a criminal who had stolen plants from the store and locked him in the store’s truck. The police arrested Chen for his actions and the crown charged him with assault and forcible confinement. […] Read more
Equine infectious anemia shows up in horses across the Prairies
The disease, which is also known as swamp fever, has been found in nine animals in Saskatchewan and six in Alberta so far this year
Nine horses in Saskatchewan and six in Alberta have been diagnosed with equine infectious anemia so far this year. Six of the Saskatchewan horses are in the Meadow Lake region and one each in the rural municipalities of Big River, Lakeview and Beaver River. Directly across the border in Alberta, there has been one confirmed […] Read more
Researchers closer to chronic wasting disease vaccine
Chronic wasting disease is spreading among wild deer and elk but researchers are hopeful a vaccine could be developed to control the fatal condition. Scientists at the University of Calgary’s faculty of veterinary medicine published results on a possible vaccine that was tested on modified mice to prolong the time before infected animals developed the […] Read more
Managing crypto disease challenging for producers
Cryptosporidium parvum, commonly known as “crypto,” is a microscopic parasite, (a single-celled protozoan organism) that can cause diarrhea in humans and animals. Cryptosporidium are very similar parasites to coccidiosis, but unlike coccidiosis, crypto is a zoonosis in that it can infect people and has caused some large outbreaks of human disease in Canada and the […] Read more
FCL to close two feed plants in segment consolidation
Federated Cooperatives Ltd. announced today that it intends to close FCL feed mills in Melfort, Sask., and Brandon. The decision was made after FCL conducted a full review of its livestock feed business. The Melfort plant will close in August of 2019. The Brandon plant will cease operations in October, FCL said in a May […] Read more
