Livestock Management
With calving season upon us again, I’ve been reflecting on the wide range of things that can go wrong in fetal development. Abnormalities can affect any system in the body and range in severity. The most serious and severe abnormalities cause spontaneous abortion or neonatal death. Others are mundane and are only detected by chance. […] Read more
Livestock Management
Practical management helps reduce disease
NEW ORLEANS, La. — A solid animal health program is built on a foundation of managing exposures to potential pathogens and accessing premium markets. “Your business is to sell your cattle to the one who will pay the most money for them,” said Robin Falkner, a private technical services veterinarian based in Tennessee. “Your health […] Read more
Unconfined farrowing would need management changes
Pig producers need to understand that they must continually improve pig welfare, no matter how many improvements they make, a Western College of Veterinary Medicine expert says about pig welfare. That includes getting prepared to move into crate-free farrowing one day. “Once you have gotten out of gestation stalls, the farrowing crate will be next,” […] Read more
Sask. crop insurance enhances grazing coverage
Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation has announced a handful of changes to its crop insurance programs for 2019, including higher coverage levels for tame and native grazing, new options for corn producers, an expanded seeding window for fall seeded cereal crops and enhanced coverage for predation losses affecting goat, lamb and bison producers. On average, coverage […] Read more
Weekly Manitoba Cattle Report: Number of cattle at auctions mixed
WINNIPEG – The amount of cattle sold at several of Manitoba’s livestock auctions was mixed for the week ending Feb. 22. Some of the auctions witnessed good increases in the number of head, while other auctions saw significant drops. Gladstone had a strong increase in the number of cattle that went through their auction. For […] Read more
Hundreds of cattle seized from Sask. farm
Animal Protection Services of Saskatchewan seized more than 300 cattle from a Stoughton area farm earlier this month after complaints of animals in distress. Executive director Don Ferguson said a veterinarian and staff at an auction mart with proper facilities to handle that number are caring for the animals. He would not say if any […] Read more
Another PED case confirmed on an Alberta farm
Alberta confirmed its second case of porcine epidemic virus yesterday, this one in a 600-head farrow-to-finish hog operation. Alberta Pork reported the discovery Feb. 21. Location of the affected farm was not disclosed, so it is not known whether it is near the site of the first confirmed Alberta case in a central Alberta farrow-to-finish […] Read more
Sulfates: how much is too much?
Sask. researchers launch a study that they hope will determine the level of sulfates in water that cattle can tolerate
Water high in sulfates can kill cattle, and a new study based at the University of Saskatchewan seeks to learn more about livestock tolerance. When more than 200 cattle died in southwestern Saskatchewan in July 2017 after drinking water with lethal amounts of sulfates and dissolved solids, it emphasized the need for more information. Leah […] Read more
Saskatchewan bison operation wins big in Denver show
Regular trips to the National Western Stock Show in Denver, Colorado, have paid off for Wolverine Bison Company. After years of entering the livestock super show held every January, bison from the Humboldt, Sask., ranch won grand champion and reserve bull. Wolverine Bison was also named producer of the year. During the sale the grand […] Read more
Farms set stage for healthy sector
NEW ORLEANS, La. — Careful use of antibiotics, well-timed administration of vaccines and improved biosecurity can produce healthier calves. Veterinarians attending a cattle health session at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association convention talked about improvements that can start on the farm. “As a cow-calf industry, we really need to be conscious of what the next […] Read more
