Livestock Management
The Polar Vortex pays a visit The polar vortex is an area of cold air with low amospheric pressure in the Arctic. It exists year-round, its winds swirling counterclockwise and inward towards the North Pole. The polar vortex is constrained by the polar jet stream, a narrow, fast-flowing current of air in our upper atmosphere […] Read more
Livestock Management
Feds pressed on new animal transportation regulations
Thirty signatories in a letter to federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay have asked for immediate release of new rules governing livestock transport. In a letter dated Feb. 6, a bevy of humane societies from Montreal to Vancouver, along with animal welfare and animal rights groups including Mercy for Animals, Toronto Pig Save, Animal Alliance of […] Read more
Cattle urinal to cut ammonia emissions
A new piece of livestock equipment designed in the Netherlands has left farmers feeling a little flushed. Hanskamp, a company based in Doetinchem, has developed a cow toilet that collects urine in an effort to reduce ammonia. Designed primarily to ease increasing regulations on the dairy industry, the CowToilet is an automatic urinal that cows […] Read more
Palpation Nation takes internet by storm
An Alberta veterinarian uses video and a website to share with the public the human side of livestock health care
The T-shirt with a silhouette of a man with his arm thrust into a cow’s nether region was a joke, at first. Now it’s an in-demand item for fans of Palpation Nation, the video blog created and populated by the exploits of Dr. Cody Creelman, also known as The Cow Vet. Since his first “vlog” […] Read more
Earls’ backtracking called regrettable
Food policy professor says industry could have worked with restaurant chain to produce ‘certified humane’ beef
BRANDON — When Sylvain Charlebois began talking about the Earls restaurant chain, the audience of cattle producers inside the conference room became almost silent. In 2016, Earls announced a change in the type of beef sold at its restaurants. It was shifting to a “certified humane” program, where Earls would buy beef from ranches in […] Read more
Swath later for better winter grazing
SWIFT CURRENT, Sask. — Research into the optimal stage of maturity to swath grain for winter grazing suggests later than previous recommendations. University of Saskatchewan beef scientist Bart Lardner said producers have typically cut barley or triticale at the soft dough stage and oats at the late milk stage. But he said those recommendations actually […] Read more
Lameness control can boost feedlot efficiency
Pen checkers can play a pivotal role when it comes to limiting diseases in feedlot cattle associated with lameness
Lameness in beef cattle can be painful, not only for the affected animal but also for a feedlot operator’s bottom line. That’s why diagnosing lameness early, treating it decisively and taking steps to prevent it in the first place are so important. Dr. Phil Klassen, a Coaldale, Alta., veterinarian and expert on feedlot lameness, said […] Read more
Batch farrowing beneficial but has challenges
Having all of a barn’s sows farrow at the same time can be better for piglet health but also more difficult to manage
BANFF, Alta. — Batch farrowing is getting attention among western Canadian hog producers. The system of having all sows in the barn farrow in the same narrow time window can have major benefits for piglet health, but it also has challenges for management. “It’s quite common in Europe. Probably in Western Canada it’s less than […] Read more
Lack of contractions in calving cows has various causes
There have been several instances during my career when an unexplained delay in calving has resulted in stillborn or weak calves because the calving process was too long. I would guess that most producers have run into this problem at one time or another. Although not much research has been done on the subject and […] Read more
U.S. producers struggle to resolve traceability debate
NEW ORLEANS, La. — Working out an efficient traceability system for the United States beef industry is a priority for government leaders there. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue told beef producers they must promote their products and provide full information on all stages of the production process because consumers want to know more. “You know that […] Read more
