Livestock Management
While pastures across the Prairies remain largely dry, specialists say there is a glint of hope that some grasses could experience a bit of regrowth. The regrowth could occur in places that received lots of moisture in recent weeks. It all depends on how the weather shakes out this fall, said Karin Lindquist, a beef […] Read more
Livestock Management
Research focuses on flooring design as possible disease cause
Toe tip necrosis syndrome often misdiagnosed, and likely more common than had been thought: vet researcher
Toe tip necrosis syndrome, a disease that causes lameness in the hind feet of cattle, is often overlooked, said a veterinary researcher. “I think the disease has always been there and we’ve just misdiagnosed it,” said Murray Jelinski from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. “It’s probably much, […] Read more
The strange case of the low-birth-weight calves
Several years ago, the Disease Investigation Unit at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon was asked to investigate an unusual herd problem on a ranch near the end of calving season. A large proportion of the heifers on this ranch had given birth to calves with birth weights of 30 to 40 pounds […] Read more
Beef producers to vote on checkoff
Alberta beef producers will vote this fall on the thorny question of whether to have a refundable or a non-refundable checkoff. Ballots can be cast by mail, in person at one of 46 Agriculture Financial Services Corp. offices in the province, or at one of the zone meetings held in October and November. Voting is […] Read more
Auction offering VBP Plus calf sale
Cattle from verified beef production operations will be offered for sale Oct. 17 and Nov. 14 through JGL Livestock at Moose Jaw, Sask. The calves need to come from registered VBP Plus operations and will go to registered feedlots, said Wayne Kot, of JGL. This is not a regular sale and the cattle will be […] Read more
Feeder associations hire new executive director
Janice Tranberg is the new president and chief executive officer of the Alberta Cattle Feeders Association and National Cattle Feeders Association as of Nov 1. She is replacing Bryan Walton, who retires in early 2019. Tranberg has been executive director of the Saskatchewan Canola Development Commission, an assistant deputy minister for the Saskatchewan ministry of […] Read more
Wet weather supportive for Manitoba cattle market
Winnipeg – Wet weather is holding producers back from rushing to sell their cattle in Western Canada, according to an analyst. “Volumes are a decent size but they’re not burdensome by any means. (They’re) maybe slowed down a little bit by the weather and guys maybe re-accessing if things are going to green up. It […] Read more
Under pressure – a WP Special Report
Supply management, particularly Canada’s dairy industry, has come under heavy scrutiny in the North American Free Trade Agreement negotiations. Western Producer reporters Barb Glen, Robert Arnason and Ed White look at the American and Canadian systems to see where problems are, where solutions might be found and what would happen if Canada adopted the U.S. […] Read more
U.S. milk industry sours
CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wisconsin — The sky was a deep blue, the air was warm and it was a beautiful morning to be on a dairy farm in western Wisconsin. And then, Mandy Nunes began to cry. Mandy, who runs Scientific Holsteins with her husband Matt, was sharing how her family had milked cows for five […] Read more
Organic milk production no hedge against low price
CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wisconsin — A couple of years ago, Adam Seibel received US$35 per hundredweight for his organic milk — nearly double the price of regular milk. Then the price fell off a cliff. This year, Seibel is getting about $19 per cwt. — only a few dollars more than the price paid to conventional […] Read more
