Livestock ManagementLess than 20 percent of Alberta calves may have registered birth dates, which then requires other verification methods
HANNA, Alta. — Age verification is required for all Alberta cattle born since 2009, but few people record their animals’ birth dates. “It is common to have fewer than 20 percent of Alberta calves age verified,” said Ryan Kasko, vice-president of the Alberta Cattle Feeders Association. “What the Alberta cattle feeders want is age identified […] Read more
Livestock Management
Age verification still not in vogue
Livestock ID agency continues search for better ear tags
HANNA, Alta. — Most livestock producers understand why Canada needs a viable traceability system but they are still frustrated over ear tags failures — those that do not scan or get lost. The Canadian Cattle Identification Agency has approved six radio frequency identification tags but admits quality is variable so they are carrying out research […] Read more
UPDATE: Co-op offers Olymel stake, plans expansion
By Rod Nickel WINNIPEG, Manitoba, Feb 25 (Reuters) – Quebec-based La Co-op Federee, one of Canada’s biggest farmer co-operatives, is offering for sale up to 49 percent of pork processor Olymel to help fund expansion in Western Canada, chief executive officer Gaetan Desroches said in an interview on Thursday. La Co-op would retain control of […] Read more
Bison market returns to glory days
Bison prices are reminiscent of the sky-high prices of the 1990s, but without the speculation. “We’re back in the day when bison were fetching big prices for breeding stock,” said Ivan Smith, who farms near Penhold, Alta. “But this is a true meat market.” Smith believes bison prices will remain high for several years be-cause […] Read more
Ear tag confusion still plagues cattle industry
Starting a conversation about cattle tagging is a sure-fire way to raise the temperature at a beef producers’ meeting. Rebekah Klassen, animal identification lead with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, did just that in early February during Manitoba Beef Producers’ annual meeting in Brandon. All cattle in Canada must have a radio frequency identification tag […] Read more
California survey provides insight into cattle abortions
An abortion outbreak in a cow herd can be one of the most frustrating issues that veterinarians and cattle producers can experience. Little can be done to change the situation, and it is often difficult to diagnose what is causing the problem to prevent it from occurring in the future. Fetal loss in cow-calf herds […] Read more
Sows need tender loving care and good food after weaning
Don’t believe the myth that weaned sows don’t eat. They’ll eat fine, but they need to be treated gingerly, like they’ve just gone through a lot, an Alberta hog feeding expert told the Manitoba Swine Seminar. “We really have to give her the best of everything,” Malachy Young, president of Gowans Feed Consulting in Wainwright, […] Read more
Data on antibiotic use won’t stop resistance, says expert
The U.S. has introduced regulations requiring livestock producers to work with veterinarians in administering antibiotics
SAN DIEGO, Calif. — New rules overseeing the use of antibiotics in livestock production in the United States should provide better data about drug use, but they will not reduce antimicrobial resistance. “If antibiotic resistance is the issue, that is what we need to be monitoring and we need to be monitoring it on a […] Read moreEfficient handling lowers shrink, increases profit
Minimizing cattle price discounts due to shrink will increase producers’ bottom lines and there are ways to do it, says an independent market consultant and cattle producer. “I think a lot of people don’t realize how much shrink can affect the bottom line and how there’s certain ways we can manage shrink that will increase […] Read more
Cost study shows benefits of AI over natural service
Artificial insemination in commercial cattle may be one way to increase productivity in the cow-calf operation and in the national herd. Kathy Larson, a beef economist with the Western Beef Development Centre (WBDC), outlined that potential in a recent webinar organized by the centre. “I think it’s important to note that we have a national […] Read more
