Livestock Management
Sow barns in Canada are steadily being converted to group housing systems from gestation stalls as producers respond to food company and animal welfare group demands. A website developed as part of the National Sow Housing Conversion project is designed to provide producers with information needed to convert their barns or build new ones using […] Read more
Livestock Management
New website helps producers considering group housing
Open housing works well for U.S. hog farm
The idea didn’t go over well when it was first proposed, but the loose housing system has outproduced the other barns
BANFF, Alta. — Larry Coleman, a swine veterinarian in Broken Bow, Nebraska, didn’t like the idea of open sow housing. The operations he serviced at Thomas Livestock, comprising more than 16,000 sows, had a 96 percent farrowing rate, an average 14 pigs per litter and 34 pigs per sow annually using the stall system. “We […] Read moreDonation heifer raises $230,000 at National Western Stock Show
DENVER, Colo. — An Angus heifer born and raised in North Dakota sold for $230,000 to support research and junior programs within the breed. Named SAV Emblynette 5368, the young female came out of the Schaff Angus Valley program owned by Kelly and Marty Jo Schaff, fifth generation ranchers at St. Anthony, N.D. The donation […] Read more
Producers tap market for natural products
Alpaca and llama producers lack a strong commercial industry, so many shear, process and market their own fibre
DENVER, Colo. — Visitors to the National Western Stock Show were treated to something completely different if they happened to stumble across the llama and alpaca show. This is one type of livestock that does not mind posing for selfies or being hand fed tasty alfalfa pellets, and an event like this is an opportunity […] Read moreTreating horse digestive diseases with probiotics debated
Horses rely on a community of micro-organisms to digest their high fibre diets. Food passes through their stomach and small intestine before reaching the expansive chambers of the cecum and colon, where fermentation occurs. During fermentation, a delicate interaction exists between bacterial strains and their mixing vessel. An optimum balance of various micro-organisms, water content […] Read more
Perennial pastures anchor carbon, reducing greenhouse gas emissions
LONDON, Ont. — A substantive shift to pasture-anchored rotations can help farmers build their soil, sequester carbon and address climate change, says a pasture specialist. E. Ann Clark, who spent much of her 31-year academic career with the University of Guelph, told a recent Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario conference that soil’s capacity to hold […] Read more
Alberta’s Vandervalk family wins environmental award
VXV Farms and the Vandervalk family of southern Alberta are the 2016 environmental stewardship award winners as determined by Alberta Beef Producers. The award was presented Dec. 14 in Calgary and recognizes operations that show leadership in caring for the land while maintaining productivity and profitability. Jack and Merry Vandervalk and their son, Gerald, and […] Read more
Crop type one factor in swath grazing economics
Taking feed to the cows or taking cows to the feed: for cow-calf producers, one of those tasks is going to be necessary every winter. Managing that in an economical way is the challenge. Agriculture Canada research scientist Vern Baron says bringing cows to the feed often has the lowest cost, but many producers use […] Read more
Evergraze Holsteins of B.C. named master breeder
Evergraze Holsteins Ltd. of Armstrong, B.C., has been named a 2015 Master Breeder by Holstein Canada. It’s the only farm in Western Canada to earn that designation this year. The dairy farm is operated by Terry Wagner, her son, Marc, and her daughter, Michelle. It is the second time Evergraze has won the master breeder […] Read more
Canadians do well with Red Angus at National Western Stock Show
DENVER, Colo. — Canadian Red Angus breeders made their mark at the 110th National Western Stock Show held Jan. 9-24. At the Red Angus show held Jan. 11, grand champion female banner went to Kevin Blair of Blairs.Ag Cattle Company of Lanigan, Sask., with Red Bar EL Kassie 129B. Blair purchased this female as a […] Read more
