Livestock ManagementThe livestock industry is trying to form a Canadian Beef Improvement Network, which would collect data to help make genetic advancements
EDMONTON — Imagine collecting thousands of pieces of data about the life of a single steer from birth to burger. “It is possible and it is happening, but not in Canada,” said Brian Wickham, former chief executive officer of the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation. Wickham presented the following questions at the October Livestock Gentec conference […] Read more
Livestock Management
Genetic revolution coming
Plan to produce premium beef or perish
FORT MACLEOD, Alta. — Martin Unruh sees a whole new world of beef production taking shape in the next 10 to 20 years. However, Canadian producers are going to need a strategy if they want to remain part of it. Unruh, who is co-chair of the planning group for the national beef strategy announced in […] Read more
Get it right when designing feed
RED DEER — When pigs unexpectedly die, the diagnosis might determine it was something they ate. “Feed quality issues can cause a big impact on performance and costs, so it is extremely important we are diligent at our mills and manage ingredients coming in and do a top notch job to avoid feed quality problems,” […] Read more
Reducing antibiotic use can be complicated
A veterinarian with a pharmaceutical company says the livestock industry should resist going too far in reducing use
RED DEER — More antibiotics are used to promote growth and control disease in livestock than in the entire human population, but that is not the full story. “This statement does not provide context,” said Gail Cunningham, a veterinarian with Boehringer Ingelheim. She said measuring use by kilograms requires more explanation because different drugs weigh […] Read moreLowline breed pulls off wins at Farmfair
An Idaho ranch won seven titles, and the Premier Breeder award allowed it to represent the breed at the Supreme show
EDMONTON — Diana Lillefloren knows the Lowline breed has come a long way when the traditional cattle breeders start to take a second look at the small breed. “It is hard to get a compliment out of the big breeders, but they have said, ‘those are some of the best Lowlines I’ve seen’, ” said […] Read moreLIVESTOCK – CME live cattle futures finish strong after wild ride
CHICAGO, Nov 17 (Reuters) – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle contracts closed higher on Tuesday amid massive short-covering spurred by higher wholesale beef values that overcame selling led by lower cash price expectations for later this week, traders said. Spot December finished at 128.025 cents per lb, up 0.350 cent, and February 0.925 cent higher […] Read more
Cattle futures tumble price limit; hogs at six year low
By Theopolis Waters CHICAGO, Nov 16 (Reuters) – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures finished Monday’s session down by their 3-cents per pound daily price limit after late Friday’s cash prices fell short of expectations, traders and analysts said. Spot December finished at 127.675 cents per lb., and February at 129.650 cents. Live cattle’s trading […] Read more
Body condition scoring helps ensure successful calving
Body condition scoring really means assessing the condition and fat cover on cows to enable producers to feed them for optimal growth and reproductive performance. It may mean separating the fat and thin groups from the main herd and allowing producers to feed them separately to save feed on the fat ones and build up […] Read more
Barber pole worm can be deadly
RED DEER — A red and white worm called Haemonchus contortus is alive and well in Western Canada. The internal parasite, which is also known as the barber pole worm, can kill sheep by causing severe anemia. It joins the growing list of parasites that are resistant to all available drugs. Eighty-six percent of farmers […] Read more
Drug resistant worms threaten flocks
RED DEER — The lowly worm could be the biggest threat to the world’s livestock industry. Internal parasites are a major problem for small ruminants such as sheep because of widespread resistance to commonly used de-wormers. Anthelmintic resistant worms developed because of over-reliance on and misuse use of these drugs, said a sheep and goat […] Read more
