Livestock Management
PARIS, Oct 23 (Reuters) – As international health experts prepare to publish a report on potential cancer risks linked to red and processed meat, industry groups are bracing for a damaging blow to consumer confidence. The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) gathered health experts in France this month to discuss […] Read more
Livestock Management
LIVESTOCK-CME live cattle futures close higher, hogs lower
CHICAGO, Oct 22 (Reuters) – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures gained on Thursday in anticipation of an increase in prices for market-ready, or cash, cattle by Friday, traders said. Investors adjusted positions before Friday’s U.S. Department of Agriculture monthly Cattle-On-Feed report. USDA will issue the monthly cold storage report on Thursday at 2 p.m. […] Read more
Know ins and outs of production costs
Revenues and expenses must be tallied to determine cost per wintered cow in order to find areas for improvement
EDMONTON — Poor prices for all classes of cattle for almost a decade dogged producers who still had to cover inflating costs. “We hobbled along, but unfortunately costs did not hobble along. They continued to increase year over year,” said Kathy Larson, re-search economist with the Western Beef Development Centre. Calf prices have more than […] Read more
Producers test tagging options in goat traceability trial
Dairy goat farmer Dirk Boogerd believes livestock traceability is part of being progressive. The farmer from Embro, Ont., is one of many producers who are part of the Canadian National Goat Federation’s traceability and identification project. “If you don’t know who’s who from who and you’re not using traceability, then you’re not progressing, in my […] Read more
Piglets may lack micronutrients
It’s dangerous to assume that sows naturally pass on to their piglets all the vital micronutrients they need, says a leading Canadian hog re-searcher. Jacques Matte of Agriculture Canada said piglets are often dangerously deficient in vitamins D and A and copper during their most vulnerable time of birth to weaning, even when sows have […] Read more
Colostrum vital to calf immunity, vigour
EDMONTON — A simple test can determine if a newborn calf needs extra help getting nutrition. Place two fingers longitudinally in the calf’s mouth to assess strength of suckling reflex. Those with a strong reflex are likely to get going on their own within a few hours, while those that seem weak may need help […] Read more
Interesting facts from cow-calf survey
A large survey in Western Canada has discovered in-teresting information about cow-calf operations and provides a benchmark upon which to measure future progress. The Western Beef Development Centre conducted the Western Canadian Cow-Calf Survey from October 2014 to February 2015. The average age of the producers who responded was 50 years with an average of […] Read more
LIVESTOCK-Strong cash prices rally CME live cattle futures by 3-cents/lb daily limit
CHICAGO, Oct 16 (Reuters) – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures climbed sharply on Friday, with October settling up the 3-cents per lb daily price limit, ignited by short-covering after initial cash prices beat expectations. Spot October closed at 135.950 cents per lb and December rose 2.875 cents to 139.425. Live cattle’s trading limit will […] Read more
Seneca Valley Virus mimics foot-and-mouth in pigs
A virus that produces symptoms similar to foot-and-mouth disease in pigs has surfaced in the U.S. Midwest, and Canadian hog producers are being advised to watch for it. It is called Seneca Valley Virus, and although it is not a reportable disease and does not particularly limit production, its similarity to FMD can easily cause […] Read more
LIVESTOCK-Cash price caution undercuts CME live cattle futures
CHICAGO, Oct 15 (Reuters) – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures finished lower on Thursday after traders took profits while waiting for this week’s cash cattle trade to develop, traders said. Spot October closed 0.800 cent per lb lower at 132.950 cents, and December down 0.875 cent to 136.550. “It was a quiet day with […] Read more
