Livestock Management
EDMONTON — Alberta must return to a non-refundable beef checkoff if the industry is to thrive, says the head of Alberta Beef Producers. The loss of checkoff money and a reduction in cattle numbers has cut the organization’s budget in half to $5 million a year, but the loss has had an even greater effect […] Read more
Livestock Management
Check-off funds key to beef sector success
B.C. to expand brand inspection area
MERRITT, B.C. —The British Columbia Cattlemen’s Association wants to expand brand inspection in the province. A resolution was passed at the association’s annual meeting to cover areas west of the Cascade Mountains. The brand inspection act lists the prescribed districts as the Peace River, Central Interior, Cariboo, Kamloops-Okanagan and Kootenay. “It just seems, as the […] Read more
Worm management and how to prevent resistance
Veterinarians have been doing fewer fecal tests as deworming products become more reliable, but that may change as worms grow increasingly resistant to macrocytic lactones (avermectins). Parasitologists talk about a fecal egg count reduction test, which is measured as the percentage drop in egg counts two weeks after treatment with a dewormer. Any amount less […] Read more
Experts use rapid cooling to preserve bovine eggs
A Canadian initiative to preserve rare livestock genetics is taking a closer look at the germplasm of the bull’s better half. The effort may help develop an improved protocol for preserving bovine eggs for posterity. Genetic preservation in cattle has focused on male genetics, said Muhammad Anzar, a cryobiologist with the Canadian Animal Genetic Resources […] Read more
U.S. asks for arbitration on COOL damages
The United States has decided to ask the world trade organization for arbitration over the amount of damages Canada claims has been caused by mandatory country or origin labelling. Canada asked the WTO to impose retaliatory tariffs of more than $3 billion annually on key U.S. exports due to damages caused by COOL. “Canada is […] Read more
CME live cattle again close mostly firm; hogs mixed
CHICAGO, June 16 (Reuters) – For a second straight session most Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle contracts finished in modest positive territory on Tuesday pegged to bear spreading and speculative buying, traders said. The spreads consisted of traders who sold June futures ahead of its expiration on June 30 and simultaneously bought deferred months. June […] Read more
CME live cattle futures end mostly firm; hogs lower
By Theopolis Waters CHICAGO, June 15 (Reuters) – Most Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle contracts gained modestly on Monday, supported by short-covering and futures’ discounts to last week’s cash prices, traders said. Investors bought deferred contracts and simultaneously sold June ahead of its expiration on June 30, they said. June closed down 0.275 cent per […] Read more
Lower U.S. cash prices sink CME live cattle futures; hogs down
By Theopolis Waters CHICAGO, June 12 (Reuters) – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures fell hard Friday, pressured by lower prices for market-ready, or cash, cattle, traders said. June closed 2.775 cents per pound lower at 152.450 cents, and August down 2.125 cents to 150.800 cents. A moderate number of cash cattle in Nebraska sold […] Read more
Consider alternative to piglet castration: vet
Improvest eliminates the odour emitted when cooking pork from intact males and is approved for use in Canada
Canadian hog producers will soon be required to give pain medication to pigs when castrating them. The new rules are part of the swine code of practice and they go into effect in July 2016. Dr. Dawn Magrath, a swine veterinarian with Innovative Veterinary Services, urged pig producers to make a plan now for doing […] Read moreOnline Johne’s disease video provides valuable resource
Nowhere is the adage “the medium is the message” more applicable than the dissemination of research findings to those who will use the information. Too often research results languish in scientific journals failing to reach the people who may ultimately use and benefit from the information. But Steven Roche of ACER Consulting is trying to […] Read more
