Livestock Management
Producers strive for a certain colour in their cattle. This may be to meet breed standards, but certain colours can also imply an economic benefit. Feeder cattle that are uniform in colour sell for a higher price than those less uniform. Producers can change the colour of their cattle by breeding certain ways. Every cattle […] Read more
Livestock Management
Colour can indicate important traits
Test tracks bovine genetics at embryo stage
LINDELL BEACH, B.C. – Checking the genetics of living cattle is routine work – test a blood sample or a tuft of hair from a newborn calf for genetic traits and determine its market potential. But what about cattle owners who select embryo transfer as part of their breeding program? At Iowa State University’s College […] Read more
Western Producer Livestock Report – for Dec. 17, 2009
U.S. pork plants bid higher last week to obtain supply after a severe snowstorm in the Midwest limited deliveries. Russia banned imports of pork from most U.S. slaughter plants because traces of the antibiotic oxy-tetracycline were found. Iowa-southern Minnesota cash hogs delivered to plants rose to $48 US per hundredweight Dec. 11, up from $44.50 […] Read more
Canfax Report – for Dec. 17, 2009
This cattle market information is selected from the weekly report from Canfax, a division of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. More market information, analysis and statistics are available by becoming a Canfax subscriber by calling 403-275-5110 or at www.canfax.ca. Fed steers fell $2.50 and heifers dropped $1.70 last week as beef demand remained weak. Steers traded […] Read more
Mixed family hog farms may see rebirth
Just a decade ago, the sun seemed to be setting on family hog farms and rising on large networks of investor and corporate owned hog barns. However, with Big Sky Farms entering bankruptcy protection, mixed family farms no longer seem so outdated. And if profitability returns to prairie hog production, mixed family farms may inherit […] Read more
Sheep play important role in dog trials
REGINA – At good stock dog trials, people expect to see hard-working, quality dogs. But it also requires good sheep. The ones brought in for the International Stock Dog Championships at Canadian Western Agribition drew considerable praise. “I think the sheep are really consistent to everybody this year,” said Dale Montgomery of Maple Creek, Sask., […] Read more
Critics want Manitoba gov’t to explain loss
Ralph Eichler, agriculture critic for Manitoba’s Progressive Conservative party, wants to know how the provincial government wasted $4.5 million dollars on Rancher’s Choice Beef Co-operative, a proposed cattle slaughter plant in Dauphin. And if the NDP government isn’t willing to provide answers, Eichler thinks there should be a provincial inquiry. “Somebody dropped the ball big […] Read more
Trainer wins ranch horse event for eighth time
Dale Clearwater continued his winning ways at Canadian Western Agribition Nov. 21-28 by riding the champion and reserve ranch horses and consigning the top seller. The rancher and trainer from Hanley, Sask., has now won Canada’s Premier Select Ranch Horse competition eight times. “It’s been a good haul,” he said after the show. “We’ve been […] Read more
Big Sky wants extension on developing restructuring plan
Lawyers for Big Sky Farms were scheduled to appear in court Dec. 9 to ask for more time to develop a plan acceptable to its lenders. The Saskatchewan-based hog company has been operating under credit protection since Nov. 10 and was supposed to present its plan of arrangement to lenders by Nov. 30 and the […] Read more
Winning horses at Agribition
* Two Percheron horses topped this year’s Canadian Western Agribition draft horse show. Vintage King’s Rex, exhibited by Spade Creek Percherons and Colleen Patterson of Dawson Creek, B.C., took home ribbons for junior and grand champion in its breed class, and then beat out the other breeds for the supreme champion stallion title.Simpsons Edie, exhibited […] Read more
