Livestock Management
When Canadian Pork Council president Jurgen Preugschas appeared before MPs in early November, he heard a familiar complaint about farm leaders’ unwillingness to challenge the government. “I’m concerned about the farm leadership being so quiet,” said Liberal MP Wayne Easter, a former National Farmers Union president. “You requested $800 million. You seem to have backed […] Read more
Livestock Management
MP chastises hog leaders for weak aid fight
Free-range bison form dynamic herd groups
Although bison are a herd animal, the groups they form are different than elephant herds and wolf packs, said Daniel Fortin, associate professor in the department of biology at Laval University in Quebec. Elephants and wolves form static family groups with the same members for many years, while bison groups are more dynamic, Fortin explained. […] Read more
Home where bison families roam
Bob Jackson doesn’t worry much about inbreeding within his herd of bison in southern Iowa because he firmly believes that animals have good instincts. “You don’t ever have to worry about inbreeding because it’s exactly the same as you and I, where the girl always looks more exciting in the school that is your neighbouring […] Read more
Primping, grooming, showing
EDMONTON – Young producers who want to show cattle don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars on expensive hair care products designed for livestock, says a seasoned cattle fitter. A trip to the supermarket or their mother’s hair salon will give young cattle producers the hair products they need to win in the show ring, […] Read more
Shorthorn win bigger thrill than racing cars
EDMONTON – Chris Krozser likes his purebred Shorthorn cattle. He also likes his Limousin cattle, his Charolais cattle and his Black Angus cattle. Krozser isn’t partial to a particular breed. He likes the breed that wins. “We want to focus on the top 10 percent of the breed. We don’t want high numbers, we want […] Read more
Farmfair entices commercial producers
EDMONTON – Purebred breeders can no longer count on commercial cattle producers travelling hundreds of kilometres to one of the province’s largest cattle shows to see their animals. To provide them with an extra incentive, six purebred breeds recently hosted a variety of gala events during Farmfair in Edmonton, where they were wined and dined […] Read more
Lowline sale gives breed exposure at Farmfair
EDMONTON – Lowlines may be little, but they made a big splash at their first breed sale in Canada. A bred heifer owned by Big Island Lowlines of Edmonton sold for $8,000 at the inaugural Canadian National Lowline sale at Farmfair International. The 10 fullblood Lowline females sold for an average of $4,660, ranging from […] Read more
Attitude change needed when it comes to safety – Special Report
Jim Paxman is a believer in farm safety. Ten years ago, he survived having two 1,600 pound round bales bounce off his back. The Raymond, Alta., farmer and another man were hauling bales onto a semi trailer with a front-end loader. They’d already hauled six or seven loads and had developed a routine. Paxman wasn’t […] Read more
Fall fair suffers from late harvest
This year’s late harvest left its mark on Saskatoon’s fall farm show. “This year, anybody who’s showing, hats off to them because a lot of people aren’t done combining,” said Richard Mollenbeck of Englefeld, Sask., who raises purebred Shorthorns and was the breed representative at the Nov. 11-14 Fall Fair. “They’ve had to have a […] Read more
Big Sky fortunes turn gloomy
Feed suppliers fear they are out millions of dollars after Saskatchewan’s largest pork producer applied for creditor protection. Humboldt-based Big Sky Farms has experienced 22 consecutive months of negative margins, is losing $350,000 per week and must financially restructure, say documents filed in Saskatoon’s Court of Queen’s Bench. But farmers who supply feed to the […] Read more
