Livestock Management
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 cattle down Packers have good supply and were not aggressive buyers. The Canfax weighted average price […] Read more
Livestock Management
Canfax report – for Sep. 17, 2009
Producers offered loan extension
Saskatchewan cattle and sheep producers who borrowed money through the provincial breeder livestock loan guarantee program have a bit of breathing room to repay the principal. Provincial agriculture minister Bob Bjornerud announced last week that participants have the option to defer their principal payments for one year. They still have to pay the interest, however. […] Read more
Understanding weight gain helps with feeding regimen
RED DEER – Understanding how cattle grow could produce better marketing decisions. Because cattle are generally sold by the pound rather than by carcass quality, putting on weight is foremost in producers’ minds. “The most valuable animal in the pen is the one that weighs one lb. below the heavy weight discount,” researcher Ty Lawrence, […] Read more
Grazing mentorship passes on expertise
For grazing mentor Steve Kenyon, satisfaction comes when the person he has mentored still has grass in the pasture in a dry year. “If there’s grazing still in the fall when everyone else is out of grass, that’s a huge success,” said Kenyon, one of 16 mentors in the Sustainable Grazing Mentorship Program who help […] Read more
Rapport with packer can benefit producers
RED DEER – Becoming friendly with a meat packer may seem like an unlikely alliance for beef producers, but it could be the best way to earn more money from their carcasses. “Develop a relationship with one or more packers beyond knowing the name and phone number of your cattle buyer,” said researcher Ty Lawrence, […] Read more
SCA urges voter turnout
Nominations closed Sept. 15 for the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association first board of directors and elections will follow between Oct. 20 and Nov. 6. Every producer who has paid a checkoff within the last two years, and has not received a refund, is eligible to vote and hold office. Janice Bruynooghe, management consultant for the SCA, […] Read more
Proper bull management essential for optimum performance – Animal Health
Bulls provide half the genetic value of a herd, which means producers can improve the growth and value of their subsequent calf crop by investing in superior bulls. However, they need to properly manage these animals to achieve optimum performance. The bull-to-cow ratio varies greatly. Younger yearlings need to run with about 15 cows to […] Read more
Tories could use WTO as scapegoat: author
The election of a majority Conservative government could lead to the most radical overhaul in Canadian agricultural policy in half a century, says the author of a book on farm policy evolution. University of Toronto political scientist and long-time agricultural analyst Grace Skogstad argues that Conservative free-market ideology and a potential world trade deal could […] Read more
Hog sector fears dollar parity
Talk of the Canadian dollar possibly reaching par with the American dollar is sending shivers down the spines of many Canadian farmers. But some non-bank analysts are not convinced that the loonie is likely to reach parity with the U.S. dollar. “Maybe it is. It feels a bit like it’s going that way,” acknowledged broker […] Read more
XL Foods mum on reopening
Workers affected by the April closure of the XL Foods plant in Moose Jaw, Sask., likely have Sept. 28 circled on their calendars. The province’s major beef slaughter plant is scheduled to re-open that day after a five-month shutdown. Norm Neault, president of United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1400, said last week he […] Read more
