Livestock Management
DES MOINES, Iowa – Two researchers are creating tests using swine saliva to identify a host of infections. Jeff Zimmerman and John Prickett of Iowa State University have combined discoveries from human medicine with common sense hog production practicality to produce a way to test the hogs for porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome, porcine circovirus, […] Read more
Livestock Management
Hog saliva test used as disease detector
Animals graze together, stay together
MOOSE JAW, Sask. – Producers can protect lambs and calves from predators and ease grazing pressure by encouraging sheep and cattle to bond, says an American researcher. Dean Anderson, an animal scientist at the Jornada Experimental Range in the Chihuahua Desert near Las Cruces, New Mexico, said cattle and sheep typically don’t mix well together […] Read more
Custom cattle grazing offers security
At first glance, the area southeast of Dundurn, Sask., seems to doze under the early summer sun. Cattle graze contently in the gently rolling hills and producers have ample time to enjoy the fruits of their labour. But don’t be fooled by the idyllic rural landscape. For producers like Chad Haaland, the to-do list always […] Read more
Proper bit allows horse-rider communication
Choosing the right bit for a horse depends on the development of the animal and the rider, says one of Canada’s top horsemen. Jonathan Field of Abbotsford, B.C., told a workshop at the Western Canada Farm Progress Show that there is a universal misconception about bits. “The idea is that bits are for brakes.” Field […] Read more
CD calculator helps choose ideal forage
An on-line tool has taken some of the guess work out of forage establishment costs. The Forage Species Adaptation CD and Seeding Rate Calculator allows Saskatchewan forage producers to identify the forage species best suited to their growing area. It also calculates the costs of seeding pure or blended forage stands and offers detailed information […] Read more
Drought prompts feed options
CLARESHOLM, Alta. – Cattle producers facing drought this summer are urged to think about alternative feeding plans. “Remember, you are in survival mode,” Bill Chapman of Alberta Agriculture told a drought meeting in Claresholm June 16. Greenfeed barley or oats are options when pastures run dry. Producers are encouraged to check with crop insurance to […] Read more
Bell brand still rings
AIRDRIE, Alta. – An Alberta ranching family is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its brand. For the Hansons of Airdrie, the Bell L mark is part of their history. Five generations have used it since it was first registered by Louie Hanson in 1909. Hanson, who homesteaded in the Vulcan, Alta., area, was granted the […] Read more
R-CALF seeks end to imports of older cattle
A new salvo in R-CALF’s ongoing war of words against Canadian cattle imports is probably harmless but should be taken seriously, says the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. The CCA believes most U.S. producers are more concerned about national animal identification, the influence of animal rights activists in Washington and carbon taxes than they are about a […] Read more
Stock growers elect officials
Rockglen producer Calvin Knoss is the new president of the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association. He was elected to the board for a two-year term earlier this month and takes over from Ed Bothner of Beechy. Rounding out the executive are: first vice-president Mark Elford of McCord, second vice-president Doug Gillespie of Neville and finance chair […] Read more
Mobile abattoir proves viable
A mobile slaughter plant tested in Alberta last year was expensive to run but served those needing a meat processor. “It’s not cheap,” said Bert Dening of Alberta Agriculture, who drove the semi-trailer-sized unit around the province last year. “It is not going to replace a provincial abattoir in a town. It is just too […] Read more
