Livestock Management
MOOSE JAW, Sask. – Some Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association members are still wary of how a new provincial cattle organization will do business. A year after the membership voted to support forming the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association, questions and hard feelings remain. Talk about moving the SSGA, SCA and Saskatchewan Cattle Feeders Association into a common […] Read more
Livestock Management
ABP plans for refundable levy
ABP plans for refundable levy
EDMONTON – Alberta Beef Producers has cut $1 million from its budget to help build a nest egg for the coming year when the group’s mandatory checkoff becomes voluntary, making income unpredictable. ABP chair Rick Burton said it wasn’t easy making cuts from the $8 million budget set aside for next year. “We started at […] Read more
Viable slaughter sector lacks feeder cattle
MOOSE JAW, Sask. – A competitive analysis of Saskatchewan’s cattle industry has yielded few surprises. The man who conducted the study said that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Dennis McGivern, vice-president of Informa Economics in Memphis, Tennessee, said the province needed a quantified baseline to develop a livestock strategy. While releasing the cattle portion of […] Read more
SSGA wants discount extended on crown land
MOOSE JAW, Sask. – Saskatchewan cattle producers would like more time to take advantage of a discount on crown lease land offered for sale. A resolution passed at the recent annual meeting of the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association calls on the board to lobby agriculture minister Bob Bjornerud to extend the 10 percent discount available […] Read more
Not all coyotes are enemies
MOOSE JAW, Sask. – A coyote is sometimes a producer’s best friend. A coyote that is hanging around but not causing any problems should be left alone, says Mike Gollop, Saskatchewan Environment’s problem wildlife and fur specialist. Such coyotes can be the best protection for a sheep flock or cattle herd, he told a multi-species […] Read more
Why vaccines fail to work
Vaccines are tested on healthy, well nourished animals of the correct age. Calves that are stressed, sick, filled with worms or poorly nourished respond poorly to vaccines. If they are too young, colostral antibodies can tie up vaccine proteins so that the calf does not need to mount an immune response. At three months of […] Read more
Researchers study dual virus infections
DES MOINES, Iowa – Veterinary researchers hope Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) can be contorted into a friendlier version. “Wouldn’t it be cool if we could make a circovirus vaccine out of PRRS,” said swine veterinarian Dick Hesse of Kansas State University, recalling a beer hall conversation between vets that has seen some trying […] Read more
Circovirus in piglets puzzles experts
DES MOINES, Iowa – Producers don’t expect to see newborn piglets with circovirus but that might be occurring, said a Kansas State University specialist. “Where is it coming from? Probably not from infection of the animal after it’s born. It’s probably in utero,” said Dick Hesse in an interview during the World Pork Expo in […] Read more
Purebred price list could help at bank
Purebred beef producers are invited to take the bull out of sales reports and submit their annual auction or private treaty results to the Canadian Beef Breeds Council. “We are encouraging them to share some of the final sales data so we know where the industry is going,” said Doris Rempel of the council, an […] Read more
Meat processor vows domestic support
MOOSE JAW, Sask. – The Canadian cattle industry will emerge from the current downturn stronger than ever, says the co-chief executive officer of XL Foods Inc. Brian Nilsson told the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association annual convention last week that the Canadian marketplace is developing its own identity and will bring premiums. “My brother Lee and […] Read more
