Livestock Management
OLDS, Alta. – Livestock youth events offer public speaking, marketing tips and even crafts, but for Marina Rasmussen it is all about the cattle. The 20-year-old member of the Canadian Charolais youth association has worked with cattle all her life and moves between youth and adult events. At the national conference in Olds her string […] Read more
Livestock Management
Charolais event brings out best
Age verification no easy sell
NEWBROOK, Alta. – When XL Foods sells beef to Japan it is price, not age verification, that seals the deal, said the head of one of Canada’s largest packing plants. Lee Nilsson, co-chief executive officer of XL Foods, said he asked a Japanese client why he chose Canadian beef. “I point blank asked him ‘are […] Read more
Expanding meat firm still eyes domestic market
NEWBROOK, Alta. – Alberta owned XL Foods sold meat into Canadian niche markets to survive while competing against multinational beef processing plants owned by Cargill and Tyson. Now that XL Foods has bought the Tyson Foods’ slaughter plant in Brooks, Alta., making it a dominant packer in Western Canada, it plans to continue selling Canadian […] Read more
Fine art of pen checking can be improved
Beef feedlots depend on pen checkers. In turn, pen checkers depend on their knowledge and skill and, if they have one, their horse. Tips on how to do a better job monitoring cattle were recently presented in a booklet prepared by Schering-Plough/Intervet. There are two types of feedlot pens: settled and hot. Hot pens contain […] Read more
Lack of COOL info keeps turmoil swirling in markets
Confusion in the Canadian cattle industry is unlikely to be resolved for at least the next 18 months, says the latest market analysis by livestock broker Rick Wright. Record-high corn and barley prices and oil at nearly $150 per barrel has raised the cost of gain to $1.05 per pound on a 750 lb. steer, […] Read more
Youths opinions count at judging competition
The best and brightest among farm kids are often found at an event like the Calgary Stampede’s international youth livestock judging competition. The event for young people between the ages of 9 and 20 gives them an opportunity to learn more about judging cattle, sheep and horses, as well develop their social skills through oral […] Read more
Cattle researchers look for disease resistance
Researchers studying feedlot steers and respiratory disease are exploring how to select disease resistant animals, which would save the cattle industry millions of dollars in treatment costs and death losses. “Evidence shows we can actually make progress in selecting animals that have a reduced susceptibility to bovine respiratory disease, providing we have the appropriate tools,” […] Read more
Juniors take centre stage at show
After only a year’s worth of experience exhibiting cattle, 10-year-old Laurie Morasch showed the big kids how it’s done at the national junior Angus show held July 20. She had the overall grand champion female, whose red heifer calf was shown separately and won its classes as well. Morasch has won championships at the 4-H […] Read more
American farm bill leading to problems
Agriculture policy mistakes are being made in the United States with international consequences says a former lobbyist for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. Some of the missteps are found in the U.S. farm bill with the continued uncertainty over country-of-origin labelling (COOL) and the push for more renewable fuel using corn as the main ingredient. […] Read more
B.C. auctioneer tops at Calgary Stampede
Watching Peter Raffan sell at the block, it is hard to believe the veteran auctioneer was so nervous at his first competition that he had to write notes on his fingers so he would not forget what to do. After going for the silver buckle at the 20th annual Calgary Stampede International Livestock Auctioneer competition […] Read more
