Livestock Management
NITON JUNCTION, Alta. – For three years Ralph Burns has faithfully recorded the birthdays of each of his 200 calves and spent a frustrating two days entering the birth dates in the Canadian Cattle Identification Association computer system. But it makes Burns’ blood boil to see the information he gathered tossed into the garbage when […] Read more
Livestock Management
Age verification hassles annoy producers
Mouth infections come in many forms
Lumpy jaw and wooden tongue are similar in that they both attack tissues in cattle’s mouths and cause swelling, but otherwise they are completely different. Lumpy jaw is caused by the fungus Actinomyces bovis, which is why it’s called Actinomycosis. If something pierces the lining of the mouth, it opens a door for the fungus […] Read more
Research centre to sell herd
Cattle producers will get a chance to pick up tried and true Charolais genetics Nov. 5 when Agriculture Canada’s research centre in One-Four, Alta., sells its herd. More than 100 purebred cows and heifers raised at the ranch in southeastern Alberta will be on sale in Lethbridge. The cows have been on the ranch since […] Read more
Review of circovirus battle instructive
RED DEER – A full blown case of circovirus disease at a southern Alberta hog operation two years ago left the farm veterinarian and manager frustrated over this serious wasting infection. At the time, circovirus was seen occasionally in young pigs but little was done about it, said swine veterinarian Pete Pawluk. One to three […] Read more
Alta. cattle producers losing faith
NITON JUNCTION, Alta. – For 25 years the massive head of a horned Hereford bull mounted above the stage at Beaver Meadow hall has watched over weddings, meetings and the annual Ranchers’ Ball. Few times has the bull looked down on cattle producers so discouraged about their industry. Even during the darkest days of the […] Read more
Ranchers switch to sheep
STETTLER, Alta. – Like a modern day prophet, Merrell Dickie is spreading the good news about the sheep industry. The biggest converts to his sheep theology are discouraged cattle producers who can see no future in their business. “I want to spread the good news about the sheep industry,” said Dickie, livestock procurement manager with […] Read more
West’s dairy stars head to Toronto fair
RED DEER – The Holstein winner’s circle belonged to Morsan Farms and partners at the Westerner Dairy Showcase held Oct. 25-27. The jewel in the crown was awarded when Morsan’s four-year-old Tomalynn Leduc Della took the grand championship and best udder of the show in a lineup of what judge Bruce Wood called the ultra […] Read more
Bull brings top price
RED DEER – A bull named Fully Loaded shocked its owners as they listened to the bids escalate to $70,000 at the annual Red Roundup sale in Red Deer Oct. 20. The half interest in the two-year-old Red Angus bull was a record for the 35th annual event that draws buyers and contributors from across […] Read more
Low premiums reduce age verifications
The number of age-verified cattle registered with the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency is about half of what it was last year when more than one million birth records were registered. Submissions have increased in the last few weeks for animals younger than a year but more are needed, says agency manager Julie Stitt, especially once […] Read more
Verification also applies to dairy
Canada exported about 100,000 Holsteins a year in the days before BSE changed the livestock landscape, but under the new order of business, dairy cattle will require proof of age just like beef animals. All cattle registered with Holstein Canada automatically have age verification records with the national organization, as well as the Canadian Cattle […] Read more
