Livestock Management
Heating pads for piglets offer big energy savings and are just as effective as heating lamps, a recent study has found. The six-month trial at Interlake Weanlings Ltd., in which 4,700 piglets were raised in five test cycles, found that the difference in average daily weight gain was statistically insignificant. Mortality was slightly lower with […] Read more
Livestock Management
Pigs warm up to heating pads more than lamps
Semen evaluations too important to ignore – Animal Health
Some cattle producers remain skeptical about the merits of evaluating the semen of breeding bulls before turn out. However, veterinarians who conduct breeding soundness evaluations do more than check the semen. We look at live sperm to check for motility and we kill sperm in a stained sample to look at its morphology, which is […] Read more
Top priced bull stays in family
Peter Moleski needed a good bull and he knew just where to find one. He went to the Regina Bull Sale March 19 and bought the supreme champion, a Black Angus, from his brother, John, for $7,100. Asked if he would have to pay full price, Peter replied, “oh yeah.” John Moleski said he was […] Read more
Angus herd returns home to Alta.’s Lakeland college
VERMILION, Alta. – After almost 70 years, a herd of purebred Black Angus cattle has returned to its original home at Lakeland College. The Alberta college bought 23 cows and their calves from the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology’s Fairview campus. The cows are descendants of Lakeland’s herd in the 1940s. “We’re quite excited to […] Read more
Herding piglets requires planning, patience: expert
There are few critters in this world cuter than a piglet. But if you work in a modern hog barn and you have to move 100 of the little porkers down a narrow alley or off a truck, there’s a good chance you might lose your patience. Getting frustrated when pigs won’t do what they’re […] Read more
Proper feed crucial to dairy cow health
RED DEER – Finding proper feed for milk cows remains the No. 1 challenge for managers, says a University of Illinois dairy specialist. Mike Hutjens told the Western Canadian Dairy Seminar in Red Deer on March 7 that dairy barn managers need to focus on five key areas, with the most important being feed consistency […] Read more
Good bacteria can help restore microbial balance
Trillions of bacteria inhabit the intestines but most of the time they are good bugs. They maintain intestinal health and prevent bad bugs from gaining a foothold. Unfortunately, the balance between good and bad is tenuous, and the slightest intestinal upset can tip it so that the bad bugs overgrow. Probiotics are the tools that […] Read more
Bull sale meets buyers’ needs
After 107 years, the Calgary Bull Sale continues to adjust and give customers what they want, says the president of the Alberta Cattle Breeders Association, which stages the event held March 7-8. The sale has been shrinking, so the association board is exploring ways to refresh the event and keep the crowds coming. Some of […] Read more
Charolais winner has long history at bull sale
The Parsonage family has been coming to the Calgary bull sale for 58 consecutive years and has won seven grand championships since 1992. Owned by Duane and Corrine Parsonage, P & H Ranching runs about 350 cows with 150 being purebred Charolais. Once a strong Hereford breeding family, the program switched to Charolais and Angus […] Read more
Top Hereford breeder no stranger to winner’s circle
Winning the grand champion banner never gets old, says Norm Parrent. The Clyde, Alta., Hereford breeder has won the grand prize at the Calgary Bull Sale four times since 1995, an affirmation of the 35-year-old breeding program he runs with his wife Joanne and sons Marc and Michael. This year’s winner and high seller at […] Read more
