Livestock Management
BANFF, Alta. – Pork production has been increasing worldwide, but the high cost of feed grain threatens to slow down the North American industry. The booming biofuel industry is gobbling up more corn in the United States, driving up grain prices and lowering profits for the livestock sector. Larry Martin, chief executive officer of the […] Read more
Livestock Management
Biofuel may stifle livestock expansion
Novel feed may save money
BANFF, Alta. – Using novel feed grains and pulses in hog diets could shave costs for producers while maintaining good nutrition and pork quality. Alberta Agriculture pork researcher Eduardo Beltranena is a champion of triticale and zero tannin fababeans. Research is proving these crops could be offered as suitable alternatives to feed wheat, barley and […] Read more
Producers struggle to meet feedlot demands
BROOKS, Alta. – Giving feedlots the kind of cattle they want starts with calf producers, but they may feel the demands are heavy and profits paltry. Each sector of the beef industry wants to make a profit, says nutritionist Dwight Karren of Lethbridge, but often they don’t understand what is required to get there. “All […] Read more
Experts debate farm policy
Canadian cattle feeders heard from two leading agricultural economists that the industry here can expect little relief from high grain prices and border conflicts now that both houses of congress in the United States are controlled by the Democrats. Larry Flinchbaugh of Kansas State University said high grain prices caused mainly by ethanol and biodiesel […] Read more
Alternative feed gains momentum in livestock sector
BANFF, Alta. – Increased competition for grain has encouraged European pork producers to use alternative feeds from the food processing and bioenergy sectors. “The utilization of coproducts is quite high in animal feed,” said Coen Smits of the Nutreco Swine Research Centre, an international feed and genetics company based in the Netherlands. Western Canada is […] Read more
Cattle producers worry tracking cost excessive
Saskatchewan cattle producers want to see a cost-benefit analysis before they endorse a draft proposal on tracking animal movement. The proposal from the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency, which has only been released to industry so far, has generated concern about costs and timelines. Brett McConkey, chief information officer at the CCIA, said he has heard […] Read more
Demand for larger hogs affects barns
BANFF, Alta. -Weaning more pigs per sow and rasing bigger market hogs has meant crowded barns across North America. Packers and processors want larger carcasses, but the typical finisher barn is not big enough to accommodate them. While there are suggestions to squeeze in more hogs per pen, the tradeoff is the risk of disease […] Read more
Laminitis in horses difficult to treat
RED DEER – Laminitis is a crippling lameness described by horse owners since 350 BC. Early treatments involved bleeding several pints from the horse or feeding it concoctions of weasel skins, putrid eggs and vinegar. It remains a troublesome condition for horses and their owners and may never be completely corrected, said Ilka Wagner of […] Read more
Septic arthritis difficult to treat
Septic arthritis is a joint infection that can affect cattle of any age but is a particular problem in neonates. It is expensive to treat and the outcome is not always positive. Bacteria invade the joint in one of four ways: Something penetrating the joint such as a wood sliver or prong of barbed wire […] Read more
Unwanted horses pose big problem
RED DEER – Legislation to ban horse slaughter in the United States could create a major surplus of unwanted animals on both sides of the border. “I hope they are not naïve enough to think if they pass this legislation that the unwanted horse problem will go away,” said equine veterinary Nat Messer of the […] Read more
