Livestock Management
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
Livestock Management
Unwanted horses pose big problem
Horse slaughter numbers falling in North America
RED DEER – Packing plants slaughter 100,000 horses a year in North America for human consumption, but an American equine veterinarian argues that could end if the United States passes legislation to ban processing of horses for meat. Nat Messer of the University of Missouri told a recent horse industry conference in Red Deer that […] 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
Myths surround horse digestive issues
RED DEER – Myths about protein, grain and minerals in a horse’s diet sometimes do more harm than good in the long run, say two equine specialists who spoke at a horse industry conference in Red Deer. There are some who claim excess protein makes a horse excitable and hard to handle. Or, it might […] Read more
Cattle can be taught proper grazing behaviour
SWIFT CURRENT, Sask. – Limiting the effects of grazing on riparian areas comes down to four basic strategies, producers were told at a recent conference. Grazing time, supplemental feeding, herding and selective culling are all important in ensuring the sustainability of riparian areas, said Jeff Mosley of Montana State University. He said cattle prefer not […] Read more
Producers head south for generic Ivermectin
Although a number of versions of generic drugs that contain the deworming medication ivermectin have been approved for use in Canada since 2003, demand still exists for even cheaper generic drugs that are available in the United States. An advertisement in a prairie farm paper recently offered special pricing for large quantities of pour-on ivermectin, […] Read more
Alberta Pork delegates miffed by national group’s position
Alberta Pork is reviewing its membership in the national organization following a dispute over whether to align with the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance. Delegates passed a resolution to review its participation in the Canadian Pork Council following a lengthy debate at the annual meeting in early December. Two years ago the pork council directors voted […] Read more
U.S. closer to taking older cattle
Canadian beef producers are hoping a newly released U.S. rule allowing trade in older cattle and beef will be in effect later this year. “It is the biggest short-term thing that can happen to help us,” said the president of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association.
Comments now accepted on new import rule
A long-awaited U.S. Department of Agriculture rule to allow the import of older Canadian cattle and beef products was released Jan. 4. Public comments are invited until March 12 at which time the United States will analyze the submissions and possibly make changes before the rule may be implemented later this year. Highlights include: Live […] Read more
Bar codes allowed on older cattle
The Canadian Cattle Identification Agency has agreed to grandfather all bar code tags for cattle older than 30 months after concerns from across the country about the cost of adding an electronic tag. Some cattle are now double tagged because it is illegal to remove ear tags. Bar code tags will be recognized until Dec. […] Read more
