Livestock Management
Earning extra value from cull cows has eluded beef producers since international trade stopped for cattle older than 30 months. Resolutions passed at the Alberta Beef Producers annual meeting supported changes to the grading system that could pay producers extra based on quality, rather than the current D1-4 system for assessing cows. Cow prices remain […] Read more
Livestock Management
Producers want more for their cows
Sask. cattle herd down slightly
SWIFT CURRENT, Sask. – The number of Saskatchewan cattle has started to level off, but there are still a lot of cattle out there, says the province’s beef economist. Sandy Russell said a decline of 2.4 percent as of July 1, 2006, indicates that cattle numbers are coming back in check. However, there are still […] Read more
Changing times for ranchers
As one of 52,000 cattle producers in western Canada, Erik Butters is part of the foundation beneath the beef industry pyramid. And from the pinnacle of his ranch in the Alberta foothills, Butters gazes at a changing world that is far different from when his father started ranching near Cochrane in 1937. It is a […] Read more
Producers raise beef, add value
The Kotelko family has gained a reputation for traveling a different road. As owners of the 36,000 head Highland Feeders at Vegreville, Alta., brothers Mike and Bern are interested in more than fattening cattle. Among their ventures is a branded beef program, involving rancher partners, that offers consumers a natural product free of growth hormones […] Read more
Contracts tie up to half of America’s cattle
Captive supply arrangements cover almost half of the Canadian and American beef industry. Packer-owned feeder calves, special pricing formulas and other contractual agreements to market cattle have grown steadily in both countries, leaving many worried about what’s happening to the cash market. A commissioned study shows captive agreements cover 40-50 percent of the available supply […] Read more
Scientists release DNA map of sheep genome
Taking a trip to an unknown place can be an exciting adventure. But after taking wrong turns, getting lost on unfamiliar roads and asking for directions from passersby, sometimes you just wish you had a map. In Paul Rodgers’ case, his wish came true. He just got a new map. “It’s quite an accomplishment for […] Read more
CFIA wants vets to join emergency reserve
Veterinarians: Johnny Canuck wants you. A pool of private sector veterinarians, called the Canadian Veterinary Reserve, will be created to help the Canadian Food Inspection Agency deal with emergency disease outbreaks. “(In an emergency) qualified veterinarians from the reserve would come to work with CFIA to supplement our ranks,” said George Luterbach, CFIA program manager […] Read more
Experts wary of horse slaughter bill
Horse slaughter nearly became illegal in the United States last month and could become so in 2007. About 30,000 American slaughter horses are shipped to Canada for processing annually and a bill before the House of Representatives would prevent that trade. The House found it had bigger issues to deal with as the fall session […] Read more
Grain farmers, cattle ranchers can help each other
EDMONTON – Instead of eyeing each other warily across the fence line, cattle and grain producers should work together, says a pair who have joined forces to promote the benefits. Saskatchewan cattle rancher Bruce Chern and grain farmer Murray Pask said the benefits of working together are positive, especially when growing alfalfa. When Chern sold […] Read more
Alfalfa field: nothing to fear but fear itself
Fear of bloat costs cattle producers more money than bloat itself, according to Garry Lacefield, a forage specialist at the University of Kentucky, because it robs them of a chance to use their pastures more efficiently. When he first tried grazing his herd on alfalfa 25 years ago, the neighbours couldn’t believe it. “People would […] Read more
