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Livestock Management Livestock Management

It’s important that everyone in the industry who works with cattle knows the signs of foot-and-mouth disease. | Mike Sturk photo
Livestock Management

Foot-and-mouth disease prevention is a group effort

Much work has been done on how to prevent and manage animal disease outbreaks. The Animal Health Emergency Management Project has developed strategies, and Alberta Beef Producers released a handbook in 2018. A foreign animal disease outbreak such as foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) or African swine fever could be particularly devastating. This article will focus on […] Read more
Bulls that ate high-ergot feed did not have less viable sperm after a study conducted at the University of Saskatchewan’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine. | File photo
Livestock Management

Ergot does not affect bull soundness

Researchers fed bulls feed with different levels of mycotoxin infection to see if it affected their reproductive ability

The reproductive soundness of bulls is not affected when they eat feed contaminated by ergot. Vanessa Cowan conducted a recent study that reached those conclusions at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine. She said they conducted the study after producers expressed concern that ergot in feed was affecting bull fertility and there was little research […] Read more
A team of scientists is conducting tests and taking samples at cattle farms in order to gather more data on rotational grazing and soil health as part of a multi-disciplinary project at the University of Guelph. | File photo
Livestock Management

Scientists studying other benefits of rotational grazing

Researchers to collect more data to test the argument that rotational grazing improves environmental and animal health

Champions of rotational grazing often say it improves soil health, compared to continuous grazing. Their argument is compelling. If a producer puts many cattle in a small paddock, for a short period of intensive grazing, it will concentrate manure and nutrients in that part of the field. Then, after a period of rest, the soil […] Read more
Bolus data on a computer screen shows the temperature change every time an animal drinks water, as seen in the top chart, and a spike in activity typical of an estrus alert. | Photo supplied by Susan Markus
Livestock Management

Research looks for ways to assess heifer fertility

Project uses bolus technology to help identify the factors that producers could look for when acquiring replacements

A researcher wants to save cow-calf producers time and money by finding better ways for them to choose the best replacement heifers for their operations. “We want to know if we can assess something — some traits, some indicator — earlier in the season instead of having to wait until you turn them out with […] Read more
Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan’s Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence want to know if bull neck collars that are supposed to alert producers when they detect cows in heat actually work. | LFCE photo
Livestock Management

Beef research centre tests latest production technology

Researchers are studying small scales for cattle on pasture and bull neck collars to help producers detect females in heat

Use of smart technologies in beef production is only going to grow. That’s why the Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence is focusing research on those areas. Dr. Dinesh Dadarwal, a veterinarian and assistant professor in large animal science at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, said the LFCE tests technology so producers can make […] Read more
Purebred beef shows get underway today at Canadian Western Agribition in Regina. The show runs through Saturday, November 25. | Becky Zimmer photo
Livestock Management, News, Video

VIDEO: Purebred shows begin at Agribition

REGINA — Purebred beef shows begin in earnest today at Canadian Western Agribition. Simmental, Speckle Park, Maine Anjou and Gelbvieh shows are all on tap. Yesterday, a Simmental, Black Gold Ms Hayleigh 153K, exhibited by Bar SK Cattle Co. from Lloydminster, Alta., won the interbreed First Lady Classic. The top five also included a Polled […] Read more
The livestock industry wants hours-of-work rules for truck drivers to take into account “unforeseen circumstances.” | File photo
Livestock Management

Truckers request more flexibility

Sector cites animal welfare concerns as it asks for more flexibility in enforcing hours of work while transporting livestock


The Canadian livestock sector wants flexibility in the enforcement of truck driver hours-of-work rules to account for unforeseen circumstances. Animal transporters said they don’t want to be fined for taking animal welfare into consideration if they are unexpectedly delayed and exceed the maximum 13 hours of truck operation per day. However, Transport Canada said the […] Read more
The relationship between diet and histidine levels came to light in research at Penn State University when experiments showed that blood histidine concentrations dropped when dairy cows were fed reduced-protein diets. | File photo
Livestock Management

Cows fed low protein diet need amino acid supplement

Histidine can help maintain milk production for dairy producers trying to decrease nitrogen losses in manure

If dairy cows are fed reduced protein diets to decrease nitrogen losses and ammonia emissions from manure, their milk production can suffer. However, according to research at Pennsylvania State University, supplementing their diet with the amino acid histidine may help maintain milk production. It may even increase milk and milk-protein yields. Histidine is essential for […] Read more

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