Alberta firm specializes in collecting eggs from small producers, but Egg Farmers of Alberta says rules not followed
NOBLEFORD, Alta. — Eggs supplied by 26 farmers move efficiently through the washing and grading process at Galimax Trading Inc. From there, the company distributes them on the producers’ behalf to restaurants in the Calgary area. How much longer that will occur is open to question because of an ongoing clash between Galimax and Egg […] Read moreTag Archives poultry
Scientists ponder what will replace animal antibiotics
Prebiotics, probiotics, organic acid and essential oils are not perfect substitutes for antibiotics now being used
A combination of products may be needed to replace the antibiotics that are used to treat livestock. Research into essential oils, probiotics, prebiotics, enzymes and short chain fatty acids shows these compounds might work to some degree, but none are likely as effective as a good antibiotic, said a group of scientists during an international […] Read more
Backyard flocks spur interest in heritage breeds
University initiative preserves old genetics and distributes rare birds to small flock owners throughout Alberta
EDMONTON — Who knew people cared so much about chickens. Workers recently loaded 5,500 day-old chicks from five rare, heritage breeds into a truck and sent them to their new homes across Alberta. They will be raised for meat and laying eggs and help preserve the genetics of the rare birds. The idea of raising […] Read more
Canadian industry on guard as avian flu spreads in U.S.
With avian influenza in two bordering jurisdictions, Manitoba turkey producers are on high alert. “We are very concerned because the outbreaks are just south of the Manitoba border, the bulk of them in Minnesota,” said Bill Uruski, chair of the Manitoba Turkey Producers. “We’ve tried to alert producers and so far everybody seems to be […] Read more
Movable shelters help producers manage birds
Pasturing poultry Ontario-based manufacturer says units have been sold to western Canadian producers
ARTHUR, Ont. — Most farmers pasturing poultry have cobbled together their own movable shelters. Now there’s a commercial option, thanks to a business launched by a farm family in Ontario. David and Ellen Weber displayed their smaller shelter unit at a recent event sponsored by Practical Farmers of Ontario. As far as the couple knows, […] Read more
Sask. egg producers tell stories through videos
Inside agriculture | Producer group hopes to engage customers with series of YouTube videos
Saskatchewan egg producers want consumers to know more about how they operate. Several of the province’s 67 registered producers have participated in videos that take viewers inside barns and grading facilities. Shawn Harman, a third generation producer at Section 7 Farms near Humboldt, said not many people have the chance to see inside a barn […] Read more
Pasture raised birds problematic for producers
Old-fashioned farming | Couple refocuses efforts on grass-fed pigs and cattle
VIKING, Alta. — The tour could have been called Confessions of a Farmer. Instead of painting a bucolic picture of contented animals happily grazing and frolicking in the fields, Shannon and Danny Ruzicka told about dead stock, poor choices and the pitfalls of raising livestock the old-fashioned way. Visitors may like to see chickens clucking […] Read more
Bacteria challenge a growing concern for producers
Enterococcus | Cases of bacterial lameness linked to the bacteria have risen
Incidents of lameness caused by bacteria normally carried by chickens have challenged prairie poultry producers in recent years. Officials aren’t sure why. Enterococcus cecorum is one species of a bacteria normally found in the animal’s intestine. It’s not typically a concern for growers, but it can result in a bacterial infection in the animal’s spine […] Read moreBirds get TLC from chicken man
Treated like pets | Bill Bryan raises heritage varieties and markets the meat and eggs
NEVILLE, Sask. — Bill Bryan dreamed of owning a pool surrounded by a bunch of chicks. As an adult, the chicken farmer found his Shangri-la in a 25 acre parcel of heavily treed land in southwestern Saskatchewan. Today, his free-range chickens peck at bugs and grasses in a fenced area with a filled-in pool when […] Read more
B.C. chickens will soon be on video
A short movie about chicken production in British Columbia will be supported by the provincial Buy Local campaign. The B.C. Chicken Growers Association will use $15,500 from the campaign to give consumers information on how chicken is produced on family-run chicken farms. B.C. has more than 300 chicken producers. A B.C. government news release said […] Read more
