The inaugural Canadian Beef Industry Conference is underway in Calgary, Alberta this week, and this morning, RealAgriculture's Shaun Haney and Gateway Livestock's Anne Wasko took the opportunity to film a Beef Market Update in-person, in our studio on the trade-show floor. The duo started off talking about some of the good news in the industry,... Read More
Category: Cattle
With fat cattle prices in Alberta $40 lower than they were a year ago, the view from where the cattle feeders will be sitting come this fall's sale season will look different than it did in 2015. "Estimated losses in July for cattle finishing in Alberta on a spot-to-spot basis are about $350 to the... Read More
The word "biosecurity" can conjure up some interesting images, not limited to an overabundance of showers, hard-drives of paperwork and hazmat suits. But, ensuring good levels of on-farm biosecurity doesn't have to be overwhelming. "There's been so much focus on biosecurity as a word," says Franklyn Garry, professor at Colorado State University, "that it does,... Read More
It's a diagnosis no cattle producer wants to hear, and it's likely much more prevalent than we realize. Caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP), Johne's causes chronic enteritis (inflammation of the intestine), diarrhea and progressive weight loss in cattle. Despite the seemingly obvious symptoms in infected animals, the disease has characteristics that can make... Read More
There are many potential stressors for cattle during transport, as Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's Karen Schwartzkopf-Genswein pointed out at the recent Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association conference and annual general meeting. Animals have to contend with handling (often by unfamiliar people), a unique environment, mixing with new animals, feed and water restrictions and the energy/focus required... Read More
As with other aspects of farming, automation is finding its way into the process of managing mortalities. Dutch Industries, based at Pilot Butte, Saskatchewan, has designed what looks like a big top-heavy green box that it calls the "BioMulcher." The unit heats, grinds and mixes, composting up to 2,500 pounds of material per batch. "After... Read More
Proposed amendments to Canada's Food and Drug Regulations were outlined in more detail this week, after a brief announcement by Health Canada on June 30, 2016. The potential changes look to "strengthen rules governing the importation, sale and use of antimicrobial drugs in livestock." "Health Canada's proposal to strengthen the rules around the use of... Read More
Just ten days after Mexico announced it will drop its remaining import restrictions on Canadian beef, Taiwan has lifted its temporary ban on Canadian beef, effective July 8. The ban was issued following the February 2015 case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in Alberta. "The Government of Canada welcomes the news of another restored market,"... Read More
It's easy to jump to conclusions when diagnosing issues in livestock. But, when a team from the University of Calgary, stumbled upon a case of lameness that just didn't seem to be going away, they knew to look beyond the oft-blamed culprit of footrot. "This was a very experienced producer. He had a lot of... Read More
You go out to check the cows, and you see a calf with scours — what do you do? For many producers, the first course of action involves a bolus gun. But, it's actions like this that have led Franklyn Garry, professor at Colorado State University, to unabashedly assert that "we grossly overuse antibiotics." Neonatal... Read More