Corral feeding systems, though handy, can make for a lot of wasted grub, and depending on the voracity of the livestock, can also mean stuck animals. At this year’s Canada’s Farm Progress Show, there was a different sort of bale feeder on display, that seemingly addressed both of those problems while simultaneously simulating grazing. The... Read More
Category: Livestock
Kansas-based Peterson Farm Brothers — Gregory, Nathan and Kendal — haven't just put together a fun new parody video, but they're also using their music and blog to help share a message of environmental stewardship and sustainability. The latest song, "All I do is Farm," seen below, is just as much fun as past parodies,... Read More
This morning, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification Michelle Rempel announced $3,844,800 in funding to support the establishment of the Canadian Beef Centre of Excellence in Calgary, Alberta. “Our Government is committed to finding ways to promote Canadian beef locally and internationally while generating jobs and economic growth," said... Read More
By now, you’ve likely heard about or seen an 'undercover' video that shows terrible abuse of dairy cows on a farm in British Columbia. In the disturbing video, cows are kicked, caned or beaten up simply because they were weaker than the young workers. After that video release, dairy farmers across the country did something... Read More
It's a refrain you can't really ever tire of if you're a cattle producer — cattle prices are up across the board, with no immediate end in sight. That's not to say there isn't downside risk in this bull market (pardon the pun), but supply, demand, export markets and more are all colliding to support... Read More
With all the red tape and busy work farmers already face, who wants more? No one, I’m sure. Not even people who kind of like paperwork. But I’m hoping an effort underway to have farmers create an animal care code of conduct will be seen by most as more than a nuisance. In Ontario, an... Read More
The Canadian hog market is definitely an example of an up and down cycle of financial losses, frustration, PED and financial wins. Some would say its comparable to a roller coaster full of pain and exuberance. I spoke with Kevin Grier, George Morris Center to discuss what is happening in the Canadian hog market and... Read More
Waking to the clatter of wind against the house, a dark sky and a still-sleeping sun never feels like a good omen. On June 5th, the early morning grey was entirely worth the effort, as I joined the Alberta Farm Writers' Association on their annual tour. 1st Stop: Lakeland College Our first stop continued the... Read More
A plant disease caused by the fungus Claviceps purpurea, ergot, is nothing new, nor is its affect on animals who consume it. In fact, humans who ingested the fungus in the middle ages were said to have a problem known as "St. Anthony's fire," whereby narrowing of blood vessels would occur, and would often lead... Read More
In this episode of Ruminating with RealAg, I speak to Brad Johnson, a professor and chair in meat and muscle biology at Texas Tech University. Johnson has been heavily involved in research around steroidal implants and beta adrenergic agonists, and attended the Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference in January as a speaker. The conversation starts off... Read More