The possible arrival of the first widespread killing frost in Western Canada this week has implications for livestock producers looking to maximize feed quality for their animals. Freezing temperatures can cause nitrates to accumulate in cereal species grown for greenfeed, which can be toxic to cattle (more info here on the SaskAg website.) However, management... Read More

Today, in Woodstock, Ontario, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and Dave MacKenzie, Member of Parliament for Oxford, announced an investment of $1.6 million to the Canadian Livestock Genetics Association (CLGA) to help open new export markets for Canadian dairy and small ruminants genetics. Last year, the Canadian dairy, sheep and goat industries generated over $120 million... Read More

It's not something that's been said often in the last decade, but now is a great time to be in the cow-calf business, as cattle producers are seeing all-time record high prices. "We're running about 60 cents to a dollar a pound higher than we were last year at this time," says Rick Wright, the... Read More

Hog prices have dropped sharply since hitting record highs in the middle of July. It turns out PED (porcine epidemic diarrhea) virus took a smaller toll on U.S. hog supplies than was expected, explains Tyler Fulton, director of risk management for Manitoba-based Hams Marketing Services, in the interview below. Fulton says traders were expecting an... Read More

Following a report that says the World Trade Organization has sided with Canada and Mexico in the dispute over U.S. country of origin labelling rules, a coalition of American food and agriculture organizations is urging Congress and U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack to immediately suspend COOL if the WTO rules against the U.S. Although the... Read More

Jamaica recently approved all imports of beef from Canada, according to a Government of Canada press release. Effective immediately, Canadian producers can export beef to Jamaica, with full access now restored after the closure of this market in 2003 due to BSE. Canada Beef Inc. estimates that the Jamaican market for Canadian beef is annually... Read More

Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy is widely used in research today. In medicine, NIR assists in non-invasive assessments of the brain, blood glucose levels and oxygen concentration in muscles. For agriculture, NIR is largely used in determining the quality of feedstuffs, as it's quick and relatively inexpensive. Related: NIR Workshop Offers Beef Producers Another Way to Improve... Read More

With thirty seven employees and six offices (including one each in Japan, Taiwan, Mexico and Shanghai), Canada Beef Inc. is an independent, national organization that works to promote and market Canadian beef and cattle globally. The organization is funded by cattle producers and the national check off, a $1/head levy on cattle sales that also... Read More