There are some jobs on the farm (and at home for that matter, but we won't get into that now) that are worthwhile, important jobs, but really leave you feeling like the time could be better spent somewhere else. Those jobs are exactly the niche jobs robotics were designed to fill. In years past, the... Read More
Category: Livestock
Working with what nature gives you and spending a bit of time with pen and paper can boost your pasture and hay land productivity. Whether it's matching topography like floodplains to forage species that don't mind wet feet, or mapping out cattle movement or winter feeding needs, pasture planning is well worth the time. In... Read More
Shaun Haney and Anne Wasko discuss the increase in US beef cutout prices versus the slumping cash price to feedyards. Is it all about packer margin or is there a bigger story yet to be told on beef demand through the summer. If you cannot see the embedded audio file, CLICK HERE
The agriculture industry has historically taken the tact of "Science is on our side" in many debates over food production. But, as Charlie Arnot, with the Centre for Food Integrity, explains, perception trumps science when it comes to how consumers shape their opinions about food and their food choices. "Science tells us if we can... Read More
You may have run out of hay this winter, but at least you have the know-how to start your own snow-removal business! There’s a plus side to everything, right? We were actually pretty fortunate, this winter (I mean, besides from the experience gained by the aforementioned snow collection). Though we used more hay than anticipated,... Read More
A cow who is uncomfortable or, worse, in pain, won't just produce less milk, she's also less likely to get back in calf. It may seem simplistic, but solid research shows a definite and measurable link between foot and leg health and reproductive health. Dr. Renaldo Cerri, with the University of British Columbia, spoke recently... Read More
Just because an animal does not overtly display discomfort, doesn't mean they don't feel any. This is true of prey animals — like cattle — where displaying pain may make them an easy target for predators. Because of this, it can be difficult to gauge how painful some procedures may be on animals. That said,... Read More
2013 is a big year for 4-H Canada, as it's the year the organization marks 100 years of "learn to do by doing." Started in Roland, Manitoba, so very long ago, 4-H's particular style of teaching young farm kids about everything from animal husbandry to woodworking has evolved in recent years to include instruction for... Read More
Anne Wasko and Shaun Haney discuss the latest in the Canadian cattle and beef industry. Last week fed prices were positive which put a smile on the face of feed yeard owners but the corn market raced higher on Monday which seemed to circumvent the better mood. The issue has been the anecdotal calf losses... Read More
In 1998, the Canadian Cattlemen's Association brought forward a petition to Health Canada to amend regulations so that irradiation of ground beef could be used in Canada. The scientific review proving the safety and efficacy of the bacteria-killing process was completed by Health Canada. The petition moved to step one of a two step process... Read More