2012 is winding down, but optimism and fed cattle prices are up. Heading into to 2013, the Canadian beef cattle industry looks strong, although high feed prices are still weighing on the market. Our American friends are still struggling with a drought that isn't resolving quickly, which may offer some support to prices in the... Read More
Category: Livestock
'Tis the season for not just gifts and celebrations, but also countdowns and Top 10 lists. RealAgriculture.com is not immune to such year-end traditions, and, in the spirit of the holidays (and impending end of the world? Maybe), Shaun Haney and Lyndsey Smith have done an overview of the year's top ag news and events.... Read More
Canada's Competition Bureau has approved the sale of Puratone Corporation to Maple Leaf Foods and Big Sky Farms to Olymel in a major step towards consolidation of Canada's and especially Western Canada's hog industry. The bureau said in a statement: "the Bureau concluded that the mergers were unlikely to lead to a substantial lessening or... Read More
Providing an optimal feed ration for each stage of cattle production takes planning, as forage and grain varies in quality and composition from year to year and from bin to bin. Feed testing is the integral first step to developing a balanced and complete ration. Optimal rations maximize feeding efficiency, which can help cattle producers... Read More
More government assistance is on the way for Ontario livestock producers facing severe forage shortages as a result of this summer's dry growing conditions, according to a recent announcement by the federal government. The governments of Canada and Ontario will provide assistance through AgriRecovery to help livestock producers with transportation costs incurred in accessing feed... Read More
For those who didn't tune in this weekend to an episode of CTV's W5 on "factory farming", let me sum it up for you: according to the episode hog farmers are heartless, sadist wretches that abuse and mistreat all their animals. While attacks and misinformation on and about farming practices aren't rare, this particular program... Read More
Moving livestock safely, even short distances, requires the right type of trailer, skilled handlers and an informed plan for transport length and conditions. In order to ensure Canadian cattle are being handled with positive outcomes in mind, we need scientifically-informed guidelines for what appropriate travel durations and conditions are. Dr. Karen Schwartzkopf-Genswein, an Agriculture and... Read More
Most of the pomp and circumstance at cattle shows swirls around the big purebred championships. It's not different at Canadian Western Agribition, where show-stopping bulls sell for more money than most people's cars cost. There's a lot more that goes on at Agribition, though, that doesn't always get as much attention, but it's important nonetheless.... Read More
The threat of bovine tuberculosis from wild populations of animals in Manitoba's Riding Mountain National Park area has weighed heavily on cattle producers in the region for some time. The region has seen a steady decline in cattle and ranchers in part due to this threat. As a plan of attack, Manitoba recently announced the... Read More
The Liberal Party of Canada is in the middle of choosing a new leader. While the vast majority of attention has been lavished on a raven-haired prime minister's son, Martha Hall Findlay has been the first (and perhaps only) candidate to bring any part of an agriculture platform into the race. RealAgriculture.com's editor, Lyndsey Smith,... Read More