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
Category: Livestock
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
Last week, a great contributor to the Canadian cattle industry was taken from us much too soon. I was very saddened when I heard that last week of the passing of Neil Jannke. I had a beer with Neil and his son Shane at the Saskatchewan StockGrowers AGM last spring. Always when with the Jahnke's... Read More
The Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association (SSGA) hosted its annual roundtable meeting between Canadian and US beef industry leaders during Canadian Western Agribition in Regina. Now in its seventh year, the roundtable brought cattle producers from North Dakota, Colorado, Minnesota and Wisconsin to meet with their Canadian counterparts at Agribition. The event gathered six American representatives... Read More
Last week's U.S. beef market opened with the same strong numbers leading up to American Thanksgiving. By the end of the week, numbers had, as expected, weakened somewhat, as supplies increase in the U.S. In Canada, the reverse is true for supplies — as the fall run ends, the basis is tightening. Canadian cattle producers... Read More
Planting grazing corn is a great way to extend the Western Canadian grazing season well into the winter or start it earlier in the spring. The crop works well as a forage, even when seeded a bit later than ideal, as you'll see in this interview. In this interview, Kevin Elmy, of Friendly Acres Seed... Read More
We demand so much of our dairy herd — the highest quality milk in copious quantities, excellent production persistence and (we hope) a heifer calf at every calving. The demands of modern dairy production mean cows spend much of their day standing, supporting their large frames and heavy udders. While dairy farmers take extra care... Read More