The public comment period is now open for the draft Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Sheep. The public comment period allows stakeholders, including producers, consumers, and others with an interest in the welfare of sheep, to review the draft Code and provide input that will inform the final version, recognizing that... Read More
Category: Sheep
The Carney government's proposal to allow provincially-inspected meat to be sold across provincial borders is a bad idea, according to the Canadian Meat Council. Proposed exemptions to the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations would allow interprovincial movement of meat from provincially-inspected facilities for up to four years where certain conditions exist, such as unmet slaughter... Read More
Running a feed mill wasn’t part of Ian Middleton’s long-term plan, but it has evolved into a viable and locally-focused business in Sturgeon County, Alta. Middleton owns and operates Manawan Mills, a feed mill operation that processes grain into complete livestock feeds for species ranging from poultry to cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs. The mill... Read More
When Ryan and Romy Schill purchased Ryan's grandfather's farm at Mapleton, Ont., in 2008, the young couple decided to add 25 ewes to round out their mixed operation, which also included cattle, hogs, and chickens. The Schills admit that the ewes were simply a side project at the time but 18 years later they've built... Read More
Pasture is king at Riverview Ranch in Melancthon, Ont., where sheep farmer Mike Swidersky and his family run a flock of 650 ewes. On this episode of RealAgriculture's Profitable Practices, Swidersky shares how he and neighbouring grain farmers have used the pasture created by late-season cover crops to generate high-quality feed for the sheep. It... Read More
Clear, calm communication can make all the difference on a ranch, something Etienne Poulin has learned first-hand from working as a ranch hand across Australia and Canada. In this episode of Ruminating with RealAg, host Amber Bell sits down with Poulin to talk about what communication looks like from the employee’s side, and how it... Read More
The Alberta government has announced a $75 million increase to the overall limit for its Feeder Association Loan Guarantee Program, raising it from $150 million to $225 million. 45 locally-run feeder associations across the province use the guarantee to secure capital from lenders to provide low-interest financing to producers raising beef calves and sheep. The... Read More
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is proposing updates to livestock traceability regulations designed to help the industry respond faster to disease outbreaks and to protect public health. Under the proposed changes to Part XV of the Health of Animals Regulations, goats and cervids (such as deer and elk) will require identification before leaving their... Read More
In this episode of Ruminating with RealAg, host Amber Bell sits down with Jaime (Jim) Elizondo of Real Wealth Ranching to unpack the principles of “total grazing.” With decades of experience in dairy nutrition, agronomy, and accounting, Elizondo shares his global perspective on livestock productivity, soil regeneration, and adapting grazing systems to work with—not against—nature.... Read More
It's pretty safe to say that the evolution of electric fencing has been a game changer when it comes to giving farmers and ranchers cost-effective, flexible solutions for rotational grazing, riparian protection, and keeping wildlife out of bale yards. While putting up an electric fence sounds like a straightforward process, there are a lot of... Read More