The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) this week offered an update to the bovine tuberculosis (bovine TB) case found in British Columbia late last year. The disease was found in the southern interior region of the province on October 26, 2018, and was announced publicly in November 2018. The investigation is on-going, says CFIA, and... Read More
Category: Livestock
Alberta Pork has notified pork producers that a 400-head hog operation has tested positive for porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) virus. According to a news release, this is the first-ever reported case of the deadly disease in Alberta. Once hogs come into contact with the disease, it causes severe diarrhea and vomiting in pigs, often fatally.... Read More
More than 20 per cent of Manitoba producers who had select hay or basic hay insurance have claimed they harvested less than 50 per cent of their long-term average hay yield. That significant number has triggered the Hay Disaster Benefit (HDB) to roll out. The HDB was first introduced in 2014 as part of a... Read More
The cost of CFIA-approved RFID sheep tags is going up over the next two years. Tag fees fund the Canadian Sheep Identification Program (CSIP), led by the Canadian Sheep Federation (CSF). RFID tags for sheep have been a requirement since 2004. CSF announced today the impending increase — and potentially increases — after a newly-ratified... Read More
It's the dead of winter — do you know what your cattle's rumen is up to? Chances are, cattle are wintering mainly on dry hay, with maybe some added straw to stretch hay supplies. When it comes to winter grazing and feeding, it's important to take rumen pH levels and the impact a low pH... Read More
While barn fires can happen at any time, winter carries with it added risks when farmers use heat lamps or other heat sources to keep livestock warm and dry. Approximately 40 per cent of all barn fires are caused by faulty electrical systems. For many, there's no getting around using older barns and buildings, but... Read More
Happy New Year, listeners! Peter 'Wheat Pete' Johnson is back with the 191st episode of Wheat Pete's Word and it could be the very first episode in months not to use that dreaded three-letter word (DON). Instead, this episode talks soil sampling and nutrient recommendation philosophies, dealing with ruts and wet fall conditions, winter manure... Read More
Although the equine industry wasn't Linnaeus Plant Sciences' (LPSI) main target for marketing their camelina product, the company has formed a new bond with horse owners across Canada. LPSI owns new varieties of high yielding and disease resistant camelina. The company says the oil from the crop is high in omega-3 fatty acids, and this... Read More
With the New Year just around the corner, nominations for various awards will start to roll out. If you know someone who strives for the best in beef and is an advocate for the industry, nominations are now open for the Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) lifetime achievement award. “(The lifetime achievement award) is awarded every... Read More
The Canadian Prairies are exactly that — prairie. Rich soil supports incredible crop production now, but the climate, soil, and plants that have mingled and grown here long before agriculture moved in were all about permanent ground cover. Annual cropping leaves soil exposed or even bare if tillage is part of the equation, and while... Read More