With the overall goal to benchmark the sustainability of Canada’s beef industry, the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB) is currently looking for producer participation. “Verifiable sustainability is a ‘want’ of our major customers, and we are being given the opportunity to define what that looks like,” said Cherie Copithorne Barnes, CRSB chair, in the... Read More
Category: Livestock
Last week, the U.S. released its cattle inventory numbers for January 1, and, as expected, there was some growth of the cattle herd. The numbers were slightly higher than anticipated, but still make for a historically small cattle herd. What does it mean for cattle supplies going forward? And will the Canadian numbers follow the... Read More
The Saskatchewan Forage Council (SFC) recently completed a study to investigate the status of trace mineral across the province. Pastures were sampled in 2012 and 2013, looking at four soil zones and various forage species in spring and fall. In general, the study found copper and zinc decreased from spring to fall, while iron, manganese... Read More
Today, at the Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference in Regina, Saskatchewan, Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart announced a nearly $3.8 million investment in livestock and forage research. "Investments in research help keep our livestock industry growing and strong," said Stewart. "The knowledge that will result from the projects receiving funding will ensure our farmers and ranchers remain... Read More
The Alberta Beef Producers is considering changes to its current check-off options, changes that, if passed, would mean the entire check-off collected would be non-refundable in addition to a new $1/head levy. The proposed added dollar would also be non-refundable. In 2010, the province's check-offs on cattle sales were made refundable, a hotly-contested change. The... Read More
The Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) published a resource on body condition scoring cattle this week. Along with the video below, the BCRC's body condition scoring resource provides an interactive cow graphic, enabling you to compare an animal along a changing scale, and see the gains and losses in pregnancy rates, value, antibody levels in... Read More
If the first two weeks of 2015 are any indication for the rest of the year, volatility in cattle markets is the name of the game. From steep drops to quick run-ups yet again, the U.S. cash market and the wholesale side has already shown some real movement. The big questions for cattle producers and... Read More
The government of Canada has committed $3 million towards helping the Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO) set up a research and innovation centre at the University of Guelph's Elora research location. Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz made the announcement at DFO’s Annual General Meeting marking their 50th anniversary in Toronto on January 14, 2015. The federal... Read More
There could soon be new demand for the oilseed crop camelina as a feed ingredient for poultry. Camelina seed company Smart Earth Seeds is welcoming the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's approval of feeding cold-pressed non-solvent extracted camelina meal to broiler chickens at up to 12 percent inclusion. "This is a major step forward for camelina... Read More
I’m a big proponent of farmers speaking out, of advocacy and of standing up to activists. It’s encouraging that Don McCabe, recently elected president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, said in his 2015 outlook address Friday that the federation’s advocacy role has never been more important. The same goes for beef producers. Their new... Read More