What's your risk management plan for your cattle business? If you don't have one or would like to step up your understanding of price risk, managing returns and use of contracts, this free workshop may be for you. Beginning next week, Linus7, Agriculture Financial Services Corporation’s Cattle Price Insurance Program (CPIP) and RealAgriculture.com's cattle market... Read More
Category: Livestock
In this episode of Thumbs up, Thumbs down, RealAgriculture.com's fearless leaders Shaun Haney and Lyndsey Smith talk government retaliation measures, or rather the lack thereof, in the COOL fiasco, Lyndsey suggests a statute of limitations on blaming previous governments for today's problems and Shaun professes his love of wrestling. Also in this audio-only version of... Read More
Ah, branding ... set to coincide perfectly with the start of the wedding season. As if the blindingly white legs of a farmer in a skirt aren’t nearly distracting enough, they must also be embellished with bruises. We held our branding on the last weekend of May, and I’m still thinking about pain mitigation for... Read More
There's no denying the flax market tanked following the discovery of CDC Triffid in exports to Europe in 2009. The Flax Council of Canada set out a testing protocol for Triffid, but many farmers balked at the idea of sowing flax seed again. It's been four years now —will we see a gradual shift back... Read More
While several Ontario tracks are running right now, horse racing in Ontario is still struggling and the future is fraught with uncertainties. Standardbred racing has been hit particularly hard, and political wrangling around casinos going in, then not, in southern Ontario has those in the industry wondering what the next few years look like for... Read More
There are good weeks and then there are poor weeks. Last week the US implemented its new rules to COOL. The Canadian and US industries feel strongly that these remedies are un-called for. Lyndsey Smith and Anne Wasko discuss the implementation of COOL in the latest edition of the CDN Beef Market Update. If you... Read More
The United States was required to come into compliance with its World Trade Organization (WTO) obligations in relation to the WTO dispute on its country-of-origin labelling (COOL) regulations today, May 23. The country has instead implemented proposed changes that many U.S. and Canadian cattle and hog industry players say makes it even worse. The Canadian... Read More
Editor's note: This is Owen Roberts' Real Talk, Real Action column. Each week, Owen will offer his insight into how farmers and the agricultural industry can participate in the rural- and ag-related discussions going on around them. Contact Owen at owen@uoguelph.ca or on Twitter at @TheUrbanCowboy. So you’ve done your homework, tested your feed for... Read More
The factors to consider when moving animals or changing feeding tactics can be overwhelming. In the case of rapid grass growth (as is evident this year), producers are advised to feed a supplement containing magnesium, especially for lactating cattle. This is all in an effort to prevent grass tetany, a metabolic condition that causes animals... Read More
Food safety is top of mind for any food industry. The beef industry is constantly researching new and proven methods for keeping Canada's beef value chain safe from pathogens. E-beam irradiation, a food safety technique used in over 50 countries, is one such method being evaluated for use on beef and beef trim. While not... Read More