It's positively refreshing to see a discussion on the plight of threatened grasslands, world hunger and political unrest have a tangible, though only partial, solution. What's more, livestock production has been criticized by environmentalists as too water intensive and hard on delicate ecosystems to be sustainable. A recent presentation, however, is turning this notion on... Read More
Category: Livestock
I'm not a big markets person. I know, I know, it's agriculture, how could I not be into markets? I have a basic understanding of charts and outlooks, of course, but by my heart is in the soil, plants and animals — the futures market is rather Greek to me. Still, it's difficult to attend... Read More
Is there such thing as a perfect farm? If so, what does it look like? Is it a fixed size? Is it highly specialized, or incredibly diverse? The perfect farm is a concept that Gary Martens, instructor with the department of plant science at the University of Manitoba, brought up to me some time ago... Read More
February is a busy month for cattle conventions. The American industry hosted the National Cattlemans Beef Association convention and the Alberta cattle industry hosted the Alberta Beef Industry Conference. Anne Wasko (Dunford) represented RealAgriculture at both events this year. See More Beef Market Update Episodes In this episode of the Beef Market Update, Shaun Haney... Read More
The Ontario Cattlemen's Association's annual general meeting is going on right now at Toronto, Ont., and yesterday the motion to re-name and re-brand the association was carried. As of next year, OCA will be known as the Beef Farmers of Ontario. This name change is many years in the making, but a similar motion was... Read More
Some people go to the NCBA to visit the immense trade show. Some go for the in-depth committee meetings. Some people even go just for the opening keynote speaker or the Cattlefax presentation. Apparently some people go south in the first week of February to get married before the NCBA convention. We would like to... Read More
Lameness isn't just a welfare issue, it's a production issue too. A cow or bull in pain due to an abscess, foot rot or or injury may go off feed, or, if it's a bull, may not be able to breed. There are several different types of lameness, some more common in feedlots, others an... Read More
Almost 10 years ago, Canada got its global butt kicked when news broke about a lone case of BSE in Alberta. Naysayers everywhere – competitors and anti-corporate activists, among them — were lurking in the weeds, waiting for an opportunity to discredit our food system. The agriculture minister at the time, Lyle Vanclief, tried hard... Read More
How much would you save if each of your cows ate 10 pounds of feed less per day but gained the same? The exact value would change, but the cost savings would be significant no matter where you farm. But is there a way to not just identify more efficient animals, but also breed the... Read More
Once again Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz took to the stage at the FarmTech conference to talk to a packed house about the state of agriculture in Canada. This year saw the Minister announce details on two federal Growing Forward 2 programs as well as address a number of other topics including the lay of... Read More