As the calendar moves toward 2025, global pork producers, despite improving profitability, continue to face challenges from trade, disease and demand uncertainties. In its recent report on global pork markets, Rabobank says these questions as well as the potential impacts of political instability and La Niña further complicate a market that is currently experiencing a… Read More
Category: Animal Health
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed its first detection of H5N1 avian influenza in pigs. The virus that has devastated poultry flocks over the past several years and been found in dairy herds across the U.S. was identified in five pigs on a backyard farm in central Oregon that has a mix of poultry… Read More
Dairy veterinarians can’t be everywhere, but with help from technology and innovative vet services, it’s getting easier for dairy producers to access the herd health and management services they require on a daily basis. When it comes to cow pregnancy checks, for example, many producers still require a visit from the vet to scan cows… Read More
With many cattle producers trying to cut costs, increase the productivity of their land, and have a tiny bit of a personal life, the idea of “out-wintering” has become a little more attractive in comparison to chilly daily feedings of corralled animals. While ranchers have looked at options such as bale grazing, swath grazing, or… Read More
Canadian farm groups have voiced major concerns regarding a private member’s bill that has quietly reached the second reading stage in the Senate. Bill C-293, introduced in 2022 by Liberal MP and noted vegan, Nate Erskine-Smith, is one of many private member’s bills that have gained traction under the Liberal minority government. The bill would… Read More
Dr. Colin Yates thought he had a good idea when he launched VETSon, a telemedicine platform for farm animals in 2022. The brainchild of Yates and his father, veterinarian Dr. Glen Yates, VETSon delivers livestock services using an AI-powered virtual health care platform. In this report from Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show, Yates tells RealAgriculture’s Bernard… Read More
With the changing leaves of fall comes thoughts of cozy sweaters, cups of hot chocolate and… winter feed. Livestock producers across the country have spent time throughout the summer making feed plans; whether those plans entail sourcing hay and silage or putting it up themselves, it is important to know what nutrients that feed holds… Read More
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) says as of July 16, 2024, no traces of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus have been detected in Canadian dairy retail products. The CFIA has tested 911 samples total from across Canada, split into four regions: Atlantic Canada, Quebec, Ontario, and Western Canada. All tests have been negative for… Read More
Each livestock group in Canada has a Code of Practice for Care and Handling that producers must follow. These codes, guided by the National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC), follow a review process on a rotating schedule. Currently, the beef cattle, equine, pig, and poultry codes are being updated, and now the latest code up… Read More
What are dairy farmers looking for when they source sawdust bedding for their cows? Some farmers want it fine and others prefer a coarse product, but everybody wants dry sawdust, says Pat Liew, business development director of Ecostrat, which markets the cow bedding to farmers across North America. The company’s been in the paper, plastics… Read More