How has the protein supply chain changed in the last while, and how has COVID-19 changed things from March until now? What economic principles drive those price fluctuations that you might see in the grocery store? And why aren’t there more federally inspected processing plants? It’s time to talk livestock processing capacity challenges and opportunities… Read More
There’s no way to get around putting up feed for wintering livestock, but there are several ways to minimize the amount of hay fed, the cost of feed delivery, and the cost of hauling away and spreading manure. Steve Kenyon of Greener Pastures Ranching at Busby, Alta., says that planning for winter grazing and feeding… Read More
The year of 2020 will be remembered for many years by the cattle industry in Canada. Following the COVID-19 plant shutdowns in spring, the industry struggled to find solutions to deal with a backlog of cattle, and ultimately looked back to 2003 and the BSE crisis to find a solution. The idea of a similar… Read More
When livestock producers and ranchers think about year-round grazing, most think about winter feeding strategies — bale grazing, swath grazing and more. But Steve Kenyon, custom grazer at Busby, Alta., says winter grazing is more about how you manage pastures in the growing season. Kenyon, who runs Greener Pastures custom grazing on over 3,500 acres,… Read More
September beef export trade data is in, and, following a good July and August, the numbers are a bit disappointing. “We’ve been talking about trade a lot because we know both the U.S. and Canada have a pile of beef that we need to get through, and obviously export markets are an important piece of… Read More
If hay has seemed in shorter supply over the last few years, it’s because it has been. In a recent webinar series exploring grazing cover crops and annual forage, Ontario forage specialist Christine O’Reilly shared a nearly 40 year trend line of both hay production and livestock numbers for the province. Since the early 90s,… Read More
Can we eat our way out of climate change? If we all became vegans could we eliminate livestock and put a big dent in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions? Those are just some of the questions Dr. Sara Place tackles daily in her job as Elanco Animal Health’s chief sustainability officer. Earlier this week, Place joined… Read More
To say the futures market took a bit of a nosedive this week would not be an exaggeration. It has, however, been doing its best to try to recover some of those losses. Anne Wasko of the Gateway Livestock Exchange says in the latest Beef Market Update that the moves have been very volatile lately…. Read More
A land and cattle operation that includes consistent cover crops in a diverse cropping mix can offer several benefits, including improved soil fitness, better equipment and water holding capacity, and a decreased diesel fuel bill. In this episode of the Soil School, Bernard Tobin is joined by Elmwood, Ont.-based Ken Schaus from Schaus Land and… Read More
University of Saskatchewan forage breeder and professor emeritus Dr. Bruce Coulman has been appointed the interim director of the school’s Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence. Coulman will replace Kris Ringwall, who is retiring at the end of the month. Ringwall joined the centre around the time it opened in late 2018 and oversaw the… Read More
JBS Foods Canada has announced a long-term commitment with Kanematsu, a Japanese food service and distribution company. Japan imported 49,317 tonnes of Canadian beef valued at $353.5 million in 2019. The company will focus on using Alberta Beef-branded product, including Northern Gold and the Canadian Diamond Black Angus brand, in development of this overseas partnership…. Read More
Many ranches across the prairies are getting into the weening season, which can mean only one thing — the weather is changing, and it’s changing rapidly. The weather isn’t the only thing that has been cooling down though — December live cattle futures dropped significantly over the past week, as Anne Wasko, of the Gateway… Read More
The Manitoba and federal governments have hammered out the details of the province’s cattle set-aside program funding delivered through AgriRecovery. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic economic shutdown and temporary processing plant closures, the federal government announced in early May that it would providing up to $50 million for livestock set-aside programs. Normally, a… Read More
This past summer, Burger King released a rather distasteful advertisement, claiming that a lemongrass feed additive would reduce the amount of methane from cow farts. The ad was changed back in July, with a resulting apology to ranchers, and a review of their feed additive study. In the latest instalment of their advertising campaign, farmer,… Read More
Canadian Western Agribition (CWA) is moving to all virtual programs for 2020, and will deliver a multi-breed cattle show series in Canada. The Evolution Series, presented by RBC and supported by the Canadian Beef Breeds Council, will feature 11 breeds with Grand Champion Bulls and Females from each breed competing for the Evolution Series Supreme… Read More
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