Ontario sheep and cattle producers who work with many of the province’s independent meat processors could soon find themselves fully responsible for their livestock’s hides. In April, one of the few processing companies in the province that collects hides from small and medium-sized abattoirs, announced it was ceasing operations. It had been serving Ontario abattoirs… Read More
Temperature can tell you many things about an animal — if it’s beginning to fall ill, if it’s about to calve, or if it’s coming into heat. The technology to track temperature and movement of cattle comes in many forms, and a western Canadian company is offering a wireless communication rumen bolus that won’t get… Read More
The Government of Canada has published revisions to the Health of Animals Regulations (HAR). The regulations come into force one year from publication, on February 1, 2020. While the advent of revamped regulations is not unexpected — there has been a significant amount of consultation on the proposed changes — the timing of the final… Read More
In a recent proof-of-concept field trial, the Canadian Sheep Federation partnered with SheepChain LLC to demonstrate how the Canadian sheep industry can capitalize on blockchain-based traceability to add value to Canadian lamb. Canada is the first sheep industry to manage the technology in a real-world setting, tracking lamb from pasture to plate, according to the… Read More
Ontario’s provincial government, in partnership with the federal government, has announced updates to the Ontario Wildlife Damage Compensation Program. The compensation program was significantly changed under the previous Liberal provincial government, leading to a dramatic increase in rejected claims, higher fees, and much longer wait times to receive approved compensation. After consulting with farmers and… Read More
It’s a running joke among sheep farmers that 99% of a sheep farmer’s job is saving these wooly beasts from the 1,001 ways they try to die. After a few years owning sheep, I am still surprised by the silly ways they get into a pickle, but there’s likely nothing more frustrating than losing a… Read More
The Canadian Sheep Federation and the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA) recently reached an agreement outlining the roles and responsibilities of each group in delivery of the Canadian Sheep Identification Program (CSIP). As part of the agreement, the per tag fee of $0.23 currently collected to fund the program will increase to $0.59/tag by the… Read More
The cost of CFIA-approved RFID sheep tags is going up over the next two years. Tag fees fund the Canadian Sheep Identification Program (CSIP), led by the Canadian Sheep Federation (CSF). RFID tags for sheep have been a requirement since 2004. CSF announced today the impending increase — and potentially increases — after a newly-ratified… Read More
Heavy lamb prices across Ontario sale barns have dipped steeply lower in the last three weeks, with year-over-year drops at some auctions over $0.30 (or more) a pound for the same weight class. While some seasonal dips are expected at this time of year, Ontario sheep farmers are also up against a much higher than… Read More
In the midst of peak sheep breeding season, many farmers are faced with the tough call — do you put the rams in with the ewe lambs now, or wait until the ewe lambs are older? Like most production-related questions, the answer is: it depends. A ewe lamb that gives birth around her first birthday… Read More
In order for Canada to best meet the domestic demand for lamb, sheep farmers have to manage the sheep flock to lamb out-of-season. It’s very possible with careful management of ewes, certainly, but many farmers may be surprised to learn that ram management can have a significant impact on out-of-season success. For those aiming for… Read More
If you’re looking to build soil nutrient levels in pasture, do you order fertilizer or do you buy sheep? If you’re Mike Swidersky and family, you buy sheep as a complement to raising cattle. How does it work? You run the sheep after the cattle (they utilize pasture differently and aren’t susceptible to the other… Read More
Ontario Sheep Farmers held its convention and annual general meeting last week near Cookstown, Ont. It was Rob Scott’s final meeting as a board member, having served the last two years as chair. Scott had announced ahead of this meeting that he would be stepping down as chair and as provincial director for his district…. Read More
It was an exciting day for trade between Canada and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region. Today, the Canadian government announced new market access for live cattle exports to the Philippines, along with sheep and goat genetics exports to Indonesia and the Philippines. “Increasing trade with fast-growing and dynamic markets such as those in… Read More
When the Ontario Sheep Farmers hold their annual general meeting next month they will be in need of a new chairperson. In the latest Ontario Sheep magazine, current chair and delegate for district 4, Rob Scott, announced he is not only stepping down as chair, but is also leaving the board. In his time as chair,… Read More
