At least six commercial hog producers in Alberta are advocating for reducing pig production in the province to pressure processors to change how animals are priced. The group met with Alberta Pork’s board of directors and staff last week to discuss their proposal to cut production, and to determine where the provincial organization stands on… Read More
While there are people on social media trying to cast a shadow on the quality and safety of Canadian butter due to a perceived change in its melting point, industry experts say butter consistency, cheese texture, and the composition of milk change every year — and throughout the year — based on ration changes of the… Read More
You’ve maybe heard of, or like our host Shaun Haney have had the chance to visit an anaerobic biodigester facility, but generally the information out there is few and far between. Coming at the livestock and manure management from another angle, our guest for today’s RealAg LIVE! is Jennifer Green of the Canadian Biogas Association…. Read More
The theories range from “evil” American milk making its way into Canada, to mistreatment of cows or mysterious supplements fed to cows, to enzyme activity; but any sort of factual explanation for why some Canadians are saying butter has either changed consistency at room temperature or changed in flavour since August 2020 remains a mystery…. Read More
Meet Paul Klaesi of Fepro Farms near Cobden, Ont., a pioneer in cold weather biogas generation. Klaesi and his family came to a Canadian dairy farm from Switzerland in 1990. At the time, Klaesi had been looking into biogas generation, but shelved the idea while he built the farm in Canada. By 2000, he felt the… Read More
We know you’re just itching to get into the field, and there’s a light at the end of this tunnel! We’re starting to get more sunny days and that can provide 11 degrees of temperature difference, according to our curious host. In this episode of Wheat Pete’s Word, Peter Johnson covers manure questions of all… Read More
The continued growth of wild pig populations in Western Canada has Ontario regulators working to identify the extent of the problem in the province, and root out the invasive animals before populations establish. Wild pigs are defined as pigs that are not contained and can be found outside fences, says Bree Walpole, a senior policy… Read More
There were no big surprises in the USDA’s February supply/demand report on Tuesday, although it had a slightly bearish tone thanks to a lower-than-expected corn export estimate. U.S. corn ending stocks for 2020-21 were reduced by 50 million bushels compared to the January report on a 50 million bushel increase in exports driven by China…. Read More
Turkey Farmers of Ontario has received funding of nearly $560,000 to finalize and launch a new insurance product to protect Ontario turkey producers from losses associated with outbreaks of avian influenza. The funding is through the federal government’s AgriRisk Initiatives. This new insurance product will be mandatory for all turkey farmers in Ontario and, once it… Read More
Olymel, the pork processing and export company, is planning to add a $9-million expansion to one of its Quebec processing facilities, formerly the F. Ménard plant, in advance of adding a second shift and 250 jobs. The added shift is set to begin in September 2021. Renovations include adding freezing capacity, expanding worker facilities, and… Read More
There were big numbers in the beef market this past month for pricing, carcass weights, and harvest rates. Anne Wasko of the Gateway Livestock Exchange breaks it down for us in this Beef Market Update. As Wasko explains, the U.S. cash side of the market is a little higher again this week, landing at $114/cwt… Read More
Not only is Tom Vilsack set to return as U.S. secretary of agriculture, he’s also open to bringing back U.S. country-of-origin labelling (COOL) for beef and pork; but only if it doesn’t lead to retaliation from trading partners, such as Canada, under World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. Vilsack, who was ag secretary when the Obama… Read More
The federal and Saskatchewan governments announced $7.5 million in funding for livestock and forage research in 2021 through the Saskatchewan Agricultural Development Fund (ADF) on Wednesday. The $7.5 figure includes more than $4.1 million for 24 livestock and forage-related research projects, and nearly $3.5 million in operational funding for the Prairie Swine Centre and the Vaccine… Read More
Manure and livestock go hand in hand. Manure can be considered a by-product or waste, or it can be an important soil nutrient source. Andrea Stroeve-Sawa of Shipwheel Cattle Feeders is a seasoned composter, following in the tradition of composting feedlot manure her dad started almost 40 years ago. Andrea’s dad was also talking about… Read More
Rob McKinlay runs a 70-cow dairy near Woodstock, Ont., and has fully incorporated biogas capture into the farm’s feeding and energy system. Using manure and refused or spoiled feed as a feedstock, McKinlay’s biogas digester fully captures the energy produced on farm and uses it to keep the lights on and dairy farm humming with… Read More
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