Demand for Canadian hay south of the border has Manitoba farmers searching farther afield in order to feed their cattle this spring
A late spring and growing demand for cattle feed has depleted hay stocks across the province, leaving many beef producers paying more and travelling farther to find what they need. “We normally buy our hay locally, just 10 or 15 miles from home. But this year we’ve had to bring it in 250 miles from [...]
The humble honeybee has Ottawa and Washington abuzz these days thanks to some controversial dust. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has released a protection protocol for honeybee populations, the Commons agriculture committee has launched a study of threats to bees, the Green Party and Sierra Club want an immediate ban of a controversial class of [...]
For every day too early you graze in the spring, count on losing three days of grazing in the fall
With previous flooding, drought and now a late spring, many producers will be faced with the question of what to do with pastures weakened by flooding and overgrazing. No matter how you look at it, you may be forced to sacrifice the health of some of your pastures. Let’s take a look at the cost [...]
The Retail Council of Canada’s apparent plan to phase out gestation stalls won’t influence how the Manitoba Pork Council advises its producers
Manitoba Pork Council says a sweeping endorsement of updated sow housing practices, including phasing out gestation stalls by 2022, by the Retail Council of Canada won’t change how its producers raise their animals. “It really changes nothing in our position at all, a whole host of independent retailers, like Tim Hortons and like Walmart have [...]
North American pork producers say their needs weren’t considered by companies that have decided to phase out sow gestation stalls. “Hog farmers, to survive in the fiercely competitive international pork market, must be able to recover their costs of production,”said Jean-Guy Vincent, who farms in Sainte-Séraphine, Quebec who chairs the Canadian Pork Council. [...]
Tight feed supplies continued to pressure feeder cattle prices at auction yards across Manitoba during the week ended April 19. Prices on good-quality cattle fared better than those on poorer-quality cattle, said Buddy Bergner of Ashern Auction Mart. “The good cattle were fully steady, but plainer-type cattle were down 10 to 15 cents (per pound).” [...]
Manitoba’s first anaerobic digester will be completed this fall and experts say it will prove that our cold winters are no problem
Manitoba’s challenging climate won’t leave producers out in the cold when it comes to anaerobic digesters, says a University of Manitoba researcher. “If you insulate it properly and it’s heated, there shouldn’t be any obstacles to having this technology,” PhD candidate Elsie Jordaan said during a presentation sponsored by the National Centre for Livestock and [...]
The tiny village of Roland, Manitoba — birthplace of 4-H — is gearing up to host a big party later this spring. Busloads of 4-H dignitaries, the premier of Manitoba and the public will descend on the community (est. pop. 400) during the evening of May 31 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the [...]
Health officials are trying to find out how a new strain of bird flu is infecting people in China — more than half of patients have had no contact with poultry. By late last week, 87 people, mostly in eastern China, have contracted the H7N9 virus, and 17 had died. It is not clear how [...]
Pork prices have risen and if sky-high feed prices come back to earth, then hard-hit producers may get ‘some profit back,’ says the head of the Manitoba Pork Council
Hog producers could see some relief from high feed costs this year, but not in time for summer, says the chair of the Manitoba Pork Council. “All signs are for a record corn acreage to be sown in the U.S. this spring, which could really bring some relief to the feed grain prices this fall,” [...]