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The intense bond between horse and caretaker can make end-of-life decisions emotionally taxing.
Columns, Livestock

Providing “a good death” for your horse when the time comes

Horse Health: One of the hardest decisions for a horseowner can also be the best for the welfare of the animal

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The term “euthanasia” comes from the Greek words meaning a “good death” and is the practice of intentionally ending a life to relieve pain and suffering. At times the decision to euthanize a horse is clearly obvious. This can occur when a horse has a severe injury or an unrelenting and non-responsive illness such as
Weather Vane by Daniel Bezte
Columns, Weather, Weather Vane

Forecast: Seasonable with a chance of snow

Forecast issued Nov. 6, 2020, covering the period from Nov. 11 to 18, 2020

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Once again, last week’s forecast did a pretty good job with the major weather features. We saw a nice warmup last week with a few locations breaking record highs last Tuesday and Wednesday. Then the weather models predicted a storm system over the weekend, and as I write this on Friday, it looks like that
Humans use all manner of tack to change the position of the horse’s head and neck — often for the worse.
Columns, Livestock

Neck and head position affects horse soundness

Horse Health: Forcing the animal into an unnatural position is harmful

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A visit to any local equine tack shop will showcase a striking array of tack and accessory tack available to place upon the head of a horse with the promise of improving horsemanship, fashion or a horse’s performance. Many of these devices are potent tools that have the ability to leverage and compound tensile forces
What you see will change depending on how you look at things.
Columns, Markets

Taking a new view of grain markets

Don’t get caught looking at any issue from just one perspective

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Every now and then you come across a story or analogy that really makes you think. Even if you know an area or subject matter well, you can still learn more about it when you look at it from different angles. This is especially true in the markets where the landscape is constantly changing because
Columns, Livestock

Herbicides and horses

Horse Health: A ubiquitous herbicide is beginning to come under increased scrutiny by scientists

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The implications for the widespread use of glyphosate-based herbicides in our environment has been increasingly mired in controversy despite regulatory assurances of safety. After close to three decades of use there is a growing body of scientific evidence emerging which presents unintended biological consequences of this chemical and its formulation. Research is postulating adverse mechanisms
Laminitis has been found to be closely related to cresty necks in horses, and can even be predicted by the condition of the neck fat.
Columns, Livestock

The ‘cresty’-necked horse

Horse Health: Neck fat is a valuable barometer of horse health

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The observance of a cresty neck in a horse indicates some level of metabolic sickness and reflects more than just a fat horse. Although the fat or obese horse is burdened with a form of metabolic illness, the appearance of a cresty neck signals further metabolic complications along the continuum of diseases associated with obesity.
Columns, Editorial, Op/Ed

Reporter’s Take: Farmer-owned AAFC?

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In 2019 Canadian farmers grossed almost $37 billion from crop sales. Each started with a seed. That’s why getting farmers to pay more for plant breeding — often referred to as “value creation” — is important. It’s also contentious. Nobody wants to pay more and a lot of farmers worry royalties will enrich seed companies
Weather Vane by Daniel Bezte
Columns, Weather, Weather Vane

Forecast: Lots of uncertainty in the skies

Forecast issued Aug. 21, 2020, covering the period from Aug. 26 to Sept. 2, 2020

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Last issue’s forecast didn’t pan out exactly as the weather models figured. As with previous forecasts, the general pattern was fairly accurate, but the timing ended up being off by several days. As we continue into the transition period between summer and fall, we will likely see more difficulties with the weather models trying to
Columns, Editorial

Editor’s Take: The last mile

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Every year around the world, billions of dollars, euros, yen and yuan are spent on agriculture research. In Canada alone, public funding of “research in support of agriculture,” to quote the federal government, topped $557 million in the 2016-17 fiscal year. That figure may wax and wane with the budgetary vagaries of government, but it’s
Columns, Editorial

The Year in Doggerel: 20-20 Foresight

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As you may know, in each year’s first edition We follow a time-honoured farm writer’s tradition Of reviewing the past year in doggerel (that’s badly rhymed text) And giving you fearless predictions on what to expect for the next Since she’s in charge, I hesitate to criticize Mother Nature’s decisions But I wish she could

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