A buyer’s sale as summer herd preparation arrives

A buyer’s sale as summer herd preparation arrives

It was a day for buyers June 1 at Winnipeg Livestock Auction, as better-quality sheep and goats were delivered by numerous producers, causing a relatively large sale. The bidding on ewes was based upon the buyers’ preference. There appeared to be no price differences between wool and hair ewes. Younger ewes and quality still remain

Large rope fish net in a pile

Farmers getting caught in regulatory net

Here in Ontario, over the next four years, poultry and livestock producers who use unvented gas heaters in their facilities will be required to have them verified for proper installation. According to Section 7.36 of the Gaseous Fuels Code, Technical Standard and Safety Authority (TSSA) requires a professional engineer to verify installations for farmers to


An algae bloom in Walsh County has tested positive for toxic cyanobacteria production.

Early bloom raises algae poisoning concerns

The blue-green algae can be harmful or fatal 
to humans and livestock

An early cyanobacteria bloom in Walsh County, North Dakota suggests livestock producers need to exercise caution with water sources this summer. Cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, can produce toxins that are harmful to livestock, wildlife and people. Blue-green algae often occur in stagnant ponds or dugouts with elevated nutrient levels, forming large colonies that

KAP president Dan Mazier.

KAP has first meeting with Ag Minister Ralph Eichler

Manitoba’s general farm organization covered a number of issues, including 
education tax, in a meeting with the new Manitoba agriculture minister

School taxes, red tape, ALUS and Growing Forward 3 were topics of discussion during the first meeting between the province’s general farm organization and the newly minted provincial agriculture minister. The Keystone Agricultural Producers and Ralph Eichler sat down last week for the first time since the change in government this spring. “School taxes (on


Queen Victoria's statue at the Manitoba Legislature. As in North America, Britain's farmers are considered by many to be political and economic conservatives by birth and disposition.

Brexit: ‘Taking farmers for fools’

U.K. farmers find themselves torn between their innate conservatism and 
economic interests that may be best served by staying in the EU

With electronic ignition, fuel injection and more computing power than the space shuttle, today’s cars and trucks never backfire. Our politicians — with less horsepower and far less memory — often still do. The latest may be British Prime Minister David Cameron who, during his 2015 re-election campaign, promised British voters a referendum on whether

(AllflexUSA.com)

Canada’s PSP buys stake in tag maker Allflex

Reuters — PSP Investments, one of Canada’s biggest pension funds, said Friday it had acquired a significant minority stake in Allflex Group, the world’s biggest maker of electronic tags for animals, from private equity firm BC Partners. The purchase was overseen by PSP’s new team in London, led by Simon Marc, and is likely to


EU agency wants 65 per cent cut in farm use of last-ditch antibiotic

Colistin is widely used in livestock production and resistant bacteria are growing

Agricultural use of a last-resort antibiotic should be cut by two-thirds to limit the spread of dangerous drug resistance, European medicine regulators said on May 26. The demand for strict curbs on giving colistin to animals is the latest in a string of warnings about antimicrobial resistance. It follows the discovery last year of a

G7 told to act on antibiotics as dreaded superbug hits U.S.

G7 told to act on antibiotics as dreaded superbug hits U.S.

The U.S. has recorded its first case of resistance to last-resort drug, 
but it has already surfaced in Canada and Europe

Britain told the G7 industrial powers on May 27 to do more to fight killer superbugs as the United States reported its first patient with bacteria resistant to a last-resort antibiotic. U.S. scientists said the infection in a 49-year-old Pennsylvania woman “heralds the emergence of truly pandrug-resistant bacteria” because it could not be controlled even


Taking a picture of a grocery item

Social licence – where do I buy one?

More consumers are becoming concerned about the origins of their stuff

I saw a cartoon recently that showed an oil company executive at the Department of Motor Vehicles asking if this was the place to buy a social licence. If only it actually worked that way. What is “social licence” anyways? Generally speaking, it is the acceptance by society of a particular industry or industry practice.