Glacier FarmMedia – Beleaguered hog farmers are finally getting paid more but the extra cash — and then some — is blowing out the door as costs soar. A year ago, it cost about $140 per month to house and feed a pig, said Mark Wipf, hog and feed manager for Lakeside Colony Farming Company,
Pork producers slammed by a huge jump in costs
It’s not just feed costs — rising bills for heat, freight, and medication have eaten up a hike in prices
The premiums are there for grass-fed beef, but so is the work
It takes longer to get paid, and marketing and delivery will be critical to your success
Glacier FarmMedia – It’s not for everyone, but raising grass-fed beef can bring returns that conventional cow-calf producers can only dream about. “Someone can make a living off 70 head of grass-fed beef easily — or even 50,” said Ben Campbell, who raises both grass-fed and conventional cattle near Black Diamond, Alta. “Where if you
Pandemic fads: Are puppies, plants and backyard chickens still popular?
Nearly two years on, how are newbie pet owners, gardeners, and poultry enthusiasts making out?
Glacier FarmMedia – Puppies, plants, and backyard chickens became hot trends when the pandemic took hold — but are they still popular almost two years in? Pandemic pets “At the beginning of the pandemic, we were swamped with people,” said Sharla Willis, who has operated a dog-breeding business for 16 years with her mother Dorrie
Alberta looks for feed, Ottawa promises cash for B.C.
Alberta to help with veterinary testing after B.C.'s lab flooded, Alberta ag minister says
Even though supplies are low because of drought, Alberta is looking for feed to send to B.C. livestock producers, while Ottawa will provide emergency financial assistance to farmers dealing with flooding and closed roads in the hard-hit province. “We’ve been working with the B.C. department of agriculture,” Alberta Agriculture Minister Nate Horner said during a
Canadian company worming its way into plant food and ag markets
The worms turn waste into an increasingly sought-after soil supplement
Glacier FarmMedia – It all started with a few worms and an idea, and has now grown to four facilities and 70 million red wigglers. And that’s what makes Canada’s largest worm farm different — it scaled way, way up. “One of the biggest challenges with worm farms is scalability,” said Michael Launer, CEO of
Alberta ag minister resigns among allegations of heavy drinking
Admitting he has a problem with alcohol, Devin Dreeshen resigned as Alberta’s minister of agriculture and forestry this morning. He has been replaced by Drumheller-Stettler MLA Nate Horner. “This morning, I offered Premier Jason Kenney my resignation as minister of agriculture and forestry and he has accepted,” Dreeshen said on Twitter on Nov. 5. “I
Cattle producers struggle but beef suppliers are doing just fine
Wholesale beef prices at record levels but those strong prices haven’t made their way to producers
Glacier FarmMedia – The good news is that beef prices are extremely strong, even in the face of record beef production in North America. “We have record-high wholesale beef prices right now,” CANFAX manager and senior analyst Brian Perillat said at the recent (and virtual) Canadian Beef Industry Conference. Unfortunately, cattle prices are just not
Burp-busting feed additive still a few years from approval
Research has found 3-NOP works, but the path to regulatory approval is long and slow
Glacier FarmMedia – A new feed additive can reduce methane emissions in beef and dairy cattle, but unfortunately, it’s not available in North America yet and won’t be for some time. The feed additive, called 3-nitrooxypropanol (or 3-NOP for short), is a methane-inhibiting compound created by Dutch company DSM Nutritional Products. “It’s quite well researched in dairy and beef
Drought-battered farmers facing another crisis — contract penalties
Deadly combo of crop failures and sky-high prices leave some facing huge penalties on unfulfilled contracts
Glacier FarmMedia – The drought is squeezing producers from all sides, with many facing another calamity — not having enough crop to fulfil their grain contracts. “There are issues because the drought is so widespread,” said Jason Saunders, vice-chair of Alberta Wheat who farms near Taber, Alta. “There was aggressive forward contracting on canola and
Cows love it but growing corn for silage or grazing can be tricky
Getting the crop off to a good start through seed selection and good seed placement is critical
Glacier FarmMedia – Corn can be an attractive option for feeding cattle, but there are a lot of specifics to consider when you choose to grow it. “Corn just tastes good and cows love it. It’s more palatable than barley, and it has a better dry matter intake,” Greg Paranych, agriculture field specialist with Alberta’s
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