Manitoba beef producers have plenty of reason to look back on 2017 fondly. The beef sector enjoyed good prices and high market volumes through the fall run, while early concerns about feed quantity evaporated as the province mostly dodged the drought conditions seen in south-central Saskatchewan. “It’s been, actually, a good year,” Brian Lemon, Manitoba
Bumper year for the beef industry, despite dry season
The beef industry is floating on high prices, high cattle volumes and cautious regulatory optimism going into 2018
Clock is ticking on electronic monitoring for transport trucks
Trucks carrying agricultural shipments into the U.S. will have a tighter leash on hours-of-service rules this year, and Canada isn’t far behind
Old-fashioned transport truck log books are becoming a thing of the past, and agricultural haulers are getting ready for the change. Both the U.S. and Canada hope to tighten compliance on how long drivers are on the road by switching out paper logs for mandatory electronic logging devices. “Driver fatigue is recognized in Canada and
Precision agriculture takes to wing at Southport
Precision agriculture has both sky-high potential and some very down-to-earth obstacles
When it comes to precision agriculture, there is no such thing as too much quality data — assuming you have the software and internet connection to process it. Southport hosted a precision ag discussion and drew farm consultants, service providers and producers Dec. 12 for its second workshop. “It’s gone from satellite, really huge zones,
Is it time to revisit ISO?
Different equipment brands work together better in Europe than in North America, according to one presenter at Southport’s second precision agriculture workshop Dec. 12. Jeff Ziegler of precision ag firm Trimble says North America is years behind Europe in adopting ISO international standards on equipment compatibility. Those standards (commonly referred to as ISOBUS) were rolled
Hog Days celebrated in Brandon
Dec. 14 marked the return of Manitoba’s Hog and Livestock Days, a biennial show highlighting the pork sector
It was all about the pigs in Brandon. Manitoba’s Hog and Livestock Days, more commonly known as Hog Days, returned to the Keystone Centre Dec. 14. The biennial show was last held in 2015. The pork-specific trade show was up about 25 exhibitors, bringing participation up to 135 booths. “In two years, a lot of
Pork sector mixed victories and challenges in 2017
Policy changes positive war with the worst PEDv outbreak on record and renewed criticism from Hog Watch as pork producers look back on 2017
Manitoba’s pork sector has racked up victories on paper, but challenges on the ground during 2017. In perhaps one of the biggest wins for the industry, 2017 ended the freeze on new barns, something industry has fought for since a rule requiring anaerobic digesters in new barns was first introduced in 2006 and expanded province-wide
MBFI tackles the ins and outs of winter pasturing
From swath grazing to corn grazing, geothermal wells to motion sensor water pumps, farmers got a taste of their extended grazing options earlier this month
Beef producers should all consider some type of extended grazing, even if it only adds a few weeks to the season. That’s according to Manitoba Agriculture livestock extension Shawn Cabak, one of the speakers at the latest producer-focused workshop from Manitoba Beef and Forage Initiatives near Brookdale. Attendees took home the pros and cons of
Malting barley production down, quality up
Western Canada’s barley acres continue to fall, but the Canadian Grain Commission says there were some bright spots
There was less malt barley produced this year but what did come off looked good, according to the Canadian Grain Commission. The organization’s 2017 Quality of Western Canadian Malting Barley report noted lower production, less acres and a yield decrease, but high kernel weights and plumpness across the Prairies. Manitoba showed the highest production drop
Producers push for tighter bear-baiting rules
Riding Mountain producer Teren Garlinski says baiting bears on Crown lands has contributed to his herd losses, and he wants something done
Beef producer Teren Garlinski wants to see a halt to bear baiting on Crown lands, or at least have meat taken out of the equation. Garlinski, who farms southwest of Grandview near the border of Riding Mountain National Park, says predation is a serious concern on his operation and claims bear baiting contributes to the
Because I love you: Preparing for the worst
Angela Fox found herself running the family beef farm on her own after losing her husband in 2011. Now, she’s sharing some of those hard lessons
Angela and Jay Fox thought they were well prepared for a worst-case scenario. They had braved the uncomfortable talk about last wishes — Jay wanted no part of a regular hearse. Instead, he wanted his coffin and family brought to the graveyard in an old farm truck. They had wills and life insurance. They knew