Changes to the National Beef Code of Practice, which took effect earlier this month, place new requirements on producers to provide pain control for dehorning and castration in cattle that are older than nine months. “A lot of producers do these procedures earlier on so it won’t have a huge impact on them, but for
New requirements in place to mitigate pain during specific procedures
Provincial extension veterinarian says the new Code of Practice requirements make calves easier to handle and typically allow faster recovery due to reduced stress levels
Province lifts limitation on pasture insurance
The pasture insurance pilot program that was limited to 90 producers last year is now open to the entire province
Producers who graze their cattle have a new option for protecting themselves from underperforming pastures. Ron Kostyshyn, minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, announced January 19 that the province has lifted limitations on the pasture days insurance program. The program is designed to compensate producers who have had to remove livestock from pasture and
Province addresses wildlife predation
Manitoba livestock producers will see an increase to wildlife damage compensation beginning in April
Manitoba livestock producers will soon see higher compensation rates for animals injured or killed by wildlife. Beginning April 1, the maximum value for domestic animals killed or injured by natural predators will increase from $2,000 to $3,000. “Creating an environment for producers to succeed in Manitoba is vital to building strong rural communities in our
McDonald’s seeks Manitoba producers for pilot project
With the majority of contributions stemming from Alberta, McDonald’s Canada’s verified sustainable beef pilot project is hoping for further participation from Manitoba’s cow-calf producers
As McDonald’s Canada’s verified sustainable beef pilot project enters its final five months, organizers hope to engage more Manitoba producers in the verification process. “I would love to have more Manitoba producers involved because, as I tell everyone in Alberta, yes, McDonald’s may be sourcing Alberta beef, but most of it was born in Manitoba,”
Solid gains by cattle sector
Canadian beef producers are producing more beef on less land with fewer animals, all while reducing greenhouse gas emissions
Efforts to reduce the Canadian beef industry’s environmental footprint are paying off, new research shows. “Improved production and feed efficiencies, crop yields and management strategies have led to reduced emissions in Canadian beef production,” said Tim McAlister, research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and principal investigator of the research study. “And, compared to
PAMI trials new technology for cleaning swine trailers
Researchers have developed a promising new prototype that has the ability to clean swine trailers more efficiently while maintaining biosecurity standards
New technology for cleaning swine transportation trailers is showing promise in reducing labour and water requirements while maintaining or possibly improving biosecurity-related outcomes. “We believe that the system we are proposing is not an ultimate solution, but it certainly represents a good solution to better handle biosecurity concerns,” said Hubert Landry, research scientist with the
Report on wild food industry suggests the need for a co-operative
The Woodlot Association of Manitoba recently investigated the potential to develop a wild food industry in the province’s 2.4 million acres of privately owned wooded land
The Woodlot Association of Manitoba (WAM) says the province’s privately owned forests are a cornucopia of foods if entrepreneurs are willing to take a walk on the wild side. Following a number of interviews and public meetings, WAM has prepared a report that sees a bright future for wild food foraging and farming, in short,
Research study examines the path of rural innovations
A Brandon research centre believes rural Manitoba contains a wealth of innovation ideas and hopes to create new support services to help residents get their ideas to market
Rural entrepreneurs face steep hurdles bringing their innovations to market, but the province is well endowed with people willing to put their ideas to the test, researchers with Brandon’s Rural Development Institute have found. The institute recently partnered with eight Manitoba bulk food-processing companies to analyze sector activity and growth opportunities. “This study itself builds
Quality winter feed will promote a more successful calving season, says expert
For strong cows at calving time, MAFRD livestock expert says to focus on the content of winter feed and keep your eye on the thermometer
Having profitable calves next fall starts with not shortchanging their mothers now, a livestock extension specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives says. “Based on research conducted by the Western Beef Development Centre, reproduction is five times more important than growth rate and 10 times more important than carcass quality when it comes to
Bale grazing for a healthier pasture and wallet
Conservation Champions: A Gilbert Plains producer says switching to a bale-grazing system has saved money, labour and created positive changes in pastures
Ron and Janice Apostle run their second-generation cow-calf operation on the outskirts of Gilbert Plains with the intent of leaving the land better than they found it. “Everything starts with the environment,” said Janice. “We used to have our corrals right by the creek and we wanted to apply to move them. During that process
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