Hogs & Farming Articles - Manitoba Co-operator

Philippines investigates Ebola in pigs

January 1, 2009

The Philippines has asked the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for help in stopping the spread of Ebola-Reston virus after an infection was found in some hog farms early this year, an official said on Dec. 17. The Agriculture Department has sent requests to the FAO to test an initial 10,000 swine in two

Hogs, Other

Smithfield workers vote for union

January 1, 2009

Meat cutters at the world’s largest pork plant in Tar Heel, North Carolina, have voted to be represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers union, a decision that should end more than 10 years of bitter fighting between the union and the plant’s owner, Smithfield Foods Inc. The tally was 2,041 in favour of

Beef cattle, Hogs, News

Britain tightens beef exports from N. Ireland

December 18, 2008

Britain has restricted beef exports coming from farms in Northern Ireland that received contaminated animal feed from Ireland, and confirmed that no pigs were affected, European Union officials said Dec. 10. British authorities had blocked beef shipments from nine pig and cattle farms and were carrying out extra tests to see if any Northern Irish

Beef cattle, Hogs, News

Minimal risk seen from Irish pork dioxins

December 18, 2008

Consumers eating average amounts of Irish pork with 10 per cent contamination by cancer-causing dioxins should not have concerns for their health, the EU’s leading food safety agency said Dec. 10. In response to a request by the European Commission, the Italy-based European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) said it had examined several exposure scenarios for

Hogs, Livestock, News

Air filters can help contain disease

By Jim Romahn December 18, 2008

Air filters are working to keep pigs safe from porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome (PRRS), Dr. Scott Dee of the University of Minnesota told a recent industry day organized by the Ontario Pork Industry Council (OPIC). The lab and research farm results are confirmed by farm experience, said veterinarian Darwin Reicks of the nine-veterinarian Swine

Hogs, Livestock, News

Hog producers pinch pennies as crisis continues

By Ron Friesen December 11, 2008

Colin Hatch will only say his company’s sales are down “marginally.” But his body language suggests otherwise. Like other businesses servicing the hog industry, Elanco Animal Health is feeling the pinch. Low prices, high costs and trade barriers are causing producers to leave the industry. Fewer producers mean fewer pigs and, as a result, lower

Hogs, Livestock Markets

Tainted Irish pork shipped to Canada

By Andras Gergely December 11, 2008

Ireland’s pork producers sought emergency aid on Monday to help foot a bill of at least 100 million euros (C$163 million) after dioxin contamination caused meat to be pulled from shop shelves in more than 20 countries. “We’re facing a major financial crisis, a major liquidity problem,” said Cormac Healy, director of the Irish Association

Cereals, Hogs, Oilseeds, Other

Byproducts can help reduce pig feed cost

December 11, 2008

BERNIE PEET Peet on Pigs “Overall, replacing wheat with triticale did not affect feed disappearance or weight gain.” – DR. EDUARDO BELTRANENA Bernie Peet is president of Pork Chain Consulting Ltd. of Lacombe, Alta., and editor of Western Hog Journal. His columns will run every second week in the Manitoba Co-operator. Prairie hog producers will

Hogs, News

Canada takes COOL to WTO

By Ron Friesen December 4, 2008

“… a needless and expensive thickening of the border.” – Gerry Ritz Canada has launched a WTO trade action against the U. S. mandatory country-of-origin meat labelling rule. Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and International Trade Minister Stockwell Day made the announcement at a news conference in Ottawa Monday. The Canadian government has initiated formal

Hogs, Livestock Markets

U. S. hogs end at six-week high as supplies abate

By Bob Burgdorfer December 4, 2008

U. S. hog futures closed at their highest level in six weeks at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange Nov. 28 as investors believe the flood of hogs that hit the market this fall is abating, which should mean higher cash markets in the weeks ahead. Cattle futures finished lower, largely the victim of selling by investors

Daily Network News

Prairie Wheat Weekly: Rising loonie pushes down cash prices

Prairie forecast: Arctic air dominates the forecast

Bayer takes its multi-front battle on pesticide liability to Kansas

Hogs