Pre-weaned calves can be easily stressed in cold weather, which can affect their future health and productivity.

Taking the bite out of cold-weather livestock care

Strategies for keeping calves warm and healthy

Glacier FarmMedia – The youngest calves on the farm are the most sensitive to temperature changes and, in the case of a turn toward colder weather, producers can have problems managing morbidity, mortality and suboptimal growth rates, said Sarah Morrison. She is a research scientist with the William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute in Chazy,


Chair Andy Cardy stands with the winning pork carcass sides at a competition held during the recent Brandon Hog and Livestock Show.

Carcass competition spices up Hog and Livestock Show

Slumping prices have created trying times in the industry, but producer interest was high at trade show

Glacier FarmMedia – Anyone who wanted to meet a young, competitive and chatty hog producer last week just had to hang around outside the glass-fronted hog cooler at the recent Brandon Hog and Livestock Show. Throughout the event, groups of young men, mostly Hutterites, approached the glass and appraised the top five carcasses on display.

Manage ewes now for lambing success

Manage ewes now for lambing success

A little attention now will make the most of feed and allow producers to be proactive on livestock health

After a mild fall and hopefully a prosperous breeding season, many sheep producers are turning their attention to lambing season and management of bred ewes. “A primary concern as we transition to winter months is feed resources and identifying expected grain and forage requirements for pregnant ewes,” said Travis Hoffman, sheep specialist with North Dakota


(Sierrarat/iStock/Getty Images)

Klassen: Feeder market quiets at year-end

Feeding margins have moved into negative territory, setting a negative tone for replacements

The last full week of 2023 was characterized by lower volumes and limited buying interest. Feedlot operators don’t want to weigh down schedules of hired hands over the holidays. Many auction barns were closed for the season while some held bred cows and bred heifer sales.

China’s demand for U.S. pork so far has been disappointing, analysts say.
 Photo: Thinkstock

Smaller U.S. swine herd likely as Prop 12 takes effect, think tank says 

Canadian pork sector concerned the animal welfare law will act as a non-tariff trade barrier 

The cost of compliance with a California animal welfare law, which takes full effect on New Year’s Day, will likely shrink the U.S. national hog herd and lead to further consolidation, a Washington State think tank says. “No one will be spared the change in market pressures,” wrote Pam Lewison, director for the Washington Policy



(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

More local barley destined for rations, but U.S. corn still moving

Prior to drought year 2021/22, Canadian corn imports had rarely topped two million tonnes

Recently revised supply/demand tables from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada raised the forecast for domestic barley usage in the current crop year to 6.155 million tonnes. That compares with an earlier forecast of 5.471 million tonnes. If realized, that would be up by roughly 200,000 tonnes from the previous year.



Woodchurch High School pupils Megan Pitt and Corey Gibson, 13, prepare their sheep for judging as they compete in the Young Handlers class at the Westmorland County Show near Kendal, Britain, September 14, 2023. Photo: Phil Noble/Reuters

Urban school farm opens world of opportunity to British teens

Students from the underprivileged community have won acclaim at ag fairs, and some have gone on to be farmers, vets

The rural life of rearing rare breed sheep and nurturing alpacas is a world away for many urban teenagers. Yet a British school near Liverpool has opened its pupils to a wealth of jobs in agriculture and the benefits of nature with its own farm.