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Even just a little dairy is good for you: researchers

Taiwanese who eat no dairy have higher blood pressure than those who do


A little dairy food daily, even for those who haven’t traditionally consumed it, may reduce the risk of heart disease or stroke, say researchers at Australia’s Monash University. A study of nearly 4,000 Taiwanese was led by Professor Mark Wahlqvist. “In a dominantly Chinese food culture, unaccustomed to dairy foods, consuming them up to seven



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Forage expert says bloat caused by alfalfa a “self-culling trait”

Jim Gerrish says selecting for bloat tolerance is a producer’s No. 1 defence against the deadly condition

The fear of bloat costs the livestock industry more than the condition ever does, says a well-known grazing consultant and researcher from Idaho. “I’ve seen the figures from the States, and something like two one-hundredths of one per cent of the total cattle herd dies each year from bloat,” Jim Gerrish told attendees at a

Many equine athletes have their careers cut short because of arthritis.

The most common cause of lameness in horses

There are many things horse owners and riders can do to prevent the onset of arthritis

Recent estimates show that approximately 60 per cent of lameness problems in horses are related to arthritis. As a result the diagnosis and treatment of arthritis in horses has become a multibillion-dollar industry. Since arthritis is rarely curable and at best manageable, it is worthwhile to consider the contributing factors that place horses at risk


Beef producers: reading this will lower your blood pressure

Beef producers: reading this will lower your blood pressure

As long as you’re not producing well-marbled carcasses

Penn State University researchers say that contrary to conventional wisdom, a growing body of evidence shows that eating lean beef can reduce risk factors for heart disease. “This research adds to the significant evidence, including work previously done in our lab, that supports lean beef’s role in a heart-healthy diet,” Penny M. Kris-Etherton, distinguished professor

Most North Americans use velvet antler as dried powder in capsules, for recovery from injury or exercise, to boost testosterone, and improve circulation.

Regaining access to China markets

Tainted food scandals have convinced Chinese buyers that imports are safer

Cervid (elk and other deer) products have been used and prized in China for at least 2,700 years. That makes China a very valuable marketplace for cervid products. Indeed, it was a good market until Canada and the U.S. took action to contain and eradicate BSE in early 2003. China immediately closed its markets to


piglet

Pig parasites could be beneficial to humans

The pig whipworm could hold the key to new medical treatments

New treatments for inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, diabetes and autism could be on the horizon, after a global University of Melbourne — lead study successfully mapped the genes of a parasitic worm in pigs. “We know that humans infected with the harmless, ‘pig whipworm’ can have significantly reduced symptoms linked to autoimmune

Early exposure to common allergens builds immunity

Scientists offer new insights to an old idiom

The old adage “you have to eat a peck of dirt before you die” is often used to comfort horrified mothers who catch their first-born playing in situations that are — ahem — less than clean. But researchers now say children who are exposed to dirt, dander and germs — specifically in their first year of


So much for the ‘cheap food’ defence

Ag boosters habitually fall back on two defences whenever someone questions why farmers do things the way they do — usually on ethical or environmental sustainability issues. We’ve dealt with fallacies of the first mantra — our farmers must feed the world — previously in this space. Increasing the productivity of small-scale farmers — most

Woman standing at a bakery counter

The popularity of eating gluten free continues to drive product development

For some it’s a fad, for others it’s a medical necessity, but for farmers a growing interest in gluten free may be an opportunity to explore new crops

Inside the cosy St. Boniface storefront that houses Cocoabeans Bakeshop you’ll find breads, pastries, buns, sandwiches, cookies and cakes alongside steaming coffee and tiny tables, much like any bakery across the province. But there is one thing that isn’t on the menu — gluten. Owner Betsy Hiebert, along with her three children, are living with