Editorial: Everybody is responsible

The livestock industry in the Netherlands has had to make a lot of changes to comply with growing public pressure for more environmentally sustainable and humane practices. But it hasn’t had to do it alone. That fact was inescapable during a recent whirlwind tour of Netherlands livestock operations by a Canadian delegation, courtesy of the

Cases of strawberry foot rot may go unnoticed because there is not much swelling evident at first.

Strawberry foot rot is on the increase in feedlots

An infection previously mostly found in dairy cattle is showing up in some western feedlots

It has come to my attention that “strawberry foot rot” or “hairy heel wart” or “Montellaros disease,” which was once considered a dairy disease is now making its way into feedlots in Eastern Canada. The disease is potentially caused by a treponema bacteria. The infection starts at the back of the hoof on or near


Consumer perceptions and attitudes about how animals are treated in agriculture increasingly influence what they buy, officials warn. photo:©thinkstock

Public pressure will continue on animal welfare

The sometimes arduous process of developing animal care codes is just the beginning, not the end goal

Within days of the wrap-up of this year’s National Farm Animal Care Council conference, news reports surfaced about a disturbing case of abusive treatment of layer chickens at two Alberta farms. The controversy over the secretly filmed scenes shown on CTV’s “W5” was a reminder of the “strong emotions surrounding animal abuse,” said Jackie Wepruk,