Inhumane treatment documented again

California processor Central Valley Meat Co. is the subject of a recent Internet animal cruelty video released by anti-meat organization “Compassion over Killing.” The video captured instances of inhumane handling practices that are not condoned by the beef and cattle industry or the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA). The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) suspended

U.S. drought pushes Big Sky Farms under

Canada’s second-biggest hog producer, Big Sky Farms, has entered receivership as the North American hog industry struggles under the bruising costs of animal feed. Big Sky Farms, based in Humboldt, produces roughly one million pigs annually and accounts for 40 per cent of Saskatchewan’s total hog production. Under receivership, an outside party controls a company


U.S. hog market “a wreck”

chicago / reuters / Record-high feed costs caused by the worst drought in half a century are forcing U.S. farmers to slaughter more of their hogs, with the number reaching 9.9 million head in August. With the pace of slaughter set to increase seasonally in the fourth quarter, the country could be awash with pork.

Variable creep feed intake confounds trial results

The benefits of creep feeding are notoriously variable, with some research trials showing a positive benefit and others showing no advantage. Even taking into account factors such as weaning age, length of the creep-feeding period, and type of diet fed, it is somewhat of a mystery why the outcomes are not more consistent. So what’s


Activists turn investors in a bid to change farm practices

The Humane Society said it plans to introduce shareholder proposals next year promoting alternatives to sow stalls


The Humane Society of the United States has bought shares in four major financial services companies in a bid to use shareholder pressure to force two of the nation’s largest pork producers to stop housing pregnant sows in gestation stalls. The animal rights group said Aug. 31 that its investment — a relatively small $3,000



U.S. drought pressures feeder market

Manitoba cattle auction marts operated in full holiday mode during the week ended July 27, with only a couple of yards holding sales. Heartland Livestock Services in Brandon and Winnipeg Livestock Sales were the only auction yards able to provide market reports for the week. Both auction marts reported a steady volume of cattle compared

High feed prices push more cattle to slaughter

Manitoba cattle auction marts operated in routine holiday mode during the week ended July 20 with feeder cattle seeing steady prices and average volume for this time of year. But, butcher cows on the slaughter market saw above-normal volume, and weaker prices, an industry official said. Rick Wright, a buyer with Heartland Buying Order Company,


China asks farmers to cut pork supply

beijing / reuters / China’s pig farmers should cut supply to stabilize pork prices, the country’s top economic planning body said June 25. The price of pork, a staple in the Chinese diet and a key factor in inflation trends snapped a four-month decline recently after tumbling more than a third from last year as

Dutch upper house rejects ritual slaughter ban

Reuters — The Dutch upper house, the Senate, has rejected a bill that would have banned the ritual slaughter of animals and had been criticized by both Muslim and Jewish groups. The bill, proposed by the small Party for the Animals, stipulates that livestock must be stunned before being slaughtered, contrary to Muslim halal and