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

The beer economy in Canada supports one out of every 100 jobs in Canada, a Conference Board of Canada report says. photo: thinkstock

Beer drink of choice among Canadians

If you’re an average beer drinker in Manitoba, a new report pegs your consumption at about 240 bottles a year. That’s the fifth-highest per capita consumption of beer in Canada and slightly higher than the national average 235 bottles, according to a new report from the Conference Board of Canada. From Farm to Glass: The


photo: thinkstock

Flaxseed may reduce blood pressure, early findings show

The Winnipeg-based trial found significant reductions but researchers say it’s too soon to replace hypertension drugs with flax

Eating a bit of flaxseed each day might help lower high blood pressure, a new study suggests. Researchers said it’s too early to swap out blood pressure medication for the fibre-filled seeds just yet. But if future studies confirm the new results, flax might be a cheap way to treat high blood pressure, they added.

Saturated fats do not yield better bacon

Saturated fats do not yield better bacon

A recent paper published in the Journal of Animal Science suggests producers may want to adjust pig diets when including distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS). Some producers believe that feeding pigs saturated fats will undo the fat-softening effects of DDGS. Firmer fat means longer-lasting pork. But researchers from the University of Illinois found that


Rope burns can be serious and difficult to treat

Ropes in their various guises are common in the horse world. Although they may differ in length, size and makeup, they all serve to connect people to horses or horses to stationary objects. As a result of this and due to their unforgiving nature, a good working knowledge of ropes is imperative to the safety

CFIA hands over anthrax control to provincial authorities

Manitoba’s Office of the Chief Veterinarian is moving in as the Canadian Food Inspection Agency pulls out of the anthrax business. The agency announced last fall it would be handing over responsibility to provincial authorities, saying the endemic presence of anthrax in some areas means eradication is not feasible. It wants its staff to focus


Canine blood donors don’t seem to mind — maybe it’s because of the treats.  photo: Brady Knight

They’re typical blood donors — except their tails are wagging

The Canadian Animal Blood Bank is a Manitoba initiative that, 
like its human equivalent, is a lifesaver for those in need

Byron doesn’t stop smiling. From the minute he rushes into the exam room of the Brandon Hills Veterinary Clinic and scrambles up onto the table, to when he makes a mad dash for the door 10 minutes later, there is a permanent grin on his face, his tail happily wagging behind him. It’s a good

Got the munchies? How about some ‘pot’ roast?

With recreational marijuana about to become legal in Washington state, the budding ranks of new cannabis growers face a quandary over what to do with the excess stems, roots and leaves from their plants. Pigs may be the answer. Susannah Gross, who owns a five-acre farm north of Seattle, is part of a group experimenting


Liquid nitrogen splash puts KAP president in hospital

Liquid nitrogen splash puts KAP president in hospital

Keystone Agricultural Producers president Doug Chorney got a crash course in farm safety this spring after a seemingly benign splash of liquid nitrogen landed him in hospital with severe dehydration. The Selkirk-area farmer was decoupling a pressurized hose May 15 when he was sprayed with liquid nitrogen. Sunglasses protected his eyes and he washed it

Mystery of Chinese bird flu outbreak grows

Health officials are trying to find out how a new strain of bird flu is infecting people in China — more than half of patients have had no contact with poultry. By late last week, 87 people, mostly in eastern China, have contracted the H7N9 virus, and 17 had died. It is not clear how