Study finds ergot has little effect on bull breeding soundness

Study finds ergot has little effect on bull breeding soundness

A study at the University of Saskatchewan’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) has found that bulls can eat feed contaminated by ergot alkaloids without it severely affecting their reproductive health.  Vanessa Cowan, who conducted the study at WCVM, says they decided to conduct this study after producers expressed concern that ergot in their feed […] Read more

Photo: Thinkstock

U.S. livestock: CME hog futures recover after ‘complete downhill slide’

Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures ended higher on Friday as the market recovered after sliding to life-of-contract lows this week. The market was due for a bounce as losses were overdone, brokers said. “We’ve been on just about a complete downhill slide,” said Karl Setzer, brokerage research lead at Mid-Co […] Read more


Simmental breeder recognized, B.C. breeders awarded

Purely Purebred, news from the March 2023 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

Richard Meyers of Minton, Sask., was honoured during Agribition’s commercial cattle show last fall. Meyers has been raising purebred Simmentals for 50 years in Canada. He and his family started with Simmentals in 1970 with some Swiss-imported heifers and also expanded into purebred Red Angus in the early 1980s. Congratulations, Richard, on this milestone. Welch […] Read more

(TysonFoods.com)

Tyson Foods plant closure raises antitrust concerns among US farmers, experts

Reuters – Tyson Foods Inc TSN.N gave its chicken suppliers two months’ notice of its plan to shut a Virginia processing plant in May, raising concerns among farmers and legal experts about the company’s compliance with antitrust regulations requiring it to give 90 days’ notice before ending a contract. The planned closure of the plant has left […] Read more


(FevziieRyeman/iStock/Getty Images)

China agrees to resume imports of Brazilian beef

Beijing authorizes four new Brazilian plants

Beijing/Sao Paulo | Reuters –– Efforts by the Brazilian government to lift a month-long ban on beef exports to China paid off on Thursday, as Beijing agreed to resume imports while also approving four new beef packers based in Brazil, according to authorities in both countries. China’s General Administration of Customs approved the resumption of […] Read more

CME April 2023 lean hogs with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME hogs slide to new contract lows, finish mixed

April live cattle down, feeders up

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures crumbled to new life-of-contract lows on Thursday, before finishing mixed, on concerns about poor demand for U.S. pork, analysts said. The market has tanked since last week, with additional pressure stemming from weak cash prices and larger-than-expected supplies of hogs. The front-month contract is down […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

CCA reports: Maintaining trade momentum

Beef exports showing record-level growth

Trade is a bright spot for the Canadian beef industry. We have seen incredible gains in our international trade file over the years. For our sixth straight year in a row, we’ve seen record growth in our exports. Exports have added C$1,044 per animal in value (five-year average) through selling into international markets. But this […] Read more

File photo of goats on display at the Hanover Agricultural Fair in Grunthal, Man. in August 2019. (Dave Bedard photo)

CFIA seeks feedback on traceability, animal ID amendments

Producers have until June 16 to comment on proposals

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is now seeking comment on its proposed amendments to livestock identification and traceability regulations. The regulatory proposal would address what the agency calls “gaps” in the current system, including: adding goats and cervids as animal species that share diseases with other regulated livestock, and therefore subject to traceability requirements, shortening […] Read more


heifer supplement

Unpacking mineral tags

Nutrition with John McKinnon: What’s with the 2:1 in my mineral?

When I visit with cow-calf operators, I am encouraged to hear that most have a good understanding of the importance of proper mineral nutrition, particularly as it pertains to the reproductive success of the herd. However, when questioned about specifics of what mineral is required for what function or how much of a given mineral […] Read more

CME June 2023 lean hogs with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME hogs fall to contract lows on demand worries

April cattle also down on day

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures tumbled to contract lows again on Wednesday on concerns about lower demand, analysts said. Worries about the risk for a recession to reduce consumers’ meat purchases hung over livestock markets, particularly for expensive cuts, said Arlan Suderman, chief commodities economist for broker StoneX. Wheat and […] Read more