A Western blot analysis, used to confirm BSE in bovine brain tissue. (Peggy Greb photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

France confirms new BSE case

Paris | Reuters –– France’s agriculture ministry confirmed Thursday a case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) had been discovered in the northeastern region of Ardennes. The suspected case, found in a five-year-old cow, was identified last week during a test carried out on cattle older than 48 months after slaughter. The farm ministry said there […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle slump fourth straight day

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle settled in bearish territory for a fourth straight session, on leftover selling and fund liquidation after contracts dropped below technical support levels, traders said. April live cattle ended 1.925 cents/lb lower at 136.425, and June finished 1.7 cents lower at 126.15 (all figures US$). Both contracts […] Read more


(Regis Lefebure photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

U.S. livestock: CME hogs see biggest one-day loss in three months

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures on Monday notched their biggest daily loss since last December, hit by technical selling and lower cash price expectations, traders said. April closed 2.1 cents/lb. lower at 69.35 cents, after drifting below the 40-day moving average of 70.31 cents (all figures US$). May ended 2.1 […] Read more




Ranching for beef and species at risk

Ranching for beef and species at risk

The expansiveness of the native prairie landscape in southern Saskatchewan is in reality an illusion because at tops it’s only 21 per cent of the original grassland area at the time of settlement. Generations of ranching families have conserved vast tracts of native grasslands that may have otherwise been turned over to crops or lost […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Feeder cattle steady but demand remains sluggish

Western Canadian feeder cattle prices traded in line with week-ago levels on average, though the market was quite variable across the Prairies. Favourable temperatures in southern Alberta enhanced demand on all weight categories, especially on grassers from 500 to 650 lbs. Higher-quality backgrounded cattle were also $4-$8 higher in certain cases in Alberta. In Saskatchewan […] Read more

This is what one field looked like before I took it over. See what it looks like three years later (picture below).

Are you a good steward of the land?

In agriculture, we pride ourselves on our lifestyle. We are ranchers or farmers and we view ourselves differently than our urban cousins. We take credit for being “Stewards of the Land.” We harvest what we sow and work with nature to feed the world. This all sounds warm and fuzzy, but I think that this […] Read more



TrustBIX Inc. is one of the organizations set to share in $49.5 million in federal funding.

Cargill to supply Alberta carcass data to BIXS

One of Canada’s biggest beef packers is set to supply the specs on beef carcasses processed at its Alberta plant to the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association’s (CCA) BIXS information-sharing system. Cargill and BIXSCo, the CCA-backed operators of BIXS (Beef InfoXchange System), announced Thursday that the multinational agrifood firm will provide its past three years of beef […] Read more