
Livestock

Options for reseeding pastures
From frost seeding to aerial application, there is a range of methods for rejuvenating forage stands
Fuel and fertilizer prices are rising daily, making the decision harder on whether producers should reseed pasture. “That full break and reseed, even prior to this year, was the most expensive way to go,” says forage and grazing specialist Christine O’Reilly. But there are more options than cultivating and reseeding with a drill. “Reseeding tends […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs retreat off contract highs
Corn's climb drags on cattle futures
Chicago | Reuters — Lean hog futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange closed lower on Thursday, shrugging off early support from a bullish U.S. government hog inventory report as traders appeared to focus instead on profit-taking at the end of the quarter and disappointing wholesale pork prices, traders said. CME benchmark June lean hogs settled […] Read more

Steve Kenyon: The disposable herd
Managing the spring flush the key to fall grazing
We have a very short growing season here at Busby, Alta. We start to green up at the end of April or in early May and are usually hit with a killing frost by mid-September. We have about five months to grow 12 months’ worth of feed. Now, some might take that as a disadvantage. […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME hog futures end lower
USDA inventory data seen supportive
Chicago | Reuters — Lean hog futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange closed lower on Wednesday on profit-taking and positioning ahead of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s quarterly hog inventory report. However, traders said the government data, released after the close, was supportive for futures. USDA reported the U.S. hog herd as of March 1 […] Read more

Third Ontario poultry flock hit by avian flu
Backyard flock with 'increased mortality' also being tested; cases now also in four U.S. border states
A third poultry flock in southwestern Ontario has been confirmed with highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza — with another backyard flock now being tested, and the disease also now present in four U.S. border states. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) on Wednesday announced it had confirmed the presence of high-path H5N1 in a poultry […] Read more

Quebec group seeks to sue beef packers over pricing
Group's class-action application alleges price-fixing dating back to 2015
A Quebec consumer protection group intends to launch a class action lawsuit against four major beef processors in Canada and the U.S., alleging a “meat pricing conspiracy.” “At a time of high inflation, it is unacceptable to make the price of beef even more expensive than it already is,” Sylvie De Bellefeuille, a lawyer for […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME cattle futures rise as grains fall
Hogs ease ahead of USDA data
Chicago | Reuters — Live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange rose on Tuesday with the benchmark June contract hitting a four-week top, led by a surge in feeder cattle futures and optimism about consumer demand for beef, traders said. CME June live cattle settled up 1.7 cents at 138.475 cents/lb. while May feeder […] Read more

Second southwestern Ontario farm hit with avian flu
Separate H5N1 strains hit separate turkey farms
A second turkey operation in southwestern Ontario has been confirmed and quarantined with highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza — but of a strain separate from the one seen in an outbreak in the same region a day earlier. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said in a statement Monday its National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease […] Read more

Planning for herd health
Identifying the key elements of a herd health protocol using the VBP+ sample record template
A herd health protocol is a document that outlines a producer’s plan for annual vaccinations and procedures, as well as treatments for common on-farm diseases. Created with a veterinarian, this plan includes timing of procedures, necessary supplies and identification of the cattle involved. While it is always a producer’s goal to avoid needing to treat […] Read more

Klassen: Feeder market showing strength in deferred positions
Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling prices were $3-$5 lower on average while calves traded steady to $4 lower. Outside central Alberta, the steer-heifer spread appeared to widen by $2-$4. Strength in corn futures contributed to the defensive tone. Feedlot operators buying hand-to-mouth have been caught off guard with the recent jump in feed […] Read more