Smoke billows during a fire in an area of the Amazon rainforest near Humaita, Amazonas State, Brazil on Aug. 14, 2019. (Photo: Reuters/Ueslei Marcelino)

Brazil Amazon deforestation soars to 11-year high

Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil | Reuters — Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest rose to its highest in over a decade this year, government data on Monday showed, confirming a sharp increase under the leadership of right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro. The data from Brazil’s INPE space research agency, which showed deforestation soaring 29.5 per cent […] Read more



When anthrax spores get inside the body, they are “activated.” Bacteria rapidly multiply and produce powerful toxins resulting in vascular collapse and death.

Anthrax: A disease of antiquity spread by ancient human migration

Vet Advice with Dr. Ron Clarke

Historians think anthrax originated in Egypt and Mesopotamia. Biblical scholars suggest that during Moses’ time and through the 10 plagues of Egypt, anthrax may have caused the fifth plague, captured in ancient script as a sickness affecting horses, cattle, sheep, camels and oxen. Homer described a plague that many believe to be anthrax in The […] Read more

CME February 2020 lean hogs with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Hogs reach two-month low

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures fell to a two-month low on Thursday on large supplies and uncertainty over negotiations to boost trade with China, the world’s top pork consumer. Traders and meat producers are hoping for further U.S. pork sales to China, which is grappling with a fatal pig disease that has […] Read more



Ionophores are used most extensively in feedlot cattle diets, but are generally considered a good investment regardless of the diet fed.

The complicated life of an ionophore

Ron Clarke outlines the basics of how these widely used feed additives work

Ionophores are a class of compounds frequently talked about in animal nutrition, yet infrequently understood by many. First marketed in the 1960s and derived from soil-borne organisms, ionophores are best described as feed additives that reversibly bind ions — chemical entities possessing an electric charge — then subsequently facilitate their transport across membranes. Commonly used […] Read more



In a photo posted Nov. 6, incoming Berthier-Maskinonge MP Yves Perron meets with the riding’s outgoing NDP MP Ruth Ellen Brosseau to pick up active files from her constituency office. (Facebook)

Bloc Quebecois president tapped as party’s ag critic

The Bloc Quebecois will head into the House of Commons next month with a new critic handling the agriculture portfolio. Bloc leader Yves-Francois Blanchet has named Yves Perron, the rookie MP for Berthier-Maskinonge, as the party’s critic for agriculture, agri-food and supply management. As the Bloc’s ag critic, Perron replaces Mirabel MP Simon Marcil, who […] Read more


The right mineral supplementation program can improve colostrum and calf immunity, according to a study on the University of Florida’s cow herds.

Research suggests trace mineral source matters

New research shows that organic trace mineral supplementation has benefits over its inorganic counterparts

When it comes to mineral supplementation for beef females, new research suggests that the source matters. Studies from the University of Florida show that organic trace mineral supplementation for cows has benefits compared to inorganic trace minerals in areas such as increased pregnancy rates, weaning weight and calf immunity. Dr. Matt Hersom is an associate […] Read more

Feeder placement has been slower though the fall run of 2019 than in recent years.

Domestic, export demand supporting fed cattle prices

The Markets with Deb McMillin, from the November 2019 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

Fed cattle The western Canadian cash bids have seen week-over-week increases since mid-September. At mid-October, fed prices were nearing $144/cwt. This is $7.57/cwt higher than the low set in August but still $6.38/cwt below the average price the same week last year. Although carcass weights are 10 lbs. heavier than a year ago — at […] Read more