Setting posts in difficult ground

Tips for rough ground

Building fence is more challenging in rocky, frozen or swampy ground when it’s impossible to dig post holes efficiently, or pound posts. Michael Thomas of Thomas and Son Custom Fencing, at Baker, Idaho, says options in rocks include chipping or prying the rocks out with a hand bar, or using a hammer drill. “This works […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: Fund buying extends live cattle gains

Chicago | Reuters — The previous session’s Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle advances carried over into Wednesday, with support from fund buying and short-covering on the final trading session of the month, said traders. Futures’ discounts to this week’s initial cash prices provided additional market support, they said. June ended up 1.45 cents/lb. to 124.425 […] Read more


(Scott Bauer photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

PED cases fan out in southeastern Manitoba

Three more farms in southeastern Manitoba have been confirmed with cases of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) — all of them outside the buffer area in which six previous infected sites were confirmed earlier this month. Two farms, a sow operation and a finisher operation “linked by live pig movements,” were confirmed with PED Friday, followed […] Read more

Dr. Tye Perrett, Feedlot Health Management Services.

Calves from vaccinated dams did better in the feedlot

Canadian study looked at protection from respiratory and viral diseases

A uniquely Canadian study provides the first comprehensive look at feedlot health outcomes for calves from dams vaccinated before conception with Express FP. Dr. Tye Perrett, a managing partner with Feedlot Health Management Services, Okotoks, Alta., oversaw the project that reviewed Canadian feedlot records on 1.4 million calves born between 2007 and 2014 to compare […] Read more


(JBSS.infoinvest.com.br)

JBS parent to pay record fine in leniency deal

Brasilia/Sao Paulo | Reuters — J+F Investimentos, controlling shareholder of the globe’s largest meatpacker JBS SA, agreed to pay a record-setting 10.3 billion real (C$4.3 billion) fine for its role in corruption scandals that threaten to oust President Michel Temer, Brazilian prosecutors said. The settlement means that Brazil’s three-year sweeping graft investigations have now led […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle recoup some recent losses

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle on Tuesday reversed some of their recent losses, helped by short-covering and futures’ discounts to this week’s expected cash prices, said traders. They said some investors sold June futures and simultaneously bought deferred months ahead of the first notice day for June cattle deliveries on Monday. […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Feeder cattle market stabilizes

After the recent rally, cattle buyers noted that price spreads between weight categories came back in line with traditional levels this week. Shorter-keep yearlings were steady to $4 weaker compared to seven days earlier; mid-weight cattle from 700 to 800 lbs. were relatively unchanged while feeders under 700 lbs. were $4 to $8 higher. On […] Read more



(Regis Lefebure photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Canadian pork shipment flagged in China for ractopamine

Winnipeg | Reuters — A Canadian shipment of pig feet to China, produced by meat packer Olymel, has tested positive for residues of banned growth drug ractopamine and may curb future trade, Canadian government and industry officials say. China views the tainted shipment as a “systemic failure” of Canada’s program that certifies pork sent to China […] Read more

Overgrazing is a matter of timing

Overgrazing is a matter of timing

Grazing with Steve Kenyon

Overgrazing. It is a very misunderstood term. Let me clear this up right at the start. It does not matter how many head of livestock. It does not matter how many acres. Everyone wants to know, “How big do I make my paddocks? How many animals should I have on my pasture?” Two ranchers can […] Read more