A farmer entering data on a cell phone. Think about how you record information while on the go when you’re considering new technology for the farm, says Betty-Jo Almond.

Buying and using technology on the farm the right way

There’s an ever-growing plethora of technology available, but what makes sense for your operation?

Getting the most out of precision livestock technology can be daunting. Betty-Jo Almond says the best approach is to do the research, know what you want to accomplish and ensure whatever you choose fits your operation. “The goal of these technologies is to make data capture easy so that you are better informed to help […] Read more

Conservative agriculture critic John Barlow speaks Nov. 24, 2021 in the House of Commons. (Screengrab from supplied video)

Anti-activist bill back before Commons committee

Bill adds protections for biosecurity, farmers' mental health, Barlow says

A bill to create harsher penalties for unlawful entry onto farms and biosecure zones is back before the House of Commons after a previous iteration died on the order table in 2021. Conservative MP John Barlow brought forward Bill C-275, “an Act to amend the Health of Animals Act (biosecurity on farms),” as a private […] Read more


(Songqiuju/iStock/Getty Images)

Vietnam approves commercial use of first African swine fever vaccines

U.S. Agriculture Secretary says farmers may purchase as precaution despite no domestic cases

Hanoi | Reuters – Vietnam has approved the domestic commercial use of two home-grown vaccines against African swine fever, the government said on Monday, making them the world’s first commercial vaccines against the deadly disease. The vaccines include NAVET-ASFVAC, co-developed by Navetco Central Veterinary Medicine and scientists from the United States, and AVAC ASF LIVE […] Read more

Nancy and Tyler Haraga.

One Health strategies help farm family navigate outbreak

The Haraga family calls in the troops to deal with a nasty zoonotic disease

This article was originally published at beefresearch.ca. It is reprinted here with the permission of the Beef Cattle Research Council. For Tyler and Nancy Haraga, March 10, 2018, will forever stand out in their minds. “It was forty below with four to five feet of snow,” says Tyler. It had been a brutal winter, with […] Read more


Researchers see some promising uses for mRNA cattle vaccines, but they are unlikely to replace existing vaccines for common cattle diseases, partly due to practical limitations.

mRNA vaccines unlikely to replace common cattle vaccines, but could help contain foot-and-mouth disease in future

Vaccines have been a valuable tool to protect cattle health in North America, ever since the first blackleg vaccine was developed over a century ago. Ensuring the health of Canadian cattle is critical to maintaining consumer confidence, access to global livestock and beef markets and producer profitability. Vaccines help prevent infection and disease caused by […] Read more



A steer panting excessively due to heat stress.

Warmer weather boosts ergot risk in cattle

Researchers found symptoms ranging from decreased weight gain to heat stress even though ergot levels in feed didn’t breach CFIA limits

New research has found that feedlot cattle can develop problems when fed ergot even within allowable limits. Ergot is a fungus that can grow on certain grasses and grain plants when moisture conditions are just right. It becomes a problem mainly after a wet growing season. The fungus replaces the seed head with a dark […] Read more

Reg Schellenberg.

CCA reports: New president outlines priorities

From the May 2022 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

Being elected president of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) at our annual general meeting on March 25 is an honour. It’s a role that I do not take lightly and since joining CCA’s board in 2010, I have seen first-hand the commitment and hard work put in by past CCA presidents. I am proud of […] Read more


Elanco Animal Health CEO Jeff Simmons speaks during an interview at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on Sept. 20, 2018. (Photo: Reuters/Brendan McDermid)

Second activist investor buys into Elanco

Reuters — Hedge fund Starboard Value LP has taken a stake in Elanco Animal Health and nominated three directors to the animal healthcare company’s board, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. The WSJ report did not mention the size of Starboard’s stake in Elanco, which makes treatments for pets […] Read more

Setting a calf on a healthy path to the feedlot starts with the cow, says Dr. Greg Dimmers.

Feedlot health starts with the cow

While the industry has gotten better at managing disease, cow-calf producers can reduce even more health issues in feedlot cattle

Some of the biggest health challenges in finishing cattle can be minimized or even prevented long before the animals arrive at the feedlot. In fact, calves can be set on a path to better health before birth, according to veterinarian Dr. Greg Dimmers of Metzger Veterinary Services in Linwood, Ont., to help address what he […] Read more