Livestock & Production Tips

Gregory fixes a broken wire while the horses watch.

A rainy May slows down seeding

Eppich News: The rhythm of the ranch rises with cattle to move, foals born and visitors

By Heather Eppich August 6, 2024

On April 29 was Joseph’s seventh birthday party. The day before, we had a surprise for him: we loaded up the family, picked up Gregory’s sister, Theresa, and went to the rodeo in North Battleford. It was Joseph’s first rodeo and while his brothers weren’t as interested, he had a lot of fun. The beginning […] Read more

Pretreated calves usually need a booster for mycoplasma once they arrive at a feedlot.

Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner, Columns

Lower stress, lower mycoplasma

Animal Health: The secondary respiratory and joint disease can be limited with prevention

By Roy Lewis August 2, 2024

Feedlot owners and backgrounders across this country always have one question for me: “Is there anything new out there to combat mycoplasma?” While there are a couple of vaccines licensed for cattle, they do require multiple shots. Vaccines help, but focusing on decreasing stress and other diseases can limit mycoplasma infection. Mycoplasma comes in many […] Read more

Mark Kihn was the owner and publisher of the Charolais Banner. Photo: Supplied

Beef Cattle, News

Farm writer and political fundraiser Mark Kihn passes

By Lisa Guenther July 31, 2024

After a long struggle with cancer, Mark Kihn, the former owner and publisher of the Charolais Banner, has died. Outside the beef industry, Kihn is likely best known for his work fundraising for Stephen Harper, rustling up over $3.5 million for Harper’s two leadership campaigns.

A person holds a test tube labelled “Bird Flu”, in this picture illustration, January 14, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

Livestock, Reuters

US to spend $10 million to curb bird flu in farm workers

CDC plans vaccine push; says risk to general public remains low

By Julie Steenhuysen, Leah Douglas, Reuters July 30, 2024

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Tuesday it plans to spend $10 million to curb farm worker bird flu infections, including $5 million for seasonal flu vaccines, as part of its efforts to avoid further spread and mutation of the virus.

Livestock, Markets

Klassen: Western Canadian yearling prices hit fresh record highs

By Jerry Klassen July 30, 2024

The year-over-year decline in last year’s calf crop has caused the market to set new records. Larger finishing feedlots are setting the price structure as many of these lots have seasonal low inventory. The quality of yearlings coming off grass is excellent with buyers shopping for feed efficiencies.

Beef Cattle, Hogs, Livestock, Markets, Reuters

U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures surge on cash market, GDP data

By Renee Hickman July 25, 2024

Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) cattle futures climbed on Thursday, as prices in the cash market rose and signs of strength appeared in the U.S. economy, market analysts said. At one point during the session, the most-active October live cattle futures contract LCV24 surged up to 189.050 cents per pound – the highest price […] Read more

To date, 169 dairy herds have been affected by avian influenza in the U.S. Photo: Thinkstock

Livestock

Light shed on bird flu spread in mammals

By Adam Peleshaty July 25, 2024

Researchers from Cornell University have determined how cows infected with H5N1 bird flu were able to spread the virus to other cows and mammals. In the study published in the journal Nature on July 24, scientists used genomic data, computer modeling, and data about the virus’s spread to show how infected cows from Texas spread bird flu […] Read more

A wheat crop heads for the ripening stage in southeast Saskatchewan, July 20, 2024. Photo: Greg Berg

Cereals, Livestock, Markets

Feed Weekly: Crops still in ‘relatively good condition’

By Adam Peleshaty July 25, 2024

The hot and dry weather present in much of the Prairies for much of July may not have yet put a dent in production numbers. Matt Beusekom, trader for Market Place Commodities in Lethbridge, Alta., said while the heat is pressuring crops, good harvests are still expected for now. “(The heat) has definitely had an […] Read more

Photo: FevziieRyeman/iStock/Getty Images

Beef Cattle, Reuters

Brazil beef output to hit record in 2024, Conab says

By Roberto Samora July 25, 2024

Sao Paulo | Reuters – Brazil’s beef production is expected to reach a record 10.19 million metric tons in 2024, national crop agency Conab said on Thursday, a 7.1 per cent year-on-year increase that would eclipse the current all-time high set in 2006. Beef exports from the South American country are seen reaching 3.44 million […] Read more

File photo of cattle in an Alberta feedlot. (Geralyn Wichers photo)

Beef Cattle, Livestock, Markets

Klassen: Feeder market leaps higher

By Jerry Klassen July 23, 2024

For the week ending July 20, Western Canadian yearlings traded $8-$15 above prices from seven days earlier. Values for larger groups of quality calves were up $8 to $10 from a week earlier while run of the mill smaller packages were relatively unchanged.

U.S. grains: Soybeans, corn fall on harvest pressure

U.S. livestock: Hog futures slide in technical correction

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation: Acknowledging the past, seeking a better future

GFM Network News