Livestock & Production Tips

Heifer rations are a balance of enough nutrition for optimum growth and low cost.

Cattleman’s Corner, Columns, Dairy Cattle, Livestock, The Dairy Corner

Balancing low cost with enough nutrition

Use caution when feeding low-quality forage to dairy replacement heifers

By Peter Vitti March 28, 2024

Most dairy producers always look for ways to reduce the livestock feed costs. Some people have taken advantage that three-month-old replacement dairy heifers have a fully developed rumen and can truly digest lower quality/cost forages. There is nothing wrong in feeding this way, but these forages must be well balanced with other more nutritious feedstuffs […] Read more

Photo: Sasapanchenko/iStock/Getty Images

Livestock, Markets

Feed Grain Weekly: Barley prices up weeks before seeding

By GFM Network News March 27, 2024

Southern Alberta is seeing a slight bump up in feed barley prices, according to one trader.

Livestock, Markets

Klassen: Feeder market rally stalls

By Jerry Klassen, GFM Network News March 26, 2024

Compared to last week, Western Canadian feeder cattle prices were quoted $3-$4/cwt on either side of unchanged.

General, Livestock

Disease affecting U.S. dairy cows re-identified as bird flu

U.S. officials say threat to the public is low; cows don't appear to spread infection within herd

By Jeff Melchior, GFM Network News March 26, 2024

A wild waterfowl-borne disease creating milk production problems in Texas, Kansas and New Mexico dairy herds has been identified as a strain of bird flu, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) says.

Livestock, Reuters

US detects avian flu in milk, says dairy supplies are safe

By Reuters, Tom Polansek, GFM Network News March 25, 2024

Samples of milk collected from sick cattle in Kansas and Texas tested positive for avian flu, but the nation's milk supply is safe, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Monday.

General, Livestock

Dairy farmers urged to be on lookout for U.S. disease

Older, lactating cattle more likely to be severely impacted, effected farmers say

By Jeff Melchior, GFM Network News March 25, 2024

U.S. dairy producers are reporting high onset of and high morbidity from Texas Agalactiae Syndrome, with confirmed cases in Texas, Kansas and New Mexico. Lactating cows are considered particularly vulnerable.

File photo of goats on display at the Hanover Agricultural Fair in Grunthal, Man. in August 2019. (Dave Bedard photo)

General, Livestock

Minnesota goat confirmed infected with bird flu

NDSU advises keeping livestock separate from potentially-infected poultry

By GFM Network News March 22, 2024

A juvenile goat in Minnesota has tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the first confirmed case of bird flu in U.S. livestock.

General, Livestock

Veterinary association calls on federal government to address workforce shortage

National testing centre is needed to onboard internationally-trained vets, CVMA says

By Geralyn Wichers, GFM Network News March 20, 2024

An organization representing Canadian veterinarians is calling for the federal government to intervene as it faces what it calls a severe workforce shortage.

Livestock, Markets

Klassen: Feeder market adjusts to lower supplies

By Jerry Klassen, GFM Network News March 19, 2024

Western Canadian prices for backgrounded replacements were $2 to $4 higher than last week. Lower flesh yearlings were valued $3 to $8 above week-ago levels. Prices for calves under 800 pounds were up $3 to $7 compared to seven days earlier with noted strength in feeders under 600 pounds.

FILE PHOTO: A team from the Laboratory of Ecology and Conservation of Marine Megafauna at the Federal University of Rio Grande (ECOMEGA) collects organic material from a dead porpoise on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, during an outbreak of Bird Flu, in Sao Jose do Norte, in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, November 21, 2023. REUTERS/Diego Vara/File Photo

General, Livestock, Reuters

Bird flu strain raises alarm as virus kills South American wildlife

Mammal-to-mammal transmission of virus likely but unconfirmed, scientists say

By Reuters, GFM Network News March 13, 2024

The deadly H5N1 bird flu virus has spread more aggressively than ever before in wild birds and marine mammals since arriving in South America in 2022, raising the risk of it evolving into a bigger threat to humans, according to interviews with eight scientists.

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

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

Livestock

Balancing low cost with enough nutrition

Feed Grain Weekly: Barley prices up weeks before seeding

Klassen: Feeder market rally stalls

Disease affecting U.S. dairy cows re-identified as bird flu

US detects avian flu in milk, says dairy supplies are safe

Dairy farmers urged to be on lookout for U.S. disease

Minnesota goat confirmed infected with bird flu

Veterinary association calls on federal government to address workforce shortage

Klassen: Feeder market adjusts to lower supplies

Bird flu strain raises alarm as virus kills South American wildlife

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