sheep Archives - Page 3 of 3

Sweeter forage grasses may benefit milk production

Different classes of livestock can make better use of forage mix

By Debbie Chikousky March 22, 2018

Spring is the time of rebirth. This year our livestock is not scheduled for babies till late spring so we have more time than usual to study, read, and plan our 2018 pasture season. While reading over garden catalogues my mind keeps turning to old ideas of turnip grazing, mangels (large beet) or potato choppers. […] Read more

Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock

Foxes and wolves are always on the hunt

A tree-climbing gray fox is a new name on the predator list

By Debbie Chikousky November 6, 2017

Predator loss is a reality all classes of livestock are susceptible to. Many with cattle do not have as big of a worry as those with sheep, goats, and poultry, but this pasture season was bad all over. Conversations with livestock producers across Canada showed us there is also a new threat around. Red foxes […] Read more

Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock

Start with good stock — stay healthy

Some diseases are hard to fix — the best approach is to avoid them

By Debbie Chikousky September 25, 2017

Raising livestock for a living means that they have to be productive. They must reproduce, be healthy, and not be labour-intensive. Nobody makes a profit raising sick animals. The University of Guelph and Semex have been moving forward studying this from a genetic standpoint. This is exciting because with the increase in prevalence of Johne’s, producing healthy […] Read more

Insulated tarps and a heater made tractor repairs possible even when temperatures dipped to -30 C.

Cattleman’s Corner

The learning value of fixing a tractor

There’s no point looking at the negative — STAY POSITIVE

By Debbie Chikousky February 9, 2017

Our family has managed to almost bring another production cycle to a successful close. There are a few things we have learned and a few that we are still learning. One of them is how to start a tractor. Our tractor is reassembled but not moving. Thankfully there are very kind diesel mechanics in this […] Read more

This raw coloured fleece will be processed to produce a skein of finished yarn.

Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock, Sheep/Goats

Getting a handle on fleece marketing

Opportunities appear to be there for all grades of wool

By Debbie Chikousky November 15, 2016

In December 2015 we announced we were on our way to realizing our dream of producing dual-purpose sheep. Our first black ram (Clun Forest X), our purebred Rambouillet ram, and our Fredrick James (Suffolk cross/Rambouillet) were going to work. The goal was to produce acceptable meat lambs with wool that was pleasing to wear. Personal […] Read more

Unfenced "long paddocks" or "stock routes" are a holdover from the days when "drovers" moved stock to market in traditional cattle drives. Farmers can apply to graze their herds on these open ranges during times of poor pasture caused by drought. There is nothing to keep them off the roads in these areas.

Machinery

PHOTOS: Garvey: Road trip – Australia

Scott Garvey takes a drive through the fertile farming district on the Liverpool Plains of rural Australia

By Scott Garvey August 23, 2015

So far, I’ve only opened the left door of my rental car once, expecting to slide in behind the steering wheel that on this continent is on the opposite side. That means, of course, it’s necessary to drive on the left side of the road here. That’s just one of many differences between Canada and […] Read more

Livestock, Sheep/Goats

N.S. sheep producers backed for handling upgrades

By Grainews Staff, GFM Network News January 2, 2015

Handling upgrades expected to help Nova Scotia’s sheep farmers cut down parasite loads in their flocks may be eligible for some public funding. The federal and provincial governments and Sheep Producers Association of Nova Scotia (SPANS) recently rolled out a Sheep Handling and Parasite Control Program, which will pay up to 40 per cent of […] Read more

Livestock, Reuters, Sheep/Goats

French farmers cry wolf over sheep killings

By Reuters, GFM Network News November 27, 2014

Paris | Reuters — French farmers, who regularly bring livestock into Paris to punctuate their protests, drove some 250 sheep into the shadow of the Eiffel Tower on Thursday to highlight an unusual concern — that a growing wolf population is killing their flocks. Wolves were reintroduced to France in the 1990s under an international […] Read more

Beef Cattle, Reuters, Sheep/Goats

Australia, China on track to sign lucrative cattle deal

By Reuters, GFM Network News November 6, 2014

Sydney / Reuters – Australia will export up to 1 million head of cattle a year to China, worth around A$1 billion ($856 million), to meet booming demand for red meat under a long-awaited deal set to be signed shortly, Australian officials said on Friday. Shipping live animals from Australia to China has been discussed for many years. Official talks began […] Read more

Alberta crop conditions improve: report

U.S. grains: Corn sets contract lows on expectations for big US crop

U.S. livestock: Cattle strength continues

GFM Network News