Insights and Stories on Livestock

Jan. 30, 2009 at 4:01 am CST

Scientists at the University of Calgary say they may have found a common DNA denominator in animals infected with diseases such as BSE. And that, in turn, may mean BSE could eventually be confirmed simply and cheaply by a live blood test. A reasonably accurate method of testing live cattle […]

Jan. 30, 2009 at 2:43 am CST

A group of four connected farrow-to-finish barns, worth about $8 million when built in southeastern Saskatchewan in 1999, were wiped out Tuesday by fire, Saskatchewan media report. CBC in Saskatchewan reported Wednesday that the Bon Accord Barns at Jasmin, Sask., about 80 km west of Yorkton, were destroyed late Tuesday […]

Jan. 30, 2009 at 1:23 am CST

(Revised) — Manitoba’s pilot traceability program for the province’s food, food factories and farms has picked up funding to move toward a full launch. Agriculture Minister Rosann Wowchuk announced Wednesday at Keystone Agricultural Producers’ (KAP) annual meeting in Winnipeg that the province has pledged over $400,000 in equipment and staffing […]

Jan. 29, 2009 at 3:20 am CST

A cull of about 60,000 birds on a B.C. poultry farm, where an H5 strain of avian flu was recently found, is now complete, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said Wednesday. The birds were euthanized using carbon dioxide under supervision from federal and provincial animal welfare experts and a representative […]

Jan. 29, 2009 at 2:52 am CST

An Alberta judge recommends the province lift the exemption that excludes farms’ paid workers from provincial workplace safety regulations. Provincial Court Judge Peter Barley included that recommendation among several in his fatality inquiry into the June 2006 death of High River-area farm worker Kevan Chandler. Chandler, 35, died while trying […]