Beef/Cattle: Based on slaughter data through early February, the pace of cattle slaughter is faster than expected from last month. However, winter weather appears to have impeded performance of feedlot cattle as well as taken a toll on cow and bull weights.

native grass pastures can take up to four years to become fully established. Because they have been selected for better establish­ment and forage production characteristics, use known cultivars. Species and cultivar selection, site prepara­tion, seed quality, seed source, and seeding date must be considered to ensure the successful establishment of a native grass pasture.

A grazing system is a planned schedule of pasture use and defines when and where livestock will graze during the season to accomplish a producer’s goals. Range management extension specialist for the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture Trevor Lennox says the system you use can have a significant impact on pasture health and productivity. Alice McFarlane

A fire claimed an industrial hog barn and thousands of animals near the town of Sturgis, Sask. over the weekend. According to Olymel, a food service company headquartered in Quebec, the fire at its location near the town of Sturgis on Feb. 12 resulted in a total loss of the building. Approximately 10,000 hogs died

For the pork sector in Canada, research is like oxygen: if you don’t see its value, try living without it. In an industry where margins are thin and profit is never assured, the one constant is the need for cutting-edge research to aid producers. Against that backdrop, Swine Innovation Porc (SIP) has been managing pork

Research exploring the factors related to the health of the gut of the pig is expected to result in new interventions that will improve animal health, welfare and productivity.

A fire at a pig barn owned by Olymel resulted in the loss of roughly 10,000 pigs. The barn located in the Sturgis area was a total loss, according to Olymel’s vice-president of production Casey Smit. “A very unfortunate event. Our staff were on site, they spotted a fire, and called it in to 911

Consider milk and feed prices, substitution rates, and expected yield and component responses when deciding how much supplemental feed to offer.

Selecting beef bulls based on EPDs for carcass traits may be one of the first steps necessary to achieve acceptable results in a beef on dairy crossbreeding program.

Don’t wait. Get to know your local veterinarian now and establish a veterinarian-client-patient relationship if you expect to treat livestock in the future, as over-the-counter livestock antibiotics will soon require a prescription.