Pork barn site visits reach milestone Thursday, March 8, 2012 by BETTER FARMING STAFFOntario Pork recently processed its 500th barn site visit for the National Biosecurity Training Program of the Canadian Swine Health Board. The Canadian Swine Health Board has provided funding to Ontario Pork for an additional 1,000 barn site visits.Dr. Mike DeGroot, Ontario Biosecurity Program Coordinator for Ontario Pork, says the program has two parts. Farmers meet in groups with a veterinarian for training on best biosecurity practices. Farmers then fill out a self-assessment and that is followed up with a farm visit by the veterinarian.On the farm visit, DeGroot says, veterinarians make suggestions and tell farmers “where they can improve their biosecurity.”So far, 1,000 producers have taken the class sessions. DeGroot says they expect class sessions and visits to all 1,500 barn sites will be wrapped up by the end of this year. BF Report says pork exports to South Africa under threat How much have productivity gains offset the downsizing impacts?
Calf Auction Raises Funds for Youth Monday, June 30, 2025 Wyatt Westman-Frijters from Milverton won a heifer calf named Ingrid through a World Milk Day promotion by Maplevue Farms and a local Perth, Ontario radio station. Instead of keeping the calf, 22-year-old Westman-Frijters chose to give back to the community. The calf was sent to the... Read this article online
Expert Gopher Help for Farmers Friday, June 27, 2025 With gopher populations increasing across Saskatchewan, many landowners are struggling with crop loss and land damage. These rodents not only reduce crop yields but also create dangerous conditions for livestock. In response, the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation (SWF), supported by the... Read this article online
Cattle Stress Tool May Boost Fertility Friday, June 27, 2025 Kansas State University researchers have developed a cool tool that may help reduce cattle stress and improve artificial insemination (AI) results. The idea came from animal science experts Nicholas Wege Dias and Sandy Johnson, who observed that cattle accustomed to their environment... Read this article online
Ontario pasture lands get $5M boost Friday, June 27, 2025 The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing up to $5 million to strengthen shared community grazing pastures. This funding supports the province’s plan to protect Ontario’s agriculture sector and help cattle farmers improve pasture quality, ensuring long-term sustainability and... Read this article online
Pigs on the prairie: Manitoba’s fight against a growing wild hog invasion Thursday, June 26, 2025 They root through farmland, tear up native landscapes, spread disease, and multiply rapidly. Wild pigs are fast becoming one of Manitoba’s most destructive and difficult invasive species — and experts say the time to act is now. Dr. Wayne Lees, coordinator of Squeal on Pigs Manitoba,... Read this article online