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By Roy Lewis DVM
Animal welfare issues have been discussed and reviewed in the past. Lately, transportation of livestock has come under scrutiny. This article will offer a veterinarian’s perspective and provide ways to improve transport decision-making for your operation.
On behalf of the UCVM’s lameness team: Michelle van Huyssteen, Makaela Douglas and Karin Orsel
Lameness is the third most common health problem and reason for involuntary culling in the Canadian dairy industry, after reproductive performance and mastitis. This disorder is a sign of pain resulting in an abnormal locomotion, gait or posture. Beside this welfare impact, it has a major economic impact, including treatment costs and reduced milk production, reproductive performance, and cow longevity. Current scientific knowledge has not been effective in adoption of prevention strategies as the average lameness prevalence in Alberta is still 20%. The Canadian Dairy Code of Practice aims to have 10% lameness as a maximum. Two students will present the focus of their projects to mitigate lameness. (more…)
Commercial livestock systems, regardless of the species, are typically geared towards promoting good health and production of the animals. Other factors that might be important to the animals, such as ability to perform natural behaviours, do not necessarily take precedence. The Animal Welfare Team at AgResearch in New Zealand has been exploring how we can shift on-farm practices to be more focused around animals’ natural behaviours. These management shifts are often informed by the animals’ preferences and may be quite simple. A recent example produced by the Animal Welfare Team examined potential alternative ways of offering feed to commercially housed goats, and was published in collaboration with the University of British Columbia’s Animal Welfare Program.
Antimicrobials have been widely used in livestock since the 1950’s. Food animal production has steadily increased over the years, requiring better disease management on farms. More than 75% of antimicrobials in Canada have been used sub-therapeutically in farm animals to prevent disease and for growth promotion. Antibiotic use is beneficial for the agricultural industry because it improves carcass quality, improves feed efficiency, and positively impacts the animal’s welfare by preventing infection and treating disease. However, the public are concerned about, and seek elimination of, antibiotic use in livestock, particularly for growth promotion, because of the increasing global issue of antimicrobial resistance.
This summer we met Dylan Biggs, the owner and operator of TK Ranch, at a low-stress cattle handling workshop. Upon meeting Dylan, the opportunity to visit his ranch for a day came up and without hesitation we took it!
TK Ranch has been operating since 1956, and today three generations live and work on the ranch. For over 50 years TK Ranch has been committed to producing sustainable, quality beef for Albertans. The ranch was started by Thomas Koehler Biggs and is located in the endangered Northern Fescue Grasslands of east-central Alberta.
Wiolene Nordi and Karen Schwartzkopf-Genswein
Sheep production in Canada is increasing (one million head on 11,000 farms of which 2,000 farms are in Alberta), due to the growing demand for lamb meat by consumers over the last five years as a result of growing ethnic markets. Consequently, both ewe flocks and growing/finishing lamb feedlots have been increasing in number and size within Alberta to meet the demand for this growing market.
Lameness is a common cause of welfare and economic concern in most sheep producing countries. For example, prevalence of lameness in UK sheep farms has been reported to be between eight and 10 per cent with the main cause being, interdigital dermatitis, severe footrot, ovine digital dermatitis, and shelly hoof (Kaler and Green 2009*). In Alberta, we see lame sheep on farms, feedlots, auctions and pasture. At one time, there was a provincial footrot eradication program. Veterinary inspections, foot trimming and foot-soaking were standard annual procedures for the 20,000 plus sheep that headed to B.C. forestry reserves. Despite all the effort, time and money, lame sheep are still common. (more…)
By Dr. Darrell Dalton
In 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) recognized the increased development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as a global crisis. Dr Keiji Fukuda, Assistant Director-General of WHO stated, “Without urgent, coordinated action by many stakeholders, the world is headed for a post-antibiotic era, in which common infections and minor injuries which have been treatable for decades can once again kill.” This will affect generations to come. Later that year, our federal Minister of Health demanded that an action plan be developed by Health Canada to address this issue in Canada.
As a result, Health Canada has stated that as of December 1, 2018, all antimicrobials (an agent that kills microorganisms or stops their growth) will be available by prescription only under veterinary oversight. The government recognizes the important and critical role that veterinarians play (by virtue of their education, experience and accountability) in providing oversight of the use of antimicrobials. We know that 80% of all antimicrobials used are used in animal agriculture. Veterinarians are being given the great responsibility to be stewards of good antimicrobial use, and thus help in contributing to agriculture’s efforts to help slow or reverse the trends of AMR. (more…)
By Katie Koralesky and David Fraser
On-farm emergency slaughter (OFES) is one end-of-life option for farm animals that cannot be transported humanely but are fit for human consumption. OFES – whereby veterinary inspection, stunning (using a firearm) and bleeding occur on the farm before the carcass is transported to a slaughterhouse for processing – is allowed in several Canadian provinces including Alberta. The stated goals of most OFES programs are to prevent undue suffering of an injured animal and to salvage meat. (more…)
The Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Pullets and Laying Hens requires that:
“All hens must be housed in enriched cage or non-cage housing systems that meet this Code’s requirements by July 1, 2036.”
Faced with this upcoming requirement, producers have many questions to consider:
Enriched cages or non-cage housing?
Renovate an old barn or build new?
How will my management practices change?
Will my feed costs go up or down?
How will my lighting change?
And on and on and on…
On November 15th, 2017 the Canadian Poultry Magazine hosted the webinar “Phasing Out Conventional – What to Consider and How to Prepare,” presented by Bill Snow and Ron Wardrop with Big Dutchman. This presentation offered information for producers to consider when making the transition away from conventional cages.
In addition to housing for layers, the talk touched on rearing pullets in preparation for enriched cages or non-cage housing. This is an important time for the birds to learn how to navigate an open system, especially in a non-cage system. The birds will then be ready to jump from tier to tier in their layer facility comfortably and with less stress.
Enriched cages and non-cage housing systems each have their pros and cons. Producers need to consider all the information available to them and decide on what works best for their operation and their management styles. The image below is a comparison of just some of the things producers need to consider in either system.
One thing you’ll notice is that the aisle width in the non-cage housing systems is over twice the width of the enriched caged. This is because in an enriched caged system the birds are still in cages, but the cages are larger and are enriched with perches, nest boxes, dust bathes, etc. In the cage-free systems, the birds are allowed to roam the aisle and jump from tier to tier. The aisles need to be wide to accommodate the birds, the litter, and to allow personnel to walk up and down the aisles and check on the birds without disturbing them.
We can’t possibly cover everything touched on in the webinar in this blog post, but we hope we’ve sparked your interest and we encourage you to watch the full webinar at the link below!
What is the future of farm animal care in Alberta?
A lot of progress has taken place over 25 years. Continual improvement is the key to the future.
The next generation has a strong role to play in defining the path forward. That is why it was so important to have strong student participation at the 2018 Livestock Care Conference. In all, 49 students participated in the Meet the Experts session and attended the conference.
“We are very pleased with the strong student involvement in this year’s conference,” says Annemarie Pedersen, AFAC Executive Director. “Students represent the future. We have a bright future to look forward to. A big thank-you to our conference student sponsors who helped make this possible.”
Left: UFA sponsored students
Right: Alberta Beef sponsored students
(Photos from #LCC2018 used on this blog page, as well as some additional photo options, are available on request for use by media and industry. Please email afac@afac.ab.ca to request photos.)
Working together. Breaking down silos. Pushing the pace of innovation. Telling our story.
These are just a few among many areas of advancement discussed and showcased at the 2018 Livestock Care Conference, which was attended by over 200 people representing many key sectors and stakeholders of the Alberta livestock industry and farm animal care community.
The conference featured a number of top speakers and addressed many hot topics shaping the future of farm animal care in the province.
The number one take home message: Don’t stop here . . . take the information, messages and momentum from this conference and keep pushing the pace of progress.
This was reinforced in many talks, including a wrap-up session on Engaging the Public – How to Tell YOUR story, led by Annemarie Pedersen AFAC Executive Director and followed by a case study example from by Kristen Hall, AFAC Marketing and Membership Coordinator (who is also B-E-O of a bee operation, Bee My Honey, who is a big
BEE-liever in social media and other tools to tell your story).
AFAC has come a long way over 25 years. So has its signature event – the Livestock Care Conference. Just as important as the organization and the conference are the people who make up the industry that drives both.
Many speakers at #LCC2018 touched on the theme of celebrating the past while embracing the future. The work that the livestock industry in Alberta embraces to promote animal welfare and collaborative approaches plays significant a role in the future of animal agriculture in the province. It’s a role that has never been more important as AFAC looks ahead to the next 25 years.
The 2018 Livestock Care Conference marks a milestone as AFAC celebrates 25 years.
Welcome messages for the conference provided perspective on 25 years of progress, touching on the evolution of AFAC and farm animal care as well as the importance of continued collaboration and progress moving ahead.
Perspectives on progress
“AFAC is such an integral part of our livestock industry in Alberta today,” says Dianne Finstad, agriculture and rodeo reporter and longtime friend to agriculture in Alberta, who served as MC for the conference. “When we think about AFAC being formed 25 years ago, there is quite a legacy of progress to reflect upon. A quarter century is something to be proud of. It shows AFAC has staying power as an organization. It has a strong past. It has an important future.”
“Conferences like this are so important,” says Jamie Curran, Assistant Deputy Minister of Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. “They are an opportunity for people and organizations with common goals and challenges to collaborate and discuss solutions. This year is especially significant as AFAC’s 25th anniversary. This milestone is an impressive achievement for any organization especially the first farm animal care group in all of Canada. It’s a perfect occasion to honor the past, learn together and to look to the future. In Alberta we’re fortunate to have an organization like AFAC dedicated to bringing the livestock industry together to advance and promote responsible animal care.”
“This year’s Livestock Care Conference is about celebrating the last 25 years and looking forward,” says Annemarie Pedersen, AFAC Executive Director. “It’s a great time to take stock of where we are today and where we want to go in the future. It’s an exciting time to be in the livestock sector. As a group we have a real opportunity to do something important and special together.”
“I’m so happy to be here today,” says Susan Church, founding Manager of AFAC. “Wow . . . 25 years . . . imagine. I am so proud to have been a part of this progressive and action-based organization. There have been so many pivotal moments and so many people who have played a role in supporting this organization and driving it forward. The people in this room are an example of that continued support today. The future is bright and we look forward to another 25 years and beyond for AFAC.”
The East Olds Dairy Farmers group won AFAC’s Award of Distinction for Communication and Lakeland College earned the Award of Distinction for Industry Leadership. Both Awards of Distinction are presented to individuals or groups who have made exceptional contributions to progress in farm animal care in Alberta and beyond.
East Olds Dairy Farmers Group
The East Olds Dairy Farmers Group is comprised of multiple dairy producers looking to constantly better themselves and leave a mark on their industry. Six years ago, they did just that by introducing the Breakfast on the Dairy Farm initiative. Just as its name implies, this initiative invites out urbanites to real-life dairy operations in the Olds area to experience true life at a farm level. Everything from production and welfare standards to the look, feel and smell of dairy barns.
From 348 people and one location in 2012 to nearly 1,000 visitors and a second farm by 2016, the event has positively contributed to the food dialogue between producers and consumers. The award is a testament to the group’s ongoing commitment to make their operations transparent and give a greater appreciation for their industry at large.
Lakeland College
The Industry Leadership award went to Lakeland College for its high standards and ongoing commitment to animal welfare. The college puts its Animal Science Technology Program students through an entire semester of animal handling, welfare and ethics during their first year of studies.
The overarching goal is to have students become more involved and better the agriculture industry at large. The hands-on lab component teaches students low-stress handling techniques in many types of situations, such as handling facilities for sheep, beef and pasture settings. Students are taught to think outside the box, developing new, unique and suitable solutions for best management practices for their own operations or future careers.
Overall, both groups have made a commitment to their industry in unique ways and have earned well-deserved recognition by their peer groups. Congrats!!!
Featured speaker brings message encouragement to industry to continue to tell the good news in livestock
World renowned livestock welfare and handling expert Dr. Temple Gradin kept the crowd at the 2018 Alberta Farm Animal Care Livestock Care Conference enthralled as she spoke about animal welfare and many issues the industry faces today.
Having worked in the industry for more than 45 years, Grandin says she has much change, but one key issue remains—not enough people in the industry talk about the good news and positive developments that have happened over the years.
“We do a lot of great things but nobody knows about it,” says Grandin.
She gave the example of troublesome roosters she had observed more than 20 years ago where they would attack other birds and kill them. Today, through genetics, those issues are no longer around. However, when she went onto Google Scholar to try and read about the evolution in roosters. However, she came up dry. It’s a massive problem to have these good news stories that are nowhere to be found. Furthermore, she explained, proprietary research is growing and there is not as much public research available and that’s an issue, as well.
When it come to animal welfare, Dr. Grandin explained that measurable, not vague, tools are key. Dr. Grandin also explained how in supply chain management, these measurables are key for consumers, but also for the people involved in the supply chain itself. Without proper tracking and measuring, people aren’t sure how to improve or how to measure whether or not they have improved.
Among a wide ranging talk chock full on interesting insights and lessons, Grandin tackled the major challenge of how best to tell the story of animal care in livestock industries. Everyone can play a role, she said. “Put yourself out there. Make Facebook friends with more than just your farm friends. Connect with urban consumers. We all can have a role in reaching out and making a difference.”
Overall Grandin emphasized the importance of shared values and eating meat in a world where oftentimes opinion comes first and the news and facts come later.
Great job Sierra!
A great moment at #LCC2018 was when Sierra Brand of Rocky North 4-H Multiclub introduced Dr. Grandin. Awesome job Sierra!!!
Drs. Jennifer Brown and Egan Brockhoff shared a raft of exciting findings and research related to pig health at the 2018 Alberta Farm Animal Care Livestock Care Conference in Olds, Alta., March 15, 2018.
Dr. Brown spoke candidly about how the shift towards antibiotic free systems will be important when producers are moving onto new systems compliant with changing industry standards and expectations.
“We have to think about them in a different way again,” said Dr. Brown regarding the current systems in place, including antibiotic use, gestational housing and concentrated diets. “The rubber is hitting the road and now we’re working with industry and seeing major changes and improvements.”
She said Canadian swine producers should be proud of what they’ve done and said with new space allowances, practices related to tail docking, castration, life enrichment and housing options will be critical to the next generation of integrated swine management.
Dr. Brockhoff also spoke of the new developments in the industry and talked about how swine welfare has never been better in Canada. While there have been many changes and more coming, producers are beginning to take measures to improve outcomes for their swine in many different ways.
He said producers are moving pigs into new dynamic finisher barns that are very effective. Before, static groups in a pen would cause many issues, including fighting.
“Now, we have dynamic groups with electronic sow feeders (ESF),” he said. “Each pen has a weight curve. There’s 15-20 animals moving into new pens constantly and the farmer doesn’t even have to handle the pigs until loading and processing.”
In addition, new handling practices from human labour has made great gains for the overall health of the pigs. With electronic modules for employees to learn from standardized modules, people are tested on 70 key competencies. The results have been dramatic: 85 per cent competency vs. 59 per cent when learning from a manager in a barn situation.
“It’s important to set the tone properly with swine health management because people will repeat the actions of others around them,” he said.
Brockhoff also talked about simple, yet highly effective systems such as no ramp loading onto trucks for pigs and how the stress levels and incidents have gone done because the animals have difficulty ascending and descending.
Dr. Clover Bench spoke about the history of poultry health at the Alberta Farm Animal Care Livestock Care Conference in Olds, Alta., March 15, 2018.
She explained how one of the biggest shifts since the 1930s has been a move away from curiosity-based research to traditional scientific research covering a multitude of welfare areas.
With battery cages and automation on the rise since the early- to-mid-60s, the next 15 years saw a shift into investigating the birds’ mental health and stressors such as suffering and frustration.
Recent developments to increased poultry welfare since 2015 now include the “5 domains” which includes: Environment, Behaviour, Mental state, Nutrition and Health.
New advances in poultry research is now allowing Dr. Bench to apply model markers on the birds and creating a 3-D tracking image, which lets her track the animal’s movements and study them in ways like never before. This research is valuable to know how the bird’s movements may be affected by various housing situations, body stressors and diet.
By Roy Lewis DVM
Bison handlers know how quick and flighty bison can be when confined or stressed. They appear to have no respect for their bodies. We as their keepers must eliminate areas and conditions that place them at risk.
In the past it wasn’t uncommon to loose a bison from a broken neck or to have several injure themselves while they were being handled. As bison handlers we have improved our practices significantly but there is still room for improvement. We must be proactive as an industry. My goal in this article is to provide some suggestions for everyone handling bison as well as share some thought provoking scenarios. (more…)
Caroline Ritter and Herman Barkema, University of Calgary
Dairy farmers have to balance industry standards, consumer expectations, and economic sustainability of their farm, while concurrently addressing their own standards and priorities. A better understanding of the influences behind farmers’ decision-making will enable policy-makers to design more effective disease control programs and facilitate program delivery and implementation.
For her research in Dr. Barkema’s Industrial Research Chair in Infectious Diseases of Dairy Cattle, Caroline Ritter, a veterinarian from Germany and current PhD student at the University of Calgary, conducted interviews and questinnaires with dairy farmers. One objective was to determine farmers’ preferences regarding how to receive information on farm management and disease control. For example, do they prefer printed information or discussion groups? Knowing farmers preferred sources for information should facilitate communications. (more…)
Diego Nobrega, Herman Barkema, University of Calgary
As antimicrobial resistance is a global concern, there is a broad push to reducing antibiotic use. For example, in the dairy sector, selective dry cow therapy (only some cows or quarters are treated at drying off) is being promoted in lieu of traditional blanket dry cow therapy involving treatment of every quarter.
Dr. Diego Nobrega, a Brazilian veterinarian doing his PhD at the University of Calgary with Dr. Herman Barkema, is characterizing antimicrobial resistance in bacteria isolated from milk. A major focus of Barkema’s group as the Industrial Research Chair in Infectious Diseases of Dairy Cattle is to reduce antimicrobial resistance in dairy herds but concurrently to sustain the health and welfare of dairy cows. “The idea is to reduce antibiotic use, but ensuring that they are still used when truly needed” says Diego. (more…)
When colder temperatures hit and chickens are ‘cooped’ up, they are prone to becoming bored. This can lead to behavioural issues you may not normally see in your flock such as egg eating, feather pecking, and even cannibalism in severe cases.
Chickens generally do quite well in our Alberta winters, provided that the breeds you have are suitable to our climate and that they are provided a dry, draft-free, warm shelter with access to water that is not frozen. Chickens that are accustomed to the climate will still happily go outside in temperatures well below 0°C, so try not to keep them confined to inside the coop except for in the most frigid weather conditions.
To save your flock’s sanity (and yours!) you may want to consider adding some environmental enrichment in extreme cold temperatures.
Add New Perches! Consider adding new perches to the coop and/or moving existing perches around the coop to keep the environment new and interesting. Be creative! You could add a chair, a tree branch, a Chicken Swing (yes such a thing does exist! Or you can also make your own), an old ladder, a tree stump, etc. Recycle your Christmas tree and put it in the coop. The chickens will enjoy exploring and roosting on it.
Hang a Head of Cabbage! (Or other edible food) Cabbage, cucumber, broccoli, a head of lettuce, your pumpkin from Halloween… the sky is the limit! This will provide the chickens with hours of entertainment. Whatever you choose, hang it at eye level and make sure that it is securely attached. Ensure you remove any unused portions at the end of the day so you don’t attract uninvited guests. A word of caution with treats – while they are often very effective at keeping chickens occupied, they should be used sparingly (no more than 5% of the chicken’s diet) as they can be detrimental to the
chicken’s health in excess. Make sure you are providing a nutritionally balanced feed free choice that makes up the majority of your flock’s diet.
Give Them Something to Dig Through! Throw a bale of straw or hay in the run for the chickens to dig through. This will keep them entertained for hours as it encourage their natural behaviour to forage, especially if you throw in a handful of scratch or dried mealworms for them to search for. If you would like some entertainment, throw in crickets or live worms for the chicken’s to go after!
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall… Chickens thoroughly enjoy looking at themselves! Hang a mirror at eye level in the coop. Ensure that it is securely attached.
Make Sure You Provide a Dust Bath! If you already have a dust bath for your chickens, consider adding a second one in a different location to keep them entertained. The dust bath should be sheltered from snow.
If despite your best efforts, you start to see egg eating, feather pecking, or cannibalistic behaviour in your flock – don’t fly the coop just yet!
Eating Eggs – It’s Not All It’s Cracked Up to Be! Breaking and eating eggs can happen when the chickens are not given sufficient space. Ensure you act quickly as this behaviour will spread to the other birds in the flock who will try to mimic the behaviour. Ensure any broken eggs are cleaned up immediately and avoid feeding raw eggs to your flock so they do not acquire a taste for it. You can try to deter a chicken from breaking and eating eggs by placing plastic or ceramic eggs in the nest boxes. Chickens that are fed a complete feed ration and are provided oyster shells free choice are less likely to be interested in eating eggs. Ensure eggs are collected often, at least twice a day.
To Peck or Not to Peck: Chickens have a defined pecking order in the flock; some pecking is normal and generally you do not need to interfere. More aggressive feather pecking can be caused by stress, boredom, hunger, or insufficient space. If the pecking is persistent and/or blood is drawn, it is time for you to play referee. The injured chicken should be removed from the flock immediately and not returned until it has fully healed. Consider adding more environmental enrichments, as discussed above, to try to re-direct the behaviour. Ensure your flock is fed a complete feed ration and that all birds have access to the feeders and waterers. Try to give your chickens as much space as possible, which gives flock members that are lower in status areas to escape.
Feather pecking in extreme cases can lead to Cannibalism, which is a serious welfare concern. Act quickly to control pecking before it escalates to where flock members are tearing the skin and tissues of other members. Chickens tend to mimic the behaviour of others, so this behaviour can also easily spread to others in the flock and can lead to a high mortality. The injured chicken should be removed from the flock immediately and not returned until it has fully healed. Placing the bird in a wire dog crate in a pen next to or in the permanent coop has proven to be effective, as the birds can see one another but cannot cause physical harm. This may last up to a few weeks. Once you re-introduce the bird to the rest of the flock, make sure to monitor the birds closely as you may need to separate the birds and try again. If you have one chicken that is being aggressive, you may consider isolating that bird for a few days as generally the bird will be more submissive once it re-joins the flock.
Consider adding new enrichments to the coop and/or moving existing enrichments around to keep the environment new and interesting for the birds. Ensure your flock is fed a complete feed ration, with space at the feeders or waterers for each bird. This may mean adding additional feeders and waterers to your coop. Give your flock as much space as is feasible, and ensure there is adequate nest boxes (one nest box for every 3-4 birds is recommended).
Can There ‘Bee’ Welfare Concerns with Beekeeping?
As an employee of Alberta Farm Animal Care, animal welfare is something that is always very high on my radar, so when I became a Beekeeper this past year, that didn’t change. Now, as you are reading this, you are probably thinking one of three things:
1. Bees are insects- who cares?
2. I hate bees!
OR
3. Of course, bee welfare is important; bees are vital to the ecosystem!
‘Bee’fore I got interested in bees, most of my animal handling knowledge was with cattle, and really there isn’t much difference. Essentially, the bees will treat you how you treat them!
Below you will find the top four factors that I always try to take into consideration to minimize the amount of stress that my bees have to endure.
1. Weather – Bees are very small insects, and therefore the weather can really affect the health of the bees, especially in the early spring when temperatures can still be quite low. While the Queen bee is in peak laying season (up to 2000 eggs a day), you want to be extra careful as the bees are working their hardest to regulate the temperature in the hive. Any unnecessary openings during extreme temperatures can affect the welfare of the bees and the success of the hive. Our rule of thumb is if bees flying in and out of the hive, we are good to go.
2. Time of Day – ‘Bee’lieve it or not, the time of day can really minimize stress on the bees too. Obviously, hives need to be checked- that is our responsibility as a beekeeper, but if you check the hive while most of the bees are out foraging, it makes things a lot easier for both you AND the bees. Not only does this increase the amount of room in the hive, but it also reduces the numbers of bees making it less likely for you to get stung, accidentally squish bees and allow you to get a better picture of the success of your hive. Win, win, win!
3. Gloves – One of the best pieces of advice I ever got before getting into beekeeping was never to wear gloves. Crazy right?? That’s what I thought too. However, the point of not wearing gloves is to encourage the beekeeper to think about things and move slowly and carefully. Bees won’t sting you unless you give them a reason to (usually), so as a beekeeper it is good to work with that in mind.
4. Smoker – The reason this is last on the list is that in my opinion if you are working with bees this should be a no-brainer. Every time the bees are inspected the smoker should be judicially used. There are different theories as to why the smoke calms the bees, but it does, and this should be used to your advantage. A few puffs at the beginning of the inspection is usually all you will need. Your burning material is up to you, but personally, we use untreated burlap.
All beekeepers are different, and there are many different ways to keep bees, but in my experience, the four points listed above make for happy bees AND a happy beekeeper!
When a person hears the words ‘dairy farm’ one of the first things that comes to mind is probably the signature black and white Holstein dairy cattle.
But as you walk on the property of Primrose Farms, there isn’t a purebred Holstein cow in sight. Primrose Farms is one of the only Fleckvieh dairy farms in Alberta and that is something that they are very proud of.
The Fleckvieh breed originates from Lower Bavaria, Germany and they are known for their use as a dual-purpose breed, which makes them suitable for both milk and meat production.
Cornel and Cremona both grew up on family farms in Alberta: Cornel in the beef and grain industry, and Cremona in the dairy, beef, and grain industries. Unlike their farm now, Cremona grew up with Holstein Dairy cattle, but once they started their own dairy together, their financials were just not making sense, “On 25 cows in our herd we spent too much money on pharmaceuticals and veterinary services, and we thought that there has to be a better way to do this.” On the beef farm that Cornel was raised on they bred a Simmental cross, and in Switzerland Simmental cattle are occasionally used for milk production as well. “If we could find a hardier animal like the Simmental, they would do much better.”
So, in May 2004 after they finished reading an article in a FarmShow magazine about a farmer in Manitoba that was crossing his Holsteins with Fleckvieh, they decided to give that a try. They contacted the company that was importing the genetics, it was sent on a Grey Hound bus and they have never looked back. “As soon as the calves started to hit the ground, they were stronger and more robust and we were just so happy about it.” Cornel and Cremona also saw that their farm economics started to improve, “with the Fleckvieh you have a dual purpose animal, you’re not just limited to the income coming from the milk production, but you also have the ability to have a good income from beef production as well. The longevity of the animal also improves, they are just a more balanced and natural animal.”
At Primrose Farms, they milk about 100 cows but have about 250 head in total. They raise all their own calves on the farm as well. The females are kept, joining the milking herd once they are old enough and the males are grown as beef animals. Usually in the beef industry, male calves are castrated if they aren’t going to be used as breeding stock; Here on Primrose Farms they leave the males intact so they can use their natural ability to grow.
Because they leave their males calves intact, they don’t use any hormones to facilitate growth. They also don’t use any hormones on their milking cows either. Primrose Farms allow their cattle to naturally come into heat. The only hormone they would use once in a blue moon, is oxytocin, this is commonly used to encourage a first lactation heifer to drop her milk, as they can be a little nervous.
Animal welfare is very important to Cornel and Cremona, they both want a low stress lifestyle for all the animals on the farm. The milking barn is a loafing barn layout, which allows the cows to roam freely. They have specific areas designated for feeding, milking, water and a big open area for the cows to lay down and relax.
In January 2011, there was a major technology change on the farm; they started milking with robots. Since the addition of the robots Cornel and Cremona have both noticed a more flexible work schedule. This flexibility has allowed them to pursue more enterprises, like eggs, chickens and pigs; there are also a few friendly geese and ducks on the property! Since this flexibility allowed them to pursue more of what they wanted to do, in 2016 they got a processing license and there first batch of pasteurized milk was made.
Since that first batch they have branched out into whole milk, yogurt, kefir, chocolate milk, eggnog and now ice cream! Soon in 2018, they will expand with grass fed butter and sour cream. They also grade and clean all their own eggs. The meat from their chickens, pigs and cows that aren’t used for milk production is all custom processed off the farm.
With the Fleckvieh animals it has led to more visitors on the farm, and Cornel and Cremona have a full open-door policy. Both Cornel and Cremona are very passionate about farming, and they both love to express their passion for the industry. “There is so much disconnect between the consumer and farmer, we have no problem filling that gap and showing the public how much we love and care for our animals.”
Since Cornel and Cremona market their own product to sell, as well sell it in a few select stores throughout Alberta, they cherish the relationships that they make with their consumers. “We want consumers to have a relationship and to know the farmer that is producing their food, instead of just relying on a label.”
If you are interested in learning more about Primrose Farms check out their website at http://www.primrosefarms.co
Dr. Joyce Van Donkersgoed
With increasing questions from the public on how livestock are raised, processors are increasingly pressured to provide proof that the fed cattle they purchase meet recognized welfare standards. National Cattle Feeders Association (NCFA), along with our federal processors, built a national feedlot welfare assessment/audit tool to provide reassurances to retailers and the public that feedlot cattle in Canada are raised humanely.
Over the last 3 years, an Animal Care Advisory Committee consisting of experts from Cargill, JBS, Tyson Foods, feedlot producers, feedlot veterinarians, animal scientists, and ethologists worked together to develop a practical, credible, and scientifically sound feedlot audit tool that would improve animal welfare while providing necessary reassurances to the public. The Canadian Beef Code of Practice was used as a basis for the development of the audit tool, along with information from the North American Meat Institute cattle handling audit tool, the US Beef Quality Assurance feedlot guidelines, and the Common Swine Industry Audit.
The audit tool was pilot tested across 32 feedlots of varying sizes across Canada and revised based on input from producers. As well, 2 large retail meetings were held in Calgary and Toronto gathering input from retailers, such as McDonalds, Walmart, Sobeys, Loblaws, Federated Co-op, and Overwaitea.
By Victoria Kouritzin
Through genetic selection, the modern day broiler has undergone improvements in appetite, its ability to efficiently gain weight, and in its survivability. However, the resulting rapid growth in commercial broiler strains may also effect broiler gait. Broiler during a gait assessment trial wearing reflective markers for kinematic evaluation Current gait assessment methods can be subjective as they rely on observers to determine the quality of a broiler’s gait using a short multi-point scale. This often results in subtle lameness being missed as most assessment methods were designed to only give an indication of either no problem or whether there is a severe gait concern. Therefore, there is need for more objective means of assessing subtle differences in broiler gait. At the University of Alberta, applied ethologist, Dr. Clover Bench, and her team, are working on a new way to analyse and evaluate broiler gait using 3D kinematic motion capture technology. The results of this research will provide broiler genetics companies with a new means of assessing gait which could be included as part of selection programs.
Bill desBarres – Horse Welfare Alliance of Canada
Compared to other sectors of the livestock industry equine may be classed as more fragmented. Many, if not most of the other livestock species are under or within umbrella organizations. Species populations in much of the livestock industry are concentrated by flocks, feedlots, herds etc. It may be submitted that for the most part patrons and enthusiasts of the equine sector may have fewer than four animals. For the most part owners of equine may not be members of a breed, discipline or other organization. This would submit most of the horse owners in Canada may be driven by a narrow passion. Therefore it may be reasonable to assume technical and/or science based research and the results thereof have not been adequately identified or circulated. We have not learned the priorities of need or how to direct the information to the majority of the equine community. Within very recent years efforts have commenced to identify critical areas of concern within the equine sector of the livestock industry.
1. BIOSECURITY: Biosecurity is a preventative process to reduce the chances of infectious diseases. The practice of biosecurity should be a planned process on every property where animals and/or humans frequent or reside. In 2011 Alberta Equestrian Federation (AEF) initiated a project with the cooperation of the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association, Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Growing Forward to promote more and better biosecurity practices in the equine community. The project grew to become a National program with the National Farm and Facility Level Biosecurity Standard for the Equine Sector manual now in print and available from all provincial/territorial and other equine organizations.