Another year in the books

An unexpected, uninvited guest appeared on the doorstep in November. Ol’ Man Winter didn’t arrive empty-handed. He “left approximately 10 percent of the Prince Edward Island potato crop unharvested and acres and acres of soybeans and corn standing in foot-deep snow,” says Rinnie Bradley in her P.E.I. Cattle Producers Report (page 36).

Les Halliday also talks about the frost damage winter brought as an early present, and warns of potential feed problems in his Letter from the Island on page 44. He provides background information about mould and mycotoxins, “because they are prevalent this year.”

You’ll find some of the problems winter’s early arrival has caused and some possible solutions in this issue of Atlantic Beef & Sheep.

As 2018 comes to a close, Health Canada has implemented changes and all livestock producers now require a prescription from a licensed veterinarian to buy antibiotics for their animals. This concerns New Brunswick Cattle Producers (NBCP) chair Nathan Phinney because there is “a lack of veterinarians right across the province.” He tells George Fullerton, “As farmers, we need to collaborate to insist government fill vet vacancies. We need producers from all regions to work together to address this very real, and very immediate problem.”

George’s report on the NBCP regional meeting in Sussex (page 48) also covers Premises Identification, bob calves, and experiencing a VBP+ audit.

Phinney and Cedric MacLeod of the NBCP joined Larry Weatherby and Brad McCallum of Nova Scotia and Jeremy Stead from P.E.I. in Ottawa this past fall to meet with Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Lawrence MacAulay and Atlantic policymakers to discuss the Maritime Beef Sector Development and Expansion Strategy (page 32).

Beef prices and availability are important to Nova Scotia feedlot owner Keith Kinsman. Emily Leeson invites you to sit down at the kitchen table (page 28) with the 2018 Kings Mutual Producer of the Year.

And while 2018 has proven unusual and a tad challenging, we hope this issue of ABS provides some information to help regain some normalcy and quell those winter blues.

Duncan Fraser offers advice on page 27 for new sheep producers about what’s normal and when to consult a vet, and Dal AC researcher David Barrett thinks he might have a way to help improve off-season breeding in sheep. He tells Vern Faulkner (page 22) about hormones that seem “to stimulate both heat and ovulation, when applied at appropriate times.”

Atlantic Beef & Sheep reports on low stress calf weaning research (page 23) that finds two-stage weaning and fence-line weaning techniques minimize stress, increase calf performance, and reduce shock to owner’s finances.

And ABS can’t help bragging a bit about Maritime producers who displayed top-quality breeding stock and promoted the industry at various shows and exhibitions.

Donna Langille reports on Sheep Fun Day in Pictou (page 42). And there’s coverage of the “incredible” Classic Heritage Beef Show (page 24), the N.B. Beef Expo (page 33), the N.S. Elite Beef Expo (page 31), and the National Junior Limousin Show (page 40).

As 2018 heads for the exit, plans are well underway for next year. Allison Finnamore notes in her NBCP Report on page 39 that topics for the Maritime Beef School’s first session include Herd Procurement and Replenishment as well as Feeding and Nutrition Management.

All of us at ABS wish you a safe, happy Christmas and a prosperous new year.