let's talk farm animals

Camels have it over farm animals

By Leslie Ballentine, Farming and food commentator

The Dog Days of Summer are tough on most living things; people, plants and animals. But with this summer’s record breaking-temperatures  in many parts of the country, the heat and humidity are especially bad news. Hot weather can take a toll.

Camels obviously can tolerate heat, but livestock and poultry are not so fortunate. Many types of farm animals can’t regulate their body temperatures as well as people can- pigs can’t sweat for example- and even a slight prolonged rise in body temperature can heat stress cattle. Just as with people, heat exhaustion can kill. So it’s up to the farmer to get them through the ‘Dog Days’.

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Posted by FFC on July 25th, 2011 :: Filed under Animal care,Housing,Transportation,Weather
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A different kind of spring on the farm

Guest Blog by Jeanine Moyer Jeanine was raised on a pig, beef cattle and crop farm in Ontario

Spring comes to our farm early. We don’t wait for the green grass or baby calves, the annual spring bull sale is enough for us. Each year a catalogue of potential sires is mailed out to our farm marking the onset of the spring season. Dad and Uncle spend hours pouring over the pictures, details and genetic makeup of each animal before settling on their select few they would like to purchase at the upcoming sale.

Sale day often dawns on a chilly Saturday and once chores are finished we pile into the farm pickup and head for Listowel, ON with trailer in tow. You’re never guaranteed to bring anything home but Dad always hitches up the trailer just in case. Any farm gathering, whether it be a local auction sale, farm tour or in this case, a bull sale offers donuts and coffee and as kids this was a great opportunity to eat our fill.

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Posted by FFC on April 4th, 2011 :: Filed under Animal care,animal handling,Auction sales,Beef cattle,Canada,Farm life,Transportation
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Emergency Response and Livestock Video released

If you’re involved in emergency response AFAC’s newly released video is for you. This 10 minute video, developed by the Alberta Farm Animal Care Association, is an overview of the highly successful Livestock Emergency Response Course.

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Posted by AFAC on October 15th, 2009 :: Filed under Transportation
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Reporter feels business end of electric prod

Steve Buist, Hamilton Spectator, 2021.06.06

The use of battery-powered electric prods to get hogs moving is a controversial animal welfare issue.

The prod is poked into the back or rump of the pig and with a push of a button, a flash of electric current jumps between two contacts. It’s enough to elicit a loud squeal in some pigs.

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Posted by FFC on July 23rd, 2009 :: Filed under Meat/slaughter plants,Pork,Transportation
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The end of the line

Steve Buist, Hamilton Spectator,2008.06.06

It’s Friday, May 9. I didn’t need my alarm clock this morning. I was wide awake by 4 a.m.

I admit that I was a little apprehensive. This is Piggy’s last day. This morning, he’s being shipped from the Littlejohns’ farm in the hamlet of Glen Morris to Great Lakes Specialty Meats, a small packing plant in Mitchell, about half an hour north of London.

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Posted by FFC on July 22nd, 2009 :: Filed under Farm life,Meat/slaughter plants,Pork,Transportation
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Horse owners concerned about proposed transportation legislation

08Dec19 By SHANNON RUCKMAN, The Prairie Star editor

BILLINGS, Mont. - With close to 10 million horses in the nation, Montana horse owners and enthusiasts are concerned about the welfare of the equine industry if legislation is passed banning the transport of horses to slaughter facilities.

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Posted by FFC on July 21st, 2009 :: Filed under Horses,Meat/slaughter plants,Regulations,Transportation
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Certification soon needed for livestock transport

Fairview Post
Posted By Chris Zwick
November 12, 2020

Livestock haulers and handlers across the country will soon require certification to transport livestock, but luckily enough the Fairview college campus is offering a one-day Certified Livestock Transport training program on Nov. 15.

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Posted by FFC on July 21st, 2009 :: Filed under Regulations,Transportation
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Animal care on video may be the best message

By Jerry Harke, Focus on Agriculture, The Voice of Agriculture
For the week of October 13, 2020

Sharing Stories of Animal Care on Video

An increasing number of videos are being produced on farms and ranches around the country and made available on popular Web sites such as www.YouTube.com. Most of these videos show producers talking about how they manage the well-being of their farm animals, including care-related reasons why they select specific housing and other production methods.

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Posted by FFC on July 19th, 2009 :: Filed under Animal health,Education and public awareness,Family vs factory farming,Housing,Regulations,Transportation
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