Brandon is playing host for Hog Days in December. The one day show will be held at the Keystone Centre in Brandon Wednesday December 2nd from 10 am – 4:30 pm. Lunch tickets can be purchased on site.
Back is the ever popular Pork Quality Competition, the winners will be announced at 4:15 pm following the winners of the Best Make & Bake.
Be sure to join the over 85 companies already registered as exhibitors. A complete swine industry trade show with all information under one roof. •
Banff Pork Seminar
2016 Banff Pork Seminar is January 12-14, 2016. A few of the featured speakers are: Dr. Temple Grandin, Michael McCain, Rui Eduardo Saldanha Vargas, Joe Schwarcz, Dr. Doug MacDougald, Rick Peters, Mike Tokach, Ruurd Zijlstra, Rob Knoz, Dr. Larry Coleman, Tim Friedel, Ron Ketchem, Dr. Gail Cunningham, and Francis Simard
This years seminar is being held at the Banff Springs Hotel. Reservations can be made at the Banff Springs Hotel through link on the banffpork.ca website. Rooms are reasonable, be where all the events will take place.
Online registration now open for the seminar. Earlybird discounts till December 20th.
Check out www.banffpork.ca, for more details and information.
Please contact Conference Coordinator Ashley Steeple at 780.492.3651 or pork@ualberta.ca with questions. •
Manitoba Swine Seminar
Speakers are confirmed for the annual Manitoba Swine Seminar, be sure to mark down February 3 & 4, 2016 . The MSS will be held at the Victoria Inn in Winnipeg, adjacent to the Winnipeg International airport.
Some of featured topics include: Sow feeding strategies in gestation and lactation,
Humane transport: What you need to know about transporting sows, Feeding piglets for gut health to optimize growth, Lessons learned using needle-less injectors, Industry update, Understanding feeders and drinkers for grow/finish pigs, How to extract more value from manure, Challenges associated with water medicators and a Panel discussion: How to implement the codes of practice on-farm.
For details and registrations information contact Dallas Ballance conference manager at 204.475.8585 or email
dallas@goodwinballance.ca •
Cramer Livestock Expo
The one day trade show will take place Thursday February 18th in Swift Current at Kinetic Park from 8:30 am – 5 pm. back to our routes, is this years theme for the sixth annual. Exhibitors packages are available, dont’ delay there are only 10 booths left as of press time. Early booking discount expires November 30th.
Charities will be the big winner in the upcoming second annual sale of champions at the close of Cramer Expo.
Following the same format as last year at after the Cramer Cup winners have been announced. The real winners will be rewarded. The top five carcasses will be auctioned off by a live auction, Brett Jensen from Heartland will be onhand to help with the calling. All funds raised will be donated to Kids Help Phone, a program dedicated to help those youngers who need to somebody to talk to in times of despair. Kids Help Phone allows kids to phone in, go through a mobile app or go on the website and live chat,The services provided by Kids Help Phone are available in all communities, providing any child the opportunity to talk if they want to. They do this confidentially, without judgment, and in the way that suits each one best. A charity very near and dear to Kelly Turcotte, tradeshow co ordinators, heart. In addition to the top five carcasses being auctioned off the top three placing nest eggs will also be open for bidding. Doug Cramer, founder of Cramer Expo, is hoping those in attedance will dig deep in their pockets for this worthy cause.
The charity doesn’t end there, all the meat from the carcasses entered into the competition are divided up and distributed to local charities and food backs. Superior Meats is a great partner in donating the cutting and wrapping of the pork carcasses.
Jason Care grading auditor with Manitoba Pork Council will have the hard job of judging the entered carcasses. In February of 2015 there were 22 carcasses from 13 Colonies entered, all very close.
Producers don’t miss out your opportunity to register your carcass(es) for the Cramer Cup competition. Entries are limited. Contact Doug at the office today 306.520.3553, deadline for entries delivered to Superior Meats is February 16th
For details and information contact tradeshow co ordinator Kelly Turcotte at 306.737.6262 or email
kelly_turcotte@hotmail.com •
Alberta Pork Congress
The dates for the 42nd annual Alberta Pork Congress are June 15 & 16, 2016.
Online registration will be available soon at albertaporkcongress.com
For details or information contact Kate Cheney or Kimberly Nield at 403.244.7821 or email kate@conventionall.com or
kimberly@conventionall.com •
Canadian Pigs Show Disease at U.S. Packing Plant
Three Canadian pigs have tested positive for Seneca Valley virus at a packing plant in the United States.
The virus is not particularly dangerous to either hogs or people, but is considered alarming because it can easily be mistaken for foot-and-mouth disease which would be devastating.
Foot-and-mouth disease is deadly and highly contagious and if it is ever confirmed in a Canadian animal, would immediately stop all meat and livestock exports.
There would also be tight quarantine zones, including some that would stop all traffic in or out of a property.
The United States Department of Agriculture has alerted the Canadian Food Inspection Agency about its findings and further testing in Canada confirmed it’s at two Ontario hog assembly yards. It could not be confirmed at any place in Manitoba although one of the hogs detected with the virus at the U.S. packing plant was from Manitoba.
The Canadian Pork Council is informing hog farmers that they have an obligation to report any signs of a vesicular virus, such as Seneca Valley virus, to their veterinarian and veterinarians have an obligation to report to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
The council says “although SVV (Seneca Valley virus) is not a reportable disease, its detection will halt the production flow and processing as its clinical signs are similar to foreign vesicular diseases such as foot-and-mouth.
If SVV or any other type of vesicular foreign animal disease is suspected, it is important to immediately report this to your herd veterinarian and the CFIA.
“Any failure to report could lead to missing a potential FMD (foot-and mouth) infection which could have huge impacts for the industry.
“Biosecurity measures should be reviewed and movement from the farm should be halted and samples need to be collected and sent out for proper analysis by CFIA laboratories.
“No sick, lame or animals with active and/or healing vesicular lesions should be sent out and that includes movement to slaughter.
“The CFIA will investigate all suspect cases which may include taking samples to rule out vesicular FADs (foreign animal diseases).
“The test results usually become available within 24 hours from the time the samples reach the CFIA laboratory. •
— By Jim Romahn
Pork Production up by Three per cent
Canadian pork production is up by three per cent this year, reports the federal agriculture department.
Canadian exports of hogs to the United States are up by 12.4 per cent, but pork imports are up by 3.6 per cent.
Canadian packing plants that are federally inspected have slaughtered 1,684,000 hogs this year compared with 1,637,000 last year.
Ron Plain of the University of Missouri says U.S. pork exports increased by 18 per cent in September, the second month that exports were higher than the same month last year. •
— By Jim Romahn
Alltech Buys Masterfeeds
Alltech is buying all of the shares of Masterfeeds Inc. from Ag Processing Inc.
No price has been revealed.
Masterfeeds will continue to have its headquarters in London.
The deal increases Alltech’s presence to 25 mills and premix facilities, nine retail locations and seven distribution centres.
“This is a crucial time in agriculture, and Canadian farmers are facing ever-increasing pressures, including the continued drive to produce more with fewer resources,” said Dr. Pearse Lyons, founder and president of Alltech. “This new opportunity will enable more efficient delivery of superior animal nutrition and tailored feeding programs, supported by robust scientific research.”
Masterfeeds further strengthens Alltech’s presence in Canada by creating one of the country’s largest animal nutrition offerings. Alltech, Masterfeeds and EMF Nutrition, another Alltech-owned Canadian company, employ approximately 700 Canadians, operating 25 feed manufacturing and premix facilities, nine retail locations and seven distribution centers in a business spanning the entire country.
“Alltech’s investment strategy is unfolding in exciting ways,” stated Rob Flack, president and CEO of Masterfeeds. “Alltech’s primacy in science, supported by an extensive research and development program, is both cutting-edge and relevant. Masterfeeds’ proven on-farm feeding solutions will be strengthened through proprietary Alltech nutrition technology, adding further value to our customers throughout Canada.”
“Masterfeeds and Alltech are two of the most respected brand names in Canadian animal agriculture,” said Keith Spackler, CEO, Ag Processing Inc (AGP). “This acquisition is a significant development and is grounded in bringing the best nutrition solutions to farmers and ranchers.”
Rob Flack remains chief executive officer of Masterfeeds. Alltech will remain in Guelph.
“We are truly fortunate to become part of a financially strong, growth-oriented private company with a global vision,” said Flack.
The combined company will have a presence in 128 countries with more than 4,700 employees worldwide
Alltech recently bought Ridley Inc. from its Australian owners. •
Smithfield Touts Pigpoop Power Project
Smithfield Foods is building a $120-million hog-manure methane-digestion plant in Missouri.
It claims the plant is the largest of its kind and will be ready to produce energy next year.
Roeslein Alternative Energy said the first phase is half done and it’s on schedule to install impermeable covers and flare systems on 88 manure lagoons at the Smithfield facility in Albany, Mo.
The covers prevent methane gas from entering the atmosphere and reduce odour plus they keep rain out of the lagoons.
The second phase will involve installing technology to purify the biogas under the covers and developing a natural gas pipeline designed to open next year.
The project will process manure from two million pigs and is supposed to eventually generate about 2.2 million cubic feet of pipeline-quality natural gas, or the equivalent of 17 million gallons of diesel fuel annually.
The project also is expected to prevent about 850,000 tons of methane from reaching the atmosphere.
The developers believe the project has applications for farms across the United States and for use in developing countries that are looking for better ways to sustainably manage natural resources and energy production. •
— By Jim Romahn
Carlo Genetics Opens a Third Site Taking Over all of the MLAF Semen Supply Business
Carlo Genetics has now opened a third site having taken over all of the MLAF semen supply business.
Carlo 3 is a leased and renovated barn. Carlo has installed filtration into the incoming air supply for bio security and are experimenting with an auto collect system at this site. The semen is collected and diluted 1:1 with extender on site and once the collections are all done it is transported to Unit 1 and 2 for final dilution and bottling. Barn 3 currently has room for 150, bringing our total capacity up to 750 boars. •
U.S. Politics Still Plague COOL
American politicians are still arguing with each other over Country of Origin Labeling regulations as the World Trade Organization is approaching Dec. 7 when it will issue its final report on how much retaliation Canada and Mexico can apply to U.S. exports.
The issues seem intractable, despite non-stop conversations among all parties since May, said Sarah Little, communications director for U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kans.), chairman of the Senate Ag Committee in a report by Meatingplace Magazine.
Canada and Mexico could implement retaliatory tariffs as soon as 11 days after the decision is announced.
A primary problem is that while some of the die-hard supporters of COOL are long-standing senators, some of opponents, including Sen. Roberts, are equally well-placed. Roberts has said it doesn’t matter if it’s a dollar in retaliation or if it’s $3.2 billion in retaliation, no amount is acceptable, Little said.
Also, while COOL supporters have been unwilling to back away from their demands that the wording including “born, raised and slaughtered,” the Canadian and Mexican governments have been equally adamant that the language be dropped.
Legislation proposed by Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and John Hoeven (R-N.D.) that would make COOL labeling voluntary doesn’t pass the “smell test” with Canada and Mexico, Little warned. •
— By Jim Romahn
Canadians Eating Less Beef and Pork, more Chicken
The Conference Board of Canada reports that Canadian beef consumption has declined by 31 per cent since 2007 and pork consumption by 19 per cent, but chicken consumption is up by 11 per cent.
It says the trend comes because the Canadian population is aging and therefore eating less meat to maintain health, that immigrants shun meat for religious reasons and meat prices have risen.
The report predicts that the weak Canadian dollar will continue to support the competitiveness of Canadian food products, but softer employment growth will dampen disposable income growth over the near term.
Some of these same health concerns were cited in a 2012 USDA report of a 41-percent decline in meat consumption among U.S. consumers since 2007 •
— By Jim Romahn
Hi-Pro Feeds Extends its Business in Alberta Acquiring Champion Feed Services
Hi-Pro Feeds is pleased to announce the recent acquisition of Champion Feed Services Ltd, a group of companies including feed mills, stores and an oat processing facility located in northern Alberta.
“This extends our business into a broader market, creating a vast network across the entire province of Alberta. Adding the Champion feed mills at Barrhead, Westlock, and Grande Prairie will assist in providing a greater mix of products and services to the customers we serve,” says Daren Kennett, Founder of Hi-Pro Feeds. The company currently operates 12 feed mills in the US and western Canada including Alberta facilities at Lethbridge, Olds, Ponoka, and Sherwood Park. •
Olymel Buys Lucyporc
Olymel L.P.is buying Groupe Robitaille, a family-founded business that’s best known for its Aliments Lucyporc brand-name products.
They have agreed “in principle to enter a business partnership.,” they say in a news release.
Under the agreement, Aliments Lucyporc, a hog-slaughtering and processing business owned by Groupe Robitaille, would be equally owned by Groupe Robitaille and Olymel through an exchange of shares. The joint venture would continue to operate under the name Aliments Lucyporc.
This agreement extends to Viandes Dunham, a meat processing company serving the hotel, restaurant and institutional (HRI) sector. It’s also owned by Groupe Robitaille.
This partnership agreement will be subject to approval by the Competition Bureau.
Apart the farms belonging to Groupe Robitaille, which would continue to supply the Aliments Lucyporc plant, this agreement does not affect other activities in which Olymel and Groupe Robitaille are involved.
Aliments Lucyporc employs more than 350 people at its Yamachiche, Quebec, processing plant, while Viandes Dunham has more than 30 employees.
Lucyporc specializes in niche products such as Nagano pork, and exports much of its production to Japan and several other countries under different brands.
Within this partnership, the Lucyporc plant at Yamachiche will continue to operate under the current management, and the joint venture will continue to honour its commitments to its customers..
Olymel L.P. is Canada’s largest pork business, employing close to 10,000 people, including 7,000 in Quebec It has facilities in Ontario, Alberta, New Brunswick and Saskatchewan.
Olymel exports about a third of its products to the United States, Japan and Australia, as well as more than 60 other countries.
Its annual sales are about $2.8 billion. The company markets its products mainly under the Olymel, Lafleur and Flamingo brands.
Lucyporc was founded in 1998 by Groupe Robitaille, a diversified, integrated family business, which has been active in poultry and pig production, feed milling and food processing for more than 50 years. Group Robitaille employs more than 650 people in Quebec, 350 of them at Aliments Lucyporc.• — By Jim Romahn
Fresh Innovations and Partnerships Drive Growth for Canadian Bio-Systems
New science-based feed technology innovations and expanded customer relationships across the country are driving a new generation of growth for Calgary-based Canadian Bio-Systems Inc. (CBS Inc.)
“It’s an exciting time of fresh opportunities across the shifting landscape of the feed sector,” says Owen Jones, CBS Inc. President. “Customers need choice. They need innovation. They need trusted partners who will champion the best tailored solutions for their operations. We are fortunate as a Canadian company, delivering homegrown Canadian technologies, to be a part of this new era of opportunity taking shape across the country.”
A big driver of the fresh potential is new science, says Rob Patterson, CBS Inc. Technical Director. CBS Inc. has long-standing partnerships with the University of Manitoba and other key local science centres, to pioneer breakthrough technologies such as new “multi-carbohydrase” enzyme formulations.
Added to these types of advantages, all CBS Inc. products are bio-based formulations. This fits well with the pressures and demands of today’s marketplace, including the increasing emphasis on new options to reduce reliance on antibiotics use. “Our approach is all about the right science and championing the customer,” says Mark Peters, CBS Inc. Sales and Marketing Director.. “That includes always looking for new solutions that fit the shifting marketplace demands, both for today and tomorrow.” •
Maple Leaf Forced to Recall Pork
Maple Leaf Foods Inc. has been forced to recall some pork from its plant at Brandon, Man., because a United States border inspector failed to detect one lot of four in a shipment.
The inspector certified three lots, but apparently missed the fourth one.
As a result, Maple Leaf is recalling 4,030 pounds of boneless pork shoulders.
The Food Safety Inspection Service of the United States Department of Agriculture says “without the benefit of full inspection, a possibility of adverse health consequences exists.”
There have been no reports of any adverse consumer reactions.
The shipment crossed the border Oct. 31 and on Nov. 3 officials noticed the fourth lot was missed, or in their words, the products “were not presented at the U.S. point of entry for inspection.’ •
— By Jim Romahn
MSD Animal Health to Acquire Harris Vaccines
MSD Animal Health (known as Merck Animal Health in the United States and Canada) has entered into an agreement to acquire Harrisvaccines, a privately-held company that develops, manufactures and sells vaccines for food production and companion animals.
Harrisvaccines offers innovative technology and an important portfolio of vaccines, with a focus on production animals, an increasingly important segment as consumer demand for protein continues to grow worldwide.
The company has a unique RNA Particle technology which represents a breakthrough in vaccine development. It also has a highly versatile production platform able to target a wide range of viruses and bacteria. Pathogens are collected from a farm and specific genes are sequenced and inserted into RNA particles, making safe, potent vaccines able to provide herd-specific protection.
This pioneering system is rapidly adaptable to new disease challenges and was instrumental in producing the first conditionally licensed vaccine to help control Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDv), a deadly virus that has killed more than eight million piglets since suddenly emerging in the US in 2013.
In September 2015, Harrisvaccines received a conditional approval for a Eurasian H5 subtype avian influenza vaccine and was subsequently awarded a contract by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA/APHIS) to produce the vaccine.
The terms of the agreement were not disclosed. The companies expect the transaction to close in the fourth quarter of 2015. •
US and Canada Pork Exports Fall
US pork exports for the first nine months of 2015 declined by less than 1 per cent year on year to 1.1 million tonnes.
Canadian pork exports recorded a larger fall of 4 per cent year on year in the first nine months of 2015, to 620,000 tonnes.
The decrease in US exports, of 42,000 tonnes, comes as a surprise given its pork production is running 8 per cent higher after the continued recovery from PEDv, leading to the expectation that exports would rise. However, the strong US dollar has hindered growth.
Higher volumes of pork exported in the second and third quarter of 2015 offset the much lower figures recorded at the beginning of the year, resulting in the overall small decline.
Mexico retained its position as the largest market for US pork, with exports to the country rising by 10 per cent.
The Asian market became unbalanced for the US, with shipments to both Japan and China during the months of January to September down on the previous year, by 4 per cent and 22 per cent respectively.
In contrast, trade to South Korea significantly increased, ahead by 40 per cent. Unit prices of pork have trended below last year’s levels throughout 2015, leaving the total value of pork exports at just over $3billion, down by 18 per cent.
Canadian exports have declined throughout the year, with the lowest volumes being seen in the third quarter.
The US remained the dominant destination for Canadian pork, taking nearly 19 per cent more than the same time period in 2015, whilst Mexico also recorded an increase of 34 per cent.
Volumes destined for Japan and China declined by 6 per cent and 24 per cent in turn, whilst trade with Russia ceased altogether as sanctions remain in place.
In line with the US, the total value of Canadian exports for the first three quarters of 2015 fell by 15 per cent to just under C$2 billion. •
