| ||||||
A project led by Beef Improvement Opportunities (BIO) has shown that ultrasound technology can accurately predict specific carcass characteristics, such as weight, back fat and marbling, which directly affect how much a producer is paid for an animal. Continue reading Ultrasound helps beef farmers make better marketing decisions    RFID tags are placed in an animal's ear Many modern-day pet owners microchip their four-legged companions. This is to help identify them should they become lost, injured or otherwise harmed in some way. Farmers are doing a similar thing with their beef cattle. They’re using radio frequency identification (RFID) tags to keep track of their animals as they move from farm to farm at various points in their lives. These tags, which are placed in the ear, store information about each animal, such as its farm of origin, age and identification numbers, to help farmers and processors maintain and promote food safety and traceability. Continue reading Keeping tabs on where the cows are
Here’s the third in a series of guest posts I’ve been writing for the Canadian Beef Blog. Last month, I described some of the different cattle breeds and how to tell the difference between a dairy cow (one that gives milk) and a beef cow (one that is raised for meat). Now we’re going to take a quick look at how and where cattle are raised and what they eat. Beef cows and calves typically live outside on pasture in the spring, summer and fall months – which is why it’s not uncommon to see cows grazing in fields if you find yourself out enjoying the Canadian countryside. Continue reading As cows live and eat
A cow is a cow is a cow, right? Not exactly. Yes, they’re all the same type of animal but there are many different breeds. For example, even though they’re both dogs, there aren’t a lot of similarities between a small white Bichon Frise and a large German Sheppard! The same principles apply to cattle. To complicate things further, did you know that different breeds are used for different things on the farm? Continue reading Cows of many colours
One of the country’s leading supermarket chains, Co-op, sells a line of branded Swiss food products – milk, yogurts, meats, cheeses and more – that promotes sustainable mountain farming. Continue reading Retailer supports sustainable farming Most of us have very little knowledge of where our food comes from or how it is produced. As a result, misinformation is widely circulated in many different forms – so to get to the real scoop on what’s going on, I’m a firm believer that there’s no one better to ask than a farmer himself. I [...]
Tonight I combined it with another favourite – Ontario pork – and ended up with a delicious meal. It was surprisingly easy to make and great to grill on the barbecue, which was a must for me in today’s heat. Continue reading Tasty and delicious asparagus pork tenderloin |  | |||||
Copyright © 2013 Food and Farming Canada - All Rights Reserved | ||||||
Using ultrasound on cattle to identify carcass characteristics is helping beef farmers maximize their profitability.
Here’s another guest blog I wrote for 
Cows grazing on hillside pastures are a stereotypical – if often true – image of Switzerland. The Swiss are proud of their mountains and their pristine Alpine countryside. They’re also pretty serious about promoting homegrown food products.
I’ve already talked about my love for