Livestock

Quebec pork producer Olymel says it will close a major slaughterhouse south of Quebec City and lay off 994 workers.

An explosion at a dairy farm in the Texas Panhandle that critically injured one person and killed an estimated 18,000 head of cattle is the deadliest barn fire recorded since the Animal Welfare Institute began tracking the fires.

Meatpackers and other companies in the food-supply chain need to do a better job taking steps to ensure illegal child labor isn't being used in their operations, or by their suppliers, subcontractors or other vendors.

Britain's envoy to Canada says an uproar on the Prairies over an expanded trade deal could be overcome by ranchers rejigging their beef operations to meet U.K. standards.

The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) held their Livestock Summit at the Saskatoon Inn and Conference Centre.

Some southern Saskatchewan municipalities have re-introduced a 20-dollar bounty for coyotes. Rural Municipality of Weyburn Reeve Norm McFadden says families are concerned after seeing packs of up to 15 coyotes in the area.

Canfax reports 12,764 head of cattle were sold in Saskatchewan last week---2500 more than the previous week. Steer prices were mixed with the heavier weight classes show some improvement . . while the midweight categories were lower.

The National Farm Animal Care Council has released its revised Code of Practice for the Care and Handling on Dairy Cattle. It takes effect on April 1st of next year. The code includes a timeline to eliminate tie stalls for cows.

Canada's beef cattle sector is already calling the negotiations that allow the United Kingdom to join Canada and its 10 partner nations in the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact, unjust. The trade pact's accession working group claims that the U.K.

The Dairy Farmers of Canada has reacted to the news that the United Kingdom has joined the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. They note this will provide the UK dairy exporters with access to the Canadian market.