THURSDAY, JANUARY 18, 2018
VOL. 96 | NO. 3 | $4.25
TPP WINDOW |
SERVING WESTERN CANADIAN FARM FAMILIES SINCE 1923
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IS IT CLOSING ON CANADA?
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SEE CROP PRODUCTION WEEK COVERAGE ON PAGES 3-7,13, 15, 16 LIKE MOTHER, LIKE DAUGHTERS Vitamin shortage may affect Canadian herd health BY BARB GLEN LETHBRIDGE BUREAU
SEE VITAMIN SHORTAGE PAGE 5
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Megz Gauthier of Kyle, Sask., checks out the new Fendt 1050 tractor Jan. 11 with her daughters Thea, 3, and Rynn, 2, during the Crop Production Show in Saskatoon. | WILLIAM DEKAY PHOTO
Frustration mounts over clubroot’s spread Some worry canola could become less productive if issue isn’t handled better BY JEREMY SIMES EDMONTON BUREAU
RED DEER — With no sign of slowing down, clubroot’s big spread isn’t only hurting yields — it’s got some worrying over canola’s
ability to remain productive in the long run if more isn’t done to handle the issue. The soil-borne disease has grown exponentially since it was first discovered in 2003 near Edmonton. Last year alone, it spread to six
counties in Alberta, reappeared in Saskatchewan and remains in Manitoba. While agronomists say longer crop rotations, clubroot-resistant SEE CLUBROOT’S SPREAD, PAGE 4
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u|xhHEEJBy00001pzYv+:. JANUARY 18, 2018 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Box 2500, Stn. Main, Saskatoon, SK. S7K 2C4 The Western Producer is published in Saskatoon by Western Producer Publications, which is owned by GVIC Communications Corp. Publisher: Shaun Jessome Publications Mail Agreement No. 40069240
A worldwide shortage of vitamins A and E has boosted the cost of livestock feed supplements, forcing manufacturers to reduce the levels of those vitamins in feed formulations. An Oct. 31 fire at BASF’s Citral plant in Germany halted production of the vitamins and it is not expected to resume full operation until late March or early April. In the meantime, one livestock specialist said vitamins that cost less than one cent per head per day in October now cost seven cents per head per day and available supplies of powdered, crumbled or injectable vitamins will soon run out. However, the vitamins are vital to livestock health. Vitamin A deficiency in cattle can reduce feed intake, affect bone growth, cause abortions, lower sperm counts and reduce conception rates. Deficiency in vitamin E lowers immune function and growth rate in calves and reduces reproduction efficiency in mature animals. T hu s v i t a m i n s u p p l e m e nt s should be provided despite the price increase, according to feed specialists. Feed manufacturers are required by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to meet certain ingredient levels and indicate them on feed labels. The vitamin shortage led the CFIA to develop an interim policy allowing manufacturers to change formulations and labels to reflect reduced vitamin levels. “The temporary reformulation of feeds to reduce levels of vitamins A and E is not expected to cause any undue safety or welfare risks to livestock,” the CFIA said in its policy notice. “The revised guarantees will continue to fall within the