Feather groups prepped for spring bird flu

Apr 12, 2023

With migratory birds set to return soon, Manitoba poultry groups are bracing for an increased threat of bird flu.

“We’re hoping for the best but we’re preparing for another challenge like we had in the fall,” said Cory Rybuck, general manager of Manitoba Egg Farmers.

Migratory birds are considered the most common source of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) infections on farms. Clothing and equipment can become contaminated by droppings, which can then spread the disease.

“Scientific evidence indicates that HPAI circulates naturally in wild birds, and is spread through migratory birds,” a Canadian Food Inspection Agency spokesperson told the Co-operator. “Spring migration for birds has already begun and is expected to last until June.”

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Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.