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Feed often the culprit in disease cases

Producers are reminded to be careful this winter when choosing alternative or new feeds and are urged to test their feed

What could kill eight cows within 10 minutes?

That is one mystery the Western College of Veterinary Medicine’s disease investigation unit faced last winter.

Dr. John Campbell, a long-time professor and head of the unit, said he had never seen a situation like that.

“It was a bunch of cows dying suddenly in a cow-calf herd where the producer got a new delivery of some flax screenings,” he said during an October Saskatchewan Agriculture webinar.

The screenings had come from a local seed grower, and Campbell said the producer fed six pails to 40 cows.

“Within five minutes it was pretty obvious something was wrong. A lot of these cows began to show clinical signs. They went down, weak in their back legs, twitching their eyelids.

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Selling Rams & Helping New Farmers Begin

Video: Selling Rams & Helping New Farmers Begin

It’s shipping day again at Ewetopia Farms as we sell another Suffolk yearling ram! In today’s episode, we load one of our Suffolk rams onto the trailer as he heads off to his new farm to sire the next generation of lambs.

This particular customer has been buying our rams for over eight years, trusting Ewetopia genetics for their gentle temperaments, strong builds, and proven performance. Back home, we get busy looking after the flock that’s staying behind. With the weather turning wet and chilly, it’s time to put down fresh, clean bedding to keep everyone cozy and comfortable for the season ahead. Later, we welcome a wonderful new family who’s just starting out in sheep farming!

They’ve chosen some of our Suffolk ewe lambs to begin their flock — and we couldn’t be happier to help them take their first steps into raising sheep. Stay tuned for a follow-up episode when we help deliver and settle their new flock at their farm.