AGR 2350 EXAM

Niche Industries

Small-scale industries focusing on specialized markets.

Fragmented Industry

Dispersed production with inconsistent supply and quality.

Boom and Bust

Market cycles influenced by trends and fads.

Meat Rabbits

Rabbits raised primarily for human consumption.

Fryers

Meat rabbits weighing less than 2.34 kg.

Roasters

Meat rabbits weighing more than 2.34 kg.

Rabbit Population 2016

172,500 meat rabbits raised in Canada.

Rabbit Slaughter 2016

621,000 meat rabbits slaughtered in Canada.

Rabbit Producers 2016

3,800 producers of meat rabbits in Canada.

Does

Female rabbits used for breeding.

Bucks

Male rabbits used for breeding.

Kits

Young rabbits born to does.

New Zealand Breed

Rabbit breed known for caramel brown or white fur.

Californian Rabbit

Rabbit breed with white fur and dark markings.

Market Weight

Rabbits reach market weight in 8-10 weeks.

Rabbit Gestation

Gestation period lasts 30-33 days.

Kindling

Term for rabbits giving birth.

Litter Size

Does produce 5-7 litters annually.

FCR

Feed conversion ratio of 3.4:1 for rabbits.

Bison

Livestock primarily raised for meat production.

Bison Bulls

Adult male bison weighing 1500-2000 lbs.

Bison Cows

Adult female bison weighing 800-1200 lbs.

Bison Calves

Newborn bison weighing 40-60 lbs at birth.

Beefalo

Hybrid of domestic cattle and bison.

Bison History

Bison population dropped from 60 million to 1,000.

Bison Browsers

Bison primarily feed on shrubs and grasses.

Bison Meat Grading

Graded based on age and quality, not marbling.

Bison Meat Attributes

Leaner, higher moisture, and cooks faster than beef.

Camelids

A family of animals that includes alpacas and llamas.

Alpacas

A type of camelid known for its fiber.

Breeding stock

Animals used for breeding purposes.

Fibre

Material produced by alpacas, graded by size and staple length.

5-10 lbs/animal/year

The amount of fiber produced by an alpaca annually.

Prime balnet fleece

The highest quality fleece produced by alpacas, averaging 3-4 lbs.

Oil free

Refers to alpaca fleece that does not contain lanolin.

Alpaca fibre cooperative of Ontario

A cooperative for marketing alpaca fiber in Ontario.

Alpaca fibre cooperative of North America

A cooperative for marketing alpaca fiber across North America.

Quality yarn

Yarn produced from alpaca fiber, sold to niche markets.

Value-added products

Products made from alpaca fiber that increase its market value.

Alpaca Canada

An association with approximately 160 members focused on alpacas.

Huacaya

A breed of alpaca that is more popular, making up 90% of the population.

Suri

A breed of alpaca known for its long, silky, and straight fibers.

Crea

A young alpaca.

Hembra

A female alpaca.

Macho

A male alpaca.

Challenges

Issues faced in the alpaca industry, including high breeding stock prices.

Llamas

Camelids used as livestock guard animals and for fiber and meat.

Ostriches

Large birds raised for meat, leather, oil, feathers, and eggs.

Adult weight of ostriches

115-165 kgs.

Hens' egg production

40-100 eggs per season, typically from late February to October.

Emus

Birds native to New Zealand, raised for oil, meat, and leather.

Rhea

Birds native to South America, raised for oil, meat, and leather.

Minks

Animals raised for fur and oil.

World production of minks

85 million pelts (pre-COVID).

Mink production in Canada

71 farms in 2021, producing 1,763,800 pelts in 2016.

Feeding and nutrition of minks

80-90% of diet is meat/meat-by-products/dairy by-products.

Mink sheds

Long open-sided structures for housing minks.

Mink production cycle

Includes breeding season in early March with a gestation period of 40-75 days.

Whelping

The process of giving birth in minks, occurring mid-April to early May.

Pelting season

Occurs in late November and December for seasonal minks.

Aquaculture

The farming of aquatic organisms, including fish, molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic plants.

Historical roots of aquaculture

Dates back to China in 1100 BC with carp in rice fields.

Major reasons for aquaculture importance

Health, food security, economic value, job creation, and supply sustainability.

World aquaculture production

1% in Canada, with 58% in China.

Canadian aquaculture in 2021

Total production of 191,000 tonnes worth $1.3 billion.

Finfish aquaculture

Includes both carnivorous and non-carnivorous species.

Mollusc aquaculture

Includes species such as mussels, oysters, clams, scallops, and abalone.

Crustacea aquaculture

Includes shrimp, crayfish, prawns, marine crabs, and lobsters.

Plant aquaculture

Includes species such as kelp, laver, nori, and Irish moss.

Pond advantages

Cheap, Easy to construct, Utilize natural water flow, Nutrients from invertebrates

Pond disadvantages

Low oxygen (limits production), Off flavours, Buildup of waste, Difficult to treat disease, Vulnerable to predators

Raceway advantages

Still cheap, Easy to add equipment, Moderate oxygen (some control), Easy to disinfect/harvest

Raceway disadvantages

Uses a lot of water, Fish crowd inflow, Slow current, Buildup of waste, Vulnerable to predators

Recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS)

Minimize water use (sustainability issues), Increased biosecurity, Allows control and stability of environment, Marketing opportunities

Components of RAS

Tanks, Biological filters, Solids filter, Bacteria filter, Aeration, Buffering systems, heaters/chillers, Lighting

Biological filtration

Removes nitrogenous waste, Nitrification; oxidizes ammonia and nitrite to nitrate

Aquaponics

Aquaculture + hydroponics

Production cycle in aquaponics

Eggs fertilized hatchery (sept to dec), Eggs to fry to fingerlings (50-100 grams), Fingerlings stocked at "ice out" (early may), market-sized fish (1kg) by early fall (sept/oct), Overwintered if want larger fish or spring spawners

Storm hazards

Ice movement can drag cage anchors, Spray ice may collapse cages

Fishmeal trap

Was 65%, now less than 10% fishmeal

RAs vs Net pens

RA advantages: Grow warm water fish, Increased fish growth year-round, Enhanced water use and biosecurity, Proximity to markets

RA Disadvantages

High initial investment, High operating costs, Complexity and learning curve, Filtration failures (waste buildup)

Net pen advantages

Less capital investment, Easier expansion, Easier relocation, Low land use

Net pen disadvantages

More feed wastage, Reduced growing season, Escaped fish and predators, Biosafety issues

IMTA

Integrative multi-trophic aquaculture

Potential growth of Canadian aquaculture

20% of the world's freshwater, Plentiful biophysical resources, Developed culture technology, Still not meeting domestic demand, Export potential to US market, Competent staff and experts

Gilt

Young female, until slaughter or first farrowing

Sow

Reproducing female

Boar

Reproducing male

Barrow

Castrated male

Nursing pigs

1kg at birth, Weaning age 2-5 weeks

Weaner pig

Newly weaned, ~3 weeks old, About 6 kg

Starter/nursery pig

From weaning to approximately 25kg

Grower pig

25-60kg

Finisher pig

60+ kg to market at 105-110 kg, About 6 months

Hog

Growing/finishing pig

Canadian pork industry

Farm cash receipts: $5.9 billion, 5.8% of total in 2023

Live exports

$735.2 million, 6.75 million hogs

Pork exports

$4.71 billion, 21.76 million hogs processed domestically, 2.29 million tonnes of pork

Distribution of production

Manitoba #1, Ontario #2, Quebec #3, 7200 pig farms in Canada as of 2023, 13.9 million pigs in Canada as of 2023