Reading Time: 3 minutes When stock water appears abundant and water quality has been consistent in previous years, it’s easy to focus on other things — but don’t overlook water testing. Poor-quality stock water can lead to reproductive inefficiency, poor gains, disease and in extreme circumstances, death. Even when water supplies appear abundant, stock water may contain high levels of […] Read more
Put your stock water to the test — and avoid herd health issues
Water quality can change quickly and regular testing can head off problems before they become serious
Beef checkoff dollars fund 29 projects
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Beef Cattle Research Council has awarded $2.9 million to 29 projects in the latest round of funding paid for by checkoff dollars. Priority areas are animal health and welfare, feed production and utilization, food safety and environmental stewardship. Knowledge transfer is also a priority, said vice-chair Craig Lehr, a cow-calf producer and feedlot operator […] Read more
The cause of lameness in cattle isn’t always straightforward
One of every two dozen animals are diagnosed with lameness, but you can lower that number
Reading Time: 3 minutes Not all lameness is caused by foot rot so getting a proper diagnosis is the key to determining the appropriate treatment and management. Lameness can affect any type of cattle including feedlot animals, breeding bulls, range cows, or animals confined to a corral. It limits an animal’s interest in eating, drinking, or breeding, resulting in […] Read more
The right time for calving depends on your farm — and you
While many producers are calving earlier, some have gone the other way
Reading Time: 4 minutes Calving season looks different on every operation — there is no one right method or time of year to calve a cow herd. While more producers in Western Canada have moved to later calving, some have gone the other way. Here are the experiences of three ranching families. Late summer/fall calving Taralea Simpson has been […] Read more
Intercropping can be a win win for mixed operations
The practice comes with a learning curve, but can increase grazing options while boosting soil health
Reading Time: 3 minutes There is a lot of buzz in beef and forage production systems around the concepts of sustainability and soil health, and the numerous different production practices that can support those ideas. Intercropping is one strategy that can improve efficiency and soil health. Manitoba producer Alan MacKenzie considers intercropping to be two crops that are grown […] Read more
Bale grazing is having its moment in the (winter) sun
Here are some things to bear in mind when using bales to extend the grazing season
Reading Time: 2 minutes Many producers have taken steps to extend their grazing period, and bale grazing is proving to be a popular choice. Bales can be purchased or grown on farm and placed strategically in cells or ‘bale pods.’ In some cases, cattle feed on bales directly where they are dropped from the baler, but in most situations, bales […] Read more
New benchmarking program aims to help you up your game
Initiative will not only help cow-calf producers evaluate their performance but become more innovative
Reading Time: 3 minutes This is an abridged version of Part 1 of a three-part series. The full article and the two upcoming parts (when released) can be found at beefresearch.ca (in the BCRC Blog section). The Canadian Cow-Calf Cost of Production Network (CDN COP Network) has been developed collaboratively with provincial co-ordinators and funded by the Beef Cattle Research Council […] Read more
Cattle ranchers paired up with researchers in mentorship program
Pair of Lethbridge scientists matched with cow-calf producers from Alberta
Reading Time: 2 minutes Two AgCanada researchers in Lethbridge — a soil microbial ecologist and an expert in greenhouse gas emissions — are among the six scientists selected for a mentorship program put on by the Beef Cattle Research Council. The program pairs the researchers with innovative cattle producers and industry professionals — many from Alberta — for a one-year […] Read more
Lethbridge scientist named outstanding cattle researcher
Karen Beauchemin is a leading global authority on ruminant nutrition
Reading Time: 2 minutes A leader in ruminant nutrition and environmental sustainability of beef production has been awarded the 2020 Canadian Beef Industry Award for Outstanding Research and Innovation. Karen Beauchemin is a principal research scientist of ruminant nutrition at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Lethbridge station as well as an adjunct professor at the universities of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and […] Read more
Everyone wants healthy soil… even if they can’t define it
Different farms have different needs, but all fall under the five principles for improving soil health
Reading Time: 2 minutes Soil health has been defined as “the continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living system, within ecosystem and land-use boundaries, to sustain biological productivity, maintain the quality of air and water environments, and promote plant, animal, and human health.” The challenge with this poetic definition is that, while it does describe the functional abilities […] Read more
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