Reading Time: < 1 minute The Beef Cattle Research Council’s new webinar season is getting underway. This year’s topics range from feed testing to external parasites, and other practical, science-based information for Canadian beef producers. There are eight webinars in all and interested producers can use one registration for all eight or just the specific ones they’re interested in. The […] Read more
Beef webinar season starting soon
First webinar scheduled for Oct. 30
Mentorship program connects the lab with the cattle ranch
Reading Time: 2 minutes Two Alberta scientists are among the quartet of researchers in the 2019-20 edition of the Beef Researcher Mentorship program. The program pairs the researchers with innovative cattle producers and industry professionals — many from Alberta — for a one-year mentorship along with a travel budget to attend industry meetings, producer workshops, and farm tours. Among the […] Read more
You’ve got your feed results — now what?
Two new feed testing tools can identify potential issues and compare the value of different feeds
Reading Time: 2 minutes Two new online tools for measuring feed quality are now available. The tools (developed by the Alberta Beef, Forage and Grazing Centre) can help flag potential nutritional problems, and identify the comparative economic value of different feeds based on their quality. Feed testing can prevent ‘sneaky production problems ‘ (such as poor gains or reduced […] Read more
Beef web resource being preserved
Reading Time: < 1 minute Information that had been available on foragebeef.ca is gradually being added to beefresearch.ca. The Beef Cattle Research Council has been reviewing “hundreds of pages” of information that have been available on foragebeef.ca, an Alberta Agriculture website that the ministry is no longer able to maintain. The council is updating information before moving it over to […] Read more
Drugs and drought on the beef agenda
Reading Time: < 1 minute Alternatives to antibiotics and dealing with drought are on the agenda at this year’s Bov-Innovation. The event, part of the Canadian Beef Industry Conference in Calgary in August, will feature Coaldale vet and rancher Steve Hendrick talking about ways to prevent illness and infections. University of Saskatchewan professor, John McKinnon will speak about balancing rations, […] Read more
Here’s what the beef industry says about its water use
The amount of water needed to produce a pound of beef looks high — until you hear the whole story
Reading Time: 5 minutes Editor’s note: This article from the Beef Cattle Research Council makes the case that beef production has a much lighter ‘water footprint’ than critics charge and provides a number of environmental benefits. It has been condensed and lightly edited. The full article is at www.beefresearch.ca. Yes, it takes water to produce beef, but in the […] Read more
Program looks to connect researchers to the beef industry
Reading Time: < 1 minute Applications for the 2019-20 term of the BCRC Beef Researcher Mentorship Program are being accepted until May 1. Four researchers were selected to participate in the program this past year, with each paired with two mentors — an innovative producer and another industry expert. The program, launched in 2014, connects new applied researchers with the […] Read more
Beef research council adds grazing resources
Here are factors to consider when creating a grazing management plan for your operation
Reading Time: 2 minutes The Beef Cattle Research Council is expanding the grazing management section of its website. This example, which has been slightly condensed, was posted on the website last month. Effective grazing management on pastures not only ensures high forage yield, sustainability, animal health, and productivity — all of which impact cost of production, it also benefits […] Read more
A simple system to fit the scourge of scours
Losses, treatment costs, and reduced performance can be a $4,000 hit in a 100-head beef herd
Reading Time: 5 minutes Editor’s note: This article from the Beef Cattle Research Council posted last fall offers what could be money-saving advice for producers heading into spring calving. The following is a condensed version. The full article ‘How fresh pens and pastures prevent calf losses’ can be found at www.beefresearch.ca. Doug Wray believes in keeping newborn calves separated […] Read more
Trio of cattle webinars coming up
Reading Time: < 1 minute A trio of Beef Cattle Research Council webinars are coming up. On Jan. 15 (at 5 p.m. Alberta time) four veterinarians (including Roy Lewis and Craig Dorin from Alberta) will discuss some of the most common issues they see in their region, including pink eye, foot rot, and reproductive issues. A grazing management webinar on […] Read more
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