cattle

Canadian cattle industry has wins to shout about

Cattle management has become more efficient, more humane and more knowledgeable, but industry terms may not resonate with the general public

Reading Time: 4 minutes Canada’s cattle management has become more efficient, more humane and more knowledgeable, but industry terms may not resonate with the general public

Manitoba Beef Producers members pile into the room in fall 2019 for one of the organization's district meetings. Photo: Alexis Stockford

Don’t blow off that beef producer meeting

Veterinarians and livestock experts are often called to speak at events put on by local groups, and that knowledge can help farmers manage their operations better

Reading Time: 3 minutes Local veterinarians and livestock experts often speak at producer events, sharing good advice for farmers on vaccines, calving, herd management and more.


Cattle at Whiskey Creek Ranch are rotationally grazed intensively, moved every two to three days. (Jeremy Simes Photo)

Hot tips for cow-calf beef farmers

From cattle vaccination and stomach ulcers to headline-making diseases like bovine tuberculosis: Thoughts from a long-time western Canadian veterinarian

Reading Time: 5 minutes From cattle vaccination and stomach ulcers to headline-making diseases like bovine tuberculosis: Thoughts from a long-time western Canadian veterinarian



A man holding a dart gun.

When to pull out the dart gun

Remote delivery devices can be great tools that require less labour and reduce stress on animals

Reading Time: 3 minutes Remote delivery devices (dart guns) can be great tools to deliver medication to cattle on the range with less labour and little stress on livestock.

If a uterine amputation is successful, future breeding will be out of the question. But the cow can at least raise its calf and you’ll have a healthy live cow to sell in the fall.

Uterine amputations a routine occurrence in calving season

Cows can still be lost, but these days its a rarity

Reading Time: 3 minutes Most uterine prolapses are uneventful for an experienced veterinarian, and the owner ends up with a lively cow that breeds again without missing a beat. Producers will often ship these cows, but any veterinarian will tell you this isn’t a heritable trait and should not reoccur. If the cow rebreeds, there is no greater likelihood […] Read more


Sick calves should be put in a separate area isolated from others.

The importance of pairing up at calving

A little extra effort to foster mothering can pay big dividends

Reading Time: 3 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – Calving season always comes with anticipation about the incoming calf crop, and great cow-calf managers have tips that help them save more calves and improve productivity . For the spring calver, great observation skills combined with the ability to go the extra mile will generally be rewarded. It pays to check for […] Read more

We all know accidents with livestock are a nightmare scenario, so anyone with livestock handling experience may be a first responder’s best resource...

Be ready to help if livestock involved in accidents

First responders can benefit from local livestock knowledge when disaster strikes

Reading Time: 3 minutes Every day hundreds of thousands of animals are transported across Canadian highways without mishap, but every so often, there is an unfortunate accident with animal deaths and injuries. Alberta has developed an emergency network because of the huge numbers of cattle transported to feedlots and packing plants. While this network is invaluable, there’s also an […] Read more


A vaccine dart is prepared for delivery. It’s critical to know when not to use a dart gun. Because they are so easy to use, they might be over-used or used simply for convenience and before a proper diagnosis.

Are remote drug delivery devices the right choice for your cattle operation?

Beef 911: There are resources available to help with that decision

Reading Time: 3 minutes Many producers use remote drug delivery devices. If you are thinking of using one, or if you have used one in the past, this article may be a good review. Dart guns have their pros and cons but the Beef Cattle Research Council has some great resources that can help. It offers guidelines on usage […] Read more

There’s little doubt that smoke is affecting cattle, but to what degree no one knows at this point.

Smoke inhalation can affect cattle

Beef 911: Research shows an effect in housed dairy cattle so outdoor beef animals are also susceptible

Reading Time: 3 minutes Wildfires have exceeded all records in the 2023 season. Both British Columbia and Alberta are expected to see more than two million hectares destroyed. There has been steady growth in the number and size of wildfires since the 1980s. Drought, global warming and storms are generally the culprits and there has been plenty of smoke […] Read more