Reading Time: 3 minutes Numerous articles have been written over the years on how and when to intervene at calving, how to recognize malpresentations, and what to do about them. Producers now see fewer and fewer calving-related problems as our breeding has improved and we select for easy-calving heifers with larger pelvises and moderate birth weight bulls. Ensuring cattle […] Read more
Calving problems are becoming rare, but be prepared to act
Beef 911: The first key step is to note when the birth process starts and investigate if too much time passes
Make sure calves get the colostrum they need
University of Calgary animal health professor offers her tips on how to assess a situation and when to intervene
Reading Time: 2 minutes Many beef calves are not getting enough colostrum at birth, and the fallout can be drastic and last a lifetime. That’s why it’s important that calves consume some colostrum within the first four hours of life, said Claire Windeyer, assistant professor of production animal health at the University of Calgary. The probability that a calf […] Read more
Managing scours so they don’t manage you
Scours, the most common disease in calves, can quickly put you behind the financial 8-ball
Reading Time: 2 minutes Scours can put you in a financial hole in a hurry. “For every percentage of the herd that you lose, the rest of the herd has to pick up the slack,” said Claire Windeyer, assistant professor in production animal health at the University of Calgary. Producers who had relatively low calf mortality, around five per […] Read more
Have a game plan before calving season gets underway
The risk factors that can sicken young calves are numerous but some can be mitigated, says veterinarian
Reading Time: 2 minutes The upcoming calving season will be a time of risk for disease on cow-calf operations. Pathogens that cause disease in young calves are present in all herds, so careful management is necessary to prevent them from getting sick. “Cow-calf producers most often deal with scours, septicemia, respiratory disease, and joint or navel ill,” said Dr. […] Read more
Here’s how to assess the risk when bringing in calves
Beef 911: Mingling animals, transport times, light weights, and even weather can be factors that increase the risk of BRD
Reading Time: 4 minutes There are many factors to consider when bringing in calves to feed in order to minimize BRD (bovine respiratory disease), which is still the No. 1 cause of morbidity and often mortality in our feedlots. Knowing the history of the calves regarding weaning time, distance transported, vaccination, and health history — as well as upcoming […] Read more
Save feed costs by improving body condition scores, says expert
A body condition of 3 can boost pregnancy rates by a third and add 55 pounds to calf weaning weights
Reading Time: 2 minutes If you want to save some money feeding your cows this winter, maintain a good body condition score. “Prudent use of feed resources to maintain body condition on the cows to maximize efficiency reduces your feeding costs,” said provincial forage specialist Barry Yaremcio. The amount of fat a cow is carrying will influence how it […] Read more
Make the most of cheap feed grain this winter
Producers stand to make an additional $130 a head on their calves by supplementing their hay with barley this winter
Reading Time: 4 minutes There’s good news, bad news, and even worse news for cattle producers this winter. The good news is that there’s plenty of cheap feed grains in the market right now — but producers will need those savings to offset poor-quality feed (the bad news) and part of the sharp drop in calf prices (the even […] Read more
TB testing to continue into January
Reading Time: < 1 minute As of Dec. 7, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has confirmed six cases of bovine TB. This number includes the cow that was confirmed to have the disease when it was slaughtered in the U.S. All confirmed cases are still from one infected herd located on 18 premises. Approximately 50 premises are under quarantine — […] Read more
We need to do better when it comes to castration
Beef 911: Doing it early and properly brings benefits to the producers, addresses animal welfare concerns, and prevents problems later on
Reading Time: 4 minutes We now have many tools at our disposal when it comes to castration of calves in the beef and dairy sectors of our industry. When used together in skilled hands, newer techniques at castration along with NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatories) will ensure welfare issues are addressed. Much has changed in the feedlot industry. Cattle are not […] Read more
Adjusting cow-calf inventory value can pay off in the future
Making this adjustment during an unprofitable or low-profit year can save taxes when cattle prices go up again
Reading Time: 2 minutes Cow-calf producers should consider taking advantage of the optional inventory adjustment, says a provincial farm business management specialist. “Economic returns for cow-calf operators this year will probably not be all that profitable,” said Ted Nibourg. “High feed costs in the winter of 2015 coupled with reduced calf prices this fall may result in negative margins […] Read more
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