Benchmarking cow-calf producers

Benchmarking cow-calf producers

Reading Time: < 1 minute A new report presents the multi-year business performance of cow-calf producers who participated in the AgriProfit$ Business Analysis Program. Ian Ryan, senior livestock economist with the Alberta government, says this report has a multi-year summary of the economic, productive and financial performance of Alberta cow-calf producers. Participants received a customized business analysis of their operations […] Read more

An Edmonton-based innovation strategist says beef production is data intensive and artificial intelligence can help.

AI and beef: When good isn’t enough anymore

A recent small purchase from the U.S. had little influence on price

Reading Time: 4 minutes You may run a good beef farm, maybe even a great one. Making yourself remarkable, however, is another matter in the age of explosive artificial intelligence (AI) technology. That was the message from one technology expert speaking to the Alberta Beef Industry Conference earlier this year. Shawn Kanungo, a globally recognized innovation strategist based in […] Read more


As of early April, the virus seems to be targeting older lactating cows and there have been no reports of HPAI in feedlots.

Canadian beef digging in against avian influenza

Producers urged to ensure biosecurity practices are implemented

Reading Time: 2 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – Beef cattle producers in Alberta and Manitoba are taking biosecurity measures should the bird flu strain infecting some U.S. dairy herds jump the border and into Canadian beef cattle. “We’re certainly encouraging producers to keep security in mind during this time,” said Karin Schmid with Alberta Beef Producers (ABP). Recommendations include minimizing […] Read more

“There’s still a lot of unknowns with that as we are working our way through the epidemiology and trying to understand how this transmission is occurring.” – Dr. Samantha Uhrig.

Beef sector braces for bird flu

Avian influenza strain may not affect beef cattle the same as dairy

Reading Time: 4 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – The strain of bird flu infecting U.S. dairy herds could become a problem for the beef sector, but it may not have the same effects as it did in the dairy barn, according to New Mexico’s state veterinarian. The main economic impact of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in dairy cattle has […] Read more


Mama and calf (now registered as GAC Mr. Miracle) are doing well after a crazy night both were lucky to survive.

A ‘miracle’ in calving season

Rare act of science plus expert cattle handling save a calf and its mother in central Alberta

Reading Time: 4 minutes Calving season can be a stressful and dramatic time on the ranch. There’s a lot of new life but there is often death as well. Every once in a while, however, something happens that seems like a miracle. Just ask Chris Paulencu with Green Acres Cattle Company, a seedstock operation in central Alberta’s Lamont County. […] Read more



A bit of preparation can make calving season go a lot more smoothly for animal and producer alike.

Preparation is key to smoother calving season

Making checklists, preparing equipment can help producers navigate stressful season

Reading Time: 4 minutes Calving can be stressful for both people and animals. Preparation far in advance is one way producers can better ensure success for a safe and productive calving season. “Some of that preparedness starts well before calving season, if you think about herd health programs or nutrition, or making sure cows are in good shape coming […] Read more

Even small production gains in feedlots could be enough to make feed additives a winning proposition.

Canadian beef and dairy groups give thumbs-up to Bovaer

Methane-reducing tool will drive opportunities, say industry reps

Reading Time: 3 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – Beef and dairy leaders are praising a new methane reduction tool recently approved for use in Canada. Bovaer is a powdered supplement that cattle feeders and dairy producers can mix with feed. The developers, Switzerland-based dsm-firmenich, claim it can reduce methane emissions in beef cattle by an average of 45 per cent, […] Read more


Keeping your cool in calving season requires planning

Keeping your cool in calving season requires planning

Reading Time: < 1 minute As calving season gets underway for beef cattle producers, an abundance of sleepless nights can be expected. Cows will be calving around the clock, leaving little leeway if anything goes wrong. Careful planning becomes important, not only to help calves hit the ground healthy but also to benefit producers physically and mentally when dealing with […] Read more

Ensuring identification tags remain in the ear of cow is essential for farm-to- fork traceability.

Best practices at tagging time easiest way to not lose them

Tags that go into cattle’s ears properly are more likely to stay there and not cause problems with traceability

Reading Time: 2 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – The Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA) has launched a new campaign to provide more information to farmers on how to retain tags on cattle. The challenge with cattle tagging is that at some point in their life, they can lose their iconic yellow button tags, and that’s a problem for the traceability […] Read more