Up and down is becoming the norm for Canadian beef producers

Up and down is becoming the norm for Canadian beef producers

Demand for beef is strong and prices have been good for cow-calf producers, but the market is increasingly volatile

Reading Time: 3 minutes The markets can be a roller-coaster, but one thing is for sure — the Canadian cattle herd is not expanding. “Heifer retention numbers are not enough to drive any expansion across Canada,” Brian Perillat, manager/senior analyst with Canfax said at the recent Canadian Beef Industry Conference. Fewer cattle are being shipped south of the border […] Read more

Colin Woodall, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.

Trump has been good for agriculture, says top U.S. cattle official

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association says the U.S. president is ‘getting a lot of stuff done for agriculture’

Reading Time: 3 minutes When it comes to agriculture, President Donald Trump is doing a crackerjack job, says a senior official with the top U.S. cattle association. “If you listen to the media, it’s nothing but conversations about Russia, South Korea and the overall general hatred for people who just don’t like Donald Trump,” said Colin Woodall, senior vice-president […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canadian Hereford Association)

Newfoundland seeks beef cattle breeder

The Newfoundland and Labrador government’s plan to build up cattle breeding within the province is advancing a step as the province seeks a farmer to mind a small Hereford herd. The province on Tuesday put out a call for proposals from farmers to take on a five-year contract handling a herd of five breeding cows […] Read more

Photo: Debbie Furber

Six ways to keep your cattle wormer working

Resistance among internal parasites to broad-spectrum cattle wormers is emerging in Canada and experience in other countries leaves no reason to believe the problem won’t worsen. On the brighter side, producers here still have a fighting chance to retain the efficacy of available cattle wormers by combining parasite control strategies, says epidemiologist Dr. Fabienne Uehlinger[...]
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Help for calculating stocking rate

Help for calculating stocking rate

Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta Agriculture and Forestry has revised its Using Animal Unit Month (AUM) Effectively fact sheet. AUM can be used to calculate suitable stocking rates for pastures under a wide variety of conditions, said forage/beef specialist Karin Lindquist. The fact sheet includes sections on defining the animal unit, determining the AUM, differences in consumption rates, and[...]
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Photo: File

Six risk factors for BRD in feeder calves

There are many factors to consider to minimize BRD (bovine respiratory disease) when bringing in feeder calves. Knowing the history of the calves at weaning time, distance transported, vaccination and health history, as well as upcoming weather conditions will help you determine the level of risk. In bringing in calves, or for that matter feeding[...]
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Farmfair International is home to 12 breed shows featuring more than 15 purebred beef breeds. The event runs Nov. 9-13 at the Edmonton EXPO Centre.

Despite challenges, Farmfair International soldiers on

Industry continues to support long-running Edmonton-based ag 
show and the number of exhibitors and foreign attendees is up

Reading Time: 4 minutes It’s been a year of mixed blessings for Edmonton’s Farmfair International. On the one hand, international interest in the long-running agriculture show is at an all-time high and local support appears as positive as ever. On the other, debate over the future ownership of Northlands’ facilities has put the future of the show’s longtime home[...]
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(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Canada books bigger beef cattle herd

New estimates from Statistics Canada show the country’s cattle producers hanging onto more breeding stock and holding more calves as of July 1 compared to the same date last year. StatsCan’s livestock estimates as of July 1, released Thursday, showed 13.2 million cattle on Canadian farms as of July 1, up 1.3 per cent from[...]
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Joyce Van Donkersgoed demonstrates processing techniques to students from Olds College.


Get rid of your cattle if they’re getting too big

Heavier cattle — particularly ones with small frames — can develop 
feet problems, especially if they suffer heat stress

Reading Time: 3 minutes Don’t keep big, fat cattle around because it could increase animal welfare problems. Animal welfare icon Temple Grandin has recently been sounding alarms about more lameness in beef cattle and part of that is related to heavier weights and genetics. “There are certain genetic lines of beef cattle that are repeating a mistake the pig[...]
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