Reading Time: < 1 minute Do you know a researcher or scientist who has helped make the Canadian beef industry more competitive and sustainable? The Beef Cattle Research Council is looking for nominations for the Canadian Beef Industry Award for Outstanding Research and Innovation. Read more: Mentoring program seeks up-and-coming researchers The award is for researchers who have been active in […] Read more
Nominations sought for outstanding beef scientist
Nominations must be received by May 1
‘Change’ is the watchword in a warming world, says researcher
Longer summers and milder winters sound nice, but even the pluses come with some negatives
Reading Time: 3 minutes How will the Canadian cattle industry fare if global temperatures continue to rise? Count a reduced feed demand, a longer grazing season, and higher forage production among the benefits — but also expect more extreme weather, pests, and transport headaches, according to University of Manitoba research scientist Kim Ominski. “We know the future of our […] Read more
Spend a little now and make money later
Reduced death loss, fewer open cows, and reduced shedding are major benefits from a proper vaccination program
Reading Time: 4 minutes The adage goes, ‘It takes money to make money.’ It is no different in the beef industry. “Low-cost producers do not cut corners on pasture, bulls, and herd health,” said beef economist Kathy Larson of the Western Beef Development Centre. “Spending less on these items often leads to reduced herd productivity and thereby raises your […] Read more
The lowdown on how TB is managed
Webinar scheduled for March 2
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Beef Cattle Research Council is hosting a webinar on understanding bovine TB and how it is managed in Canada. The March 2 webinar will provide background information on bovine tuberculosis, including how the bacteria functions, how the disease spreads, and the testing process. Canada’s surveillance program, as well as some general biosecurity advice to […] Read more
Set the agenda for Bov-Innovation
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Beef Cattle Research Council wants beef producers to take a 10-minute survey on what topics they would like to see presented during Bov-Innovation at the Canadian Beef Industry Conference in August 2017. Bov-Innovation is an extension event for producers and features innovative, underutilized, or emerging production practices that feedlot and cow-calf operators may want […] Read more
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
Dealing with climate change a priority for BCRC
Reading Time: < 1 minute Coping with hotter, drier, and less predictable weather is one of the priorities of the new Canadian Beef Research and Technology Transfer Strategy 2018 – 2023. The strategy, created by the Beef Cattle Research Council and Beef Value Chain Roundtable, is meant to guide research through to 2023 while avoiding duplication. Developing and adopting of […] Read more
Understanding reasons for pregnancy loss can help prevent it
About two to three per cent of cows will experience pregnancy loss but that number can be reduced
Reading Time: 3 minutes Cattle pregnancy loss occurs for many reasons. Knowing about it can help you manage it and reduce it. “Pregnancy loss occurs throughout all stages of gestation — it’s sort of a natural selection,” veterinarian Steve Hendrick of Coaldale Veterinary Services said during a recent Beef Cattle Research Council webinar. “There are lots of genetic and […] Read more
Simple strategies can help reduce pregnancy loss in cattle
Feed testing, good nutrition, exercise, low-stress handling, and biosecurity are all beneficial for pregnant cows
Reading Time: 2 minutes The best way to reduce pregnancy losses in pregnant cows is to take a multi-pronged approach. First, it pays to test both feed and water. “It is surprising how much variability in our forages occurs year to year and season to season,” veterinarian Steve Hendrick said during a recent Beef Cattle Research Council webinar. “It […] Read more
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