Reading Time: 4 minutes Our farming and feeding operations have fundamental challenges and issues that are not being communicated in an effective manner to government. We have ongoing issues about hiring qualified managers and workers; with WCB compliance and enforcement; OH&S adherence; WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System) education of our employees; an obsolete farm taxation model utilizing 25-year-old […] Read more
Opinion: The beef industry needs to start speaking with a unified voice
Having at least 10 organizations representing the beef industry in Alberta is quite frankly a joke
Anthrax an increased threat this summer
Reading Time: < 1 minute Weather conditions have created the ‘perfect storm’ for increased anthrax risk in many parts of the country. The highly contagious and infectious soil-borne disease can infect most mammals, but especially bison and beef cattle. It is most common if there is a drought after soil has been disturbed (such as by flooding, heavy rains, soil […] Read more
Resources for pain management in beef cattle
Reading Time: < 1 minute As of Jan. 1, producers must use pain control when castrating bulls older than six months. The change followed a move in Jan. 1, 2016 requiring pain control when dehorning calves that have horn buds attached (that is, ones older than two to three months). The Beef Cattle Research Council has information on mitigating pain […] Read more
There’s a story to tell about antimicrobial use — and it’s a good one
Beef 911: The industry and veterinarians are doing what they should be doing to minimize resistance
Reading Time: 5 minutes There have been volumes written about antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in recent years — this article will highlight some of the key points on how well the cattle industry is doing so far and what changes veterinarians may make in their recommendations going forward. For those of you who crave more detailed information, there are several […] Read more
Verified Beef Production Plus website gets major revamp
Reading Time: < 1 minute The website for Verified Beef Production Plus is now faster, easier to use, and has a list of VBP+ registered beef cattle operations across the country. The revamp means verifiedbeef.ca can be used on various screen sizes and it’s easier to find information, including an online training and videos. A Google map tool shows where […] Read more
Mentorship program links the lab to the ranch
Reading Time: 3 minutes The future of forage research is looking bright, and that’s exciting, says one of the country’s newest researchers in this area. Stacy Singer started work at Ag Canada’s Lethbridge Research and Development Centre just over a year ago and was also one of three scientists chosen for the 2017 edition of a mentorship program created […] Read more
They’ll drink to that — clean water boosts weight gain
Providing pumped water can boost weaning weights by 18 pounds and reduce health issues
Reading Time: < 1 minute Giving cattle access to clean water can improve herd health and increase weight gain and backfat. A 2005 study reported that calves whose dams drank from water troughs gained on average 0.09 pound per day more than those with access to a dugout. Because water and forage intake are closely related, as cows drink more […] Read more
The environmental argument for cattle
Critics who slam the sector over water use and greenhouse gases only give half the story, says Beef Cattle Research Council
Reading Time: 5 minutes Editor’s note: A recent blog from the Beef Cattle Research Council offers its rebuttal to “vilifying headlines and simple, partial arguments” that criticize the beef industry for its water use and environmental impact. The following is a condensed version of the blog, which can be found at the Beef Cattle Research Council website. Make no […] Read more
You can’t make heat, but you can pick the right variety for corn silage
Harvesting at the right time to maximize digestibility is also key
Reading Time: 4 minutes Feeding corn silage to cattle comes with some risks in Alberta — but there are ways you can manage that. “There are a lot of different factors that will affect yield and quality in corn silage,” said federal research scientist Karen Beauchemin. “You have some control over some of these factors, but not all. So […] Read more
Five tips for managing parasites in your herd
Using the right dosage of the right product at the right time are three of those five key practices
Reading Time: 2 minutes Resistance is something we currently hear a lot about in agriculture, including the issue of parasite resistance in beef cattle. This raises questions about parasite management decisions. How can livestock operators effectively manage internal parasites in their herds? What can they do to reduce the risk of parasite resistance? Parasites are a normal part of […] Read more
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