These cattle on an operation south of Pincher Creek seem pretty happy with their bale feeders. But the Beef Cattle Research Council urged producers to consider pros and cons of feeders versus bale grazing in one of its Top 10 articles of the past year.

Beef research council aims to inform, and challenge producers

Not surprisingly, drought figured heavily in Beef Cattle Research Council’s top articles of the year

Reading Time: 3 minutes It’s no surprise that drought was the most common theme when the Beef Cattle Research Council put together a list of its Top 10 blogs for 2021. The website of the council was, after all, created to help producers “make informed decisions about their production practices” and so half of the Top 10 articles offered […] Read more

Alberta feeder cattle imports continue to increase

Alberta feeder cattle imports continue to increase

Western Canada plants are currently operating near capacity to satisfy strong consumer demand

Reading Time: 2 minutes Cattle imports have been increasing annually since 2015 when only 32,172 head were imported to Canada and a mere 399 head were received in Alberta, says Jason Wood, provincial livestock market analyst with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. “Year to date (January to August), total Canadian live cattle imports are 277,290 head, already 1.9 per cent […] Read more


The COP Network offers cow-calf producers a chance to see what farmers using a system like theirs are spending on their operations, as well as the results and revenue they’re achieving. The goal is to offer producers insights on how to boost the bottom line.

Finding treasure by taking a deep dive into cow-calf production data

Cost of Production Network opens a window on how producers like you spend and make money

Reading Time: 3 minutes An effort to create apples-to-apples benchmarking for cattle producers has released its results from 2020 — and has also issued an appeal for more producers to join the Canadian Cow-Calf Cost of Production Network. “The purpose of the network is to produce benchmarks for different production systems found across Canada,” a newly released Canfax video […] Read more

The number of breeding cows in the U.S. has dropped by a million head, which is one of the factors that’s been driving wholesale beef prices higher.

Cattle producers struggle but beef suppliers are doing just fine

Wholesale beef prices at record levels but those strong prices haven’t made their way to producers

Reading Time: 3 minutes The good news is that beef prices are extremely strong, even in the face of record beef production in North America. “We have record-high wholesale beef prices right now,” CANFAX manager and senior analyst Brian Perillat said at the recent (and virtual) Canadian Beef Industry Conference. Unfortunately, cattle prices are just not responding. “That’s been […] Read more



Boosting reproductive efficiency, using better genetics, and implementing better management practices are aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

New beef masterplan links environment to improved profitability

New beef strategy says ranchers can boost profits while cutting greenhouse gas emissions

Reading Time: 5 minutes Capturing carbon and reducing greenhouse gas emissions are two key goals in the newly updated national beef strategy. While these goals may seem contentious to some producers, it’s important to show the public that the beef sector is progressive and doing its part when it comes to combatting climate change as well as protecting the […] Read more


Alberta Beef Producers prepares for delegate elections

Alberta Beef Producers prepares for delegate elections

Reading Time: < 1 minute Nominations are being accepted for Alberta Beef Producers’ 2020 delegate elections. The number of zones has been reduced to five (from nine previously) with seven delegates to be elected in each. Four will serve two-year terms, and three will serve one year so there will be staggered elections in the future. Individuals standing for election […] Read more




More than 80 per cent of the land base at Round Rock Ranching is native range and cattle are selected for their ability to do well on that type of land.

The Big Squeeze: Alberta cattle sector struggling to get ahead

In this tight-margin business, a host of smaller factors pull down profitability

Reading Time: 5 minutes Alberta’s cattle industry may not be facing another near-fatal blow like BSE, but it’s hemorrhaging all the same. And this time, it’s a death by a thousand cuts, says a new study. Government regulations. Global trade wars. Rising land prices and ever-higher costs. Drought. Feed shortages. Head taxes and exclusion zones. There’s not one single […] Read more