Reading Time: 2 minutes As 2024 flew by, it can be tough to keep on top of all the news. Here’s a few stories that struck a chord with farmers in the Wild Rose province. 1. Alberta doubles down on rat strategy Alberta has maintained its rat-free status for 70 years and the province wants to keep that streak […] Read more

Top 5 Alberta Farmer Express stories of 2024
Here's some of the stories that captured the attention of Alberta farmers this year

Uterine amputations a routine occurrence in calving season
Cows can still be lost, but these days its a rarity
Reading Time: 3 minutes Most uterine prolapses are uneventful for an experienced veterinarian, and the owner ends up with a lively cow that breeds again without missing a beat. Producers will often ship these cows, but any veterinarian will tell you this isn’t a heritable trait and should not reoccur. If the cow rebreeds, there is no greater likelihood […] Read more

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

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

The importance of pairing up at calving
A little extra effort to foster mothering can pay big dividends
Reading Time: 3 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – Calving season always comes with anticipation about the incoming calf crop, and great cow-calf managers have tips that help them save more calves and improve productivity . For the spring calver, great observation skills combined with the ability to go the extra mile will generally be rewarded. It pays to check for […] Read more

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

CCIA issues new edition of calving record book
Reading Time: < 1 minute A popular calving record keeping book is getting an update. The Canadian Cattle Identification Agency says it has received positive feedback with the launch of its new calving record book. The previous incarnation was popular with producers, but the group felt it was time to make improvements. Working closely with Verified Beef Production Plus and […] Read more

Calving and pasture capacity videos
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Beef Cattle Research Council has a pair of new how-to videos. One focuses on the carrying capacity (grazing capacity) of a pasture. It gives an overview of the four keys to grazing management, features a Saskatchewan beef producer talking about his approach, and looks briefly at how to use the Carrying Capacity Calculator developed […] Read more

Seven tips for calving season
Reading Time: < 1 minute Calving can be an exciting but challenging time. Whether in the middle of calving season or planning for the next, the Beef Cattle Research Council has several helpful calving resources to set producers up for success. It has posted on its website, beefresearch.ca, a series of seven tips with short articles and videos on subjects […] Read more

Often a tranquilizer makes things easier for cattle and their owner
There is a non-prescription product that has many uses and can be administered by producers
Reading Time: 3 minutes There are many times when tranquilization makes it easier on both cattle and the operator. The main tranquilizer I am talking about is acepromazine, a member of the phenothiazine tranquilizer family. It is not a prescription product and producers can be trained in its usage and in the way it is delivered. Since the dosage […] Read more