The Western Canadian feed market remains under pressure, with barley bids stuck in a steady downtrend.
Feed barley stuck in downtrend
Canada has imported 564,900 tonnes of U.S. corn since Sept. 1
Feed grain weekly outlook: Ample supplies pushing down prices
Livestock feeders well covered with U.S. corn, pressuring prices
Due to good supplies, prices for feed barley and wheat continued to slide back, according to Jim Beusekom of Market Place Commodities in Lethbridge, Alta.
Feed weekly outlook: U.S. corn imports keep lid on Prairie feed grains
Mild Prairie weather contributing to lower feed demand
Glacier FarmMedia – Feed prices for barley and wheat across much of Western Canada are very likely to remain low until the end of winter/the beginning of spring, according to Erin Harakal of Agfinity in Stony Plain, Alta.
Different options for feeding cattle
Reading Time: < 1 minute Considering alternative feeds? The Beef Cattle Research Council has a web page that looks at a number of feeds other than hay, other forages and grains. “There are many alternative feeds that can supplement and even improve the diet,” the web page states. These range from crop residues, chaff, oat hulls, and screenings to DDGs, […] Read more
Feed skyrockets in many areas — but there are options out there
Hay is uneconomical in some areas, forcing producers to either cull or find alternative feed sources
Reading Time: 5 minutes Record-setting temperatures in mid-August have added pressure to an already desperate situation for cattle producers across Alberta. “There are some people who are going to be really short on feed and pasture,” Alberta Beef Producers executive director Rich Smith said in mid-August. “Some people are in a really tough situation. The heat last week was […] Read more
Feed testing now can save you money
Testing is especially important this year as supplies are tight and quality down in many areas of the province
Reading Time: 3 minutes Doing feed tests now, at the start of the feeding season, will allow producers to develop a strategy to ensure all categories of cattle in the herd are fed to their production goals and extra costs are avoided. “Livestock feed supplies are going to be tight in some areas of Alberta, while in other areas, […] Read more
Make the most of cheap feed grain this winter
Producers stand to make an additional $130 a head on their calves by supplementing their hay with barley this winter
Reading Time: 4 minutes There’s good news, bad news, and even worse news for cattle producers this winter. The good news is that there’s plenty of cheap feed grains in the market right now — but producers will need those savings to offset poor-quality feed (the bad news) and part of the sharp drop in calf prices (the even […] Read more
Toxins could be present in ensiled corn
Reading Time: < 1 minute Watch for the presence of mycotoxins when feeding ensiled corn. When the toxins T-2, HT-2 and DON (vomitoxin) are present, cattle will reduce the amount of feed they eat, said provincial veterinary toxicologist Joe Kendall. “However, if you ensile the standing crop with the mycotoxins present, you are mixing good and contaminated feed together so […] Read more
Straw and chaff are a good — but incomplete — diet
Provincial forage specialist Barry Yaremcio offers guidelines for mineral supplementation
Reading Time: 3 minutes Turning cows out onto stubble fields is a good feed choice, but there are some things to consider, says a provincial beef and forage specialist. Cattle “pick and choose” what they want when grazing stubble, slough hay, or mature hay growing along the fences and headlands, said Barry Yaremcio. Straw, chaff, and overmature grass hays […] Read more
Dealing with a lack of calcium in pregnant cows
Beef and forage specialist Barry Yaremcio does the math on providing this mineral to pregnant cows
Reading Time: 2 minutes When feeding cereal silage, greenfeed or swath grazing to pregnant cows, there can be a concern with a lack of calcium and magnesium. An added product can often be the solution. “In this situation, an added product should have more calcium than phosphorus,” said Barry Yaremcio, beef and forage specialist, with the Ag-Info Centre in […] Read more
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