Reading Time: 3 minutes When some beef producers see the amount of record keeping done by purebred operations or participants in VBP+, they may thank their lucky stars that they don’t have to do the same. But experts at the Beef Cattle Research Council would say that genetic record keeping doesn’t have to be cumbersome for cow-calf or commercial […] Read more
Taking the angst out of cow-calf record keeping
BCRC course designed to help cow-calf producers choose most relevant traits to track
Satellite tracking of cows still a work in progress
The potential is big but cold, monitoring frequency, and price are issues, Alberta pilot finds
Reading Time: 3 minutes Oyen producer Heather Mundt has been keeping an eye on her eight high-tech heifers since fitting them with GPS-enabled smart tags last September. Despite some setbacks, she remains excited about what the technology has to offer, she said. Mundt and husband Brenton are part of a pilot project testing the Australian-made Ceres Tag. Unlike other […] Read more
PRECISION RANCHING: Manage your cattle from your easy chair
New research points to a future in cattle production where most decisions will be made at the touch of a button
Reading Time: 5 minutes Imagine being able to manage your grazing cattle at the touch of a button and constructing ‘digital fences’ as you move them from pasture to pasture. Or using drones to track your cattle while at the same time discovering the most nutrient-rich forage on your land. These are just a couple of examples of current […] Read more
High-frequency tags: Easier data reading, happier cattle
Next generation of RFID readers can read cattle tags without having to use a squeeze chute
Reading Time: 2 minutes Using radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to track and collect information on cattle is fast becoming standard practice. However, the process can be painfully slow and inefficient. But researchers may have found a way to change that. A three-year project conducted by SAIT’s Glen Kathler tested the ability of ultra-high-frequency RFID tag readers to process […] Read more
Trust your people, dare to be different, and know your numbers
Those are just three key tips from four innovative entrepreneurs who shared their methods for boosting productivity
Reading Time: 5 minutes Increasing productivity by 15 per cent by 2020 is one of the pillars of the National Beef Strategy, which was created by beef organizations across Canada and released in January 2015. During the recent Canadian Beef Industry Conference, four experts shared how they increase productivity on their operations. Darren Bevans Darren Bevans, general manager of […] Read more
Prevention truly is worth a pound of cure
Vaccinations and biosecurity go hand in hand when managing cattle diseases
Reading Time: 3 minutes For many producers, biosecurity is a little like closing the barn door after the cows have bolted. “Sadly, in many cases, what it takes for producers to make the change is the ‘big problem’ where they get their butt kicked,” said Dr. Frank Garry, a veterinarian and professor at the University of Colorado. “Then, eventually […] Read more
Expert says prepare to raise beef in a world without growth promotants
While there’s no question beta-agonists and antibiotics work, there are ways to lessen the need for them, says ruminant nutritionist
Reading Time: 3 minutes Get ready — changing consumer demands could spell the end of growth promotants in Canadian cattle production, says a ruminant nutritionist from Brazil. “Increased public concern with animal welfare, and also with antibiotic resistance in humans, has really drawn attention to the use of these kinds of products,” said Gabriel Ribeiro at the recent Feed […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
