Reading Time: 2 minutes A hot, dry summer hastened the maturity and dormancy of native and improved pastures in many parts of the province, reducing both quality and digestibility of forages. “Plants do not grow as tall as normal in dry conditions,” said beef and forage specialist Barry Yaremcio. “Fibre levels increase faster and overall energy content of the […] Read more
There may be slim pickins in the pasture
Water-stressed forages have more fibre and less protein, and that can reduce feed intake and body conditioning
New technology brings new risks to the farm, say experts
Advances — from needleless injectors to auto steer — make farming easier, but also have safety implications
Reading Time: 3 minutes New technology brings many advantages to the farm, but can also result in unintended hazards, both for farmers and animals. This was stressed numerous times during presentations on technology at this year’s Canadian Agricultural Safety Association annual general meeting. Read more: AgSafe Alberta offering free safety programs for farmers “There’s a lot of routine work on […] Read more
The fall run is tough on calves but we can do better
The health problems seen in the feedlot don’t come out of the blue and careful handling should start at the home ranch
Reading Time: 3 minutes With the fall run underway, cattlemen and women are faced again with the challenge of morbidity and mortality in calves. By the time calves land in the feed yard, they have often been handled and transported several times. How they fight off disease during that extraordinarily stressful period is related to their age and weight. […] Read more
Three approaches to managing first- and second-calvers
Their methods differ, but these three ranchers are all focused on maintaining body conditioning
Reading Time: 2 minutes Because they graze year round at Deseret Ranches near Raymond, Darren Bevans manages first- and second-calvers separately from the cow herd on winter swath grazing. “Managing these groups separately allows us to provide a little bit of extra nutrition, which can make all the difference to body condition and future pregnancy rates,” said Bevans. “Really these […] Read more
First-calf heifers need some extra love
Keep a close eye on the conditions of these young females, that require more energy and nutrients than mature cows
Reading Time: 4 minutes Replacement and first-calf heifers need extra management, but producers can take different paths to get to the same destination. Beef producers like Alberta’s Darren Bevans, Tyler Fulton in Manitoba, and Murray Shaw in Ontario know replacement and first-calf heifers need some extra attention heading into winter, but that doesn’t mean over-the-top management. Bevans and Fulton […] Read more
Alberta cattle numbers are no longer falling — but herds are on the move
Some counties are seeing a major increase due to bigger herds, but crops are replacing cattle in other areas
Reading Time: 3 minutes While the Alberta cow herd has stopped shrinking, it has not yet rebounded. “The positive returns for the cow-calf producers over the last few years indicate the Alberta cow herd has finally stopped shrinking,” said Herman Simons, a farm business management specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. “In fact, the total beef cow numbers for […] 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
Two Lethbridge researchers chosen for mentorship program
Program will give Robert Gruninger and Stacy Singer a chance to know the beef industry better
Reading Time: 2 minutes Two scientists from Ag Canada’s Lethbridge research centre and one from the University of Saskatchewan have been chosen for the Beef Cattle Research Council’s mentorship program. The program pairs up-and-coming applied researchers with innovative cattle producers or other industry professionals for a one-year mentorship. It provides researchers with the opportunity to deepen their understanding of […] Read more
Cattle producers urged to get premises identification number
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Canadian Cattle Identification Agency is urging Alberta livestock producers to prepare for new livestock traceability regulations that once enacted will require them to have a valid, premises identification (PID) number. A producer can call Alberta’s PID registry at 310-FARM with a legal land description to confirm or acquire a PID, or contact a field […] Read more
There’s lots of money being left on the packing plant floor
Quality defects exceed $60 per head and reducing those losses will boost the bottom line for producers, says expert
Reading Time: 3 minutes National Beef Quality audits prove that Canadian beef is pretty darn good. But they also show that producers could be putting more money in their wallets by reducing defects that show up at the packing plant, says Mark Klassen, director of technical services with the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. The last audit, conducted in 2010-11, found […] Read more
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