Reading Time: 3 minutes Alberta is a hive of exciting and interesting research activity that is a benefit to agriculture and society. From bees to bovines, we employ world-class scientists who work with enthusiastic producer groups. Livestock (under the federal definition) includes bees, and the National Bee Diagnostic Centre is in Alberta, a partnership between the Grande Prairie Regional […] Read more
If it is happening in research, it is happening here in Alberta
The list of research centres is long and varied — and all of them are part of our competitive advantage
Unfarmed areas could offer yield boost
Reading Time: < 1 minute Does unfarmed land next to your fields boost yields? A new University of Calgary study aims to see if fields next to grassed areas, fencelines, wetlands, tree lines, and similar adjacent areas have higher yields. Studies in the U.S., U.K., Northern Europe, and Australia have found that, like shelterbelts, unfarmed areas give a yield boost. […] Read more
Stampede is a champion of animal welfare, says researcher
The Calgary rodeo is a leader in giving access to researchers, and they haven’t found high levels of animal stress or abuse
Reading Time: 3 minutes Animal activists are quick to denounce the Calgary Stampede for animal cruelty. But it turns out very little research has been done on animal welfare at rodeo events. “As a scientist, I can say that there is no data on rodeo and how animals are being treated. That’s where some of the research we’ve been […] Read more
Make sure calves get the colostrum they need
University of Calgary animal health professor offers her tips on how to assess a situation and when to intervene
Reading Time: 2 minutes Many beef calves are not getting enough colostrum at birth, and the fallout can be drastic and last a lifetime. That’s why it’s important that calves consume some colostrum within the first four hours of life, said Claire Windeyer, assistant professor of production animal health at the University of Calgary. The probability that a calf […] Read more
Managing scours so they don’t manage you
Scours, the most common disease in calves, can quickly put you behind the financial 8-ball
Reading Time: 2 minutes Scours can put you in a financial hole in a hurry. “For every percentage of the herd that you lose, the rest of the herd has to pick up the slack,” said Claire Windeyer, assistant professor in production animal health at the University of Calgary. Producers who had relatively low calf mortality, around five per […] Read more
Have a game plan before calving season gets underway
The risk factors that can sicken young calves are numerous but some can be mitigated, says veterinarian
Reading Time: 2 minutes The upcoming calving season will be a time of risk for disease on cow-calf operations. Pathogens that cause disease in young calves are present in all herds, so careful management is necessary to prevent them from getting sick. “Cow-calf producers most often deal with scours, septicemia, respiratory disease, and joint or navel ill,” said Dr. […] Read more
Quarantine comes with a ‘devastating’ cost
There are roughly 10,000 cattle under quarantine, and every animal can cost as much as $3 a day in feed and yardage
Reading Time: 5 minutes Ranches under quarantine in southeastern Alberta could be collectively losing $15,000 to $30,000 per day feeding and caring for the roughly 10,000 cattle they can neither move nor sell. And much of that money may never be recovered, which is prompting calls for a new approach to compensating producers whose herds are being investigated for […] Read more
When it comes to bovine TB, a closed herd is a safer herd
Bovine tuberculosis usually isn’t discovered until an animal reaches the packing plant
Reading Time: 2 minutes Initial symptoms for bovine tuberculosis can be “quite vague” and hard to spot. “The general symptoms for an animal infected are depression, lethargy, and chronic weight loss,” said Dr. Cody Creelman, who works at Veterinary Agri-Health Services in Airdrie. “You may or may not see a fever, and as it progresses and gets quite severe, […] Read more
Show me the money: The lowdown on preconditioning
Preconditioned calves are healthier, grow faster, and grade higher — but can cow-calf producers make money on the practice?
Reading Time: 5 minutes Can you make money preconditioning feeder calves? The answer depends on whom you talk to. Attendees at a University of Calgary conference last month were told about an Indiana producer who pocketed an extra $80 per calf by preconditioning his animals. “The producer realized that the more days he preconditioned those calves, the more money […] Read more
Beef conference to focus on infectious diseases
Beef Cattle Conference takes place June 16-17 in Calgary
Reading Time: < 1 minute The University of Calgary Faculty of veterinary medicine’s annual Beef Cattle Conference takes place June 16-17 in Calgary. This year’s focus is on infectious disease diagnosis and control, including overviews of diarrhea, respiratory disease, and other diseases; biosecurity; vaccination; and preconditioning. There will also be workshops on managing pre-weaning diseases, infectious lameness in the feedlot, […] Read more
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