Stories by Debbie Furber | Canadian Cattlemen

Proper custom feeding agreements protect both the client and the feeder, says risk management specialist Bruce Viney.

Competitive cattle feeding agreements

… do the right things and do things right

By Debbie Furber November 14, 2017

People looking to place cattle with custom feeders are motivated to get the best deal on rates. That’s the nature of the business — they need to bank a return on their investment in the cattle to stay in business. It’s equally important for custom feeding and grazing operators to see a return on their […] Read more

Features, Finishers, Livestock

Backed by a business plan

By Debbie Furber November 14, 2017

Former Alberta Agriculture risk management specialist Bruce Viney spoke with heart at the Western Canadian Feedlot Management School earlier this year telling about his own experiences in cattle feeding as he covered points from his new publication, Business Fundamentals for Better Feeding Agreements. He got his start as a cattle feeder when he leveraged scholarship […] Read more

Cow-Calf, Features, Livestock

Finally, a shirt-pocket tag reader that talks to your smartphone

Identification: "Herdly" iPhone app aims to be available for the 2018 calving season

By Debbie Furber November 9, 2017

A smartphone tag reader and app that the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association has had bubbling on the back burner for several years is being field-tested and could become commercially available next year. Mark Klassen, the CCA technical director, says CCA has partnered with software developer Cannon Smith of Synergy Farm Solutions, Hill Spring, Alta., to take […] Read more

Al Madley checks in with SPOT several times a day from remote pastures.

Features, Livestock, Machinery

A safe SPOT for remote locations

Satellite messenger system sends an “I’m ok” message to designated contacts for regular safety checks

By Debbie Furber November 2, 2017

Canadian farmers are big users of smartphones, more than the general population, according to a 2015 Ipsos Canada study. That should be no surprise. Aside from the regular uses for an array of ag-related apps, smartphones also provide a lifeline for many rural residents facing emergency situations. But what of those who have no cellular […] Read more

Harold Unrau looks in on his brother’s feedlot where Boviglo is given on arrival and in the ration for the first 90 days on feed.

Beef Cattle, Cow-Calf, Features

The Boviglo boost

The immunity-building supplement contains prebiotics and probiotics, vitamins, minerals and plant enzymes

By Debbie Furber October 31, 2017

The results of a backgrounding and finishing trial at Lethbridge Research Centre appear to reflect what producers who supplement their cattle with Boviglo have been seeing over the past year or two. Harold Unrau of HU Livestock at Grunthal, Man., took on the Western Canada distributorship of Boviglo and Eberglo because Boviglo is the first […] Read more

Livestock, News

Boviglo shows positive results in feeding trial

By Debbie Furber October 31, 2017

A nine-month feeding trial at Lethbridge Research Centre shows that average daily gain (ADG) during the 110-day backgrounding period for steers that received Boviglo was 1.11 kilograms per day (kg/d). This was a bit better than that for the control group and a little less but not statistically different from the group that received an […] Read more

Cow-Calf, Features, Livestock

Stress is the enemy with ‘natural’ calves

Natural beef programs limit the use of antibiotics

By Debbie Furber October 20, 2017

Limiting the use of growth promotants for raising calves is easy. Just stop using them, accept that you will lose efficiencies, and concentrate on capturing every other advantage. Limiting the use of antibiotics is another story. David Saretsky, who raises cattle and runs a cattle marketing company, Cantriex Livestock, with his family near Ponoka, Alta., […] Read more

Beef Cattle, Features

Hybrid advantage is your advantage — now there’s a way to score it

By Debbie Furber October 11, 2017

The bit of tissue on the root of a tail hair is all it takes for a DNA test to extract a lot of useful information for managing your crossbreeding program. Delta Genomics at Edmonton, Alta., has developed a new three-in-one product, EnVigour HX, that uses a DNA test to match a calf to its […] Read more

Beef Cattle, Cow-Calf, Features

The search continues for TB and JD vaccines

Animal Health: Treatment for the elusive diseases grows closer

By Debbie Furber September 28, 2017

We could be lucky and find our vaccine candidates for bovine tuberculosis and Johne’s disease within a month, or it could take a year and a half. We hope within a two-year window we will have candidates ready to test out in the field.” These encouraging words come from Dr. Andrew Potter, CEO at the […] Read more

Beef Cattle, Features, Livestock

Malignant catarrhal fever — learn about it; guard against it

Animal Health: Most sheep in North America are assumed to be carriers

By Debbie Furber September 27, 2017

“It took her piece by piece. Without a doubt it is the most devastating (cattle) disease we have ever dealt with,” says a member of a farm family who finally had to euthanize a valuable young purebred cow after two months of intensive therapy and investigation. Laboratory tests confirmed malignant catarrhal fever (MCF). The only […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Cattle set multi-month lows as virus fears hit markets

U.S. grains: Soybeans hit six-week low as China virus sparks selling

Nestle to source plant proteins from Winnipeg

GFM Network News