The science of fibre has advanced substantially over the past 10 years and newer fibre characteristic assessments can help formulate diets to reduce risk for both digestive disorders and production-limiting diets.
The science of fibre in diets for finishing cattle
Making hay when the sun isn’t shining
The 2024 forage season is looking much different in the Prairies than the last few years. As the season started, we were quite worried about the lack of moisture we had in Western Canada in the last few years, which drastically reduced forage and grain yields. However, we have generally had a lot of moisture […] Read more
Transitioning yearlings to pasture
A well-planned and managed grazing season — focused on maximizing forage growth/production, adequate grazing management and appropriate mineral supplementation — can reduce production costs and increase profitability.
Now is the time to prevent feed shortages
As we approach spring we should be preparing to plant and produce enough forage to support the needs of our livestock for the whole year. In Canada, that means a strong focus on preserving and storing forages (i.e. silage, hay, greenfeed, stockpile forages, swath grazing) as the grazing season is short. For feedlots, where animals […] Read more
Post-calving nutrition to maximize conception rates
Evaluating body condition score can be difficult and requires training
With the current price of calves, targeting high pregnancy rates should be a priority on any cow-calf operation. In addition to remaining pregnant, they must conceive early in the breeding season to maintain a 365-day calving interval and ensure a uniform calf crop. This will promote better returns for the weaned calves and profitability for […] Read more
Demystifying near-infrared spectroscopy
Unpacking how this technology works and how it can used to analyze forage, feed and feces
The composition of feeds, forages and feces has traditionally been determined using wet chemistry methods, often referred to as the gold standard. However, the trade-off for this level of accuracy is often a high cost and a long turnaround time to perform the analysis. In that time, the nutrient profile of forages in grazing systems […] Read more
Optimizing wheat grain use in feedlot diets
Researchers explore whether processing wheat can reduce its potential to cause digestive upsets, and allow feedlots to use this high-protein, high-energy feed
Wheat is notorious for being a highly fermentable cereal grain and its inclusion in finishing feedlot diets is often restricted to avoid digestive disorders such as rumen acidosis and bloat. Adverse growing conditions frequently result in wheat grain with elevated mycotoxin levels that fail to meet the standard for human consumption. But such wheat may […] Read more
Turning weeds into feed
A variety of noxious weeds have been deemed as safe alternative forages for cattle
A noxious weed is an invasive non-native species that may reduce the yield of existing crops and forages if not controlled through herbicide application or by other means. Many weed species can be consumed by cattle and provide nutritive value during drought-induced feed shortages, while at the same time reducing herbicide use. Kochia (Bassia scoparia) […] Read more
Using forage to prevent liver abscesses in finished cattle
Liver abscesses are a leading cause of beef defects and economic losses in the Canadian beef industry. On average, 12 to 32 per cent of cattle develop liver abscesses, which account for over $60 million in yearly losses by the Canadian beef industry due to liver discounts and condemnations. Liver abscesses are pus-filled lesions found […] Read more
Can we rate the beef value of beer barley with one test?
After wheat and canola, barley is the most prominent crop in Western Canada. From 2005 to 2014, an average of 7.9 million acres was seeded resulting in an average annual production of 9.2 million metric tonnes. Barley grain has two primary end uses: as malt for beer or as livestock feed. On average, the value […] Read more
Canadian Cattlemen Presents: Depth of Field
