I recently chatted with a colleague who has been proofing and copy-editing farm magazines, including this one, for several years. We discussed how things have changed in the industry since the ’80s — mainly the roles of women in farming and ranching, and the related professions. I think women have always been vital to this […] Read more
Comment: Answering challenges in the cattle industry
Comment: The beauty of agriculture
One thing I admire about many artists and writers is how they can see the extraordinary in everyday moments, and then elevate it through their work. I think the cover for our December issue (see above), painted by Rebecca Shuttleworth, is a perfect example. Shuttleworth has built a part-time career as an artist, but she […] Read more
Comment: Our complicated relationship with horses
I’ve recently decided it’s time to euthanize my old horse, Oliver — everyone calls him Ollie for short. He’s almost 28 years old, and growing increasingly arthritic. Winter is coming, and if I don’t have him put down before the miserable season begins, he may slip on ice and be unable to get up. Even […] Read more
Comment: Don’t let perfection get in the way of progress
Steve Kay included an interesting observation about the U.S. beef industry’s struggle to adopt electronic ID tags in his Prime Cuts column for our October issue. Those whose only answer to electronic ID is “no” and those who allow perfection to be the enemy of the good are creating a vacuum the government is happy […] Read more
Stress, biosecurity and bovine respiratory disease
Bovine respiratory disease isn’t going away, but there are things ranchers and farmers can do to reduce disease prevalence
Shipping fever. Bovine respiratory disease (BRD). Whatever name you give it, it remains the number one cause of death in feedlots. It pops up on cow-calf operations, too. The Beef Cattle Research Council’s website notes that BRD is a leading cause of death, illness and antibiotic treatment in calves from three weeks of age to […] Read more
Comment: Timing is everything
If you’ve handled livestock much, you likely understand the importance of timing. Rancher Tim Andrew alludes to this in a stockmanship article written by Melissa Jeffers-Bezan in our Sept. 24, 2024 issue. Any entry into a bovine’s flight zone will make that animal uncomfortable, and trigger a response. As the handler, you need to “give […] Read more
Keeping foot-and-mouth disease out
When registered veterinary technician Dana Parker started her career, there were people in the Canadian veterinary industry who had first-hand experience with the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Europe. Others had colleagues who had been pulled into the crisis. But as that generation retires, fewer people practicing vet medicine have seen the fallout, so the disease […] Read more
Frequently asked questions about becoming CRSB certified
As the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef closes the book on its first decade, we dive into the incentives available, recent changes to the CRSB Certified program and how producers can sign up
It’s been 10 years since the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB) was founded, and great strides have been made in measuring and recognizing Canada’s leadership in sustainability. The Certified Sustainable Beef Framework, known as “CRSB Certified,” was created in 2017 to recognize the sustainable practices on the ground and to provide credible assurances for consumers […] Read more
Canadian Cattle Foundation recognizes young leader and honours Reg Schellenberg’s legacy through award
The Reg Schellenberg Next Generation Legacy Award honours individuals who embody the spirit of humble leadership, mentorship, collaboration and dedication to the Canadian cattle industry. Recipients receive a buckle, sponsored by Schellenbergs family's ranch, and a bursary to attend the Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference.
Comment: What’s in it for volunteers?
Back in February, we ran a feature on volunteers at beef shows, written by our field editor, Melissa Jeffers-Bezan (“Beef shows work to rebuild volunteer base post-COVID”). Brian Hadland, who wrangles the barn bosses at Canadian Western Agribition, had a little tidbit of advice that didn’t make it into the article, but did stick with […] Read more
Canadian Cattlemen Presents: Depth of Field
