The vast majority of Ontario producers calve their cows either in the barn or very close to it early in the year, but the current trend is toward later calving dates on grass, according to Craig McLaughlin, a Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) board director and cow-calf producer in Renfrew County. A survey conducted in […] Read more
Calving date shifting in Ontario
The onset of calving season often depends on the individual operation, says an Ontario cow-calf producer
Battling bovine tuberculosis
Canadian researchers are working on TB vaccines and developing strategies to manage the disease in wild animals
Research is underway in Canada to develop a vaccine aimed at eliminating the threat of bovine tuberculosis (TB). If successful, the results will mean better health for cattle and humans around the world. “When we say bovine TB, sometimes it can also be TB that’s found in humans,” says Dr. Jeff Chen, explaining that Mycobacterium […] Read more
Maritimes working on strategy to grow the beef herd
While access to land, grass and forages support beef production in the Maritimes, the industry must overcome other barriers
The Maritimes beef industry may be small but the quality is high and there’s plenty of opportunity for growth, according to Amy Higgins. “We have lots of access to grass and forages,” says Higgins. “And generally, land costs are much lower here than, say, Ontario.” Higgins and her family run a small purebred Black Angus […] Read more
Doing livestock research and innovation right in Ontario
The new CEO of the Livestock Research Innovation Corporation shares his thoughts on the organization’s direction
Mike McMorris, the new CEO of Ontario’s Livestock Research Innovation Corporation (LRIC), is a firm believer in systems research — finding ways to leverage better results through collaboration and making connections across species. He’s also focused on better co-ordinating research services, making sure member organizations receive value for their investments and digging deeper into the […] Read more
Ontario feedlots counting on marketing, genetics and young farmers
Ontario’s feedlot sector is currently facing a number of threats, but some positive signals from a younger generation and producer-led marketing initiatives hold the promise of a more robust future. “A lack of slaughter capacity is limiting growth,” said Jack Chaffe. “We’re maxed out with so many new barns built and so many cattle on […] Read more
Ontario votes to increase provincial beef check-off
Checkoff initially proposed in 2018 gets the go-ahead
[UPDATED: May 16, 2019] It took a year of planning, negotiating and explaining how the money would be spent, but members of the Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) finally voted in favour of a hefty $1.50 increase in the beef cattle check-off at the 2019 annual general meeting. The increase was turned down in 2018. […] Read more
Ontario’s CARVE brand beef a success
Growing appetite for high-quality local food created on opportunity for a new beef brand
A newly minted premium Ontario beef brand called CARVE raked in more than $3 million in sales in just over a year and has become a flagship product for Flanagan Foodservice. “We lead with it everywhere we go,” said Brad Heard, the company’s category manager for protein. “We worked hand in hand with the Beef […] Read more
The benefits of alternative feed options
Continuous improvement leads to big cost savings
Mike Buis says that his approach to his vertically integrated beef business is to make “one new mistake every year” — the keys being “one” and “new.” “If we’re not making at least one mistake a year, we’re not trying hard enough to do different things,” he said. Buis has a fourth-generation farm with 300 […] Read more
Stabilizing Ontario’s beef cattle industry
Five opinions heard at the Grey-Bruce Beef Day
If every producer put into practice two or three new ideas from the conferences they attend, the entire industry could benefit, according to Dr. Tammi Ribey. “The beef industry is us — everyone can do something,” she said. “If we all do a little something, collectively it should help.” Ribey is a veterinarian with a […] Read more
Improving livestock traceability key to higher profits
More feedback needed to build better herds
Dave Milliner thinks the upcoming changes to federal regulations on livestock traceability are good but don’t go far enough. He contends that much more could be done in the beef industry to improve the quality of the meat, the productivity of the animals, returns for farmers and choices for consumers. “There’s no feedback loop — […] Read more
Canadian Cattlemen Presents: Depth of Field
