In 2014, Brett McRae was looking for mentorship as he worked to grow his ranch, located near Brandon, Man. He was picked as a mentee for the Canadian Cattle Young Leaders Mentorship Program and told his mentor what he was looking to do with his ranch and how he wanted to expand and change. His […] Read more
Ranching for Profit challenges paradigms
This business management course draws repeat customers from the ranching community
B.C. First Nation looking to expand ranch
In 2020, the government of British Columbia purchased a ranch that they then leased out to the Xatsūll First Nation, located over three hours north of Kamloops, as part of a treaty settlement. The government said at the time that purchasing the ranch for the community was a step towards reconciliation. Now, a year later, […] Read more
Treaty Land Sharing Network connects producers and Indigenous people through land access
Farmers, ranchers, landholders offer land access to Indigenous people to practice treaty rights
[Updated: Oct 18, 2022] Amy Seesequasis says for Indigenous people, everything revolves around the land. “When we look at our culture, it’s based on the land,” Seesequasis says in a virtual discussion on September 15, moderated by Canadian Cattlemen editor Lisa Guenther for a webinar with the Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation. “All our teachings, our […] Read more
Manitoba trials forage grass from Africa
At one of Manitoba Beef and Forage Initiative’s (MBFI) field days this summer, MBFI showed off a new trial — teff grass. Initially grown in a plot trial at the Parkland Crop Diversification Foundation in 2020, MBFI decided to try the crop in a larger trial after seeing the success at the foundation. “I would […] Read more
Saskatchewan family shares passion for cover cropping
The Gavelin family finds their cover crops perform well even under adverse conditions
Dark clouds roll in as a charter bus drives down gravel roads near McCord, Sask. Marla Gavelin, one of the people hosting the field day from the Prairie South Holistic Management group, speaks to the people in attendance. She compares the Gavelins’ farm to the Sahara Desert with a fond laugh, and the 70-plus people […] Read more
Introducing outside calves heightens crypto risk
Cryptosporidium parvum is a disease that’s easy to introduce and hard to manage in a beef herd
In the cold, wet pastures of a gruelling Manitoba spring near Oakville, Man., Garth McCormick needed a calf to put on one of his cows who had lost her calf, but didn’t have any he could use on his own farm. His hired man brought a calf from his own place to McCormick’s. Immediately, the […] Read more
Beef supply down, retail prices up
The industry needs to keep an eye on the retail price of beef in the next year, says a market analyst. Brenna Grant, executive director of Canfax, spoke about the direction cattle markets are likely headed while at the Canadian Beef Industry Conference (CBIC) in Penticton, B.C. earlier this summer. Retail prices were a focus […] Read more
Auction marts, cattle groups apprehensive about Transfer of Care requirements
Industry leaders cite good track record on animal welfare, ask for short-haul exemption
Pacing the stage, Reg Schellenberg urged producers to take charge of the Transfer of Care issue, which will require more documentation from people hauling cattle near and far. “If you take the lead as producers, you own it,” he says. “If the government takes the lead, they own it. We know what that’ll be like. […] Read more
Water monitoring made simple with FarmSimple product
What started out as a hobby for two brothers has evolved into an award-winning product that allows ranchers to monitor livestock water remotely. Katlin Lang is CEO of FarmSimple, a company he runs with his brother, Dustin, at Vibank, Sask. Together they sell a product known as Herd Hand, which monitors remote watering systems. Herd […] Read more
Auction marts grapple with a shrinking herd and changing industry
A shift to online selling and fewer cattle to market are two trends challenging the auction mart industry
The air is tense during an auction at the Calgary Stockyards. In the sales ring, cattle bunch together, snorting. But they can barely be heard over the auctioneer’s quick chant, designed to entice buyers while moving things along. Unless you’re a seasoned pro, listening to the rhythmic patter can be like listening to a different […] Read more
Canadian Cattlemen Presents: Depth of Field
