Despite experiencing a million-dollar rain, beef producers are still asking how they can prepare for drought
Drought” is a word beef producers on the Prairies know well. For years, many areas in Western Canada have struggled through a prolonged drought. Although a “million-dollar rain” fell in many areas this past June, producers are still pondering lessons learned from previous years of drought, dealing with the lingering effects of several dry years, […] Read more
Ranchers share lessons learned from drought
Despite experiencing a million-dollar rain, beef producers are still asking how they can prepare for drought
Beef Monitor tracks weight gains, generates multi-day averages
Bob Ritchie, agricultural sales director of David Ritchie Implements Ltd., travelled all the way from Scotland and braved the heat at Ag in Motion in July to showcase his Beef Monitor. The Beef Monitor tracks the weight of the cattle and provides accurate daily live weights. According to the website of David Ritchie Implements Ltd., […] Read more
Livestock handling demos yield stockmanship insight at Ag in Motion
Rancher, livestock equipment reps share their thoughts and tips on low-stress cattle handling
The demos involving cattle are big hits at Ag in Motion, but part of what makes them so successful is the implementation of low-stress cattle handling. While most of Ag in Motion’s exhibitors focus on the grain side of the industry — machinery, small crop plots — there is a lively livestock area, as well. […] Read more
Creep feeding when fall calving
For producers who are fall calving, creep feeding might be a viable option to supplement the diet of nursing calves
For cattle producers who are fall calving, supplementing the calves’ diets is often important, given the state of forages at that time. This is where creep feeding comes into play. For some cattle producers, while their grain-producing neighbours are in the fields taking the crops off, they are walking on foot through their pastures, searching […] Read more
What to know about grazing cattle on crop stubble
What are the benefits and challenges of stubble grazing after harvest, to extend the grazing season?
When it comes to extending the grazing season, stubble grazing is a viable option for many producers on the Prairies. But what are the benefits, and what are the challenges that come with it? Grazing the stubble left after harvest has some real advantages. “The first thing it does is it provides additional forage that […] Read more
The link between stockmanship and animal health
Lee Sinclair has dedicated much of his professional life to teaching producers about low-stress cattle handling
When Lee Sinclair would come home from college and university in the summers, he worked at feedlots, which is where his interest in low-stress cattle handling started. “Nobody had ever told me position, distance and angles make the difference. All we were taught is, we’ve got to get this done,” Sinclair said. “So you use […] Read more
Researcher examines straw-based cattle diets
Years of drought inspired grad student to look into ways of supplementing straw with flax and canola screenings so producers can retain more cattle during tough times
The latest stretch of drought spurred graduate student Beatriz Montenegro Gonzalez to examine the potential of wheat straw as cattle feed in tough economic times. It was a chilly June day when Gonzalez, along with several other researchers, presented at the Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence field day near Clavet, Sask. As people filed […] Read more
How to read a vaccine label
Knowing what is on a vaccine label helps ensure a high level of immunity in your cattle
Vaccination requires an open dialogue between the producer and a vet, discussing what to vaccinate for and when. Knowing how to read the labels of the vaccine is just as important.
Olds College researchers trial new technologies to support grazing and soil health
Satellite technology, soil biologicals and rising plate metres are all on the research docket at Olds College
Laio Silva Sobrinho’s passion is soil. He initially got his undergrad in forestry in Brazil, but when he came to Canada to do his master’s, he knew it would be in soil science. “Even during my undergrad, I worked with soil remediation in relation to heavy metals. So, it wasn’t too much of a change […] Read more
Nova Scotia ranchers snag environmental award at Canadian Beef Industry Conference
Holdanca Farms from Nova Scotia is this year’s recipient of The Environmental Stewardship Award (TESA), it was announced on at the banquet of the Canadian Beef Industry Conference this week.
Canadian Cattlemen Presents: Depth of Field
