On the Canadian Prairies, a green Christmas doesn’t exist. However, a brown Christmas sure did in 2023, thanks to El Niño. Snow was scarce on the Prairies earlier this winter, with temperatures rarely falling below -20 C, or even -10 C. With a drought stretching through multiple years, the dry winter is causing even more […] Read more
Keep an eye on water quality this summer
Low winter snowfall, low rainfall, heat and water use all heighten concern for dugout quality
Research finds benefits to precision manure management
Research project conducted via the Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence
Dr. Jeff Schoenau, a researcher at the University of Saskatchewan, says manure should be applied precisely. At the Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference that took place in late January 2024 in Regina, Sask., Schoenau presented on research he’s done regarding precision manure management, which is getting the manure in the right place, at the right rate, […] Read more
Preventing and prepping for a foot-and-mouth outbreak
Canada has lined up funding for an improved vaccine bank in case of a foot-and-mouth outbreak. But does that mean we’re ready?
In 2001, foot-and-mouth disease decimated the U.K.’s beef industry. Millions of animals were culled after foot-and-mouth broke out in the country. According to the BBC, there were 2,000 cases of the disease, which resulted in entire farms having their animals slaughtered. Soldiers dug mass graves and piles of carcasses burned, black smoke billowing into the […] Read more
Managing mental health during succession planning on the family farm
Succession planning is never easy, but understanding the pressure points and how to cope go a long way
When Doreen Blumhagen was starting her family, the farm was where she wanted to be. Blumhagen and her husband, Shannon, own and operate their farm near Halkirk, Alta., where they have grown crops and raised cattle for over 30 years. The sprawling, flat prairie dotted with wind turbines and herds of cattle is where Blumhagen […] Read more
Cattle ranching on Vancouver Island
While the climate is milder than the Prairies, island producers must contend with a small land base, high land prices and the cost of ferries
Vancouver Island contains a variety of landscapes: beaches with shells and the corpses of moon jellyfish, the frigid water of the Pacific Ocean washing in and out. A rugged, snow-capped mountain range looms over the island. Redwood trees reach high into the sky, the forest floor sheltered and mossy. There are grasslands here, too, in […] Read more
Tips for monitoring newborn beef calves
Whether the calf was pulled or born without intervention, this resource can help you decide what to do next
Halley Adams, Lynn Thiessen and Meaghan Nawrot have many things in common, but the most prevalent one is their passion for cattle. As students at the University of Calgary’s faculty of veterinary medicine, that is an important priority. It has brought them together from across the world to Calgary, Alta., to pursue this passion. Adams […] Read more
“Burger it Forward” sees growth in year two
When the beef industry expressed interest in a tangible way to give back to local communities, Canada Beef stepped up to the challenge. February 2024 marked the second year of their annual “Burger it Forward” initiative, where participating restaurants across Canada offer feature burgers. For every burger purchased, Canada Beef donates the equivalent of one […] Read more
Beef shows work to rebuild volunteer base post-COVID
The pandemic and demographic shifts in volunteering mean cattle shows are actively recruiting new volunteers to rebuild their base
Walking through the doors to Canadian Western Agribition, smells mingle in the hallways: mini donuts, smoked meat and those of a bovine nature, wafting out of the cattle barns. In the barns, producers bustle. People are clipping and brushing cattle in chutes. In the corner at the bar, people walk towards their booths with Caesars […] Read more
Canadian company offers new tech to identify illness and minimize labour
This Calgary-based company wants to bring technology to the ranch that cuts labour and costs, while improving animal health
Jack Behan combined his company, Alpha Phenomics, with HerdWhistle in 2023, for a clear reason. “When we put the businesses together, we only had one thing in mind, which was global domination,” he says. HerdWhistle was started in 2019 to monitor the feeding and drinking of an entire feedlot, 24/7. Using ultra high-frequency (UHF) and […] Read more
Most farms lack a succession plan
While formal succession plans were rare for previous generations, the next generation of farmers and ranchers is pushing for them
On the second floor of the Queensbury Convention Centre at Agribition, the Grain Expo takes place every year. Around the edge of the room, booths are set up, surrounding the tables attendees sit at. Everyone sits watching the panel of producers walking onto the brightly lit stage. Steve Sanden and his son, Josh Sanden, are […] Read more
Canadian Cattlemen Presents: Depth of Field
