Among the most prevalent diseases in feedlot cattle, ruminal acidosis ranks second only to respiratory diseases in contributing to morbidity, mortality and economic losses. Given its effect on animal welfare and profitability, preventing acidosis remains a key focus in feedlot cattle research. In this month’s column, we want to discuss the role of transition diets […] Read more
Rethinking transition diets for finishing cattle
Feed additive shows promise for accelerating dietary transitions in feedlot cattle
Researchers mapping genome of harmful E. coli
News Roundup from the January 2023 issue of Canadian Cattlemen
Alberta researchers at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the Universities of Alberta, Calgary and Lethbridge are deciphering the genetic code of E. coli bacteria to map which strains may trigger disease in humans or be carried for a long time by apparently healthy people. E. coli is part of the normal flora in the digestive […] Read more
Optimizing wheat grain use in feedlot diets
Researchers explore whether processing wheat can reduce its potential to cause digestive upsets, and allow feedlots to use this high-protein, high-energy feed
Wheat is notorious for being a highly fermentable cereal grain and its inclusion in finishing feedlot diets is often restricted to avoid digestive disorders such as rumen acidosis and bloat. Adverse growing conditions frequently result in wheat grain with elevated mycotoxin levels that fail to meet the standard for human consumption. But such wheat may […] Read more
Turning weeds into feed
A variety of noxious weeds have been deemed as safe alternative forages for cattle
A noxious weed is an invasive non-native species that may reduce the yield of existing crops and forages if not controlled through herbicide application or by other means. Many weed species can be consumed by cattle and provide nutritive value during drought-induced feed shortages, while at the same time reducing herbicide use. Kochia (Bassia scoparia) […] Read more
Cutting time on tylosin
Researchers looked at whether feeding tylosin for a shorter period affects antimicrobial resistance, along with liver abscesses, health and growth of feedlot cattle
Liver abscesses in cattle have been extensively studied for the last 70 years. Yet condemned or discounted livers due to abscesses still cost the Canadian beef industry over $60 million per year. Tylosin, a member of the macrolide family of antimicrobials, is widely used in beef cattle and is administered through the diet to reduce […] Read more
Can we rate the beef value of beer barley with one test?
After wheat and canola, barley is the most prominent crop in Western Canada. From 2005 to 2014, an average of 7.9 million acres was seeded resulting in an average annual production of 9.2 million metric tonnes. Barley grain has two primary end uses: as malt for beer or as livestock feed. On average, the value […] Read more
Canadian Cattlemen Presents: Depth of Field
