Presenting 2019 Canadian Livestock Auctioneering Champion Ryan Konynenbelt with the CAA-sponsored champion buckle.

Respect underpins successful career in cattle business

As the Canadian Angus Association’s longtime commercial fieldman retires, Brian Good looks back on those who shaped his path and what he learned about an industry that is all about people

When Brian Good became a field representative for Independent Breeders Service in the 1990s, a fellow fieldman offered some simple yet valuable advice that’s served him well through the years. Keith Coates, then a fieldman for the Canadian Hereford Association, took Good under his wing in his early days in this role. “One thing he […] Read more

A flank steak. Nutrition, quality and cost are some of the factors millennials interviewed for this story cited when buying beef.

Winning over millennials

Overall millennials see beef production less favourably than other generations, but sharing positive stories and making personal connections can win longtime fans

This is the final instalment in a three-part series on millennial consumers and the opportunities for Canadian beef producers to better understand this demographic. You can read Part 1 here, and Part 2 here. Junelle Dion is a fan of Canadian beef, and directly supporting a rancher makes purchasing beef even more satisfying. “I love […] Read more


Joe Lofthouse working the gate while sorting calves. Lofthouse believes in a hands-on leadership style.

People-focused approach pays off

Hands-on leadership and being open to continuous learning have made the difference for this feedlot management consultant

Although Joe Lofthouse has successfully managed tens of thousands of head of cattle, learning to manage an underappreciated aspect in feedlot production is what has made the greatest difference. The ability to work effectively with others has been one of the most valuable skills throughout his career in feedlot management. “I’ve always said it wasn’t […] Read more

Brad Welter (centre) chats with farm reporters Jack Dawes (left) and Kevin Hursh (right) during a media tour.

Finding synergy with farming, cattle and ethanol

Even with more than 50 years in the feeding business, Pound-Maker is still finding ways to dial in its various ag businesses

The majority of cattle feeding in Western Canada has been centered in Alberta. But since the early ’70s, an operation in Saskatchewan has stood out. The corporate vision statement of “Leadership in sustainable, innovative agriculture” of Pound-Maker Feedlot at Lanigan, Sask., illustrates the company’s unique approach with the synergies of Canada’s first livestock feeding operation […] Read more


“We realized at some point in time, way back last spring, we’re all producing one thing, and that’s food, and we’d better start talking the same language. – Bob Lowe.

Focusing on the future while facing a pandemic

CCA president Bob Lowe reflects on the trials and silver linings of a tumultuous year

When Bob Lowe was elected president of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) in March 2020, he couldn’t have anticipated everything the year ahead had in store. Mere days after CCA’s annual general meeting, Canada was in lockdown due to the pandemic, changing the trajectory of everyone’s year and presenting numerous challenges to the Canadian food […] Read more

Cattle in the field on a January day.

Milk fever in beef cows

Veterinary Case Study with Dr. Ron Clarke

Matt called early on January 1, 1975, worried about a downer cow on a field of swathed barley damaged by hail in July of the previous summer. Matt let the crop volunteer through the growing season with plans to swath it near the end of harvest as winter graze for his herd of 200 Hereford-cross […] Read more


Lacey and Tim have complementary off-farm jobs that help them run their beef operation.

Family inspires career as beef producer and vet

Lacey Tillotson and her husband Tim have complementary off-farm careers, and those professions influence how they manage their farm

It’s no secret to those in the cattle industry that, whether becoming a veterinarian or starting out as a beef producer, a great deal of hard work, long hours and lifelong learning are required. No stranger to these hurdles, Lacey Tillotson of Innisfree, Alta., was up for the challenge. As young as 11 or 12 […] Read more

The McNary family. All four of Warren and Lenamarie’s adult children remain involved in the ranch, either full- or part-time.

Raising the right cow for the job

The McNary family focuses on efficient, low-input cattle and Longhorn genetics are one ingredient in their program’s success

When the Longhorn first arrived in southern Saskatchewan’s Great Sandhills, this resilient breed was considered the ideal cow for this semi-arid landscape. In the late 1880s, Sir John Lister Kaye brought 7,000 Longhorn females to this area from Wyoming, the majority of which stocked his newly established ranch at Crane Lake. He ran imported purebred […] Read more


Aaron Birch and Joe Barnett — co-owners of Twin View Livestock near the southern Saskatchewan hamlet of Parkbeg — have been helping clients adjust to buying and selling cattle online since the COVID-19 pandemic hit early in 2020.

2020 was ground zero for online cattle marketing, say producers

How two purebred cattle operations used social media to weather the COVID-19 pandemic storm

As long as most people can remember, live cattle shows and auctions have been essential to the cattle industry. They’re not only a key way for cattle producers to market their product, but they also offer plenty of opportunities to socialize with other cattlemen and women, trade production secrets and — maybe just occasionally — […] Read more

Dallas Mount believes understanding both the ecology and economics of livestock production can help these operations thrive.

The economics of livestock and grass

Dallas Mount helps beef producers dial in their business practices, while also taking care of the land

Livestock farms and ranches can slowly become stale enterprises with owners satisfied to view them simply as infrastructure supporting a way of raising a family. Conceding to this long-term mediocrity is a dangerous stance for many operations. Dallas Mount of the Wyoming-based Ranch Management Consultants (RMC) is in the business of helping ranchers transition from […] Read more