
Feeding

Making the most of screenings, fines and straw in beef cattle diets
Considerations for incorporating agri-food by-products such as oilseed fines into the diets of feedlot cattle
Researchers examine use of oilseed fines to feed beef cattle in Western Canada.

Now is the time to beef up the cow herd
Make sure cows are at their optimum body condition score at calving and keep it going for the rest of the year
Make sure cows are at their optimum body condition score at calving and keep it going for the rest of the year
If your spring-calving beef herd is on the thin side, now is the time to get them back into proper condition before calving season, says a long-time western Canadian livestock nutritionist. Cows in less-than-optimum body condition at calving will not only raise calves with poor performance but it also increases the risk of the cows […] Read more
Alltech’s mycotoxin testing rates corn silage as riskier in 2024
News Roundup from the December 2024 issue of Canadian Cattlemen
Alltech’s 2024 Canadian Harvest Analysis revealed significant regional variability in contamination levels in silages and grains, said the company in a press release. Early harvest testing suggests corn silage may be a higher-risk commodity across Canada, says Alltech. Barley may have a greater prevalence of mycotoxins, and in higher concentrations, than wheat. At press time, […] Read more

What do the modernized ‘Feeds Regulations’ mean for cattle producers?
The long-awaited “Feeds Regulations, 2024,” were published on July 3, 2024, marking the most significant legislative change for the livestock feed sector in 40 years. Industry and government stakeholders worked collaboratively to modernize these regulations for over a decade. This work was motivated by a need to better align Canada’s regulatory framework with modern-day industry […] 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

Compacted concrete makes for drier, easier-to-manage feedlots
It’s a big investment, but return on investment can be about six years
When Rimrock Feeders purchased the former Western Feedlots site outside of High River, Alta., there were decisions to be made about the site, which had been empty for about three years. The pen partitions were wooden and decaying and there were drainage issues on the site, which sits on a high point, with a view […] Read more

Forage and feed at Ag in Motion
I’m interested in knowing what farmers and ranchers are focusing on, especially given the recent drought years. Rejuvenating drought-stressed forage stands? Trying cover crops or something else new to them? Stockpiling feed and forage for the next drought? Something else entirely?