Factors that hinder calf immunity

Factors that hinder calf immunity

Calving Health with Heather Smith Thomas

Illness occurs when an animal’s body is overwhelmed by infection. A healthy animal with strong immunity is less likely to become sick than an animal with poor immunity. Immunity refers to the body’s ability to fight off pathogens, and this ability is developed in a complex process in which the body creates specific weapons for […] Read more

BVD testing in cattle

BVD testing in cattle

How cattle can be exposed and what measures to take if they test positive

BVD (bovine viral diarrhea) virus is a tricky pathogen that can affect cattle in different ways. It can cause abortion, mummification of a fetus, birth defects, stillborn full-term calves, normal-looking calves with immune deficiencies, and acute or chronic illness. BVD is an indirect cause of many other types of disease because it has adverse effects […] Read more


BVD screening and control program in Saskatchewan

Cattle producers urged to learn more about testing

Dr. Wendy Wilkins, disease surveillance veterinarian with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, administers the provincial BVD screening and control program. “Here in Saskatchewan this program provides free testing for producers who are looking for PI calves within their herd. We don’t do whole-herd screening but we do offer testing for any dead, deformed, aborted or […] Read more

Some pea crop residue that we have grazed.


What can go wrong with swath grazing?

From freeze to thaw, Steve Kenyon has dealt with many a situation

I am a big fan of speakers at conferences that tell you about all the stuff that went wrong. I would rather learn from someone else’s mistakes than my own. I already have far too many “learning experience’s” here at Greener Pastures Ranching. Too many of the speakers explain how easy and trouble-free their particular […] Read more





Forage quality from the perspective of 1-billion bacterial cells

Forage quality from the perspective of 1-billion bacterial cells

Nutrition with John McKinnon

It is a time of year when feedlot operators and cow-calf producers are implementing their winter feeding programs. Forage, whether it is fed as hay, stockpiled forage (i.e. barley swaths or standing corn) or silage will play a big role in the vast majority of these operations. For feedlot operations, good-quality hay is often used […] Read more

The Hagan families of Virden, Man., (l to r): Erin, Alistair, Slade and Harley-Mae, Shawne and Jocelyn, Thomas, Rory and Felicity accepting the National Blue-winged Teal Award.

Conservation fits the growth plan for the Hagan family ranches

The Hagan families of Virden, Man., were pleasantly surprised this summer to hear that they had not only been nominated by Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation for the prestigious National Blue-winged Teal Award, but had been chosen by the North American Waterfowl Management Plan Committee as this year’s recipient. The award is presented annually through Environment […] Read more


Peritonitis in cows and its causes

Peritonitis in cows and its causes

Health: In acute cases, a post mortem is critical to help determine the cause

Peritonitis refers to the inflammation or infection around the peritoneum which is the inside lining of the abdomen. Any infection involving the abdomen receives the nondescript description of peritonitis. This could be an infection around the intestines, stomachs, liver or uterus in cows and heifers. What is most important here is there are many causes […] Read more

Yo-Yo diet strategies

Yo-Yo diet strategies

Research on the Record with Reynold Bergen

Getting weaned calves on feed can be a challenge. This is often attributed to the change from a forage-based diet to unfamiliar feedlot rations and feed bunks, distress from recent weaning, illness, etc. To compensate for this, some feeders use a relatively high-energy receiving diet, the rationale being that if they’re not going to eat […] Read more