If you suspect a calf with BRSV, getting it out into a fresh, cool area is critical.

BRSV (bovine respiratory syncytial virus) is a deadly viral cause of pneumonia

Health: Know the signs and what actions you should take if you suspect the virus

I am sure most cattlemen have had the odd diagnosis of BRSV in their herds over the years, either individual animals or outbreaks, generally in cattle under one year of age. BRSV is suspected with pneumonias that do not respond to antibiotics or produce lots of fluids and frothing as well as runny eyes. Temperatures […] Read more

Ross Macdonald  uses condition scoring as a tool for selecting  females suited to conditions on his  south Saskatchewan ranch.

Producers pay attention to body condition

Everyone views it a bit differently, but manage 
for the proper body condition for their operation

Beef producers across Canada appreciate the benefits of keeping cows and heifers and even feeder cattle in good condition, particularly over winter, for a variety of production and economic reasons. With cold temperatures and winter rations it can take a lot of feed to improve animal condition over the winter feeding period, so many aim […] Read more


(Dave Bedard photo)

Cattle traceability to pay off in Cargill pilot

UPDATED, Nov. 2 — A pilot program running through one of Canada’s biggest beef packing plants aims to test systems that can show consumers the exact path of their beef from ranch to restaurant — and reward cattle producers for their trouble. Cargill on Wednesday announced a new year-long Canadian Beef Sustainability Acceleration pilot, with […] Read more

This veterinarian  keeps light oil handy on cold days for sticky catches and levers and a heater on the side of the hydraulic tank to keep the oil warm.

Some dos and don’ts when treating cattle in cold weather

A few simple tips to make you better prepared to attend your cattle this winter

Inclement weather creates challenges when processing cattle, whether preg-checking, vaccinating or weaning in the fall, or giving cows pre-calving vaccinations, or delousing treatments in midwinter. Dr. Eric Laporte of Nagel and Company Veterinary Services, Cow-Calf Health Management Solutions in Crossfield, Alta., says one of the main challenges in cold weather is keeping your vaccines from […] Read more


Harold Unrau looks in on his brother’s feedlot where Boviglo is given on arrival and in the ration for the first 90 days on feed.

The Boviglo boost

The immunity-building supplement contains prebio­tics and probiotics, vitamins, minerals and plant enzymes

The results of a backgrounding and finishing trial at Lethbridge Research Centre appear to reflect what producers who supplement their cattle with Boviglo have been seeing over the past year or two. Harold Unrau of HU Livestock at Grunthal, Man., took on the Western Canada distributorship of Boviglo and Eberglo because Boviglo is the first […] Read more

Preg-checking scorecard for cow-calf producers

Preg-checking scorecard for cow-calf producers

Vet Advice with Dr. Ron Clarke

Pregnancy checking remains one of the most underutilized management tools in the cow-calf business. Overlooking the chance to gather herd information as cows come off pasture in the fall is a missed opportunity for the cow-calf producer. A trip through the chute in fall should be much more than determining which cows to keep and […] Read more


Travis Olson and family.

Heifer selection is in the eye of the beholder

Here’s how Travis Olson beholds them

There are many criteria regarding which heifers to keep and which ones to sell. Most producers have certain goals that help guide those decisions. Commercial cattlemen want heifers that will be fertile, productive, long-lived cows that stay in the herd a long time producing good calves. Purebred breeders want heifers that will produce high-quality seedstock […] Read more

Stress is the enemy with ‘natural’ calves

Stress is the enemy with ‘natural’ calves

Natural beef programs limit the use of antibiotics

Limiting the use of growth promotants for raising calves is easy. Just stop using them, accept that you will lose efficiencies, and concentrate on capturing every other advantage. Limiting the use of antibiotics is another story. David Saretsky, who raises cattle and runs a cattle marketing company, Cantriex Livestock, with his family near Ponoka, Alta., […] Read more


The economics of preg-checking

The economics of preg-checking

Research: News Roundup from the October 2017 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

The major economic benefit of preg-checking is the money saved by not wintering open cows. However, it has been noted that preg-checking is not always worthwhile, as the increased revenue due to higher prices for cows in the spring and the additional weights put on in the winter could more than offset winter feeding costs. […] Read more

Wintering heifers at Fenton Hereford Ranch

Wintering heifers at Fenton Hereford Ranch

Irma, Alta. operation develops approach that sees cattle thrive during the cold

Al Fenton of Fenton Herefords at Irma, Alta., has raised thousands of replacement heifers and has a pretty good idea about how to feed and grow them into cows. “We use fenceline weaning, which is low stress. We wean in a 10-acre area with cows on one side and calves on the other. It’s a […] Read more