
Beef Cattle

Biofilm infections hamper detection and treatment of shipping fever
Research is underway on ways to dissolve the biofilm that protects bacteria in many cases of bovine respiratory disease
Keep a closer eye on the chronic, less obvious cases of bovine respiratory disease, says one researcher. These infections often involve a biofilm in the respiratory tract, protecting the bacteria and making it more resistant to antibiotics. Dr. Thomas Inzana, associate dean for research at Long Island University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, has been studying […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Live cattle rally to 5-1/2 month peak on firm cash cattle, beef prices
Chicago | Reuters – U.S. live cattle futures stretched to 5-1/2-month highs on Friday, lifted by strong cash cattle and beef prices and positioning ahead of a monthly cattle supply report. Cash cattle at southern U.S. Plains feedlot markets traded around $110 per cwt or more this week, up from an average of $108 last […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Lean hogs sink on weak cash market
Chicago | Reuters – U.S. lean hog futures fell for the sixth time in seven sessions on Thursday, pressured by weak cash hog prices and disappointing export data that showed minimal new sales of U.S. pork to China. Ample supplies of hogs and higher average slaughter weights have swelled pork supplies while demand from China, […] Read more

Tips for minimizing dark cutters
Practical tips for handlers looking to cut the incidence of this costly problem
An extremely frustrating problem when shipping finished feedlot cattle is the incidence of dark cutters — those graded B4 — or, to a lesser degree, bruising or trim losses experienced at the packing plant. I’m sure we don’t know all the causes of dark cutters yet, but this article will explore some of the causes […] Read more

Klassen: Feeder market experiences bouncing behaviour
Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets traded $2-$4 higher on average; calves traded $2 to as much as $6 higher. The feeder market has recovered after a softer tone earlier in October. Favourable weather in southern Alberta over the past week caused Lethbridge-area feedlots to step forward more aggressively, especially in the lighter […] Read more

Tips for weaning calves
Animal Care: News Roundup from the September 30, 2019 issue of Canadian Cattlemen
Canadian Cattlemen reader Christine Pike of Waseca, Sask., wrote to us to share her strategy for reducing weaning stress. We’ve outlined her method with her permission. Pike makes a “calf door” by creating a small opening into a pen with a rail across the top that is a couple of inches higher than the tallest […] Read more

Fed cattle market wrestles with low prices
The Markets with Deb McMillin, from the October 2019 issue of Canadian Cattlemen
Fed cattle The fed cattle market has struggled in September as it looks to make its annual low. A combination of seasonal factors and the reduced kill capacity following the Tyson fire in the U.S. have contributed to lowered prices. The fed cash price has moved below break-even levels, with an average the last week […] Read more

Alberta cattle producers turn to holistic management
Mounting debt and a holistic management course pushed Don and Marie Ruzicka to rethink the way they run their operation
Don and Marie Ruzicka had been farming for over a decade when circumstances shifted, nudging them on a new course. Although Don Ruzicka had grown up on a mixed farm, after university he spent several years working in the timber industry, with no intention of coming back to the farm. But things changed and eventually […] Read more

Cargill suspends shifts at Kansas beef plant after explosion
Chicago | Reuters — Cargill said Thursday it had suspended some shifts at its Dodge City, Kansas beef-packing plant after an explosion injured two employees. Cargill spokesman Daniel Sullivan said the company expects the facility to be fully operational soon and that it would meet all it customer commitments. The company is investigating the cause […] Read more

Strategies for wintering your cattle herd
This fall, focus on nutrients instead of feeds. Feeds are just a means of delivering nutrients
With all the variable weather we had this year across Canada and the short winter feed supplies in some areas, producers need to solve the economic challenge of balancing the herd’s winter feed or nutrient supply when feed is short. “The problem with drought for Canadian beef producers often boils down to two options: buy […] Read more