baling hay

Something to think about!

At what stage should you cut your hay for optimum forage quality?

Feed, particular the cost of putting up preserved forage is one of the largest factors influencing the cost of maintaining the cow herd. In cost-of-production studies carried out by the Western Beef Development Centre, winter feed costs over a five-year period averaged 30 per cent of total cow costs and in some cases reached 50 […] Read more



A midterm checkup for your feeding program

For cattle feeders this is a great time of the year. Cattle are well into their feeding program, health issues are in the rear-view mirror and your nutrition program is running flawlessly. If you are wondering what world I live in, you are right. Life is never this simple. However, with current profitability in the […] Read more

Cattle feeding in a pen.

Supplementing Vitamins A, D and E to beef cattle

Vitamins like minerals are essential nutrients for cattle. As a group, they are involved in all aspects of the animal’s metabolism including growth, reproduction and health. There are two general classes of vitamins. These include the water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins. The water-soluble ones include the B vitamins and vitamin C. Fat-soluble vitamins include A, D, […] Read more


Feed the rumen first: Part 2

Last month we discussed the dynamics of rumen fermentation and the contribution that rumen microbes, particularly bacteria make to the nutrition of cattle. For those of you who missed that column, I will summarize by stating that achieving a desired level of performance whether we are dealing with a bred cow or a finishing steer depends to a large extent on how […] Read more

Feed the rumen first!

Beef producers often have questions on the relative feed value of the different forages, grains and byproduct feeds they have access to. Many of these questions centre on energy and protein content, how much to feed and what type of supplement, if any is required. Understanding relative feed value and the need for specific supplements […] Read more


Bug spray for beef?

The last two research columns have been about technologies and best practices that large and small beef packers can adopt to avoid bacterial contamination during dressing of beef carcasses, and to avoid bacterial (re)contamination of beef cuts and trim during further processing. Ground beef is more of a food safety risk than other cuts, for […] Read more

The role of technology in the efficient production of wholesome beef

Nutrition with John McKinnon

I recently had the opportunity to do a series of producer meetings in southern Alberta and was reminded about the important role that technology such as growth implants and feed additives play in our industry. In light of the marketing hype that some national chains are using to influence the consumer’s perception about the wholesomeness […] Read more