‘You don’t control the price of feed and you don’t control the price of calves, but you do control the management decisions you make.’ – Reynold Bergen.

Beef producers weigh in on weaning, preg checking and more

Research on the Record with Reynold Bergen

Earlier this year we asked you to participate in the industry’s Canadian Cow-Calf Survey. Knowing which production practices producers are adopting in different regions of the country, which they aren’t (and why) helps us target our producer-focused extension efforts better. The official report isn’t out yet, but here’s a sneak peek at some seasonally relevant results.  […] Read more

Cattle genes behind the scenes

Cattle genes behind the scenes

Research on the Record with Reynold Bergen

The cattle you raise and the beef they produce result from two factors — their genetic potential, and the environment they’re raised in (climate, feed, health management, handling practices and everything else you do). The beef industry adopts genetics more slowly than poultry, swine or dairy. Several things make genetic advancement trickier in beef cattle. […] Read more


A sweet and red clover forage mix.

Choosing forage varieties without getting lost in the weeds

Research on the Record with Reynold Bergen

Henry Ford famously said, “Any customer can have a car painted any colour that he wants so long as it’s black.” Today’s vehicles have endless options in terms of colour, body style, engine, drivetrain and everything else you can imagine. Some people revel in these endless options, enjoy mixing and matching and “building” exactly what […] Read more

Check-off supports mentorship for new beef and forage researchers

Check-off supports mentorship for new beef and forage researchers

Research On the Record with Reynold Bergen

Legendary forage breeder Dr. Bruce Coulman will be formally inducted into Saskatchewan’s Agricultural Hall of Fame this month. His first research job was with McGill University, whose forage breeding program had collapsed. With no breeding lines to start with, it took Coulman 17 years to develop his first new variety from scratch. He went on […] Read more


Seeing how readily Canadian cow-calf producers are adopting pain control for castration is a good message that helps support consumer confidence.

Producer survey stretches beef check-off dollars and supports consumer confidence

Research on the Record with Reynold Bergen

January’s column talked about the Canadian Cow-Calf Survey the Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) is running to help focus our research priorities and extension efforts. But the information from this survey also helps us demonstrate the value of research to government funders and helps support efforts to improve consumer confidence. The government angle is important […] Read more

Work with your veterinarian to make sure that your vaccination program includes all the core vaccines and other important diseases facing your herd.

Livestock vaccines: An ounce of prevention

Research on the Record with Reynold Bergen

Vaccines are an important tool to help minimize pre-weaning calf illness and death early in life, reduce the risk of reproductive failure in the breeding herd and help improve colostrum’s ability to protect next year’s calf crop when it hits the ground. Vaccine technology, programs and practices are constantly evolving. All the options can be […] Read more


January- and February-born calves are also at least twice as likely to require calving assistance than spring-born calves.

Say “Beef”— We’re taking a snapshot!

Research on the Record with Reynold Bergen

On average, $0.67 of your $2.50 Canadian Beef Cattle Check-Off came to the BCRC in 2022/23. Most of these dollars support research projects and programs. But most of the BCRC staff hours are spent turning research results into producer resources. That involves collecting production information from across Canada, identifying opportunities (and barriers) to better profitability, […] Read more

Can regular cleaning of water bowls help manage the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in feedlots? Here’s what the research shows so far.

Fast action at the watering hole

Research on the Record with Reynold Bergen

Antibiotic resistance threatens the effective prevention and treatment of disease in both humans and animals. When microbes are exposed to an antibiotic, those susceptible to that antibiotic die out. Those resistant to it survive, thrive, reproduce, pass on their resistance genes to their descendants and become more common. If those surviving bacteria cause disease, then […] Read more


If it is cost-competitive, wheat can be a good option in feedlot diets.

Examining feed wheat in feedlot diets

Research on the Record with Reynold Bergen

Over the past 20 years, Canada’s barley acreage has shrunk by nearly 155,000 acres annually, while both wheat (up 440,000 acres annually) and corn (up 300,000 acres annually) have grown. A smaller barley supply has prompted Western Canadian cattle feeders to look at alternate grain sources. Cattle feeders in Central Canada and the U.S. have […] Read more