The Beef Cattle Research Council will present Bov-Innovation on Wednesday, August 10.

Bov-Innovation: Putting Theory into Practice

Research on the Record with Reynold Bergen

There is no shortage of beef industry conferences, workshops and meetings for Canadian beef producers to attend throughout the year. These have included the Canfax forum, the Canada Beef forum, Cattlemen’s Young Leaders forums, industry golf tournaments, tours, national, provincial and breed association meetings, the International Livestock Congress, and many more. Although they are valuable […] Read more

The animal care model is tied very closely to the requirements of the new Beef Cattle Code of Practice.

Comment: We can audit for animal care

As I write this the vitriol that flooded over the industry after Earls Restaurant chain announced it would buy only Certified Humane Beef from the U.S. has started to fade from the headlines, the Blogosphere and Twitterland. Reading through the debris field of this latest battle for beef’s reputation I have to admit I’m having […] Read more


CCA Report: The pressing issues of beef and forage research, traceability

CCA Report: The pressing issues of beef and forage research, traceability

From the May 2016 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

Research plays an integral role in achieving a competitive Canadian beef sector. In addition to investment in research and research infrastructure, other key factors include fully funding programs that help producers manage risk, investing in infrastructure, securing access to high value and growing markets, Canada’s regulatory operating environment, and ensuring access to sufficient labour. The […] Read more

Winter transport studied for cattle welfare, beef quality

Winter transport studied for cattle welfare, beef quality

A 2007 transportation benchmarking study led by Dr. Karen Schwartzkopf-Genswein of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Lethbridge Research Station surveyed over 9,000 loads and close to half a million cattle trucked to, from and within Alberta over an 18-month period. That study reported that over 99.9 per cent of the cattle arrived at their destination with […] Read more





Calvin Lamport, along with his sons Layne and Cole and daughter Kayla, got to see a quad birth in early March at their farm at Alida, Sask. The five-year old Charolais cross cow had birthed twins two years in a row so it wasn’t too surprising when Calvin pulled three calves from her. The bonus calf came about a half hour after the new family was put into a fresh pen. They weighed 50, 47, 46 and 46 pounds a couple of hours after the birth.

Cowboy politics

News Roundup from the April 2016 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

Beef Farmers of Ontario BFO is looking forward to another year of advancing its Beef North initiative as well as projects in southern Ontario, all aimed at expanding the province’s cow herd by at least 100,000 head. That’s the number of calves needed just by the Ontario Corn-Fed Beef value chain to meet its requirements […] Read more

alfalfa seed - Glen Nicoll

Forage breeding faces funding challenges

Government has cut back, private companies are not keen on crops that don’t need to be reseeded every year, and you can’t check off sales to farmers’ own livestock

Forages are Canada’s biggest crop but you wouldn’t know it because of the few resources that go into breeding them. You’d think that, given its size, forage would be a giant in the world of plant breeding. Unfortunately, it’s more of a midget. Canada has only four major publicly funded programs for breeding tame forages, […] Read more


Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association board of directors. Front row (l-r): Ryder Lee (CEO), Regina; Rick Toney (vice-chair), Gull Lake; Ryan Beierbach (chair), Whitewood; Bill Jameson (past chair), Moose Jaw; Levi Hull, Willowbrook. Back (l-r): Arnold Balicki, Shellbrook; Paula Larson, D’Arcy; Michael Spratt, Melfort; Brad Welter, Viscount; Garret Hill, Duval; Larry Grant, Val Marie; Lloyd Thompson, Carnduff; Chad Ross, Estevan. Missing: Phil Lynn, Marquis; Dean Moore, Paradise Hill; Laurie Disney, Rock Glen; Harold Martens, Swift Current.


Sask. cattle producers add their support to National Checkoff increase

News Roundup from the March 2016 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

It was unanimous and the decision went on record without much discussion at the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association’s annual general meeting in January. Following presentations at the fall district meetings about the importance of increasing the National Checkoff to $2.50 per head to support the new National Beef Strategy, Sask­atchewan producers showed no hesitation in giving […] Read more

Genetic editing and cattle

Genetic editing and cattle

Research on the Record with Reynold Bergen

The new year brings some new requirements under Canada’s Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Beef Cattle. Effective January 1, 2016, Canadian beef producers are required to use pain control, in consultation with your veterinarian, to mitigate pain associated with dehorning calves after horn bud attachment (two to three months of age) […] Read more