With grilling season just around the corner, there are hopes that  ground beef sales are poised to improve.

Cattle grading above the norm

Prime Cuts with Steve Kay, from the April 2016 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

As befitting the title of this column, it’s appropriate to note that fed cattle in the U.S. graded a record percentage of USDA Prime and Choice for three consecutive weeks in February. This was despite miserable feedlot conditions that took a lot of weight off finished cattle. A combination of better genetics, improved feeding techniques […] 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

CCA Report: The way forward

From the April 2016 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

I am pleased to be addressing you as president of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA). I, along with vice-president David Haywood-Farmer, were elected by acclamation at the CCA 2016 annual general meeting (AGM) in March. I am truly honoured to take on the role of CCA president and will continue to represent the best interests […] Read more


Beef: A nutritious part of a sustainable diet

Beef: A nutritious part of a sustainable diet

Research on the Record with Reynold Bergen

In July 2014, a well-respected journal called Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences published a report that criticized meat production in general, and beef production in general, on the basis of their environmental footprints (“Land, irrigation, water, greenhouse gas, and reactive nitrogen burdens of meat, eggs, and dairy production in the United States,” PNAS […] Read more

cattle in a feedlot

Manitoba Beef Producers agree to raise National Checkoff

News Roundup from the March 2016 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

With six of the 16 resolutions coming out of Manitoba Beef Producers’ fall district meetings asking members to support the proposed National Checkoff increase to $2.50 per marketed head, it was easily the biggest item up for discussion during the association’s February annual general meeting at Brandon. “It was a big decision and after a […] Read more


A town square in Aguas Calientes, near Machu Picchu in southern Peru. (CIA.gov)

Peru lifts trade barriers to U.S. beef

Washington, D.C. | Reuters — Peru has agreed to lift its remaining safety barriers to U.S. beef exports, further opening one of the fastest-growing markets in Latin America to U.S. ranchers, Obama administration officials said Monday. U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the agreement with Lima will remove certification requirements […] 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

Cows coming into calving in poor shape is a consequence of how they are fed over the winter.

Sound advice from a new generation of agrologists

Nutrition with John McKinnon

I attended a producer meeting in Weyburn where speakers addressed issues with winter feeding. One of the speakers, Leah Clark, a livestock agrologist with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture gave an excellent presentation on body condition scoring (BCS). Her focus was the relationship between a cow’s body energy stores, nutrition program and the subsequent impact […] Read more