File photo of a calf displaying symptoms of coccidiosis.

Coccidiosis in beef calves

Veterinary Case Study: Treatment protocols to help manage this common, yet troubling, disease

Nate walked through a pen of calves he had just weaned from his first-calf heifers. The day before, he’d noticed flecks of blood in some of the stools, but overall, the calves seemed bright and were eating the hay and chopped oats he offered in bunks. Today, however, he saw blood clots in stools and […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Prairie forecast: Mostly warm and dry weather expected

Forecast issued May 28, covering May 28 to June 4, 2025

We start off with high pressure dominating most of the Prairies. A large surface high is sitting over the north-central U.S. This is beginning to tap into more heat and moisture, which will allow for warmer daytime highs and nighttime lows as dewpoints creep up.


(Geralyn Wichers photo)

Klassen: Lower beef production forecasts support feeder complex

Improving feedlot margins contributed to the stronger feeder market. Alberta packers were buying finished cattle on a dressed basis at $500/cwt delivered which was fresh record high. Using a 60 per cent grading, this equates to a live price of $300/cwt. Feedlot breakeven pen closeouts are in the range of $260-$270/cwt. Feedlots are anxious to reload and larger groups of quality packages are limited at this time of year.



Photo: Geralyn Wichers

Klassen: Feedlot operators become cautious on purchases

For the week ending May 10, Western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded steady to $5 higher on average. Quality packages of lighter calves were priced $10-$15 above week ago levels. Many auction barns are only holding sales every two or three weeks at this time of year with limited numbers on offer. This made the market hard to define in certain weight categories.

A pair of calves on a pasture with mountains in the background

Benchmarks indicate healthy calves

Preparing a calf for a healthy life begins before calving

With calving season in full swing, ensuring calves are primed to thrive is top of mind. When refreshing themselves on indicators of good health in calves, producers are encouraged to remember to trust in their knowledge of their own herd and to stay vigilant in monitoring them. “Early detection is always going to be key […] Read more



A cow with her newborn calf. People often consider fetal abnormalities as “accidents of gestation,” but failing to identify heritable defects when they occur can see further distribution of mutated genetics.

Skeletal deformities of beef calves

Vet Advice with Dr. Ron Clarke

Much is written about genetic mutations in beef calves: why it happens, pathological descriptions and how to manage the deformities. Pathologists love to describe structural abnormalities of organ systems and what else has been discovered. The literature on genetic mutations goes far beyond what can be covered in one column, so I will only address […] Read more