Blackleg: A pasture nemesis

Blackleg: A pasture nemesis

Vet Advice with Dr. Ron Clarke

Blackleg is an acute, febrile, highly fatal disease of cattle, sheep and goats caused by Clostridium chauvoei characterized by swellings with pockets of trapped air that produce crepitation (crackling) over affected areas. Although blackleg can affect any muscle in the body, including the heart and diaphragm, heavy muscles of the front and hind limbs are […] Read more

With meeting season well under way, the co-chair of the Alberta Beef Producers AGM shares her thoughts on discussing tough issues without being hard on people.

Keep your cattle breeding season short

Breeding: News Roundup from the June 2018 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

It is my experience that there is no single best calving season for all operations. Each is unique in terms of labour, facilities, feedstuffs, and ultimately, the selection should be determined by the likelihood of achieving the highest conception rates and calf crop percentage weaned with your available resources. Regardless of when you calve, there is […] Read more






Cattle producers and feeders in some areas of southern Alberta have been dealing with overland flooding, such as shown here Saturday over Highway 36 south of Vauxhall, and otherwise mushy conditions. (Photo courtesy Taber RCMP)

Klassen: Feeder market stabilizes

Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle prices were relatively unchanged. Stronger export demand appears to be supporting the market in Manitoba and certain pockets in Saskatchewan; however, Alberta feedlot interest remains subdued. Adverse weather continues to plague southern Alberta. Snow and freezing temperatures followed by brief melting periods have resulted in very poor […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Feeder market continues lower trend

Western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded $5 to $8 below week-ago levels; noticeable declines were noted in the lighter weight categories, which were down $6 to as much as $10. Adverse weather continues to plague the feedlot regions of Alberta and Saskatchewan. Another snowfall over the weekend caused pen conditions to erode to lowest levels […] Read more

Producers need to know how and when to help cows during difficult calvings.

Preventing reproductive wrecks in cow-calf operations

Breeding: There are four important management practices to improve reproductive efficiency

Reproduction remains one of the most important factors affecting the success of cow-calf operations. The Beef Cattle Research Council’s (BCRC) recent webinar on Preventing Reproductive Wrecks served as an important reminder that the reproductive capacity of beef herds remains paramount to economic prosperity in cow-calf herds. In the words of Dr. Dan Posey, Texas A […] Read more