(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Feeder cattle market experiences mixed tone

Western Canadian feeder cattle markets were rather subdued this past week; average prices were unchanged from seven days earlier. However, the bloom has come off the rose as the extreme highs from earlier in May have evaporated. Late in the week, shorter-keep cattle appeared to trade $3-$5 higher, especially on higher-quality larger groups. Major feedlot […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Feeder cattle market remains firm

Western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded $3-$5 above week-ago levels although lighter weight categories experienced week-over-week gains of $8 to as much as $12. The fed cattle market went through a correction, with live sales quoted from $181 to $186, down from the last week average trade of $195. This weaker live cattle trade appeared […] Read more


CCA Report: Making a place for those new calves

CCA Report: Making a place for those new calves

From the May 2017 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

Calving time is always a busy and rewarding time of the year. Producers are checking heifers and cows several times a day watching for signs of difficult births, like a breech calf that may require assistance or, in the event of twins, ensuring a mother cow is suckling both calves. These weeks are tiring and […] Read more

All in on year-round grazing

All in on year-round grazing

Stephen Hughes’ family has operated the Chinook Ranch near Longview, Alta., since the late 1940s. It consists of 5,000 acres, roughly half in Crown lands, and most of it in tall grass prairie to carry 500 cows year-round plus 500 yearlings in the summer. It was a traditional operation, raising hay to carry the cows […] Read more


Ont. TESA winner — Chris Knight and family.

Canadian Cattlemen’s Association leaders elected to second term

Newsmakers from the April 2017 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

Canadian Cattlemen’s Association president Dan Darling of Castleton, Ont., and vice-president David Haywood-Farmer of Savona, B.C., were elected to a second one-year term at the association’s annual meeting in Ottawa last month. New board members include: Grant Huffman, B.C.; Roland Cailliau, Alta.; Lynn Grant, Sask., and Victor Oulton, N.S. Matt Bowman of Thornloe has been re-elected president of […] Read more

Sign of systemic infection.

Early treatment vital to fight septicemia in young calves

Animal Health: Management is your best bet at preventing infection

Newborn and young calves are often vulnerable to systemic infection if they fail to obtain adequate passive transfer of temporary immunity from the dam’s antibodies in the colostrum. Systemic infection results when bacteria or their toxins overwhelm the body’s defenses and spread throughout the body via the bloodstream. According to Claire Windeyer, an assistant professor […] Read more


Tag 412.

You judge the heifers! Part 2

Can you spot the genomics at work?

It’s been said that the most powerful selection strategy for beef cattle is possible if both performance data and genetic data are available. However, only after we receive proof of their performance either in carcass results or replacement breeding offspring will we truly be able to believe that. It’s all about the accuracy of the […] Read more

Meconium staining of newborn calves is a red flag

Meconium staining of newborn calves is a red flag

This spring think of meconium as an early warning sign of many things

As a veterinarian over the past 35 years I’ve been called many times to assist with difficult calvings or malpresentations that resulted in meconium (first manure) stained calves. The jury is still out on what causes this and what we should do about it. Veterinarians have many opinions on this topic, as it is a […] Read more


The makings of a perfect storm

The makings of a perfect storm

Nutrition with John McKinnon

The winter of 2016-17 is shaping up to be a challenge for cow-calf operators across Canada. While much of October and November were relatively stress free in terms of winter’s wrath, as we moved into the new year, extreme cold and snow has gripped much of the country. Coupled with hay shortages in Eastern Canada […] Read more

It's possible with DNA testing to figure out which bull sired your calves, but is it worth the hassle?

Which bull sired that calf?

Parentage testing in multi-sire pastures goes under the microscope

Collecting DNA samples for parentage testing from bulls and the resulting calves from multi-sire breeding pastures is the only way to find out each bull’s value to your operation. A bull might come with a great package of traits you want to see passed to your calves, but the bull’s value is questionable if the […] Read more