Front load the heifers

It builds up breeding momentum

Breeding replacement heifers to calve at least 30 days ahead of the cows isn’t just a good idea — it’s a must to give them a fighting chance at rebreeding in time with the main cow herd and establish reproductive momentum for the years to come. “Mother Nature and math leave very little room for […] Read more

Cattle feeding in a pen.

Supplementing Vitamins A, D and E to beef cattle

Vitamins like minerals are essential nutrients for cattle. As a group, they are involved in all aspects of the animal’s metabolism including growth, reproduction and health. There are two general classes of vitamins. These include the water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins. The water-soluble ones include the B vitamins and vitamin C. Fat-soluble vitamins include A, D, […] Read more


Feed the rumen first: Part 2

Last month we discussed the dynamics of rumen fermentation and the contribution that rumen microbes, particularly bacteria make to the nutrition of cattle. For those of you who missed that column, I will summarize by stating that achieving a desired level of performance whether we are dealing with a bred cow or a finishing steer depends to a large extent on how […] Read more

Mother cow and calf.

The Top 10 list to an easier calving season

The chances of a successful and stress-free calving season are redoubled with planning. One part of the plan is advanced preparation for dealing with things that can go wrong once calving is underway. The other is handling the longer-term pieces of brood cow management that avert many common problems, things like nutrition and vaccination. As […] Read more


Feed the rumen first!

Beef producers often have questions on the relative feed value of the different forages, grains and byproduct feeds they have access to. Many of these questions centre on energy and protein content, how much to feed and what type of supplement, if any is required. Understanding relative feed value and the need for specific supplements […] Read more

Bug spray for beef?

The last two research columns have been about technologies and best practices that large and small beef packers can adopt to avoid bacterial contamination during dressing of beef carcasses, and to avoid bacterial (re)contamination of beef cuts and trim during further processing. Ground beef is more of a food safety risk than other cuts, for […] Read more


The role of technology in the efficient production of wholesome beef

Nutrition with John McKinnon

I recently had the opportunity to do a series of producer meetings in southern Alberta and was reminded about the important role that technology such as growth implants and feed additives play in our industry. In light of the marketing hype that some national chains are using to influence the consumer’s perception about the wholesomeness […] Read more