Even the best cow could use a little help to maximize the potential of her bull calf by weaning.

Supplementing young bull calves before weaning pays off

Testes development, fertility greatly impacted by being well-fed

Young bulls need to be fed adequately for proper growth and development, and future fertility, but we are still learning about the best way to feed them, according to John Kastelic, a professor of theriogenology and head of the department of production animal health, in the University of Calgary’s faculty of veterinary medicine. “In beef […] Read more

calf and cow feeding

To creep feed or not?

Feeding: News Roundup from the March 2018 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

Creep feeding is the practice of providing a highly digestible supplemental feed source to beef calves. Implementation of a creep-feeding strategy allows for increased pre-weaning weights, improved cow body condition score and increased pasture availability by reducing average forage consumption per calf. A successful creep-feeding program also requires access to clean, fresh water at all […] Read more


Fuelling up cows for cold weather and calving

Fuelling up cows for cold weather and calving

Health: A cow's body condition is closely linked to calving success

It takes a North American prairie cold snap, those first two to three weeks of real winter when outside temperatures plummet where Fahrenheit and Centigrade meet below zero, for beef specialists to dust off and publish articles on managing cows through cold — the -40 C kind. They all make valid points; gentle reminders for […] Read more

cows and calf

Well-supported benchmarks make the best targets

Management: News Roundup from the December 2017 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

Friendly, conversational chit-chat rules at cattle gatherings. Conversation guides us, particularly when someone casually notes the ranch had just marketed a 91 per cent calf crop with an average weight of 568 pounds for 192-day-old steer calves. Silence prevailed until the neighbour asked, “Are you sure?” “Yep,” the rancher replied, “but I was just average. […] Read more


Bart Lardner.

Get cows and heifers ready for winter now

No matter your feeding system, have your breeding 
animals in good condition before the snow flies

If cows and heifers aren’t there already, there is a short window to get them into a proper body condition for winter. If you have skinny or poor condition cows heading into winter, that December to March period is probably one of the toughest and most expensive times to try to get them back into […] Read more

Yo-Yo diet strategies

Yo-Yo diet strategies

Research on the Record with Reynold Bergen

Getting weaned calves on feed can be a challenge. This is often attributed to the change from a forage-based diet to unfamiliar feedlot rations and feed bunks, distress from recent weaning, illness, etc. To compensate for this, some feeders use a relatively high-energy receiving diet, the rationale being that if they’re not going to eat […] Read more


This veterinarian  keeps light oil handy on cold days for sticky catches and levers and a heater on the side of the hydraulic tank to keep the oil warm.

Some dos and don’ts when treating cattle in cold weather

A few simple tips to make you better prepared to attend your cattle this winter

Inclement weather creates challenges when processing cattle, whether preg-checking, vaccinating or weaning in the fall, or giving cows pre-calving vaccinations, or delousing treatments in midwinter. Dr. Eric Laporte of Nagel and Company Veterinary Services, Cow-Calf Health Management Solutions in Crossfield, Alta., says one of the main challenges in cold weather is keeping your vaccines from […] Read more

Cull or keep? Factors to consider when culling cows

Cull or keep? Factors to consider when culling cows

Plus, culling on temperament and maternal behaviour

When culling cows it’s important to have a plan, preferably one that includes pregnancy testing and close evaluation of every cow. Bruce Viney, a risk management specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, recalls that when he ran cattle he culled for a lot more reasons than whether or not they were open. “If they have […] Read more


Wintering heifers at Fenton Hereford Ranch

Wintering heifers at Fenton Hereford Ranch

Irma, Alta. operation develops approach that sees cattle thrive during the cold

Al Fenton of Fenton Herefords at Irma, Alta., has raised thousands of replacement heifers and has a pretty good idea about how to feed and grow them into cows. “We use fenceline weaning, which is low stress. We wean in a 10-acre area with cows on one side and calves on the other. It’s a […] Read more

Winter management for replacement heifers

Winter management for replacement heifers

Create a development plan that works for you

Good management of heifers, especially during winter, can make a big difference in their success as cows. Dr. Bart Lardner, research scientist with the Western Beef Development Centre (WBDC) and adjunct professor in the department of animal and poultry science at the University of Saskatchewan says the traditional recommendation, for the past 40 years, has […] Read more