
Tag Archives Western Beef Development Centre

Polycrop grazing goes under the microscope
Research: News Roundup from the November 2018 issue of Canadian Cattlemen
Those wondering about polycrop potential to sequester carbon, improve soil health and benefit animal performance will have some answers by the fall of 2019 thanks to research underway at the University of Saskatchewan. Jacqueline Toews, a graduate student in the College of Agriculture and Bioresources, is halfway through a two-year study comparing the costs and […] Read more

New name and facilities for Western Beef Development Centre
A new facility at the University of Saskatchewan includes both cow-calf and forage research
There are changes afoot at the Western Beef Development Centre (WBDC) including a new name, additional locations and increased research, teaching and outreach capacity. On April 1, 2018, the Western Beef Development Centre, a division of the Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute (PAMI), rolled into the University of Saskatchewan’s Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence (LFCE).WBDC […] Read more

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

Sleeping with the devil or a new beginning – you choose
Nutrition with John McKinnon
Many of you may be aware of a recent donation of $5 million by A&W to the University of Saskatchewan’s Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence. I am sure this donation took many in the ranching and feeding community by surprise and there are likely a few of you who are wondering about the sanity […] Read more

Seeking plants with polyculture potential
Choose your species wisely to avoid unintended results
When producers discuss the benefits of growing annual polycultures, also known as multi-species mixes or crop cocktails, the talk often revolves around soil-health and environmental improvements, oftentimes taking forage production for granted. Of course, production does occur, but yield and feed quality may be disappointing if the species chosen target soil problems rather than forage […] Read more

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

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

Western Beef Development Centre on the move
Research: News Roundup from the August 2017 issue of Canadian Cattlemen
This year’s summer field day at the Western Beef Development Centre (WBDC) marked the end of an era at Termuende Research Ranch, but the Termuende family legacy that underpinned the development of a dedicated forage-beef research and outreach program will live on when the WBDC program moves to the new Livestock and Forage Centre of […] Read more

Making dollars out of sense
Research on the Record with Reynold Bergen
Aside from price insurance (in provinces where it is available), cow-calf producers can’t do much to control the price they receive for their calves, so managing input costs is often the biggest opportunity to improve profitability. The Western Beef Development Centre has found that annual production costs differ by at least $100 per cow between […] Read more
New president for Canadian Meat Council, new inductees for Sask. Agricultural Hall of Fame
NewsMakers from the May 2017 issue of Canadian Cattlemen
Chris White is the new president and CEO of the Canadian Meat Council. He comes to the council with 20 years experience in government and industry relations as chief of staff for five federal cabinet ministers and vice-president of government relations in the finance, insurance, and auto sectors. The Canadian Meat Council represents 400 federally […] Read more