Western Beef Development Centre Archives

The study tracks the performance of pregnant beef cows swath grazing a polycrop mixture versus straight barley.

Polycrop grazing goes under the microscope

Research: News Roundup from the November 2018 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

By Lisa Guenther November 20, 2018

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

Forages, Livestock, News

New name and facilities for Western Beef Development Centre

A new facility at the University of Saskatchewan includes both cow-calf and forage research

By Angela Lovell October 26, 2018

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

Cow-Calf, Features

Preventing reproductive wrecks in cow-calf operations

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

By Dr. Ron Clarke April 5, 2018

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

Livestock, Nutrition

Sleeping with the devil or a new beginning – you choose

Nutrition with John McKinnon

By John McKinnon January 30, 2018

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

Mike Schellenberg and Alan Iwaasa are evaluating the impact of polycrop mixtures on grazing capacity and soil health in the semi-arid prairie.

Crops, Features, Forages

Seeking plants with polyculture potential

Choose your species wisely to avoid unintended results

By Debbie Furber January 5, 2018

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

Beef Cattle, Features, Livestock

Get cows and heifers ready for winter now

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

By Lee Hart November 29, 2017

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

Cow-Calf, Features, Livestock

Winter management for replacement heifers

Create a development plan that works for you

By Heather Smith Thomas October 4, 2017

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

Cow-Calf, News, News Roundup

Western Beef Development Centre on the move

Research: News Roundup from the August 2017 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

By Canadian Cattlemen Staff August 23, 2017

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

Cow-Calf, Forages, Research

Making dollars out of sense

Research on the Record with Reynold Bergen

By Reynold Bergen June 7, 2017

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

Beef Cattle, News, Newsmakers

New president for Canadian Meat Council, new inductees for Sask. Agricultural Hall of Fame

NewsMakers from the May 2017 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

By Canadian Cattlemen Staff May 16, 2017

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

Beef cattle sector weighs in for federal food processing study

Grain drying relief moving forward, one way or other

Major flour miller to buy U.S. chickpea processor

GFM Network News