Cattle Price Outlook Remains Bright

Fed cattle in Alberta traded in the range of $107 to $111/cwt in the first half of October, up from the September highs of $104. At the same time, fed cattle in Texas sold for $119 while cattle in Nebraska moved at $119/cwt on a live basis and $189/cwt on a dressed basis. Market ready […] Read more



Time To Finalize Home-Grown Mineral Program

At this time, most mature cows and first-calf heifers are in the early stages of gestation. Their nutrition needs are relatively low and therefore it makes a starting point for designing a gestation into pre-calving mineral program. Producers have a lot of commercial mineral choices at their fingertips, from buying a standard beef mineral to […] Read more


Handle And Apply Vet Meds With Care

To achieve the maximum benefit from vaccines and antibiotics they must be handled properly until they are administered. Since producers pay good money for these products and the pharmaceutical companies want to ensure maximum benefit, proper handling practices need to be followed. Vaccine failures are not desirable for anyone. TEMPERATURE The most common product damage […] Read more

Some Thoughts On “Organic” Beef

Recently, at Calgary food store that specializes in organic and natural foods, out of curiosity I thought I would visit the meat section to see what type of products were offered. It was obvious the meat was marketed in an entirely different manner than in a conventional store. Each portion was in a separate cryovac […] Read more


Cull Cows Can Be Profitable

Right about now many people will be weaning spring calves. Autumn also seems to be a good time for producers to walk through their herds and start thinking about which cows to keep and which ones to cull. The important decision to replace cows can mean more than just getting rid of open females. Rather, […] Read more

Machinery Headaches At Haying

JULY 15 Andrea took Sammy to the doctor a couple weeks ago to have her knee checked (it’s been bothering her quite awhile, but they’re still not sure what’s causing all the heat and pain.) The doctor put her on some daily anti-inflammatory medication. Andrea brought the kids out to the ranch for lunch and […] Read more


Hardware Isn’t The Only Hazard

There has been much written about hardware disease and the problems metal causes with internal infection in cattle sometimes affecting the heart, but there other foreign objects such as twine and wire which can also affect the health of our cattle. Prevention seems obvious — not allowing cattle access to these items (sometimes easier said […] Read more

Take Early Action With Cancer Eye

Cancerous eyes are a regular occurrence in most western Canadian beef herds and must be dealt with in the appropriate manner. Early detection and treatment alleviate the pain and suffering which occurs in advanced cases. Producers will also receive much greater financial benefits with early intervention. Just as with pinkeye, cattle with white pigment around […] Read more