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Cattleman’s Corner

The U.S. calf crop for 2023 came in at 33.593 million head, down 846,500 from the 2022 calf crop of 34.44 million.
Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner, Columns, Markets

Lower U.S. calf crop supports cattle complex

Conditions are developing that should support record calf prices next fall

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The Alberta fed cattle market remains under pressure due to a buildup of market-ready cattle, larger carcass weights and seasonally low demand. During the last week of January, Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a dressed basis in the range of $360-$365 per hundredweight delivered. Live bids f.o.b. feedlot in southern Alberta were quoted […] Read more
Drought has meant more demand for forage insurance, but accuracy of measurement based on local conditions is challenging.
Cattleman’s Corner, Forages, Weather

Satellite-based insurance may be future of forage risk management

Analysis from above could be an accurate, timely way to measure forage growth

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Glacier FarmMedia ­— Satellite-based insurance technology could be a way to protect beef producers during times of drought. There’s more interest in forage insurance during recent droughty times on the Prairies, but evaluating local forage risk is challenging. “Weather events are becoming more acute in severity and frequency, you know the drought of 2023, 2021,” […] Read more
Whether we use our equipment daily or not, we can’t ignore the overhead cost of having and maintaining it.
Cattleman’s Corner, Equipment

Rethinking yardage costs

Those costs can be higher than most think, so running your own numbers is important

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For many of us, winter is a season of feeding cows. Feed is one of the key drivers of animal performance and is one of the highest direct costs for most cattle operations. Notice the use of the word feed. Feeding — that is, the act of providing feed — can also be one of […] Read more
Beef cows’ TDN energy maintenance requirements generally increase about two per cent for every degree Celsius drop in temperature below freezing.
Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner, Columns

Beef cows in good condition, feed accordingly

Optimize cows' condition with target diets based on the animals' BCS

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A warm start to winter has caused many beef cows after weaning to come off pasture in decent shape. Some of these cows are not truly obese, but they retained a lot of flesh. Those beef cows in optimum body condition should be put on a nutritious feeding program that maintains them until they calve […] Read more
When commercial and managed-money positions are at an extreme low or high, that represents a turning signal for the market.
Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner, Columns, Markets

Understanding the Commitments of Traders report

The U.S. report, released every Friday, is an important indicator of cattle market movement

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Who is long? Who is short? How much of each? This is the most important market information when studying the futures markets. The Commitments of Traders (CoT) report is released every Friday afternoon by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and shows the trading positions of market participants as of Tuesday’s close. Whether you […] Read more
It makes sense to place positivity and profit above production values on ranches.
Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner

Rethinking ranch priorities

Positivity and profit can be more important priorities than production

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The beginning of a New Year marks a good time to work on planning for the year ahead. I believe we should be planning for “Profitivity” on our farms and ranches. Profitivity is a combination of profitability, productivity and positivity. For an operation to thrive, these three things are important to get right. Profit and […] Read more
Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock

Quick bacteria test in water troughs could improve livestock treatment decisions

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Glacier FarmMedia — Researchers are seeking ways to manage antimicrobial-resistant bacteria on farms, including quicker evaluation of bacteria so treatment can be better targeted. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and University of Saskatchewan veterinary school researchers are studying feedlot water troughs, hoping the water can tell them what sort of anti-microbial resistant bacteria are present. Antimicrobial […] Read more
Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan’s Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence want to know if bull neck collars that are supposed to alert producers when they detect cows in heat actually work.
Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock

Automating heat detection

Researchers test whether monitoring technology will predict reproductive cycles

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Glacier FarmMedia — Labour challenges on cattle farms could be alleviated by sensors now being tested to help detect females in heat. Dr. Dinesh Dadarwal, a veterinarian and assistant professor in large animal science at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, says the Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence tests technology so producers can make […] Read more
It’s important that feedlot operators and cow-calf producers are aware of the supply and demand balance for fed cattle.
Cattleman’s Corner, Markets

Lessons from last September’s cattle market drop

A small change in cattle numbers can result in a large drop in market value

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CME (Chicago Mercantile Exchange) December 2023 live cattle futures made a high of US$199.75 per hundredweight on Sept. 15. The market held at the higher levels until the end of September and then started to trend low, bottoming around $166 on Dec. 7 (all figures US$). There were a few signals stating that the market […] Read more

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