With the calf market becoming more defined as the fall run moves into high gear,  mixed steers averaging 500 pounds are readily trading in the range of $415-$425/cwt across the prairies.

There’s a hint of U.S. beef herd expansion

Market Update with Jerry Klassen: Short supplies and consumer demand keep cattle prices near historical highs

As of late September, Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a dressed basis at an average price of $390/cwt delivered. Live prices f.o.b. southern Alberta feedlot were quoted in the range of $230-$232/cwt. Fed cattle prices were relatively unchanged from 30 days earlier. Market-ready supplies are down from a year ago on both sides […] Read more

Gregory snaps a photo of some of the spring calves on pasture.

Eppich: Harvest begins with hot, dry weather

More ditch hay hauled home, pastures could use some rain

The beginning of August found us still making bales in the ditches and a few sloughs. Gregory and John were also working summerfallow and trying to get ready for harvest. During the week of Aug. 14 to 18, Saint James Parish in Wilkie held its yearling Vacation Bible School. Joseph and James were able to […] Read more



The Callicrate bander with different sizes of rings has many uses when treating cattle.

Banding can be used for more than castration

Properly applied, it’s a safe alternative to surgery, provided veterinary advice is followed

The Callicrate bander was developed for a safe, blood-free method of castrating larger bull calves in both the beef and dairy industries. It’s a procedure that producers and processing crews can be trained to do, but veterinarians in some clinics still do lots of castrations with the bander or by other surgical methods. We know […] Read more


The second annual Ultimate Stockmanship Challenge, held near Stavely, AB drew more than 20 ranchers to learn more about proper cattle handling techniques.

Cowboy competitions

Second annual Stockmanship Challenge teaches low-stress handling techniques

After a successful event hosted last year by Malcolm and Jenny MacLean at the Pincher Creek Rodeo Grounds in southern Alberta, the second annual Ultimate Stockmanship Challenge was held in mid-July at the Silver Slate indoor arena near Stavely. The event involved a three-day stockmanship school to introduce people to the low-stress livestock handling methods […] Read more

burdock

Herbicide is only part of the pasture weed control program

Proper grazing management doesn't give weeds a place to start

Western Canadian livestock producers looking to control weeds on pasture should consider an integrated pasture management program that uses several tools from the tool box, says a specialties business leader with Corteva Agriscience. Mark Versluys says applying a herbicide to knock back some of the more difficult weeds is an excellent start, but that needs […] Read more


It is important to crunch the numbers to determine if backgrounding pays. This may not be the year.

Economics of backgrounding didn’t pencil out

With high feed costs, this example of adding 300 pounds over winter was a losing proposition

Years ago, I took one of my first beef marketing courses from a professor who wore a clean white lab coat to class. There was nothing wrong with that, but his previous class was a red meat-cutting class. One of the first thing he taught us is how to determine background-feeding profit. If its expenses […] Read more

Winter feeding bison on top of a patch of foxtail barley has been an effective way for Jacques Saquet to control the weed.

Applying management to pasture weed control

Maintaining a healthy forage stand is best defence against weeds

Peter Tokar and Jacques Saquet are two Manitoba livestock producers who have applied changes in management practices to help control some particularly difficult pasture weed infestations. Tokar, who owns a mixed farm — primarily a beef cow-calf operation — near Swan River in west-central Manitoba, deals with patches of burdock on his pastures. Saquet, who […] Read more


The largest factor influencing beef demand is consumer spending.

Consumer spending calls the shots on cattle prices

Market Update: History shows U.S. cow-calf producers need one year of historical high prices to trigger large-scale herd expansion

U.S. and Canadian cattle prices have been trading near historical highs over the past couple of months. Feedlot margins have been hovering in positive territory throughout the summer. Demand for yearlings and calves has been unprecedented as finishing operators reload for another round of feeding. After consecutive years of financial struggles and drought, cattle producers […] Read more

 Photos: Courtesy Chris McCullough

From feeding calves to milking sheep

Germany’s EuroTier farm show showcases all kinds of new equipment and technology geared for livestock production. While the biennial event was cancelled during the peak of COVID-19 pandemic, it was back in business for the 2022 show. The four-day event held in Hanover drew about 106,000 people from 141 countries. While attendance numbers were down […] Read more