A top view looking down into the tire pit. At centre is the steel Watson float valve attached to the end of the underground water line that feeds water into the pit or reservoir.

Used mining tires serve as water reservoir

A relatively low-cost system supplies year-round water without freezing

I thought it might be interesting to share a winter watering system we put in place on our farm. It was designed to replace an existing waterline-fed trough, add capacity and provide some bulletproofing to our winter setup. One of the challenges at our ranch is that our numbers fluctuate a lot in the winter, […] Read more

One producer uses this automatic robot feed-pusher to keep feed in front of his dairy cows. It is is programmed to move along the feed-bunk, where it then augers newly dumped feed, remixes it and pushes it up, every 2 1⁄2 hours.

Dairy cattle can be picky eaters

Dairy Corner: Keep a properly mixed ration ‘pushed up’ in front of the cows throughout the day

As a dairy nutritionist, I often bag a TMR sample from the feed bunk and then later Koster-test its moisture, which should be about 50 per cent. I also do a shaker box test with a three-screen Penn State Particle Separator. I like to see 15-20 per cent long-stem particles in the top-screen, 35-40 per […] Read more


For optimum rebreeding performance cows need a proper body condition score and also a balanced blend of vitamins and minerals. When comparing "vit-min" products be sure to read the label for feeding level. The feeding rate of loose mineral or mixed into the beef cows’ diet is between 100 – 300 grams, per head, daily.

A balanced mineral-vitamin program is a good investment

The key is to be raising healthy animals in good condition and ready for breeding

Spring is a good time to review your cow herd’s mineral-vitamin program, as nursing cows (and bulls) should be in good mineral and vitamin status that drive a solid return to active reproduction by the breeding season. In order to do so, beef producers often collect and review several commercial feed labels. Most list the […] Read more

As brush and old buildings were cleared for new fencing and more pasture, it was necessary to pull this old 1960 Ford tractor out of the way. It had been parked near the old tack-room for nearly 35 years.

Cold temps slow fencing and yard cleanup

There were a few antique treasures in the old sheds, and also some junk

February 21 This past week has been bitterly cold. On Valentine’s Day we had a snowstorm and nasty wind. We decided to move the big bulls to the main corral sooner than planned since they refused to drink the water coming through their pen. It’s murky and probably bad-tasting after the waterway was rechannelled through […] Read more


The three scour vaccines on the market in Canada are good at getting protection to calves into colostrum for the different common causes of scours.

How to avoid scours getting at your calves

Several factors to hopefully reduce the impact of disease development

In this day and age, when you have the first case of scours develop, most veterinarians would advise to give electrolytes to counter dehydration, other ancillary treatments such as NSAIDs (anti-inflammatory medications) and if necessary, antibiotics. If a second case arises it’s a good idea to get it diagnosed to know exactly what you’re dealing […] Read more

Once repairs were made, the new bale processor was put to good use.

Calving season begins

Eppich News: A new (to us) bale processor repaired and put to good use

We brought our cows into the corral for calving Feb. 20. It was quite cold then with temperatures ranging from -22 to -30 C before the wind chill. Due to the cold, we had to keep a close eye on the corral. Later that week Gregory had the opportunity to turn our old bale processor […] Read more


The western Canadian feeder market has been trading near historical highs.

Beef demand makes seasonal highs

Market Update with Jerry Klassen: Consumer spending may decline if interest rates continue to increase

During the week ending March 18, Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a live basis at an average price of $205/cwt delivered, up $9/cwt from mid-February. In the U.S., live cattle were trading in the range of US$164-US$165/cwt, up US$4/cwt from 30 days earlier. Beef demand typically makes a seasonal high in the latter […] Read more

The Auto Scraper Spray from Royal de Boer is fully programmable for cleaning routes, frequency of cleaning and even provides a progress report.

New European barn technology showcased

Hundreds of new ideas featured at EuroTier farm show

It’s been a difficult time for large agri-shows to make a comeback since being cancelled during the COVID-19 pandemic, but Germany’s EuroTier certainly tried its best. Visitor numbers were down to about 106,000 from 141 countries over the four-day event in Hanover, but organizers of the show held every two years seemed content given the […] Read more


a foal stands tied quietly with the rump rope

Teaching a horse to tie

Neck injury is possible if the foal doesn’t learn to stand quietly – Part 3 of a 4 part series

It’s a great frustration to have a horse you cannot trust to stand quietly when tied. Some horses learn bad habits later in life, but many have never been given a good foundation as foals.  We teach our foals to stand tied right after they learn to give to pressure on the halter, and they […] Read more

There are many things to consider when selecting replacement heifers and that may include looking at health records to see if they had any BRD events in their past.

Bovine respiratory disease events may have a long-lasting effect

Early cases of bacterial infection could affect performance of replacement heifers

For most cow-calf producers, the routine of selecting replacement heifers from their own calves or purchased animals involves a visual assessment of conformation, structural soundness, anticipated frame size, colour, weight, age and disposition. Occasionally, it may also include a lineage check. These are all important considerations but are there reasons to also look at lingering […] Read more