Cattleman’s Corner & Production Tips

Bulls can lose up to 300 pounds during the breeding season, so they need to be in good body condition and in good health (proper nutrition) before heading out to pasture for the season.

Producers share ration tips for breeding bulls

It’s important to prepare bulls for the demands of breeding season

By Peter Vitti April 1, 2022

Beef bulls make up only a small portion of the average beef herd, yet contribute to nearly all its genetic progress. Such responsibility dictates that we want to give bulls the best possible chance to be fertile and healthy, just before being released onto breeding pastures. This means that certain nutritional goals must be met […] Read more

In all of Western Canada, total beef cows as of January 1, 2022 were 3.089 million head, down only 23,500 head from last year. This isn’t significant enough to say that producers liquidated cows due to the drought. This is a minor change due to market influences.

Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner

Stats Can survey updates the beef numbers

Market Update with Jerry Klassen: Drought impact was less than expected, but what will the war in Europe mean to beef markets?

By Jerry Klassen March 25, 2022

Feeder cattle prices across Western Canada have been quite volatile due to geopolitical issues. I’ve received many calls from cow-calf producers and backgrounding operators regarding the timing of feeder cattle sales. Prices have varied significantly from week to week. For example, the price of 600-pound steers in Alberta varied recently by as much as $15 […] Read more

You need some patience, but the positioning of this cowboy to the side of the heifer will gently encourage her to move forward without a lot of yelling and stress.

Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf, Livestock

Make use of portable corrals on pasture

Weaning and timely vaccinations can be done without bringing the herd home

By Heather Smith Thomas March 24, 2022

Using portable equipment (some of which is not new but hasn’t been mainstream in the cattle industry) such as portable corrals or a “Bud Box” can make handling much easier when cattle are in large range pastures, says Dr. Tom Noffsinger, a Nebraska veterinarian. Having proper facilities makes it much easier to sort and load […] Read more

Understanding bull EPDs is important when making selection decisions, and Roy Lewis asks if there should be some adjustments made to scrotal circumference measurements.

Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf

A few key points on producing livestock

Animal Health with Roy Lewis: A mixed bag of things to consider, and important topics to discuss with your local vet

By Roy Lewis March 22, 2022

With my training and experience as a veterinary practice owner, later in the pharmaceutical industry and also as a beef producer myself, I question things from several different angles. If there is a more practical, safe or cost-effective way of doing things, that’s the road I take. When veterinarians give advice. it’s also important that […] Read more

The beef house was built with a central feed alley where silage is fed on both sides so the cattle in holding pens can reach through and eat.

Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock

New beef house for finishing cattle

In a part of the world that receives 30 to 40 inches of rain per year, it’s common practice to finish beef cattle indoors

By Chris Mccullough March 18, 2022

A young farmer and agricultural contractor in Northern Ireland has built a high-tech livestock house in which to finish beef cattle, with emphasis on safety. With so many farm accidents with livestock these days, when James Kennedy, 27, needed a new beef house, he decided it must be safe to work in and last his […] Read more

Lastiwka sought out efficient cattle genetics, such as Luing-cross cows, that can make use of a variety of forages. And he says fences may not be in perfect shape, but as long as they work that's the main thing.

Cattleman’s Corner, Forages

Short and long-term thoughts on forage management

Some good lessons to be learned from more than three decades of experience of what works and doesn’t work

By Lee Hart March 10, 2022

A farm without a tractor. Some of the fences could use a bit of work. The cows have been known to eat thistles. And the farmer doesn’t hesitate to say “this really didn’t work out the way I planned.” So could a person trust any advice from this operation? If it was any place other […] Read more

James and Joseph where proud to wear hand-drawn horse tee-shirts made by great-grandmother Thomas in Idaho.

Cattleman’s Corner, Columns

All the 2021 bales are now home

Eppich News: Some decent weather but then -40 C and a blizzard

By Heather Eppich March 8, 2022

There were a few nice days in the middle of January. On Jan. 13, Gregory and I were able to get the last of the slough bales hauled home. We saved the closest for last as they were in the field that is southeast of the home quarter. I drove the tractor around while Gregory […] Read more

Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock, Markets

U.S. beef herd contraction confirmed

Market Update with Jerry Klassen: Now is a good time for western ranchers to be buying bred cows and cow-calf pairs

By Jerry Klassen March 4, 2022

During the first week of February, Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a dressed basis in the range of $260-$270 delivered. Live prices were quoted from $160-$162 FOB the feedlot. Western Canada is contending with a backlog of market-ready supplies due to the sharp year-over-year increase in feedlot placements in the latter half of […] Read more

A proper faraway and close-up dry cow diet should be formulated to promote optimum body condition to ensure dairy cattle don’t get over conditioned.

Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf, Livestock

Adjusting diet in dairy cows to prevent fatty liver syndrome

One important clue/cause is over-conditioned dry cows

By Peter Vitti March 1, 2022

All dairy cows go through a state of negative energy balance (NEB) right after calving. When a cow breaks down too much of her body fat to cover this energy gap in such a short period, accumulation of fat in the liver or fatty liver syndrome results and is detrimental to her health and milk […] Read more

Down the middle of this photo is a line of cattle working on a swath on Copperfield Colony. It takes about 20 minutes to advance a hot wire to the next swath once cattle clean up a windrow. The colony is now taking off more tons of forage per acre with the cover crops and swath grazing than with three cuttings of hay.

Cattleman’s Corner, Hay, Livestock

Year-round grazing reduces winter feeding costs

Cover crops, swath grazing and double cropping are all ways to produce more forage

By Heather Smith Thomas February 28, 2022

The cattle managers at the Copperfield Hutterite Colony near Vauxhall, Alta., northeast of Lethbridge, are using livestock to improve soils and pastures. Phil Hofer and the boys in charge of the cattle are using them in a year-round grazing system that includes intensive pasture rotations on swathed cover crops. “I am thankful to the management […] Read more

GFM Network News

U.S. livestock: Feeder cattle hit contract highs on tight supply

U.S. grains: Soybeans tumble on doubts over U.S.-China trade progress

Alberta harvest wrapping up: report

Cattleman’s Corner