Cattleman’s Corner & Production Tips

There are many reasons for weighing livestock, with nutrition and health considerations leading the way.

Many management benefits from weighing cattle

The old adage that you can’t manage what you can’t measure applies in all stages of livestock production

By Bruce Derksen February 25, 2022

Agricultural commodities, including livestock, have been quantified in various ways since the earliest farmers sold excess production. Weight has often been the primary measuring stick. “It’s been the easiest way to measure, plus, we still sell cattle by the pound,” says Karin Schmid, Beef Production and Extension lead for Alberta Beef Producers. “The simplest answer […] Read more

While Covid-19 sort of forced the issue, James Alexander has found that on-line sales is an effective way to show buyers across the United Kingdom the quality of sheep and beef heifers he produces on his Northern Ireland farm.

Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock

Northern Ireland livestock producer embraces online sales

When COVID cut into on-farm sales, this producer took his bred heifers and sheep to the buyers

By Chris Mccullough February 24, 2022

Hosting annual on-farm sales of breeding beef heifers and sheep proved to be a success for Northern Ireland farmer James Alexander. But when COVID hit he then turned to online sales with an auctioneer selling the animals live as they were paraded through the ring on the farm, though with no ringside audience. Following a […] Read more

Applying a colourful dog collar to calves that need some follow up after treatment or just need to be watched is also an economical and visual tracking system.

Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf, Livestock

Tips for keeping track of newborn calves

A couple simple ideas to find calves during a hectic time of year

By Heather Smith Thomas February 23, 2022

One very cold calving season when my son and his wife were calving a large herd, they had to check through the cows very often at night to find the ones that were calving and bring them into the barn. They had to thaw and warm dozens of calves in the little trailer house they […] Read more

Programs are in place that will reward Western Canadian grazers for their efforts in carbon sequestration and/or for not converting fragile grassland to annual cropping or some other use.

Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock

Multi-paddock grazing offers AMPed up carbon opportunities

New programs are geared toward rewarding livestock producers for carbon sequestration efforts

By Sean McGrath February 22, 2022

Looking back at a Grainews from last winter, I read a line I wrote saying that the options for cattle producers to take advantage of carbon markets are currently limited. This is still largely true, but a lot sure has changed in the past year, which has seen the release of new programs geared towards […] Read more

Central Alberta beef producers, Andy Rainforth and his wife Shannon and son Caed have worked to improve beef genetics as well as forage and pasture management over the years as they work toward a year-round grazing system.

Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock

Producer closing in on year-round grazing

It’s an ongoing process of learning what works and doesn't work as growing conditions change

By Heather Smith Thomas February 22, 2022

Andy Rainforth and his wife Shannon and young son Caed farm near Lacombe in central Alberta not far from where Andy grew up. They raise Angus cattle and various crops. They have been on a journey over the past dozen years or more to develop a more efficient beef herd as well as a more […] Read more

Having two or even three esophageal feeding tubes on hand and used during calving season is an effective way to ensure calves are supplied with key nutrients and other products when they are needed.

Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf, Livestock

An esophageal feeder is a key tool in saving calves

Animal Health with Roy Lewis: It is an effective way to administer a range of products to newborn or sick animals

By Roy Lewis February 17, 2022

Modern tool boxes in cow-calf production would not be complete without preferably at least two esophageal feeding tubes. These relatively simple, multipurpose feeding tools allow a safe, convenient method to give things such as colostrum or colostrum replacers, electrolytes, milk replacers and a few other treatments to calves. No producer should feel they don’t know […] Read more

Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf

Tips for warming cold calves

Get colostrum into newborn calves, and get them dried off

By Heather Smith Thomas February 15, 2022

Calves born during blizzards or any type of cold weather can chill quickly. Calves with body temperature below 38 C need warming. If their temperature is below 36 C, their condition is critical. There are several ways to safely warm calves. Dr. Robert Callan, a veterinarian and professor at Colorado State University in the Department […] Read more

A good lameness-prevention plan starts with a basic understanding of what a set of four healthy hooves is all about.

Cattleman’s Corner, Dairy Cattle, Livestock

Tips to prevent dairy cow lameness

Proper nutrition is the key to keeping cattle walking with comfort

By Peter Vitti February 11, 2022

Top-performing dairy cows must have healthy hooves. Walking and standing on four good hooves is the foundation of eating lots of well-balanced feed and then producing lots of milk. It is also a prerequisite for good standing heats, which leads to successful pregnancy. On the other hand, lame cows have a painful time getting out […] Read more

Cattleman’s Corner, Feed markets, Markets

Feed barley picture will change by fall

Market Update with Jerry Klassen: With high feed prices, western Canadian feedlots will be at a competitive disadvantage to U.S. feedlots until September

By Jerry Klassen February 11, 2022

Prairie barley prices reached historical highs earlier in January. Lethbridge-area feedlots were buying feed barley in the range of $445-$455/tonne delivered while Red Deer operations made purchases from $430-$440/tonne. The barley market is functioning to ration demand through higher prices. The domestic feed market needs to trade high enough to halt offshore movement for barley […] Read more

It takes a little more than cold temperatures to keep the Eppich men, Gregory and sons Joseph and James, from a successful mission to track down a Christmas tree.

Cattleman’s Corner, Columns

The New Year begins with frigid temperatures

Eppich News: It was so cold it made it easier to make a clean cut on tires for feeders

By Heather Eppich February 9, 2022

By the middle of December, the temperature had dropped quite a bit. Gregory and John were able to haul most of the slough bales home. It was slow going but it’s good to have more bales home. Some of the bales are good for bedding and some were good enough this year for feed. Right […] 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