Cattleman’s Corner & Production Tips

A couple of steel rims off old wooden wagon wheels can be welded with spacers to create an attractive, useful and history filled firewood holder.

Handy firewood holder with a history

New use for steel rims off long-retired wooden wheels

By Heather Smith Thomas January 12, 2022

Here on our ranch, we’ve always stacked a little extra firewood on our porch for easy grabbing. This makes it a lot closer than trudging across the driveway and carrying some in from the woodpile, especially if the weather is cold and snowy. However, this year we made it even better. We created a really […] Read more

When pulling a calf, once you snug the chains up make sure the tail is down and there is enough room.

Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf, Livestock

Tips for delivering a backwards calf

Animal Health with Roy Lewis: If one calf presents backwards, there is a good chance there may be another

By Roy Lewis January 11, 2022

With improved breeding practices nowadays, calving season is more about mothering up, colostrum consumption and keeping calves warm and dry. Cases of calving difficulty have been greatly reduced. However, the backwards calf is still the most common calving malpresentation that require some intervention. With the alignment of the calf and the way the feet are […] Read more

Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner, Markets

Feeder cattle market poised to rally in 2022

Market Update with Jerry Klassen: Higher barley production forecast, with feed grain prices expected to fall

By Jerry Klassen January 5, 2022

Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a live basis in the range of $163-$165 during the second week of December. This is up $9-$11 from 30 days earlier. Canadian prices have been pulled higher by strength in the U.S. fed market. Fed cattle prices in Texas and Kansas were actively trading in the range […] Read more

Cattleman’s Corner, Dairy Cattle

Vitti: Figure out proper rations for replacement dairy heifers

They need to keep growing, but you don’t want them too fat either

By Peter Vitti December 24, 2021

Many dairy heifer replacements come out of the calf barn in good shape. That’s because many were fed milk and calf-starter diets that supported exceptional growth. Ironically, some of these heifers are not fed well after weaning, and this nutrition gap makes them struggle throughout their first lactation. Such adverse nutrition can largely be avoided […] Read more

One of our Eppich Quarter Horse weanlings standing patiently for a refresher course on being tied up.

Cattleman’s Corner, Columns

Saying goodbye to an old gelding

Eppich News: Calves sold, and cows and heifers are home for the winter

By Heather Eppich December 22, 2021

We had a bit of snow on Thanksgiving Day but that quickly went away. October 12 I brought the mares and foals home from the home native pasture so that we could start the weaning process. We put the mares and foals in separate pens with a slab fence between them and with a few […] Read more

Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock

Drought conditions affect usual mineral recommendations

Formulations need to be tweaked to meet needs of gestating cows

By Peter Vitti December 21, 2021

Mineral (and vitamin) feeding programs for overwintering beef cows have remained pretty much the same, year after year on the Prairies. However, standard recommendations are likely to change this winter. Better mineral (and vitamin) choices should be fed this year in the wake of last summer’s severe drought. Dry conditions compromised good mineral/vitamin status of […] Read more

Once a calf gets weak and gets down or has no suckle reflex, it needs IV fluid.

Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf, Livestock

Important scour-prevention tips for calves

Keep calving facilities clean, and focus on good herd health status

By Roy Lewis December 14, 2021

Scours is the number-one killer of calves under two months of age. It takes many different management strategies to prevent scours and it is important to know that it is caused by many different things. The following points will offer some ideas to reduce the buildup of organisms and increase resistance in your calves. Disease […] Read more

The feeder market is expected to move from extreme lows in the first quarter of 2022 to extreme highs by October of 2022.

Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner, Markets

More Prairie cattle finished sooner this year

Market Update with Jerry Klassen: Prices may be down in early 2022 but way up by next fall

By Jerry Klassen December 9, 2021

As of mid-November, Alberta packers were buying fed cattle in the range of $260-$263 delivered on a dressed basis. Prices FOB the feedlot in southern Alberta were quoted at $154 on a live basis. Prices are marginally lower than the October average because market-ready supplies in Alberta and Saskatchewan are sharply higher than a year […] Read more

The nitrate level in a sample of this grass regrowth were somewhat elevated and there was always a risk there could be some “real hot spots” in other parts of the 40 acre field.

Cattleman’s Corner, Forages, Livestock

Play it safe with high nitrates

Proper management of drought-affected forages can reduce the risk to livestock

By Peter Vitti November 22, 2021

This year’s drought taught me many lessons about the dangers of high nitrates in beef cow forage. That is why I recommend that all cow-calf producers test all their harvested forages for nitrates, whatever field it came from. It’s going to be money well spent, whether tests are negative or positive. And if they are […] Read more

Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock

Managing the stifled cow or bull

Animal Health with Roy Lewis: A condition that can be treated, but culling may also be best option

By Roy Lewis November 19, 2021

A stifle condition is more commonly seen in older cows and in bulls that suffer breeding injuries. Many of these lamenesses are probably diagnosed incorrectly and in many cases treated inappropriately, often resulting in an animals being kept too long. When we talk about a stifled cow or bull, we refer to injury to ligaments […] 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