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Cattleman’s Corner

There are some pretty strict guidelines that define what is truly a closed beef herd.
Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock

Are you really running a closed herd?

You can’t be ‘a little bit pregnant’ or ‘mostly closed’

By
(Editor’s note: This column, written by Karin Schmid, Research and Production Manager with the Alberta Beef Producers, first appeared as a blog post on the Beef Cattle Research Council website at beefresearch.ca) A surprising proportion of producers believe they run a closed herd. The 2017 Western Canadian Cow-Calf Survey requested reasons why certain management practices […] Read more
Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock, Markets

Cattle producers facing a pandemic market

Options include being prepared to background steers, keep replacement heifers

By
Over the past couple of weeks I’ve received many calls in regards to the market situation for fed and feeder cattle. The conversation usually starts with “What should I do?” This is a very difficult environment, to say the least. The shuttering of one major Alberta beef plant (as of late April) and reduced slaughter […] Read more
It is important calves get colostrum, properly fed, within the first 24 hours of life.
Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf, Livestock

High-quality colostrum is magic for newborn calves

There’s a 24-hour window to get antibodies into the gut

By
The most critical aspect of promoting newborn calf health and reducing morbidity/mortality is to feed sufficient amounts of high-quality colostrum to each calf shortly after it is born. Once colostrum is fed, it becomes a matter of allowing its specialized antibodies to do their job. They do this by establishing temporary immune protection until the […] Read more
Well-built, wide alleyways to accommodate large animals and an open 
design that makes it easy to clean are some of the features of the 
Rosewillow handling equipment.
Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock

A handling system great for cattle and people

Animal Health with Roy Lewis: Easy access and plenty of room for larger animals

By
I have many “aha” moments when working cattle with producers. One involved working with a new custom-designed laneway system by Rosewillow Manufacturing of Spruce Grove, Alta., which in my books is proving to be a worthwhile investment. I could not find one thing I would improve. The design provides enough room for cattle to easily […] Read more
Dealing with diphtheria in calves
Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf, Livestock

Dealing with diphtheria in calves

Several treatment options to get animals breathing again

By
Upper respiratory problems in cattle include diphtheria — the common name for infection/inflammation of the vocal folds of the larynx (voice box) at the back of the throat. Infection in this area is called necrotic laryngitis. Swelling from the inflammation can restrict the airway and make breathing difficult. In acute cases, the calf may die […] Read more
Plenty of new life on the Eppich farm - mom Heather, with son Joseph and brand new baby James John Eppich, born in late February.
Cattleman’s Corner, Columns

New baby boy joins the family

With calves also arriving, it’s a hectic time in the Eppich household

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The temperatures were fairly mild at the beginning of February. Gregory and John were able to haul the last of the straw bales home from Landis. It worked out well because by this time we had pretty much fed all of the slough bales and the bales that were not quite dry when they were […] Read more
Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf, Livestock

The economists are right

Knowing your cost of production really does make a difference

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As I write this article we are amid coronavirus and a limit-down cattle market for several days in a row. For the record, I am not admitting the economists were right about this event. But as I am redoing our yearly plan, reassessing our risk strategies and adjusting costs on the fly, I have to […] Read more
Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock

Defuse the potential for agriculture ‘Madvocacy’

Even with the facts, sometimes it is important to just listen

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It seems that every day we are inundated with many opinions and ideas on what primary agricultural producers really need to do to improve the environment and serve our many masters. Based strictly on demographics, many of these intentions come from folks with little to no farm involvement or even those with an axe to […] Read more
The cost of pregnancy and depreciation of an animal are two costs people often don’t value enough, says one Montana cattle producer.
Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf, Livestock

Breeding strategies might break the accepted mould

Think about what you're trying to achieve and the best way to get there

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A change in direction for a cow-calf producer’s operation is sometimes required for a wide range of reasons from market shifts to personal finances. To modify breeding strategies or reproductive timelines and tactics, several decisions need to be made. Billy Whitehurst, owner and operator of Makale Livestock in Whitehall, Montana, has been in the cattle […] Read more
A proper ration started before calving and carried on until breeding will help cows deliver a healthy calf, and also improve their reproductive performance for the coming breeding season.
Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf, Livestock

Keep nutrition going through to breeding season

Proper ration needed from last trimester through to green grass

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Maintaining good nutrition in beef cows after calving largely involves continuing with the well-balanced diets that were fed to them as late-gestation cows. Years of beef research demonstrate that cows that calve out in optimum body condition score of between five and six, compared to thin fresh cows, have a greater chance of an easier […] Read more

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