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Cattleman’s Corner

Some scrap steel pieces around the yard were welded together to create a sturdy extension for a gate post.
Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock

When a gate post is too short

Those odds and ends around the yard can be put to good use

By
Once upon a time in our barnyard, we had a gate that wouldn’t stay on its hinges because the gate post was too short to support it. It was hung on a good solid railroad tie, but the railroad tie was set too deep in the ground for that particular gate. The post wasn’t tall […] Read more
All these yearling Simmental bulls look pretty good. How do you know which will work the best for your beef operation?
Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock

Contractors can help to fill the bull roster

Experts have the contacts and understand the terminology

By
It’s a tried-and-true saying: “Plan for a healthy calf per every reproducing-age female each year.” But that strategy may at times demand that to get all females covered at breeding season, it becomes necessary to purchase bull power. For some cow-calf producers this can be a time- and energy-consuming task for which they are ill-prepared, […] Read more
A look back at past recessions can provide some long-term guidance for cow-calf operators.
Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner, Markets

Cattle market absorbs recessionary factors

Market Update with Jerry Klassen: Experience shows it will take months for the market to recover

By
North America and the world economy in general will move into contraction phase during 2020. Negative economic data is starting to come out for the first couple of months of the year. Early estimates have Canadian and U.S. GDP contracting by two to four per cent in the first quarter and as much as eight […] Read more
Coronavirus having an impact on cattle market
Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner, Markets

Coronavirus having an impact on cattle market

Market Update with Jerry Klassen: Lower demand coupled with larger supplies weighs on prices

By
The coronavirus epidemic has contributed to the drop in fed cattle prices over the past couple of months. In the last week of January, Alberta packers were buying fed cattle at $275 on a dressed basis and $165 on a live basis but as of the first week of March, Alberta packer bids were in […] Read more
There are several factors to consider to figure out why dairy cattle can be up and down on dry matter intake.
Cattleman’s Corner, Dairy Cattle, Livestock

Reducing variability of dry matter intake for dairy cows

Dairy Corner: Several factors, including particle size, can affect how dairy cows eat

By
Optimizing dry matter intake (DMI) of a well-balanced dairy cow diet should be one of the mission statements of every dairy producer. It is the key to providing enough essential nutrients that support good milk production (and its components) in feed that cows can reasonably consume every day. Unfortunately, daily DMI among a lactating cow […] Read more
Gates at property access points should be closed when not in use and locked overnight.
Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock

Be ready for the protesters

Hopefully a group never shows up at your farm gate, but if they do....

By
The past year has brought several examples of activists trespassing on Canadian farms to create media exposure around farming practices. They’re expected to continue. As president of Ag & Food Exchange Ltd., Geraldine Auston, based in Surrey, B.C. provides an industry advisory service to help farmers, truckers and agri-businesses handle pressure from special-interest groups. Earlier […] Read more
It takes time and management, 
but young orphaned calves can be bottle fed until they are ready to eat grass and hay on their own.
Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock

Getting orphaned calves adopted

If no foster mother is available, proper feed is vital

By
Many ranchers have raised calves on bottles (a twin, a heifer’s calf that isn’t accepted by its mother, or a calf whose mother died) and it’s very easy with a newborn or young calf. The main thing is to make sure the calf had colostrum within the first hours (from its own mother or another […] Read more
Allowing May/June calves to run with their mothers until mid-winter (February and March) is considered a more natural weaning cycle.
Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf, Livestock

Wintering calves with their mothers

Most cows and calves will naturally wean themselves by February

By
Many beef producers are calving later in the year (April, May or June) rather than early, to be more in tune with nature. They have green grass at calving and less need for harvested forage when the cow’s nutritional needs peak during lactation. Along with later calving comes the necessity for later weaning. Some choose […] Read more
Joseph helps Grandpa John with birthday cake duties.
Cattleman’s Corner, Columns

Year begins with roller-coaster temperatures

Hopefully weather will hold for late-February start of calving season

By
January started with a mild temperature that allowed us to do a few more out-of-season projects. Early in the new year, Gregory and John worked on the holding corral at the Landis pasture. Later we used the 4450 tractor and the post hole auger to put in nine more railroad ties for the back corral. […] Read more

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