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Cattleman’s Corner

There are several factors in the market that can be used to make decisions, for example, 
of whether to sell or background calves.
Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner, Markets

To sell or background calves?

Risk Management Part 3: The futures and basis will guide key decisions

By
This is the third article on price risk management for feeder cattle. In the first article, I provided a review of using the average basis to project an expected forward price for 550-pound steer calves and 850-pound yearlings. In the second article, I answered some common questions from producers. I showed producers should factor in […] Read more
calf eating grass
Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf

Spring is welcome, but it brings its own issues for calves

Pen Checker Diary: Nicer weather comes with a whole parcel of animal health risks

By
Those of us in the agricultural field find ourselves continually affected by our Canadian weather. A constant of this weather is that it is continually changing, and when the bitter cold temperatures of winter begin to ease and the spring sun appears in its brilliance, Old Sonny and I tend to feel pretty good about […] Read more
About eight per cent of most common beef breeds will produce twins, and it is also quite common among bison. Economics show there is value in making the extra effort to save the extra calf.
Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf

Problems and benefits of twin calves

Animal Health: It is worth the extra management effort to save both calves

By
In my practice I often hear producers complaining about twins, mainly because often the focus is on the problems they can present. However, research done on a twinner population over the last 10 years in the U.S. found there to be a definite economic benefit with twins. So it is important to look at both […] Read more
From snow and ice to almost muddy conditions, work continued on building a new fence that separates pasture from hayfield.
Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock, Rancher’s Diary

Winter brings a mixed bag of weather

Rancher's Diary: Ice, snow and even rainy conditions make chores challenging

By
January 28 We’ve had cold nights this past week. I’m glad we’re no longer calving in January. I finished revisions and updates for the new edition of my book Storey’s Guide to Training Horses. The thick ice on our lane and Andrea’s driveway is slippery and treacherous, making it tricky to get up and down […] Read more
Tighter feeder cattle availability ahead
Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner, Markets

Tighter feeder cattle availability ahead

Market Update: Drought in southern Plains has moved more cattle to feedlots

By
In mid-February, Alberta packers were buying fed cattle in the range of $273 to $275 on a dressed basis while live prices were quoted from $163 to $165. Fed cattle prices have been relatively flat so far this year. However, feeder cattle prices dropped sharply in January and failed to recover. This is largely due […] Read more
If a squeeze isn’t bolted to a cement floor, use large bolts to anchor it to posts around the chute.
Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock

Maintain facilities for improved workflow

The job gets done and it’s safer for both workers and livestock

By
Because the facilities and equipment around here are all showing some age, I have had to make an effort to go through them a bit ahead of working cows and calves in order to find, repair, or replace items that have worn out or been damaged, and we still have a few surprises. Cattle chute […] Read more
One of the Brown Bear Manufacturing front-mounted compost turner/aerators.
Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock

Composting is a manure-handling option

Reduces volume, conserves nitrogen and increases soil organic matter

By
A few years ago I was introduced to composting, the process of using the billions of bacteria around us to convert raw organic mixtures to soil. Advice I have received says the organic matter needs a 20:1 (optimum) carbon-to-nitrogen ratio. Compost can be made with as low as 17:1 and as high as 27:1, but […] Read more
After a bit of trial and error we discovered a simple and inexpensive way to modify these feeders to prevent the heifers from climbing in.
Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock

Modify bale feeders for yearlings

Simple, relatively low-cost solutions to keep young stock out of the feeders

By
We have used large rectangular and round hay bale feeders for several years to feed replacement heifers and bull calves We prefer the flex feeders because they will accommodate a large rectangular bale or round bale, and, if not allowed to freeze to the ground, permit the calves to push and collapse the feeders to […] Read more
File: Grazing land.
Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock

A two-step (plus) grazing plan

Use the grass, but don’t abuse it — allow for recovery time

By
Often I see people’s eyes glaze over and a sense of disconnect when talking about grazing plans — surely after caring for cattle all winter, we can just turn them out in the spring and go round them up in the fall. Like most of agriculture now, the pressure for returns on a land base […] Read more
Stockpiled forage for late fall and winter grazing can be produced by not grazing a pasture at all until late fall, 
or by grazing it early in the season and then “resting it” — bringing cows back when the snow flies.
Cattleman’s Corner, Forages, Livestock

More details on Step 3 of the two-step grazing plan

Use the grass, but then give it a chance to recover before coming back

By
Step 3 of the two-step grazing plan could also be titled, “How To Not Graze,” as this by far seems to be the biggest challenge facing pastures in Western Canada and perhaps around the world. In order for grazing to be successful, we first have to grow forage, and in order to do this to […] Read more

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