bull sale

Market good bulls with sincerity

Auctions have both up and downside potential

Selling one’s annual calf crop is a relatively painless marketing process for commercial cattle producers. Purebred selling strategies however need to be substantially more complex, since individual customers seldom buy more than a small percentage of a farm’s annual cattle production, particularly bulls. I don’t presume to instruct breeders in the art of selling, particularly […] Read more

cuts of red meat

Consumer demand for beef will rebound

Cattle prices still holding as industry moves into expansion phase

Fed cattle prices in Alberta continue to trade between $183 to $185 as the Canadian dollar remains near six-year lows. U.S. beef production appears to be exceeding earlier projections; however, retail and restaurant demand have not slowed as much as expected during the first two months of 2015 and wholesale beef prices are holding value. […] Read more


cattle grazing on a pasture

“Sustainability” in all its forms

Industry sustainability is built 
one farm at a time, anticipating and being prepared for change

The “S” word (sustainability) has been in popular use for several years among industry and developers and it has recently undergone a major surge of interest in the beef industry. Sustainability really reflects the long-term viability of the industry in terms of the three pillars of the environment, economics and social demands. It would be […] Read more

man with chicken

Same standards apply to all livestock sectors

The livestock industry as a whole is on the same track in aiming to produce a high-quality product

I can’t talk much about the situation across Canada, but I certainly get the impression poultry producers in Alberta are doing their best to produce meat birds and eggs to deliver a high-quality product raised with the best production practices possible. Poultry operations don’t have a big fit with Cattleman’s Corner, but looking around the […] Read more


grocery shopper in meat aisle

COOL may be the right direction

Labelling of origin and other functional characteristics will become more important

The confirmed new case of BSE in Alberta on Feb. 13 has caused Chian, Peru, Belarus and Taiwan to place temporary restrictions on Canadian beef. South Korea temporarily suspended imports immediately after the confirmed case while Indonesia has placed temporary restrictions on some non-edible meat products. The ability to persuade or educate the consumer is […] Read more

sheep wearing a coat

Pay attention to the risk of barn fires

A few simple precautions and change in practices 
can help prevent a disaster

Barn fires are to be respected. The financial, emotional and physical damage that barn fires cause is massive. According to the National Fire Prevention Association (their standards have been adopted in Ontario), defective or improperly used heating equipment is the No. 1 cause of barn and stable fires. During cold winter months, livestock producers may […] Read more


This is the larger N.A.G. bag that fits over a large round bale of hay, while smaller bags are available to hold enough hay for a day or two.

N.A.G. Bags limit feed waste

Netted material comes in a range of sizes to hold enough feed for just a few hours or even to a large round bale

An Edmonton area-based company is marketing a netted bag system for limit feeding horses and other types of livestock. The N.A.G. Bags which can be stuffed with hay, or stretched over a full round bale of hay are marketed by Alex Von Hauff of Strathcona Ventures in Sherwood Park, Alta., which carries a wide range […] Read more

cattle chute

Assess herd in March for lice control needs

Don’t mix treated and untreated cattle, and apply products at the proper dosage and at the proper timing

Lice are a common winter problem in cattle, especially in northern climates with cold weather and short winter days. Their life cycle speeds up and numbers increase dramatically when weather is cold and they have long winter hair to hide in. Doug Colwell, a livestock parasitologist with Agriculture Canada in Lethbridge, Alta., says sucking and […] Read more


man beside hay feeder

Feeder helps reduce hay waste

Designed to encourage eating of small amounts all day

Stroll through the trade show at a farm conference, and you’ll quickly find people who saw a need for a product for their own livestock and turned it into a business. The Jubinville family is one example. “My dad invented the feeder and then my brother and I saw how well it worked and we […] Read more

diagram of a calf at birth

Refresher on pulling a calf

Even if you have easy calvers, it's a skill worth perfecting

Producers need to understand the proper use of a calf jack or hand-pulling techniques during a difficult calving, as different malpresentations need to be dealt with slightly differently. When pulling, be cognizant of the stress this puts on both the calf and cow. With more producers selecting for ease of calving in their breeding program, […] Read more