When stock water levels drop, a solar water system can help extend the quantity and preserve quality in the remaining water.

Prepare your ranch and business plan for bouts with drought

A Little Bit Western: There are ways to extend feed and water — but do so with caution and monitoring

In late summer I was invited to the Canadian Beef Industry Conference in Saskatoon to share my perspective on navigating drought. I would prefer covering a more cheerful topic, but as a fourth-generation Palliser Triangle dweller who resides on a ranch abandoned not once but twice by its former occupants, I’ll admit I’ve got experience […] Read more





Photo: Thinkstock

Klassen: Calf market ratchets higher

For the week ending October 12, the Western Canadian prices for yearlings off grass and backgrounding operations were relatively unchanged from seven days earlier. The Lethbridge market for calves was up $8-$10 from week-ago levels while calf markets in the non-major feeding regions were up a solid $4-$6 on average.






The number of cattle being grounded in Canada dropped in 2024.

Fed cattle market grinds lower

The Markets: Softer demand shows up as North American employment weakens

During the second week of September, Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a dressed basis in the range of $406-$410/cwt, down from prices of $425-$428/cwt a month earlier. Beef demand appears to be softening as unemployment levels increase. In addition to weaker consumer spending, September and October are two months when beef demand typically […] Read more