Older calves can be knife castrated at a few months of age at the proverbial “branding time” before turnout to pasture.

Pay attention to castration procedures in calves

Animal Health: Proper technique, timing and painkillers produce the best results

We now have many tools at our disposal for castration of beef and dairy calves. Newer techniques coupled with use of NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) when used in skilled hands will ensure the procedure is done properly and welfare issues are addressed. Most producers are ahead of the beef code recommendations for castration. Ideally the […] Read more

(Deermart video screengrab via YouTube)

Deere mega-dealership buys into Red Deer market

A central Alberta John Deere dealership which billed itself as “one of the few independently owned” dealers in the region is set to join Cervus Equipment. Calgary-based, publicly-traded Cervus announced Friday it will buy Red Deer-based Deermart Equipment Sales for an undisclosed sum. Deermart, owned by John Donald, Jack Donald and Abe Derksen since 1982, […] Read more


(Dave Bedard photo)

U.S. judge orders next glyphosate cancer trial for March

Reuters — A California judge on Thursday granted an expedited trial for March in the case of a couple suffering from cancer who sued Bayer’s Monsanto unit, alleging the company’s glyphosate-containing herbicide Roundup caused their disease. The order by Superior Court Judge Ioana Petrou in Oakland, Calif. comes on the heels of a $289 million […] Read more

Tyler MacNaughton and Sacha Bentall, OYF B.C. regional finalists, producing pasture-to-plate livestock.

Canada’s OYF: British Columbia nominees

Tyler McNaughton and Sacha Bentall produce pasture-finished livestock

Tyler McNaughton and Sacha Bentall aren’t afraid to try something different as they develop their farming operation in southeastern B.C. The winners of the B.C.’s regional finalists for the 2018 Outstanding Young Farmer (OYF) Award took on some different ag enterprises in an area long established as a beef-cattle ranching region. Despite expected start-up challenges […] Read more


Brooks and Jen White of Pierson, Manitoba fencing near Bison pasture.

PHOTOS: Manitoba hosting 2018 OYF celebration

Nominees, alumni and guests to gather in Winnipeg

Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmer (OYF) program is again making the point this November in Manitoba — that good farm operators are good farm operators whether it be producing pasture-pigs in B.C., grain, cattle or bison on the Prairies, or seed potatoes in New Brunswick. It’s all about hard work, good management and commitment to the […] Read more

Joseph enjoys a cob of corn from the garden at lunch during harvest.

Harvest slowed by rain and snow

The Eppich News: Time needed to deal with horse injuries and fencing

We found ourselves madly swathing and combining at the end of August. The beginning of September brought a few light showers but we were able to keep trudging onward. We never got started very early thanks to the light showers and the heavy dew, but we were still able to put in some good days. […] Read more


Observations seem to support the lore that rain will follow a hoarfrost.

Following some old-time weather predictors

Does a foggy fall really forecast heavy snows ahead?

Over the last few years we have started to pay a lot more attention to weather lore. In the old days these nuggets of wisdom were all the farmers had to prepare for Prairie winters. Last winter we started recording little things on the calendar to test how dependable they were and we’re surprised at […] Read more

These aren’t your daddy’s cow herds

These aren’t your daddy’s cow herds

No more kick ’em out and forget ’em for progressive producers

Long before the time when the grass comes in thick and green and the summer winds start to blow, progressive cattlemen begin to prepare their cow-calf herds for the grazing and breeding seasons ahead. The days of rounding up the herd just before you send them to pasture, slapping on a few ear tags, chasing […] Read more


Grass is lacking and heat can deplete cattle of important minerals.

Dry pastures lacking in minerals and vitamins

Supplements need to get cattle ready for calving and rebreeding


After several months of a hot and dry summer, who would have imagined that we would have snow showers by the end of September. It wouldn’t have been so bad if some pastures had bounced back, yet they remain deplorable. Of the many fall/winter pastures I have driven past or walked through, most show the […] Read more

Photo: Thinkstock

Alberta harvest nearing completion

CNS Canada – Alberta farmers made significant harvest progress in late-October, with nearly 95 per cent of crops off the field as of Oct. 30, according to the final crop report of the season from Alberta Agriculture. On a crop-by-crop basis, spring wheat was 96.1 per cent harvested, durum 95.4 per cent, barley 95.6 per […] Read more