The Beef Cattle Research Centre has a calculator to help with the process of adding up yardage — the overhead for cow-calf operations.
Tracking cow-calf yardage can improve decision-making
The Beef Cattle Research Council has a calculator to help make the process easier
Lessons learned growing forage mixtures for beef production
While polycrop forage blends offer many benefits, farmers need to adapt their strategies to their specific environments
As with any farming practice, taking a run at a polycrop forage blend can lead to varying results based on your location, weather and management strategies.
Calving season: Timing and transition
Beef producers talk about their motivations for changing calving timing
For many cow-calf producers, calving season is a favourite time of year. After waiting 283 days, farmers are finally able to see the result of their breeding decisions as well as welcome a new crop of animals that will likely become a large portion of their annual revenue. Looking at survey data over the past […] Read more
The hidden hazard of mycotoxins
The toxins can be associated with low performance before they have a clinical effect on cattle
Mycotoxins can be present in virtually all forages and other feedstuffs that cattle consume. A hidden hazard, mycotoxins can create a variety of problems, including impaired immune response, which can lead to secondary infections, compromised growth rates, reduced reproductive performance, lameness and gangrene. Illnesses caused by mycotoxins can be difficult to identify, and treatment with […] Read more
For your cattle, the best biosecurity offence is defence
15 plays to keep your beef herd safe
The recent passing of highly pathogenic avian influenza A into bovines in the United States has people talking about the value of biosecurity in beef cattle herds. As humankind evolved from a nomadic hunter-gatherer society into agricultural-based settlement populations, there is a reason domesticated bovine played a major role as a farmed species. Cattle are […] Read more
Do your homework on alternative feeds
What looks to be another dry year will mean added emphasis on byproduct feeds
Alternative or non-conventional feeds, such as grain screenings, cull potatoes or distillers’ grains, can be an economical means for beef cattle producers to supplement forage and grain inventories while continuing to meet animal nutritional requirements. However, due to variability in supply, nutrient composition and quality of these feed ingredients, there can be pitfalls if not […] Read more
Follow these tips for safe cattle injections
Administering medications properly can improve efficacy and decrease risk
Over the last two decades, great strides have been made in standardizing beef cattle injection techniques and methods. Today, there are animal injection best practices that have become widely known in the beef industry as “just the right thing to do.” These cattle injection techniques are recommended to help farmers produce safe beef for the […] Read more
Tightening the calving season
How to increase profitability through calving distribution
A video produced by the Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) can help producers calculate the benefits of tightening up the calving season, to increase the pounds of beef produced by weaning. According to the BCRC, calving distribution is the percentage of calves born in each 21-day cycle throughout the calving season. Each time a cow […] Read more
Tips for getting calves up and going
Great calving season advice from the Beef Cattle Research Council
Calving is a natural process. Most cows give birth to a healthy calf and everything goes as planned. However, there are times when things go wrong. Perhaps there is a malpresentation, such as a backwards arrival, or the calf’s foot is back. In some cases, calves may not take their first breath after a difficult […] Read more
Cattle producers share good production ideas
Pasture and water management fine-tuned
What works for beef producers? The Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) has asked a few Canadian beef producers about changes, production practices or new technology they’ve made or use that make a difference in their day-to-day management. Good ideas can range from improving pasture watering systems and regularly testing winter feeds, to reducing costs during […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
