The last trimester is a very critical time for the average beef cow and her unborn calf. Her unborn calf gains about three-quarters of its birth weight during this period, dramatically increasing all her primary nutrient requirements. While feeding better-quality forages together with a few more pounds of grain and protein supplement tend to cover […] Read more
Trace minerals key to healthy calf-cow rebreeding
Better bunks and pastures
Straw can be used in overwintering beef rations
According to StatsCan, western grain farmers and just about anyone driving across the Prairies, this year’s harvest of cereal crops was phenomenal. With millions of bushels of grain picked up by thousands of combines, tonnes of straw are being thrown out their back ends. Whether it is baled in round or big square bales, a […] Read more
Beware of feeding caramelized hay
Dairy cattle love it, dairy nutritionists hate it and dairy producers often feed it. When hay is baled or stacked at moistures above 18 per cent, it can create a favourable environment for mould growth. As moulds thrive in moist hay, they generate a lot of heat, which under the right conditions may caramelize different […] Read more
Don’t underestimate the value of a good mineral program
Autumn is a great time to assess your cow herd’s mineral program and choose a good beef cow mineral that best fits your operation. Beef producers should buy good-quality commercial cattle mineral containing balanced levels of essential minerals and vitamins. Some of these essential trace minerals such as copper, zinc, manganese and selenium are actually […] Read more
Factors affecting proper reproductive rates
Reproductive rates are falling at an alarming rate in high-milk-producing dairy cows. The latest estimates from many university and extension studies show there is a decline of 0.5 to one per cent per year among North American dairy herds. Many of these studies suggest a rise in milk yield is to blame, while other research […] Read more
Don’t put away calf creep feeders just yet
A cool spring coupled with good rains throughout the summer grazing season has kept most pastures across Western Canada lush and many cows milking so well, their calves haven’t been eating much creep feed. But as most pastures rapidly mature by September, autumn-creep can help increase pre-wean weight gains on calves. At a time when […] Read more
Tips to avoid premature culling of good cows
Many dairy producers have experienced this situation at some point. A particular cow comes into early lactation with a lot of potential for good milk production. She may have come into the barn in a little thin, but starts literarily pouring out milk. Within a couple of weeks, she starts to falter in milk production and […] Read more
Holstein steers aren’t average beef
Holstein steers are no longer fed as a sideline for the beef market in Western Canada. With the advent of rising feeder and corresponding fat prices for all beef animals in the last few years, the interest of raising Holstein steers has taken onto full-scale proportions by many cattle feeders. These people have pencilled out […] Read more
Prevention is the best footrot medicine
Spring is barely here and many producers across the prairies are seeing an increased incidence of footrot in beef cowherds. For some, this year’s footrot might be traced back to the harsh winter or compromised herd health status. Others have not seen much footrot for many years, and then all of a sudden it strikes […] Read more
Better bunks and pastures: Get ready for a new pasture season
Beef cows graze pasture for nutrients needed to maintain good body condition, nurse a hungry calf and get ready for the upcoming breeding season. The importance of meeting this higher plane of nutrition after calving cannot be understated, because its failure may lead to poor calf weaning weights and a poor future calving season. Therefore, […] Read more
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