As I write this article we are amid coronavirus and a limit-down cattle market for several days in a row. For the record, I am not admitting the economists were right about this event. But as I am redoing our yearly plan, reassessing our risk strategies and adjusting costs on the fly, I have to […] Read more
The economists are right
Knowing your cost of production really does make a difference
Defuse the potential for agriculture ‘Madvocacy’
Even with the facts, sometimes it is important to just listen
It seems that every day we are inundated with many opinions and ideas on what primary agricultural producers really need to do to improve the environment and serve our many masters. Based strictly on demographics, many of these intentions come from folks with little to no farm involvement or even those with an axe to […] Read more
Some basics about using EPDs to select breeding stock
There are a lot of ways to assess a bull and decide on its value. The age-old method of visual appraisal is where some people start and stop in terms of deciding on the value of a potential sire. Others add pedigree into their criteria, still others performance data and others use tools such as […] Read more
A job interview for a cow
It is important to find out who is working for whom
I have heard the statement “My cows need to work for me.” This leads to the somewhat logical question of “If a cow works for me, what should a job interview look like?” and further what answers I should hope to hear. Knowing that cow depreciation and cow herd maintenance are the two biggest costs […] Read more
Short duration, Mafia-style grazing
Concentrating a mob of cattle on a small area for a limited time
There is currently a lot of interest in mob grazing, so let me be perfectly clear. I have no idea when a “mob” specifically becomes a mob. In Australia, the term mob is synonymous with what we would call a herd, but generally when we refer to mob grazing in Canada what we are talking […] Read more
Simple ideas on the farm to help save time and money
Some tips for fencing, feeding and processing cattle
I thought it might be interesting to share a few of the simple and hopefully good ideas that we have implemented on our place this year. Some are things I am sure folks are already doing, others might help someone or twig a new idea. I would encourage you to steal any of these that […] Read more
Which pasture is better for grazing? A or B?
More pasture divisions mean more opportunity for forage
The two diagrams accompanying this article represent two nearly identical ranches. They are the same size and if you count, they have the same number of cows. They even get the same rainfall and are in the same area. However, I would be willing to bet that one of these ranches has a lot more […] Read more
A vision of what the beef industry needs: Part 2
Canadian beef industry needs to think big to optimize its potential
Editor’s Note: This is part two of a three-part series by Alberta rancher and consultant Sean McGrath with some thoughts on actions to improve the Canadian beef industry. In Part 1, McGrath outlined the value of developing a vision statement for his own farm. Here are more thoughts on what he might include in a […] Read more
A vision of what the beef industry needs: Part 3
It’s a big economic driver that needs smart, progressive leadership
Editor’s Note: This is Part 3 of a three-part series by Alberta rancher and consultant Sean McGrath with some thoughts on actions to benefit the Canadian beef industry. After a few more thoughts on where the industry is at today, McGrath takes a stab at what he thinks a vision statement might contain and welcomes […] Read more
A vision of what the beef industry needs: Part 1
Big Picture Thinking Part 1: The Canadian beef industry needs to think big to optimize its potential
Editor’s Note: This is part one of a three-part series by Alberta rancher and consultant Sean McGrath with his vision for the Canadian beef industry. A vision statement can be one of the most powerful tools available to a company. It sets the big-picture goal for a business and provides a framework for communication. A […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
