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Cow-Calf

With reduced grass growth early in the season, cattle explore and can get into things.
Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf

Lots to consider as cattle head to pasture

Provide important treatments before they go, monitor herd health while they are away

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There are many things to think about at pasture turnout time. Once they’re gone to grass, cattle are not always accessible, easy to find or treat so planning is necessary before turnout. One has to think about what things cattle will be exposed to on pasture and which age groups are most susceptible. Depending on […] Read more
Calves are dropping at about 
70 pounds but they quickly begin to gain weight.
Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf

Breeding program favours short-gestation bulls

Little or no calving difficulty as calves get off to a good start

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For southwest Saskatchewan ranchers Barry and Anne Wasko, switching the heifer-breeding program a few years ago to select for shorter-gestation bulls is producing smaller but vigorous calves while reducing concerns about calving difficulty. By breeding their Hereford/Red Angus-cross heifers to Black Angus bulls selected for EPDs showing shorter gestation, heifers are calving about 10 days […] Read more
Make sure cows have a good body condition score and aim for a 60-day breeding and calving season.
Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf

A short 60-day breeding season leads to profit

Produces a more uniform batch of calves and higher weaning weights

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The calving season is well underway on the Prairies, with some cow-calf operations calving with snow on the ground, while others plan to calve on pasture. Regardless of the starting date, the length of the calving season is directly related to the length of the previous breeding season. Research shows moving toward a desirable 60-day […] Read more
A newborn black angus calf with it's mother
Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf

Research backs value of implanting calves

Improved weights in the range of 20 to 30 pounds per head

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Cattle folks know that in a perfect world calves should be castrated as soon as possible after ingesting a bellyful of colostrum, as this reduces stress and limits the sickness caused when this procedure is completed later in life. Desired results also include reduced aggression, lowered sexual activity, controlled reproduction, producer safety, higher-quality carcass grades, […] Read more
Breed frame size may influence twins
Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf

Breed frame size may influence twins

Multiple births are common among sheep and goats, but what about beef cattle?

By
Twins in beef cattle have always intrigued me. Then a Speckle Park producer from New Zealand combined two of my favourite things into triplet heifers — splashy colour and multiple births. Statistically, the odds of bovine triplets are 105,000 to one, with the odds of having same-sex triplets around 700,000 to one. Our experience with small ruminants raised the […] Read more
Doug Wray has the main herd calving on pasture. Once he has some calves on the ground — three or four days or 
a week’s worth — he moves those cow-calf pairs out of the main herd and onto to fresh pasture.
Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf, Livestock

Keep cow-calf pairs moving at calving

Separating newborns from older calves reduces scours risk

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Editor’s Note: This is part of a feature blog article produced by the Beef Cattle Research Council on the value of developing a calving system that separates newborn cow-calf pairs from older calves to reduce the risk of disease spread. The concept is known as the Sandhill Calving system although there are variations on the theme. Doug Wray believes […] Read more
Improved conception rates tell the story
Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf

Improved conception rates tell the story

Good-quality mineral mix got this herd back on track

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The four principal trace elements essential to successful beef cow reproduction, are copper, zinc, manganese and selenium. All too often, they are either deficient in forage or bound by compounds also found in forage, which makes them biologically unavailable to cattle. I instruct beef producers to plan the best mineral-(and vitamin-) feeding program to their […] Read more
Banding properly applied worked well to remove mature horns 
with minimal discomfort.
Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf, Livestock

Banding worked well for dehorning

Cattle displayed some discomfort but it didn't last long

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Cattle with horns can be anything from an irritant to a real problem for producers. They are usually more aggressive than the polled or dehorned animals because they know they have a weapon. They can hurt other cattle by head butting them to get them to move away from feed or water. They can also […] Read more
New technology for feeding calves on pastures, whether you have a few or a lot.
Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf

New ideas for feeding and housing calves

Designs and technology showcased in Germany

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Giving young calves the best start in life will reward farmers in the long run, as healthier animals thrive much better. With a growing consumer focus on animal welfare, farmers are being urged to ensure calves destined for both beef and dairy herds have the best comfort in life. This was a key message delivered […] Read more
Cow udders and calf
Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf

Select cows for udder conformation

Animal Health with Roy Lewis: Calves start at a disadvantage if they can't nurse properly

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While there are many things to evaluate in cow selection, the importance of udder and teat conformation should not be underestimated. Many a cow is culled later in life because of bad teats. Her calves may have a hard time sucking and getting much-needed colostrum. Getting a calf sucking on big coke-bottle teats can take […] Read more

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