GFM Network News

More News →

Cow-Calf

Pencil the profits of creep feeding
Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf

Pencil the profits of creep feeding

In a 300-head herd it could mean about $7,000 worth of extra gain

By
For much of this summer a lot of rain has fallen across the Prairies and has made pastures lush with green grass. Many beef cow-calf producers which creep spring calves have found cows are literarily bursting with milk, so their spring calves are making few visits to the calf feeders. It has been my experience […] Read more
Photo: Thinkstock
Beef Cattle, Cow-Calf, Livestock

Four keys to successful calf preconditioning

Veterinarian Mark Hilton shared his experiences working with an Indiana producer who co-operated with Purdue University on a preconditioning project from 1999 through 2009. When they boiled it down, four points came to the forefront as keys to success that could be transferred to other farms.
Alfalfa and chicory helped carry the cattle through the dry pasture conditions.
Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf, Livestock

Rain at the right time

A sudden turn in moisture conditions made all the difference

By
I am back up on 4 Clover Ranch near Rocky Mountain House, Alta., having arrived a week ago and getting our custom grazing operation going with cow-calf pairs trucked in as this is written. Meanwhile back at our Alcheringa Pastoral (Australia), Helen happily reported that our steer sale in late May had gone well. We […] Read more
This kind of diarrheal mess at the back of a calf is clear sign of coccidiosis.
Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf

Tackling coccidiosis on several fronts

There are effective treatments, but the best approach is prevention

By
Coccidiosis can be one of the most frustrating diseases to treat in your young beef calves. If not caught early, death losses can be as high as 20 per cent and many calves will have enough intestinal damage to make them poor doers for life. Coccidiois has a long life cycle and the oocyst (like […] Read more
Implants can really improve calf performance but proper application is important.
Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf, Livestock

Important tips for calf processing

Be properly prepared and do it right – good for cattle and business

By
As spring calves are ready to head out to grass soon with their mothers, it is a good time to review your protocols, methods and any issues you had this year and introduce ways to improve even more so for next year. There are two main ways ranchers process calves. The first is the traditional […] Read more
Good, healthy and mobile bulls can do the breeding job, but AI service may have a role in increasing overall herd productivity.
Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf, Livestock

AI study produced higher beef profits

Bringing an AI technician onto the farm may make more economic sense than buying more bulls

By
While there will always be a role for breeding bulls on the farm, a recent Saskatchewan study says producers may want to look at artificial insemination of commercial beef cows, which could put more calves and more pounds of beef on the ground. In the report published late last year by the Western Beef Development […] Read more
Heifer calves with more moderate growth can be just as productive at a lower development cost.
Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf, Livestock

Fine-tuning replacement heifer savings

Heifer calves still need to grow but perhaps not as much as earlier thought

By
On a scale of one to 10 do you know what your replacement heifers weigh? It’s not a trick question, but if you’re interested in fine-tuning management to save about $60 per head and produce efficient replacement heifers, using a weigh scale is an important place to start, says an economist with the Western Beef […] Read more
In dealing with a breech birth, this photo shows the proper position of the calf puller, and chains properly attached to the calf’s legs.
Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf, Livestock

Be patient, smart using a calf puller

Animal Health with Roy Lewis: It is a useful tool when needed, but it can also be misused

By
Although calf pullers are not used today nearly as much as past years they still have an important place in the calving barn if used properly. To me every cow-calf producer and some feedlot owners need one type of puller, especially if they are often alone when calving. By using common guidelines when pulling, a […] Read more
Cow-calf pairs grazing a very productive pasture that has made a tremendous comeback after 14 years of managed grazing.
Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf

Restoring vigour to tired pasture

This planned grazing system appears to be returning about $77 per acre

By
When 4-Clover Ranch, near Rocky Mountain House, Alta. came into existence in 1992, there was one particular pasture close to the farmyard that the previous owner was reluctant to show us. He called it sodbound and needing a good plowing. I hesitated to follow his plowing advice as it had a good southerly slope and […] Read more

AgCanadaTV

AgCanadaTV: In case you missed it; your national ag news recap for Jan. 9, 2026

Sponsored By:
More Videos →

Cyber-Savvy Farmer

Glacier Farmmedia Podcast

Latest Market News

More Market News →