Beef Cattle & Production Tips

Klassen: Healthy margins drive feeder complex

By Jerry Klassen, GFM Network News February 28, 2017

Western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded steady to $5 higher compared to week-ago levels. Buyers were quite meticulous on flesh levels and quality features in the heavier weight categories; however, feedlot operators were definitely more aggressive this week. Major operations have liquidated a fair amount of fed cattle and these players are anxious to reload […] Read more

Not all minerals are created equal. Buy a proper blend for the third trimester period.

Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf, Livestock

Trace minerals directly affect unborn calves

If the cow isn’t getting sufficient minerals calf development and strength suffers

By Peter Vitti February 23, 2017

Within the next few months, there will be a lot of newborn calves on the ground. Fair- to good-quality forage is quite plentiful this year and grain is a reasonable price, so most of the cow herds I have seen across Western Canada this winter are in good body condition for calving. But one area […] Read more

Irradiated ground beef, such as these burger patties, is expected to have a lower potential presence of harmful pathogens such as E. coli. (Stephen Ausmus photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Beef Cattle, Livestock

Health Canada clears ground beef irradiation

By Grainews Staff, GFM Network News February 22, 2017

Fresh and frozen ground beef treated with irradiation can now be sold in Canada, the federal health department announced Wednesday. Health Canada has published regulations in the Canada Gazette which add fresh and frozen ground beef to the short list of irradiated foods, such as potatoes, onions, spices and flour, that are permitted for sale, […] Read more

Finishers, Livestock, Markets

Klassen: Feeder cattle drop on cautious feedlot demand

By Jerry Klassen, GFM Network News February 20, 2017

Western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded $3 to as much as $8 below week-ago levels as feedlot managers anticipate growing beef supplies during the late spring and summer. Heavier weight categories absorbed the brunt of the selling pressure, with backgrounding operators liquidating fall-placed calves. Certain groups of higher-quality heifers held value with the purpose of […] Read more

Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf

Gruesome, but sometimes necessary

Animal Health: When there’s no other options, a dead calf needs to dismembered for removal

By Roy Lewis February 17, 2017

Fetotomy is a veterinarian’s fancy word for cutting up a dead calf within the cow during the birthing. While it sounds gruesome the process still has a valuable place in a competent veterinarian’s bag of tricks. The object is to reduce trauma or minimize damage to the cow. The calf at this point is a […] Read more

Finishers, Livestock, Markets

Klassen: Tenacious feeder market softens on supply forecasts

By Jerry Klassen, GFM Network News February 14, 2017

Western Canadian feeder cattle prices traded steady to as much as $5 lower over the past week. Early in the week, buyers incorporated a risk discount due to the extremely cold temperatures, especially in the Eastern prairie regions. By Thursday, markets were factoring in the larger beef supply forecasts from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, […] Read more

Winter feeding yardage costs can add up to $400 per head or more. It is cheaper to let cows feed themselves.

Beef Cattle, Cow-Calf, Livestock

Several options for winter grazing

Better to spend money on topping up nutrition than hauling feed

By Sean McGrath February 13, 2017

Winter grazing can work because it addresses one of the largest costs in maintaining a cow herd — yardage. For a simple definition, yardage is everything that is not feed. It includes tractors, fuel, depreciation on equipment, yard lights, fences, corrals and labour among other things. Some recent work in both Alberta and Saskatchewan has […] Read more

Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner, Markets

Short-term gains, long-term pains

The market still needs to discourage beef production — and that hurts

By Jerry Klassen February 9, 2017

Fed and feeder cattle prices have been percolating higher recently as the markets adjust to lower-than-expected first-quarter beef production. Alberta fed cattle prices have been hovering in the range of $162 to $165, which is approximately $25 above break-even pen closeout values. Healthy feedlot margins allowed feedlots to bid up feeder cattle prices. Larger-frame steers […] Read more

Beef Cattle, Livestock

Ontario backs feed processing at Cargill beef plant

By Grainews Staff, GFM Network News February 8, 2017

Ontario’s provincial government plans to put up over half a million dollars for Cargill to process byproducts from its Guelph beef plant for feed. Provincial Agriculture Minister Jeff Leal on Wednesday announced a $582,000 investment toward Cargill’s installation of a “value-added” processing system converting raw byproduct into a “protein-rich animal feed ingredient.” The “leading-edge technological […] Read more

Beef Cattle, Livestock, Reuters

JBS shares slump as prosecutors target controlling holder

By Reuters, GFM Network News February 7, 2017

Sao Paulo | Reuters –– Shares in JBS SA, the world’s biggest beef exporter, tumbled on Tuesday after prosecutors demanded that Joesley Batista step aside as head of JBS controlling shareholder J+F Investimentos SA. Common shares fell as much as 6.2 per cent to 11.29 reais (C$4.76) in early trading before paring losses to 11.85 […] Read more

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Beef Cattle