Beef Cattle & Production Tips

Having two or even three esophageal feeding tubes on hand and used during calving season is an effective way to ensure calves are supplied with key nutrients and other products when they are needed.

An esophageal feeder is a key tool in saving calves

Animal Health with Roy Lewis: It is an effective way to administer a range of products to newborn or sick animals

By Roy Lewis February 17, 2022

Modern tool boxes in cow-calf production would not be complete without preferably at least two esophageal feeding tubes. These relatively simple, multipurpose feeding tools allow a safe, convenient method to give things such as colostrum or colostrum replacers, electrolytes, milk replacers and a few other treatments to calves. No producer should feel they don’t know […] Read more

Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf

Tips for warming cold calves

Get colostrum into newborn calves, and get them dried off

By Heather Smith Thomas February 15, 2022

Calves born during blizzards or any type of cold weather can chill quickly. Calves with body temperature below 38 C need warming. If their temperature is below 36 C, their condition is critical. There are several ways to safely warm calves. Dr. Robert Callan, a veterinarian and professor at Colorado State University in the Department […] Read more

Finishers, Livestock, Markets

Klassen: Demand increases for lighter-weight feeder cattle

By Jerry Klassen, GFM Network News February 15, 2022

Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling prices were unchanged to $4 higher. Mid-weight feeders from 660 to 750 pounds traded $2 to as much as $6 higher on average. Feeder cattle in the 550- to 650-lb. range traded $4 to as much as $10 higher. Feeder cattle under 550 lbs. were up $10-$20 depending […] Read more

It takes some thinking as well as experience to know when to pull by hand, when to use the calf puller jack, or when to call for help.

Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf, Livestock

Tips on using a calf puller

Often it is not needed, but when it is be careful with positioning and pulling pressure

By Heather Smith Thomas February 9, 2022

We don’t see as many calving problems today because most producers try to use bulls that sire lower-birthweight calves, says Dr. Matt Miesner of Kansas State University. But there are still occasional problems, such as backward calves, when a calf puller is needed and cows and calves are injured by improper pulling, especially with a […] Read more

Finishers, Livestock, Markets

Klassen: Diverse price behaviour seen in feeder market

By Jerry Klassen, GFM Network News February 8, 2022

Last week’s price action in western Canadian feeder markets was quite variable. Yearling prices were steady to $4 lower on average across the Prairies. Mid-weight cattle were down $3-$4 in Alberta and $2-$4 higher in Manitoba. Calf prices were also mixed. In eastern Saskatchewan and Manitoba, calves traded $2 to as much as $8 above […] Read more

Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock

Lower beef production driving the feeder cattle market

Market Update with Jerry Klassen: Both U.S. and Canadian producers expected to hold on to replacement heifers

By Jerry Klassen February 3, 2022

Canadian beef production for the 2021 calendar year was estimated at 3.258 million tonnes, up seven per cent from the 2020 output of 3.057 million tonnes. U.S. commercial beef production was estimated at 27.950 billion pounds, which is a record high. This is up three per cent from the 2020 U.S. production of 27.174 billion […] Read more

Employees walk around with face masks at the JBS USA meat packing plant at Greeley, Colorado on April 14, 2020. (File photo: Reuters/Shannon Stapleton)

Beef Cattle, Livestock, Markets, Reuters

JBS reaches ‘icebreaker’ settlement of beef price-fixing claims

By GFM Network News February 3, 2022

Reuters — JBS has agreed to pay US$52.5 million to settle litigation accusing meatpacking companies of conspiring to limit supply in the $63 billion-a-year U.S. beef market in order to inflate prices and boost profit. The preliminary settlement by the Brazilian company and its U.S. units with so-called direct purchasers was disclosed on Tuesday, and […] Read more

Finishers, Livestock, Markets, Weather

Klassen: Feeder market establishes short-term stability

By Jerry Klassen, GFM Network News February 2, 2022

Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle traded $2-$4 on either side of unchanged. Steady demand was noted on 800-plus-pound cattle, but calves and lighter weights experienced softer buying interest. Favourable weather and optimal pen conditions along with firmer live cattle futures supported the yearling market. Imports of U.S. corn continue to run 10-14 […] Read more

The sole purpose of these cold winter-feeding strategies is to increase the plane of nutrition to help the cowherd cope with frigid weather and to maintain vitality and optimum body condition.

Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock

Cold-weather feeding strategies help overwinter beef cows

Cattle acclimatize themselves by eating more to increase their metabolic rate

By Peter Vitti February 1, 2022

After New Year’s, I was driving just south of the Trans-Canada Highway in southern Manitoba and noticed a 100-cow beef herd swath-grazing just along the fence line. Most of these cows were in good body shape, despite it being -25 C and a 25 kph wind (-40 C windchill) on open prairie. I could only […] Read more

File photo of Canadian beef on display in a grocery store in the Philippines. (Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Beef Cattle, Livestock, Markets

Philippines ends import block on Canadian beef

Ban imposed following atypical BSE finding

By Dave Bedard, GFM Network News January 30, 2022

The Philippines has lifted the temporary suspension on imports of Canadian beef it imposed after the discovery of Canada’s first case of BSE in six years. Manila had announced its temporary ban following the confirmation in mid-December of atypical BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) in a beef cow in central Alberta. Korea imposed and later lifted […] Read more

GFM Network News

CFIA says regulatory changes will cut agricultural red tape

U.S. livestock: Feeder cattle hit record high on tight supply, strong cash prices

ICE Canada Weekly: Canola poised to slip below C$600/tonne

Beef Cattle