Once a calf gets weak and gets down or has no suckle reflex, it needs IV fluid.

Important scour-prevention tips for calves

Keep calving facilities clean, and focus on good herd health status

Scours is the number-one killer of calves under two months of age. It takes many different management strategies to prevent scours and it is important to know that it is caused by many different things. The following points will offer some ideas to reduce the buildup of organisms and increase resistance in your calves. Disease […] Read more


The feeder market is expected to move from extreme lows in the first quarter of 2022 to extreme highs by October of 2022.

More Prairie cattle finished sooner this year

Market Update with Jerry Klassen: Prices may be down in early 2022 but way up by next fall

As of mid-November, Alberta packers were buying fed cattle in the range of $260-$263 delivered on a dressed basis. Prices FOB the feedlot in southern Alberta were quoted at $154 on a live basis. Prices are marginally lower than the October average because market-ready supplies in Alberta and Saskatchewan are sharply higher than a year […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Feeder market stabilizes

Cow-calf producers selling sooner than normal

Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle prices traded $2-$3 on either side of unchanged. Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a dressed basis at $275 delivered; the Alberta fed market has rallied $10-$12 over the past couple weeks. Secondly, U.S. feeder cattle prices have also rallied US$10-US$12 during the same time frame […] Read more


File photo outside Cargill’s beef slaughter and packing plant at High River, Alta. on May 6, 2020. (Photo: Reuters/Todd Korol)

Strike averted at Cargill’s High River beef plant

Deal that hikes wages by 21 per cent and offers large bonuses receives majority backing

Workers at Cargill’s beef packing plant in southern Alberta have voted in favour of a contract that will hike wages by 21 per cent and provide improved health benefits. “The contract is the best of its kind and presented unprecedented gains in this time of economic and political uncertainty,” United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) […] Read more

File photo outside Cargill’s beef slaughter and packing plant at High River, Alta. on May 6, 2020. (Photo: Reuters/Todd Korol)

Cargill beef plant workers to vote on new negotiated offer

High River workers otherwise headed for strike or lockout Monday

Workers at Cargill’s major beef slaughter and packing plant in Alberta will vote this week on a new offer which it’s hoped will avert a strike or lockout, both due to start Monday. The new offer follows a “marathon” of negotiations Tuesday between Cargill representatives and the bargaining committee for United Food and Commercial Workers […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Feeder market making seasonal lows

Surge of Canadian cattle exports expected

Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder markets were down $2-$4 on average. Prices for feeder cattle in the eastern Prairie regions were relatively unchanged from seven days earlier; however, values in Alberta and western Saskatchewan were down $4 to as much as $8 in some cases. This variation made the market hard to define. […] Read more

File photo outside Cargill’s beef slaughter and packing plant at High River, Alta. on May 6, 2020. (Photo: Reuters/Todd Korol)

Cargill serves lockout notice on High River workers

Company 'willing to keep meeting' after offer rejected

Updated — Whether in a strike or a lockout, workers at one of Canada’s biggest beef slaughter plants took another step toward the picket line this week by voting to reject the company’s latest contract offer. A vote conducted Tuesday and Wednesday by the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 401 went to the […] Read more



(Dave Bedard photo)

High River beef plant workers to vote on Cargill offer

UFCW bargaining committee is recommending nay

Workers on the verge of striking at Cargill’s major beef cattle slaughter plant at High River, Alta. will vote this week on a new contract offer from the company. However, the union bargaining committee for the workers, represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 401, is recommending employees vote against the proposal. […] Read more