There’s more labour needed to manage artificial insemination, but it can improve the rate of genetic gain.

Increasing AI use has many advantages

Animal Health: There are improved technologies for breeding and synchronization, for which AI makes more sense

Over the last decade or so, artificial insemination (AI), not to be confused with the other AI (artificial intelligence), has seen an upsurge in the commercial cattle population. This has been happening for a lot longer in the purebred cattle industry and a lot of the reasons are the same. If one is considering AI […] Read more

Ed Snook, owner of Snook Ranch.

A.I. has fit with commercial herds

Effective means to tap into the best genetics

Artificial Insemination (A.I.) is an efficient and quick method to improve the genetics of a cow herd, and it’s becoming more popular with commercial cattle producers as training/certification programs become available. A.I. has opened the door for commercial cattlemen to breed to the very best bulls in the industry, allowing them to use the large […] Read more


A newborn black angus calf with it's mother

Very doable synchronization programs

Animal Health: Timing and attention to detail are key for breeding beef by AI

Several factors must be considered when deciding what AI synchronization program to use in your herd. One of the first is whether you have the time to heat detect yourself or if you want timed breeding. Cost is a consideration, as timed AI programs require more financial commitment and more passes through the chute. The three main synchronization programs I find most successful […] Read more

Good, healthy and mobile bulls can do the breeding job, but AI service may have a role in increasing overall herd productivity.

AI study produced higher beef profits

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

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.

Fine-tuning replacement heifer savings

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

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

young woman standing with a horse

Young Peace farmer has farming in her blood

This 26-year old woman is growing her herd in B.C.

To Brittany Enns, a 26-year old Peace Country farmer, the hard work, dedication and attention to detail that come with an agricultural lifestyle are nothing new. Farming is in her blood on both sides of her family. Moving from Carrot River, Saskatchewan to B.C.’s Peace Country in 1986, Brittany’s parents Walter and Dolores Enns started […] Read more