This newborn calf appears to be bright and alert and soon ready to try nursing.

Get newborn calves breathing and eating

Events immediately following birth are important to future health of the calf

Two of the most important steps after a calf has been born are to make sure it breathes properly, especially if the calf had to be pulled. And then shortly after, make sure they find the udder. In most normal births, the calf will begin breathing within 30 to 60 seconds after delivery. If it […] Read more

This proper mineral feeder is also mounted on a tire to keep it out of the wet and keep cows from stepping into it.

Make sure your mineral feeders for cattle are full

Minerals for the cow also help get the calf off to a good start

Beef cows cannot live without minerals and vitamins, which are often deficient or biologically unavailable in many overwintering forage. I advise people to put loose mineral on a regular basis for their gestating cows, so all essential mineral and vitamin requirements are supplemented. Unfortunately, some people don’t always feed enough mineral. With a little effort, […] Read more


Hutch-reared calves need good diet and TLC

Hutch-reared calves need good diet and TLC

Keeping them dry, out of drafts and well fed leads to a healthier calf

Each year, I literarily see hundreds of preweaned dairy calves overwintered in outdoor calf hutches. Most perform well, but there are also more “poor doers” than I care to see. I find that each poor calf tells a similar story. Some of the mediocre calves are shivering, others are skinny, a few calves are coughing […] Read more

These yearlings, working on their third pass this grazing season through this paddock of brassica, legume and grass forage blend appeared to find all the forage types very palatable.

Forage blend really produced the feed

A pasture seed mix with 10 to 12 different forages shone in a somewhat mediocre growing season

For the beef handlers at Walter Farms in central Alberta it was actually a good sign — a neighbour called one day to alert them to the fact the cows were in a field of canola or corn or some type of good-looking cash crop. While the neighbour’s concern was appreciated, the cowmen weren’t worried. […] Read more


Cow and a Calf

Visible and invisible benefits of preconditioning

‘Truck weaned’ calves are highly stressed and ultimately suffer from a higher rate of shrink during trucking to a feedlot

Preconditioned is a general term for feedlot-destined calves that have been vaccinated, castrated, dehorned, weaned, have some feed-bunk/waterer experience and have been fed a nutritious post-weaning diet for at least 30-45 days prior to being sold to a feedlot. Recently, I’ve talked to some cow-calf operators selling spring calves to feedlots in the fall, who see […] Read more



A prolapse is not just a prolapse

There are many factors that can contribute to a vaginal prolapse

The act of replacing a vaginal prolapse is really just the visible part. There are many other aspects veterinarians consider when they are working on these. The cause, method of replacement, long-term care and expected force of straining afterwards must all be considered when they are corrected. As an experienced veterinarian, there are times when […] Read more

Maintaining good nutrition with products such as protein blocks helps cattle as they head into winter.

Keep cows fed heading into winter

Each thin cow will need an extra bale over winter just for maintenance, never mind rebuilding

Cows need higher-quality feed, and more of it, as pregnancy progresses. Nutrient requirements in early gestation are not much different from maintenance requirements, but as the fetus grows larger the cow’s nutrient needs increase. After calving, when a cow is lactating, she needs a much higher level of protein and energy than when she is […] Read more


New Western Canada Cow-Calf Survey shows trends and opportunities

New Western Canada Cow-Calf Survey shows trends and opportunities

Plus, highlights of the Western Canada Cow-calf Survey

Results from the 2014 Western Canadian Cow-Calf Survey (WCCCS) show some interesting industry trends and changes in management practices since the last survey was conducted 16 years ago in Alberta. The 2014 WCCCS was rolled out to producers from British Columbia to Manitoba from November 2014 to February 2015 and asked 58 questions — some new and […] Read more