Wolves in Saskatchewan’s Prince Albert National Park in 2014. (Parks Canada photo, pc.gc.ca)

Saskatchewan to thin out wolf pack along treeline

Aiming to prevent “wolf-livestock conflicts” in the region, Saskatchewan’s environment department will again offer a wolf hunting season along the provincial forest fringe starting Saturday. The wolf hunt, running from Oct. 15, 2016 through to March 31, 2017, is to be allowed in wildlife management zones 43 (Melfort, Tisdale), 47 (North Battleford, Turtleford), 48 (Preeceville, […] Read more

Toronto MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith’s bill to tighten animal cruelty legislation in Canada has been voted down in the Commons on second reading. (NErskine-Smith.liberal.ca)

Bill to tighten cruelty laws downed in Commons

A federal private member’s bill meant to tighten animal cruelty laws in Canada — alarming farm organizations and energizing animal welfare groups en route — has gone the way of most private members’ bills. Bill C-246, introduced in February by Toronto Liberal MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith and given first reading, died Wednesday in the House of […] Read more


Alfalfa and chicory helped carry the cattle through the dry pasture conditions.

Rain at the right time

A sudden turn in moisture conditions made all the difference

I am back up on 4 Clover Ranch near Rocky Mountain House, Alta., having arrived a week ago and getting our custom grazing operation going with cow-calf pairs trucked in as this is written. Meanwhile back at our Alcheringa Pastoral (Australia), Helen happily reported that our steer sale in late May had gone well. We […] Read more

A good year to consider backgrounding cattle

Prices expected to be weakest during the fall of 2016

The U.S. cattle herd has been in the expansion phase over the past couple of years and it is difficult for many producers to come to terms with the recent price activity. I’ve received many calls from both cow-calf operators and feedlot operators in regards to the price outlook and I basically focus on the […] Read more


Few Canadian feeder cattle going south

Few Canadian feeder cattle going south

The good news is that more slaughter cattle are being processed in the U.S.

Alberta packers were buying fed cattle in the range of $168 to $170 in late March as the beef complex moves through a period of seasonal strong demand. While the market has strengthened considerably since the lows of $155 earlier in winter, feedlot margins remain in negative territory. Break-even pen closeouts are closer to $195 […] Read more

These Hereford steers on another nearby pasture have plenty of forage, however, the quality over the hot, dry summer is declining.

Grazing challenges in a dry environment

Dung scores and gut fill are important indicators of how cattle are doing

When I arrived back in Australia in late October last year, Helen had organized the purchase of some steers and they were happily grazing on our farm and had adjusted well to the electric fence, skim grazing over the new seeding I had seeded earlier in May. October is springtime and the growth was pretty […] Read more


Krone’s Premos 5000 is the first pelleting machine designed to to work in the field.

Introducing the pellet harvester

Krone wins award at Agritechnica for its innovative new forage technology

One of the machines on display at Agritechnica 2015 that impressed show judges enough to win a Gold Innovation Award was German manufacturer Krone’s Premos 5000 pellet harvester. Until now harvesting forages meant either baling or ensiling it. The Premos 5000 offers a third option, creating pellets right in the field. “We can handle it […] Read more

Cattle margins struggling amidst lower prices

Cattle margins struggling amidst lower prices

Market Update with Jerry Klassen

Western Canadian fed and feeder cattle prices have experienced severe volatility over the past month and it appears that this price behaviour will continue over the winter. While the market continues to factor in growing beef supplies, retail and restaurant demand remains uncertain. Alberta packers have been buying fed cattle in the range of $170 […] Read more


(Gloria Solano-Aguilar photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

U.K. review calls for urgent cuts to antibiotic use in livestock

London | Reuters –– Massive use of antibiotics in farming poses a critical threat to global public health and should be reduced dramatically to an internationally-agreed target, according to a British government-commissioned review. Agreeing and implementing a global target for agricultural antibiotic use won’t be easy, the review, led by former Goldman Sachs chief economist […] Read more

Feedlots looking at negative margins this fall

Feedlots looking at negative margins this fall

Market update with Jerry Klassen

Fed and feeder cattle prices have come under pressure over the past couple weeks as the market anticipates growing beef, pork and poultry supplies. The cattle complex is in a transition stage from contraction to expansion while pork and poultry have experienced production increases throughout 2015. The demand picture has also turned softer. Canada is […] Read more