Glacier FarmMedia – Larger beef operations running smaller-framed mature cows tend to be the most profitable combination, according to cost of production (COP) information collected by Canfax Research Services. That’s not an absolute statement. COP information from producers across the country over the past couple of years shows that some smaller operators with various-sized animals […] Read more
Tag Archives beef cattle research council
How does your farm stack up?
Canfax research project provides the industry with benchmark figures
The right time for calving depends on your farm — and you
While many producers are calving earlier, some have gone the other way
Calving season looks different on every operation — there is no one right method or time of year to calve a cow herd. While more producers in Western Canada have moved to later calving, some have gone the other way. Here are the experiences of three ranching families. Late summer/Fall calving Taralea Simpson has been […] Read more
Beef sector aims for new 2030 targets
Organizations involved in Canada's National Beef Strategy have announced new goals for the beef sector for the next decade
The Canadian beef industry has new benchmarks to reach for in the next decade. The organizations involved in Canada’s National Beef Strategy — the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, Canada Beef Breeds Council, Beef Cattle Research Council, Canada Beef, The National Cattle Feeders’ Association, Canadian Meat Council and Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef have announced new 2030 […] Read more
Veal farmers join national check-off agency
Fees were already being collected, but now Ontario farmers have more say in spending
Veal Farmers of Ontario (VFO) is now part of the Canadian Beef Check-Off Agency (CBCA), following an agreement that included a voting role on a subcommittee charged with promotion. The western Canada-based chair and general manager of the agency were on hand at VFO’s recent annual general meeting to usher in the arrangement. A federally […] Read more
Success with beef starts at the calf level
A veterinarian says farmers cut back on animal health as a cost saving
Glacier FarmMedia – Calf health is the No. 1 priority for success on a beef operation. The top third of producers invest the most in genetics, nutrition and animal health. They do not cut back on feed because they do not want calves to lose weight, said veterinarian Joe Gillespie of Boehringer Ingelheim. Why it […] Read more
Preconditioning gives calves better start when entering feedlots
Calves that are properly vaccinated, given protein-rich feed and taught to use a waterer before leaving home tend to better manage feedlot stress
Bovine respiratory disease is the leading cause of sickness and death in newly received feedlot calves. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure for these youngsters that may be immuno-compromised after weaning and transportation. “When you look at the entire North American feedlot industry this disease alone and the losses associated with […] Read more
Livestock transport code of practice in the works
The code will cover cattle, pigs, poultry, sheep and equine for road transportation and should be completed by 2023
New regulations and a code of practice for livestock transportation are coming. The scope of the code of practice covers cattle, pigs, poultry, sheep and equine for road transportation, said Jackie Wepruk of the National Farm Animal Care Council. Why it matters: Consumers are becoming more aware and more concerned that sound animal welfare practices […] Read more
Producers should ensure calves suckle quickly after birth
Dystocia increases the chances that a calf will nurse on its own so producers may have to intervene
If it sucks, that’s a good thing — when it comes to newborn calves. It’s so good, in fact, that newborns with a good suckle reflex are 41 times more likely to consume colostrum on their own compared to calves with a weak suckle reflex. Dr. Craig Dorin of Veterinary Agri-Health Services in Airdrie, Alta., […] Read more
Cow-calf producers asked to take survey
The Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) is asking every cow-calf producer in B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba to complete the Western Canadian Cow-Calf survey. The deadline to complete the survey is Feb. 28. It can be filled out online but the website also provides an option to print the survey and mail it postage-free. First […] Read more
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