Business Tools

Not all mineral supplements are created equal. Two products may look similar, but differences in nutrient concentrations, recommended feeding rates and ingredients can affect how much nutrition cattle actually receive. A new resource from the Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) helps producers make sense of mineral supplement labels and compare products based on their herd’s…

When Chelsey Siemens and her husband, Chris, established Black Diamond Agro 12 years ago, their focus was clear: build a commercial cow-calf herd that could produce consistent, high-quality calves. Operating in west-central Saskatchewan, they now run 300 black Angus-based cows with some Gelbvieh and Shorthorn influence. With a breeding objective centered on producing calves with…

The Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA) is inviting producers and industry stakeholders to participate in its Livestock Traceability Survey, which is now open. Earlier this year, CCIA established a CLTS Task Force to better understand the business needs of producers and other stakeholders who use or interact with livestock traceability and information systems. As part…

New Alberta research will test how virtual fencing performs with cow–calf pairs and yearlings under working ranch conditions. Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR) is supporting trials of Halter’s virtual fencing technology led by the Technology Access Centre for Livestock Production at Olds College of Agriculture & Technology. The research will examine how the collars perform…

Producers will have more time to enter or update an animal’s birth date in the Canadian Livestock Tracking System (CLTS) before a flag appears on the record. Effective October 1, 2026, the birth date flag threshold will increase from nine months to 12 months (365 days). The change follows industry feedback and is intended to…

Alberta cattle producers looking to add new tools for herd, feed or water monitoring can now apply for funding through the province’s On-Farm Efficiency Program. Applications opened Sept. 23. The program, delivered through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), supports technology aimed at improving resource use, reducing waste and helping producers monitor day-to-day operations….

Alberta cattle producers who missed the spring AgriStability enrolment deadline have until Oct. 1, 2026 to apply for late participation. The federal and provincial governments reopened enrolment for the 2026 program year in response to excessive moisture affecting farms and ranches. AgriStability helps producers manage large declines in farm income caused by production losses, increased…

Fall run is one of the busiest times of year for Canadian cattle producers. Before your sell your calf crop, here’s a quick refreshed on how the Canadian Beef Cattle Check-Off applies to your sale. The basics Every time you sell cattle in Canada, a mandatory levy or check-off is deducted which is a combination…

If your confined feeding operation (CFO) was operating before January 1, 2002, and you do not have a permit from the Natural Resources Conservation Board (NRCB) that states your livestock type and livestock capacity, now is a good time to request a formal grandfathering determination from the NRCB. A grandfathering determination provides official documentation of…

A new national survey of Canadian feedlots is providing the first comprehensive benchmark of management practices across the cattle feeding sector, offering valuable insight into how operations compare on feed, receiving protocols and growth-enhancing technologies. The survey, which collected responses from 87 feedlots across seven provinces, was led by researchers from the University of Saskatchewan,…