Health & Production

With the ever-changing summer weather in Alberta, producers need to be on the lookout for anthrax. Typically appearing during periods of hot, dry weather following wet conditions, anthrax is a rapid and fatal disease caused by bacteria in soil.  A few isolated cases of anthrax occur almost every year in Western Canada. Animals contract the disease…

Johne’s disease is a sneaky production-limiting disease that damages herd health. We introduced Johne’s in the November 2021 issue. A new digital risk-reward calculator has been developed to help beef producers predict the future spread of Johne’s in their herds, and compare costs and benefits of different management strategies. As cattle herds grow and consolidate,…

By Reynold Bergen, BCRC, for the May 2022 issue of Canadian Cattlemen After last summer’s pasture conditions and last winter’s feed costs, it’s safe to say that many cow-calf producers are facing the upcoming grazing season with some anxiety. Some are looking for new grazing arrangements, opportunities to trim input costs, or both. No single solution…

Ruminant Nutritionist Lynne Girardin provides supplement recommendations to support health in weaning calves. Getting calves off to a healthy start depends on a combination of factors, including good genetics, a healthy heifer, and ample, high quality colostrum. “A healthy cow means healthy milk, and healthy milk means a healthy calf,” suggests Lynne Girardin, ruminant nutritionist…

Where ever your feet are planted – they stand on the future of the beef business.    It is the soil that is foundational to the long-term resiliency of our farms and ranches, supporting healthy herds and cattle feeding operations. Grazing management has to compliment that soil and build it up; be that in hard or…

After a tough, dry year, many livestock producers are struggling to decide how long they can wait to put animals on stressed forage stands. According to David MacTaggart, a University of Saskatchewan Masters student, a general rule of thumb is to try to wait until around the four-leaf stage before turning animals into grass-based pasture…

Researchers at the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine are looking for participation in a survey on spring processing handling and restraining methods. Participants must be legal adults who have participated in at least one spring processing (or branding) in western Canada in the last five years. The survey should take no more than…

Researchers hope ocular vaccine will elicit a greater local immune response. By Piper Whelan, Canadian Cattlemen Magazine University of Saskatchewan researchers have their sights set on an innovative solution for a costly cattle disease. Infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis, or pink eye, remains an unpredictable, highly contagious disease that can lead to large outbreaks within herds, and current…

Whether calving has already started, or you’re months away, it’s a good time to revisit some behaviour and warning signs that a calving cow or heifer may need attention. There are three stages to parturition (calving). Stage one involves cervix dilation, and must be complete before any pull assist; Stage two begins with the fetal…

Across Alberta last fall cattle came off pasture light. This is a serious concern, especially when it comes to preparing for and protecting the health of the next generation. We asked beef nutrition consultant Barry Yaremcio for some recommendations to support pregnant heifers through late gestation and calving. Here is his advice. Recognize unique requirements…