Health & Production

We have been experiencing some beautiful fall weather lately, but by now I think most of us have also had a good frost or two (you know, the kind that kicks us into high gear scrambling to get all of the things we need to get done before winter, done?). Of course, the shorter days…

By Beef Cattle Research Council Many cow-calf producers from B.C. through Ontario are planning to wean and sell their calves earlier this year. Others are reluctant to sell lightweight calves into a flooded market so are thinking about retaining ownership, putting extra pounds onto lightweight calves, and selling into a more promising feeder market in early 2022.    Many factors need to be considered when preparing to feed lightweight calves  Calves face…

Editor’s Note: This is part of a series of monthly columns by Melissa Downing, Alberta’s Provincial Coordinator with VBP+. Find previous articles on ABP Daily. This time of year, many of us are gearing up to ship our calves, yearlings, or cull cattle off the farm. Given the current pasture and feed situation in most…

The Do More Agriculture Foundation (Do More Ag) is offering mental health professionals a chance to learn about the unique challenges facing people in agriculture. According to Healthy Minds Healthy Farms, a 2020 study led by Farm Management Canada (FMC), farmers are more likely to participate in support programs offered by providers familiar with agriculture,…

A relatively new tapeworm is catching researchers by surprise in Alberta, and emphasizing the importance of zoonotic diseases. “It’s really too soon to predict where this might go, but there are several reasons to think that there will be more cases diagnosed in the future,” says Dr. Stan Houston, infectious disease expert at the University…

From the Beef Cattle Research Council Many farmers truly enjoy working cattle but for some producers (and perhaps their family members) sorting and processing cattle may not bring out the best in everyone. The good news is reducing stress is entirely possible. In many cases, inexpensive changes or tweaks can benefit herd – and family…

On July 29, Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) hosted a webinar on drought stress, moderated by Stacey Domolewski, Research and Innovation Coordinator for the BCRC. Speakers: Dr. Cheryl Waldner, NSERC/Beef Cattle Research Council Senior Research Chair in Beef Cattle Health in Large Animal Clinical Sciences at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine Dr. Bart Lardner,…

If you are in the Canadian cattle industry right now, you are well-aware of the severity of drought conditions that exist across much of western Canada and the United States. Unfortunately, we are at a point where even if the forecast miraculously changed and it rained for a week, it would be too late for…

This week, Jim Gerrish of American Grazing Lands Services LLC partnered with Foothills Forage & Grazing Association and MaiaGrazing to present a drought management webinar for primary producers. Hear Gerrish talk about drought, Standardized Precipitaiton Index, water infiltration, pasture productivity in a drought, and management strategies that can help producers manage through it. ‘What We’re…

By Bruce Derksen, Freelance writer Veterinarians who look after cattle are shifting priorities to emphasize disease prevention over treatment, says Gordon Atkins of the University of Calgary’s veterinary school. The change is occurring as greater focus falls on reducing antibiotics in livestock production. Overall management, nutrition practices and the need to gain a better understanding of the…