Dystocia, otherwise known as a hard calving, is a stressful and painful event for both the cow and her calf. To decrease the risk of dystocia, producers can maintain the cow’s body condition score between 3 and 3.5 and breed for smaller birth weights to reduce the risk of dystocia. However, there is no way…
Read MoreBy 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…
Read MoreRuminant 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…
Read MoreWhere 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…
Read MoreAfter 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…
Read MoreResearchers 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…
Read MoreResearchers 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…
Read MoreWhether 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…
Read MoreAcross 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…
Read MoreThe Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) is adding to its repertoire of valuable calving resources. This month, the organization published videos on esophageal feeding (tubing), colostrum management, and dehydration in calves. Calf 911 – The Ins And Outs Of Esophageal Feeding The video quickly summarizes the supplies needed, the McGrath feeder versus the bag feeder,…
Read MoreFollowing the recent downgrade in Canada’s BSE risk to negligible status, there is hope that the animal health sector will focus more attention on production-limiting diseases, like Johne’s and Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD). Reopening doors of opportunity Both Johne’s and BVD present challenges for producers through detection, transmission, and production. We sat down with veterinarian…
Read MoreBy Heather Smith Thomas Producers may never realize they have a problem unless a necropsy reveals net wrap or baling twine inside the animal Use of net wrap on hay and straw bales carries risks to cattle. Dr. John Campbell, professor of large animal clinical sciences at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, says some…
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