Author Archives: Beef Research2

Top 10 blog posts of 2018

Posted on by
Reply

This past year we published 80 blog posts that offered production tips and decision tools, provided a science-based perspective on issues in the media, highlighted new beef, cattle and forage research projects and results, and announced other exciting initiatives. Of those, these were the top 10 most popular:




10) 5 tips for grazing corn this fall and winter
Being sure to feed test, easing cattle into corn grazing by providing only a couple of days access to feed plus a hay bale, and making sure proper shelter is provided can make a big difference in how cattle perform while grazing corn.http://www.beefresearch.ca/blog/5-tips-for-grazing-corn-this-fall-and-winter/




9) Are cattle drinking Canada dry?
We often see headlines about how human lifestyle and dietary choices (particularly beef consumption) can impact environmental sustainability. They often vilify beef and don’t tell the whole story. This article provided a more in-depth look at cattle’s role.http://www.beefresearch.ca/blog/are-cattle-drinking-canada-dry/ Continue reading →

The way you purchase antibiotics is changing. Webinar November 14

Posted on by
Reply

Update: Missed the webinar? Find the recording and check for future webinars on our Webinars page: http://www.beefresearch.ca/resources/webinars.cfm



As of December 1st, you will need a prescription to purchase virtually any antibiotic on your farm. How will that effect your operation? Join us to learn what the regulations mean when it comes to working with your veterinarian and purchasing medicated feed, and the facts about antibiotic use and resistance in Canadian beef cattle.

 

Registering on your smartphone? After you click ‘I am not a robot’, scroll up until you find the task to complete.

When
Wednesday, November 14 at 7:00 pm MT

  • 6:00pm in BC
  • 7:00pm in AB
  • 8:00pm in SK and MB
  • 9:00pm in ON and QC
  • 10:00pm in NS, NB and PEI

Continue reading →

5 tips for grazing corn this fall and winter

Posted on by
4



Corn grazing is becoming more popular across Canada because producers can grow more biomass on less land. If you are planning on grazing corn this winter, here are 5 tips to help you make the most of the corn grazing season:

Ease cattle into grazing corn
If this is the first time you are grazing corn, it may take some time for cattle to realize what they are supposed to do with the tall stalks. It is a good idea to slowly transition cattle from summer pasture to fall corn grazing. Regardless of how familiar they are with grazing, the rumen also takes some time to adapt to the new feed source. One way to do this is to provide access to only a couple days’ worth of feed and also supply cattle with an alternative feed source such as a bale of hay to help them through the transition period.

Limit cows to 3-4 days of feed
Inevitably when cattle are turned out, they will eat the best (more palatable) parts of the plant first, which is the cob. If cows Continue reading →

Registration open for the 2018-19 BCRC webinars

Posted on by
1



This year’s BCRC webinar topics include an update on the upcoming changes to antibiotic use, grazing management, animal transport, and other practical, science-based information for Canadian beef producers.

Register now: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_pqUKMh7_TwGUDR4AKw9z7w



Unlike past years, you can now register for as many (or all!) of the webinars you’re interested in at once. After you click the link above, be sure to scroll down to see and selectfor all eight (8).

See topics and descriptions below.

Continue reading →

Beef Quality Audit

Posted on by
1

This article written by Dr. Reynold Bergen, BCRC Science Director, originally appeared in the August 2018 issue of Canadian Cattlemen magazine and is reprinted on the BCRC Blog with permission of the publisher.



Canada’s fourth Beef Quality Audit was completed in March 2018, following previous audits in 1995, 1998 and 2010/11. The carcass audit measured the incidence and economic costs of avoidable defects in Canadian slaughter cattle and beef and identified opportunities to avoid these losses.

What they did: Mark Klassen, Joyce van Donkersgoed and a team of technicians visited slaughter plants across Canada in the fall of 2016 and winter and spring of 2017. Thousands of cattle and carcasses were examined for a wide variety of possible defects. This column focuses on the most common and costly defects, specifically tag, carcass weight, excess fat and liver abscesses. Continue reading →

Dr. Eugene Janzen receives 2018 Canadian Beef Industry Award for Outstanding Research and Innovation

Posted on by
Reply

NEWS RELEASE
For immediate release
August 15, 2018


L-R: Andrea Brocklebank (BCRC Executive Director), Ryan Beierbach (BCRC Chair and producer near Whitewood, SK), Eugene Janzen (award recipient), Bob Lowe (Bear Trap Feeders near Nanton AB), Reynold Bergen (BCRC Science Director)

London, ON – A leader in beef cattle production and medicine has been awarded the 2018 Canadian Beef Industry Award for Outstanding Research and Innovation. Dr. Eugene Janzen was honored tonight at the 2018 Canadian Beef Industry Conference, held in London, Ontario.

Dr. Janzen is currently a professor and researcher at the University of Calgary College of Veterinary Medicine (UCVM). He received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.) from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) in 1972. His most recent research interests include effective pain control in beef cattle, toe-tip necrosis syndrome in feedlot animals, and livestock welfare during transport.

As a veterinarian and scientist, Dr. Janzen has made substantial Continue reading →

Announcing the Beef Researcher Mentorship Program 2018-2019 participants

Posted on by
Reply

The Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) is pleased to announce the participants in the 2018-19 Beef Researcher Mentorship program. Following an open application process, four researchers have been selected. Each has been paired with notable leaders in the Canadian beef industry and given a travel budget for the coming year, which will provide valuable opportunities for greater engagement with Canada’s beef industry. Continue reading →

Drought management strategies

Posted on by
1

Editor’s note: Due to dry conditions in many parts of the country, we’ve pulled this article from our archives. It was originally posted in July 2015.



For timely timely information on weather and climate relevant to the agricultural sector in Canada, visit Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Drought Watch webpage. 

Whether in the form of pasture, stored forage, or supplements, feed is the largest variable input cost in cow-calf operations. A big challenge is to feed the cow in a way that meets her current and future nutritional requirements for maintenance, lactation, maintaining a successful pregnancy, giving birth and getting rebred within 80-85 days of calving as cost effectively as possible. This challenge is obviously much greater during drought, when feed is scarce and expensive.

Aside from moisture, one thing that will help keep you and your cows from experiencing a wreck this summer is knowledge. We’ve pulled together a good list of resources that can help you and your herd get through the drought.

So pour yourself a coffee or an iced tea, and delve into the links below. After a few hours of reading, you’ll likely have a few new plans to keep your cows and grass in good shape, and to keep from shelling out more money for feed or vet bills than need be this year and down the road.

Let us know if the information you’re seeking isn’t here, or if we’re missing some valuable information you’ve found elsewhere so that we can add those links to this list. Continue reading →