With respect to cattle inventories and price levels for both cattle and beef, the cattle industry is experiencing unprecedented times. Certainly, there have been swings both upward and downward in the feeder calf market, but prices have generally been historically high the past couple years, with the same expectations for 2025 and 2026. 

As the year transitions from winter to spring, producers are ready to stop feeding hay, and the livestock are eyeballing the “weakest link” in the fences to get to the green grass.

Wowk Ranch near Beauvallon, Alberta, specializes in breeding, training and selling high-quality horses of various breeds and runs 200 commercial cattle that they feed with a team in the winter.

Nutritional management plays a central role in promoting the health, productivity and reproductive success of beef cattle.

Smaller producers often simply accept as fact that their production costs are going to be higher than their larger counterparts. However, there are ways to become more cost-effective and profitable.

Of all the various nutrient groups we supplement for the typical cow herd, minerals and vitamins are some of the most important. They are also some of the most poorly understood.

Developing replacement heifers is one of the most expensive and complex management decisions for a cow-calf producer and also has long-term implications for profitability.