Weather patterns have been difficult to nail down with any degree of accuracy this year. In Saskatchewan, late snowfall has delayed thawing and therefore grass growth and typical seeding plans.

Breeding season has a way of sneaking up on you. One minute you’re finishing up calving, and the next you’re turning bulls out or timing when to inseminate and hoping everything lines up the way it should. It’s a busy time, but it may also be the most important few weeks of the entire year.

The genetic direction of your herd is one of the most powerful management decisions you make. As genetics improve, the performance of your herd improves as well.

A successful breeding season begins months before the first A.I. straw or bull turnout. In the 90 days before breeding, cows and heifers move through metabolic, immune and reproductive shifts that shape follicle quality, uterine readiness and embryo survival.

A productive cow can only have one calf per year. For generations, that biological limit has defined how fast beef producers can make genetic progress in their herds. No matter how elite a female is, her influence on a herd is constrained by time.

Estrus synchronization is a powerful tool to help tighten calving windows, incorporate superior genetics and improve long-term herd efficiency. But even with the right protocol, results can fall short if the fundamentals aren’t in place.

'Tis the season of one of the many seasons on the ranch. Many times, it seems like all the seasons run together. You have calving season, branding season, breeding season, hay season, weaning and shipping, and then before you know it, you’re into calving season again.

Pregnancy loss is one of the most frustrating and costly reproductive challenges in beef cattle production. Even with good nutrition, thoughtful bull selection and sound management, we still deal with open cows, early embryonic loss and the occasional unexplained abortion.

It’s fair to say embryo transfer (ET) isn’t a common practice for most U.S. beef herds. Current data indicate that less than 5% of cow-calf operations have adopted ET technology.

Bull buying strategies are a critical component of success for cow-calf producers across Canada. With operations ranging from small family farms to large-scale commercial enterprises, an important question must be asked: Do purchasing tactics differ depending on the size of the farm or ranch?