Winter has faded in the rearview mirror, yet the summer road ahead is dogged by one unwelcome word: drought. Or, at the very least, excessive dryness. On beef ranches in parts of Alberta and Saskatchewan, producers are also facing forecasts of an El Nino effect, which could worsen the conditions.

Castration is a management procedure that reduces animal aggression, prevents unwanted breeding and improves meat quality. No matter what method is used, all castration procedures cause pain, as measured by stress responses in the animal. Explore new products that are helping to reduce that pain and increase productivity.

For Deer Creek Ranch, a 1,200-head cow-calf operation spread across 24,000 acres of leased land and 21,000 acres of deeded land, productive success builds on a healthy ecosystem where wildlife thrives alongside livestock.

Nestled just north and east of some of Alberta’s most stunning scenery is Soderglen Ranch, where cattle act like they’ve belonged on the terrain for thousands of years.

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.