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Whether the market is as strong as it has been recently or in a slump, the health and growth of calves are critical to long-term success. Producers need to adapt their strategies to ensure they maintain profitability as best possible.

I have had many conversations with my clients about past emotional conversations and assisting them in preparing for an upcoming conversation they fear may become emotional. This article is to assist you in preparing to succeed as a supervisor in those conversations.

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.

As parasites continue to adapt, the cattle industry must do the same to stay ahead of them. With no new molecules on the horizon, we must take a proactive approach to our deworming programs.

During calving season, your herd transitions through parturition to become a lactating herd. The physiological changes during calving, not to mention the strain of parturition, require a significant amount of energy and are quite remarkable.

Although cattle can survive for a limited time without water, even short-term deprivation leads to declines in feed intake and health risks, particularly increasing mortality hazards and affecting fetal development during winter.

The foundation of a strong mineral program for your cow herd can pay major dividends, not only for the coming year’s calf crop but for years down the line.

JPD Angus in Oro-Medonte, Ontario, grew into a family operation through evenings after long off-farm workdays and weekends spent raising Angus cattle.

John Smith and his wife, Laura Laing, recipients of Alberta’s 2025 Environmental Stewardship Award, are the third generation on their 450-head cow-calf operation west of Nanton, Alberta. John’s maternal grandparents, John and Shirley Hay, started the ranch in 1959.

Cow-calf producers often rely on calving systems shaped by their own experience or from the trusted advice of respected peers within the industry. These approaches can be highly individual and reflect a wide range of influencing factors, including regional climate conditions, herd size, available facilities and management goals.

How many of us wish we could add time back into our days? For many of my customers who own and operate diversified operations, there never seems to be enough hours in the day to get everything done. This problem is often exacerbated by the challenge of finding skilled labor.

Exploring sainfoin and other forage options, researchers are weighing nutrition, adaptability and bloat risk.

BRSV is a common cause of respiratory illness in calves. It can have lasting and even deadly effects. Prevention is the only effective measure to control it.

Technology intersects many segments of agriculture with applications extending into animal health for prevention, detection and treatment of illness. Many of the newer tools are aimed at blending data collection, analysis and specialized interventions.

It was late afternoon, and the thin layer of frail gray clouds that had made their first appearance that morning before sunrise still hung low in the sky. I knew I had barely an hour of daylight left, and I also knew that there was no way I’d finish my fence repair project before dusk overtook me.

There is not much in the world prettier than the cold morning sun hitting untouched snow. I’m not much of a skier or snowmobiler, but the sheer beauty of the glitter of a million diamonds under a late sunrise is impossible to deny, even for the most begrudging of winter enthusiasts.