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Sweeping job and program cuts across AAFC are reshaping Canada’s research landscape, as the Liberal government targets a 15% budget reduction across all federal departments. Seven research facilities are slated for closure.

As we all turn the calendar to another year, this is a great time to reflect on what worked in 2025 and what improvements we want to make in 2026. Reflecting on past times while evaluating and planning for future opportunities is a way to ensure progress of both short-term and long-term goals.

Strong cattle prices don’t automatically mean strong cash flow. Many beef producers have learned the hard way that good prices can still lead to tight cash, tax surprises and rushed decisions.

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.

Over time, selection pressure for improved growth efficiency and earlier reproductive maturity in cattle has focused heavily on muscle development, fat deposition and reproductive performance, while the skeletal system is often overlooked. However, these same selection pressures also influence skeletal growth and maturity, making proper bone development critical to overall cattle performance.

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) remains one of the most significant health and economic challenges in both beef and dairy production.

For generations, Saskatchewan’s Touchwood Hills have been cattle country, a place where rolling grasslands, sheltering aspen bluffs and dependable water shaped ranching livelihoods and rural communities.

Fencing is a critical tool for enhancing grazing management through managing livestock access and distribution. However, constructing physical fences, both permanent and temporary, can be labor-intensive and costly. The introduction of virtual fencing into North America has many ranchers wondering how it works and whether it fits their operations.

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.

In 1993, the Eusi family left their dairy farm in Switzerland, arriving in southwestern Ontario with a vision for building something that could support not just one generation, but many to come.

Advances in technology are slowly changing how cattle are managed. For example, companies are offering innovative solutions enabling producers to access real-time weight data directly from pairs on summer pastures. By harnessing tools like these, ranchers can make more informed decisions to support herd health and optimize production outcomes.

Anyone who is at least somewhat familiar with the cattle industry knows there is a long list of products and product types that can be used for providing supplemental nutrients to cattle.

Reproductive efficiency is a main driver of profitability in beef operations, as an open cow still eats and grazes but doesn’t produce a weaned calf. Herds often focus on genetics, body condition and synchronization, yet trace mineral status is a common, hard‑to‑see limiter of conception, embryo survival and calving season length.

Effective water and feed management are the cornerstones of a profitable and healthy beef cattle operation. When properly executed, these two elements work in tandem maximizing performance, reducing health issues and improving overall efficiency.

In recent years, a growing number of ranchers across the West have begun asking a similar question: Why, when salt is offered in multiple forms, do cattle suddenly stop consuming their mineral supplement?