Do your cattle tend to have an empty bunk overnight? Did you know that prioritizing the consistency of feed intake in the herd will help to maximize feed efficiency and reduce health issues by: Improving digestion: Consistent feed intake will improve digestion and nutrient uptake as it helps to maintain a balanced microbiome in the [...]
Month: February 2023
Benefits of Compact Calving – Virtual Beef Newsletter Winter 2023
Reducing the spread of the calving season can be advantageous for both cattle and producers. James Byrne, OMAFRA beef cattle specialist outlines why a compact calving season is beneficial and how it can be achieved.
Disease in feedlots from the perspective of the epidemiological triangle – Virtual Beef Newsletter Winter 2023
Disease in a feedlot is usually a result of a combination of the environment and the animals and can cause severe economic repercussions. Havie Carter, OMAFRA beef cattle specialist describes additional factors that may be increasing the risk of disease in a feedlot and how to prevent them.
Understanding Cattle Prices – Virtual Beef Newsletter Winter 2023
Understanding the factors that affect price determination is critical to maximizing sales price. In his updated article “Understanding Cattle Prices”, Steve Duff, Chief Economist with OMAFRA, covers the difference between price determination and price discovery and discusses the drivers of supply and demand, basis calculation and the price discovery formula, and key information that can be tracked to manage price expectations.
Protect your feed supply with crop rotation and corn hybrid selection
Corn rootworm is a serious pest of continuous corn. Root feeding reduces yield and increases the risk of lodging and “goose-necking” which can make harvest difficult or impossible. Silk feeding can reduce kernel development. For 16 years, producers growing corn-on-corn have relied on hybrids with rootworm Bt traits (Bt-RW), sometimes called “below-ground protection” by the [...]
We’ve got the beef!
Have you listened to our new podcast? Monthly episodes are released to help producers navigate best practices for their production system through information updates and timely tips for the upcoming season. Each episode will feature a conversation with an OMAFRA specialist, a beef researcher, an industry expert, or a local producer. Listen two the last [...]
Improving feed efficiency in your feedlot
Tight profit margins are not uncommon in the beef industry so improving production efficiencies in a feedlot is vital to alleviate stress and improve the operations bottom line. There are several routes that can be taken to prioritize efficiencies. Considering feed is one of the highest input costs, nutritional management is a great place to [...]
Dairy and Beef Cattle Production 