Canadian cattlemen by Farm Business Communications

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THE BEEF MAGAZINE

JANUARY 2017 $3.00 WWW.CANADIANCATTLEMEN.CA

A SIMPLE VIGOUR TEST

for NEWBORNS Dr. Elizabeth Homerosky,

Veterinary Agri-Health Services Airdrie, Alta.

Publications Mail Agreement Number 40069240

Saturday, February 4, 2017 12 noon MST at the Ranch Lloydminster, AB/SK

1•800•665•7253

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Established Established 1938 1938 ISSN ISSN 1196-8923 1196-8923 Cattlemen Cattlemen Editorial Editorial Editor: Editor: Gren Gren Winslow Winslow 1666 1666 Dublin Dublin Avenue, Avenue, Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB MB R3H R3H 0H1 0H1 (204) (204) 944-5753 944-5753 Fax Fax (204) (204) 944-5416 944-5416 Email: Email: gren@fbcpublishing.com gren@fbcpublishing.com Field Field Editor: Editor: Debbie Debbie Furber Furber Box Box 1168, 1168, Tisdale, Tisdale, SK SK S0E S0E 1T0 1T0 (306) (306) 873-4360 873-4360 Fax Fax (306) (306) 873-4360 873-4360 Email: Email: debbie.furber@fbcpublishing.com debbie.furber@fbcpublishing.com

Contents canadian cattlemen · JANUARY 2017 · Volume 80, No. 1

 CA LV I NG/ R ES EA RC H

Advertising Advertising Sales Sales Sales Sales Director: Director: Cory Cory Bourdeaud’hui Bourdeaud’hui (204) (204) 954-1414 954-1414 Email: Email: cory@fbcpublishing.com cory@fbcpublishing.com National National Sales: Sales: Mike Mike Millar Millar (306) (306) 251-0011 251-0011 Email: Email: mike.millar@fbcpublishing.com mike.millar@fbcpublishing.com Tiffiny Tiffiny Taylor Taylor (204) (204) 228-0842 228-0842 Email: Email: tiffiny.taylor@fbcpublishing.com tiffiny.taylor@fbcpublishing.com Head Head Office Office 1666 1666 Dublin Dublin Avenue, Avenue, Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB MB R3H R3H 0H1 0H1 (204) (204) 944-5765 944-5765 Fax Fax (204) (204) 944-5562 944-5562 Advertising Advertising Services Services Co-ordinator: Co-ordinator: Arlene Arlene Bomback Bomback (204) (204) 944-5765 944-5765 Fax Fax (204) (204) 944-5562 944-5562 Email: Email: ads@fbcpublishing.com ads@fbcpublishing.com Publisher: Publisher: Lynda Lynda Tityk Tityk Email: Email: lynda.tityk@fbcpublishing.com lynda.tityk@fbcpublishing.com Editorial Editorial Director: Director: Laura Laura Rance Rance Email: Email: laura@fbcpublishing.com laura@fbcpublishing.com Production Production Director: Director: Shawna Shawna Gibson Gibson Email: Email: shawna@fbcpublishing.com shawna@fbcpublishing.com Circulation Circulation Manager: Manager: Heather Heather Anderson Anderson Email: Email: heather@fbcpublishing.com heather@fbcpublishing.com President: President: Bob Bob Willcox Willcox Glacier Glacier FarmMedia FarmMedia Email: Email: bwillcox@farmmedia.com bwillcox@farmmedia.com

Rate the birth and suckle index.

a simple vigour test for newborns  calving/ management

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Two calving seasons at Lewis Farms. . . . . 14

Cattlemen Cattlemenisispublished publishedmonthly monthlyby byFarm FarmBusiness BusinessCommunications. Communications. Head Head office: office: Winnipeg, Winnipeg, Manitoba. Manitoba. Printed Printed by by Transcontinental Transcontinental LGMC. LGMC.Cattlemen Cattlemenisisprinted printedwith withlinseed linseedoil-based oil-basedinks. inks.

Dealing with broken bones in calves. . . . 22

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A simple vigour test for newborns. . . . . . 26 Calving at Tannas Ranch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Two calving seasons at Lewis Farms

 CA LV I NG/ M A NAG E M E N T

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Diarrhea diaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Extra equipment for your calving kit. . . . 44 Verified Beef Production . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

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The The editors editors and and journalists journalists who who write, write,contribute contribute and and provide provide opinions opinions to to Canadian Canadian Cattlemen Cattlemen and and Farm Farm Business Business Communications Communications attempt attempt to to provide provide accurate accurate and and useful useful opinions, opinions,information information and and analysis. analysis. However, However,the the editors, editors,journalists, journalists,Canadian Canadian Cattlemen Cattlemen and and Farm Farm Business Business Communications, Communications,cannot cannot and and do do not not guarantee guarantee the the accuracy accuracy of of the the information information contained contained inin this this publication publication and and the the editors editors as as well well as as Canadian Canadian Cattlemen Cattlemen and and Farm Farm Business Business Communications Communications assume assume no no responsibility responsibility for for any any actions actions or or decisions decisions taken taken by by any any reader reader for for this this publication publication based based on on any any and and all all information information provided. provided.

FEATURES Calving fits with year-round grazing at Chinook Ranch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Contents Contentsof ofCattlemen Cattlemenare arecopyrighted copyrightedand andmay maybe bereproduced reproducedonly only when when written written permission permission isis obtained obtained from from the the editor editor and and proper proper credit creditisisgiven givento toCattlemen. Cattlemen.

We acknowledge the financial support of the Govern We acknowledge the financial support of the Governm ment of ent of Canada Canada through through the Canada the Canada Periodical Periodical Fund Fund of ofthe theDepartment Departmentof ofCanadian CanadianHeritage. Heritage.

Calving at Tannas Ranch

Congratulations! To our January survey winner, Olive Evans, Regina, Sask. This month’s survey is on page 62. Cover photo: supplied by E. Homerosky

Comment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Newsmakers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Our History. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Research on the Record. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Nutrition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Vet Advice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Prime Cuts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Free Market Reflections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Straight from the Hip. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 CCA Reports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Letters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 News Roundup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Purely Purebred. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 The Markets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Market Talk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Sales and Events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 C at t l e m e n · j a n ua ry 2 0 1 7

 COMMENT

By Gren Winslow

Goodbye Boyd

ike many of you I was saddened to hear of the passing of Boyd Anderson last month, but thankful that I had a chance to know him briefly along the way. Of course, I had met Boyd not long after I started with the magazine, either at a Saskatchewan Stock Growers meeting or around the commercial cattle barn at Agribition. He could always be found talking to someone about cattle or the people who raised them. That was one of the first things you noticed about Boyd. He always had time to visit with people from Ministers of the Crown to a young greenhorn just getting his feet wet in the business. Chris Mills, who spent most of his career working with Western cattle organizations, believes this characteristic was one of the reasons Boyd was so effective in his work on behalf of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) and Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities. Says Chris, “I recall back in the early ’80s we ran into yet another of the ongoing disputes with the U.S. over beef and cattle imports. The issue was so hot in parts of the U.S. that the International Trade Commission decided to hold large public hearings. Boyd and I were elected to appear at the hearings in Kansas City. The big arena where the hearing was held was stacked with large numbers of red-coated members of the American Farm Movement, all determined to make life difficult for us. Boyd spoke on behalf of the Canadian Cattlemen but instead of using the presentation that I had prepared laying out all the statistical reasons why we were not a problem Boyd chose instead to visit with the crowd about the fact that he lived on the U.S. border. His neighbours to the north were Canadian and those to the south were American and for the last hundred years they had all got along together helping each other regardless of borders and nationalities. He could not see any reason why we could not continue to get along. After his presentation, Boyd got down amongst those red-coated militants and before long we were invited to go with them to the Kansas City Royals baseball game being held next day. That episode was symptomatic of Boyd’s view that almost all problems could be resolved if you took the trouble to get to know the people involved.” Charlie Gracey, the former general manager of the CCA, remembers Boyd as being steadfast and imperturbable, “and I admired him greatly. He knew who he was and was the perfect example of a ‘natural’ gentleman.

C a t t l e m e n · J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 7

“My first memory was when he was president of SSGA in 1970 and I attended their meeting,” says Gracey. “I was to speak but Boyd was never much concerned about time and as the day dragged on I was becoming more and more concerned. A banquet was scheduled and the premier, the Hon. Ross Thatcher was the guest speaker. To my temporary relief we were told the hall had to be cleared so that the tables could be set up for the banquet. I explained to Boyd that that would be fine with me but he had other ideas and convened the assemblage in the big lobby where the bar was already open and people were milling around. Boyd fetched a kitchen chair, had me stand on it and deliver my speech. I have always insisted that that is what taught me to give short speeches. “Another vivid memory was the night I introduced Boyd to Tom Jackson in the Skyline hotel in Toronto. I knew both had been paratroopers in the Second World War so thought they would have something in common. As soldiers do they asked each other what division, troop, company each was in only to learn that they were on the same drop where Tom came down on one side of a wood and Boyd nearby. Tom went on to fight the war but Boyd was captured three or four days later, after hiding out in a big empty wine vat, when he left it to catch a pig. Boyd then spent three years as a prisoner of war. I recall asking him once what it was like being a prisoner of war and his reply was pure Anderson. He allowed that it wasn’t always easy but ‘… I guess they treated us about the same as we treated their prisoners.’” Chris Mills saw Boyd as one of the last of that generation of farmers and ranchers that grew out of the Depression and consequently had developed very clear and determined ideas about right and wrong. “Debt and idleness were bad; hard work and community were good. Those principles guided Boyd in everything that he did. “Boyd had a deep attachment to the land and especially to the southern grasslands where he grew up. He knew almost every blade of grass on his ranch. Wife Peggy and I with some other friends visited with him a couple of years ago and in spite of being well into his 90s and almost blind, he insisted on hiking with us out on his ranch and telling us about its history. At one point, we stopped on the brow of a hill and he said that if we would go a couple of hundred yards back up the slope, we should find the remains of an old Hudson Bay Post. And there it was.” He will be missed. Goodbye Boyd. c

www.canadiancattlemen.ca

Was it all... just a dream M.C. Quantock Bull Sale

450

BULLS

“Canada’s Bulls” Saturday, Jan 28, 2017

12 noon MST

Lloydminster, AB/SK • All cattle in heated facility! • Free Beef Lunch 11 a.m. My family and I have spent more than 40 years supplying in excess of 11,000 bulls to Canada’s commercial cow men. We’re sincere and solid. You have my word we’ll look after your business in a caring, friendly manner. Read what our customers have to say, then this year call me for your bulls. Sincerely, Mac

We sell and deliver for free, hundreds of bulls all across canada. Here's what our customers say... Very happy with the service. Bulls did well on pasture. Worked hard. Kept their condition. — S. Dycks, AB One bull got hurt before being sent but Mac sent a replacement right away. We used him until the other bull healed. Great customer service. All bulls bred well. — J. DeSpiegelaere, MB Just sold our “silver” calves. All by “Mac” Charolais bulls. They topped the market by 12 cents/lb. We had compliments from buyers and the auction mart owner about how good our “silvers” were. Since we started using “Mac” Charolais on our black cows, calves greatly improved. — D. Buchholz, AB I’m not a big cow operation, have bought all my bulls Sight Unseen and were put on Bull Development and grow like weeds. Only 1 problem… I drive my wife crazy replaying the Sale DVD! — K. Kosheluk, SK

that kind of quality was around for a reasonable cost. Perhaps the best bull I’ve bought. Look forward to doing business again. — K. Victoor, AB Bulls look good, they worked good, very happy with them. — J. Waldner, AB The calves all come out looking the same and easy calving from the Red Angus. Customer service is good. The bulls came off pasture looking the best of any we’ve purchased and only 3 open cows out of 125. — A. Dueck, MB “We bought 2 hereford bulls sight unseen. The whole process of getting such good quality bulls was absolutely painless, right from the first conversation to delivery. The bulls were everything we expected and more. Easy fleshing they maintained their weight through breeding.” — G.&S. Clark, AB

There were five bulls that came off the trailer. I picked the one I liked best in my head. Not knowing which one was mine. Once they sorted them the one I picked ended up in my trailer. Thanks a lot. You guys got me the bull I would have picked myself and you did it sight unseen. — C. Tonneson, AB

“Your service has always been great. The bulls stay in shape out on the range and the calves are darn good.” — W. Mulvahill, BC

Mac & the video reassured me that I was making a good decision buying sight unseen. When I finally received my bull I never knew

“Good quality, easy doing bulls, stand up well in pasture, hard working ranch bulls.” — T. Hoberg, SK

“Bend over backwards service" bulls hold their shape and don't need a lot of extra attention. — Salmon Farms, MB

“We have bought over 100 bulls from Mac and Family - every year the bulls get better. We see the results in our calf sales. You can trust Mac, these bulls have put us on the map.” — Norwest Cattle, N. Campbell and Sons, AB “We had problems with one of our bulls. We called Mac and he took it back and made an adjustment. We had had the bull one year. Very pleased with your service and prompt reply. I have been very satisfied. You take a professional approach to your business. Something that is often neglected in agriculture.” — L & R Cooper, SK

“Just got home with my bull, great head, real good feet and legs, clean in the shoulder and thick bull. I was nervous about this Sight Unseen Purchase thing, never done it before. I was impressed with the bull and the way you do business.” — R. Mattison, MB

“We used your Super Baldie bull for 11 years, he was the best bull we ever had. We keep daughters and really improved our herd. When we sold him he was still going strong and in great shape. I think you run a wonderful operation and I want to thank you so much for that bull.” — B. Hogg, MB

“Very satisfied with the bulls on arrival, bulls worked well, all the first calf heifers are in calf, very satisfied with the sight unseen program..” — A. Funk, MB

“The Sight Unseen Purchase Program you offer, coupled with a rock solid reputation, unquestioned convenience and a large battery of quality, affordable sale bulls has again made bull buying from your ranch a pleasure.” — J. Comrie, MB

“Bull behavior is excellent, trust in your sight unseen program is excellent.” — B. Hawken, AB

“Been buying MC. Quantock bulls for 20 years, fun to watch our herd grow.” — L. Crowley, SK

“We look for your catalogue every year, been buying sight unseen and very satisfied. We now go south to Arizona and buy sight unseen.” — J. Naylen, MB

“Brought sight unseen. I was surprised at how good he looked when Mac delivered him. Stayed in good shape through breeding, Travelled great.” — D. Rutz, BC

“Nice quiet bulls, easy to handle, nice birth weights. They always get the job done.” — B. Fletcher, AB “Customer service was very good, bull delivered in excellent shape, worked well,very quiet and easy to handle.” — J. Duerken, MB “Excellent service, the only place we buy our bulls. Small birth weight calves, excellent growth. Our calves are weaning steadily heavier in the last 5 years, better replacement heifers, better genetics.” — D & G Lyons, AB

“Sight unseen was smooth buying experience, good contact and clear expectations,” — J.&E. Peters, SK “We bought three H2 bulls, we had problems with one. Mac gave us another bull to get through breeding season. We were well satisfied.” — R. Noble, AB “More than satisfied. Hybrid Black Bulls work well on our Angus cows..” – Barrington Ranch, BC

“Nothing but a positive experience. Even being a small producer, you have treated me like I was important to you.” —S. Goldie, SK “I’m 100% satisfied with the quality of bulls I’ve bought with your Sight Unseen system. When taking delivery I’ve always felt I’ve gotten more value than I paid for. Your integrity is appreciated.” — M. Carr, ON “Being able to buy a bull over the phone is great peace of mind, and Mac was very easy to talk to and is very knowledgeable about his bulls. The bulls I got were perfect. It was as if I was at the sale. I am 100% satisfied and will buy again from M.C. Quantock.” — M. Arnold, SK

www.canadasbulls.com • Call Mac... 1-800-561-BULL (2855) Everything is on our website www.canadasbulls.com, videos, hundreds of pictures...… The complete bull book a 75 page 4 color "wish list" of the best bulls available. View it today or just call 1-800-561-bull (2855)or email us at mcquantock@hotmail.com and we’ll send you your very own copy and a DVD of all bulls.

 THE INDUST RY

NewsMakers Bob Lowe

Roland Cailliau

Kelly Smith-Fraser

Nanton rancher/feeder Bob Lowe was reelected to a second term as chair of the Alberta Beef Producers at the association’s annual meeting in Calgary last month. Rejoining him on the executive is vice-chair Roland Cailliau of Valleyview. New to executive is finance chair Kelly Smith-Fraser of Red Deer County. Mayerthorpe, Alta. rancher Tom Thompson of Winding Creek Ranch was presented with the Alberta Beef Producers 2017 Environmental Stewardship Award last month at the assoTom Thompson ciation’s annual meeting. Thompson runs a cow-calf operation where he rotationally grazes 500 acres with 700 acres in hay crops. When grazing he adheres to the adage of eat half, leave half so the grass has plenty of time to rest and regrow. Cattle bale graze through the winter months to recycle nutrients back into the soil. Riparian areas and dugouts are fenced to keep cattle out, and water is pumped to the cattle with a solarpowered watering system. In early December His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, the Governor General of Canada, presented Fir Mountain, Sask. cattle ranchers Miles and Sheri Ander-

son with Meritorious Service Medals (Civil Division) for their efforts in helping to protect the 16 wildlife species at risk who call their Saskatchewan acreage home. After studying the Miles Anderson nesting habits of the Greater sage grouse, they adapted their cattle grazing patterns, which yielded a significant growth in the population of this endangered prairie bird. By collaborating with biologists and government Sheri Anderson agencies, and setting a positive example among those in the ranching community, they have spread the notion that good management of the grasslands is beneficial to both wildlife and livestock. Cattle producers across the country were saddened last month by the passing of Boyd Anderson in Moose Jaw at age 96. A noted rancher, writer and cattle politician, Anderson Boyd Anderson was a past president of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, the Saskatchewan Stock Growers’ Association, the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities and chairman of the Saskatchewan Beef Stabilization Board. A long-time columnist with Grainews Anderson also wrote a history of the SSGA and a book on his life in the grasslands near Wood Mountain as well as a collection of his Grainews columns in 2012. (More on page 4.)

Melissa Downing is the new provincial co-ordinator for the Verified Beef Production + program in Alberta. Along with her husband and children, Downing raises cattle in Melissa Downing the east-central area of the province near the hamlet of Metiskow. She is a professional agrologist with a strong background in the beef industry encompassing all aspects of the production chain from cow-calf to consumer.

Cody, Tamara, Harold and Shirley Turner

The Turner Ranch of Pritchard, B.C. was officially named a Century Farm last month. The land was originally homesteaded by George William (Bill) Turner in February 1913 and the award was accepted by today’s members of the Turner family, Harold, Shirley, Cody and Tamara. c

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C a t t l e m e n · J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 7

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30 Polled Herefor Bulls

30 Charolais Bulls Scott & Kerrie: 403-586-4278 • Cole: 403-994-1314 • Jill: 403-771-3502 Ian & Marlene: 403-507-3886 • harvie@harvieranching.com • Olds, Alberta

www.harvieranching.com

 our histo ry

Edwin Aubrey Cartwright of the D Ranch (Part 2) By Guy Weadick, High River, Alta. Abridged from the May 1950 Canadian Cattlemen (continued from December 2016)

he 86 ranch was established in the middle ’80s when George Lane, then range boss for the Bar U outfit, staked out his homestead along the banks of Pekisko Creek, hired a couple of men to get out logs and build a house and stable as the “home ranch.” The cattle were branded 86 and were owned jointly by Lane and the late Herb Millar, who was also employed by the Bar U at that time. Upon his arrival from England in 1888, John Thorp purchased the outfit, including the brand in 1889. As mentioned before, in addition to Thorp’s 86 and Cameron’s V.E., there were several outfits along the forks of Pekisko Creek, Mosquito Creek and the Highwood. Most of them are no longer in existence, their owners either having died or moved away. Among them was George Emerson with the Rocker P, sometimes called the Anchor P (now the property of Rod Macleay); Crawford who branded F X O; McConnell, who marked ’em M C; H. N. Sheppard (Bert’s father), who branded his cattle H N connected and his horses Quarter Circle Diamond; the Chair outfit belonging to the Heartz family of Prince Edward Island, later to become the property of R.L. McMillan who operated it until he sold out a few years ago, retiring to live in Calgary; the Running N, owned and operated by the late Frank Bedingfield from the early ’80s until he sold out to George Lane in 1919, who in turn sold the outfit to the Prince of Wales, now the Duke of Windsor, who still operates it under the name of the E P Ranch. Then there was the ranch purchased from Charley Knox by Captain Gardner, still operated by his sons Dick and Percy. When John Thorp first bought the 86 the ranches in that section were mostly stag outfits and many are the stories told of the happenings to the bachelor owners and their cowhands. A few years after Cartwright began working with the 86, he became a partner of Mr. Thorp, they eventually bought out the outfit owned by Dunc. Cameron and in 1909 they purchased the D cattle belonging to the late Mike Herman. Since that time the main ranch brand for cattle has been the D, while the original Cartwright horse brand Half Diamond Z is used on the horses of the outfit. The bachelor atmosphere that for years

C at t l e m e n · j a n ua ry 2 0 1 7

Old-time Alberta cattlemen: (l-r) Lem Sexsmith, Billy Henry, John Fisher (CBC) and E.A. Cartwright.

dominated this ranch went by the boards when Mr. Cartwright got married. Today he has twin sons, Jack, who is the eldest, and Jim. Jack takes after the Cartwright family, leaning toward the professions. He graduated as a petroleum engineer and the past couple of years has been engaged in that capacity by a major oil company in South America, only lately transferred to Sumatra. Jim, the younger son, was also educated in the east but like his father took to the cattle business. He is married, has a young son John, who no doubt will grow up to follow in the footsteps of his dad. Jim remains on the ranch attending to its operations, while his father and mother reside in High River, athough “E.A.” spends much of his time at the ranch during the summer season. John Thorp, now in his 80s, makes his home with the Cartwrights in High River. In 1939 Jim Cartwright was taken into the firm, the name of which is now Cartwright, Thorp & Cartwright. During all the years the 86, later the D outfit, has operated, there was only once they had to move their cattle off their own range. That was in the spring of 1911, owing to the big forest fire that burned their range from July until August in 1910. In addition to the damage done by the fire, 1910 was an exceptionally dry year, the drought extending away out from the foothills on to the flats to the east. The result was the Ds moved their cattle to a summer range on Sounding Creek away to the northeast in the vicinity of where the town of Youngstown, Alta., is located. The D Ranch is located in the beautiful big foothill range country west of High River,

their summer range extending back into the high valleys of the Rockies. Well watered and provided with excellent shelter and good native grass, it is an ideal location for raising beef cattle. Both Messrs. Thorp and Cartwright have long been members and active supporters of the Western Stock Growers’ Association, and E. A. Cartwright has occupied many important positions on the various executive committees that have had many contacts with the government on various occasions in the interests of the livestock industry. His election this year to the office of president is a testimonial of its members to their appreciation of the good work he has contributed to the industry for so many years. He has never regretted that he came West to enter the agricultural field in preference to the professions. Although his eldest son Jack is inclined that way he too may find an outlet for his technical learning in the great oil discoveries lately made in Alberta. Jim will no doubt continue to follow the cattle over the mountain range, and most likely will be succeeded by his son John, who is being brought up amid ranch surroundings — yet the future alone can tell. He might turn to some of the advanced professions in this day of rapid progress in the sciences, but he’ll get his start on a ranch, and that will please his granddad, E.A. Cartwright of the D Ranch, immensely. c For more of the past from the pages of our magazine see the History section at www.canadiancattlemen.ca.

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 Calving/ M a nag eme n t

By Heather Smith Thomas

Calving fits with year-round grazing at Chinook Ranch

tephen Hughes raises beef cattle near Longview, in southwestern Alberta. “Our family has been here since the late 1940s. My grandfather came from England in 1928 and had this ranch put together by 1950. My dad, Jim, is still involved in the day-to-day management of the ranch. I am third generation, and when I got out of university the order of the day was to use a certain segment of a ranch for farming or hay production — to feed cattle through the winter,” he says. “About 20 years ago I selected a different path, to have the pregnant cattle all graze through winter, with less reliance on hay. We use various forms of protein supplementation and learned how to do that along the way. We have it down to a pretty good science now. Depending on the age of the cattle, we use different forms of protein. For 20 years we haven’t fed substitute hay to pregnant cattle,” he says. “The calves we keep are feed hay and pel-

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lets, but we feed them outside rather than shutting them in pens. They are healthier, and keep getting a certain component of their diet from grazing,” says Hughes. “In the winter we group rising twos and threes together and feed them second cut alfalfa in their third trimester. We also feed mineral with dried urea in it as a nitrogen source (for protein). There is a bit of science to that; you have to do it right. Our young cows have been exposed to that, and for cows four years old and up that’s all they are getting as a supplement while grazing.” This complements the dry forage through winter. “The whole goal, which I think is often misunderstood in the cow management segment of our industry, is protein supplementation,” says Hughes. Cattle on dry forages need more protein, to utilize that forage and ferment it in the rumen, and process it into useable nutrients. “The protein is feeding the microbes in the rumen, rather than the cow. Those ‘gut bugs’

must have protein (in order to break down roughage and convert it into energy, etc.) and it must be a compatible protein for the ‘bugs’ that are needed, to digest the so-called low-quality roughage. Cattle do well on this forage, because the energy is there, if they are given the proper protein to feed the ‘bugs’ that break it down and convert it to energy. “Buffalo survived here very nicely during winter, without any inputs, so we’ve tried to go in that direction with our cattle. This is a natural advantage we have here on the eastern slopes in southwestern Alberta because we often get chinooks that melt the snow, and we have hills the snow blows off. It’s a more temperate climate than some other regions where it’s harder to graze cows through winter. Yet the same principles can apply, if people want to feed straw as a roughage source and just add the necessary protein,” he explains. “This idea has shaped our management, Continued on page 12

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ca lv i ng/ m a nag e m e n t

Continued from page 10

which has changed from what it was when I was 25. Today, range management and grass is our main focus in summer since we are not doing any farming or haying. This has improved our grass management and increased the cattle numbers we carry in summer. We have higher-quality grass now, going into the winter.” Using cattle to graze the grass has also changed cattle management, in how and when the cows are bred and calved.“When we were putting up lots of feed, we were calving earlier, with major focus on weaning weight. The cows were calving in March and the heifers late February. Now we turn out bulls July 15, which puts us into late-April calving. This may still be a bit early,” says Hughes. “I am calving as early as I can, without feeding my cows. The big expense in a cow-calf operation is not the calving; it’s in rebreeding (feeding them adequately enough so they will rebreed on schedule), and we are just using grass to do that now instead of hay. We might still be calving a bit early, for that. May 1 is probably the ideal time to start calving, for our climate and area. The ideal calving time varies with where you live. The older I get, I can see myself calving as much as a week to 10 days later, as we fine-tune it,” he says. The style of cattle he raises has also changed. “We like the big-ribbed, deepbodied cows because they survive nicely in this program. They are Angus-based, with Herefords crossed in. This makes a good cow, and I don’t care what color she is. Ours are black and red baldies, and make a great range cow. These breeds are very complementary; what one breed lacks, the other makes up for it. We use Hereford bulls on Angus cows,” he says. The cross makes a hardy animal, with hybrid vigour. “The kind we raise have the capacity to eat lots of forage and do well. When it snows, they don’t look for hay anymore. Their needs are different and they are out there happily grazing. I have seen them eat through pretty deep snow, and usually the snow doesn’t stay long, in this part of the world. We get some snow in May, but we don’t get severely cold temperatures at that time of year. If the calving cows have cover, they do fine,” says Hughes. CALVING MANAGEMENT

The focus on grass management and grazing through winter influences timing of calving. “Why should we quit grazing just because we are calving? We now don’t pair out the newly calved cows and move them out to new pas-

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ture; we just keep moving the entire herd to new pasture. It’s not only a health benefit (a clean area for young calves) but it’s also how the herd gets fed. We probably had 10 moves last year before we were done calving, on that dormant grass.” The calves don’t get sick if the herd is continually going to new areas. “We vaccinate the cow herd just before calving, giving viral vaccines like BVD. Ideally, I would do it later, at branding time, but one of our branding traps doesn’t have any setup to work the cows. So we do them right before calving, and also give them 8-way. We don’t need to use a scour vaccine in our operation. I think the 8-way covers any issues we might have, and going to new, clean ground during calving takes care of any other scour problems. That’s pretty much a non-issue,” says Hughes.

“ I am calving as early as I can, without feeding my cows.” Stephen Hughes Longview, Alberta

“The biggest challenge is moving to new ground all the time when we are calving, and that’s the worst time to be out on this native grass, when it’s starting to grow in the spring. It does help, however, to rotate that impact around. This means that sometimes we start to calve far from home, but this matters less and less, as long as the cattle have some cover. I’d rather calve where there’s lots of natural shelter than have the cows where it’s easy to get to them.” The cows know how to utilize the cover. “A cow is self-sustaining, if you let her. She doesn’t need your intervention all along the way. If you let her be herself, she can manage. Cattle are amazing creatures,” says Hughes. “We used to feed them all the time, where we could watch them. Now they are range calving, out in the brush and they calve

very nicely without assistance. If you let a cow calve naturally, and don’t make her do it in tough conditions, and she has shelter, she can be very smart — if you let her. We check them during calving, but they are on their own a lot. Our incidences of intervention are very low. It’s generally just a bit of help if there’s a backward calf or something unusual. Part of this is just bull management, for easy calving.” The heifers are kept home and watched more closely. “They are not a big problem, however, and after calving they get managed as a group by themselves, with more protein. We do shut them in and feed them hay until they calve, and then they are out on grass,” he says. Bulls are selected for calving ease as well as other traits. “With our heifer bulls we focus on making sure they calve easy, and we don’t aim for big calves. The cow herd is the same; we watch birth weights, EPDs and the bull’s structure, but with the two breeds we are using I am not very concerned about calving. Also, a cow that has spent the winter walking and grazing is a lot easier calving than one that’s been confined for winter. Exercise makes them fitter for calving and I think this actually cuts down on the number of backward calves and other calving problems. The calves tend to position themselves properly,” says Hughes. Just being in the right body condition, with exercise, helps with calving ease. A fat heifer, with poor muscle tone and very little endurance, will wear out quicker during hard labour, and might need assistance, compared to a heifer in proper condition. “I like the fact that our cows are athletic. They are by no means fat, but they are definitely not thin,” he says. And when they are moved from pasture to pasture it’s low stress and very orderly. “They practically manage themselves, but they will tell you when it is time to move. It’s very easy to move them when they know they are going to new pasture. We just open the gate and let them come through, and do a health check on the way by to make sure they are all happy and doing well. Our calving is very simple,” he says. “All three of our daughters are good help. Kayla is 19 and in university now, so she wasn’t around for calving this year. Josie is 16, and Erin is 13. They enjoy helping, and rode through the cows most nights after school last year. We are glad to be able to raise our family on a ranch,” says Hughes. Having the heifers more closely monitored than the cows is partly just because this is a traditional mindset. “I think half the battle with letting the cattle calve more

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cA LV I NG/ M A NAGEMENT

naturally is telling yourself it can be done. If you’ve always done it a certain way, you feel you still have to be there, to help a heifer calve if she needs it. Past practices can be a hindrance to future progress! For some reason we think we still need to watch the heifers. We don’t live with them, but they are close to home and easier to watch. If there is a real problem, we’ll find it, because the heifers are right between our two houses.” Last spring Hughes calved out 120 heifers and only helped half a dozen. “They have lots of space, so they can calve a little more naturally than if they were closely confined, so they aren’t as apt to try to take each other’s calves,” he says. “I don’t check cows at night during calving, since they are out on the range, but I will check heifers at night if I think something is going on. You can tell if one is restless, if they are all bedded down. They give a clue. If it is really stormy we may get up and check the heifers, but the cow herd is pretty much left to their own devices except to make sure that the grass, protein and mineral is always in front of them.” He uses the mineral/urea mix until the first of May when the grass is greening up. “The cattle stay healthy, and the biggest challenge is the odd spring snowstorm. Also, when we move to different pastures when calves are very young, I’ll spend 40 minutes quietly stirring up the herd, to make sure they are mothered up, and then let them go.” That way no calves get left behind (since cows tend to hide their new calves), or become confused about where Mom is. When you work with the cow instead of against her, everything goes smoothly, BEEF with very little stress or labour. c

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 calving / m a nag e m e n t

By Heather Smith Thomas

Two calving seasons at Lewis Farms

ordan Buba manages the calving at Lewis Farms near Edmonton, Alta. She is a fourth-generation family member at the farm. “We run about 1,000 cows along with the farming — grain and seed potatoes. We have two calving seasons, with two groups of cows. We calve about 400 cows in December-January and about 600 in May-June. The two herds are the same, genetically, and are registered cows. About two-thirds of the herd is registered Simmental and the other third registered Angus. We have Red and Black Angus, and Red and Black Simmental, along with some fullblood Simmentals. We started with Simmental in 1972, and we’ve had Angus for the past 15 years,” she says. All the cows are out grazing from May until November or December, on pasture or on swath grazing later in the fall. “The winter-calving cows all come home in the fall while our summer-calving cows stay out on pasture, being fed a little, but they don’t require as much management through winter; they are not trying to sustain themselves and nurse a calf,” says Buba. The ranch utilizes multiple bull groups for the summer-calving cows, splitting the cows into groups of 100, with five bulls to a group. “The winter-calving cows are bred in the spring while they are still close to home, so we have smaller groups — 30 to 50 head — with a single bull. They are being fed with a silage wagon and we can keep close track of them,” she says. “We started calving in the winter at first, mainly because we have our bull sale the end of February. Having December/ January calves allows us to sell bulls that are over a year old. This makes sementesting a little easier than with younger bulls, and allows them to develop that much more before sale time. Also, we are done calving before the sale, leaving us two or three weeks to get set up for the sale,” she explains. The calving barn is used for the sale ring. “The bulls are housed 3.5 miles from the main farm, so we bring them up a week before the sale. If we have all the cows gone from the barn area by then, it makes things easier for bringing the bulls up here.”

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Having the scale built into the calf cart saves time at calving. Every calf is weighed at birth.

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calving/management

The breeding period is 45 days for the winter-calving cows. “There are always a few young cows that don’t get bred back that quickly, so we started the summer program because we felt we were losing too many good young cows that just couldn’t get caught up. We bought more land near Sangudo in 2000, an hour northwest of us, and started the summer herd there,” says Buba. “Originally we started that herd with cows from our winter program but now that herd is self-sustaining; the heifer calves born in that calving period end up in that calving period. We don’t have to worry about cold weather when those cows are calving — just the odd rainstorm. It’s really nice, calving out there,” she adds. The summer-calving herd is calved in two groups. The heifers are all in one group along with about a third of the mature cows. The rest of the cows are in the other group. “I calve those cows all by myself, checking them periodically through the day until it gets dark. They are on their own for the night.” If a calf is born unattended, it won’t have frozen ears at that time of year. “This group is low-management and we simply pull pairs out of the calving group as they calve. With the heifers we leave those pairs in the pasture they are in and let the cows that haven’t calved rotate into the next grass piece.” The summer-calving herd calves very easily. “Those cows are in good body condition but maybe a score or two behind the winter-calving cows. We find birth weight on summer calves average five to 10 pounds lighter than the winter-born calves. We try to use calving-ease sires for the heifers; we’re not trying out a new bull on them for the first time. With both calving seasons we pay attention to birth weights.” The winter-calving group is monitored more closely. “There are 200 less cows and we have four or five more people helping calve that group because weather can be cold. Temperatures probably average -15 C in winter and we can get -40 C with windchill.” The cows that might be calving are put into a big tent barn during the night, with a couple of cameras set up for closer monitoring. “We run two groups for the winter calving. More than half the cows — the closest ones to calve — stay up by the barn, and the other group comes up at night to the barn but are out farther, in a paddock, during the day. Those are just checked a couple times a day whereas the group at the barn is being checked every hour,” explains Buba. www.canadiancattlemen.ca

“The cameras in the barn allow us to look at those cows more often than walking through them, and we are disturbing those cows less, though we are physically checking them every hour. This is a big cover-all building and we can get 250 cows in there loose at night. Our first calving group is all inside for the night. At the start and end of that calving season we check them every three hours at night, but when they are calving steadily we go through them every hour,” she says. The night checkers work in shifts. “At the start of calving there are three of us and we each take one shift during the night. When it gets really busy — for two to three weeks in the middle of calving — we have a full-time guy come in just for the nights. The rest of us can then be all-hands-on-deck during the day,” says Buba. There are lights inside this big enclosure, and cameras enable constant monitoring. The cover-all is just a tent, but keeps the cows sheltered and out of the wind — and the body heat of that many cows keeps it much warmer than the outdoor temperature. “It can get quite hot and humid so we are always fanning cold air in there for ventilation,” she explains. A lot of bedding is utilized, to keep things clean. “Everything outside is straw, but in the barn we use wood shavings. We clean the whole barn multiple times during the month and a half we’re calving, to help prevent navel infections. The four hours it takes to clean the barn saves many hours of treating calves,” she says. “We have an alley on one side of this big cover-all, so we can pull any cow out of the group if we need to. As each cow calves, we move her out into the actual calving barn, which is heated. She comes into an individual stall in the heated part of the barn, for about a day, depending on weather, to let that new calf dry off and get a day or two old, and then we put the pair outside. Most of the pairs are in individual stalls in that barn, though we have a few bigger pens that we can put two or three pairs in, but they are mostly in individual stalls until they go outside,” she says. “We have eight big shed pens, set up around the yard, and all the new pairs get put into those as they come out of the barn — put into the various pens by age — in their transition from barn to field.” The young ones are not put with older ones, and this helps reduce sickness in the young calves. Continued on page 18

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ca lv i ng/ m a nag e m e n t

Continued from page 15

“If we do get a bout of scours, going out, we hope to keep it just in that group of calves and not spread it to the newborn calves. We don’t introduce new calves into a month-old group,” she says. If a person can keep them separated by age, it cuts down on exposure of the youngest ones to disease pathogens. Putting new pairs out with older ones is also more stress on the cows. “They have to get their pecking order sorted out, and if you are putting new pairs in there every day there is more fighting, which is not what you want. We let each group figure things out and they stay in that group (with calves about the same age) until breeding. Then we put them out into their various breeding groups in mid-March,” she explains. With the calving cows checked this closely, problems can be dealt with, and death loss in newborn calves is very low. “We rarely lose calves in the winter group, but lose a few more in the summer group because they are not being checked so often.

“ Originally we started that (summer) herd with cows from our winter program .” Jordan Buba Lewis Farms

We might lose a backward calf that comes during the night or some other odd problem. But with twins to make up for some of those losses, we still have an extremely good percentage.” Calves get several medications at birth. “Every calf gets a nasal injection of PMH, which is the live IBR vaccine, along with a shot of Bio-Selenium, A, D and E. The cows all get pre-calving vaccinations, which include ScourGuard as well as a live IBR shot — and then a shot for blackleg during the summer when we preg-check. The winter group is bred for 45 days starting mid-March and preg-checked mid-

July. The summer-born group is bred from late July until end of September and pregchecked in December,” says Buba. Some of the highly productive cows that end up open from the winter group can be put into the summer calving program. Those are preg-checked the beginning of December. They are rechecked in mid-April when that group gets their scour vaccine and IBR. Having two groups helps spread the work so it’s not unmanageable in the winter, but it makes for a busy year. “We are calving in December-January, breeding those cows in March-April, and calving again in May-June and breeding

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C a t t l e m e n · J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 7

www.canadiancattlemen.ca

calving/management

those cows in July, then we go right to weaning for the early group. It’s constantly busy.” All of the cows are freeze branded for individual ID. This makes it easy to see their numbers. “We re-shave the brand every year, to make it crisp and easy to see, especially for calving time. After a year of hair growth, a 3 might look like a 5, so we must make sure we have the numbers correct for records on the purebred cows.” The ranch uses several handy methods for making calf handling easier. “We have a cart we pull behind a quad, and the cart has a scale built into it. This has helped a lot in cutting down on navel problems and making calf-weighing easier. Instead of pushing calves to a stationed weigh scale that we have to clean, we just run around with the calf cart. We also use it if a calf is born outside and needs to come in the barn. We just bring him in with the cart and he’s getting weighed at the same time,” she says. Every calf passes over that scale to get birth weight, and the cart is also handy for transporting calves. “I use it in the summer group when pulling pairs out. With their calf in the cart, the cows follow it quite well. It’s open-sided so they can see and smell the calf,” Buba says. “Calving in winter is labour-intensive, but more people in our part of the country do that than calve in summer. The main thing is providing shelter and protection for the baby calves. We were calving more than 500 cows in the winter, and it was because of this challenge that we started the summer group. Calving that many during cold weather was too much; we had groups that were too large. We needed smaller, more manageable groups, to cut down on sickness. Some winters can be difficult if a person has to battle scours. Luckily we have a vet on call at the ranch; it’s very handy having Uncle Roy!”

able to see any cows that might be calving out there,” says Buba. “Roy likes the idea of using a drone. We have already done some drone work with promo videos for the farm, especially for the bulls. We had drones flying over the bulls and they seem to be fine with it. They are more curious than scared of it; the drone doesn’t seem to disrupt things,” she says. The drones don’t make much noise, just a buzzing sound, like a very loud bee.

“We don’t actually have one yet, but he wants to borrow a few to figure out the size we’d want. It would be handy to use in the cover-all, to get under the fog, and to use in the corral buildings — which are 100 feet by 200. By the time you walk through there and disrupt the cows, it would be easier and faster to monitor them with a drone that could just fly over the top of the group. This would keep the cows quiet and undisturbed.” c

Drones to check cows

“We are considering using drones in the cover-all tent for closer monitoring. In the early morning before the cows go back outside, the humidity is so high in that building (creating a fog) that the cameras can’t see enough. They are too high, above that fog. We want to see if a drone will work — so we can have a camera moving right above the cows, under the fog they create. We would use the drone indoors when cows are inside at night, and we could send it out when our second group of cows goes outside during the day. It could zip by them, and make sure nothing gets missed on the last sort. We’d be www.canadiancattlemen.ca

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 researc h o n t h e r eco r d

By Reynold Bergen

That’s Gotta Hurt

arketing executives for grocery and restaurant chains track consumer perceptions and attitudes towards issues like livestock production practices, animal welfare and pain control. These surveys sometimes lead to initiatives that impose specific production standards on suppliers so the company can distinguish itself and showcase its products. From the other side, animal welfare researchers study how beef cattle respond to painful procedures like castration, dehorning and branding, and the benefit of providing pain medication. This knowledge is central to updating the science-based Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Beef Cattle. But what about the producer, who’s responsible for day-to-day animal care, and who pays for the added costs of any production requirement that is ultimately imposed by law, industry standard, or marketing programs? A better understanding of what motivates (or discourages) producers when it comes to animal care is critical, if new pain control practices are to be adopted. An upcoming Journal of Animal Science paper (“Management practices associated with pain in cattle on western Canadian cow-calf operations: a mixed methods study”) studied producer perceptions of pain in cattle, and factors that influence whether they adopt pain mitigation practices or not. This project was led by Dr. Melissa Moggy, a University of Calgary faculty of veterinary medicine graduate student, and her advisers Dr. Claire Windeyer and Dr. Ed Pajor. What they did: Cow-calf producers in Alberta (46), Saskatchewan (31) and Manitoba (17) completed a survey asking about pain management practices used at calving, dehorning, castrating and branding. Detailed in-person follow-up interviews were conducted with five producers in each province. This project was conducted through the Western Canadian Cow-Calf Surveillance Network, a Beef Science Cluster project led by John

Campbell of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon. What they learned: Some interviewed producers felt that cattle tolerate pain better than people, while others felt that cattle simply hide it better. Many thought common sense says that calving difficulty, C-sections, castration, dehorning and branding are painful, and the fact that animals behave differently after these procedures (e.g. kicking, flinching, and vocalizing) and eventually return to normal behaviour indicated that their animals experience pain. Nearly 90 per cent of survey participants felt that both difficult calvings and C-sections are painful if no pain medication is given. Childbirth was a common point of reference in many follow-up interviews. Most surveyed producers reported using pain medication to treat cows and calves during or after difficult births (46 per cent) or C-sections (100 per cent), usually using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like meloxicam (e.g. Metacam), flunixin (e.g. Banamine) and ketoprofen (e.g. Anafen) were the most commonly used medications. Most survey respondents felt that dehorning (84 per cent), castration (72 per cent) and branding (85 per cent) are painful if no pain medication is given, with human injuries such as cuts, and burns used as relatable comparisons. Many interviewees felt that younger animals felt less pain than older animals. Most calves were dehorned (89 per cent) or castrated (95 per cent) before they reached three months of age; this may be why pain medication was rarely used for dehorning (15 per cent), castration (10 per cent) or branding (four per cent). Operations with more than 300 cows or that calved in winter were more likely to use pain medication than those with smaller or spring-calving herds. Many producers also indicated that they use easy-calving sires, polled genetics and avoid branding steer calves whenever possible to avoid pain associated with calving difficulty, C-sections, dehorning and branding.

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The interviews revealed several other factors that could encourage or slow the adoption of pain medication. Clear evidence of a faster return to nursing, eating, and normal behaviour would indicate an obvious benefit to both the animals and the operation. Producers and their veterinarians need to be better educated about what effective pain medication products were available. Labour, cost and facilities are a concern, especially if slow-acting medications would require that animals be processed twice (i.e. once for the medication, and again for the surgery) or more slowly (to allow the medication to kick in before doing the surgery). Some producers are concerned that the injection itself could be as painful and stressful as the surgery, particularly in younger animals. A separate Beef Cluster project led by Dr. Karen Schwartzkopf-Genswein at AAFC Lethbridge is already well on its way to answering these (and other) questions. What it means: For years, cattle producers have done their best to avoid or reduce the pain of difficult calvings, C-sections, dehorning, castration and branding. New pain control medications increase the options available to them. Ongoing research will help answer producer questions about the effectiveness or practicality of these medications, but it’s interesting to note that none of the producers in this study who had started using pain medication for difficult calvings, C-sections, dehorning or castration ever reported that they had stopped and gone back to the old way. The Beef Research Cluster is funded by the National Checkoff and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada with additional contributions from provincial beef industry groups and governments to advance research and technology transfer supporting the Canadian beef industry’s vision to be recognized as a preferred supplier of healthy, high quality beef, cattle and genetics. c Dr. Reynold Bergen is the science director of the Beef Cattle Research Council.

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CSA Easy.indd 1

12/12/2016 3:11:02 PM

 calving/ h ea lt h

By Heather Smith Thomas

Dealing with Broken Bones in Calves

There are few fractures today that cannot be dealt with in an economical fashion, says Saskatchewan veterinarian Andy Acton.

ccasionally cattle suffer fractures, and it’s generally a leg bone. Often it’s a young or newborn calf, and the fractured limb should be cast or splinted for proper healing. When Dr. Andy Acton with Deep South Animal Clinic at Ogema, Sask., gets a phone call from a producer about a possible fracture, he asks about the age of the calf, whether it’s a front leg or back leg, and the location of the fracture. Some may not be sure. All they know is the calf is lame on that leg. “We are sometimes presented with something different than what we were told on the phone. That’s not a big problem; we will sort it out. If it’s a newborn, we ask if it has nursed yet, and how many hours old it is. We also ask if the fracture is due to a calving chain injury.” Sometimes this happens if the chains or straps are not applied properly. “To prevent this kind of accident in the future we show the producer how to affix chains, straps or ropes with a loop and a half hitch (to spread pressure over a larger area) rather than just one loop. Invariably, a fracture from a calving pull is from a single loop. Some of those won’t heal, because the blood supply has been damaged.” “If the producer wants to pursue a repair, we have him/her bring the calf to the clinic.

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The only thing that might make a repair questionable would be an injury where there is lots of blood or an exposed bone,” he says. That increases the risk of infection and lessens the chance of recovery. “The end result may depend on how much the producer wants to commit to, regarding care and treatment, and the relative value of that calf. Is it a commercial calf, a purebred, or their daughter’s 4-H heifer project calf?” says Acton. With a low fracture they’ll x-ray it to determine whether the joint is involved. Higher fractures may just need a simple cast. With a cannon bone fracture, on a front or back leg, the cast must be high enough to immobilize the joint above and below the break to avoid any chance for movement at the fracture site. About 10 per cent of fractures are higher up the leg — above the knee or hock — and can’t be treated with a normal cast. In the front leg this would be the radius and on the back leg, it’s usually the tibia (between hock and stifle). “These are not as common as a fracture of the cannon bone, but veterinarians may try to repair them because we can do some things we couldn’t do years ago, in terms of options for a good repair that is still within

the range of what most people would consider economical,” says Acton. If the calf is on a pasture it might be necessary to immobilize the break with a splint until the calf can be brought into the clinic. “For a temporary splint, one of the best things to put around the leg might be a thick magazine, secured with duct tape, or PVC pipe cut lengthwise, as long as there is enough padding around the leg, under the pipe or the magazine,” he explains. A towel or a roll of cotton can be wrapped around the leg to pad it. “Many calves are brought in that are not splinted, and they usually do fine after we cast them. “The type of fracture that would be most worrisome would be a long-angled break with a shard of bone that might perforate the skin. I’ve seen this happen once, where the producer tried to create a splint — and a break that hadn’t perforated then perforated, and we couldn’t deal with it,” he says. “Regarding care at home, before you bring the calf in, the important thing with newborns is making sure they get a couple litres of colostrum.” You may have to help the calf nurse its mother, or feed it colostrum that you milk from the cow. If necessary you Continued on page 24

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ca lv i ng/ h ea lt h

Continued from page 22

could administer the colostrum via tube or esophageal feeder just to get the job done. “If it will be several hours before you can get that calf to the veterinarian, you need to get colostrum or a replacement product into that calf. If the calf arrives here without having colostrum, I prefer to address that problem even before I take care of the fracture,” says Acton. WAYS TO IMMOBILIZE THE FRACTURE

There are many options today for setting a broken bone. “There are very few fractures in young calves that we can’t deal with in a fairly economical fashion. A fracture of the femur (between hip and stifle) and fracture of the humerus on the front leg (between shoulder and elbow) are very difficult, but if it’s the right calf, at the right age, it may heal. These are both fairly rare fractures. The humerus can sometimes be left to heal on its own, and in a few cases the femur can heal on its own — if the animal doesn’t have to travel much, and the muscling is thick enough to help hold that femur in place. This works best on an older calf; a newborn usually doesn’t have enough muscling. If the calf is older, and depending on where the break is on the femur, and how the fracture is lined up, it may heal. We can assess the fracture, and help the producer figure out what they want to do with that calf,” Acton says. The humerus often fractures in a spiral. As long as the calf had a good start, and has a calm temperament, it may heal. The temperament of the calf and the mother makes a big difference.” If the cow is wild or nervous and can’t tolerate being confined with her calf, it’s not going to work. Resolving cannon bone fractures is fairly simple, explains Acton. “We just use a fiberglass cast that’s high enough (above the knee or hock) to immobilize it. On the tibia or radius (above the hock or the knee), if the fracture is too high up the bone, we use a version of the Thomas-Schroeder splint,” says Acton. This splint looks like a crutch that goes beneath the armpit (for a front limb) or groin (for a hind leg) and attaches to the bottom of the leg at the hoof. The limb is stretched out between the top and bottom, with the splint spanning the whole leg. “Those used to be created by weaving them in place with tape but we’ve modified it to where we now use cast material supported

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There are many options today for setting a broken bone.

by the splint. We’ve had better luck with this adaptation, and most of those calves do fine. We used to have a certain percentage in which the splint would either rub too much and cause problems, or shift and have to be redone more than twice. Now we have a pretty good way to support these fractures.” If the fracture is low enough on the radius or tibia, a couple of pins can be driven horizontally into the bone above it, to create an anchoring site to hold a cast in place. “We can’t stabilize the stifle joint or elbow joint with a cast because we can’t get high enough. But if we drive pins through the bone, we can cast from the foot up to those pins and go over the top of them; they are incorporated into the cast itself. We link them together on the outside of the cast material with acrylic glue. This becomes the joint above the fracture, and we’ve anchored the joint below with a cast right down to the toe. We’ve had very good luck with those,” says Acton. “None of these methods work 100 per cent of the time, and we prefer to work on the cases that have a high chance of success if things are done right. We don’t like to work on open fractures that have poor prognosis, though we do sometimes. We just want the producer to know that the odds are lower,” he says. Those cases require diligent wound care that involves removing the cast periodically to treat the open wound. “With a normal fracture and cast, sometimes we need to do two casts — to allow for

the growing leg, but most of the time we can just use the original cast. We remove it three to four weeks later, using some wires we put in the cast, splitting it lengthwise, and then put it back on as a splint, using duct tape. It’s already formed to the leg, and we can take it off before it creates significant sores.” It is important to follow the guidelines for home care. The cast can be removed at the proper time, new padding put in, and the cast taped back on as a splint. “This can continue to support the leg for another week or 10 days. The cast is weakened, however, which makes the leg itself take a little more weight, which helps the bone heal stronger, at that stage, while still giving some support,” explains Acton. This works better than applying two full casts, which involves two anaesthetics and two sessions at the veterinary clinic. “If the producer has some help to hold and restrain the calf, they can just take that cast off, use it as a splint a bit longer, and then remove it completely after the leg has healed,” he says. “A little padding at the right spots, but not too much, is very important, along with having the leg lined up correctly. You want a good outcome, instead of a crooked leg or a big knot on the bone. “If someone is trying to make a splint at home without proper padding and support at the joints, they run the risk of something that’s not as humane for the calf. “My goal is to assist the repair in such a way that you can’t tell which calf had a broken

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ca lv i ng/health

Wireless System leg. Some of the things we learn while dealing with young calves (that heal quickly) have helped us in dealing with some of the older calves as well,” says Acton.

r’s Winte

ORDE

Casts for older animals

“Cannon bone fractures are fairly simple on babies, but with larger animals it’s harder for them to deal with a cast all the way up the leg. In this situation we’ll use the pin cast method on a low cannon bone fracture. We can put two pins through part of the cannon bone and have a much shorter cast, making it easier for the animal to get around. We’ve done this with 600- to 1,200-pound animals. We can also use a pin cast for an animal that needs a cast left on longer, because we are not as worried about sores. The hock or knee can bend normally, so they can get around on that leg fairly well.” A few years ago he designed a custom Thomas splint for a 1,500pound show heifer using 27 rolls of fiberglass cast material. “She healed nicely and she’s still walking around today, and her owner is flushing embryos from her. The owners did an amazing job taking care of her at home while that leg was healing. She needed a lot of good care. It was a team effort, with help from veterinarians who had done something like this with other animals, with suggestions on how to get that big splint constructed, how long to leave it on, and how to manage it. I had done lots of Thomas splints with young calves, so this was just a bigger version and figuring out what we’d have to do,” he says. “It’s nice to be able to have something to offer, to help these animals recover and lead a normal life,” he says. c

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C a t t l e m e n · J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 7

 cover • Ca lv i ng/ r es ea rc h

By Debbie Furber

Photo: E. Homerosky

A simple vigour test for newborns Give it two fingers to suck… that’s step one

wo simple observations at birth can tell you whether a newborn calf has the vigour to quickly suckle enough colostrum to achieve the protection of passive immunity. “Measuring calving ease and suckle reflex is a quick and easy method to identify beef calves that are unlikely to consume colostrum by four hours after birth,” says Dr. Elizabeth Homerosky. She combined the two parameters into a Beef Calf Vigour Assessment to complete her master’s thesis on this topic at the University of Calgary’s veterinary medicine faculty and recently joined Veterinary Agri-Health Services at Airdrie, Alta., as an associate veterinarian. Knowing that passive immunity is critical for the pre-weaning health and survival of beef calves, the objective of her research was to develop a user-friendly method of assessing calf vigour to identify calves likely to need assistance getting that first feeding

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of colostrum within four hours of birth. She followed through by evaluating how each calf’s vigour assessment related to its actual level of passive immunity, pre-weaning health and performance. Homerosky recorded observations for 22 unassisted calvings, 41 easy-pull calvings, and 14 hard-pull calvings at a large cow-calf operation in southern Alberta. She examined each calf 10 minutes after birth, noting details such as meconium staining, heart and respiratory rates, suckle reflex and ambient temperature to determine which of those would best predict a calf’s ability to suckle on its own within four hours. Blood samples were drawn to test for pH and L-lactate among other parameters. All calves failing to consume colostrum on their own within four hours of birth were assisted by six hours, either by helping them latch onto the dam’s teat or feeding the dam’s colostrum by bottle or esophageal feeder. Compared to unassisted calves, the easy

pulls were 4.1 times less likely, and the hard pulls were 11.4 times less likely to suckle on their own within the critical four hours after birth. The results were even more dramatic when the suckle reflex was weak. Those calves were 41.6 times less likely to consume colostrum by four hours after birth compared to calves with strong suckle reflexes. “Combining measurements for calving ease with suckling reflex helps increase prediction accuracy,” Homerosky says. Calves born unassisted had a 14 per cent chance of failing to consume colostrum by four hours after birth. If the suckle reflex was strong, the risk of failure dropped to eight per cent; however, if the suckle reflex was weak, the risk skyrocketed to 78 per cent (see illustration). At the opposite end of the spectrum, the hard-pull calves started life with a 64 per cent chance of failing to consume colostrum within four hours. With a strong suckle

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reflex, the probability of failure dropped to 49 per cent, but a weak suckle reflex almost certainly meant failure. In the middle were the easy pulls. There was a 39 per cent chance they wouldn’t suckle on their own within four hours. A strong suckle reflex reduced the odds to 29 per cent, whereas the probability of failure jumped to 94 per cent if the suckle reflex was weak. Measuring suckle reflex is easy to do, she explains. Approximately 10 minutes after birth, place two fingers along the full length of the top of the calf’s tongue, gently rub the roof of the calf’s mouth a couple of times and categorize the reflex as either weak or strong. Calves with poor jaw tone and/or poor suckling rhythm can be categorized as having a weak suckle reflex. Those with a strong suckle reflex will have good jaw tone and rhythm, and quickly latch on by curving their tongues around your fingers. Blood test results offered insight as to the reason why some calves are born with a weak suckle reflex. Calves with low blood pH and high L-lactate concentration were more likely to have weak suckle reflexes and fail to consume colostrum on their own within four hours than those with normal blood parameters. Homerosky says this is likely due to the fact that low blood pH and high L-lactate concentration are associated with low uptake of oxygen in the brain. This can negatively affect co-ordination and strength of muscle tone, but most calves are able to pull through the imbalance on their own within a matter of hours. Early intervention to hand feed colostrum can make all the difference, not only in mitigating the negative effects of low blood pH, but in the transfer of passive immunity to support pre-weaning health and performance.

amount of colostrum within that four-hour window or the concentration of IgG in the colostrum is inadequate. A beef calf hand-fed its dam’s colostrum needs approximately one litre during the first feeding and a second litre no later than 12 hours after birth, Homerosky advises. If a commercial colostrum product is fed as the sole source of IgG, it’s important to select one labeled “replacer” with more than 100 grams IgG in the package. Products labeled “supplement” are intended to be given in addition to colostrum from the dam. Commercial colostrum products must be mixed and fed exactly as directed to ensure that the calf receives enough IgG. Dairy colostrum should not be fed to beef calves because of the exceptionally low concentration of IgG due to the high volume of colostrum produced by dairy cows and because of the risk of disease transmission. If a calf’s suckle reflex is strong enough to take a bottle, it may be more beneficial than feeding with an esophageal feeder. The difference is that colostrum bypasses the rumen and goes directly into the abomasum when a calf is actively suckling, whereas esophageal feeders deposit colostrum directly into the rumen. IgG can be absorbed more quickly when deposited in the abomasum than when sitting in the rumen, she explains, adding that bottle feeding also reduces the risk of a calf developing pneumonia from inhaling colostrum. Blood samples taken 24 hours after birth to measure the IgG concentration showed

that all but eight of the 77 study calves had acquired optimal passive immunity. A blood serum level greater than 24 grams of IgG per litre is recognized as the optimal level of passive immunity based on risk of sickness and death before weaning. Blood serum IgG concentration in the range of 16 to 24 g/l is considered adequate, 10 to 16g/l is considered marginal, and less than 10 g/l is the cutoff for diagnosing failure of passive immunity. Although all study calves received colostrum within six hours of birth, those that consumed colostrum on their own within four hours of birth were 2.8 times less likely to be treated for illness before weaning and gained approximately 0.2 pounds per day more during the pre-weaning period than calves that failed. Broader implications

Past research at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine estimated that one-third of beef calves in Western Canada fail to acquire an optimal level of passive immunity that is truly protective throughout the pre-weaning period. Approximately seven per cent of beef calves born in Western Canada are assisted at birth. Although they are considered to be high-risk, they are the calves most likely to be closely observed and, therefore, to receive colostrum shortly after birth. “It follows then, that the majority of calves Continued on page 28

Optimal passive immunity

Calves that consumed colostrum on their own within four hours after birth were 6.4 times more likely to acquire optimal passive immunity than those that failed. Passive immunity is the transfer of gamma immunoglobulins (IgG) in the cow’s colostrum to the calf via absorption through the calf ’s intestines. A newborn calf’s gut allows IgG to pass into the bloodstream for approximately 24 hours after birth. The most effective transfer is within the first four hours, after which the lining of the intestine gradually begins to close. A calf may fail to acquire adequate passive immunity if it doesn’t receive a sufficient www.canadiancattlemen.ca

Calves with low blood pH and high lactate concentrations were more likely to have weak suckle index.

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CA LV I NG/ r es earc h

Continued from page27

failing to acquire optimal passive immunity must come from the unassisted population, which has generally been regarded as low risk,” Homerosky says. Taking a moment to check the suckle reflex shortly after calving, assisted or not, is an effective way to identify calves at risk for passive-immunity failure. Stepping in sooner than later to assist those with weak suckle reflexes should improve calf survival and health, saving the expense of treating and losing sick calves. Homerosky reminds producers that many factors, such as environmental conditions, the age and body condition of the dam, duration of labour, and mothering behaviour, affect newborn beef calf vigour and the time it will take them to consume colostrum. “Unfortunately, closely monitoring labour and birth may not always be possible. The Beef Calf Vigour Assessment was designed to assess a newborn calf’s vigour status, regardless of the events that occurred before or during birth. Newborn beef calves that consume colostrum by four hours after

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 t h e im p o rtance o f colost ru m

Probability of failing to consume colostrum by 4 hours after birth Calving Ease

Unassisted

26 %

Weak suckle reflex

Hard pull 64 %

39 %

14 %

Easy pull

Strong suckle reflex

49 %

birth should be considered vigorous by definition (strong, healthy and full of energy) because their actions are helping to promote good long-term health,” she says. Homerosky’s hope is that the Beef Calf Vigour Assessment will help producers minimize the proportion of calves that fail to acquire an optimal level of passive immunity,

78 %

94 % 98 %

thereby improving overall calf survival, health, performance and profitability. Curious as to whether your calves are acquiring effective passive immunity? Ask your veterinarian to draw blood samples from a few calves 24 to 36 hours after birth to send to a laboratory to test for IgG levels. c

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In The Loft At Benlock Farms

February 23, 2017 l 1:00 p.m.

60 50 6

2 Year Old Angus Bulls Home Raised Bred Heifers Fancy Fancy Heifer Calves

Quality Bulls just as simple as walking behind the barn at Benlock Farms!

 Nutritio n

By John McKinnon

Vitamin E and Selenium — The Odd Couple!

ineral nutrition is a recurring theme in this column, attesting to the importance of this class of nutrients in the diets of cattle. I have not, however, paid as much attention to vitamins, which, when deficient, can be as limiting to performance and health as many minerals. With this article I would like to specifically look at vitamin E and its relationship with the mineral, selenium. Vitamin E is a member of a class known as the fatsoluble vitamins that includes vitamin A, D, E and K. There is also a second class known as the water-soluble vitamins which include the B vitamins (i.e. biotin, folic acid, niacin, thiamin, etc.). Both classes are essential for normal function in ruminants, however with cattle, particularly beef cattle, we generally only concern ourselves with the fat-soluble vitamins as in most production situations the rumen bacteria supplies the animal with an adequate source of the B vitamins as well as vitamin K. Vitamin E is a generic term for a variety of compounds that have similar biologic activity. The most common and potent is alpha tocopherol. Vitamin E is found in relative high concentrations in fresh green forage with levels decreasing as plants mature and with storage (i.e. hay, silage). While vitamin E has many biological functions, two of the most important include its role as an antioxidant and in boosting the immune system. During normal metabolism, cattle produce byproducts that can be toxic to cells and tissues. These byproducts are oxygen-derived free radicals that damage cell membranes and impair cellular function. If left unchecked, these free radicals cause widespread tissue and cellular damage, particularly to muscle tissue. In the cattle, the best example of this damage is seen in calves with white muscle disease where calves fail to stand and nurse properly at birth or, in some cases, succumb to cardiac failure. The body has a number of natural defenses against these free radicals which act in concert to prevent the damage that is generated at a cellular level. Vitamin E is one of these defenses. It acts as an antioxidant and works to destroy the free radicals. Other antioxidant defenses include various enzymes such as glutathione peroxidase, as well as vitamin A and C. This is where the trace mineral selenium comes into the picture. Selenium is a component of numerous enzymes including the enzyme glutathione peroxidase which, as mentioned above, is an enzyme that works as an antioxidant in concert with vitamin E to protect the cell from oxi-

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dative damage. The antioxidant role of vitamin E and selenium extends to their role in fortifying the body’s immune system. By protecting against oxidative damage, vitamin E and selenium allow the various classes of immune cells (i.e. lymphocytes, other classes of white blood cells) to protect the body against invasive bacteria and pathogens. So how do we bring this discussion back to feeding cattle? As described above, deficiencies in vitamin E and/or selenium can result in a number of issues related to normal growth as well as to the health of cattle, particularly newly weaned calves. Selenium deficiency in newborn calves can result in white muscle disease, as well as in retained placentas in newly calved cows. As selenium is a trace mineral, daily requirements are extremely low and listed as 0.1 parts per million in the 2016 Nutrient Requirements for Beef Cattle (NRBC) publication. While this is an extremely small requirement, it is important to remember that many areas of North America have soils that are selenium deficient and if cattle are not supplemented, deficiencies can occur. In contrast, clear signs of vitamin E deficiency are not as evident, particularly in mature cattle, although it does appear to play a role in increasing the incidence of retained placentas. As a result, there is no specific dietary requirement for mature cattle with normal diets supplying sufficient levels in most cases. However, the 2016 NRBC publication has increased the vitamin E requirement of stressed calves to 400 to 500 international units (IU) per head per day, or 80 IU per kilogram of dry matter (DM) for a calf eating six kilograms DM. For growing and finishing cattle, the vitamin E requirement is listed as 25 to 35 IU per kilogram of DM. As stated above, cattle grazing fresh green forages are likely to receive adequate levels of vitamin E. If vitamin E is to be supplemented to the breeding herd, it is typically as a component of a concentrated A, D and E supplement fed daily or as part of the mineral program. Alternatively, since these vitamins are fat soluble and are stored in the body, they can be fed in a concentrated form every two to three weeks. Supplementation of newly weaned calves and feeder cattle with vitamin E is typically part of the daily supplement program. Selenium, in contrast, is typically supplemented as part of the mineral program, either as loose mineral, tubs, blocks or various protein supplements. Regardless of the form of supplementation, both of these very different nutrients play important and synergistic roles in cattle growth and health and thus need to be considered when developing a feeding program. c

John McKinnon is a beef cattle nutritionist at the University of Saskatchewan

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32nd Annual Bull Sale February 25, 2017 @ 1:00 pm Spruce Grove

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 calving/ m a nag e m e n t

By Heather Smith Thomas

calving at Tannas Ranch

The purebred herd starts calving in January and the commercial cattle about March 10.

ark and Ingrid Tannas, their son Luke and his wife Ceanna run 300 purebred Angus and 125 commercial cows at their ranch west of Water Valley, Alta. Mark is the fourth generation on the ranch. “Our family has been here about 50 years, and we built our first calving barn about 40 years ago. It was quite modern and cutting edge at that time, with hot and cold running water; we felt that was a necessity for cleanliness,” he says. “We’ve expanded on that goal, with our new barn, moving it and our whole calving operation to a new location. Like all barns in earlier times, our first barn was built close to water for the cattle. For the new barn, we moved to off-site watering to keep bacteria away from the creek,” he says. “The new barn we built a couple years ago is 51 by 80 feet, with in-floor heating, hot and cold water, and complete living quarters so we can stay there at night and check the cows. We built more calving pens so we can keep

C a t t l e m e n · J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 7

the numbers down in each pen, with no more than 50 cows to a pen. The pairs are moved out of those as soon as they calve,” says Mark. The calving pens have shelters that the cows can go into, and some windbreaks. “After they calve, each pair is moved into a small nurse pen for a few hours, to give them time to bond,” says Ceanna.“When the calves have suckled and are old enough to walk, they are moved to a bigger pasture where they have more space and room,” she says. It helps to give each pair a chance to bond so that another cow doesn’t try to steal the calf. “It is important for them to be mothered up correctly,” says Ceanna. The purebred herd starts calving in January and the commercial cattle start calving about March 10. “We try not to put any of them through the barn unless we have to,” says Mark. “Last winter was amazing; a lot of them calved outside and most of them stayed outside and went straight to the bigger pastures as soon as they calved. We don’t want to keep them in too long, but

when weather is wet and cold we put them into the barn and just make sure they are out within 24 hours.” Once the calves are dry and have suckled they do fine outside. There is always someone checking the calving cows. “Our son Luke usually takes the night shift and sleeps at the barn. During the day shift we are out feeding, and checking them also,” says Mark. The ranch pastures have natural and man-made windbreaks.“We use portable windbreaks that can be moved wherever we need them, and we can clean out the manure from around them after we move them,” says Ceanna. These windbreaks were purchased, and made with steel so they last a long time and are very durable.They can be picked up and moved with a skid steer. If the area is getting dirty, the windbreaks are moved to a new location and the manure in that area can be pushed up into a pile. This can be spread around later to fertilize the surrounding pastures. Continued on page 34

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ca lv i ng/ m a nag e m e n t

Continued from page 32

“By not feeding cattle in one spot for very long, we help break the cycle of worms and disease,” says Mark. Having a clean area for the calves when they are young helps keep them healthy. The calves still need to be checked and monitored frequently. The cows are fed once a day but the calves are checked twice a day. “Later in the spring when we get bus ier, we can’t do that with the commercial cows, but with the purebreds we take time to check them twice a day,” he says. “We do our best to prevent scours, using scour vaccines before the cows calve, and then move the cows out on clean pasture as soon as possible to reduce the numbers in those calving pens,” says Ceanna. “We also separate heifers from cows when they calve — the heifers and their calves are in a differ ent pasture — to reduce the risk for scours, but we always have a few cases,” she says. Navel ill is another concern. “We’ve defi nitely reduced the number of cases just by watching the new calves and making sure they get their colostrum at the right time, and the right amount.” Having a clean place for calving, and adequate colostrum can make a big difference. “We give the calves about an hour to get up on their own and nurse. If they are not up by then, we help them. We try to keep our cows pretty quiet and they are easy to handle. Most of them, we can go right in the pen with them to help the calf. If the cow is not very friendly we use our maternity pen, and can put her in and restrain her, to help the calf suckle.” It’s always better to have the dam’s colos trum than to use a substitute commercial product. “We do stock some, from the Sask atoon Colostrum Company, to have on hand if needed, if a heifer doesn’t seem to be milk ing very well or there’s a cow we can’t milk. If a calf is really cold, we use some high-energy colostrum with a higher fat content, to help the calf get going quicker,” she says. “The old rule of thumb was to have colos trum in them within 24 hours, but studies have shown that you need to have it in them within four hours to have the best benefit. In cold weather it’s better to have it even sooner. When calves are under cold stress, the intes tinal wall closes faster and they don’t absorb antibodies as well,” she explains. “When calves do come through the barn, we are glad we have the cement floor which is easy to clean. We put in fresh straw for each calving cow or new pair, and when they are moved out we have a disinfection protocol.

C a t t l e m e n · J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 7

The floor is washed and disinfected between pairs coming through the barn,” says Ceanna. “We also have a biosecurity pen. If a sick calf needs to come into the barn, it doesn’t come through the main barn. It’s in a sepa rate pen with a heated floor and its own hot and cold running water,” says Mark. “We never put a sick calf in where there might be other calves later. We have a boot wash in the biosecurity pen, and everything we need to keep things clean.” The three of them actually have their own boots in that pen. “Last year we never had to put a single calf in there, so that was great. It’s still clean, waiting for the next season,” he says. “They call it the sick pen, but I call it isola tion,” says Ceanna. They try to limit the num ber of people who come through the facilities.

“ Our loading facility is a ways from the barn so no trailers or trucks come to the barn. This will help with biosecurity.” “We don’t have a loading facility at the new barn,” says Mark. “Our loading facility is a ways from the barn so no trailers or trucks come to the barn. This will help with biosecu rity, especially during calving,” he says. “We feel it is also important to work hand in hand with your vet,” says Ceanna.“Your vet can provide a lot more than just coming for emergency calls.” Your vet can be a source of good information and recommendations. Last year their ranch participated in some research with UCVM during calving.“We like to support that research and help find information that will help other ranchers. This was a pain study by Dr. Claire Windeyer, looking at dystocia and situations when a calf has to be pulled. Some of the newborn calves in the study were given Metacam and other anti-inflammatories, and others were given a placebo. The calves will be followed through until weaning, to see if that treat ment helps those calves later in life — to see if they do better.” Less stress/trauma at birth might get them off to a better start. There will be additional research this calving season at some ranches. All the calves in this study are weighed, to get weaning weights, to see if there is

any measurable difference. “They will look at our treatment rates to see if there is a difference there — to see if the calves were healthier because of less stress at birth.” “We talk about our facilities and program, but a successful calving program is not about perfect facilities or using a particular brand of vaccine. It’s about mitigating risk and doing the best you can with the resources you have, to prevent issues. There is always room for improvement. Seeking out knowledge is the first step to improvement and I think articles in the Canadian Cattlemen magazine are a great start,” Ceanna says. “We work a lot with beef cattle veterinar ians; I work at Vet AgriHealth Services, a beef cattle consulting practice in Airdrie. They pro vide protocols and have a software program where we can track our records,” she says. With this program, every calf that has had an injection or any kind of treat ment can be tracked. “There may be a cow whose colostrum isn’t as good, and her calf doesn’t do as well, and you could cull her because of this,” says Mark. Good records help. “When things are good, you can make money no matter what you do, but when money is tight, you have to look at everything,” he says. Then it’s nice to know how each cow performs, because there is always room to cull. “This is especially important in the pure bred industry because you are providing seedstock for other producers,” he says. You want to keep providing something better than what they already have, so they can keep improving their herds, and you want them to come back again as your customers. THE RANCH AND CATTLE

“We’ve been raising Angus-based cattle for 30-plus years, using Angus bulls, red and black,” says Mark. “We have a lot of Crown grazing land, so the cattle are raised out in the bush, with predators and various situ ations they may get into. There is lots of muskeg, for instance, and lots of bush so they are truly ranch cattle.” The calves grow up hardy and can handle the real world. “Our purebreds are used to being out there, and travel long distances. We may drive them seven miles to some of the pastures and back. They are used to fending for them selves, and this is the kind of bulls we want to sell. These bulls work for our customers because they have good feet,” he says. The breeding program is important, matching each cow with a bull that will com plement her. “If you have cows that throw big calves, you want a lower birth weight bull.

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calving/management

Many ranchers think about buying a heifer bull for heifers, but in their cow herd they think that a bull is a bull. It pays to match the bull to the cows and eliminate the chance for a calving problem. Any time a cow has problems calving, the calf is slower getting up, and slower to suckle. If calves can get up on their own and you don’t have to deal with them, it’s a lot easier,” he says. Nutrition is also important. “Where we are, we can’t creep feed our cattle. The bears would come eat the oats in the feeders, and we have grizzlies as well as black bears. We’d be inviting them to come eat with our calves!” Mark says. The cows are fed pellets sometimes during the year, and the calves learn how to eat those alongside their mothers. When the calves are weaned, they know what a pellet is. Nutrition is an important aspect of their cattle program during calving and breeding. “We have a really good nutrition plan,” says Ceanna. “We generally use bale feeders in winter and early spring so the cattle can eat free choice, and we supplement with freechoice mineral and some protein. Last year we rolled out some alfalfa bales — higher in protein and energy than the hay in the

The Tannas management team: Luke, Ceanna, Ingrid and Mark.

bale feeders. Nutrition is important to keep those cows healthy, and the calves coming out healthy, as well,” she says. “There are some good programs and Cow Bytes,” says Mark. “People can download those. Also it can be very helpful to

talk with a nutritionist. We are starting to do that. It’s important to test your feeds and get those numbers, rather than guessing on how to properly supplement your forages. Just because it’s green doesn’t mean it is good,” he says. c

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 Calving/ h ea lt h

By Debbie Furber

Diarrhea Diaries

he definition of scours is diarrhea, but diarrhea alone only means the calf has loose feces. The important question when a calf has diarrhea is whether it is making the calf sick. “It’s not as simple as saying, the calf has diarrhea, therefore, it has scours. You need to compare groups of observations, consider the age of the calf and think about the disease pattern on the ranch before making treatment decisions,” says Dr. Frank Garry, department of clinical sciences, Colorado State University. A common thread throughout his talk at the University of Calgary’s beef cattle conference was that if you are just randomly treating for anything, you will be misusing medications, can’t expect the same outcomes, and likely won’t adjust calving management to prevent problems in the future. Garry’s first rule of thumb is, if you can’t catch a baby calf that has diarrhea, it probably isn’t sick and the problem will resolve on its own without treatment. Diarrhea can be a sign of a simple digestive upset from taking on too much milk at one time or eating things that can’t be digested, but check the calf again later to see if its condition has changed. One of the early signs of sickness is a lack of activity and strength, in which case simple scours should top the list of suspects because the agents that cause it are so common in the environment

C a t t l e m e n · J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 7

The eyes help diagnose dehydration (above) or bacterial inflammatory enteritis (below).

and notoriously infectious. One or a combination of rotavirus, coronavirus and the protozoa, cryptosporidium is the usual culprit. Healthy cows and heifers periodically shed these infectious agents in their manure, more so during times of stress such as inclement weather. The pathogens don’t survive long in dry, sunny environments, but when picked up by a calf immediately start multiplying in the gut. Some infected calves never look sick. Perhaps they have a certain level of immu-

nity or natural resistance that gives them the upper hand. Even so, they are walking incubators shedding bugs everywhere they wander, at a rate up to 50 million oocysts and one billion viral particles per gram of feces. On it goes to another calf and another until the environment becomes so contaminated it is nearly impossible for young susceptible calves to escape being sick. Calves sick at seven to 14 days of age are probably infected with cryptosporidium and/or rotavirus. You might see coronavirus in calves up to a month old, and it tends to be the most aggressive because it damages the large and small intestine. “All of these calves have basically the same problem. These bugs injure cells on the microvilla lining of the gut causing localized, superficial damage, meaning that they don’t spread beyond there,” Garry explains. “They pour out fluids through the intestine, losing electrolytes and because they lose electrolytes, the blood and body fluids become acidic. The infections don’t kill them. It’s the loss of fluid and electrolytes and acidosis that kills them. Without treatment they won’t last much longer than a day.” Fortunately, dehydration can be easily treated with proper electrolyte fluid therapy. The gut will repair itself and the prognosis is actually very good for these calves. The degree of dehydration will determine whether treatment with oral electrolyte fluids is enough or the calf needs intravenous therapy. Telltale signs of dehydration are tight skin and sunken eyeballs caused when fluid is lost from supporting fat tissues. A pinch to the skin on the eyelid or the neck normally slides back into place in a second or two, whereas tight skin will stay tented for five seconds and longer as dehydration worsens. A gap between the eyeball and bottom eyelid will be noticeable and widen as dehydration becomes severe. Fluid loss also reduces blood volume and blood pressure resulting in pale eyeballs and gums, and cold ears, tail, and feet. These calves won’t have fevers unless other complications, such as pneumonia, set in. Pulling all the signs together, a calf that has lost six to eight per cent of its body fluids is mildly to moderately dehydrated. It is able to stand, may swagger a bit as it walks, be visibly depressed with drooping ears and lowered head, have tight skin, sunken eyeballs, a dry mouth and nose, and the suckling reflex could already be weakening. Garry says two litres of oral electrolyte Continued on page 40

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Davidson Gelbvieh & Lonesome Dove Ranch

BULL SALE

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ca lv i ng/ h ea lt h

Continued from page 38

solution is a good starting point for treating a baby calf at this stage. Twelve hours later, if the calf is still looking off and easy to catch, give it another two litres. Don’t worry if you can’t catch a calf for followup treatments because this is a good sign that it is on the mend. If the calf looks frumpy again the next day, give it another two litres. Continue feeding two litres of electrolyte solution twice a day about 12 hours apart until the calf is doing well. That could be one day or it might take three days before the diarrhea runs its course. Garry strongly recommends feeding oral electrolytes by bottle for two reasons. If a calf is so weak it has no suckling reflex, you are way behind already and the calf needs intravenous therapy, or, something else is wrong, in which case dumping fluid into the rumen with an esophageal feeder would really make matters worse. If a sick calf still has a reasonable suckling reflex, use your discretion as to whether bottle or tube feeding would be best. There’s a fine line between moderate and severe dehydration as the loss of body fluids reaches 10 per cent. The calf won’t be able to stand and all of the other symptoms will be very apparent. If not treated intravenously, the calf will soon slip into a coma. Major organs will start to shut down as cells throughout the body continue to dry out and die. Treatment with antibiotics won’t help calves with simple scours and is likely to slow the recovery because antibiotics kill good bacteria that aid digestion as the gut heals. Oral antibiotics given when the gut isn’t functioning as it should will be detrimental. A calf’s gut can be disturbed, but it will get by as long as you keep replacing the fluids and electrolytes lost in the diarrhea, Garry stresses. Electrolytes are minerals capable of separating into positive and negative ions to carry electrical impulses. The body normally keeps the ions in balance inside and outside of cells so body fluids, blood pressure, nerves and muscles function as they should. A good-quality electrolyte product for calves will include the two important electrolytes, chloride and potassium, along with sodium to help retain fluids. The alkalinizing agent to correct the acidosis can be either bicarbonate or acetate. Both effectively improve blood pH; however, acetate is preferred because it is a normal product of ruminant digestion and won’t disturb abomasal pH. Electrolyte products don’t contain all the nutrients a calf needs. Even high-energy electrolytes with glucose have only about

C a t t l e m e n · J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 7

half the amount of energy as whole milk. If a calf isn’t suckling the dam, provide two litres of milk per feeding spaced in between the electrolyte feedings. Always mix electrolyte powder with clean water as directed on the label, not with milk.

“ If you can’t catch a baby calf that has diarrhea, it probably isn’t sick and the problem will resolve on its own without treatment.” Dr. Frank Garry Department of Clinical Sciences, Colorado State University

Inflammatory enteritis

The outcome isn’t very rosy for baby calves with diarrhea due to inflammatory enteritis. This disease is caused by bacteria, the big three being salmonella, invasive types of E. coli, and clostridium. They strike calves as young as a few days old up to a month and are vicious because they attach to the gut and excrete endotoxins. “This is a whole different deal. They beat the dickens out of tissues, invade past the gut and kill calves in completely different ways. Once they break down the tissue barrier and get into the bloodstream they can go anywhere in the body — kidneys, liver, brain, lungs, muscles, joints,” Garry explains. These systemic infections can be worse than the gut infection itself and the body’s defences against the endotoxins create inflammation that can be as damaging as the bug itself.

Approximately 30 per cent of calves that are systemically ill have a condition known as septicemia because poison from endotoxins has spread throughout the body affecting multiple organs and causing widespread inflammation. The transfer of passive immunity has failed in most septicemic calves. The telling sign of bacterial inflammatory enteritis is a high fever rather than diarrhea. While some calves will show diarrhea, many get so sick so quickly they never develop diarrhea. Garry says the first effects on the gut are so profound the gut stops functioning altogether, causing a condition known as ileus. The abdomen descends as fluids build up in the gut because nothing is moving through. It’s not unusual to hear fluids sloshing around in the gut and a necropsy soon tells the tale as fluid pours out. A buildup of air (bloat) in the abomasum is a sure sign of clostridium. Calves with inflammatory enteritis may become somewhat dehydrated and acidotic if they have diarrhea or fluids gathering in the gut. The mucous membranes will be red and inflamed and blood vessels in the white of the eyeball will be bright red and bulging slightly as blood starts to pool due to the effects of bacterial toxins on blood flow. “You now have a distinction between dehydration signs and inflammatory disease signs. Electrolyte fluid therapy might help rehydrate and correct the acidosis in calves with bacterial enteritis, but because the gut isn’t working, it really is only useful if given intravenously to support cardiovascular function,” Garry explains. A case could be made for the use of an appropriate antibiotic, he says, but only if given by injection or intravenously. Again, oral antibiotics will do nothing more than set the calf back because they disturb the gut flora and function. An antibiotic will attack the bacteria to stop the release of endotoxins, but won’t counter the endotoxins themselves, nor the damage they’ve already done. Often, by the time you see this disease, antibiotic therapy will be ineffective from the get-go. It may save some, but not many. Injectable non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Banamine and meloxicam may be helpful insofar as reducing fever, pain and swelling caused by the inflammation, but they won’t treat the cause of the disease. There are no good trials with conclusive evidence to say that home remedies from the medicine cabinet and kitchen pantry are helpful. These are generally over-the-counter prepared and natural products people might take

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calving/health

for digestion-related problems. In short, it’s important to discuss these types of supportive therapies with your veterinarian because they can have negative side effects, especially in light of the fact that they are given orally when gut function is already disrupted. In summary, Garry says, “If a calf has simple scours with the main problems being diarrhea and dehydration and you treat it early when fluid loss is mild to moderate with good fluid therapy, you should see a very good response. If the response is poor and the calf is severely depressed and fevered with signs other than diarrhea, it’s best to call your veterinarian because you are in for a bad storm, probably not with a great outcome. You need to break the rampant infectious cycle or you won’t win with these calves.” Preventing the storm

Having good records on the numbers of calves that have been treated, with what, their ages, symptoms and outcomes may be all the information your veterinarian needs to pinpoint the most likely pathogen(s) involved, recommend effective treatments and offer a strategy to prevent a full-blown outbreak. Veterinarians might collect blood and/or fecal samples from sick calves to confirm the initial diagnosis. When calves are dying, necropsies are the most valuable diagnostic step. If it’s not feasible to have a veterinarian necropsy calves all the time, ask him or her to teach you the basics. It’s a simple, straightforward procedure on a baby calf that only takes 15 minutes, Garry adds. Prevention is a balancing act between minimizing exposure and maximizing resistance. Maximizing resistance starts long before calving with proper vaccinations and nutrition for the cows to ensure healthy calves and adequate colostrum for effective transfer of passive immunity. Scours vaccines for immunizing cows and heifers during the last trimester do a good job of boosting antibodies in the colostrum against some viruses and bacteria. Their effectiveness really comes down to the dam’s ability to produce quality colostrum and the calf’s ability to consume enough of it within the first few hours of life. “What prevents simple scours and enteritis is proper hygiene,” Garry stresses. The proof is in several very good studies showing that scours rarely occurs during the first two to three weeks of a calving season because it takes time for the pathogen load in the environment to build to the point where potentially deadly infections become inevitable. The Sandhills calving system, so named www.canadiancattlemen.ca

because it was formally described by researchers at Nebraska-Lincoln University, combines two important elements of prevention: calving in areas without manure buildup and separating pairs according to the age of the calves. Cows stay put in the pasture or corral where they calve and every week those that haven’t calved are moved to clean ground. The number and sizes of the pastures or corrals and frequency of the moves can be adapted to your herd size and resources, always keeping

in mind the general idea of grouping calves of roughly the same age to prevent older infective calves from passing the pathogens to younger susceptible calves. Pairs can be regrouped after the youngest calf in the groups to be commingled is four weeks old. The long-standing recommendation to calve heifers apart from cows still holds because heifers’ calves are most at risk of getting sick. For more on the Sandhills calving system visit http://beef.unl.edu/ beefreports/symp-2007-17-xx.shtml. c

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The Ranch where performance is no accident! C a t t l e m e n · J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 7

 vet aDvi c e

calving season:

the tipping point for success in beef operations

alving season is the time when most calves die. Surveys show that mortality in beef herds from birth to weaning ranges from three to seven per cent. A realistic goal for calf survival from birth to weaning is 97 per cent (Dr. Kris Ringwall, beef extension specialist, North Dakota State University). The goal can only be achieved with a trouble-free calving season and that calls for producer attention to key elements associated with survival of newborn calves. The first is colostrum intake. Calves come into the world from a sterile environment. The dam supplies warmth, nutrition and protection against disease before birth. Calves are born essentially devoid of antibodies. During a calf’s first 24 hours of life, antibodies from antibody-rich colostrum are absorbed through the wall of the small intestine to circulate in the animal’s bloodstream to help fight infections during the first few weeks of life. Without colostrum, calves do not thrive, an effect that extends all the way to weaning and beyond. Approximately 35 per cent of ingested immunoglobulins (antibody components) are absorbed when calves are fed colostrum immediately after birth. The rate of absorption declines to less than five per cent over the next 24 hours. Calves should receive at least five per cent of their birth weight in colostrum before they are 12 hours old (1.8 to two litres for a 34 kg calf). Ensuring every calf receives three litres of high-quality colostrum within several hours of birth is a golden rule for disease prevention in well-managed herds. The quality of colostrum is affected by nutrition of the dam and vaccines. Vaccines administered to pregnant cows and heifers during the last three months of pregnancy stimulate antibody production in colostrum. Colostrum substitutes containing protective antibodies are a good second choice when fresh colostrum is unavailable. Discuss vaccine choices, quality and availability with a veterinarian. Protecting the newborn calf from weather extremes becomes a critical consideration. Cold is the enemy and cold stress (hypothermia) remains a leading cause of

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death. The newborn possess a limited ability to regulate body temperature and is very susceptible to cold. The cold-stressed or hypothermic calf is not thrifty and survival in cold, wet, muddy conditions can be severely compromised. Bedding and shelter are important. Severe hypothermia results when body temperature drops below 35 C (94 F). Blood is shunted away from extremities, manifested by cold and pale nostrils and hooves. Calves shiver to keep warm. Decreased peripheral circulation results in a buildup of acid metabolites (waste products) in the muscles of extremities. Shivering progresses to muscle rigidity. Pulse and respiration are reduced as body core temperature falls. Consciousness deteriorates. Below 30 C (86 F) signs of life are difficult to detect. A rectal thermometer helps determine the degree of hypothermia. Often, calves do not appear hypothermic, but rectal temperatures tell another story. Returning a hypothermic calf ’s core body temperature to normal (38 C, or 100 F) is first priority. Dystocia (slow births) and hypoxia (lack of oxygen) create calves that fail to dry off, fail to nurse and become hypoxic. Floorboard heaters of pickup trucks, warm water baths, a portable heater, or placing the calf under a heat lamp, are all warming methods used over the years. Feeding the hypothermic calf warm colostrum as soon as possible speeds recovery. Body condition of the dam needs to be closely monitored. Calf health begins at conception, where dam nutrition is of utmost importance. Shorting the cow nutritionally during any of the 283 days of gestation has a negative impact on the developing fetus and increases the risk of disease after birth. Mature cows should calve with a body condition score of 2.5 to 3.0 and heifers 3.0 to 3.5. Thin cows produce lower-quality colostrum, less vigorous calves, and do not return to heat as quickly. Thin cows wean lighter calves. The nutrient demands associated with lactation make it difficult and expensive to add body condition after calving. Controlling disease during calving season is about controlling the interplay between disease, host and the environment. A few principles:

1. Calves from heifers face a greater risk of getting sick. Heifers produce smaller amounts of lower-quality colostrum. As well, heifers have poorer mothering skills and are more likely to experience calving difficulty. Deal with heifers at the start of the calving season when things are the cleanest and the least harried. 2. Consider the calving grounds a controlled environment. Limit overcrowding, cold and dampness — things that affect disease resistance. The risk of developing disease remains a function of challenge (dose of pathogens) and the length of exposure. Crowded conditions increase the risk of disease on both counts. Often overlooked is how the risk of disease increases as calving season progresses. The number of pathogens shed into the environment by cows increases exponentially during the calving season. Sick calves become additional multipliers to the countless billions of infectious organisms. Calves born later in the calving season are exposed to higher levels of pathogens. Things like the Nebraska Sand Hills Calving System offer a basic, yet important management option. 3. Follow a rule of thumb: Start clean; stay clean. Biosecurity in a sewer isn’t achievable. Follow basic rules of sanitation when treating sick calves. Use disposable gloves. Wash hands frequently. Disinfect boots and change clothes often. Leave treating sick calves until after you have handled healthy ones — never before. Disinfect all balling guns or esophageal feeders after treating sick calves. Have a number of simple hand-washing and disinfection stations around the calving area with a few jugs of warm water, disinfectant soap and several cheap coolers to keep things from freezing. A few simple rules and a dash of imagination means those in charge of the calving barn solve problems rather than create them. c Dr. Ron Clarke prepares this column on behalf of the Western Canadian Association of Bovine Practitioners. Suggestions for future articles can be sent to Canadian Cattlemen (gren@fbcpublishing.com) or WCABP (info@wcabp.com).

www.canadiancattlemen.ca

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 Calving/ Equ i p me nt

By Roy Lewis, DVM

Extra equipment for your calving kit

ust as a good mechanic has specific tools for specific jobs you too need specialized equipment during calving season. Each piece should be clean, disinfected and accessible when calving, and a little practice with this equipment beforehand is always beneficial. You may not need these particular tools often, but when you do they can save a life, or simply make the job easier for you, and the cow. A head snare can be an irreplaceable necessity for the experienced cattleman who has to deal with a head-back delivery. The snare is gently slipped around the ears and into the mouth. It has a bit plate to go up against the teeth. Then insert your calving handle into the loop islet hole. You should never pull with more force than you

can generate with one arm to gently draw the head back into the correct position. This snare can be left in place to keep the head straight as the calf is being delivered. After the calf is out, disinfect, dry and hang the snare in such a way as to maintain its looped shape, close to your calving area so it’s readily available when you need it most. Remember you must get it over both ears. Never try to wrap binder twine around the lower jaw. A sideways pull can easily break the jaw. It’s possible to pull the head around by placing your thumb and middle finger gently on the inside of the eye sockets. There are also tools for this but my own feeling is you would be wise to leave this type of manoeuvre in the experienced hands of your veterinarian. Choose your calving handles wisely.

There are many on the market but some let the chain links slip off too easily or the links lock in position and are hard to shake loose. I’ve also seen chains with abrasive or very weak links that break too easily. The bottom line is you get what you pay for. Whatever chain you choose, always doublechain the calf’s front legs to spread out the force and avoid breaking the legs as you pull. A broken leg from a pull is a crushing injury and carries a more guarded prognosis than a clean break where the cow simply steps on her calf. Veterinarians will attempt to cast all of them, but it’s better to avoid them in the first place if we can. Good handles and chains will make life easier. It’s also a good idea to keep a spare set around just in case. They can get lost quite easily in the straw and one does not want to be without when you need them.

 extra equ i p me n t

C a t t l e m e n · J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 7

www.canadiancattlemen.ca

calving/equipment

You can never have enough of the proper lubricant. What you want is sterile jelly that comes by the gallon. It keeps friction to a minimum and can really reduce the stress of a difficult birth. This is particularly critical with a delayed birth where there is a lot of meconium staining and the calf and cow’s vagina are dry. I highly recommend avoiding powdered lubricants. If a caesarian becomes necessary this type of lubricant can be damaging to the abdomen of the cow if any leaks in during the operation. Pay for a good lubricant and/or surgical soap and use it copiously to minimize contamination and make your job easier. Situations like mixed-up twins, malpresentations such as breech births, heavily meconium-stained calves and torsions can result in an easy delivery but a calf that is oxygen deprived. Timely resuscitation techniques with the right equipment, such as oxygen and a mask, can save lives in these cases. In the case of twins, if you lose the first one, you may still get lucky and save the second. Pulling a backwards calf is another situation where this equipment should be on hand. As soon as the tail head passes the vulval lips of the cow the calf needs to be extracted fairly rapidly at that point, before the calf tries to take its first breath and inhales amniotic fluid. You might also want to buy yourself a good calving suit for Christmas. It will keep you dry, protect the cow and is easy to clean and disinfect. Use good clean water to clean up the cow and be sure to clean your calving suit after each use. We used to order in the calving suit the veterinarians used for producers as there are many different styles from one-piece to two-piece but all serve the purpose. It only takes a few minutes to wash them down but it is worth it. Keep the sleeves up with elastics, clamps, hemotats or wear them under the cuffed arms of the calving suit. Choosing the proper obstetrical sleeves, believe it or not, is also worthy of some careful consideration. You can get great feel with the very thin one-time-use obstetrical sleeves one often gets from the AI companies but they are not strong enough for most calvings. You need sleeves that give the maximum feel, fit snugly around your hand and are long enough. Vet clinics often carry several types. There are now good pink OB sleeves that fit a woman’s smaller hands. We used light brown OB sleeves that were strong, fit well and had an extra-long arm length. You may www.canadiancattlemen.ca

need to try several but avoid the poor sleeves that are no better for examining a fetus than a bread bag or silage-bag plastic. Pay the extra money. They will make your job easier and, with lots of lubricant, be easier on the cow. Remember to be gentle when examining these calving mothers as we are already, by what we are doing, setting them up for next year. Never examine a cow with your bare

arm. Being unclean, not using enough lube, pulling too quickly and being rough during the vaginal exam can all lead to a late or open cow next year. Be careful, work with the cow, and try to bring that calf into as stress free an environment as possible. c Roy Lewis is an Alberta-based veterinarian specializing in large-animal practice. He is also a part-time technical services vet for Merck Animal Health.

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 prime cuts

By Steve Kay

A year of green grass and more

nother year has begun and expectations on both sides of the border are for a decent year. Cow-calf producers hope for a mild winter but enough snow to produce a lot of green grass this spring and a good calving season. Cattle feeders hope to see more feeder cattle and a more stable live cattle market. That’s likely to occur in the U.S. But numbers in Canada will remain tight due to lack of growth in the beef herd. U.S. producers are still adjusting to the dramatic decline in prices for calves and feeder cattle from their record highs in late 2014. Those price levels were unsustainable but few people could have foreseen that prices at the end of last November would be down 25 to 30 per cent from a year ago. The loss of margin for producers has surely put the brakes on herd expansion although numbers are expected to increase slightly again this year. The aggressive herd expansion of the past three years means cattle feeders and beef processors have larger numbers to work with. This so far has not helped cattle feeding margins but it meant record large operating margins for packers last fall. Perhaps more important, larger beef production has meant beef is far more affordable for Americans than for several years. Beef has become the meat of choice again because more people can afford it. This will be true again this year as the industry will produce more beef than in 2016, which saw a hefty increase from 2015. The same will be true for pork and poultry processors. USDA currently forecasts that total U.S. red meat and poultry supplies in 2017 will be up three per cent from 2016’s total, which was also up three per cent from 2015. The biggest percentage increase will be in beef. USDA forecasts that production will be 26.160 billion pounds, up 4.4 per cent on last year’s expected 25.055 billion pounds (up 5.7 per cent from 2015). Total red meat and poultry production will be 100.430 billion pounds, versus last year’s 97.513 billion pounds. The big story for beef is that aggressive

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rebuilding by producers of their beef cow herds since 2014 has meant more cattle for processing and a lot more beef produced. USDA’s projected 2017 beef total will be nearly 2.5 billion pounds more than the 2015 total. Last year’s increased production lowered wholesale beef prices significantly. This allowed retailers to reduce their everyday prices and feature beef more aggressively than for at least seven years. Americans responded and rediscovered their love of a good steak. The beef merchandising story of last year was the way retailers aggressively featured steak items all year, not just in the grilling season.

January 17 – 19

Manitoba Ag Days Brandon, MB

March 4

Davidson Gelbvieh & Lonesome Dove 27th Annual Bull Sale at the Ranch, Ponteix, SK March 6

Severtson Land & Cattle Bull Sale

Beef has become the meat of choice again because more people can afford it

at the Ranch, Red Deer County, AB March 7

Gelbvieh Stock Exchange Sale Medicine Hat Feeding Company, Medicine Hat, AB March 10

Gelbvieh Advantage Bull Sale However, beef still has to compete with much cheaper pork and chicken. Their production increases last year were much less than beef ’s. But a slight increase made them even more affordable to consumers. That was important, as many Americans still can’t afford to eat beef except on special occasions. A snapshot of last October’s retail prices shows the price relationship of the three proteins. USDA’s All Beef price for the month averaged US$5.58 per pound, down 7.6 per cent on a year earlier. Pork averaged US$3.74 per pound, down 5.8 per cent, and chicken averaged US$1.89 per pound, down 4.1 per cent. With an increase in all proteins in 2017, Americans will enjoy even lower prices. Both the Canadian and U.S. industries will also rely heavily on beef exports this year. Here, Canada has an edge, as it is already sending beef to China. The U.S. industry is hoping its own exports to China will start very soon. c

Innisfail Auction Mart, Innisfail, AB March 11

Foursquare 10th Annual Bull Sale Olds Cow Palace, Olds, AB March 13

Twin Bridge Farms & Guests Bull Sale

Silver Sage Community Corral, Brooks, AB March 15

Fladeland Livestock Bull Sale Johnstone Auction Mart, Moose Jaw, SK March 18

Saskatoon Gelbvieh Bull Sale Saskatoon, SK April 1

Lundar Bull Sale

Lundar Agri-Ed Centre, Lundar, MB

A North American view of the meat industry. Steve Kay is publisher and editor of Cattle Buyers Weekly.

www.canadiancattlemen.ca

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 Free Mar k et R e flect i o n s

By Steve Dittmer

The Attempted Resurrection of a Horrible Idea

s is often true with proposed regulation, it helps to consider the source in evaluating the origin, impetus and motivation. With the attempted resurrection of then GIPSA administrator J. Dudley Butler’s so-called “GIPSA Rule,” the cast of proponents is very similar to mCOOL, with which Canadians are all too familiar. R-CALF, the Organization for Competitive Markets and National Farmers Union were prominent in both sagas. GIPSA is the Grain Inspection, Packers & Stockyard Administration, a division of USDA responsible for regulating grain and livestock markets. Early in President Obama’s administration, Butler and these groups felt their moment in history had arrived, their golden opportunity to rein in the power of the major packers, to get the livestock business back to an open auction process at both feeder and slaughter level, to overhaul the poultry production system and open the legal gates by changing the basis for all lawsuits involving marketing livestock. Failing in 2010, they are trying again. I won’t delve into the poultry issues. While it may not be perfect, the system in place has worked for decades, many poultry producers have prospered and claim their operations would be unprofitable without the chicken production contracts. Further, if the system was as cataclysmically flawed as attackers claim, the poultry processors would have run out of producers and chickens years ago. At this point we still don’t know what the proposed regulations for beef are under the proposed GIPSA rule that has been developed in secret, without producer input. The 2010 proposed rule was debated literally from coast to coast in hearings and meetings. The concern of free market producers was that the rule would have disassembled the livestock marketing system U.S. producers, packers, retailers and foodservice operators have painstakingly built over the last 30 years, based on carcass value. The Farm Bill of 2008 directed USDA to clarify the definitions of “unfair,” “unrea-

C a t t l e m e n · J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 7

sonable” or “undue prejudice” as written into the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921 (P&SA), in response to claims by groups that packers had unfair marketing and pricing power and the government must step in. Never mind that P&SA regulations and practice regarding unfair and deceptive had been thrashed out and were well known for nearly 100 years. In 2010, despite its charge to define the terms like “unfair” and “unreasonable,” USDA was evidently unable to do so by text. Instead, it proposed prohibiting the very basis of beef quality improvement over the last 30 years, forbidding packers to pay premiums for higher-quality cattle. That was termed “discriminatory” and provided “undue preference.” That rule would have forced the industry back to buying cattle “on the average,” just like when treating cattle and carcasses as commodities was driving the industry to ruin. The whole system of premiums and discounts, alliances and branded beef, based on providing what consumers wanted, had been painstakingly hammered out since the mid-’80s, when American consumers rated one in four steaks as unpalatable. From within the industry, the current GIPSA rule proponents are the same types who oppose selling on a carcass basis, grids and contracts, source and verification selling, beef alliances, branded programs, and oppose identification programs. They do not like the intensive management these programs entail. They do not want to be paid on the performance of livestock meeting consumer desires versus “run ’em in the ring and bid on them.” They distrust objective methods of evaluating livestock for the consumer market and distrust those who do the measuring, i.e. packers. They wish to continue to produce cattle while dodging the requirements and results of a more efficient, more demanding production protocol designed to provide what the consumer wants. Their primary goal is protecting producers. Putting consumers first is not their priority. While we all are concerned by the dropping number of livestock produc-

ers, veering away from producing what the consumer wants is the fastest way to lose even more. It has taken over 30 years for us to get beyond the inconsistent, unpredictable reputation U.S. beef had for tenderness and flavour, to today’s reputation for much higher quality and consistency. Additionally, the varied lines of production beyond mainstream — natural, organic, grass fed, etc. — would not be possible without the higher level of management and contracting needed to guarantee those promised characteristics. Without premiums, these higher-cost programs don’t exist. The other provision would have made it easier to sue a packer for competitive injury. It is established U.S. legal precedent that a plaintiff must be able to show injury in order to sue a corporation, like a packer. The 2010 GIPSA rule would have removed that requirement, opening the door to an avalanche of lawsuits against packers. Agribusiness Freedom Foundation taped Butler’s 2009 speech in which he explained: “We’re looking at it from the standpoint of Section 202 (a) and (b). When you have a term like “unfair” or “unreasonable” or “undue prejudice,” that’s a lawyer’s dream, a plaintiff lawyer’s dream. We can get in front of a jury on that, we don’t get thrown out on what we call summary judgment ’cause that’s a jury question.” What Butler was describing as a plaintiffs lawyer’s dream still exists in the law, and as a plaintiff ’s attorney, he made sure NOT to limit them in his rule. Fortunately, Congress kept that rule from being implemented with a rider on appropriation bills through 2015. We must hope this new rule, which may be published before Christmas, does not remove the requirement to show injury. That would remove the barrier that has kept packer lawsuits from burying the courts, and possibly the beef industry. c Steve Dittmer is the CEO of Agribusiness Freedom Foundation, a non-profit group promoting free market principles throughout the food chain. He can be reached at steve@agfreedom.ag.

www.canadiancattlemen.ca

23rd Annual Bull Sale

Saturday, March 4, 2017- 1:00 pm

At the Ranch, Carievale, SK (heated sales arena)

180 Bulls Sell Red & Red Blaze Simmental Bulls

Herd Bulls Designed by Ranchers for Ranchers • All bulls born, bred & developed right here at MRL • Large sire groups 1/2 and 3/4 brothers Penfulls of uniform bulls in every category • Sight Unseen Buyer’s Program (Can’t make it sale day, give us a call. Almost 25% of our bulls sell SUS. Quality in Quanity and 95% go Many repeat customers year after year.) Commercial Cowb oys. • Semen evaluated and guaranteed • Free Delivery in Western Canada. Cost sharing to the East (Our trailer is most likely going right past your gate.) • Sound rugged Bulls developed on a high roughage ration (Born, bred and fed to work and stay working) • Extra age bulls ready to cover some ground. Offering 50 May/June coming Two Year Olds and January/February born yearlings. • Genetically engineered to excel for the commercial cattleman. Calving ease, performance and packed full of maternal traits.

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Polled Yearlings Coming Two Year Olds

• Affordable Bulls • to Black & Black Blaze 50 Polled Yearlings Polled Simmental Bulls 20 Coming Two Year Olds

“THE BULL BUSINESS” IS WHAT WE DO! Supplying Quality Herdbulls to progressive Cattlemen for 40 years! For over 40 years we have been committed to and focused on providing herd bulls that will excel for commercial cowboys. Over the years we have listened to our customers to provide herd bulls that work in today’s industry under real world ranching conditions. Our breeding program isn’t influenced by the showring or the flavour of the month but rather genetics that work for everyday cattlemen who make their living in the cow business. Herd bulls that will sire calves with moderate birth weights, explosive growth, structural soundness with eye appeal and packed full of maternal power. Extra age bulls Jan/Feb born yearlings and check out the large group of May/June coming two year olds for 2017. Sound, rugged herd bulls that will cover some ground. No fluff, no puff. The top 170 bulls from our highly regarded cowherd of almost 700 mother cows and the most elite herd bulls in the business. Come see for yourself what keeps the commercial cowboys coming back year after year. Give us a call, text or email for a full color catalogue and bull video.

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Red & Black Angus Bulls

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12/15/2016 9:09:03 AM

BUILDING TRUST IN CANADIAN BEEF

Animal care checklist for VBP+ Anchors producer actions and industry preparedness

When the Verified Beef Production (VBP) program was set up by producers as the on-farm food safety program for Canadian beef, it was a leader in many ways. As an easy reminder it included a simple-to-understand checklist of expected outcomes. These defined industry management fundamentals in beef on-farm food safety. When the program was expanded and rebranded as VBP+ in 2016 to include modules for animal care, environment and bio security, checklists were expanded. They also became even more important. The checklist, set up for each standard operating procedure (SOP), helps set the language and expectations of sustainability in the beef nation. Checklist fundamentals

Today’s beef world is focused on sustainability, consumer trust and social license as never before. Checklists outline your responsibility as a producer and build language to communicate with your team, your industry and your public. Here is the most powerful statement of commitment that we can make as producers about the care of our animals. Clear communications. We will use this knowledge as a guide for our own production, to communicate with and mentor our teams and build a safe, productive work environment. And we will use this knowledge to support our industry image. Watch drug withdrawal, manage broken needles. Managing drugs properly and handling incidences of broken needles have

become a highly visible part of consumer trust. Cattle will only be shipped after meeting the withdrawal period for animal health products. And animals with broken needles will be identified and managed properly. Follow the code. The Beef Code of Practice sets out clear animal care requirements. We will follow this code and work with a veterinarian where necessary to build approaches and techniques that ensure we are handling animals properly. Euthanasia and timely culling. Nonambulatory cattle will be managed according to clearly established industry protocols. A big part of that is timely culling, especially cull cows. Responsible shipping decisions. Cattle transport is one of the most visible aspects of the beef industry. How animals are treated during transport is one of its major challenges. We will manage transport responsibly. Feed and water. Providing essential feed and water is the most fundamental aspect of animal care. We will be responsible for our

animals’ well-being and advocate for others in our industry to act responsibly as well. Checking cattle. We understand checking on animals and knowing what to do if they need help is a basic expectation of a beef manager today. Quiet handling. The benefits of gentle, well-designed animal handling have been proven. We will manage accordingly. Feedyard expectations. Feedyards have a special need to deal with bullers, pregnant cattle, and step-wise rations. Complete checklist online

The complete checklist for SOPs in all four VBP+ modules is available online. It is the most complete overview of expectations for a sustainable beef industry. It is available free of charge to anyone interested. However, producers will get the most value from these by participating in VBP+. Find information on the program, how to participate and your provincial contact point on the program website.

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 straigh t f ro m t h e h i p

By Brenda Schoepp

A Global Approach to Research

or many years our industry had yearned in the research world for what was called a systems approach: the transparent collection or series of projects toward an end with a strong tech transfer component. And now at the University of Calgary we have in motion the College of Discovery, Creativity and Innovation (CDCI) which exceeds our systems thinking. Global in perspective, the CDCI offers a platform for discussion, discovery and research that attracts students from every discipline who will seek solutions to a set of questions that are presented to them. The first question of “How to feed nine billion” is already in motion and the global challenges course is set out for first year students. At the helm is Dr. Jay Cross, founding director for the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute for Child and Maternal Health, and who is known to folks in our industry as associate dean (research) of the faculty of veterinary medicine and as the chair of the management advisory board, Livestock Gentec in Alberta. His vision reaches far beyond the gates of the bull pen and looks at the synergy in research when we consider all the elements including economic, historical, artistic, philosophical, cultural, spiritual and, of course, scientific. How does this approach differ from traditional ways of research and why is this so important to cattlemen and our future generations? I must say that my first impression is that it gets us out of the alley mentality where we look down in a straight line to an end. As we know, on the road of life things change, and without a platform for discovery along that pathway, it is hard to colour outside the lines. Last month in this column we talked about cattle and beef production, consumption and price and the importance of beef in terms of nutrient density. Traditionally, one scientist would look at nutrients, another at production in global spaces, another at infrastructure, one at processing, a team on genetics and maybe one at consumer trends, and this research would be conducted in isolation and kept in their respective departments. If we asked the question: “How do we increase nutrient dense beef intake in the global diet?” as a subset to the overarching challenge of feeding nine billion, and let the students of CDCI feed into that then we have created an energy. Let’s take a peek at the possible. From a spiritual perspective there are cultures that find specific bovines sacred and the challenge then leads to finding an alternate protein for that culture, area, climate, infrastructure, economy, etc. The further we are from refrigeration, one might question the stability of beef as a nutrient and that leads to questions on economic stability, accessibility or political unrest, and if beef is not eaten there then perhaps there is a historical context as well. The

C a t t l e m e n · J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 7

solutions may lie in production, political reform, a small but important infrastructure change, access to shelf-life technology or strategic centres of knowledge. Maybe the outcome is that we don’t need to increase beef consumption in some areas because camels and goats thrive and the culture does not desire the change. Perhaps our assumption needs to shift because of tribal warfare or simple antagonism between governments. In our culture, First-World problems with beef may centre around animal welfare and human rights, or the anxiety of overabundance. It might be emotional in context or driven by information impulses. Perhaps there is an artistic resonance here as we hunger for cultural experience. Until the question is asked and researched in a multidisciplinary environment without boundaries, we will always only know — what we know. If you are wondering why this gets my engine running, it is because I spent several decades on the other side of the table as the funder. We wanted a structure that was longer in term, collaborative, transparent and solutionsbased but funding requirements would not allow for young bright scientists to fully stretch. Now that we have CDCI — think of the possible! If it all seems too complex for the beef industry, I would gently remind you that more than 98 per cent of the cattle in the world do not reside in Canada and yet we are an exporter, so our ranches and our feedyards are deeply influenced by global events. With such a high dependence on one trading partner, we can look to the day of a fulsome discussion on alternatives and perhaps what beef needs to look like. What is the industry role in the challenge of feeding nine billion? I would offer that that is a good beginning to some creative dialogue. Embedded in the CDCI program is the most exciting part of all and that is the empowerment of youth. When I asked Dr. Cross, who is known for his ability to inspire and is passionate about igniting the next generation of innovators, he said: “My goal is to allow students to maintain their broad, in-depth thinking in an environment which encourages them to be creative and recognize that it takes all kinds of people to address difficult challenges. By engaging students in that way, hopefully it may change their perspective on what education is.” Students will be exposed to lectures and mentoring from industry as well as academia and at the end will pitch their collective solutions. As CDCI approaches research from a global perspective we can be proud that such a creative platform resides in Canada. The beef industry along with a multitude of others, has the opportunity to engage in multidisciplinary solutions-based thinking to questions that affect us all. c Contact Brenda through her website: www.brendaschoepp.com. All rights reserved. Brenda Schoepp 2017

www.canadiancattlemen.ca

Earthquake

Full Fleckvieh (s) Colossal (ds) Solway Adonis

National Treasure

Full Fleckvieh (S) Mazorotti (ds) Mr Gibbs

 CCA repo rts

By Dan Darling

Preparing for change

s the January 20 inauguration of president-elect Donald Trump approaches, the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) is also preparing for the transition. We have worked hard over the years to build strong relationships with American industry and government officials and we will continue to do so. One of the early questions is obviously related to the future of trade agreements and whether Trump will prefer for the U.S. to be the hub of several bilateral agreements instead of a participant in regional and multilateral agreements. The CCA’s intention is to ensure that the interests of Canadian beef producers are advanced regardless of what cards are dealt. As Trump and his transition team work through the process of developing their policies and selecting cabinet and sub-cabinet appointees, we have already addressed a potential issue for the beef industry. Following media reports that the transition team had included reinstatement of country-oforigin labelling (COOL) as an objective, the CCA leveraged relationships with allies who effectively explained to the Trump transition team why COOL is bad policy for the U.S., and it has been deleted from the Trump trade policy plan. This outcome demonstrates the value of the CCA maintaining its relationships in Washington, D.C., and throughout the U.S. with our U.S. allies. As we continue to monitor the situation, the CCA is taking every opportunity to reinforce the importance of Canada retaining its right to impose retaliatory tariffs if the U.S. reintroduces COOL in a manner that causes renewed discrimination against imported livestock. In December, Fawn Jackson CCA manager, environment and sustainability, and environment committee chair Bob Lowe shared the beef industry’s perspective on sustainability, environment and climate change with Government of Canada policy makers. Jackson presented to the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans, where she discussed the shared value of ample, clean drinking water and the stewardship demonstrated by producers in protecting this important resource.

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Later Jackson, Lowe and the CCA Ottawa staff met with key Environment Canada and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada staff. Discussions focused on the results of the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB) sustainability assessment and strategy, the development of the CRSB verified sustainable beef framework, CCA climate change policy, and species at risk. They also participated in introductory discussions on the government’s milestone goal of developing a “Food Policy” by 2019. Overall the meetings were productive and there was clear support for the approach of the beef industry to proactively engage in sustainability. Our sense is that we are making headway in our objective of getting government to recognize agriculture as a part of the solution to its environment policy objectives. Ultimately, we need them to recognize the steps that have already been taken by the Canadian beef sector to be a global leader in this area and to reward further ongoing work. The CCA advocates the importance of government working in collaboration with Canada’s beef industry to achieve common environmental and economic targets. Working together to find solutions for species at risk on agricultural landscapes will help to maintain an economically viable beef industry and avoid regulations that limit the ability of Canadian cattle production to compete on a national and global scale. The CCA also advocates for the support of research and agri-environmental programs, believing that investing in research, innovation, and agri-environmental programming are some of the best investments to make. Regarding the national Agricultural Policy Framework’s (APF) environmental sustainability programming, the CCA encourages government to support ranchers’ conservation actions through funding and further developing ecological service and agri-environmental programs. Programs such as these promote natural resource conservation, improve the environmental health of Canada’s landscape and build resiliency

into the agriculture sector. These programs will be most successful if they are incentivebased, community delivered, and voluntary. The CCA has been actively engaged in the national APF consultations and will continue to collaborate in this policymaking process. The CCA’s overarching recommendations are that the programs under the next APF be finalized for a seamless roll out on April 1, 2018, and that program delivery is simplified and approval processes are more transparent and consistent. A high priority for the beef cattle sector is to ensure that the next APF enhances our competitiveness in both international markets and here in Canada. This will require a strong emphasis on research, science and innovation. Industry and government have a shared responsibility for research that contributes to the competitiveness, innovation and sustainability of the beef cattle industry. Research is integral to providing sciencebased information to support consumer confidence and to ensure that Canada’s beef industry is globally competitive and able to take advantage of current and emerging trade opportunities. One of the most successful programs under Growing Forward 2 is the Beef Science Cluster, and we feel strongly that it should be retained and expanded. It has encouraged increased industry investment in research and allowed the beef industry to fund a more comprehensive research portfolio in areas like animal health and care, environmental sustainability and anti microbial resistance. The CCA is working hard to keep beef cattle producers’ presence known on Parliament Hill with Ottawa staff hosting several Fly-In Days. To date the CCA has hosted Beef Farmers of Ontario, Alberta Beef Producers, Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association, and Maritime beef cattle producers from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island to build on this momentum and maintain it. c Dan Darling is president of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association.

www.canadiancattlemen.ca

12th Annual Family Day Bull Sale Canada’s largest selection of 2 year old Angus bulls.

Monday, February 20, 2017 1:00 p.m. at the farm at Athabasca, AB Lunch at 11:30 a.m.

SELLING: • 180 Red and Black Angus 2 Year Old Bulls

• A Strong Set of 200 Commercial Red & Black Angus Bred Heifers due to Start Calving May 1st

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C a t t l e m e n · J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 7

Letters

Another alternative to antibiotics

To Dr. Reynold Bergen: Thank you for your recent article on “Antibiotic alternatives for livestock producers” in the December issue of Canadian Cattlemen where you describe reasons to reduce antibiotic use in cattle and also comment on alternative therapies for treating bovine respiratory disease (BRD). As you concluded, these alternative solutions (including a range of animal health products) generally provide inconsistent results. While this is true for most antibiotic alternatives, I would like to draw your attention to Zelnate, a new immunostimulant recently launched by Bayer that does have scientific merit. Zelnate stimulates the innate immune system in cattle and is specifically indicated for use as an aid in the treatment of bovine respiratory disease due to Mannheimia haemolytica. In both challenge trials and feedlot studies Zelnate has consistently decreased morbidity, mortality and lung lesions associated with BRD; in some cases benefiting the feedlot with a net return of $34/calf. The first of these studies, “Efficacy and Safety of a Novel DNA Immunostimulant in Cattle” and “Effects of delayed respiratory viral vaccine and/or inclusion of an immunostimulant on feedlot health, performance, and carcass merits of auction-market derived feeder heifers” were recently published in Bovine Practitioner (Nickell, et al., 2016, Rogers, et al., 2016). Zelnate is now commercially available through veterinarians and Bayer is pleased to provide this effective, non-antibiotic solution to help Canadian producers combat bovine respiratory disease. For more information visit www.animalhealth.bayer.ca/en/cows/zelnate. References: Nickell, J., Keil, D., Settje, T., Lechtenberg, K., Singu, A., Woolums, A. (2016). Efficacy and Safety of a Novel DNA Immunostimulant in Cattle. Bovine Practitioner, Spring 2016. Rogers, K., Miles, D., Renter, J., Sears, J., Woodruff, L. (2016). Effects of delayed respiratory viral vaccine and/or inclusion of an immunostimulant on feedlot health, performance, and carcass merits of auction-market derived feeder heifers. Bovine Practitioner, Summer 2016. Rich Boisvert, BSc, DVM, Technical Services Veterinarian Bayer: Science For A Better Life Bergen replies: I am aware of Zelnate as well as some of the other immunostimulants that are on the market. I haven’t seen any independent peerreviewed studies on any of them, though. These products are still pretty new, so there’s still a need for independent validation. I have absolutely no doubt that they’ll be adopted pretty quickly if they work as well and cost-effectively as advertised. But sometimes a product’s performance under commercial field-ish conditions doesn’t quite reflect controlled experimental conditions, and field trials will suss that out. I’ve been told by some experts that some historical “alternatives” were essentially just vaccine adjuvants without an antigen; they have been marketed in the past and didn’t work any better than (or as well as) antimicrobials. I think these newer alternatives are being marketed as something to make antimicrobials more effective, rather than replacing antibiotics altogether. The point I was hoping to make in my article was that we already do have some alternatives (low stress weaning, vaccination, etc.) that can help reduce the need for antimicrobials, so we can already start taking (more) advantage of those until additional strategies and technologies come along and are demonstrated to be effective. c

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Untitled-1 1

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 TH E IN DUST RY

NewsRoundup Equipment

TEXT from Moocall: Cow 37 is calving By Debbie Furber

Canadian dealer Eric Fazakas, EF Ag Services.

The text message woke Vern Luther at Craik, Sask., in the wee hours. Jason Evashenko, about a half-hour north near Kenaston, received the exact same text a month later while out for a family supper. As inconvenient as the timing was, neither minded the interruption because it meant a new calf on the way. The producers were giving the Moocall calving sensor a test run for Canadian dealer Eric Fazakas, EF Ag Services, Regina. Moocall is a motion-sensing device designed to be secured high on the tail of a cow expected to calve sometime soon. The sensor detects the intensity of tail movements as labour progresses and the algorithm specially calibrated for cattle trig-

gers the notification by text and email after two hours of high activity. That’s generally about 30 to 60 minutes before calving is imminent, but could be two to three hours before a more difficult birth. A reminder is sent an hour after the first alert if tail activity continues. “It worked 100 per cent perfect and I didn’t have to recharge it once during the month I had it here,” says Luther, who had initially been concerned that the metal cladding on the barn might interfere with transmission of the signal to his cellphone. “That’s already 10 times better to me than a camera if I’m not awake to watch it or a cow gets into a blind spot.” He and his wife had been considering a remote camera system to monitor calving from their home in town when she came across the Moocall website and they took the idea to Fazakas.

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C a t t l e m e n · J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 7

www.canadiancattlemen.ca

N EWS ROUNDUP

Moocall comes to Canada from Ireland, where the idea of measuring tail movement to predict the onset of calving originated with a beef producer who is now a founding member of the company. By fall 2014, the company was pre-booking orders from farmers in the U.K., and Moocall was commercially launched from the online store in January 2015. Since then, more than 15,000 sensors have been sold to customers in 30 countries adding up to an estimated 120,000 calvings with owners on call. The sensor and signalling technology is embedded in a water-resistant housing with soft rubber pads (removable for cleaning) to cushion it snugly around the tail opposite the vulva. A couple of clicks of the ratchet tightener on the strap is enough to hold Moocall in place without causing irritation to the tail or triggering false alarms. Neither Luther nor Evashenko had problems with the unit popping off, slipping down or being too tight. The cows didn’t seem to be bothered by it in any way. As recommended by the company, Evashenko did remove the unit from one cow’s tail for a few hours after it had been in place for three days or so. “I saw she was twitching her tail and thought she was calving, but she didn’t. The device knew more than I did,” he says after Moocall sent the text message when she really was about to calve. Although both producers had only a few cows left to calve when given the opportunity to test Moocall, they say that the end and start of calving season are times when something like this would have a very good fit. Even during the busiest part of calving when they are out and about with the herd most of the day, lots of situations aside Continued on page 60

Why do I have to be there to deliver?

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News Roundup Continued from page 59

from nighttime calving come to mind when the bit of time it takes to slip a Moocall onto the tail would give peace of mind – going to the rink, a meeting, a community event, a family get-together, to help a neighbour, or for anyone who holds down an off-farm job. Fazakas says you’ll probably get by nicely with one sensor for 30 cows or more depending on your calving schedule and system. Each Moocall can be registered to connect with two phone numbers and three email addresses. The chip in the sensor connects with Moocall servers on whichever network is the strongest (in 190 countries), but you do need to be within range of a cellular network to receive the text alerts. A weak signal is often good enough because only basic data need to be transmitted. Moocall comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee and a oneyear warranty on the electronics. Spare exterior parts, such as the rubber pads, strap, charger and cord, are available if needed. One Moocall costs C$425 plus tax, which includes 12 months of service for the software, network connection and unlimited text notifications. After 12 months, the annual service charge is US$136 plus tax. Call Fazakas at 306-552-6949 or go to www.moocall.com for more information.

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www.canadiancattlemen.ca 12/8/16 9:45 PM

N EWS ROUN DUP

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For three days in early December Alberta Beef Producers’ (ABP) delegates debated resolutions passed at their district fall meetings related to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), carbon tax and sequestration, industry funding and collaboration, and electoral structure. “The resolutions that were carried will provide clear direction to ABP as we move into 2017,” said Rich Smith, ABP executive director. One resolution that came up through the district meetings called on the ABP to continue lobbying for some form of bridge financing to help the owners of herds under quarantine for TB in southeastern Alberta. By the time the delegates had a chance to support this motion, Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay and Alberta Minister Oneil Carlier had already promised federal/provincial AgriRecovery payments would be made available to help out the owners of quarantined herds in Alberta. By December 7, 26,000 head were under quarantine on approximately 50 premises, all in southeast Alberta except for five in southwest Saskatchewan. Delegations from Alberta, Saskatchewan and the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) had flown to Ottawa to testify to the seriousness of the situation before the House of Commons Standing Continued on page 62

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the short answer is, you don’t. With Beefbooster bulls, you select the traits for your herd. Our proven genetics lead to easier deliveries and fewer lost calves – as well as faster growth, higher carcass value and increased feed eﬃciency.

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12/6/07

News Roundup

11:09 AM

Page 1

Continued from page 61

Committee on Agriculture and any MP who would see them in the days leading up to the Alberta meeting. The government said compensation teams were meeting with eligible producers to expedite their claims. The program being fleshed out on the fly is to include funds for feeding and water infrastructure, feed, transportation, cleaning and disinfection, as well as interest on loans taken out due to the quarantine. Although it hardly required a vote the ABP also directed its board to continue lobbying the new NDP government to restore its non-refundable $2 provincial checkoff. They predictably voted down a second motion calling for the ABP to reject the $1.50 increase in the mandatory national checkoff until the provincial levy is once again made non-refundable. The producers also wanted to see 30 cents

of the national $1/head levy collected in Alberta directed to the Beef Cattle Research Council until such time as the national checkoff is raised to $2.50 per head. Canadian Beef Checkoff Agency general manager Melinda German said the higher checkoff could appear in some provinces as early as January or February, but most might not start up until April. Eight of the nine provincial cattle organizations have endorsed the plan, with Ontario the only holdout. Beef Farmers of Onario’s annual meeting is set for February 22-23. The rules and regulations governing the national checkoff are slightly different in each province and the national agency was still working on agreements with some of the provinces last month. In other votes the delegates supported establishing a provincial program to pay agriculture producers for carbon seques-

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Answer our survey — and have a go at winning one of our caps We have a goal to be the best beef cattle magazine in the business. But we need your help. If you could just fill in this survey and return it to me, you would be helping us set the future editorial direction for Canadian Cattlemen. All you have to do is tell me what you like about the magazine, and what you don’t like. There’s also some space for you to tell us what you would like to see in future issues. ClIp And EnCloSE youR MAIlIng lABEl. Each month, we will draw one name from all the surveys sent in and send that person a Cattlemen cap. It could be you!

MARKETPLACE

We’d appreciate it if you could tell us a little about yourself. It makes it easier for us to keep your main interests in focus  I’m ranching or farming Enterprise Total beef cattle Yearlings on feed/pasture Registered cows Fed cattle (sold yearly) Commercial cows Horses Calves on feed/pasture Other livestock

# of head

If not an owner/operator of a farm, are you:

 In agribusiness (bank, elevator, ag supplies, etc.)  Other (please specify)______________________ My approximate age is:  a) Under 35  b) 36 to 44  d) 55 to 64  e) 65 or over

5 – I always watch for it; let’s see more of it 4 – I regularly read it and like it 3 – I usually read it 2 – There are things I’d rather read 1 – I don’t want it; get rid of it Regular Columns

 I no longer take an active part in farming

 c) 45 to 54

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Regular Columns Straight from the Hip Prime Cuts CCA Reports

What do you think of: On a scale of 1 to 5, how do you and your family like these features?

News Roundup Purely Purebred 3

The Markets 1 Market Talk Sales and Events Special features Calving Issue (Jan.) Custom Feedlot Guide (Sep.) Stock Buyers’ Guide (Aug.) Animal Health Special (Sep.) Beef Watch (May & Nov.)

Comment 5 4 3 2 1 Newsmakers Letters Our History Nutrition Vet Advice Research Free Market Reflections What would you like to see? __________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ 1666 dublin Avenue How much time do you and your family spend reading Canadian Cattlemen?  Under 2 hours  Over 2 hours

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N EWS ROU NDU P

tration that occurs on their land; encourage the CCA to support the efforts of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association in lobbying the Chicago Mercantile Exchange to improve the transparency and responsiveness of the live and fed cattle futures markets. The newly elected 2017 board of directors are: Howard Bekkering, Vauxhall; Fred Lozeman, Claresholm; Chris Israelson, Didsbury; Tim Smith, Coronation; Kelly Fraser, Red Deer County; Tim Sekura, Rocky Rapids; Colin Campbell, Bon Accord; George L’Heureux, Lac La Biche; John McArthur, Fairview; Bob Lowe, Nanton; Roland Cailliau, Valleyview; Garth Porteous, Bow Island; Brad Osadczuk, Jenner; Ken Stanley, Westlock; Penny Patton, Westlock and Bryan Thiessen, Strathmore.

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 NEWS ABOUT YOU

By Mike Millar

PurelyPurebred n It was exciting to be at Canadian Western Agribition this year and see all the changes with old buildings coming down and new structures taking their place. This year’s RBC Beef Supreme Challenge was the last cattle show to be held in the stadium before she is torn down and replaced. With grand champion show winners coming from across Canada, it was quite a show to watch. Supreme Champion Female was DMM Blackbird 105A with her calf at side, DMM International 54D, exhibited by Miller Wilson Angus of Bashaw, Alta. This pair also won grand champion honours in the Black Angus class at Agribition as well as the Olds Fall Classic, Olds, Alta. The Supreme Champion bull ribbon went to EF Titan 545, exhibited by Enright Farms, Renfrew, Ont., and Cavanhill Farms. This Black Angus bull was named Grand Champion bull at this year’s Canadian Western Agribition and Supreme bull at Expo Boeuf at Victoriaville, Quebec. With 20 entries overall in the bull and female divisions, Black Angus enthusiasts had to be happy with their breed sweeping the 2016 RBC Beef Supreme Challenge. Congratulations to everybody who had cattle in the Supreme.

Email: mike.millar@ fbcpublishing.com

 Congratulations to Cedarlea Farms, Garner and Lori Deobald and family of Hodgeville, Sask., for being named Saskatchewan Charolais Association’s Purebred Breeder of the Year for 2016.

n The Canadian Angus Association its 2016 National Gold Show winners at Agribition. The 2016 Red Angus Show Bull of the Year receiving champion aggregate status is RED TER-RON HOT SHOT 10B, owned by Russell Coward of Swift Current, Sask., and Rob Adams and Terry Adams of Forestburg, Alta. Red Ter-Ron Hot Shot 10B was the 2015 reserve aggregate champion for Red Angus Show Bull of the Year and is a two-time Angus “All-Star” winner. The 2016 reserve aggregate champion for Red Angus Show Bull of the Year went to RED SHILOH DEFENDER 6D, owned by Shiloh Cattle Co. of Craigmyle, Alta. Runner-up aggregate champion for Red Angus Show Bull of the Year went to RED LAZY MC TRADITION 111C, owned by Nordal Farms of Bulyea, Sask., and Clinton Morasch of Bassano, Alta. The 2016 Red Angus Show Female of the Year receiving champion aggregate status is RED WILDMAN MISS STOCKY 420B, owned by CAA president elect Brett

Wildman of Sangudo, Alta., and Blairs.Ag Cattle Co. of Lanigan, Sask., and bull calf RED WILDMAN CIMARRON 605D, also owned by Brett Wildman. The reserve aggregate champion for Red Angus Show Female of the Year went to RED TER-RON DIAMOND MIST 26C, owned by Kasey Adams of Forestburg, Alta. Runner-up aggregate champion for Red Angus Show Female of the Year went to RED CINDER CHETA 93C, owned by Brynne Yoder of Barrhead, Alta. The 2016 Black Angus Show Bull of the Year receiving champion aggregate status is MAF FIRST IMPRESSION 4420, owned by Mogcks Angus Farms of Tripp, S.D. and Mick and Debbie Trefiak of Edgerton, Alta. The reserve aggregate champion for Black Angus Show Bull of the Year was awarded to BOSS LAKE BRILLIANCE 615, owned by Boss Lake Genetics of Stony Plain, Alta. Runner-up aggregate champion for Black Angus Show Bull of the Year went to EF TITAN 545, owned by Sean Enright and Barry Enright of Renfrew, Ont. The 2016 Black Angus Show Female of the Year receiving champion aggregate status is SC MICH ROSE 30X, owned by Katie Serhienko of Maymont, Sask., and heifer calf SC MICH ROSE 613D, also owned by Katie Serhienko.

C a t t l e m e n · J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 7

Suggestions are always welcome. My phone number is 306-251-0011

The reserve aggregate champion for Black Angus Show Female of the Year went to DMM BLACKBIRD 105A, owned by Lee and Dawn Wilson, Miller Wilson Angus, of Bashaw, Alta., with bull calf DMM INTERNATIONAL 54D, also owned by Lee and Dawn Wilson, Miller Wilson Angus. Runner-up aggregate champion for Black Angus Show Female of the Year went to ROYAL S PRIDE 42B, owned by Brianna Kimmel of Lloydminster, Alta., with heifer calf TWIST SHE’S A HEARTBREAKER 66d, also owned by Brianna Kimmel. The Canadian Angus Gold Show AllStar Team awards were also announced: In the Red Angus Bulls, Bull Calf Champion went to RED SHILOH DEFENDER 6D, owned by Shiloh Cattle Co. of Craigmyle, Alta.; Junior Champion went to RED LAZY MC TRADITION 111C, owned by Nordal Farms of Bulyea, Sask., and Clinton Morasch of Bassano, Alta.; and Senior Champion went to RED TER-RON HOT SHOT 10B, owned by Russell Coward of Swift Current, Sask., and Rob Adams and Terry Adams of Forestburg, Alta. Red Angus Female All-Star awards went to RED CINDER SUIJI LASS 52D, owned by Brad Yoder of Barrhead, Alta., as the Heifer Calf Champion; RED TER-

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RON DIAMOND MIST 26C, owned by Kasey Adams of Forestburg, Alta., as the Junior Champion (also the 2015 Heifer Calf Champion); and RED WILDMAN MISS STOCKY 420B, owned by Brett Wildman of Sangudo, Alta., and Blairs.Ag Cattle Co. of Lanigan, Sask., and her bull calf RED WILDMAN CIMARRON 605D, owned by Brett Wildman as the Senior Champion. In the Black Angus Bulls, Bull Calf Champion went to BOSS LAKE BRILLIANCE 615, owned by Boss Lake Genetics of Stony Plain, Alta.; Junior Champion went to EF TITAN 545, owned by Sean Enright and Barry Enright of Renfrew, Ont.; Senior Champion went to MAF FIRST IMPRESSION 4420, owned by Mogcks Angus Farms of Tripp, S.D., and Mick and Debbie Trefiak of Edgerton, Alta. Black Angus Female All-Star awards went to GREENWOOD BEAUTY JJP 23D, owned by Jayden and Jaxon Payne of Lloyd minster, Sask., and HLC BARBARA 776D, owned by Hollinger Land & Cattle of Neudorf, Sask., tied as the Heifer Calf Champion; REMITALL F TIBBIE 51C, owned by Remitall Farms Inc. of Olds, Alta., as the Junior Champion; and SC MICH ROSE 30X, owned by Katie Serhienko of Maymont, Sask., and heifer calf SC MICH ROSE 613D also owned by Serhienko as the Senior Champion. The Gold Show program was developed in 1989 by the Canadian Angus Association to provide an incentive for breeders to move between regions to show cattle. Gold Show winners are the animals that earn the highest number of points in three Gold Shows. n The Canadian Limousin Association announced their Masterfeeds Canadian Limousin Show Cattle of the Year at Canadian Western Agribition. The winners are: Show Bull of the Year: COTTAGE LAKE BIG STAR, owned by Boss Lake Genetics and Skull Creek Ranches. Show Female of the Year: GREENWOOD PLD ZOOM BLOOM, owned by Greenwood Limousin & Angus and Boss Lake Genetics. Show Sire of the Year: COLE ARCHITECT 08A, Canadian semen rights owned by Payne Livestock. Show Dam of the Year: GREENWOOD WISTERIA LANE, owned by Greenwood Limousin & Angus. n Saskatchewan Simmental Association named their 2016 Purebred Breeder of the Year: Dave and Krista Erixon of Erixon Simmentals, Clavet, Sask. Continued on page 66

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Profit- driven beef Bulls

PU R E LY PU R E B R E D

Genex Cooperative, Inc. IS PROUD TO SPONSOR THE COMMERCIAL CATTLE SALE RECEPTION AT CANADIAN WESTERN AGRIBITION

Visit our booth on the south wall of the Canada Centre East building

Genex Cooperative, Inc. 291 Woodlawn Road West, Guelph, ON cricanada@crinet.com CAN 888.354.4622 www.crinet.com

PU R E LY PU R E B R E D

Continued from page 65

Wheatland Royal Flush 435

DMM Blackbird 105A

n Well the results are in and it’s official at Champions Of The World.Net. The Simmental Champion of the world in the bull division is none other than Canada’s own Wheatland Royal Flush 435. Royal Flush owned by Wheatland Cattle Co. & JP Cattle Co. won gold with 9 points representing Canada. The silver went to the U.S. with six points and rounding off the medal division, the bronze went to Scotland with three points. Of particular interest was that three out of the four judges chose Canada for gold. Wheatland Royal Flush 435 was also a top-10 contender at Agribition’s RBC Beef Supreme Challenge. In the Angus female division, DMM Blackbird 105A a black Angus female from Miller Wilson Angus won Miss North America and gold with nine points, narrowly beating out another Canadian Red Angus entry at seven points. Bronze went to a Black Angus female from the U.S. at five points. n The Canadian Limousin Association (CLA) awarded the 2016 CLA Award of Distinction to two outstanding Limousin breeders this year. Bill Campbell and family of Campbell Land & Cattle, Minto, Man., were presented with the award during the National Limousin Show and Sale at the Brandon Ag Ex. Mary Hertz and family of Ivy Livestock, Duchess, Alta., were presented with the award during the Limousin show at Canadian Western Agribition.

C a t t l e m e n · J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 7

n Cattlemen’s Young Leaders: Roxanne Olynyk Mentor: Marty Seymour, Farm Credit Canada Olynyk is a designated professional with the account ing firm MNP LLP in Saskatoon specializing in the Roxanne Olynyk agriculture sector. In her practice she works with a variety of agricultural clients including grain farmers,dairies,feedlots, co-operatives, land owners and land renters with their financial statements, tax management, agriculture insurance programs, and audits, as well as exit and succession planning. Growing up on a purebred Red and Black Angus cattle farm, Olynyk is no stranger to the cattle industry. She was actively involved helping process the cattle and her family’s annual bull sales, as well as exhibiting her own cattle through her local 4-H club. She is a chartered professional accountant (CPA) and received her bachelor of business administration degree with distinction from the University of Regina. She feels the CYL program provides another avenue to stay involved in the industry and to contribute as an advocate. Becky Tees Mentor: Dr. Tom Smylie, Canadian Food Inspection Agency Tees was the fifth generation raised on her family’s commercial cow-calf Becky Tees operation in southeastern British Columbia. Growing up, she was involved in her local 4-H beef club as well as rodeo. Following her high school graduation, she moved to southern Alberta where she worked in the feedlot industry for a few years. Then, while her husband was on tour in Afghanistan with the Canadian military, she spent eight months working

on a cattle station in Queensland, Australia. Tees is currently in her third year at the University of Calgary’s doctor of veterinary medicine program. Additionally, she is the president of her school’s production animal health club and is active in several bovine veterinary medicine associations. She and her husband’s family have a small herd of purebred Red Angus cattle as well as a grain farm. Tees’s professional interests include feedlot, cow-calf, and equine medicine, agriculture policy development, and beef industry sustainability. Katie Songer Mentor: John Sullivan, Sullivan Supply, Sullivan Farms and Stock Show University Raised near Rocky Mountain House, Alta., Songer is the third genKatie Songer eration of her family to breed cattle in central Alberta. Established in 1951 with commercial cattle, Lucky Springs Farms became a purebred operation in the early 1970s, and is now owned and operated by her parents. Songer assists with the promotion of the cowherd, which currently comprises 100 head of purebred Herefords, Shorthorns and commercial club-calf producing females. Songer was heavily involved in the junior show circuit as a youth, where she participated in 4-H and junior breed associations. She has successfully exhibited cattle at many of the major shows across Canada and the U.S. She serves on the Steer Classic Committee at the Calgary Stampede, and continues to judge at junior and 4-H shows across the country. Songer is particularly passionate about livestock marketing, and she operates 5 Gallon Creative, a small studio aiming to bring cutting-edge design to the agriculture industry. She is also the owner and editor of Top Stock magazine, a quarterly publication serving showoriented cattle breeders of all breeds from across Canada. c

Bill Campbell and family presented with the 2016 CLA Award of Distinction.

Mary Hertz and family presented with the 2016 CLA Award of Distinction.

If you want to be part of the voting go online to www.champion-of-the-world.net. The Next Champion of the World competition starts on December 1, 2017.

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 Market Su mma ry

By Debbie McMillin

TheMarkets Fed Cattle

 DEB ’S OUTLOOK

Fed cattle prices have increased 16 per cent since early September to an average of $150.48/cwt by early December. The fed steer price is getting closer to year-ago levels of $160.31/cwt. Fundamentally tighter fed cattle supplies and reduced carcass weights have encouraged this price rally with support from the technical markets. Steer carcass weights at 935 lbs. are seven pounds lighter than the same week in 2015. Steer slaughter to date in 2016 is up six per cent at 1,380,475 head while heifer slaughter is five per cent larger at 719,270 head. Fed cattle exports are 50 per cent larger than a year ago, at 286,687 head. Locally, the tighter supply of fed cattle has led local packers to reach further to secure inventory, which has created a positive basis here in Canada. The current fed cattle cash-to-cash basis is +5.38/cwt, compared to near -6/cwt last year.

Feeder Cattle The feeder cattle market climbed steadily from the annual low at the end of October to the start of December, then leveled off to provide steady prices early in the month with 550-lb. feeders averaging $196.22/cwt, up 17 per cent from the October low, but still more than $52/cwt short of the average at this time last year. In recent weeks feeder volumes picked up as farmers wrapped up their fall work from an unseasonably late harvest and were able to focus on the higher prices being paid for their calf crop. Supplies of 850-lb. steers are limited this time of year and while prices did pick up quickly after the fall lows were set, they lost $4/cwt in early December to average $166.53/cwt. This was a 10 per cent improvement from the fall low but still $36/cwt under last year’s price. The 850-lb.feeder basis has moved into a positive position over the past two weeks at +0.25/cwt, compared to the five-year average for this time of year of -15.82/cwt.

Non-Fed Cattle D1,2 cows found a bottom of $81.64 the second week of November but climbed back to just under $90/cwt in early December, which is still $10.90/cwt less than last year, as Canadian packers look to fill a growing demand for grinding and trim meat. As a result Canadian cows are currently trading at a premium to U.S. canner cows. The premium plus the larger U.S. inventory pushed cow exports down three per cent year-todate to 187,329 head by the end of November. As a result domestic cow slaughter has increased in recent weeks but year-to-date is still running 15 per cent below last year at 318,021 head. Bull prices have gained some strength as well, averaging $101.31/cwt at the start of December, compared to $119.60/cwt last year. Local bull slaughter totals 9,733 head, up 71 per cent from a year ago, while bull exports are down 39 per cent at 50,389 head. c Debbie McMillin is a market analyst who ranches at Hanna, Alta.

Fed Cattle Canadian retail beef prices didn’t drop as fast as fed cash prices in 2016 so consumer demand will be an important factor to watch as we start 2017. Ample protein remains in the pipeline. Lower retail prices going forward would make beef more affordable to compete with the large supply of lower-priced pork at the grocery stores. Many factors point to a seasonally strong first quarter as prices should rally into the typical spring price high. Smaller placement numbers through the past six months should ensure a tight supply and more seller leverage in the first quarter, while on the technical side, strength in the first half of the 2017 live-cattle futures is also encouraging. Feeder Cattle Feeder cattle should move in a seasonal pattern in the first quarter of 2017, which means lighter weight calves should continue to see some improvement at the start of the year. In general, volumes of heavier-weight calves are light to start the year and the seasonal trend would be for prices to pick up early in the new year and struggle in the second quarter. Finished cattle prices have inched closer to break-even levels and anticipation of further fundamental support in the fed market should reinforce price support for feeders. Non-Fed Cattle Seasonally, cow prices should strengthen into the new year. Cows follow a strong seasonal pattern and in the past 15 years prices have declined only once during this time, in 2016. Expect cows to move positively with other classes of cattle into 2017. Our current premium over the U.S. canner market means the U.S. export floor will not lend support as it usually would.

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C a t t l e m e n · J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 7 67

M A R K ETS

Break-even Prices on A-Grade Steers

Market Prices

210

340

190

310 280

170

250

150

220

130 110

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

160

210

160

190

140

170

120

150

100

130 110

Steer Calves

190

ALBERTA

(500-600 lb.) Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

ONTARIO Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Canfax weighted average price on A-Grade steers

Break-even price for steers on date sold

2016 2015

2017 2016

December 2016 prices* Alberta Yearling steers (850 lb.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $168.00/cwt Barley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.84/bu. Barley silage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48.00/ton Cost of gain (feed) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59.19/cwt Cost of gain (all costs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88.97/cwt Fed steers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146.75/cwt Break-even (May 2017) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136.95/cwt Ontario Yearling steers (850 lb.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $173.30/cwt Corn silage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38.56/ton Grain corn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.57/bu. Cost of gain (feed) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72.65/cwt Cost of gain (all costs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106.17/cwt Fed steers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130.45/cwt Break-even (June 2017) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146.45/cwt *Mid-month to mid-month prices Breakevens East: end wt 1,450, 183 days West end wt 1,325 lb., 125 days

D1,2 Cows Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Ontario

Alberta

2016 2015

Ontario prices based on a 50/50 east/west mix

Market Summary (to December 3, 2016) 2016

2015

Total Canadian federally inspected slaughter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,467,728. . . . . . . . . . 2,318,779 Average steer carcass weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 919 lb.. . . . . . . . . . . . 893 lb. Total U.S. slaughter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28,421,000. . . . . . . 26,906,000

Trade Summary Exports 2016 2015 Fed cattle to U.S. (to November 26). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286,687.. . . . . . . . . . .190,740 Feeder cattle and calves to U.S. (to November 26) . . . . . . . . . . 176,524.. . . . . . . . . . . 284,761 Dressed beef to U.S. (to October). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 506.61 mil.lbs.. . . . 429.26 mil.lbs Total dressed beef (to October). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 664.78 mil.lbs.. . . . .587.60 mil.lbs IMPORTS 2016 2015 Slaughter cattle from U.S. (to October) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 *Dressed beef from U.S. (to October) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199.22 mil.lbs. . . . . . 218.23 mil.lbs *Dressed beef from Australia (to October) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57.51 mil.lbs. . . . . . .83.35 mil.lbs *Dressed beef from New Zealand (to October) . . . . . . . . . 40.72 mil.lbs. . . . . . .45.20 mil.lbs *Dressed beef from Uruguay (to October) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28.97 mil.lbs. . . . . . . . 27.11 mil.lbs Canadian Grades (to December 3, 2016) % of A grades +59% 54-58% AAA 0.2 0.6 AA 17.3 23.0 A 18.2 8.9 Prime 1.2 0.2 Total 32.7 36.9 EAST WEST

Total graded 529,390 1,906,926

Yield â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 53% Total 1.7 2.5 23.1 63.4 3.8 30.9 0.0 1.4 28.6 Total A grade 98.2%

Total ungraded 23,424 7,988

% carcass basis 81.5% 88.8% Only federally inspected plants

C a t t l e m e n Âˇ J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 7

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 market ta l k

By Jerry Klassen

Fed Cattle Market Outlook

lberta fed cattle prices have been percolating higher over the last month and at the time of writing this article in mid-December, the market was hovering at $150. While U.S. beef production continues to come in larger than earlier projections, the market is starting to factor in a decline in weekly slaughter levels during the first quarter of 2017. Beef demand moves through a seasonal high during December which is also enhancing the price structure. Consumers tend to put on a few extra pounds during the holiday season. The favourable economic situation has also bolstered consumer spending on top of the seasonally strong restaurant and retail demand. Wholesale beef prices have ratcheted higher late in the fall period. I’ve received many inquiries into the outlook for fed cattle with producers asking how high this market can go. Therefore, I thought this would be an opportune time to discuss factors that will influence Alberta fed cattle prices. U.S. cattle-on-feed inventories are running very similar to yearago levels while carcass weights are right in line with last year. Feedlot placements in November came in below expectations but this hasn’t really altered production estimates for the first quarter of 2017. The USDA continues to project a year-over-year increase of 200 million pounds during the first quarter of 2017, followed by a year-over-year 400-million-pound surge during the second quarter. There is no reprieve in supplies during the third and fourth quarters. I can’t stress enough how important it is to watch these numbers. Excessive pork supplies have played a larger role on the beef complex over the past couple of months since the U.S. pork slaughter reached record highs earlier in November. When both beef and pork supplies are relatively tight, as in 2015, we didn’t see significant influence on the beef market. However, it is important to realize that both beef and pork markets are functioning to encourage demand given the production increases in 2017. For the period from January 1 through November 19, Canadian exports of slaughter steers and heifers were 280,240 head, up 52 per cent from 184,546 head during 2015 for the same period. Canadian exports of fresh and chilled cuts are also up 16 per cent over yearago levels. The weaker Canadian dollar has enhanced exports for fed cattle and processed beef. However, we may see further strength in the exchange rate now that crude oil prices are ratcheting higher. This competitive advantage is beginning to erode. We could probably see an 80 cent Canadian dollar, up from the current level of 75 cents now that the deferred crude oil futures are over US$53/barrel. At the time of writing this article, the April 2017 live cattle futures were trading at $110 while the August contract was near $97. I want to draw attention to the fact that all live cattle future contracts have rallied nearly $10 from the recent lows. This is called the constellation of prices when the deferred futures move in line with the nearby contract. Producers do not often realize the opportunity that this provides to hedge or contract their deferred production because of the significant discount. Given this information and price activity over the past year, what lessons have we learned?

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u.s. quarterly beef production (million pounds)

Quarter

2013

2014

2015

Estimated 2016

Estimated 2107

6,172

5,868

5,664

5,935

6,140 6,600

6,517

6,183

5,857

6,187

6,608

6,179

6,068

6,468

6,730

6,420

6,021

6,109

6,465

6,690

TOTAL

25,717

24,251

23,698

25,055

26,160

u.s. quarterly pork production (million pounds)

Quarter

2013

2014

2015

Estimated 2016

Estimated 2107

5,777

5,785

6,151

6,230

6,440

5,519

5,504

5,935

5,962

6,150

5,624

5,424

5,958

6,099

6,385

6,278

6,131

6,457

6,655

6,825

TOTAL

23,198

22,844

24,501

24,946

25,800

1. The live cattle futures will probably make seasonal highs in late February or early March. This will provide feedlot operators with an opportunity to hedge or contract the remainder of their 2017 inventory because the deferred futures will be pulled higher by the nearby tighter supplies. 2. Don’t base feeder cattle purchases on the nearby cash market for fed cattle when supplies increase in subsequent quarters. It’s very possible that the June and August futures will make fresh contract lows after the expiry of the April contract. This puts the August contract under $90 and an Alberta cash price around $112. If you can’t contract a profit on feeder cattle at the time of purchase, don’t expect the market to improve for fed cattle. The feeder market usually trades too high after a profitable period in the feedlot sector. 3. Cow-calf producers will want to take protection on their fall 2017 marketings during the seasonal strength in the beef market in late February and early March. The cattle market will function to encourage contraction in 2017. In conclusion, I mentioned in the previous issue that cow-calf producers are moving into a contraction phase. This causes beef production to come in larger than anticipated because of smaller heifer retention and larger cow slaughter. Look for fed and feeder cattle markets to trade near the 2008 lows during the fall of 2017. c Jerry Klassen manages the Canadian office of Swiss-based grain trader GAP SA Grains and Produits Ltd., and is president and founder of Resilient Capital specializing in proprietary commodity futures trading and market analysis. He owns farmland in Manitoba and Saskatchewan but grew up on a mixed farm feedlot operation in southern Alberta. He can be reached at 204-504-8339.

C a t t l e m e n · J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 7

 GOINGS ON

Sales&Events Events January

21 Farm Smart and Beef Symposium, Rozanski Hall, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ont. 24-26 Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference, Evraz Place, Regina, Sask. 30-Feb. 1 Year Round Grazing Workshop, New Liskeard, Ont.  ADVERTIS ER I ND EX Page Advancing Agri-Direct Inc. 62 Alberta Cattle Breeders Assoc. 33 Allen Leigh Security & Communications 25 Anchor D Ranch 53 Beefbooster 59, 61 Belvin Angus IBC Benlock Farms Ltd. 29 BKT Tires Canada Inc. 13 Canadian Agri-Blend 61 Canadian Angus Assoc. 62 Canadian Cattle Identification Assoc. 16, 17 Canadian Charolais Assoc. OBC Canadian Gelbvieh Assoc. 46, 47 Canadian Hereford Assoc. IFC Canadian Limousin Assoc. 36, 37 Canadian Shorthorn Assoc. 62 Canadian Simmental Assoc. 21, 57 62 Canadian Speckle Park Chapman Cattle Company 43 Davidson Gelbvieh 39 25 Farm Credit Canada Genex Cooperative 65 Grant Devine 60 Harvie Ranching 7 Hi-Hog Farm & Ranch 63 Hill 70 Quantock Ranch 9 J Lazy A Ranch Inc. 63 John Deere 11 Lethbridge College 59 Lewis Farms Ltd. 31 LLB Angus 56 Lloydminster Ag Ex 58 M.C. Quantock Livestock 5 McMillen Ranching Ltd. 49 Manitoba AgDays 18 Ole Farms 55 Rawes Ranches Ltd. 41 Real Industries 6 Reese Cattle Co. 56 Remitall Farms 23 Ridley Block Ops/Crystalyx 15 Ritchie Bros./Alberta 19 Saddleridge Farms Co. 45 Stauffer Ranches 51 Stewart Cattle Co. 58 Summitt 3 28 Tru-Test Inc. 60 Union Forage Ltd. 13

C a t t l e m e n · J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 7

February

2-3 Manitoba Beef Producers annual meeting, Victoria Inn, Brandon, Man. 7 BIO annual meeting, Elora, Ont. 15-16 Lloydminster Exhibition Agri-Visions, Lloydminster, Sask. 15-17 Alberta Beef Industry Conference, Sheraton Red Deer Hotel, Red Deer, Alta. 21 Cattlemen’s College, International Plaza Hotel, Toronto, Ont. 22-23 Beef Farmers of Ontario annual meeting, International Plaza Hotel, Toronto, Ont.

March

21-22 Livestock Care Conference, Best Western Plus Denham Inn, Leduc, Alta.

November

1-4 JTL Industries Stockade Roundup, Exhibition Grounds, Lloydminster, Alta.

Sales January

28 M.C. Quantock “Canada’s Bulls” Bull Sale, at the Lloydminster Exhibition Grounds, Lloydminster, Alta. 28 Lazy S Ranch Bull Power Sale, at the ranch, Mayerthorpe, Alta.

February

4 Hill 70 Quantock Ranch “Barn Burnin’” Bull Sale, at the ranch, Lloydminster, Alta. 4 R&R Acres 16th Annual Bull Sale, at the ranch, Airdrie, Alta. 10 Anchor D Ranch Simmentals “Genetic Edge” Bull Sale, at the ranch, Rimbey, Alta. 12 Diamond M Ranch 6th Annual Bull and Female Sale, at the ranch, Estevan, Sask. 15 Outlaw Cattle Co. Bull and Female Sale, at the ranch, Hussar, Alta. 16 Nordal Limousin & Angus, at Saskatoon Livestock Sales, Saskatoon, Sask. 16 M&J Farms Annual Bull Sale, at the ranch, Russell, Man. 17 Mader Ranches 28th Annual Bull Power Sale, at the ranch, Carstairs, Alta. 21 Rawes Ranch 34th Annual Bull Sale, at the ranch, Strome, Alta. 23 Chapman Cattle Co. 11th Annual “Forage Developed” Angus Bull Sale, Stettler Auction Mart, Stettler, Alta. 23 Benlock Farms Bull Sale, at the farm, Grandora, Sask. 23 Stewart Cattle Co. Annual Black Angus Bull Sale, at Neepawa Ag-Plex, Neepawa, Man.

25 Lewis Farms 32nd Annual Bull Sale, at the farm, Spruce Grove, Alta.

March

2 Calgary Bull Sale, at Century Downs, Calgary, Alta. 4 Davidson Gelbvieh & Lonesome Dove Ranch 28th Annual Bull Sale, at the ranch, Ponteix, Sask. 4 High Country Bull Sale, at the ag grounds, Pincher Creek, Alta. 4 McMillen Ranching 23rd Annual Bull Sale, at the ranch, Carievale, Sask. 5-6 Pride of the Prairies Bull Show & Sale, Exhibition Grounds, Lloydminster, Alta. 7 Belvin Angus 5th Annual Bull Sale, at the farm, Innisfail, Alta. 10 A. Sparrow Farms Annual Bull Sale, at the farm, Vanscoy, Sask. 14 Harvie Ranching Bull Sale, at the ranch, Olds, Alta. 18 Hwy 16 West 7th Annual Ranch Raised Multibreed Bull Sale, Mayerthorpe Ag Barn, Mayerthorpe, Alta. 25 Shiloh Cattle Company Annual Bull & Replacement Heifer Sale, at the ranch, Craigmyle, Alta. c  Event listings are a free service to industry.  Sale listings are for our advertisers. Your contact is Mike Millar at 306-251-0011 or mike.millar@fbcpublishing.com

STAMPEDE

By Jerry Palen

“Your horoscope says, ‘You’re loyal, obedient, brave and mostly housebroken.’”

www.canadiancattlemen.ca

Join us on March 7, 2017 for our fifth annual

ANGUS*BULL*SALE 1:30PM • AT THE FARM • INNISFAIL, AB

You are invited to a complimentary prime rib dinner before the sale at noon.

Featuring sons from our most proven herd bulls and donor females!

Catalog and videos will be posted on our website www.belvinangus.com

Gavin & Mabel Hamilton • Colton • Quinn PHONE 403.224.2353 EMAIL belvinangus@xplornet.com WEB www.belvinangus.com

P.O. Box 6134, Innisfail, Alberta T4G 1S8 GAVIN’S CELL 403.556.5246 COLTON’S CELL 403.507.5416 BRENDYN ELLIOT 250.449.5071

I enjoy feeding most breeds of cattle, but I get the best gains and the highest yields from the good Charolais cross cattle. I can feed a few extra days and get more frame on a good stretchy exotic steer without giving up performance.â&#x20AC;? Paul Martin has been feeding cattle at Alliston Ontario for the Schaus organization for 29 years. Follow Paul on twitter @paulkkmartin1

Charolais continues to be the right choice for producers calving on grass and wanting more from their cows. Producing identifiable calves that the feedlot can trust, will always increase your bottom line.

Born on grass. Fed for

profit

Be Identifiable. WWW.CHAROLAIS.COM

2320 41 Ave NE Calgary, Alberta

T2E 6W8

Phone 403.250.9242