Manitoba Beef Producers Signs Major Funding Commitment with Agriculture in the Classroom-Manitoba
Agriculture in the Classroom-Manitoba (AITC-M) is proud to announce a transformative three-year funding partnership with Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP), amounting to $105,000. This strategic alliance underscores a shared commitment to ensuring the next generation of consumers, leaders, policy makers, and innovators are well-informed about our agriculture industry’s opportunities and challenges.
Katharine Cherewyk, Executive Director of
AITC-M, expressed her enthusiasm: “We are incredibly grateful for Manitoba Beef Producers’ unwavering support. Their commitment is a testament to the vital role agricultural education plays in shaping informed and engaged citizens. Together, we are paving the way for students to gain a comprehensive understanding of the agriculture sector, including the beef industry.”
“Our multi-year commitment will ensure schoolaged children across Manitoba have access to accurate,
balanced, and science-based resources about the beef sector delivered by Agriculture in the ClassroomManitoba in a fun and engaging manner,” said Matthew Atkinson, District 8 Director and President, Manitoba Beef Producers. “There is tremendous value in connecting farmers and educators to spark conversations and promote hands-on learning opportunities that bring the farm to the classroom.”
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They came from the land down under: Aussies Milton and Gaylene De Jonge (Tasmania) along with Hugh and Janniene McDonald (New South Wales) recently visited Manitoba during the World Charolais Congress tour. Please see story on page 5. (Photo credit: Angela Lovell)
Exploring Options for Enhanced Data Management
We are finding ourselves in a strange situation, one that we haven’t seen in quite a few years. In most of the province, we are seeing an abundance of pasture, great looking crops that make us optimistic for an abundance of winter feed, and very strong cattle prices.
The regular rains throughout the spring have certainly created their share of challenges, however, they really are outstanding for perennial crops. This is exactly what is necessary for a lot of pastures to recover from some hard use that was necessary to survive drought years. Very low cattle numbers in Canada and all of North America are fueling high cattle prices. All these factors have combined to create some optimism in the cattle industry, especially in the primary production cow-calf sector, where this optimism has been really lacking, justifiably, given years of feed shortage and profitability challenges.
I think it’s fair to say that we have all had a good exercise these last few years in figuring out just how cost effectively and efficiently we can run our businesses, and now is a great opportunity to use those same practices to maximize profits. There’s no question that while dry years are hard to feed cattle in, wet years make fat cows, and the potential challenges around herd health are more prominent. Bug pressures have been high and wet weather seems to bring along hoof rot and pink eye.
producers, along with many folks involved in the cattle industry, both directly and indirectly, at MBP’s summer producer-focused knowledge transfer event at Ashern on July 10. Kirk Kiesman and the Ashern Auction
Mart were great hosts and we thank them very much. It provided a great forum to discuss some of the technology and data management practices available for a more modernized approach to herd management and traceability.
It was a great opportunity to have discussions with those involved in the development and distribution of all these products and really see the advancements that have been made. There is definitely a great opportunity to utilize more things like tag readers and scale heads, along with software and digital livestock manifests to streamline management. These types of technologies can be used to track herd performance, to select and de-select genetics, and provide a wealth of knowledge in that database of records that is far more useful to us than in paper format, because it is searchable and graphable.
The digital manifest option is so valuable, both in terms of record keeping but also as a time saver. With the amount of information that is required to be filled in and retained for the manifest and humane transport records, it is a lengthy process to fill all of this out manually for every load. The digital option allows for an autofill or scroll through and select for many of the required fields, making the process significantly faster. Given that we are in a position of more favorable
cattle prices, combined with new traceability regulations requiring more reporting just a few short years away, there’s never been a better time to investigate such options, get familiar with them and decide which ones incorporate well into our management practices.
BLACK MEADOWS ANGUS
DISTRIC T 1 ALFRED EPP Boissevain-Morton, Brenda-Waskada, Grassland, Deloraine-Winchester, and Two Borders
DISTRIC T 2 MARK SCHRAM Argyle, Cartwright-Roblin, KillarneyTurtle Mountain, Lorne, Louise, Pembina, and Prairie Lakes
DISTRIC T 3 ANDRE STEPPLER
Cartier, Du erin, Grey, MacDonald, Portage la Prairie, Rhineland, Roland, Stanley, Thompson, Montcalm, Morris, and Ritchot
DISTRIC T 4 BYRON FALK De Salaberry, Emerson-Franklin, Hanover, La Broquerie, Piney and Stuartburn, Montcalm, Morris, Ritchot, Spring eld, Ste. Anne, Taché, R.M. of Piney and Reynolds
DISTRIC T 5 STEVEN MANNS Cornwallis, Elton, Norfolk-Treherne, North Norfolk, Oakland-Wawanesa, Glenboro-South Cypress, and Victoria
DISTRIC T 6 BRIAN ENGLISH Pipestone, Riverdale, Sifton, Souris-Glenwood, Wallace-Woodworth, and Whitehead
DISTRIC T 7 T YLER FULTON 2ND VICE-PRESIDENT Ellice-Archie, Hamiota, Prairie-View, Riding Mountain West, Rossburn, Russell-Binscarth, and Yellowhead
DISTRIC T 8 MATTHEW ATKINSON Clanwilliam-Erickson, Glenella-Lansdowne, Harrison-Park, Minto-Odanah, Oakview, North Cypress-Langford, Rosedale, and West Lake-Gladstone
DISTRIC T 9 TREVOR SUND Alexander, Brokenhead, East St. Paul, Lac Du Bonnet, Rockwood, Rosser, St. Andrews, St. Clements, St. Francois Xavier, West St. Paul, Whitemouth, Woodlands, LGD of Pinawa, Reynolds, Spring eld, Ste. Anne, and Taché
DISTRIC T 10 MIKE DUGUID SECRETARY Armstrong, Bifrost-Riverton, Fisher, and Gimli
DISTRIC T 11 ARVID NOTT VEIT Coldwell, Grahamdale, St.
DISTRIC T 13
MARY PAZIUK Dauphin, Ethelbert, Gilbert Plains, Grandview, Roblin and Mossey River
Data management was the focus of MBP's third annual summer producer event on July 10. (Photo credit: David Hultin/MBP)
MBP Announces New Incentive Program in Support of Verified Beef Production Plus
Greetings friends,
I hope your summer has been going well. I know there has been abundant moisture this season, which leads to challenges with seeding or haying. But more rain is still better than no rain. Hopefully conditions continue to improve and this heat leads to great feed being put up.
I want to start by giving a huge thank you to those who attended our summer workshop at the Ashern Auction Mart on July 10. The focus of the event was to provide producers with ideas on different types of data management options available for their farms and ranches. As well, exhibitors brought hardware for demonstration, and a chute-side live cattle demo utilizing the technology also took place. The event included a presentation on a new animal movement reporting tool being developed in Saskatchewan to simplify the reporting requirements coming from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, as well as improve our traceability system overall. There was lots of engagement throughout the afternoon, which was wonderful. Thanks to all the exhibitors who made it a success. Thanks to caterer Jilene Yanke for the tasty supper. Finally, a big thanks to Kirk Kiesman of the Ashern Auction Mart for hosting the session. These types of partnerships make for successes in the sector.
During the event, I announced a new program MBP is going to be delivering for producers involved with or interested in the Verified Beef Production Plus (VBP+). The main driver behind this effort is to increase enrolment in VBP+. Over the last few years, there have been questions about the return on investment for producers to be involved with VBP+. However, we have seen increasing support systems in place, such as FCC’s Sustainability Incentive Program or a direct payment via Cargill’s Certified Sustainable Beef Program under Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef’s Certified Sustainable Beef Framework.
MBP sees major value in VBP+, as it is a quality assurance program developed and led by industry. If we were to let it fall to the wayside, there is a concern that governments could make strict production requirements without industry input and direction. VBP+ is a recognized, 3rd party audited program with elements related to food safety, animal care, social responsibility, and environmental stewardship. So, this is why we have developed this incentive program to encourage more enrolment. One part of the program involves an incentive related to audit completion. As well, for those that have been involved with VBP+ for a number of years, the incentive program offers support to purchase new data management software/hardware. Overall, MBP believes this effort has potential to improve efficiencies on farm (such as those discussed at our workshop) and better the industry. I encourage folks to read the supporting article about record keeping in this edition of Cattle Country, or visit our website news section to learn more about the incentive program.
As we get in to the dog days of summer, I just want to put an early reminder out about our fall district meetings. In-person meetings will start in late October
CARSON CALLUM General Manager’s Column
for the odd-numbered districts. We will also have an evening virtual session for those that cannot make it. Stay tuned to Cattle Country, the weekly E-Newsletter and the MBP social media channels for further details,
as well as main topics of discussion. These are always a great opportunity to bring up important industry issues with the board and staff, to be further addressed at our 46th AGM, which will be held at Winnipeg’s Victoria Inn on February 20-21, 2025.
Lastly, I just want to thank folks for their engagement in the events we put on. It’s great to see such strong support in the cattle industry right now. If anyone is hosting any events in the near future that we can help promote, please let us know.
Stay cool all, Carson.
MHC’s Grasslands Stewardship Program provides financial assistance to ensure your cattle operation can “Keep Grazing”. Program support includes:
• Beneficial Management Practices
• Customized grazing plans
• Wildlife habitat conservation
Learn more at mbhabitat.ca or call 204.784.4350
Data Management Decisions in the Office and at the Chute Side
BY: MELISSA ATCHISON, MBP RESEARCH AND EXTENSION SPECIALIST
Choosing a record keeping system for your operation can be daunting. There are many things to consider but a helpful first step is to identify your operation’s goals. Most often, producers want to track herd performance and animal health records with an overall goal of genetic enhancements that improve production and profitability. Studies show that producers who keep records and use industry benchmarking achieve higher production with an average of up to 60 more pounds of calf weaned per cow exposed.
Regardless of your operation’s goals, there are some key principles that need consideration when designing a system that supports those goals. These include:
1. Individual animal identification
• The cornerstone around which a record keeping system is made is individual animal identification. Dangle, brisket, metal clip, and/or RFID tags can all be used to differentiate individuals in your herd. If you use multiple tags per animal, it’s handy to cross reference so that in the event an animal loses a tag, they can still be identified. Further differentiation using characteristics like tag colour, coat colour, markings, and any brands can also be helpful.
2. Which data to collect
• With your overall goals in mind, you may wish to record the following data:
i. Individual animal DOB or birth year
ii. Calving date of individual cows/heifers
iii. Calf tag(s) cross referenced with dam
iv. Calving start and end dates
v. Calf birth weight
vi. Calving ease score, cow temperament at calving, calf vigor
vii. Different management or pasture groups for breeding and feeding
viii. Pasture movement dates
ix. Feeding period dates, feed inventories, rations for each group
x. Length of breeding season - bull exposure or AI dates and bulls assigned to each pasture group
xi. Bull to cow ratio
xii. Weaning date
xiii. Weaning weight
xiv. Pregnancy check results/open rate percentage
xv. Weaning rate (number of calves weaned per cow exposed)
xvi. Weights of calves in backgrounding system with dates
xvii. Herd health protocols, including products used and dates and withdrawal periods
xviii. Individual animal health treatments including products used and dates
xix. Cull decisions due to temperament, age, performance, structural integrity, etc.
xx. Death loss
xxi. Shipping records for sold and/or purchased animals.
3. How to record data
• The trusty pen and paper calving book and chute side clipboard is a great jumping off point. It’s portable and you can add notes as you see fit. One drawback of paper copies is if they get lost or damaged by say, rain or being washed in laundry, they’re gone forever. Depending on how you store these records, it can also be difficult to reference and compare information in real time.
• Maybe you are comfortable with spreadsheets and you either transfer your data from your pen and paper calving book and chute side clipboard to a spreadsheet or you enter everything directly into a phone, tablet, or laptop when recording events. You can use programs like Excel, Google Sheets or others to build templates for the data you wish to collect that is best suited to your needs. There is no one size fits all. Spreadsheets, if you are savvy with formulas, can be particularly helpful in sorting, organizing, and analyzing
your data and performing calculations. Saving to an external drive or Cloud storage is a good safeguard in case your computer is damaged or gives up.
• Record keeping software systems and apps are great for folks who have gotten comfortable with technology or those who have may have outgrown their spreadsheet templates and are looking for more automation in how calculations are made. These systems have evolved to take on-farm application and real-life practicalities into consideration, and they give the convenience of analyzing the data for you. Many of these programs now work offline without the need for cellular data or internet connection. Once you’re back to the office, the data gets synched and stored in a Cloud-based system, ensuring that your records are always there even if your computer or phone is lost, stolen, or damaged beyond repair. These programs are generally subscription-based and have the added benefit of tech support services. 4. Tools to enhance data collection and record keeping
• A scale is one of the best tools you can have in your operation. Having accurate weights can help you with a multitude of decisions such as:
i. Ration balancing and budgeting your feed inventory. Cows eat a percentage of their body weight in dry matter every day. Knowing the average weight of your cows is the first step in setting up a feeding program.
ii. Ration balancing to reach targeted average daily gains for feeder cattle.
iii. Marketing/sale decisions for calves, feeders, and cull animals.
iv. Heifer selection if you are choosing replacement heifers to breed when they are a certain per cent of their mature body weight. By recording weights of heifers and cows and comparing them year after year, you can quickly identify frame creep in your herd.
v. Calculating correct dosages of veterinary drugs. Dosages are based on the body weight of the animal being treated. Having an accurate weight prevents under and overdosing, which may lead to better response and improved prognosis.
• Working with your scale load cells is a scale head. There are many models with different features you can choose from. Your scale head can be as simple as a screen with a weight and a zero function to one that has capabilities to store information about individual animals and pair wirelessly to other devices.
• RFID tag readers can be a useful tool. Like scale heads, there are many makes and models of RFID readers with various features and capabilities. Readers can be portable, handheld wands, or panel readers, which are affixed to the side of the chutes or alleys and read tags as animals pass by. Readers can pair wirelessly to your scale head and/ or your phone, computer, or other device. When used with wireless pairing, readers can automatically populate fields in your in your scale head and in your spreadsheet or software program on your computer or mobile device, helping to avoid mistakes in transferring tag numbers.
When designing a system for your operation, firstly keep your overall goals in mind. Next, consider the different contexts where you will be collecting and recording data. Are you looking for a highly specialized system to be used in a particular location for certain times of the year? Or are you looking for components that are more portable and adaptable that can be used throughout the ranch? Perhaps you already have a scale and scale head or other components of a system and you’re looking to level up. In any case, it is wise to shop around and do some research. Ask what other folks with similar production systems are using. Ask what they like
and what they would change. Talk to product experts from different manufacturers and service providers to see what system might work best for your operation or which components would work best to enhance your existing infrastructure.
Finally, recording information doesn’t help us if we don’t then make use of it! Regardless of the method you choose to record data, if it isn’t packaged in a way that is organized and easily accessible, it is of little help especially in chute side decision scenarios.
The real power comes from consolidating and organizing the information you’ve collected in such a way that it’s relatively easy to analyze it in ways that help inform your decision-making processes. Data analysis can help us consolidate information, calculate averages, identify trends – both good and bad, and draw comparisons between individuals or groups of animals at a set point in time or across months or even years. These comparisons within our own operation can help us to “cut the dead wood” by quickly identifying individuals or systems that aren’t working. And, by comparing your numbers to industry benchmarks, you can identify areas where you might want to make changes toward improvements and set goals.
You cannot manage what you don’t measure and once you know where you are at, you can set clear targets and make a game plan for how to achieve them.
MBP has launched a VBP+ Incentive Pilot Program whereby producers can receive incentives for becoming fully certified with the VBP+ Program or for maintaining their current certification. Scan the following QR Code or visit the MBP website for details:
For more information on record keeping, and methods for data analysis, check out the following resource:
BY ANGELA LOVELL
Wide open spaces, amazing hospitality and high-quality cattle. Those are just a few of the things that impressed visiting delegates as they toured Steppler Farms near Miami, on the Manitoba leg of their World Charolais Congress tour that also took in Ontario, Saskatchewan and Alberta.
“I think the biggest thing from all the congresses we have been on is just the sharing of knowledge, and the friendships, the people that we meet, and how welcoming they are to their operation,” said Milton De Jonge who farms 150 acres with wife, Gaylene in Tasmania. “We just walk away like a sponge, so full of information and hospitality, it’s hard to explain how good it is.”
Their travelling friends, Hugh and Janniene, who farm near Dorrigo in New South Wales, Australia, couldn’t agree more. They were impressed with all the cattle on display at Steppler’s farm, some brought in by a number of other local breeders from Portage la Prairie, Carberry, Holland and La Riviere.
“I know there has been a lot of work done to show these cattle,” said Swedish cattle producer, Stefan Bergman. “It’s been good everywhere we have been so far. The nature is so different from Sweden and it’s good to meet other people with the same interests.”
we do things, the genetics and our husbandry practices,” he said. “As an example, we visited a feedlot in Ontario and talked about how our feeding system works, our animal health protocols, and how we are trying to make sure that we do things sustainably and for the long term. It’s always interesting to see how other countries do things, and the cattle are always a little different, because people are always going to breed them to be profitable in their environment and their marketplace.”
Differences and similarities
Feedlots and backgrounding are new to producers like the de Jonge’s who only produce grass-fed beef under a certification system.
“We are part of a program with our local abattoir, which requires nil antibiotics, nil hormone growth promoters, and no grain,” said De Jonge. “We are audited every 12 months so have to keep records of what we do.
and Canadian Charolais associations in the past was keen to host the delegates because he knows the value of connecting with people around the world.
“Not only are we looking for new or cross genetics that could work here for us, it’s also just working together to promote our breed throughout the world to show the highlights of what we can do genetically to increase meat production,” he said. “On our farm we are focusing on red meat yield and producing some of the best protein in the world for our general public. The Charolais breed does that through hybrid vigor and breeding to other British breeds like Angus for example.”
Sharing positive stories of Canadian beef Steppler also thought it was important to help share the positive story of Canadian beef production, especially in terms of sustainability and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
“I know there has been a lot of work done to show these cattle,” said Swedish cattle producer, Stefan Bergman. “It’s been good everywhere we have been so far. The nature is so different from Sweden and it’s good to meet other people with the same interests.”
That’s the market our abattoir is moving their meat into and we comply with whatever they want.”
First time in Canada for 18 years
The World Charolais Congress takes place every two years in different countries, and this is the first time it has been held in Canada since 2006, and the first time outside of Alberta.
“This time, we wanted to show the delegates a little more of Canada and the quality of cattle across the country,” said Congress organizer, Helge By, who is president of the Canadian Charolais Association.
The 70-plus delegates came from nine countries including Sweden, Estonia, France, England, Wales, the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Hungary, and for some it was an opportunity to reconnect with people they had met at previous Congresses, which is part of the value of the event.
World Charolais Congress Offers a Taste of Manitoba Keystone livestock
“There are Canadian genetics in so many countries around the world, and a lot of it is from events like this and getting to meet with people one on one, face to face rather than doing things over the internet,” said By, adding that everyone had a lot of questions about Canadian beef production.
“They are very interested in how we do things, why
In Canada beef producers can choose to be part of certification programs like CRSB Certified or VBP+, and today most countries have their own certification programs, with different requirements. So, while there are similarities in beef production around the world, raising cattle in Canada’s extreme climate was definitely a topic of conversation for many delegates.
“The Canadian climate is dynamic, we can be plus 50 in the summertime and minus 50 in the wintertime, so our cattle have to adapt to it, and to be able to do that temperature swing it is not a typical thing that we ask animals to do because typically they are in their environment and that’s it,” said Steppler. “But here we can show that cattle can thrive in those climates, so that’s probably the biggest difference that the people will see here.”
Steppler, who has been involved in both the Manitoba
“When we can cross breed cattle and produce steers that are ready to be harvested eight months sooner at 16 months old, we are producing more red meat with less environmental impact,” he said. “In the green economy that is a beautiful message, and that is where Charolais has a huge value to the industry because we can get those cattle to our top grade eight months sooner than most breeds.”
The World Congress isn’t all work, though. Delegates had plenty of time to take in the sights like Niagara Falls in Ontario, Banff and the Rockies in Alberta, as well as the Calgary Stampede. The delegates spent three days in Manitoba, where they visited The Forks in Winnipeg, and spent time at two other farms, HTA Charolais at Rivers and Hunter Charolais at Roblin, with a stop at the Inglis Grain Elevators National Historic Site.
Photo credit: Angela Lovell
Jack McKennitt Inducted into the Livestock Markets Hall of Fame
BY: RICK WRIGHT
The Livestock Markets Association of Canada (LMAC) recently recognized Manitoba livestock dealer and auction market operator Jack McKennitt from Morden when he was inducted into the LMAC Hall of Fame. The Manitoba Livestock Marketing Association nominated McKennitt who was unanimously chosen by LMAC to be this year’s inductee. LMAC was honored to have Jack’s son Warren and daughter Loreena attend the induction ceremony in Waterloo, Ontario.
Jack McKennitt helped shape the cattle industry in Manitoba. He operated the auction market at Pilot Mound and was one of the original partners at the Winnipeg Livestock Sales located north of the Perimeter. McKennitt left school when he was 15 to start a 50-year career as a livestock dealer and auction market operator. He was a third-generation livestock dealer, and ran his business out of Morden. His passion for the livestock marketing business was unmatched; his reputation for honesty and integrity was of the highest standard. Jack’s dedication to customer service helped his business grow.
During the early years, Jack would gather cattle in southern Manitoba, load them on rail cars, and then follow them to Winnipeg to watch them sell and make sure his customers got a fair price for their cattle. Jack attended sales at the Union Stock Yards in St. Boniface three to four days per week. Jack’s interest and knowledge of livestock continued to grow, as did his belief in the live auction method of price discovery for selling cattle.
By the mid-1960s, the railways were losing ground to the burgeoning trucking industry. Cattle were starting to move to and from the central markets by truck. As a result, many rural livestock assembly facilities were disappearing, and small local auction marts were springing up in their place. In the early seventies, Jack was approached by a group of producers in Pilot Mound to manage and operate the small sale barn located in that southern Manitoba community.
As Jack became more involved in this area of the industry, he became an active member of the Manitoba Livestock Markets Association (MLMA). Through his involvement as a buyer at most of the markets in Manitoba, he knew most of the operators represented on the provincial association. His knowledge of the industry and personal relationships with these people resulted in his becoming the president of that organization. As the president of MLMA, he became more involved with the national association, attending the National Livestock Market Association meetings, which led to his being nominated and elected as that organization’s president.
Jack was the president of the Manitoba Auction Markets Association for a number of years. With his fiery disposition, he protected and defended the auction market business in Manitoba. During his term as president, the provincial government adopted the Beef Commission, which threatened to take control over the livestock-marketing sector. The sustainability of the auction market industry and the free market system in Manitoba was being threatened! Jack McKennitt rallied the auction market owners to act. Jack, with the help of some of the members, kept the government from forging ahead with its plan. It could be said that Jack McKennitt may have saved the auction industry in Manitoba.
As president of the Manitoba association, Jack encouraged participation by all the markets large or small. He turned a stale organization into a consolidated voice representing all of the auction markets. He encouraged new people in the business such as myself, Don Masson, and Peter Vanderzwaag to come to meetings, join committees and take part. His influence was directly responsible for these individuals and others becoming directors at LMAC and future presidents of MLMA.
He was also the President of LMAC from 1989 to 1991.
Jack was proud of the business and of Manitoba. In 1983, Jack offered to host the LMAC convention in Morden, the first time the annual meeting had been held outside a large metropolitan centre. LMAC was young, and they had held annual meetings before, but never a
convention open to the members and the public.
Even though Jack was from the “old school,” he always recognized that change was a part of progress. With that in mind, at the Morden convention there was a demonstration on electronic marketing (an early version of TEAM). He invited delegates from Quebec and featured a demonstration by a Quebec auctioneer. The entertainment was provided by a soon to become international recording star, his daughter Loreena, performing on the harp. A harp at a cattle convention ‒ only Jack could pull that off! Many firsts for LMAC!
Jack supported the auction markets across Manitoba and Saskatchewan, often sourcing Angus calves from western Saskatchewan for his local customers and marketing the finished product in the south.
During his career Jack saw many changes in the livestock marketing industry. By the mid-eighties, the railways had indicated that they wanted out of the livestock business and were taking steps to close the Union Stock Yards. With the loss of rail service, the closing of the Union Stock Yards, and the changing political
climate in Manitoba, Jack witnessed the decline of the local packing industry. The Union Stock Yards in St. Boniface was soon to be a vacant lot with only the water tower standing watch over what was once “the Chicago of the North.” The commission firms no longer controlled the marketing of cattle; independently owned livestock auctions were located across the country. The packing industry was slowly being taken over by the multinational corporate companies.
Jack McKennitt earned the respect of the marketing sector, producers, and government representatives. He was a cattle dealer all his life. Promoting transparent price discovery by public auction was his passion and his life. When his temper and passion collided, it resulted in some very interesting comments from Jack, and some memorable meetings. Jack was never at the front of the line when credit was being handed out; he preferred to be behind the scenes getting the work done. He was a true champion in the livestock industry in Manitoba. Jack McKennitt was only 62 when he died on March 18, 1992.
Warren and Loreena McKennitt (Photo credit: Livestock Markets Association of Canada)
StockTalk Q&A Feature Brought to you by Manitoba Agriculture
Kristen Bouchard-Teasdale Livestock Specialist-Beef Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation
Kristen.BouchardTeasdale@gov.mb.ca
“To creep feed or not to creep feed?… That is the question.”
As summer transitions to fall, subtle changes in the environment become more noticeable. The sun sets a little earlier, the air is cooler and hopefully, the mosquitos and flies aren’t quite so bad. Cattle have spent a significant amount of time on pasture, and the calves are thriving. Their growth is particularly evident when standing alongside or nursing from their mothers.
It’s also around this time that producers begin to contemplate if creep feeding their calves will be beneficial to their operation. Creep feeding is the practice of providing supplemental feed to nursing calves prior to weaning. The primary intent is to compensate for any gaps that may exist between the calves’ available nutrient supply and their rapidly increasing requirements for growth.
Evaluating the costs and benefits of creep feeding on an annual basis is a wise business decision. Even though creep feeding will likely result in heavier calves at weaning, it’s profitability will depend on the costs associated with the additional weight gained. Creep feeding tends to provide the highest economic returns when:
1. Pasture quality and quantity are limited due to factors such as drought and overgrazing.
2. Milk supply is inadequate. For example, first-calf heifers and old cows may not produce enough milk to support a calf with excellent genetic potential for growth.
Several different creep feed options are available and can be purchased or prepared on-farm. Creep feeds should be formulated to supplement the existing forage on pasture and will vary in their proportions of protein and energy based on your current conditions.
In cases where pasture grass is abundant, but quality has declined due to ma-
feeds include soybean meal, canola meal, dehydrated alfalfa pellets, or a commercial protein supplement without urea. Urea should be avoided in creep rations for young calves because their rumens are not fully functional and limited in their capability to convert urea into microbial protein.
In cases where pasture growth is limited due to drought or over-grazing, an energy-based creep feed is best. In this situation, the creep feed will supply both energy and protein to the growing calves and ease grazing pressure on pastures. High-energy creep feeds are comprised of whole or coarsely rolled cereal grains (oats, barley, or corn), a protein source (canola or soybean meal) and a vitamin/mineral premix. Oats tends to be the grain of choice in most creep rations because of their bulk, ideal energy concentration and fewer problems associated with over-consumption.
In general, a well-balanced creep ration will contain 13-16 per cent crude protein, 65 to 70 per cent total digestible nutrients (TDN), 0.7 per cent calcium, 0.5 per cent phosphorous, vitamins A, D and E and trace mineralized salt. If there is a need to regulate intake to prevent over-fattening of replacement heifers, or to avoid issues with overconsumption, including salt in the creep feed at a concentration of two to eight per cent should limit intake to one to three pounds of creep per head daily.
Creep feeders can be purchased or built using plans available from agricultural extension providers. Basic requirements for a feeder include holding at least a oneweek supply of feed and keeping it dry, with portability and the ability to keep cows out while allowing calves in. When getting calves started on creep, locate the feeder in areas that cattle regularly visit such as nearby water sources and their salt and mineral. The feeders should be in a space large enough for the entire herd to gather, shaded and open to prevailing winds. Once the calves are familiar with using the feeder, it can be moved to different parts of the pasture to encourage grazing in those areas.
Creep feeding will increase the labour requirement on your operation, particularly if the feed is being mixed on-farm. In addition to keeping the feeders filled, they need to be monitored to ensure the feed is free-flowing. Troughs should be cleaned after heavy rains or whenever there is a build-up of fines.
A noteworthy advantage of creep feeding is that it may contribute to an easier transition for calves at weaning. Creep fed calves are accustomed to dry feeds. Research has shown this can lead to greater feed intake and lower stress after being separated from the cow. Calves exhibit less shrinkage and tend to stay healthier.
The main apprehension with creep feeding is that feed conversions can be highly variable and have a huge impact on the economics of the practice. Manitoba Agriculture has created a Creep Feed Calculator to help producers evaluate the profitability of implementing the management practice on their farm. The calculator uses projected feeder market prices and current cost prices. Be sure to check it out at: https://calculators.masc.mb.ca/calculators/calf-creepfeed.
Whatever your decision, I wish you a safe, productive, and happy fall!
Share Your Voice
In the next issue of Cattle Country, a Manitoba Agriculture forage or livestock specialist will answer a selected question. Send your questions to Elizabeth. Nernberg@gov.mb.ca.
StockTalk for Cattle Country is brought to you by Manitoba Agriculture. We encourage you to email your questions to our department’s forage and livestock team. We are here to help make your cattle operation successful. Contact us today.
Andrea Bertholet Killarney 204-851-6087 Andrea.Bertholet@gov.mb.ca
Kristen Bouchard-Teasdale Beausejour 431-337-1688 Kristen.BouchardTeasdale@gov.mb.ca
Shawn Cabak Portage 204-239-3353 Shawn.Cabak@gov.mb.ca
Pam Iwanchysko Dauphin 204-648-3965 Pamela.Iwanchysko@gov.mb.ca
Cindy Jack Arborg 204-768-0534 Cindy.Jack@gov.mb.ca
Juanita Kopp Beausejour 204-825-4302 Juanita.Kopp@gov.mb.ca
Elizabeth Nernberg Roblin 204-247-0087 Elizabeth.Nernberg@gov.mb.ca
The Bottom Line: Looking Ahead to Potential Fall Cattle Prices
The auction markets are in the middle of the summer schedule, and by the time this column hits the mailbox, it should be early August. The feeder cattle offerings at the auctions in July have been smaller than usual. Pasture conditions were good, and most of the cattle on pasture will stay there for a few more weeks. In contrast, last year at this time, cattle placements in the feedlots were higher due to drought conditions that brought the cattle in, and they went on confinement feed earlier.
A surprise in June and July was the number of cull cows still coming to the market. Many of these cows have been on grass and have not had a calf for some time, which begs the question, “Why market them now?” Is it a cash shortage or fear that the market will start its seasonal drop in prices earlier than usual? On a normal year, the seasonal price adjustment does not start until about the middle of September. There is no doubt that we have seen the yearly high of the cull cow market already this summer.
Good pasture conditions should result in better than average conception rates on cows coming off the pastures, which in turn could short the cow numbers this fall. The Canadian cow kill for the first half of the year was down approximately nine per cent.
The demand from the Canadian packers dropped in the first two weeks of July. However, an increase in demand from the American packers helped stabilize the prices. Cow prices in July saw the American cow price 10% to 12% higher than the Canadian average price. Cows trading in western Canada were bringing a 10 cent per pound premium over the eastern cows. Demand for younger feeding style cows was very strong in the west, possibly indicating a stronger than predicted fall market for fed cows.
The demand for ground beef was strong all summer with lean ground beef between $7.00 and $8.00 per pound. I do not expect to see the cow prices take a real drop this fall. With the high beef prices in the retail stores and hamburger’s versatility as a menu item, con-
sumers will be looking at the price point of hamburger compared to other cuts.
Now that the Cargill labour dispute has been settled, the arrival of fed cattle from Ontario and Quebec into western Canada should be all but over. The demand for western fed cattle should be back to normal. The strike disrupted cash sales and deliveries to western packers; every animal originating from the east was one less hook available for a western animal. July and August are usually the weakest prices for fed cattle in Canada. Supply often outlasts demand and prices bounce back in the last quarter of the year.
Fed cattle prices for the middle of July were averag-
December prices. The lack of cash cattle available and cheaper feed should keep the yearlings strong. Sales of confinement cattle in mid-July for August delivery were five to 10 cents per pound higher than in June. Some backgrounders are selling their confinement cattle now to get ahead of the grass cattle offerings in late August and September.
The lower priced feed advantage will be favourable for the backgrounder who uses more of a silage-based ration to feed cattle from 500 to 1,000 pounds. All indications point to an abundance of feed and hay in Manitoba.
None of the custom background feedlots have set their prices for the fall yet. I expect that they will have to be cheaper than last year to be competitive with the western feedlots. Demand for custom feeding from eastern customers should be as strong as ever. Crop reports from Ontario indicate better than average crops with lots of moisture.
The few sales of calves for fall delivery have been strong. However, it is worth noting that the early sales in June and July for October delivery have been aggressive the past three years. Cash prices at the time of delivery were slightly lower depending on the location of the calves.
ing $4.15 on the rail. Some small lot cash sales reached $4.19 delivered to Alberta for August harvest. Those prices were comparable to the prices prior to the Cargill strike in late May.
The demand for yearlings off the grass continues to look very bullish. There are few grass cattle contracted for deferred delivery. Many of the smaller grass cattle operators are holding out for higher prices than the current cash offerings. With the price of grain and corn dropping, the cost of feeding the cattle is also dropping. DDGs have dropped over $100 per tonne from last year as well. The demand for yearlings is driven by the fed cattle futures for the first quarter of 2025. February and April live futures are trading at $2.00 to 2.50 higher than the
If the predicted silage and feed grain volume materializes this fall, calves in Manitoba could be in line to set record prices. I will not be surprised to see the lightweight steers less than 400 pounds sell for over $6.00 per pound. 600-pound steers have the potential to trade well over the $5.00 mark. The spread between heifers and steers could be the tightest we have seen in years.
Bred cows and heifers will be in strong demand this fall, but I do feel that we may have seen the top of the market for replacement cattle this spring. The carrying cost of $4,000 bred cows is high, and we will need those record prices to last for a few years to support higher bred cow prices.
Until next time, Rick
commitment to AITC-M
The ongoing partnership has already seen remarkable achievements. Notably, MBP’s support was pivotal to the success of the 2023 Amazing Agriculture Adventure: Animals event in Glenlea, Manitoba, where 650 grade 4 and 5 students immersed themselves in the livestock industry’s practical realities.
Additionally, MBP’s role as a Foundational Supporter of the Foundations of Manitoba Agriculture virtual hub has provided students with robust learning resources on 18 key agricultural commodities, including beef. Last year, MBP also sponsored Beef Week, an AITC-M social media campaign that culminated in 60 students learning about cows in the classroom – virtually.
The impact extends to the Eat Well: Exploring Canada’s Food Guide initiative, which has benefitted 1,120 students from grades 4 to 6, thanks to MBP’s contributions. These programs illustrate the profound and positive influence that MBP’s backing has had on agricultural education.
For more information on AITC-M’s programs and the impact of this partnership, please visit aitc.mb.ca
Vaccinating the Cow Herd and a Look at the Use of MLVs
BY: DR. TANYA ANDERSON, DVM
In this edition of Cattle Country, I will respond to a common question that my practice has been fielding this spring: is a modified live vaccine (MLV) against reproductive disease safe for use in the cow herd pre-breeding?
There are unfortunately myths and misconceptions about the use of MLVs in cows at breeding time. However, there are definite rules that need to be followed to ensure vaccine efficacy and high fertility and pregnancy rates.
The Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) website has excellent information on vaccine use in cow/calf herds as well as useful infographics to demonstrate the value of vaccination against specific diseases and suggested protocols. A big take-home message is to ensure that you discuss your vaccine needs with your veterinarian.
Disease risks vary across the Prairies and even within practice areas based on individual herd management and environmental conditions. This is not a “one size fits all.” Be honest when you must decide if you can implement a protocol or not. Follow mixing instructions, keep product refrigerated/cool chute side, and use dedicated syringes for each product.
in high-risk situations.
I am a big supporter for the use of MLV vaccines. Why? Because I have seen incidences of IBR and BVD in herds using a killed vaccine according to the label. But, yes, it is true that, as you can read on the label, MLV vaccine use during pregnancy can result in reproductive failure since these vaccines contain living attenuated (weakened) viral organisms designed not to cause disease but to better stimulate immunity as compared to killed vaccines.
A big take-home message is to ensure that you discuss your vaccine needs with your veterinarian. Disease risks vary across the Prairies and even within practice areas based on individual herd management and environmental conditions. This is not a “one size fits all.”
I have also found that confusion exists re: exactly what diseases have been vaccinated for, what products to use and when. Liquamycin LA is not a vaccine program nor is a one-time use of Tasvax-8. Erroneous assumptions can increase the risks of a disease outbreak
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The advantages and disadvantages of both killed and MLV vaccines are presented in an easy-to-read table on the BCRC website. I find that MLV vaccines are a better fit when other medications or vaccines are being co-administered as the amount of antigen needed for immunity is lower and thus there is less risk for anaphylaxis when used at the same time as bacterial vaccines such as the scour or Clostridial/blackleg vaccines. Do not administer two bacterial vaccines on the same side of the neck and always ensure that there is a minimum of one handbreadth apart.
A major weakness of the killed vaccines is that they have a shorter Duration of Immunity (DOI). Several products have a DOI that is shorter than 12 months which is an issue as most cowherds are only vaccinated annually. The failure to give a booster following the use of a killed vaccine or delayed/missed vaccinations in subsequent years is often the reason for vaccine failure. If a booster cannot be given, do not waste your money on the first dose as it will not be effective.
But remember that one dose of MLV vaccine is not fully protective either though the level of protection tends to be higher and last longer. To provide fetal protection against IBR and BVD, an animal should have been vaccinated with a MLV at least three times prior to breeding - at 2 months age, weaning and pre-breeding. To avoid the delayed conception due to ovarian inflammation that can occur with MLV vaccination, vaccinate your replacements as calves and during post-weaning development. Then you can use those vaccines on the cowherd as they go out to pasture with the bull following close behind. Or, if it works better for you from a management standpoint, vaccinate the cows in the fall at pregnancy time or pre-calving when giving scour vaccine. When you have a solid calf vaccination program, you can tailor MLV vaccine to fit your schedule in addition to having solid viral protection against respiratory disease in your calf crop. Pre-vaccinated calves perform better post-weaning and experience reduced sickness and mortality in the feedlot.
One note about killed viral vaccines for the cow herd ‒ I still will recommend them in situations where a herd is in expansion and the vaccine status of purchased cows is not known or in question. In these situations, giving a booster the first season and for all purchased cows is especially important. Implementation of a calf vaccination program will then allow these herds to gradually transition to a spring pre-breeding program with a MLV vaccine if desired.
Due to the high number of open cows last fall, MLV programs came under fire as a cause. While it is easy to blame the vaccine program, it is equally important to look at the big picture. Other management components such as biosecurity, nutrition, and environmental management play equally important roles in protecting the herd from infectious diseases. Herds in expansion with purchases from a variety of sources need to be on top of biosecurity. Drought and now excess rains have or will impact feed quality. Do not underestimate nutrition! Protein Energy Malnutrition (PEM) is the biggest health concern in herds with fertility issues. Collaborate with your veterinarian and your nutritionist to ensure you have all the components to keep your herd in top health and production.
www.truenorthfoods.ca | trever.frattinger@truenorthfoods.ca | 306-536-6193
To visit the Beef Cattle Research Council website to see their information tools, go to www.beefresearch.ca
University of Manitoba Offers Meat Inspection Training to Students
BY PETER FROHLICH, NATIONAL CENTRE FOR LIVESTOCK AND THE ENVIRONMENT, UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA
Manitoba has 25 provincially and five federally inspected meat abattoirs. Meat inspectors usually require a bachelor’s degree or college diploma in agriculture, animal science, biology, chemistry, food science or a related discipline. Following graduation, meat inspector candidates must undergo a two-to-three year on-site training process to become an independent inspector.
To help students gain additional background in this area and address the growing need for meat inspectors in Manitoba, especially in rural areas, the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences has developed a new course: Meat Inspection: Understanding and Enhancing Animal Harvesting Practices. According to Dr. Navjot Virdi, Food Safety Veterinarian and Manager - Meat Inspection with Manitoba Agriculture (MB AG), this course will increase the pool of candidates for vacant meat inspection positions in these abattoirs in the future.
What is Meat Inspection?
Meat inspection is a regulatory requirement to harvest an animal in a provincially or federally-regulated abattoir if the intent is to sell the meat for human consumption. Therefore, all provincially and federally regulated abattoirs in Manitoba must have a trained meat inspector on site during the harvest operation.
Meat inspectors make professional judgments when food animals arrive at provincial and federal abattoirs to determine if the animal is healthy and suitable to be harvested. Assessing the health of animals prior to harvest is important because there are some diseases that can be transmitted to humans through contact with the infected animals (e.g., bovine tuberculosis) or by ingestion of infected meat or meat products (e.g., trichinosis, salmonellosis).
After the harvesting process, the inspector carries out a post-mortem inspection to ensure the meat is safe
for human consumption. The inspector decides if the meat is approved, is held for additional inspection, is directed to animal feed, or is condemned (e.g., must be incinerated or sent to landfill).
Additional roles of a meat inspector include ensuring that the animals are treated humanely, and abattoirs are maintained and run in a sanitary manner. Inspectors possess the scientific-based knowledge to identify and prevent food safety risks and ensure the abattoirs operate as per provincial food safety and animal welfare regulations.
What will Students Learn in This Course?
As part of the course, students will receive in-class and hands-on training. A team of instructors, including Dr. Argenis Rodas-González, Associate Professor with the Department of Animal Science, Dr. Navjot Virdi (MB AG) and Dr. Claudia Narvaez-Bravo, Professor at the Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, will lead the classes.
Students who register in the course will have the opportunity to learn about a range of topics specific to beef, pig, lamb and poultry processing. In addition, topics including animal behavior and handling, pre- and post-mortem inspection, the harvest process, facility design, storage and preservation of meat, food safety regulations and more will also be covered.
Career Opportunities in Meat Inspection
There are several career opportunities in meat inspection. These include work as an inspector in provincially or federally regulated abattoirs or meat processing plants or serving in a quality assurance role.
What’s on the horizon for meat inspection?
Argenis Rodas-González is taking meat inspection one step further. He has support from both provincial (MB AG) and federal government groups (Canadian Food Inspection Agency, CFIA) and is seeking addition-
al partners to explore and test the use of smart glasses and augmented reality technology to conduct meat inspection remotely as further solutions to the meat inspector shortages in the province. Augmented reality is an interactive experience that combines the real world and computer-generated 3D content.
According to Rodas-González, the technology will enable an offsite inspector to partner with an onsite trained technician to inspect the carcass and byproducts for defects remotely and in real time. The technician in the processing plant will wear special glasses with hands-free commands to enable two-way live video communication with an offsite inspector. The team will then test if the augmented reality software is as effective as an on-site inspector. According to RodasGonzalez the information generated from the project will result in the development of a procedure for remote inspection and will aim to prove the effectiveness of this technology.
There are several additional benefits of the project that include opening the door to access new, better, and more diverse marketing opportunities for smaller processors (e.g., buy local programs, more product availability, selling directly to retailers) and increased beef production processing capacity (e.g., more work shifts per week).
Meat inspection agencies could also make more efficient use of the inspector’s time, reduce downtime and address the meat inspector shortage. The project will also increase the competitiveness (e.g., increase market share by volume) and sustainability (e.g., increased meat supply) of the Canadian meat industry in the domestic market.
For more information on the course and novel meat inspection AI technology, contact Argenis RodasGonzález at Argenis.RodasGonzalez@umanitoba.ca.
Photo credit: National Centre
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Summer Smells and Savoring Souvlaki
BY: ANNA BORYS, MBP FOOD EXPERT
Everyone has sounds, sights or smells that are associated with summertime. I had this very thought as I sat at the ballpark the other night, listening to the crack of the baseball bat and the cheers that closely followed, seeing the lights come on above the outfield, and then of course, the smell of hot dogs and peanuts in the stands. That is about as “summer” as summer gets for me.
A favourite part of summer is going on evening walks or bike rides around my neighbourhood for the same reason. The smell of freshly cut grass, potting soil or fresh laundry floating onto the sidewalk is like summer overload to my senses. I especially love walking
around dinner time so that I can guess what smell is wafting from backyard BBQs throughout River Heights and Crescentwood. The smell of beef hitting a hot grill is like music to… my nose? This recipe is no exception. I grew up eating souvlaki, thanks to having Greek relatives. The smell of garlic, lemon juice and oregano make me salivate just thinking about it. Although this recipe does require a marinating step, it takes next to no time to throw the ingredients into a food processor and toss in steak chunks before you leave for work. They will be ready to throw on the grill as soon as you get home. For the whole Greek experience, I recommend Greek lemon potatoes or rice along with a Greek salad for your sides. We enjoy them alongside grilled veggie skewers.
Beef Souvlaki with Creamy Tzatziki
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
(1 kg) 2.2lbs Striploin, 1.5" cubes
Marinade Ingredients:‑
¼ Cup Canola oil
1 Tbsp Oregano, dry
1 ½ tsp Garlic, minced
⅓ Cup Lemon juice, fresh
1 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Kosher Salt
¼ tsp Black Pepper
Tzatziki:
750 mL Greek yogurt, Balkan style
½ each English cucumber, grated and strained
2 Tbsp Dill, chopped
1 ½ tsp Garlic, minced
1 tsp Kosher salt
2 tsp Red wine vinegar
¼ tsp Black pepper
METHODS:
Marinade:
1. Add all ingredients to the container of a food processor and blitz on high until fully incorporated.
2. Add marinade and cubed steak into a large Ziploc bag, or shallow plastic container with a lid. Stir to coat evenly.
3. Marinate steak for 8 hours to overnight, agitating periodically to ensure even marinating.
Tzatziki:
1. Using 4 layers of cheesecloth, drain the Greek yogurt for a minimum of 2 hours to release excess liquid. This should reduce the amount of yogurt by about half, making the yogurt thicker and creamier. (Another option is to hang for even longer. The more liquid that is drained, the creamier and thicker the yogurt will get.)
2. Stir together strained yogurt and remaining ingredients. Adjust seasoning to taste.
To Assemble:
1. Using metal or soaked bamboo skewers, skewer about 5 pieces of marinated steak onto each skewer.
2. Heat grill to 450F. Lightly grease grill grates. Place skewers on the grill and rotate every 2 minutes so all sides are cooked evenly.
3. Cook until internal temperature reads about 128-134F for a medium to medium-rare steak. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
4. Serve with chilled tzatziki.
The Tzatziki sauce recipe is also a tasty addition. The key is to strain as much liquid out of the yogurt and cucumber as possible. The longer you strain, the thicker and creamier it will get.
This recipe is also going to be featured on Great Tastes of Manitoba during the fall, so tune in to see me behind the grill where you will hopefully learn some tips and tricks! If you need new marinade inspiration for your summer steak skewers, or need a change from burger night, give this one a go. Then go ahead and add it to your “favourites” list. I promise it will not disappoint. Enjoy!
Photo credit: Anna Borys