Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD) is a serious disease that can lead to abortion, infertility, immune suppression, and calf losses. If the virus crosses the placenta in the first four months of gestation, calves may be born persistently infected and shed high levels of the virus throughout their lives—posing a major risk to unvaccinated cattle. In this episode, we explore why it’s critical to keep BVD out of your herd and how different vaccination protocols can help protect your cattle.

Relevant Links: 

Vaccination Of The Beef Herd (webpage)

Cost-Benefit of BVD Vaccinations (interactive tool)

Economics of Pregnancy Testing Beef Cattle Model (interactive tool)

Biosecurity hazards on beef operations are sometimes overlooked, but the risk of introducing disease to your farm is real—and more common than many realize. This risk increases in the fall, when cattle return from community pastures, grazing leases, or pastures bordering neighbouring livestock. In this episode, we cover five practical strategies to help prevent sickness before it starts this fall.

Until the Cows Come Home: Five Strategies to Stop Sickness Before it Starts this Fall (article)

Think you Have a Closed Herd? (interactive graphic)

Getting the Dirt on Cleaning Versus Disinfecting (article)

Always Look a Gift Cow in the Mouth (article)

Tracking Genetic Improvements (course)

Understanding Yardage Costs in Cow-Calf Operations (article)

Cow-Calf Yardage Calculator (interative tool)

Cracking the Code on Grazing Management Terminology: Animal Units, AUMS, & How to Apply Them (article)

Economics of Pregnancy Testing Beef Cattle Model (interactive tool)

Experiencing Drought? Five Things You Can Do to Help Manage Your Herd, Pastures, and Health (article)

How are you, really? (anonymous self-check tool)

Toxic Plants (webpage)

Drought Management Strategies (webpage)

Feed Test Evaluator (interactive tool)

Tracking Genetic Improvements (course)

Grazing cattle on neighbouring farmland can benefit both cattle producers and crop farmers when done correctly. In this episode, we explore the advantages of bringing cattle and crops together, featuring experiences from producers in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario who have successfully grazed cattle on neighbouring cropland.

Relevant Links:

The Benefits of Bringing Cattle and Crops Together (article)

Grazing Crops (article)

Nutrition in Beef Cattle (webpage)

Water Systems Calculator (interactive tool)

Getting the Dirt on Cleaning Versus Disinfecting (article) 

Preventing a Biosecurity Breach (article)

Biosecurity (webpage)

Feed Quality, Testing & Analysis for Beef Cattle (webpage and tools)

Cattle producers and veterinarians recognize the need for remote drug delivery devices (RDDDs) when animals can’t be safely caught, handling poses significant risk, or when timely treatment is critical for a positive outcome. In this episode, we explore when RDDD use is appropriate, the pros and cons of these tools, and resources available to help guide decision-making. Learn how to use RDDDs effectively while staying within beef quality guidelines and ensuring safety.

Relevant Links: 

Remote Drug Delivery Devices: What You Need to Know (article)

When and How to Treat a Beef Animal Using Remote Drug Delivery (video)

Remote Drug Delivery Best Practices for RDDD (resource)

Water Systems Calculator (interactive tool)

Producing Dairy-Beef: Starting off on the Right Hood (article)

Dairy-Beef: Shifting From the Parlour to the Feedlot (article)

Artificial Insemination (webpage)

Value of Calving Distribution Calculator (interactive tool)

Every living thing contains carbon, and everything – including cattle and grasslands – plays a role in the carbon cycle. In this episode, we explore how the carbon cycle works, the role beef production plays in it, and how carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions affect beef producers on their farms.

Beef Cattle and the Carbon Cycle (article)

Carbon Cycle and Beef Cattle (webpage)

Environmental Footprint of Beef Production (webpage)

Cow-Calf Record-Keeping Course, Forage and Grasslands Records (course) 

Forage variety matters. A locally developed variety might not be the best choice for your situation and sometimes a variety developed elsewhere might be your best option. Drs. Bill Biligetu (University of Saskatchewan) and Annie Claessens (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada) recently evaluated how different forage varieties performed under different growing conditions across Canada.

Relevant Links: 

Choosing Forage Varieties Without Getting Lost in the Weeds (article)

Forage U-Pick (interactive tool)

Forage Species (webpage)

Value of Calving Distribution Calculator (interactive tool)