Canadian Beef Cattle Podcast

Canada’s last outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) occurred in 1952, showing how one small mistake can have major consequences for the agriculture industry. Today, strong prevention measures, planning, and industry cooperation help keep Canada FMD-free while protecting livestock and the economy from future risks. This episode explores how producers can stay aware, prepared, and ready to respond quickly if concerns arise, highlighting the importance of vigilance and teamwork across the industry.

Relevant Links:

You Are Here: Beef Producers Have a Game Plan to Keep Canada FMD-Free (article)

Foot and Mouth Disease (webpage)

Mission Possible: Protect the Herd (resource)

Biosecurity (webpage)

Value of Calving Distribution Calculator (interactive tool)

This episode explores rotational grazing and how it varies from farm to farm, shaped by factors like rainfall, water access and labour. It covers the benefits like healthier soil, improved water quality and more productive pastures, while also addressing the challenges. Through the experiences of three cattle producers, it shares practical ways to get started, such as resting sections of pasture, planning around water sources and using temporary fencing to stay flexible while finding what works best.

Relevant Links: 

Small Steps, Big Gains: How Starting Slow Leads to Grazing Success (article)

Grazing Management (webpage)

Eight Key Grazing Management Facts to Consider as You Plan for the Upcoming Season (article)

Carrying Capacity Calculator (interactive tool)

Ribeye and striploin steaks are among the most expensive proteins in the store or on the menu, making it essential that these high-value cuts deliver a consistent and excellent eating experience every time. In this episode, we explore new emerging approaches that may help predict beef tenderness without sacrificing the steak. We also discuss the importance of maintaining and supporting research capacity to drive innovation and strengthen the future of the beef industry.

Relevant Links: 

Tender Beef, Tough Funding Cuts (article)

Evaluation of rapid evaporative ionization mass spectrometry (REIMS) for the prediction of slice shear force and quality grades in beef longissimus Lumborum steaks (journal article)

Evaluation of rapid evaporative ionization mass spectrometry (REIMS) relationships with biochemical markers of tenderness in beef Longissimus lumborum steak (journal article)

Carcass Grading (webpage)

Beef Beyond Borders (article)

Value of Calving Distribution Calculator (interactive tool)

Alfalfa Can Be Grazed Safely: Things to Think About Before Turning Cows Out on High-Legume Pastures (article)

Grazing Management (webpage)

Forage Species (webpage)

Gross Margins Calculator (interactive tool)

This special episode brings together key insights, tips and strategies from multiple past episodes into one must-listen edition. Whether you’re a new producer or a seasoned rancher, this episode is packed with practical advice to help you achieve a smooth and successful grazing season - now all that's needed is some timely rain.

Relevant Links

This Grazing Season, Remember the Four Principles of Pasture Management (article)

Carrying Capacity Calculator 2026 (interactive tool)

Plan to Adapt When Grazing (article)

Adaptive Grazing and Grazing Management (webinar)

Grazing Management (webpage)

Calf 911 - How to Manage Colostrum to Allow Newborn Calves to Thrive (resources)

In this episode, we look at how high crop prices, driven in part by rising global food demand, biofuel incentives, and risk perspective and management, are encouraging the conversion of marginal grasslands into cultivated cropland. As more hay and pastureland is turned over to crop production, wildlife habitat becomes increasingly fragmented, leaving isolated “islands” of grass that may be too small to sustain functioning grassland ecosystems. We explore research using Alberta as a case study to understand the impact that conversion of hay and pasturelands into cropland could have on ecosystem intactness and biodiversity.

Relevant Links:

Whether beef cattle producers retain females from their own herd or purchase them, replacement heifers are a key investment in the future of the herd. In this episode, two producers share their experiences with selecting and managing heifers, exploring how improving cow longevity can increase lifetime calf production, enhance returns and lower overall costs.

Relevant Links: 

Selecting Replacement Heifers: Boosting Longevity and Return on Investment (article)

Canadian beef producers have been harvesting and feeding silage for decades. There are benefits to silage like flexibility when it comes to weather, producing more feed on fewer acres and potential cost savings, alongside challenges such as added equipment and infrastructure needs. This episode features the experiences of three farmers, highlighting the importance of learning, planning and adapting when incorporating silage on their farms.

Relevant Links

Silage Cost of Production (article)

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

Water Systems Calculator (interactive tool)

In this episode, we visit a beef farm in Napanee, Ontario, to share one producer’s experience with water management. Hear how practical solutions like improved drainage and filtration, protecting natural water sources and capturing rainwater from barn roofs helped improve water quality and supply for cattle.

Relevant Links: 

Fences, Filters and Eavestroughs: Innovative Water Initiatives to Improve Herd Health (article)

Water Systems That Work: A Practical Guide for Beef Producers (resource)

Water Systems Calculator (interactive tool)

Water Management Resources (webpage)