In this episode, James and Chad provide an overview of what acidosis is, what causes it, and the challenges associated with managing subclinical acidosis in cattle on high grain diets.  

See links below for additional resources

Beef Symposium - Dr. Gabriel Ribeiro

Feeding & Management Strategies to Prevent Ruminal Acidosis in Feedlot Cattle - Dr. Gabriel Ribeiro

Cattle Blog - Megan Van Schaik

Bunk Management and Cattle Feeding Behaviour. The relationship between bunk management and cattle feeding behaviour – VIRTUAL BEEF May 2021 – Dairy and Beef Cattle Production

Welcome to another bonus episode!  This episode includes the recordings of two presentations from our recent Beef Symposium - a joint venture between OMAFA, Beef Farmers of Ontario and the University of Guelph.  Video recordings can be found through the Beef@Guelph website: beefguelph.ca.

This episode begins with Hannah McCarthy, PhD candidate in the Department of Animal BioSciences, University of Guelph.  Hannah reviews the use of alternative feeds in a commercial calf facility.

This is followed by Kristin Thompson from the Beef Cattle Research Council, discussing recordkeeping and tracking genetic improvement.

As bull sale season is ramping up in Ontario, James and Chad talk about what to consider when buying a bull - primarily around how much you can afford to pay.  An excellent calculator tool that is referred to in the podcast can be found here:

Bull Valuation Calculator - BeefResearch.ca

Today, James and Chad review considerations in preparation for calving season.  Listen for some reminders and maybe some new ideas to keep in mind as you approach calving season - or for whenever your next calving season starts!  

BCRC Calving Resources:

 Calving & Calf Management - BeefResearch.ca

Calving Decision Tree:

calving-decision-tree-and-presentations.pdf

OMAFA Forage Testing Resources:

Soil, leaf and petiole tissue, and forages and feed testing labs | ontario.ca

Welcome to our first bonus episode!  This episode includes the recordings of two presentations from our recent Beef Symposium - a joint venture between OMAFA, Beef Farmers of Ontario and the University of Guelph.  Video recordings can be found through the Beef@Guelph website: beefguelph.ca.

This episode begins with Dr. Heather Murphy, Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph.  Dr. Murphy reviews her recent research on Beef Farm Management and Pathogens.

Following Dr. Murphy, Mariah Crevier, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine student at the Ontario Veterinary College will review her MSc research on Pain Control Strategies for the Castration of Newborn bull calves.

James and Chad discuss what to look for in replacement heifer candidates and considerations for purchasing heifers vs raising your own.  Regardless of the type of heifer you’re looking for, there are some basic criteria that can help maximize the chances of those heifers staying in your herd long enough to be profitable.  This podcast walks through the decision-making process all the way to the next generation of your cow herd being ready to calve.

Additional resources:

Cost of production for crops and livestock | ontario.ca

Replacement Heifer Calculator - BeefResearch.ca

Jordan Thomas (links to YouTube channel and other resources)

Selecting Heifers for Breeding – Dairy and Beef Cattle Production

James and Chad review considerations for maintaining your cattle in cold weather.  This includes nutrition, water sources, and shelter options.  

Look here for information on windbreaks:

o   Whither the wind: How to decide on windbreaks - Canadian Cattlemen

o   Portable Windbreak Fences.pmd

Join James and Chad as they discuss the importance of maintaining appropriate body condition in your cow herd, and how you can use Body Condition Scoring to monitor the condition of your cows.

Join James and Chad as they discuss what producers can do to increase the value of the calves they market.

In this episode, James and Chad discuss the value of low-stress weaning, and the pros and cons of various weaning options.