Manitoba Beef Producers kick off membership meetings

Manitoba Beef Producers kick off membership meetings

Manitoba’s beef producers will share their take on the state of the industry and commodity group activities at 14 meetings over the next month.

Manitoba’s beef farmers are having their say. Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) is firing up for its annual district membership , with 14 gatherings planned around the province. This year’s circuit kicked off in the Interlake with Eriksdale hosting the first meeting Oct. 23, with the last slated for Nov. 15 in Arden. MBP general manager

The beef sector says the Verified Beef Production Plus program is the “cornerstone” of their efforts to foster public trust.

Expanded mandate means higher cost for VBP Plus audits

The national beef certification program has expanded from on-farm food safety to include sustainability, biosecurity and animal welfare

The Verified Beef Production Plus (VBP Plus) program will come with a higher price tag during its second year in Manitoba, but providers say the jump is needed to keep the program cost neutral. Audit costs have increased from $200 to $300 as of May 20. Manitoba Beef Producers general manager Brian Lemon says he


Beef 911: The facts about the dangers of antibiotic resistance

The cattle industry is doing a good job to prevent resistance and we are improving those efforts

There has been volumes written on antibiotic/antimicrobial resistance in the last several years. This article will highlight some of the key points on how well the cattle industry is doing so far and predict what changes veterinarians may make in their recommendations going forward. For those of you who crave more detailed information, there are

Global warming will mean a longer growing season and more forage production — as long as there’s enough water.

‘Change’ is the watchword in a warming world, says researcher

Longer summers and milder winters sound nice, but even the pluses come with some negatives

How will the Canadian cattle industry fare if global temperatures continue to rise? Count a reduced feed demand, a longer grazing season, and higher forage production among the benefits — but also expect more extreme weather, pests, and transport headaches, according to University of Manitoba research scientist Kim Ominski. “We know the future of our


Vaccines can have a major payback, as much as fivefold for the BVD vaccine, says beef economist Kathy Larson.

Spend a little now and make money later

Reduced death loss, fewer open cows, and reduced shedding 
are major benefits from a proper vaccination program

The adage goes, ‘It takes money to make money.’ It is no different in the beef industry. “Low-cost producers do not cut corners on pasture, bulls, and herd health,” said beef economist Kathy Larson of the Western Beef Development Centre. “Spending less on these items often leads to reduced herd productivity and thereby raises your

The beef industry has anted up in a big way to fund forage research through the Beef Cattle Research Centre.

Canadian forage research on the rise

The Beef Cattle Research Council has increased forage research funding from $40,000 to $6 million since its inception

The forage industry has begun to see a promised increase in research funding from the beef industry. According to Reynold Bergen, science director with the Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC), more of Canadian cattle producers’ checkoff dollars are being put towards research and the piece of the pie that had been allocated towards forages has


family shopping in a grocery store

New beef research strategy keeps focus on consumers and sustainability

The beef industry says the plan, which will run from 2018-23, will build on the first one that was begun in 2012

The beef sector has a new five-year research strategy that will continue to emphasize its core objectives of improving production practices and building consumer confidence. The previous strategy was released in 2012 and earlier this year, a review of it was launched that culminated in the Canadian Beef Research and Technology Transfer Strategy 2018-2023. “With

Increase to national beef checkoff to come in 2017

Increase to national beef checkoff to come in 2017

The exact date of 
the change is still up 
in the air

Canadian beef producers should expect to see an increase to the Canadian Beef Cattle Check-Off sometime in 2017, but the exact date is yet to be determined. “I suspect producers will see this take effect in 2017. But, it is hard for me to nail down an exact time that producers will start to see


cattle in a feedlot

Antimicrobial use in beef to meet new pressures

Antimicrobial resistance in the Canadian beef sector is currently low, 
but experts warn that producers should be cautious of overuse

Antimicrobial use in Canadian cattle is in for a major rethink. Growing concern from consumers and animal scientists over antibiotic resistance also underlines an unpleasant truth for producers — these long-relied-upon tools may be on the cusp of becoming ineffective. “In our industry we need to know if we are creating resistance within our animal

cattle on a snowy pasture

New requirements in place to mitigate pain during specific procedures

Provincial extension veterinarian says the new Code of Practice requirements make 
calves easier to handle and typically allow faster recovery due to reduced stress levels

Changes to the National Beef Code of Practice, which took effect earlier this month, place new requirements on producers to provide pain control for dehorning and castration in cattle that are older than nine months. “A lot of producers do these procedures earlier on so it won’t have a huge impact on them, but for