Steer calves under 700 pounds were quite variable with quotes coming steady to $15/cwt above week-ago levels. Heifers under 700 pounds were steady to $8 higher on average.  

The VJV market report from Ponoka included Charolais based steers averaging 1,012 pounds coming off a diet of five pounds of barley and corn silage with full processing records traded for $453/cwt 

• For daily livestock market updates, visit The Western Producer Markets Desk

Northern Livestock Sales in Lloydminster reported a smaller package of medium to larger frame Simmental cross steers carrying lighter butter with a mean weight of 926 pounds exited the ring at $486/cwt.  At the same sale, a package of 163 Charolais heifers carrying lower flesh with a mean weight of 861 pounds on backgrounding grain and silage ration with full preconditioning dropped the gavel at $467/cwt.  

At the Ste. Rose auction, a package of 30 mixed steers averaging 814 pounds were last bid at $535/cwt. At the same sale, a smaller string of 837-pound black heifers sold for $457/cwt.  

South of Calgary, medium to larger frame Charolais cross heifers evaluated at 720 pounds sold for $548/cwt at a ring sale. A producer north of Calgary reported a group of larger frame Angus cross steers weighing 715 pounds on silage and light grain ration with full processing records sold for $790 at a ring sale.   

The TEAM market report included a group of 190 Simmental/Angus/Gelbvieh blended heifers averaging 610 pounds on a diet of silage and seven pounds of whole oats with full processing records but no implants traded for $618/cwt fob ranch near Hines Creek, Alberta.  

At the Ste. Rose auction, a group of 84 black steers averaging 642 pounds were last bid at 659/cwt. At the same sale, a group of 33 black steers scaled at 547 pounds notched the board at $751/cwt.  Northern Livestock Sales in Lloydminster reported a 10-pack of black heifers weighing 495 pounds that traded for $700/cwt.  

The VJV market report from Weslock included 13 Simmental cross Angus weaned steers averaging 452 pounds traded for  on a diet of oats and hay mixture with full processing records  sold for $731/cwt.  

Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a live basis at $328-$330/cwt fob feedlot in Southern Alberta, up $3-$5/cwt from seven days earlier. The June live cattle futures closed at $249/cwt on Friday, which was a fresh contract high. Stronger live cattle values has renewed optimism in the feeder complex.   

The post Klassen: Stronger fed market pulls feeder cattle complex upward appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

Genetic quality appeared to influence the market on a larger scale for feeders under 700 pounds. Medium to larger frame preconditioned calves appeared to trade steady to $10 higher on average but “run of the mill” bawlers were steady to $10 lower. If feeders had more risk on feed efficiencies or health, the market priced these cattle with appropriate discounts.

• For more livestock market content, visit the Western Producer Markets Desk

The TEAM market report included a group of 305 black steers with a mean weight of 1,000 pounds on barley, silage and supplement diet with full herd health records including implants sold for $455/cwt fob farm near Allan, Sask.

Northwest of Saskatoon, a pen-sized group of medium to larger frame mixed steers averaging 910 pounds, carrying various butter levels, on barley and silage diet with full processing records traded for $470 fob farm. South of Edmonton, a half-pen of larger frame Angus cross heifers on rolled barley and barley silage diet, with full processing and implants, averaging 875 pounds traded for $464 fob farm.

At the Ste. Rose auction, a smaller package of red mixed steers averaging 826 pounds traded for $507. At the same sale, a 10-pack of red and black heifers evaluated at 826 pounds sold for $459/cwt. In Ponoka, a group of eight lower flesh, 810-pound Simmental cross steers on barley and silage diet for two weeks, with full processing records traded for $525/cwt.

The Vermilion Livestock Exchange reported that five tan steers scaled at 723 pounds traded for $573/cwt. Fourteen tan heifers averaging 737 pounds dropped the gavel at $515/cwt.

The VJV report from Rimbey included a group of 14 mixed steer calves weighing 611 pound coming off a diet of cereal silage, chopped hay and oats, with full processing data were last bid at $655/cwt. In central Alberta, a producer reported at group of mixed weaned heifers averaging 620 pounds with full preconditioning records on silage and limited rolled barley exited the ring at $620/cwt.

• More livestock coverage: Beef industry warns research cuts will set sector back for decades

At the Vermilion sale, a six-pack of 550 pound tans steers traded for $734/cwt and 11 red-white-face 500 pound steers sold for $768/cwt.

At the Ste. Rose, Man. auction, a pair of red and black steers weighing 432 pounds silenced the crowd at $842/cwt. The volume of calves under 550 pounds was limited across the Prairies, which made the market hard to define.

Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a live basis at $325/cwt fob feedlot in the Lethbridge area. The breakeven price on these finished cattle is around $355/cwt. This is the fifth consecutive month of negative margins for Alberta feedlots.

The post Klassen: Negative margins weigh on Western feeder cattle market appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

Backgrounded replacements were down $3-$6/cwt on average with fleshier groups dropping as much as $6-$10/cwt. Calves were quite variable across the Prairies due to limited numbers. There was strong demand for grassers, especially in Central Alberta.

Ontario buying interest was noted at certain locations, which lifted overall average values at those specific auctions. Some larger finishing operators were quiet last week. All these factors resulted in a wide price range.

For daily livestock futures updates, visit the Western Producer Markets Desk

At the VJV sale in Ponoka, a pen-size group of lower flesh mixed steers averaging 933 pounds coming off a diet of barley and corn silage with full processing data sold for $469/cwt. Another feature from this location included a group of Charolais cross heifers, scaled at 862 pounds on rolled barley and corn silage diet with full processing data, that were bid at $455/cwt.

The TEAM market report included 68 Angus Simmental cross steers with a mean weight of 880 pounds coming off a diet of diet of barley, corn silage and mineral package with full veterinary data but no implants sold for $481/cwt fob farm near Pierson, Manitoba.

The Lloydminster sale results included a smaller package of red steers weighing 709 pounds dropping the gavel at $589. At the same location, a package of 34 Angus based heifers evaluated at 717 pounds traded for $515/cwt.

More cattle coverage: Canadian Cattle Association won’t back traceability changes

At the Ste. Rose auction, a small package of red mixed steers averaging 631 pounds traded for $607 and five Charolais heifers weighing 651 pounds sold for $557/cwt. The Killarney market report included at group of black steers (no implants) with a mean weight of 655 pounds sold for $614/cwt.

North of Calgary, a farmer reported that short-weaned Simmental mixed steers, averaging 520 pounds with full preconditioning, sold for $755 at a ring sale. In Westlock, a six-pack of Charolais cross Angus heifers averaging 530 pounds on hay diet with all natural description sold for $630/cwt.

Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a dressed basis at $540/cwt, unchanged from last week. Live sales fob feedlot in Southern Alberta were quoted at $322/cwt. Breakeven fed cattle prices for April on a live basis are in the range of $350-$355/cwt.

Feed barley was trading in the Lethbridge area in the range of $305-$310/tonne delivered while imported U.S. corn was quoted at $300-$305/tonne. Feed barley prices appear to have further upside potential.

The post Klassen: Feeder cattle market continues consolidation appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

New advancements and the imminent value of these calves make this discussion even more critical.

When calves are born and the pairs are mothered up, it is a wise investment to carry out certain procedures and, in some cases, lump them together for when the calves are older.

Producers have become very receptive to anything that will promote health, disease prevention and/or growth in these newborn calves.

They are easy to give and provide quick immunity that lasts the first couple of months or so until parental shots are given.

Most calves are given vitamins and selenium at birth.

The biggest change here has been a very unreliable supply of injectable vitamins A and D.

They are being replaced by an oral product that contains vitamins A, D and E and selenium.

Their advantage is that they replace two needles and the supply seems consistent in Canada. It has become a great improvement.

We once saw some calves get nerve damage when injections were administered too close to the sciatic nerve.

Producers can ensure the best possible colostrum from their cows by focusing on good nutrition and vaccinating for scours at the best time possible before calving.

If the calf doesn’t suck in time or does not take the required volume, then extra supplementation is imperative. Use an esophageal feeder dedicated to just colostrum so that it is kept clean.

There is even an oral liquid toltrazuril that comes straight or with meloxicam. You get the pain killer anti-inflammatory effect along with the treatment.

Spending more time on colostrum management and taking these preventive measures can hopefully keep scour cases and antibiotic reliance to a minimum.

There are other products such as intranasal corona vaccines, and an oral vaccine given during the same time frame as colostrum to prevent rota and corona virus.

Other products are given orally as a paste, such as First Defense, within the first 12 hours of birth.

They are great in a scours outbreak situation or if you are wanting to boost the calf’s protection.

The First Defense product is upward of $30 a dose. Only you and your veterinarian know if these products will increase calf survivability, depending on past years’ experience and what may have been diagnosed on your farm.

Another key ingredient is biosecurity practices that reduce exposure to infectious organisms.

Overwhelming exposure to clinical cases can overwhelm any protective protection that a farm may have put in place.

When looking at producers with more scours problems than average, veterinarians can often easily identify breaks in biosecurity.

It may take a visit to your farm or ranch to visualize first hand and provide a list of best practices to make things better.

Prevention is the key to all diseases and always has been. There is very often no magic bullet.

It is always good to review biosecurity practices at calving time, such as cleaning the cow well during calving, good bedding, creep areas for calves and keeping your clothing clean and dry. These can go a long way to preventing bad organisms from building up on the farm.

I like a boot dip or disinfection mat as a reminder to minimize visitors, especially during calving season. Don’t be the one spreading disease.

Wincing in pain while the navel area is palpated is a telltale sign that infection is present.

Some producers use alcohol or diluted iodine to dry up the navel, although I don’t know many who actively do this.

Infection may require several treatments of antimicrobials and NSAIDs, but ways to prevent the next case should be paramount in your mind.

Navel infection may indicate failure of passive transfer, so again, colostrum quality and quantity need to be examined.

Calves born backward have their navels broken off short, making them more susceptible.

One twin is often born backward, which increases the need to take extra care with colostrum.

If both twins survive, one is often grafted to another cow, creating an additional stress in their lives.

Pay extra care and attention to twins for all these reasons.

As well, follow the beef code of practice, which is to dehorn before horn bud attachment occurs, so preferably before two months of age.

The new beef code of practice is almost ready to be released.

The last one came out in 2016, so everyone should give it an informative read, especially for the changes that have happened in this new version.

The code is what sets us apart from other cattle-producing nations, along with the national identification system.

Here’s to a great calving season and healthy calves.

The market is expected to remain high, so let’s give each and every calf that is born the care they deserve it.

The post CALVING 2026: Keep those newborn beef calves healthy appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

Backgrounded replacements were quite variable with sharper discounts noted on fleshier groups. The heifer discount to steers appeared to be wider in some cases but it was largely based on quality features. Calves may have been slightly softer this week but larger groups under 600 pounds were hard to find. Smaller packages of calves around 500 pounds were down $10-$15/cwt on average.

For daily cattle and livestock price updates, visit the Western Producer Market Desk

The TEAM auction report included a group of 60 larger frame black steers with a mean weight of 1,025 pounds being fed eight pounds of barley and silage ration on the full herd health program that sold for $451/cwt fob farm near Saskatoon. At the Ste. Rose auction, a smaller package of mixed steers weighing 894 pounds sold for $480/cwt.

Northern Livestock Sales in Lloydminster reported a smaller package of Simmental based heifers averaging 842 pounds that traded for $460/cwt. At the VJV sale in Ponoka, a group of 82 tan mixed steers averaging 850 pounds on barley and corn silage diet with full processing records and implants traded for $514/cwt.

The VJV market report from Westlock included a smaller package of Simmental Charolais cross steers evaluated at 709 pounds being fed silage and hay on full herd health program dropped the gavel at $574/cwt. At the sale in Killarney, an eight-pack of 727 pound black heifers traded for $456/cwt.

North of Calgary, a smaller package of Angus cross short-weaned heifers with a mean weight of 615 pounds coming off a diet of hay and silage with full processing traded for $605 at a ring sale, a farmer reported. Northwest of Saskatoon, a group of Charolais cross weaned steers averaging 680 pounds with full preconditioning records on a diet of silage and pellets were valued at $680/cwt fob farm.

More cattle coverage: What makes good beef? Global study reveals surprising answers about meat quality

At the Killarney sale, a nine-pack of Charolais steers weighing 555 pounds sold for $656/cwt and a four-pack of the same genetics averaging 482 pounds notched the board at $735/cwt. The Vermilion Livestock Exchange reported a three-pack of British blended steers weighing 515 pounds that sold for $752/cwt.

Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a dressed basis at $540/cwt delivered, up from the range of $525-$538/cwt a week earlier. Feedlot margins have improved but remain in negative territory which is limiting the upside for feeder cattle prices. Feed barley was trading in the Lethbridge area in the range of $295-$305/tonne delivered, up $30-$40/tonne from mid February.

The post Klassen: Stronger barley prices weigh on feeder cattle values appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

Weakness in the nearby and deferred live cattle prices along with strength in the barley market resulted in a negative tone for the overall feeder complex. Feedlot margins have deteriorated in the short-term which contributed to the defensive tone amongst buyers.

Get daily livestock markets updates at the Western Producer Markets Desk.

On March 12, Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a dressed basis in the range of $525-$530/cwt delivered, down from last week’s average price $538/cwt. On a live basis, this would equates to $315-$318/cwt. Breakeven fed cattle prices are currently in the range of $330-$340/cwt.

The TEAM auction market report included a group of 67 black Angus cross steers carrying lighter flesh, averaging 925 pounds with full processing records and implants coming off a diet of four pounds of wheat and corn silage that sold for $468/cwt fob ranch near Vauxhall.

At the Ponoka sale, 28 tan heifers with a mean weight of 894 pounds coming off a diet of seven pounds of barley and silage and full processing records included traded for $444/cwt. In Westlock, a group of eight Angus cross heifers averaging 802 pounds on a diet of free choice hay and five pounds of pellets with full processing data traded for $489/cwt.

The Vermillion Livestock Exchange reported a group of 15 black steers on the card at 714 pounds exited the ring at $590/cwt. This compares to the Killarney sale, where a group of 21 black steers weighing 713 pounds were last bid at $569/cwt and a smaller package of black heifers averaging 716 pounds silenced the crowd at $504/cwt.

The Lloydminster market report included a six-pack of Charolais cross steers scaled at 611 pounds that sold for $700/cwt. At the same location, a group of Angus blended heifers weighing 601 pounds traded for $577/cwt.

More livestock coverage: High prices, tight supply: A profitable 2026 for cattle

Lighter weight calves were quite variable across the Prairies. At the Ste. Rose auction, a group of 17 Charolais steers evaluated 521 pounds notched the board at $727/cwt. This compares to the Lloydminster sale were a group of eight Charolais based steers weighing 521 pounds dropped the gavel at $765/cwt.

On March 12, wholesale choice beef was trading at US$397/cwt, up US$10/cwt from the prior week while select product was quoted at US$390/cwt, also reflecting a week-over-week gain of US$10/cwt.

Beef demand will be key to sustaining the current prices structure for fed and feeder cattle. For fall delivery, 1,000 pound steers off grass were quoted in the range of $475-$485/cwt relatively unchanged from three weeks earlier.

The post Klassen: Weaker fed markets add fear to feeder prices appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

Strength in the feed grains complex along with weaker deferred live cattle futures set a negative tone. Feedlot operators exhibited a cautious tone as feeding margins are in deep in red ink for late March and April.

More beef cattle coverage: JBS workers to strike at U.S. beef plant as consumers face record prices

Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a dressed basis in the range of $535-$539/cwt delivered, up $4-$5 from last week. Using a 60 per cent grading, live prices would equate to $321-$323/cwt delivered. Southern Alberta breakeven pen closeout values average $340/cwt for March.

At the Ponoka sale, a group of black mixed steers averaging 1,022 pounds on a diet of 14 per cent barley, three per cent canola meal and silage with full processing records, including implants sold for $458/cwt. The Lloydminster market report had a group of 41 Simmental based steers weighing 920 pounds that silenced the crowd at $484/cwt.

Northeast of Calgary, a pen-sized group of medium to larger frame Charolais cross heifers weighing 875 pounds on light grain and silage diet with full health data and implants were valued at $455/cwt fob farm.
The Ste Rose Auction Mart report included a group of 21 Charolais steers with a mean weight of 816 pounds traded for $529/cwt.

A cattle producer in the Saskatoon region reported a group Angus cross steers weighing just over 700 pounds on light grain, silage and mineral diet that were valued at $610/cwt fob farm. At the Westlock sale, a group of Simmental based, weaned heifers on the full herd health program coming off hay and silage diet averaging 700 pounds dropped the gavel at $540/cwt.

In central Alberta, a cattle producer reported at group of medium to larger frame red mixed steers averaging just over 600 pounds on silage, mineral supplement that notched the board at $692/cwt. The Lloydminster market report included a smaller package of 44 mixed heifers scaled at 608 pounds that exited the ring at $598/cwt.

Find daily livestock futures coverage at the Western Producer markets desk.

The Vermillion market report included 10 exotic steers averaging 552 pounds that sold for $738 and a pair of tan steers weighing 482 pounds that traded for $810/cwt. The Killarney market report had a smaller package of red heifers weighing 526 pounds that were valued at $660 and a three-pack of black heifers averaging 466 pounds priced at $697/cwt.

U.S. and Canadian equity markets dropped sharply this past week. Cattle producers are concerned that higher energy prices will slow economic growth and enhance inflationary pressures thereby reducing beef demand.

The post Klassen: Western Canadian feeder market incorporates risk discount appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

Coccidiosis is caused by the coccidia parasite that leads to diarrhea, intestinal inflammation and hemorrhaging. It’s commonly found in feedlot cattle.

“Calves and yearlings are definitely more likely to get a severe infection compared to mature cows and bulls,” said Dr. Kent Fenton, a veterinarian with Telus Agriculture who works mainly with feedlot cattle.

WHY IT MATTERS: Young cattle can suffer from parasitic infections like coccidiosis. Smaller feedlot operations are more likely to have the problem.

Feedlots can create the perfect growing conditions for the disease, and “under suitable conditions of oxygen, moisture and temperature, infective sporulated oocysts (the infectious form of a parasite) are produced in days,” the Merck Veterinary Manual said.

But feedlot operators can mitigate coccidiosis with ionophores.

Ionophores are a feed additive that alters the microbial population of the rumen, which in turn improves the digestive system’s efficiency. The ionophores selectively inhibit certain bacteria in the rumen, which reduces waste and creates more energy-efficient fermentation.

An ionophore feed additive “prevents the micro-organism from maintaining appropriate metabolism, leading to antimicrobial effects,” according to Merck Animal Health.

Since feeding ionophores became a common practice, feedlots haven’t seen the same level of infection, said Fenton.

Mass medication of herds has been an efficient way for producers to both stay on top of nutritional needs and manage diseases. In feedlots, this usually occurs as soon as the cattle arrive.

Fenton rarely sees a feedlot that isn’t mass medicating its herds with ionophores, and coccidiosis has become a much more preventable problem since then.

Challenges of feeding ionophores

Fenton said there are two common problems that are much more concerning in smaller cattle operations:

• Not using any ionophores in feed mixtures
• Using too many ionophores in feed mixtures

Smaller operations can have more difficulty introducing the proper dosages in their feed mixes, which can lead to toxicity problems. This is because of issues such as not having the equipment to mix the ionophores into feed mixtures, said Fenton. For example, producers lacking the equipment might top-dress ionophores, but that’s a risky practice.

“They might just sprinkle the supplement across the top without mixing it in. … There’s more risk of one animal eating more than it should.”

But smaller operations that don’t include ionophores in their mixes leave animals at risk, especially if they are buying from auction marts without knowing an animal’s medical history.

Fenton doesn’t see the same dosage problems on larger operations.

Other animals are more susceptible to ionophore toxicity. For example, ionophores in any dose are highly toxic to horses. Many feedlots use pen-rider horses, and accidental exposure can lead to progressive heart failure and sudden death, said Dr. Nathan Erickson, who works in the large animal clinical sciences department at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine and is a disease investigator for the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture.

“Horses are much more sensitive to ionophores, so we need to be very cautious that we don’t feed, accidentally or on purpose, any feed that has ionophores in it to horses,” said Erickson.

Fenton warned dogs exposed to ionophores can fall victim to the same problems as horses.

Ionophore benefits

Despite the risks, Fenton still recommends ionophore use. There is clear evidence it works to prevent coccidiosis. Now he’s only seeing one or two cases of coccidiosis at a time, and they’re sometimes a sign of a bigger health concern. Large outbreaks have become a thing of the past.

“In feedlots, some individual animals will still get coccidiosis. Maybe they didn’t eat enough of the feed, or maybe it didn’t work for them for reasons we don’t understand. … I can’t really identify why. It could be a stressor, like a weather event. There are some corticosteroids, like dexamethasone, that weaken the immune system and can cause coccidiosis.”

No vaccine has been developed for coccidiosis, but when yearlings and weaned calves are at their most vulnerable, Fenton strongly encourages mixing ionophores into the total mixed rations. When moving new animals to a feedlot, he said infections can occur within the first 60 days. Eventually, cattle grow up to shed the disease most of the time.

Unlike antibiotics, ionophores stay in the intestinal tract of the animal and are not absorbed by the meat. Without the need for a withdrawal time, animals fed with ionophores can go straight to market and be safe for human consumption, Fenton said.

“That’s a real advantage than having to wait 30 days after slaughter. Some drugs, you have to wait 60 days after administration to send the animal to slaughter. … That’s not the case with ionophores.”

Disease prevention

Since the disease spreads through manure and fecal oral transmission, overcrowding and contaminated environments are the most common cause of outbreaks, the Merck Veterinary Manual said. Erickson recommended managing manure, proper sloping of fecal runoff and disinfecting used pens when emptying and populating pens.

This can be a challenge in dirt feedlots, Fenton said, since you can’t disinfect the dirt. Hospital pens for sick animals can keep the infectious loads contained, but full isolation can be difficult as well.

“Hospital pens themselves might have animals with different sicknesses in them. You wouldn’t have a pen for just coccidiosis cases. … You are taking some chance that they’re going to be contagious to other animals in the hospital.”

For questions on coccidiosis management, prevention or treatment in your cattle herd, please speak with your local veterinarian.

Becky Zimmer is a freelance journalist. Her farming and small-town background has given her a passion for journalism, provincial and national government policies, civic politics, community events and thechallenges of rural healthcare and infrastructure.

The post Calves in the feedlot: Feed additives to beat out coccidiosis appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

Producers have some things to keep in mind if they have to work with calves in the pasture and in the presence of a nervous mother cow.

WHY IT MATTERS: Working on calves on open pasture can be tricky with a thousand pounds of anxious cow in your face.

Reg Steward, a range contractor and commercial beef farmer near Williams Lake, B.C., stresses vigilance.

“Keep your eyes on that mom. Don’t get so preoccupied dealing with the calf that you don’t look up,” he said.

“I like a three-in-one rule. I kind of look down for three seconds, I look up and make sure that nothing’s changed. Try to position yourself in such a way that you can watch her at the same time as you’re dealing with the calf.”

Safe handling

Steward offers these tips to protect ranchers when working with anxious cows and their calves:

• Create a safe workspace: Use three or four panels to build a temporary box for the calf, pull the calf under a fence for protection, or work on the calf in the back of a truck.

• Keep the calf visible: Keep the newborn where the mother can see it to help keep her calm. Things are typically better if the mother cow can see her calf, Steward said.

• Exercise caution with ‘sharps’: Be extremely careful with knives and needles during tagging or vaccinating to avoid infections or dangerous reactions between livestock vaccines and human medications. “Sharps account for a lot of injuries, and then you can end up with infections or reactions that can be very serious,” he said.

• Use Steward’s “When in doubt, don’t” rule: If a situation feels unsafe or uncertain, do not proceed.

More hands, lighter work

There is no shame in asking for help, Steward added. If in an uncomfortable situation, look for support.

“Every worker in Canada has the right to refuse what they perceive to be unsafe work. It’s not just a regulatory provision across Canada. It’s just good business.

“We want our people to come home safe and we want them to learn, so if someone comes to you and says, ‘I’m not sure what to do here,’ then as an employer or co-worker, that’s just a great teaching opportunity.”

Steward is also a contractor with AgSafe B.C. and helped set up AgSafe Alberta, and notes that responsible management includes a reasonable plan for working alone.

“That’s a plan that goes two ways. It’s the capacity for you to check in, and the ability to be checked upon, when working alone or in isolation. That can extend to multiple people.”

If a person is working alone, they should be able to check in with someone who can help. They should have a pre-arranged check-in system and time, said Steward. If the person fails to check in, there should be a system in which someone checks on them.

Ranchers must figure out the right system for their environment, whether that is a cellphone or two-way radio.

They can also protect themselves by washing with an effective disinfectant and practicing good hygiene while working with cattle.

Steward stressed communication and teamwork. People working with cattle should feel free to communicate any observations, including potential risks and hazards. It is also important to consider the needs of family members who may never have received training.

“It’s important for the whole aspect of due diligence to be able to manage your workers, whether they’re family members or employees, using what I refer to as the ‘three T’ system,” said Steward. “You tell them, and then you show them, and then you watch them.”

Calving

During calving season itself, he recommends making sure you have an exit strategy before interacting with animals.

“That doesn’t change if you’re pen riding, if you’re working on foot, if you’re in an enclosed area or if you’re on an open piece of ground; you want to always approach that calving situation, that newborn calf, that struggling mama, with the understanding that you need to know where you’re going to go before you have to go,” he said.

Farmers should know ahead of time how they’re going to react, “if that situation turns ugly.”

He also advised producers to look to their own health and well-being during the stressful season. That includes getting as much rest as possible, eating enough and properly, and staying hydrated.

“It’s sometimes too easy to just rely on coffee and more coffee and stronger coffee,” he said.

All of those factors can affect alertness, clear thinking and the ability to react.

The post THROWBACK: Pasture danger – keeping farmers safe after calving appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

For one thing, it’s good to review what’s available for treatment and prevention and what could happen if they were not allowed.

As well, new diseases will inevitably arise, requiring new treatments and the funding into their research and development.

It is with a heavy heart that I heard recently of the many agricultural federal research facilities that will be shut down.

How do we test new products or develop new varieties of plants and test and validate growing or harvesting techniques without qualified researchers trying to answer these difficult questions and work doggedly to make the livestock industry safe?

The two protozoal diseases I am referring to are coccidiosis and cryptosporidiosis.

Coccidiosis was once a very common disease in slightly older calves and feedlot animals.

In the last several years of practice, it was getting rarer and rarer to see a case.

The big question is why the improvement?

Both protozoal diseases have a life cycle that starts with an egg or oocyst, and then lives in the intestinal cells, destroying them before the eggs start to appear in the manure.

Coccidia

With coccidia, this whole life cycle takes about a month.

Again, prevention or control starts with treating before animals are likely to start to contract it.

This condition can be largely prevented with ionophore products such as rumensin or bovatech provided in complete feed rations in the feedlot or put into minerals for calves or mixed into pellets.

All cows carry some coccidia, but it is the calves that get clinical disease.

Cows will increase shedding before calving, which is why producers used to treat their cow herd to prevent shedding and infection of newborns.

This all has changed considerably in the last 10 to 20 years.

A product called toltrazuril (Baycox) was developed as a specific preventive for coccidiosis. It is given more as a preventive long withdrawal, but also used on young animals, and specifically for cocci in pigs and sheep as well as calves.

Veterinarians often prescribe antimicrobials such as potentiated sulphonamides If cocci get out of control, but by then the damage has already been done and calves suffer a big setback.

Prevention is key so that fewer antimicrobials are used.

My big worry is that in these antibiotic-free programs, there was talk about ionophores falling into disregard, which would be a very bad move long term.

Practices such as manure cleaning help with biosecurity, of course, but the oocysts are very small and very resistant in the environment and so a very pesky thing to totally eliminate.

Crypto

The other protozoal disease is cryptosporidiosis, which these days commonly comes to mind if you hear of a bad scours outbreak in a vaccinated herd.

Very bad diarrhea in slightly older calves is hard to treat and recover from and is very contagious because one clinical case quickly spews out millions of eggs that other calves can ingest.

This is also the disease that people can catch from handling calves, and many a technician at a clinic or farm worker has contracted crypto over the years.

That’s another good reason to prevent this disease.

It is likely the most common zoonosis that people contract from cattle besides ringworm.

Double hit

Veterinarians in Manitoba figured out about 20 years ago that toltrazuril works to prevent cocci and crypto.

They started compounding the toltrazuril in capsules for oral use and these diseases pretty much disappeared.

I don’t know what percentage of herds have been prescribed this treatment, but it is quite high in many beef-producing regions across Western Canada.

It is now compounded by an Alberta company for veterinarians.

It is given as an oral pill at birth or shortly after.

This is something that your veterinarian would have to prescribe.

Off the label

Toltrazuril is the best example I can give of an extra label usage of a product to treat disease that went viral (word of mouth) between veterinarians.

This also means our friends in the medical profession don’t have to treat crypto in people.

The disease is still around and recently made the news when it got into the water supply of an Indigenous community.

It would be nice if research could eventually be done to allow on-label use of this medication.

However, in light of the recent closure of federal research facilities, we may need more products to go extra label through our veterinarians, which puts a lot of pressure on them.

The good news is that these medications are used only on young animals, so the long withdrawal requirement becomes a moot point because they are six months or more away from slaughter.

If you have had trouble with either crypto or cocci — even one case — ask your veterinarian for their thoughts on using toltrazuril in its many forms.

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