The Beef is ON

In this episode, James and Chad discuss options for supplying water to your cattle.  They also cover the main considerations around water quality and quantity, and the importance of water to cattle health and production.  For additional resources, see   Water Management for Beef Cattle - BeefResearch.ca

In this bonus episode, we hear from Dr. Jessica Sperber, speaking about best practices for newly received calves.  This was originally presented as a webinar as part of Beef Symposium 2025.  The original video recording can be found here: Management practices for newly received calves, Dr. Jessica Sperber, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Please note that Dr. Sperber refers to NHTC - these are &quot...

In this episode, James and Chad review the potential impacts of hot weather on beef cattle in both pasture and feedlot environments.  They discuss various options to address potential heat stress challenges.  See below for additional resources. Tips to help cattle cope with summertime heat stress The heat is on - BeefResearch.ca Heat stress in ruminants

Today we return once again to the archives, for a podcast originally recorded by former Beef Cattle Specialist Havie Carter in 2023.  Havie is joined by OMAFA Forage and Grazing Specialist Christine O'Reilly, for a comprehensive discussion on pasture management.  See below for references mentioned in the pod as well as some additional pasture resources. Forage U-Pick – An interactive forage s...

Today James and Chad share some suggestions for managing your hay supply before and during hay harvest.  They cover inventory monitoring, quality and quantity tracking, and practical considerations to help you plan ahead now for winter feeding.   See link below for OMAFA hay stats: Ontario field crop area and production estimates by county - Hay - Ontario Data Catalogue

In this episode, Chad is joined by Jaclyn Horenberg, Manager of Producer Relations with Beef Farmers of Ontario.  Jaclyn provides a great overview of the Verified Beef Production Plus Program.  She covered the various ways producers can be involved, the value of the program for producers, and shares some additional resources.  For more information, please feel free to check out the links below, or...

Most producers appreciate the need to provide a quality mineral for your cattle, but this isn't as simple as tossing some mineral out and walking away.  In this episode, James and Chad review the basic considerations to ensure effective mineral supplementation for your cattle on pasture.  

This week is the conclusion of the conversation on turning cattle out to pasture.  This episode focusses on the logistical considerations you don't want to forget as you're getting ready to send cattle to pasture.

This is a conversation James and Chad have about things to consider when preparing to send cattle out to pasture.  They address questions like when is there enough grass, how to deal with wet ground conditions, and digestive upsets to be aware of.  Next week will be Part Two of this discussion, and covers some of the logistical and practical considerations of cattle turnout. See links below for ad...

This is the first in a new Interview series, where James or Chad will be joined by a guest, to share perspectives relevant to the industry. In this episode, James is joined by Megan Van Schaik, Feed Ingredient and By-Products with OMAFA.  James and Megan discuss tips for feeding small grain cereals to beef cattle.   For additional information, feel free to check out: Feed Grains for Beef Cattle -...

In this episode, James and Chad review considerations for your herd bulls leading up to the breeding season.  They outline the demands placed on a bull during breeding, and discuss things you can do to set your bulls up to create your next calf crop.  

This episode rounds out the podcast versions of our Beef Symposium webinars from this past winter.  This pod includes portions of the presentations by John Molenhuis - OMAFA Business Analysis and Cost of Production Specialist, and Caroline Reisiger, PhD candidate at the University of Guelph.  John talks about COP considerations for cattle feeding, and Caroline outlines a project that is utilizing...

Join James and Chad for this discussion on common fly populations impacting grazing cattle.  They review the basic life cycle of flies, the impact various flies can have on cattle performance, and options for controlling flies.  The conversation includes information on how many flies are too many - at what point should producers take action to control flies.  Additional resources can be found at t...

In this bonus episode, we dig into the archives for a podcast originally recorded by our former OMAFA colleague - Havie Carter.  This is a discussion Havie had with James about preparing cattle for the grazing season.  Originally released in early 2023.

In this episode, James and Chad review the principles of pasture growth, and how growth stage impacts pasture quality.  They discuss the difference between the amount of feed that 'appears' to be in the pasture, and the actual feed value.  They review cattle grazing behaviour, and provide options for producers to maximize cattle performance on pasture. James presented a webinar on a simi...

Welcome to another bonus episode!  This episode includes another recording from our recent Beef Symposium - a joint venture between OMAFA, Beef Farmers of Ontario and the University of Guelph.  This episode includes the presentation by Dr. Gabriel Ribeiro, where he reviews strategies to prevent ruminal acidosis in feedlot cattle.   You can also find the video recording of this and other Beef Sympo...

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...

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...

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 Resourc...

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 r...

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 ne...

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.