Nutritionist - Articles

The business of agriculture: Who is on your team?

Canadian dairy producers rely on their advisers to help improve production and profitability. Formal advisory teams can help build communication and trust between advisers and improve farm outcomes.

September 24, 2024

Chris Church

If we consider your farm a hockey team, you are Conner McDavid. You are responsible for doing the heavy work of production. Relying on your advisers as a team will make your position as the CEO more successful. Scoring goals is great, but our ultimate aim is to win the Stanley Cup of long-term financial success.

Special considerations for younger calves entering the feedlot

Younger, lighter feedlot calves require some different strategies to be successful, but everything can revolve around standard philosophies over the longer term.

September 11, 2024

Bruce Derksen

Today’s beef industry is moving through uncharted territory. Record prices are being recorded for finished animals, weaned calf dollar amounts have never been higher, and more younger calves are entering feedlots than ever before.

Add value by making better calves

Raise the type of calves the market seeks by giving them a good start with quality nutrition.

July 29, 2024

Ted Perry

Calf prices look to be strong for the next few years as the national cow herd continues to bounce back from liquidations related to drought. These market conditions pose a great opportunity to increase profit potential through value-added programs.

[Podcast] 2024 forage outlook and monensin for cows and heifers – with Katie Raver and Frank White

April 26, 2024

For the first time, we welcome Progressive Forage’s Joy Hendrix to the podcast studio as she visits with Katie Raver from Rock River Laboratory for a regional analysis of forage quality and what to keep in mind for the 2024 growing season. Then Tyrell and Elanco’s Frank White discuss the results of a recent study analyzing the benefits of monensin products in a cow-calf setting. Finally, don’t miss out on an absolutely riveting conversation on the perils of importing exotic wildlife testicles from overseas.

Managing the cow herd for fertility in limited feed environments

While cow nutritional needs should always be near the top of producers’ minds, cows that prove resilient in harsh environments are likely to pass that trait to their offspring.

December 25, 2023

Eric J. Scholljegerdes

Every environment has unique opportunities to succeed and overcome production issues. These include feed costs, environmental stressors, health challenges unique to geographical areas and local or regional economic climate. Operational resiliency relies on our ability to address challenges.

Is declining forage quality limiting your options? Maybe not

Most producers understand the general quality of their forage. But recognizing your cow herd’s nutritional needs and how much it costs to meet them can determine the financial success of your operation.

December 15, 2023

Garrett Preedy

Like the fall leaves, your pastures are undergoing similar changes in plant maturity as the plant prepares itself for the harsh, cold winter months.

6 must-know steps for successful winter supplementation programs

A good program requires more thought than simply setting out supplement blocks. Producers can get the most out of their investment by gathering concrete information about their cattle and environment before winter hits.

October 19, 2023

Twig Marston

Your operation may have several important characteristics that make it unique, but if you start with these six elements, a sound and practical winter cow herd supplementation program can become an efficient and effective segment of your business.

Yeast feed additives: The power to enhance cattle health, performance and ROI

Probiotic and prebiotic additives improve cattle’s ability to extract nutrients from their feed. This is even more important as producers are forced to use less-than-ideal feedstuffs in the face of drought and other environmental challenges.

August 30, 2023

Tricia Wood and Angel Aguilar

Yeast has been part of the human diet for thousands of years, from leavening bread to fermenting wine and beyond. More recently, its beneficial properties have been used in human medicine and health supplements.

Managing rations for proper protein consumption

Making sure protein is delivered in the form that allows cattle to metabolize it most efficiently is just as important as the amount of protein made available to them.

August 9, 2023

Allison VanDerWal

When we think about protein in a ration, we typically think of it as the most expensive nutrient from a feed cost standpoint, but it can also be expensive from a cost of gain perspective if we do not provide enough in a ration.