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Grazing tame pastures effectively

Description

To be effective, the nutrients supplied by the pasture must be in balance with the nutrients required by grazing cattle. Given a choice, cattle tend to select plants higher in protein and lower in... More ≫

Description

To be effective, the nutrients supplied by the pasture must be in balance with the nutrients required by grazing cattle. Given a choice, cattle tend to select plants higher in protein and lower in fibre than that of the total available forage. However, plants not selected or unpalatable plants do not necessarily have poor nutritive value. To maximize overall utilization and potential weight gain per acre, cross fencing can be used to obtain more uniform grazing.

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Creep feeding calves

Description

Creep feeding is the practice of providing supplemental feed to calves before weaning. Creep feeding helps in supplementing mother’s milk and pasture. The feed is provided in a facility designed... More ≫

Description

Creep feeding is the practice of providing supplemental feed to calves before weaning. Creep feeding helps in supplementing mother’s milk and pasture. The feed is provided in a facility designed so that adult animals are unable to consume the creep feed. By providing creep feed, it is possible to increase preweaning weight gains and weaning weights. However, the selling price of the calves and the cost of feed must be considered when a producer is making a decision about creep feeding. Creep feeding has many advantages, but there are also disadvantages that must be considered by the livestock producer.

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Horse handling facilities

Description

This publication features information on horse stable designs, site planning, horse shelters, corral and fence construction, manure handling, feed storage and handling, and riding arenas. It tells... More ≫

Description

This publication features information on horse stable designs, site planning, horse shelters, corral and fence construction, manure handling, feed storage and handling, and riding arenas. It tells how to plan and build these facilities and shows the details with 63 color photos, illustrations and diagrams.

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Corrals for handling beef cattle

Description

This comprehensive guide features information on cattle behavior, handling techniques, corral design corral geometry and corral components. It's packed with over 60 designs and corral plans. It... More ≫

Description

This comprehensive guide features information on cattle behavior, handling techniques, corral design corral geometry and corral components. It's packed with over 60 designs and corral plans. It has been reviewed by industry experts including Temple Grandin, the internationally recognized expert on cattle behavior from Colorado State University.

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Breeding soundness evaluation of bulls

Description

Breeding success depends on the reproductive health of both the cow and the bull. Because a bull is expected to service a number of cows, determining the potential fertility of the bull is much... More ≫

Description

Breeding success depends on the reproductive health of both the cow and the bull. Because a bull is expected to service a number of cows, determining the potential fertility of the bull is much more important than determining the fertility of any individual cow. It is essential to evaluate bulls every year before breeding starts because the fertility of an individual animal can vary from year to year. Surprisingly, only about 28 per cent of bulls in Alberta are evaluated for reproductive fitness.

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Nitrate poisoning and feeding nitrate feeds to livestock

Description

While nitrates (N03) are not very toxic to animals, nitrites (N02) are toxic. In ruminant animals such as cattle, sheep, and goats, nitrate is converted to nitrite by bacteria in the rumen. When... More ≫

Description

While nitrates (N03) are not very toxic to animals, nitrites (N02) are toxic. In ruminant animals such as cattle, sheep, and goats, nitrate is converted to nitrite by bacteria in the rumen. When ruminants consume a high nitrate feed, both nitrate and nitrite can accumulate in the rumen, and nitrate poisoning occurs when the nitrite level in the rumen exceeds the capacity of the microbes to convert it to ammonia. This fact sheet addresses some common questions about nitrate poisoning and discusses how to reduce the risk of nitrate toxicity.

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Warble control in Alberta

Description

The warble is a major economic pest of cattle in Alberta. Warble grubs, which are the larval stage of the "heelfly," spend over nine months in cattle as internal parasites. During this period they... More ≫

Description

The warble is a major economic pest of cattle in Alberta. Warble grubs, which are the larval stage of the "heelfly," spend over nine months in cattle as internal parasites. During this period they damage the meat and hide of infested animals and are responsible for reduced milk production in lactating cattle and lower weight gains in calves. Both cattlemen and packers incur severe economic losses in the absence of a warble management program. In Alberta, there is a province-wide organized warble control program helping Alberta cattlemen and the packing industry. According to the Agricultural Pest Act, all Alberta producers must take active measures to control warbles in their cattle. To manage warbles at the farm level, it is necessary to understand the biology of the insect and the method of action of the various pest control products.

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Body condition : implications for managing beef cows

Description

Body condition, or the amount of body fat an animal is carrying, is one management indicator that can be used to predict herd fertility and determine feeding programs. This fact sheet is intended... More ≫

Description

Body condition, or the amount of body fat an animal is carrying, is one management indicator that can be used to predict herd fertility and determine feeding programs. This fact sheet is intended to make producers aware of the condition scoring system, what effects various condition scores will have on herd fertility, and to offer some management strategies regarding feeding and when to condition score to optimize both fertility and economics.

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Economics of feed storage and distribution systems for feeding cattle

Description

this publication will provide some guidelines to those individuals who are interestedin selecting the feed storage and distribution system that will best fulfill their own requirements. The report... More ≫

Description

this publication will provide some guidelines to those individuals who are interestedin selecting the feed storage and distribution system that will best fulfill their own requirements. The report examines several feed storage and distribution systems and the level of investment, labor costs and operating costs of each.

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