All Resources

Beef cattle in Alberta

Description

This report describes the beef cattle industry in Alberta, highlighting its significant contribution to the provincial and national economy. It details the historical development and current... More ≫

Description

This report describes the beef cattle industry in Alberta, highlighting its significant contribution to the provincial and national economy. It details the historical development and current structure of beef production, including the widespread distribution of cow/calf operations and the concentration of feedlots in southern areas due to market proximity and climate. The document also examines the diverse genetic pool of beef breeds in Alberta and the economic factors influencing the industry, such as price cycles and export markets.

Tags

Dairy cattle in Alberta

Description

This report examines the history and current state of dairy cattle production in Alberta. It details the growth of the industry since the 1870s, highlighting the prevalence of Holstein cattle due... More ≫

Description

This report examines the history and current state of dairy cattle production in Alberta. It details the growth of the industry since the 1870s, highlighting the prevalence of Holstein cattle due to their high milk-producing abilities, and the significant role of artificial insemination. The document also describes the specialization and mechanization within dairy farming, the sale of milk as fluid or for manufactured products, and the geographical concentration of dairy production in Alberta. Furthermore, it discusses the economic investments made by commercial dairymen and the impact of quality standards and market access on the industry.

Tags

Alberta cattle for superior performance

Description

This resource describes Alberta's cattle industry, highlighting its superior performance in beef and dairy production. It details the province's agricultural landscape, advanced breeding programs,... More ≫

Description

This resource describes Alberta's cattle industry, highlighting its superior performance in beef and dairy production. It details the province's agricultural landscape, advanced breeding programs, and rigorous health standards that contribute to its livestock quality. The guide outlines various beef and dairy breeds available, alongside information on research, performance testing, and export services. It also includes contact information for breed associations and major livestock exporters to facilitate international trade.

Tags

Study into long term effects on livestock following the Lodgepole blowout

Description

This report evaluates the long-term effects on livestock following the Lodgepole blowout, which occurred in October 1982 and released significant amounts of sulphur and condensate for 67 days. It... More ≫

Description

This report evaluates the long-term effects on livestock following the Lodgepole blowout, which occurred in October 1982 and released significant amounts of sulphur and condensate for 67 days. It presents a subjective assessment based on interviews with twenty-eight beef cow-calf, dairy, and swine producers in the affected Violet Grove and Drayton Valley areas during June 1985. The study documents producer concerns regarding calf health, breeding performance, and growth rates from 1980 to 1985, noting a peak in problems during 1983 and the period immediately following the blowout. It identifies that while many issues have subsided, some concerns persist regarding replacement heifers and swine performance.

Tags

Mineral metabolism in cattle

Description

This research involved five experiments examining dietary, environmental, and genetic factors affecting the copper and zinc status of beef cattle. Dietary copper intake below 30 milligrams per... More ≫

Description

This research involved five experiments examining dietary, environmental, and genetic factors affecting the copper and zinc status of beef cattle. Dietary copper intake below 30 milligrams per kilogram of dry matter did not maintain adequate liver copper in calves or heifers, and the true availability of dietary copper was consistently low across all trials. Ammoniated feeds and different copper-to-zinc ratios did not significantly affect liver copper or zinc status, and all treatment groups remained deficient. Injectable copper ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) given once or twice during the drylot period helped maintain plasma copper in pregnant cows but had no effect on their calves.

Tags

Winter stress components in the Alberta cattle industry

Description

This project aimed to determine the thermal buffering capacity of cattle and its significance for the Alberta cattle industry. The study showed that activity, feed and water intake, and... More ≫

Description

This project aimed to determine the thermal buffering capacity of cattle and its significance for the Alberta cattle industry. The study showed that activity, feed and water intake, and environmental temperature fluctuations lead to changes in body heat content, with cattle able to buffer transient imbalances in heat gain and loss. Diurnal fluctuations in stored body heat were estimated at 0.55 and 1.09 megajoules (MJ) in cows acclimated to warm and cold environments, respectively. Abrupt shifts between warm and cold led to significant changes in body heat content, affecting up to 15 per cent of metabolic heat production over 12 hours. The thermal buffering capacity of cattle helps protect them from temperature swings, resulting in substantial metabolic savings and reduced feed costs during Alberta winters. Improved understanding of these mechanisms can translate to significant economic benefits for the industry.

Tags

Splitting of bovine embryos to produce identical twin calves

Description

This study investigated procedures for splitting bovine embryos into two half-embryos and evaluated optimal methods for transferring these half-embryos to recipient cows. Initial experiments... More ≫

Description

This study investigated procedures for splitting bovine embryos into two half-embryos and evaluated optimal methods for transferring these half-embryos to recipient cows. Initial experiments showed that culturing half-embryos without a zona pellucida resulted in poor survival, but survival improved when half-embryos were cultured within a zona pellucida. Transferring split embryos into separate recipients produced genetically identical twin calves, indicating that the bisection procedure did not kill embryos. The best results were obtained when each half-embryo was placed within a separate zona pellucida before transfer. Despite limited sample size, more pregnancies were achieved using this technique compared to controls, and further research is ongoing.

Tags

Cattle adaptability

Description

This project assessed environmental stress factors, maternal and productive traits of cattle, and their adaptability to Alberta conditions. Ingesting frozen high-moisture feeds like silage under... More ≫

Description

This project assessed environmental stress factors, maternal and productive traits of cattle, and their adaptability to Alberta conditions. Ingesting frozen high-moisture feeds like silage under adverse conditions was found to impair production, although snow could serve as a water source during winter if precautions were taken. Cold stress led to a three to five per cent sudden weight loss in cattle due to fluid loss, with notable practical and economic implications. Liveweight changes were determined to be unreliable indicators of energy status in pregnant cows due to the influence of maternal hydration. The study also found that cold exposure reduced forage utilization and increased susceptibility to histamine-induced laminitis.

Tags

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.

Tags

Organotin toxicity trial in cattle

Description

This project prompted bu an incident which occured in a small cattle feedlot in Northern Alberta in late November and early December, 1976.

Tags