The Beef is ON

Just wanted to take a moment to let everyone know about our upcoming webinar series.  To register, follow the link below:

Meeting Registration - Zoom

In this episode, James and Chad help improve your understanding of forage test results.  What are the most important numbers to look at, what do they mean, and ultimately how do you best connect the best forage with the appropriate animal and production stage?

For additional resources, you can check out:

https://www.ontario.ca/page/feed-analysis-reports-explained 

https://www.beefresearch.ca/blog/navigating-feed-tests/

https://www.ontario.ca/page/soil-leaf-and-petiole-tissue-and-forages-and-feed-testing-labs#section-3 

https://www.beefresearch.ca/producers/canadian-feed-testing-labs/ 

In this episode, James and Chad discuss the advantages and considerations related to bale grazing beef cows.  

What do you do with cows that no longer fit your system?  In this episode, James and Chad review various options for marketing cull cows.  The first step is identifying cows that aren't working for you, but once you've done that, there are options to maximize the value of that cull cow.  This discussion outlines those options, and addresses some common practices that may not be as profitable as they appear.

In this episode, James and Chad review ways to get the most out of grazing cover crops.  For additional resources, you can check out:

Cover Crops - BeefResearch.ca

Field Crop News – Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs in partnership with the University of Guelph - search for 'cover crops'

Selector Tools – Midwest Cover Crops Council

In this episode, James and Chad discuss the benefits and limitations of grazing cattle on corn stover.  For additional resources on this topics, you can check out the links below.

https://dairyandbeef.wordpress.com/2024/10/29/utilizing-corn-stover/ 

https://www.ontario.ca/page/grazing-corn-stover 

https://www.beefresearch.ca/blog/overextended-grazing/

Something a bit different in this episode - we profile the Summer Employment Opportunities program, through which James and Chad hire students each summer to work with them.  Today you will hear James' conversation with Kelsie Armstrong and Chad's conversation with Cate Thompson, about their experiences working with OMAFA this summer.  

The link below is where all Ontario Public Service positions are posted - and where you will find SEO postings for summer 2027 - likely sometime in January

Ontario Public Service Careers - Search for Jobs

In this episode, James and Chad are joined by OMAFA Forage and Grazing Specialist, Christine O'Reilly.  The conversation includes discussion on managing pastures as we approach the end of the grazing season.  For additional information, you can check out the links below.

 How do I repair pugged pasture? – Field Crop News

Publication 30: Guide to Forage Production | ontario.ca (information on pasture seeding starts on page 14)

Today is the second half of the conversation James and Chad had on all things corn silage.  If you haven't already heard it, the first half of this conversation is in the previous episode.

This episode is the first half of a conversation James and Chad had on corn silage management.  They discuss harvest timing, target moisture levels, storage options, and the basics of fermentation.  The second half of this conversation will drop follow next week.

See here for an example of milk line:

Corn Silage Harvest Timing | Crop Science US

Chad is joined today by Dr. Rex Crawford, owner of Dufferin Veterinary Services.  They discuss bovine fertility from a veterinary and management perspective - from breeding soundness exams and bull health to when, why and how to diagnose pregnancy in your cow herd.  Dr. Crawford shares a wealth of information for anyone in the cow/calf business!

I this episode, James and Chad review some average culling rates for Ontario, and discuss the factors that should be considered when making culling decisions in your beef herd. 

Today, James is joined by colleague Christoph Wand - Livestock Sustainability Specialist with OMAFA to discuss all things silvopasture.  They explain what silvopasture means to them, the advantages of incorporating this practice into your grazing system, and some factors to consider when doing so. 

For additional information, please see:

https://www.ontario.ca/page/silvopasture-ontario 

In this episode, James and Chad are trying something a little different.  Rather than make one topic the focus of the entire episode, they tackle some common questions that often arise with producers either new to the industry or looking to explore new options.  

At one point James refers to a Beef Symposium presentation by Kristin Thompson from BCRC.  The video recording of that presentations can be found at:

Records for Genetic Improvement - Kristin Thompson

There is also a podcast version of this presentation previously released on this feed on March 12, 2026.

P...

In this bonus episode, we hear from Dr. Jeff Caswell, speaking about bovine respiratory disease.  This was originally presented as a webinar as part of Beef Symposium 2025.  The original video recording can be found here:

An improved understanding of how Bovine Respiratory Disease develops, Dr Jeff Caswell, U of Guelph - YouTube

in this episode, James and Chad dive into several of the reasons that keeping - or getting - your calving season fairly compressed will help make you money.  The calculator referred to in the pod can be found here:

Value of Calving Distribution Calculator - BeefResearch.ca

Today Chad is joined by Dr. Katie Wood, Associate Professor in the Department of Animal Biosciences at the University of Guelph.  Katie talks about how she ended up in the world of beef cattle research, outlines some of the great research she currently has underway, and lets us in on some of her plans for future projects!  

The link to the Beef@Guelph side Dr. Wood refers to is: 

University of Guelph :: Beef Research in Action

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 "Non-hormone-treated-cattle."

For additional webinars on the topic of newly received cattle, please see:

Producer Resources - Ontario Cattle Feeders

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 species selection tool for Canada

Publication 19: Pasture Production | ontario.ca

Publication 30: Guide to Forage Production | ontario.ca

Ontario Forage Council – Ontario Forage Network

Canadian Forage and Grassland Association

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 contact Jaclyn directly:

Jaclyn Horenberg:

[email protected]

519-824-0334

https://www.ontariobeef.com/farmer-hub/industry/verified-beef-production-plus/

The Bull-etin Board | Beef Farmers of Ontario

H...

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 additional information:

Grass Growth Rates and Pasture Management – Dairy and Beef Cattle Production 

ALLOCATING GRAZING TO MAXIMIZE PASTURE AND BEEF CATTLE PERFORMANCE – VIRTUAL BEEF MAY 2021 – Dairy … <

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 - BeefResearch.ca

RG-8 Regulatory Guidance:Contaminants in Feed (formerly RG-1, Chapter 7) - inspection.canada.ca

https://dairyandbeef.wordpress.com/2024/10/29/feeding-wheat-to-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 a rising plate meter to measure pasture in Ontario.  The full video versions, including graphics, pictures, etc, can be found at:

BeefGuelph - YouTube

Additional resources provided by John:

Cost of production for...

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 the links below:

Horn Flies and Grazing Cattle | UNL Beef | Nebraska

View of Horn Fly Management | EDIS

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 similar topic for the Ontario Forage Council "Profitable Pastures" series in 2024.  This video can be found here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=789xiPi4fyY&t=1s 

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 Symposium presentations at BeefGuelph - YouTube

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

Bunk Management and Cattle Feeding Behaviour. The relationship between bunk management and cattle feeding behaviour – VIRTUAL BEEF May 2021 – Dairy and Beef Cattle Production

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 Guelph.  Hannah reviews the use of alternative feeds in a commercial calf facility.

This is followed by Kristin Thompson from the Beef Cattle Research Council, discussing recordkeeping and tracking genetic improvement.

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 Resources:

Soil, leaf and petiole tissue, and forages and feed testing labs | ontario.ca

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 reviews her recent research on Beef Farm Management and Pathogens.

Following Dr. Murphy, Mariah Crevier, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine student at the Ontario Veterinary College will review her MSc research on Pain Control Strategies for...

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 next generation of your cow herd being ready to calve.

Additional resources:

Cost of production for crops and livestock | ontario.ca

Replacement Heifer Calculator - BeefR...

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