The majority of operators in Manitoba are cow/calf producers. This means the operator maintains a number of cows (herd) which are bred to produce the offspring (calves) which are usually born in the spring. The birthing (calving) process can begin as early as January. The producer will have their cow herd in a protected area. Depending on the weather, most calves are born outside, however, some producers maintain a calving barn and move the cows inside to calve, keep them there with their new calves for a day or two to make sure they've taken to each other and then turn them back out. Wind breaks such as slab fences, loosehousing shed or well treed areas protect the herd from the elements. Feed rations are usually increased in very cold weather to help maintain body heat and to help nursing mothers produce enough milk.

In the spring, when pastures are growing and green, usually in May, the cows and calves are turned out into the pastures for summer grazing. Depending on when the new calf crop is planned, the herdsire (bull) is turned out at the appropriate time so that the new calves are born in the right time frame (calving season). Cow/calf producers with larger herds, usually maintain several pastures and use more than one bull. They split their herd so that some are in each pasture for the grazing season.

In the fall, usually September or October, the herd is brought home and the calves are separated from their mothers so they can no longer nurse (weaned). When the cows and calves have adjusted to this change, the calves are usually immunized against disease, assessed for development, divided into groups etc. (processed). Some female calves (heifers) may be selected to keep in the herd as replacements for older cows that are no longer as productive. Among the male calves, some will remain as bulls but most will be neutered (steers) and processed accordingly. In many cases, all will be neutered (steered). This would be the practice in a commercial herd where the operator maintains a mixed breed of cows and may use a different breed of herdsire which is purchased from a purebred breeder. If the operator produces purebred pedigreed animals of all one breed (seedstock producer), he would be retaining selected bulls for sale to other cattle producers as future herdsires. Purebred operators also keep more replacement heifers, usually for sale to other purebred operators or commercial producers that wish to expand their herd.

The calves are weaned from their mothers because over the summer they have grown to a size of 500 to 700 lbs, depending on their birth date, pasture conditions and extra feed provided apart from the rest of the herd (creep feeding). Their mother (dam) has also been bred to produce another calf. After weaning, producers that have the room and facilities, sometimes introduce the weaned calves to solid food (background) and keep them for a while to increase their weight. Some producers don't have the space or extra feed to do this and the calves are marketed off the pasture (as soon as they are separated from their dams). Other producers that have the facilities and feed to do so, keep the majority of their calf crop and feed them out until they are fed to slaughter weight (finished). This takes about 15 months or more from the time of birth to about 1200 lbs of weight.

This is a thumbnail sketch of the average type of production for both conventional and organic producers. There are different types of herds, commercial and purebred in both conventional and organic production. Management practices are determined by the types of crop grown, amount of land, location, facilities, workload etc. which dictates when the operator sells the calves.

Calves sold in the fall are usually marketed through the local livestock auction mart. These calves will be purchased by feedlot operators, trucked to their facilities and placed on feed to be fattened and sold for slaughter. Calves that remain on the farm and are fed to finished weight (fats) will be sold and go directly for slaughter.

Most of the fall sold calves in Manitoba are shipped west to Alberta feedlots and prior to May 20, 2003, many went south to US feedlots, mostly located in Kansas. Feedlots in both Alberta and Kansas have milder climates than we experience here. More pounds of gain can be achieved in less time in milder climates where less energy is used to keep warm. The large packing plants in Canada are located out west in proximity to the feedlot supply. Manitoba is on the dividing line, so some of our production is shipped east where there is also a milder climate and feedlot/slaughter plant operations. Finished cattle also go east or west for slaughter.

Live animals can cross provincial borders but beef slaughtered in a provincial facility cannot. In Manitoba, we have only one small federally inspected slaughter facility and only the meat products from this plant can be exported outside of Manitoba. There are about 27 provincial slaughter plants in Manitoba, sized to handle local production. The federal and all of the provincial plants have been operating at full capacity since May 20, 2003. Most have a backlog of customers because producers that have the feed and facilities have chosen to finish animals for slaughter rather than market as feeders to the feedlots. Weaned calf (feeder) prices have been very low and finishing for private sale helps cash flow and gives a better return.

Parasite Control

One of the most recognized and accepted practices of conventional cattle producers is the use of pour-on chemicals to control internal and external parasites in their livestock. There are several "brands" of product used on a regular basis in producer herds and feedlots. They appear to be relatively safe to use as no special equipment is required, the product is poured, in a measured dose, on the back of the animal, treatment is complete. Directly beneath the application site are all the high priced prime cuts on the treated animal. The product used is systemic and irradicates internal s well as external parasites as it travels through the body. Calves entering a feedlot may be treated several times during their stay. Breeding stock on the farm are usually treated once or twice a year during the course of their productive years. These are the cows that produce the regular ground beef product that usually sell for less.Grade AA and AAA animals receive the same treatment but are slaughtered within 2 to 2 1/2 years of age.

Organic Beef does not receive these treatments, so how do we treat internal and external parasites? We use an organic mineral called Diatomaceous Earth. We import it from a mine in Nevada. You may recognize this product as Silicon Dioxide. It is mined and bagged, not processed in any way. It is a food grade substance that is not only fed to livestock, but used in many household and food items. DE, fed to animals, does not leave the digestive system. It is sprinkled on the backs of animals as a dusting powder that kills parasites on contact by dehydration.

AMR - Anti-microbial Resistance

AMR is the ability of micro-organisms to resist the effects of an anti-microbial agent. Micro-organisms have undergone changes that protect them from drugs and medicines in common use.

Harmful bacteria that have evolved over time are now a problem. Health care costs have increased and so have the risks of illness or death due to disease as a result of drug resistance. A lot of the problem stems from the overuse and abuse of antibiotics for humans. There is also evidence that the use of antibiotics in livestock production contributes to this problem. Antibiotics are used in livestock in three ways:

1. As a treatment for a specific disease or condition.

2. As a prevention, used at low dose for high risk production, to reduce disease and death losses.

3. As a growth promotant, fed at low doses in feed rations to promote growth.

Type 2 and 3 are the major contributors to drug resistance development.

Large scale production of pigs, poultry and cattle, where they are confined together in restricted area, make the spread of disease a very real financial concern. Large scale production is not practical without anti-microbials.

Organic production is undertaken on a small scale on individual farms. If anti-microbial use is required to save the life of a sick animal, that animal is removed from the organic herd. Organic producers are aware of the proper usage of anti-microbials such as administration, handling, storage, disposal and record keeping to insure the status of the organic herd remains secure.

Efforts need to made to reduce AMR, as organic producers, we are doing that. Consumers can play a proactive role by purchasing food that is not fed antibiotics.

TAG

"TAG" is a term used for the dried on mud and manure clumps that hang from the hair on animals. This is common with feedlot animals who are housed in pens with very little or no bedding. It is not economical to provide bedding in a feedlot environment. TAG may contain e coli contaminated feces. Cattle raised in clean, well drained areas where good bedding is supplied do not have this condition.

Where tag becomes an issue is at the slaughter plant. It is very difficult to remove a tag encrusted hide from the carcass without touching the contaminated hide to any part of the meat.

In Organic production, the cleaner the animals, the less chance of sickness. Good drainage and extra straw keeps our herd clean when in the yard, however we keep them on grass pasture as much as possible.