Beef From Birth To Plate
Winter
Canadian beef cattle are selected to thrive in the Canadian climate.
Cattle are able withstand very cold temperatures as long as they have protection from the wind and good feed to eat.
The cold weather in Canada breaks the cycle of pests, a Canadian beef advantage.
Spring
Spring is calving season on the cattle ranch. Producers are diligent in caring for cows and their newborn calves. Most beef calves are born in the spring and spend the summer months with their mothers on pasture. The calves drink milk and learn to eat grass for food.
The Canadian beef industry has a code of practice that ensures cattle are handled and cared for in the best way possible. Cattle are vaccinated against preventable diseases, just like humans.
All cattle are given ear tags with a unique radio frequency identification number (RFID), making it possible to trace each animal from birth to processing.
Much of the land that cattle graze on is too dry, rugged, salty, wet or hilly to grow other crops.
Cattle keep the land healthy by helping prevent erosion and giving the soil good nutrients from their manure.
The Canadian beef industry uses 21.1 million hectares of land of which 85% could not grow any other food for us.
Canadian grasslands are an endangered ecosystem with less than 20% remaining intact. Much of the remaining grasslands in Canada exist due to the beef industry.
Summer
The action of animals grazing is critical to maintaining grassland ecosystem function and health. Grass needs to be managed to stay healthy and productive, grazing is one way of doing this.
Producers provide cattle with good quality water and contribute to watershed health.
Fragile lands are better left in grass. The roots of grass stabilize the soil and keeps the land from blowing away.
Grassy creek banks prevent erosion.
Autumn
In the fall, cattle are rounded up from pasture and moved home.
Calves are separated and weaned from their mothers. The calf is mature enough to eat grass and hay on its own, and no longer requires the nutrition from its mother’s milk.
Cattlemen are Caretakers of Wildlife
The proper grazing management and development of water sources for cattle enhance the natural resources available to wildlife. As a result, cattle help to maintain and improve the habitat for grassland birds. Similarly, pasturelands are one of the few areas in Saskatchewan where ducks have a high nesting success.
Cattle Country
Since cattle and wildlife are attracted to different kinds of forages, they can co-exist well on the range. Rangelands have natural habitat for a multitude of wildlife.
In the Feedlot
When weaned calves leave the ranch they go to a feedlot to grow. Animal care is a priority each day for the dedicated staff in feedlots. Feedlot rations are highly specialized and formulated by an animal nutritionist. Clean water is available in each pen.
