Feed Shortage Leads To Early Fall Calf Run

Sep 12, 2018

The manager of Grunthal Livestock Auction Mart says the fall calf run has begun for another year.

Harold Unrau says they saw about 600 head on Tuesday with another 1,000 or so booked for next week.

He notes the timing this year is about a month earlier than normal because of the feed shortage, which was caused by the lack of rain this summer.

Unrau says, as a result, weights have been lower than normal.

"Probably 75 to 125 pounds lighter than normal, and that's just because of producers selling earlier than they normally do."

Unrau adds ranchers in his area are only getting about 20 per cent of their normal hay crop, which has led to many dispersing more of their herd this year.

Source : Steinbachonline

Video: Sclerotinia and Lygus in Seed Canola: Field Update with George Lubberts, CCA | Enchant, Alberta

Join Certified Crop Advisor George Lubberts for this Prairie Certified Crop Advisor (Prairie CCA) field update from Enchant, Alberta. In this 12th video of the series, George takes us into a seed canola field where the male rows have been removed and the female plants are filling pods. This video was taken in the third week of August 2025.

George discusses the early signs of sclerotinia stem rot, explaining how infection begins in the stem, impacts pod development, and leads to premature ripening. He also shares insights on lygus bug management, including timing of spray applications to minimize feeding damage and maintain seed size and quality.

With cool, damp summer conditions, George notes that while disease pressure is present, overall field health remains good. The crop is just beginning to show early seed colour change, signaling progress toward maturity.

Topics Covered:

•Sclerotinia stem rot identification and impact

•Managing lygus bugs in seed canola

•Crop stage and seed colour change observations

•Timing insecticide sprays for optimal protection

•Insights from a CCA field perspective in southern Alberta