By Heather Smith Thomas
John Smith and his wife, Laura Laing, of Plateau Cattle Co. are progressive ranchers who try any new technology that might benefit their land and cattle. The recipients of the Alberta Beef Producers 2025 Environmental Stewardship Award have done some novel things with their cattle, as well as their land management.
John is third generation on the southern Alberta, Canada, ranch, and when he and Laura took it over from his parents, they converted the herd to Angus-based genetics.
“We’ve always tried to be progressive in any ways that made sense for us,” John says.
“We are involved with Olds College, doing studies to try to progress the industry and gain more insights,” Laura explains. “Every little bit counts — new knowledge to help with everyday practices — and hopefully our bottom line.
“We do tactile stimulation with our calves, a calf massage/imprinting at birth,” she continues. “The thought behind that is to lower their stress response — mimicking the mother’s licking the calf.”
Part of a three-year trial with Olds College, massaging the calf’s flanks and shoulders is intended to make the calf’s first experience with human handling a good one, and reduces stress response. It seems to result in less sickness in calves, improved weight gains and overall health, and potentially safer handling of that animal in the future.
“We’ve changed our focus on genetics with the leptin gene, breeding for animals that have lower feed intake and higher gain, and we’re starting to see results,” she says. The leptin gene regulates several traits, including feed intake, energy metabolism, body fat mass, milk production and reproduction. Variations in this gene can affect these traits and are used as molecular markers in breeding programs to improve growth efficiency, carcass composition and milk quality.
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