One week remaining: attention BC, AB, SK and MB cow-calf producers

Do you wonder how your cow-calf operation compares with others in your region, province or herd size range on matters like conception rate and weaning weight? A joint effort representing the cow-calf industry from BC, AB, SK and MB is helping Western Canadian cattle producers do just that.

The deadline to participate is February 28, 2018.

By participating in the second Western Canadian Cow-Calf Survey, you can choose to receive a complementary report that allows you to compare your own operation with benchmarks (average numbers from a region).

To thank you for completing the survey, which will provide very valuable and needed information to guide research and extension, you will receive up to $50 in gift cards, in addition to the complementary report.

The survey takes about 45-60 minutes to complete and asks questions related to the 2016 breeding season all the way through to weaning of 2017 calf crop, as well as typical management practices. Many of the questions are the quick check-box style. Any question you are unable to answer can be left blank.

Every cow-calf producer in BC, AB, SK and MB is encouraged to complete the survey. All of the information collected will remain confidential. Information cannot be linked to individual operations as data will be aggregated into averages and benchmarks.

The complementary report will help producers see the aspects of their operation that they’re doing exceptionally well in, and the areas that have the greatest room for improvement. For example, the report will show a producer whether the conception rates of his cows in 2016 was higher or lower than nearby herds and herds of a similar size. That way, he or she will know whether to work with their veterinarian, nutritionist and/or regional extension specialist to have fewer of their cows come home from pasture open, or if other production goals are a higher priority for them to focus on to improve their productivity and profitability.

This survey is being conducted for a number of reasons: to generate up-to-date production benchmarks for producers, get a better understanding of what producers were doing on their operations and determine ways to improve the productive efficiency of the industry.

Complete the Survey online at Western Canadian Cow-Calf Survey

The deadline to participate is February 28, 2018. Results will be available in Summer 2018.

This survey is the result of a joint effort between the Beef Cattle Research Council, the Western Beef Development Centre, Canfax, the BC Cattlemen’s Association, the Alberta Beef Producers, the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association, the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association, the Manitoba Beef Producers, and the BC though MB provincial Ministries of Agriculture.

For more information, visit the Western Canadian Cow-Calf Survey II webpage (http://www.wbdc.sk.ca/wcccs.htm) or contact the survey representative in your province:

Related: Results of the first Western Canadian Cow-Calf Survey – June 16, 2015

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