Ranching

WHAT IS RANCHING?

Ranching is the production of beef cattle which are allowed to graze on rangelands during the spring, summer and fall. Rangelands include wet meadows, grasslands and forested areas. On the range cow-calf operations are the most common. Cow-calf producers maintain cow herds and raise their calves from birth to weaning. A cattle herd is made up of cows, female animals which have had a calf; heifers, female adult animals which have not yet calved; steers, castrated male animals; and bulls, adult males. Young cattle are called calves. Beef cows are different from dairy cows. They have shorter bodies and legs, thicker necks and appear larger because of the thicker muscles on the shoulder, ribs and rump. This is the meat we eat.

WHERE ARE THE RANCHES IN BC?

Ranching takes place primarily in the southern and central interior, the Peace River and Kootenay districts, and around Prince George, Quesnel, and Williams Lake. Cattle are generally raised in areas where there is rangeland available.

HOW MANY BEEF CATTLE DO WE PRODUCE?

The ranching industry in BC uses 10 million hectares of land of which 8.5 million hectares is Crown land. This compares to 2.4 million hectares (about 4% of BC's land mass) that is used for all other farming. There are about 265,000 beef cows in BC which is approximately 5% of the total Canadian herd.

HOW ARE BEEF CATTLE PRODUCED?

To raise beef for the market takes 1.5 to 2.5 years. Often different producers are involved in different stages of raising the cattle. These stages are cow-calf operations and stocker operations which usually happen on ranches, and feedlot operations which is where ranchers send their cattle to be readied for market.

Cow-calf operations are the most important part of BC's ranching industry. Cow-calf operators maintain cow herds and raise their calves from birth to weaning. Each cow is expected to produce one calf each year. Calves are the primary revenue source and some heifer calves are raised to replace cows that die or are culled. Cow-calf operators breed the cows, usually in late spring or early summer. A cow is pregnant for 9 months. Newborn calves stay with their mother's until they leave the ranch. As the calves grow, they go out to pasture on rangeland with their mothers. In BC, there are over 10 million hectares of rangeland. When the calves are six to eight months old, they are weaned and moved to either a stocker or a feedlot operation. The heavier calves go directly to a feedlot.

Stocker operations have available forage, such as pasture, hay and silage, for the winter and grazeable rangeland for the spring, summer and fall. Cow-calf and stocker operations are often combined. A stocker operation raises calves over 6 months. In the summer, the cattle are out on rangeland. In the winter when food is more scarce and the weather is cold the cattle are fed by the farmers. Stockers go to the feedlot at 12 to 20 months.

WHAT DO BEEF CATTLE LOOK LIKE WHEN I USE IT?

The end result of a cow-calf operation is cattle that are sent to feedlots to be finished, ready for market. Some smaller calves are also overwintered on the home ranch.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE BEEF CATTLE LEAVE THE FARM?

Ranched animals are sold to feedlots to be finished before slaughter. Traditionally, animals are transported by truck or rail to be sold, most commonly through public auctions. At the auction, the auctioneer sells the cattle to the highest bidder. Feedlot operators often buy their animals at public auctions. In recent years, cattle are now sold through a computer auction.

WHAT CHALLENGES DO RANCHERS FACE?

One challenge that ranchers face is competing use for Crown-owned rangeland and water resources. Uses which can conflict with ranching operations can include domestic water supplies, mineral extraction, native land claims, outdoor recreation, park designations, subdivisions, timber production, wilderness areas, wildlife management areas and wildlife ranges. With good range management, cattle grazing is compatible with many of these other uses and in some cases improve the range for other uses. The ranching industry needs to be more active in land-use planning for analyzing both present and future requirements.

WHO'S INVOLVED IN PRODUCING BEEF CATTLE?

• Ranchers
• Cow-calf operator
• Stocker operators
• Auctioneer
• Trucker/transporter
• Veterinarians

Interesting Fact About Beef Cattle:

Beef animals are ruminants and like all ruminants have several stomachs. Ruminants swallow grass or other vegetation that people cannot eat. The animal does not chew grass properly. It goes into the rumen, one of the stomachs, where it is stored and broken down into balls of cud. The rumen, which is the largest of the stomachs, is a large fermentation vat. It is this feature that allows ruminants to digest cellulose and convert it to a usable product. When the animal has eaten its fill, it rests and "chews the cud". The balls of cud are brought back up into the mouth, chewed into a pulp and swallowed again. The chewed food goes on through the other three stomachs where it is digested. Other ruminant animals are dairy cattle, sheep, goats and buffalo.

Contacts and other resources:

 

BC Association of Cattle Feeders

BC Cattlemen's Association

BCMAL - Beef Information

BCMAL - Forage Information

BCMAL - Range Information

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