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The Beef is ON
The Beef is ON brings practical beef industry insights and updates from your hosts, James Byrne and Chad Mader - Beef Cattle Specialists at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness. Join us for discussions on management, nutrition, production practices and the latest trends across Ontario's beef sector.
Reach out with questions or suggestions for future episodes at thebeefison@ontario.ca
Episodes
42 episodes
Marketing Options for Cull Cows
What do you do with cows that no longer fit your system? In this episode, James and Chad review various options for marketing cull cows. The first step is identifying cows that aren't working for you, but once you've done that, ther...
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Getting the Best from Grazing Cover Crops
In this episode, James and Chad review ways to get the most out of grazing cover crops. For additional resources, you can check out:Cover Crops - BeefResearch.ca<...
Grazing Corn Stover
In this episode, James and Chad discuss the benefits and limitations of grazing cattle on corn stover. For additional resources on this topics, you can check out the links below.
Summer Student Profile
Something a bit different in this episode - we profile the Summer Employment Opportunities program, through which James and Chad hire students each summer to work with them. Today you will hear James' conversation with Kelsie Armstrong an...
Fall Pasture Management
In this episode, James and Chad are joined by OMAFA Forage and Grazing Specialist, Christine O'Reilly. The conversation includes discussion on managing pastures as we approach the end of the grazing season. For additional informatio...
Corn Silage Management - Part 2
Today is the second half of the conversation James and Chad had on all things corn silage. If you haven't already heard it, the first half of this conversation is in the previous episode.
Corn Silage Management - Part 1
This episode is the first half of a conversation James and Chad had on corn silage management. They discuss harvest timing, target moisture levels, storage options, and the basics of fermentation. The second half of this conversatio...
Beef Cattle Fertility - with Dr. Rex Crawford
Chad is joined today by Dr. Rex Crawford, owner of Dufferin Veterinary Services. They discuss bovine fertility from a veterinary and management perspective - from breeding soundness exams and bull health to when, why and how to diagnose p...
Making Good Culling Decisions
I this episode, James and Chad review some average culling rates for Ontario, and discuss the factors that should be considered when making culling decisions in your beef herd.
Silvopasture - with Christoph Wand
Today, James is joined by colleague Christoph Wand - Livestock Sustainability Specialist with OMAFA to discuss all things silvopasture. They explain what silvopasture means to them, the advantages of incorporating this practice into your ...
Common Beef Industry Questions
In this episode, James and Chad are trying something a little different. Rather than make one topic the focus of the entire episode, they tackle some common questions that often arise with producers either new to the industry or looking t...
Bonus Episode - Beef Symposium 2025 - Understanding Bovine Respiratory Disease with Dr. Jeff Caswell
In this bonus episode, we hear from Dr. Jeff Caswell, speaking about bovine respiratory disease. This was originally presented as a webinar as part of Beef Symposium 2025. The original video recording can be found here:
Benefits of a Compact Calving Season
in this episode, James and Chad dive into several of the reasons that keeping - or getting - your calving season fairly compressed will help make you money. The calculator referred to in the pod can be found here:
Beef Cattle Efficiency Research with Dr. Katie Wood
Today Chad is joined by Dr. Katie Wood, Associate Professor in the Department of Animal Biosciences at the University of Guelph. Katie talks about how she ended up in the world of beef cattle research, outlines some of the great research ...
Supplying Water for Beef Cattle
In this episode, James and Chad discuss options for supplying water to your cattle. They also cover the main considerations around water quality and quantity, and the importance of water to cattle health and production. For addition...
Bonus Episode - Dr. Jessica Sperber, Beef Symposium 2025
In this bonus episode, we hear from Dr. Jessica Sperber, speaking about best practices for newly received calves. This was originally presented as a webinar as part of Beef Symposium 2025. The original video recording can be found h...
Managing Heat Stress
In this episode, James and Chad review the potential impacts of hot weather on beef cattle in both pasture and feedlot environments. They discuss various options to address potential heat stress challenges. See below for additional ...
Bonus Episode - Pasture Management with Christine O'Reilly
Today we return once again to the archives, for a podcast originally recorded by former Beef Cattle Specialist Havie Carter in 2023. Havie is joined by OMAFA Forage and Grazing Specialist Christine O'Reilly, for a comprehensive discussion...
Hay Inventory - Managing Supply and Demand
Today James and Chad share some suggestions for managing your hay supply before and during hay harvest. They cover inventory monitoring, quality and quantity tracking, and practical considerations to help you plan ahead now for winter fee...
Verified Beef Production Plus Program - with guest Jaclyn Horenberg
In this episode, Chad is joined by Jaclyn Horenberg, Manager of Producer Relations with Beef Farmers of Ontario. Jaclyn provides a great overview of the Verified Beef Production Plus Program. She covered the various ways producers c...
Mineral Feeding on Pasture
Most producers appreciate the need to provide a quality mineral for your cattle, but this isn't as simple as tossing some mineral out and walking away. In this episode, James and Chad review the basic considerations to ensure effective mi...
Turning Cattle Out to Pasture - Part 2
This week is the conclusion of the conversation on turning cattle out to pasture. This episode focusses on the logistical considerations you don't want to forget as you're getting ready to send cattle to pasture.
Turning Cattle Out to Pasture - Part 1
This is a conversation James and Chad have about things to consider when preparing to send cattle out to pasture. They address questions like when is there enough grass, how to deal with wet ground conditions, and digestive upsets to be a...
Interview - Megan Van Schaik, Feeding Small Grain Cereals
This is the first in a new Interview series, where James or Chad will be joined by a guest, to share perspectives relevant to the industry.In this episode, James is joined by Megan Van Schaik, Feed Ingredient and By-Products with OMAFA.&...