Canadian cow–calf production in the east and west regions: insights into calving distribution, and adoption of calf management, feed and water testing, and animal health practices

The survey examined differences in calving distribution, calf management, feed and water testing, and animal health practices among cow–calf herds in western and eastern Canada, using data from the 2022 breeding season through weaning of the 2023 calf crop. Larger herds had a higher proportion of cows (63%) and heifers (67%) calving in the first 21 days compared to smaller herds (57% and 63%, respectively). Pain control for dehorning was more commonly reported in the east (82%) than the west (67%), though overall frequency of use did not differ significantly. For castration, pain control use was slightly higher in the west (50%) than in the east (45%), with a significant regional difference in frequency ( P = 0.013). Feed testing varied by region ( P < 0.001), occurring once or more annually in 50% of western and 31% of eastern herds. Water testing frequency did not differ significantly, with over 60% of producers in both regions never testing water. Vaccination rates were 95% (west) and 92% (east). While vaccination and pain control uptake was consistently high overall, there is room to improve pre-breeding vaccine use, pain control, and feed and water testing—especially among smaller herds or those relying on visual assessments for cattle performance.