Shows / The Beef is ON
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
- The Beef is ON
Advantages and Disadvantages of Various Calving Seasons
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, James and Chad discuss the pros and cons of calving the spring, fall or winter. While spring is certainly the most common…
- The Beef is ON
Fall Webinar Series
Send us Fan Mail Just wanted to take a moment to let everyone know about our upcoming webinar series. To register, follow the link below: Meeting Registration…
- The Beef is ON
Understanding your Forage Test Results
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, James and Chad help improve your understanding of forage test results. What are the most important numbers to look at, what…
- The Beef is ON
Bale Grazing
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, James and Chad discuss the advantages and considerations related to bale grazing beef cows.
- The Beef is ON
Marketing Options for Cull Cows
Send us Fan Mail 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…
- The Beef is ON
Getting the Best from Grazing Cover Crops
Send us Fan Mail 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…
- The Beef is ON
Grazing Corn Stover
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, James and Chad discuss the benefits and limitations of grazing cattle on corn stover. For additional resources on this…
- The Beef is ON
Summer Student Profile
Send us Fan Mail Something a bit different in this episode - we profile the Summer Employment Opportunities program, through which James and Chad hire students…
- The Beef is ON
Fall Pasture Management
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, James and Chad are joined by OMAFA Forage and Grazing Specialist, Christine O'Reilly. The conversation includes discussion on…
- The Beef is ON
Corn Silage Management - Part 2
Send us Fan Mail 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…
- The Beef is ON
Corn Silage Management - Part 1
Send us Fan Mail This episode is the first half of a conversation James and Chad had on corn silage management. They discuss harvest timing, target moisture…
- The Beef is ON
Beef Cattle Fertility - with Dr. Rex Crawford
Send us Fan Mail Chad is joined today by Dr. Rex Crawford, owner of Dufferin Veterinary Services. They discuss bovine fertility from a veterinary and…
- The Beef is ON
Making Good Culling Decisions
Send us Fan Mail I this episode, James and Chad review some average culling rates for Ontario, and discuss the factors that should be considered when making…
- The Beef is ON
Silvopasture - with Christoph Wand
Send us Fan Mail Today, James is joined by colleague Christoph Wand - Livestock Sustainability Specialist with OMAFA to discuss all things silvopasture. They…
- The Beef is ON
Common Beef Industry Questions
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, James and Chad are trying something a little different. Rather than make one topic the focus of the entire episode, they…
- The Beef is ON
Bonus Episode - Beef Symposium 2025 - Understanding Bovine Respiratory Disease with Dr. Jeff Caswell
Send us Fan Mail In this bonus episode, we hear from Dr. Jeff Caswell, speaking about bovine respiratory disease. This was originally presented as a webinar as…
- The Beef is ON
Benefits of a Compact Calving Season
Send us Fan Mail in this episode, James and Chad dive into several of the reasons that keeping - or getting - your calving season fairly compressed will help…
- The Beef is ON
Beef Cattle Efficiency Research with Dr. Katie Wood
Send us Fan Mail Today Chad is joined by Dr. Katie Wood, Associate Professor in the Department of Animal Biosciences at the University of Guelph. Katie talks…
- The Beef is ON
Supplying Water for Beef Cattle
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, James and Chad discuss options for supplying water to your cattle. They also cover the main considerations around water…
- The Beef is ON
Bonus Episode - Dr. Jessica Sperber, Beef Symposium 2025
Send us Fan Mail In this bonus episode, we hear from Dr. Jessica Sperber, speaking about best practices for newly received calves. This was originally…
- The Beef is ON
Managing Heat Stress
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, James and Chad review the potential impacts of hot weather on beef cattle in both pasture and feedlot environments. They…
- The Beef is ON
Bonus Episode - Pasture Management with Christine O'Reilly
Send us Fan Mail Today we return once again to the archives, for a podcast originally recorded by former Beef Cattle Specialist Havie Carter in 2023. Havie is…
- The Beef is ON
Hay Inventory - Managing Supply and Demand
Send us Fan Mail Today James and Chad share some suggestions for managing your hay supply before and during hay harvest. They cover inventory monitoring…
- The Beef is ON
Verified Beef Production Plus Program - with guest Jaclyn Horenberg
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Chad is joined by Jaclyn Horenberg, Manager of Producer Relations with Beef Farmers of Ontario. Jaclyn provides a great…
- The Beef is ON
Mineral Feeding on Pasture
Send us Fan Mail 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…
- The Beef is ON
Turning Cattle Out to Pasture - Part 2
Send us Fan Mail This week is the conclusion of the conversation on turning cattle out to pasture. This episode focusses on the logistical considerations you…
- The Beef is ON
Turning Cattle Out to Pasture - Part 1
Send us Fan Mail This is a conversation James and Chad have about things to consider when preparing to send cattle out to pasture. They address questions like…
- The Beef is ON
Interview - Megan Van Schaik, Feeding Small Grain Cereals
Send us Fan Mail 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…
- The Beef is ON
Preparing your Bull for the Breeding Season
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, James and Chad review considerations for your herd bulls leading up to the breeding season. They outline the demands placed…
- The Beef is ON
Bonus Episode - Recording 4 from Beef Symposium 2026
Send us Fan Mail This episode rounds out the podcast versions of our Beef Symposium webinars from this past winter. This pod includes portions of the…
- The Beef is ON
Fly Control on Beef Cattle
Send us Fan Mail Join James and Chad for this discussion on common fly populations impacting grazing cattle. They review the basic life cycle of flies, the…
- The Beef is ON
Bonus Episode - Preparing Cattle for the Grazing Season
Send us Fan Mail In this bonus episode, we dig into the archives for a podcast originally recorded by our former OMAFA colleague - Havie Carter. This is a…
- The Beef is ON
Pasture Quality and Cattle Performance
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, James and Chad review the principles of pasture growth, and how growth stage impacts pasture quality. They discuss the…
- The Beef is ON
Bonus Episode - Recording 3 from Beef Symposium 2026
Send us Fan Mail Welcome to another bonus episode! This episode includes another recording from our recent Beef Symposium - a joint venture between OMAFA, Beef…
- The Beef is ON
Understanding Acidosis
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, James and Chad provide an overview of what acidosis is, what causes it, and the challenges associated with managing…
- The Beef is ON
Bonus Episode - Recording 2 from Beef Symposium 2026
Send us Fan Mail Welcome to another bonus episode! This episode includes the recordings of two presentations from our recent Beef Symposium - a joint venture…
- The Beef is ON
Herd Sire Value - Considerations when shopping for a bull
Send us Fan Mail As bull sale season is ramping up in Ontario, James and Chad talk about what to consider when buying a bull - primarily around how much you…
- The Beef is ON
Preparing for Calving
Send us Fan Mail Today, James and Chad review considerations in preparation for calving season. Listen for some reminders and maybe some new ideas to keep in…
- The Beef is ON
Bonus Episode - Recording from Beef Symposium 2026
Send us Fan Mail Welcome to our first bonus episode! This episode includes the recordings of two presentations from our recent Beef Symposium - a joint venture…
- The Beef is ON
Selecting Replacement Heifers
Send us Fan Mail James and Chad discuss what to look for in replacement heifer candidates and considerations for purchasing heifers vs raising your own…
- The Beef is ON
Managing Cattle in Cold Weather
Send us Fan Mail James and Chad review considerations for maintaining your cattle in cold weather. This includes nutrition, water sources, and shelter options…
- The Beef is ON
Importance of Body Condition
Send us Fan Mail Join James and Chad as they discuss the importance of maintaining appropriate body condition in your cow herd, and how you can use Body…
- The Beef is ON
Marketing your calves
Send us Fan Mail Join James and Chad as they discuss what producers can do to increase the value of the calves they market.
- The Beef is ON
Weaning Considerations
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, James and Chad discuss the value of low-stress weaning, and the pros and cons of various weaning options.
- The Beef is ON
Creep Feeding
Send us Fan Mail Join hosts James Byrne and Chad Mader as they discuss the value of creep feeding calves. They cover options for what, when and how to feed…
- The Beef is ON
Welcome to the Beef is ON
Send us Fan Mail Introducing a new podcast for the Ontario Beef industry. Subscribe now so you don't miss our first episode. New pods drop every other Thursday.