Jourdyn Sammons

Perennial and annual grazing mixes go head to head

A recent study at the U of S compares production, animal performance and sustainability metrics across grazing mixes

Researchers measured performance of four different blends, grazed by yearling steers in 14-acre paddocks over two years at the Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence near Clavet, just southeast of Saskatoon.






The Hicks family’s calving pastures

Calving season: Timing and transition

Beef producers talk about their motivations for changing calving timing

For many cow-calf producers, calving season is a favourite time of year. After waiting 283 days, farmers are finally able to see the result of their breeding decisions as well as welcome a new crop of animals that will likely become a large portion of their annual revenue. Looking at survey data over the past […] Read more

Darren Wolchyn says the use of solar power on Smart Paddock’s ear tags sets the product apart from others.

GPS system for cattle brings individual animal management to the range

Smart Paddock can measure behaviour of animals far from home

An Australian company with a Canadian connection, Smart Paddock won the Rising Star category in the Canadian Animal AgTech innovation competition at Agribition in late 2024. Smart Paddock’s founder and chief executive officer, Darren Wolchyn, moved his family from Alberta to Australia and ended up working on GPS-tracking golf carts. Ranching friends in Alberta suggested […] Read more


Cattle grazing on a range infested with velvet lupine in eastern Washington state. Producers will want to know in advance about any potentially hazardous plant life before turning cattle out on unfamiliar land.

Prevention and responsibility can be shared

Animal Health: Crop growers and cattle producers can benefit by working together

In writing for the past several years for Grainews it was nice trying to create articles that had application to the cattle, grain and mixed farmers out there. Better long-term solutions are created by looking from both sides of the fence at a problem. These create win-win situations, where both sides of a deal, trade […] Read more

The two-striped grasshopper has two pale stripes that extend from its eyes to the tips of its forewings and solid black stripes on its hind legs.

PMRA plans to reinstate lambda-cy use in feed grain crops

PMRA to update guidance, cancel some uses in fruit

Canadian grain and oilseed growers who’d had to stop using insecticides such as Matador, Silencer and Voliam in 2023 for feed grain crops can expect to be able to use them again starting this spring. Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) on Monday (Feb. 3) announced a round of public consultations, to run until […] Read more


Gregory cut the slough hay and I followed right behind with the baler. The slough hay will be used on really cold days for extra feed or bedding.

Fall work, a visit from family, then snow

Eppich News: The last of the slough hay finally was baled just before the snow arrived

The weather was very nice for the end of October and the beginning of November. We had quite a bit of fall work and different projects to do. On Nov. 6 the last of the summerfallow was worked before winter. That same day, Gregory started working on the fence over at Landis. There had been […] Read more

rocky mountains alberta

Selenium sits on thinnest line between health and hazard

Agronomy Management: Removing selenium from water is costly and difficult at best

There are increasing concerns about the potential effects of a proposed coal mine development in southern Alberta and the impacts selenium could have on the environment in southern Alberta and into Saskatchewan. The proposed Grassy Mountain Coal project would be an open-pit mine built on a former coal-mining area about seven km north of Blairmore […] Read more