cow and calf

It’s not too late to creep-feed spring calves

Better Bunks and Pastures: Analysis says this could be a highly profitable year to creep-feed calves

A friend of mine operates a 300-cow-calf operation. This year, he put out his creep feeders during the end of July and his March-born calves really haven’t eaten much creep-feed in the last month. That’s because his pastures are still lush and his cows are milking well. He joked that he is ready to lock […] Read more

One plant can have many aliases. Scarlet mallow, a native prairie wildflower, is also referred to as salmon pinks or “cowboys’ delight.” Biologists generally use Latin plant names to avoid common name confusion.

Plants and their identity crises

A Little Bit Western: One person’s weed is another person’s useful and cherished plant

Like many farmers and ranchers, I’ve always been curious about plants. After all, we are surrounded by plants, and humans depend on them for everything from food and forage to fibre and fun. Throughout the growing season, as interesting plants pop up in ditches, fields and pastures, I get texts, tweets and messages with photos […] Read more


Combining of spring cereals provincewide was approaching or near the three-quarters done mark, per the latest crop report from the provincial agriculture department on Sept. 10. Photo: File

Manitoba harvest advances with co-operative weather

Harvesting in Manitoba reached 40 per cent complete according to the latest crop report from the provincial agriculture department on Sept. 10. The central region was furthest along a 51 per cent finished, followed by the eastern region at 47 per cent done, the southwest at 38 per cent, the Interlake at 34 per cent and the northwest at 25 per cent.




Photo: Getty Images

Combining underway in Manitoba

The harvesting of fall cereals was well underway in Manitoba, according to the province’s latest crop report released on Aug. 13. Manitoba Agriculture said 39 per cent of the fall rye and 17 per cent of the winter wheat had been combined.


Photo: Greg Berg

Saskatchewan crops advance rapidly: report

Hot temperatures and a lack of moisture saw crops in Saskatchewan continue to advance rapidly during the week ended Aug. 5, according to the latest provincial crop report, with the conditions leading to a further decline in yield potential. While any moisture received would be too late for advanced crops, producers indicated precipitation would still […] Read more

Pretreated calves usually need a booster for mycoplasma once they arrive at a feedlot.

Lower stress, lower mycoplasma

Animal Health: The secondary respiratory and joint disease can be limited with prevention

Feedlot owners and backgrounders across this country always have one question for me: “Is there anything new out there to combat mycoplasma?” While there are a couple of vaccines licensed for cattle, they do require multiple shots. Vaccines help, but focusing on decreasing stress and other diseases can limit mycoplasma infection. Mycoplasma comes in many […] Read more



In the case of farmers such as Herb and Fred who have separate assets, there may be adverse tax consequences in transferring land from one to the other at book value.

Two brothers want to merge two farms, simplify ownership

Farm Financial Planner: Maximizing the proceeds from their estates for the benefit of charities will take some planning

In south-central Manitoba, two brothers who we’ll call Herb, 75 and Fred, 60, have farmed for more than 40 years. They’ve raised cattle and produced mixed grains. Neither has married and there are no children or other obvious heirs. In their four decades of farming the brothers have built up substantial off-farm assets. There’s enough non-registered […] Read more