Pasture Archives - Page 8 of 102

AAFC’s Breanne Tidemann says kochia (seen here) appears to be spreading to areas of Alberta where it wasn’t seen previously.

Into the weeds: 2024 in preview

Prairie specialists consider which weeds are most likely to succeed as the season proceeds

By Jim Timlick May 8, 2024

The past few seasons have been a challenging time for farmers on the Canadian Prairies. Extreme heat, lack of precipitation and steep increases in production costs have caused some sleepless nights for many producers. As if those weren’t enough to contend with, another potential threat to crops will soon rear its ugly head: weeds. Grainews […] Read more

Vaccinating cows and calves and moving pairs out to pasture is a springtime task that takes priority on many farms across Western Canada.

Cattleman’s Corner, Columns

Springtime on the ranch is a hopeful tale

How calf processing has evolved on this ranch over the years

By Tara Mulhern Davidson April 29, 2024

Spring feels like the first chapter of a new book you hope becomes a favourite classic. At the start of a new growing season, you have an idea of the basic summary of the story. The familiar rhythms of the arrival of baby calves and planting crops are certain. However, you can never be sure […] Read more

standing stubble from a fall harvested crop

Columns, Crops

Drought preparedness through soil and crop management

After each dry year, adapt your drought plan based on your experiences and what you learned

By Ross H. McKenzie April 18, 2024

As spring approaches, the agricultural community is becoming increasingly concerned about potential forecasts of drought across the southern Prairies. And rightly so; the print and electronic media have posted numerous drought-related articles. Wide areas of southern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan and their dryland farms, irrigated farms and ranching areas could be affected. But what helpful […] Read more

First-calf cows need to be able to feed their calf, continue to grow and become ready for breeding, which means they need special treatment.

Cattleman’s Corner, Columns

Take care of first-calf beef cows after calving

Keep them separate from older cows and a different ration could make sense

By Peter Vitti April 18, 2024

Despite some market volatility, the good value of all cattle is holding for the time being. That’s a good thing because last year, many cow-calf operators bred more replacement heifers that are now calving or about to calve. Some of these producers told me they throw them into their main cowherd if they are big […] Read more

File photo of farmland around an abandoned farmstead near Swift Current, Sask. (ImagineGolf/iStock/Getty Images)

General

Renting land better than buying for cash flow: FCC

Each farm needs to make the decision themselves, but a bit of analysis can help when choosing

By GFM Network News April 18, 2024

Rising farmland values and higher interest rates have swung the affordability pendulum in favour of renting, not buying, farmland.

Wild foxtail barley on the edge of a canola field.

Crops, Features

Garden seeds lead to problem weeds

The names in the garden catalogues may sound pretty, but the plants are far from that in pastures or fields

By Geralyn Wichers April 5, 2024

Glacier FarmMedia — Manitoba rancher Herman Bouw was casually perusing a gardening seed catalogue when a particular ornamental grass item caught his eye. The plant was listed as “squirrel tail grass,” but Bouw thought it looked awfully similar to a species with a more cursed name on the Prairies. A comparison of scientific names confirmed […] Read more

With Enriched Ag’s RealTime + Vision + Insights package, users get a customized tablet that allows them to access data and make management decisions on the go.

Equipment, Features, Livestock

AI assistance for ranchers

A high-tech tool aims to help users make better management decisions around grazing practices

By Mark Halsall April 5, 2024

Nowadays, it takes more than just horsepower to drive some of the best ag tools. Artificial intelligence is becoming a leading force in driving innovation that not only helps boost efficiency and productivity for producers but also can make their farms more sustainable. A high-tech startup called Enriched Ag maintains there are fewer AI-powered tools […] Read more

A study shows that in terms of response to moisture-related stress, the crop type is more important than the specific variety.

Crops, Features, Weather

Curb risk from moisture stress for less

A Manitoba agronomist offers up some tips for farmers on a budget

By Mark Halsall April 3, 2024

With swings between wet and dry extremes in recent years, Prairie farmers have seen more water stress problems in their fields. Not only do they make crops less productive, but they can also crank up the stress levels for farmers. “Historically, our two main risks in crop production long term have been excess moisture and […] Read more

Kit Pharo says ranchers can increase their production per acre and their profitability.

Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner

A key to cattle business survival

Produce more pounds of beef per acre versus more pounds per cow, this U.S. rancher says

By Heather Smith Thomas March 29, 2024

North America producers are receiving higher prices for cattle than ever before — “yet very few are really profitable,” Kit Pharo says. Most cow-calf producers “are too dependent on outside inputs, which are also at record-high costs,” says Pharo, who operates Pharo Cattle Company in Colorado and was the keynote speaker at the recent Holistic […] Read more

A view of the grassland at Calgary’s Nose Hill Park. Preliminary results of recent research suggest Alberta’s grasslands have fared better than other such regions in weathering the effect of drought.

Features, Weather

Research looks into drought’s lingering effects on grasslands

A global project will provide valuable insights as droughts increase, an Alberta scientist says

By Alexis Kienlen March 22, 2024

Glacier FarmMedia — A global study is examining the surprising ways short-term droughts can affect grasslands. “It’s not surprising that less water is going to lead to less plant growth. We’re all very familiar with that,” said Cameron Carlyle, associate professor of rangeland ecology in the Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences at the […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Live cattle drop as beef prices, packer margins erode

CBOT Weekly: Soybean, wheat futures come down

Masterfeeds to enter new ADM/Alltech feed joint venture

GFM Network News