With what appears to be a dry spring shaping up, it never hurts for beef producers to be prepared in case forage production is in short supply any year. In drought years it’s often hard to locate an adequate forage supply for cattle. Sometimes producers use alternative feeds, which might include drought-stressed or salvaged crops. […] Read more
Salvaged crops can fit into beef rations
Canola hay can make good feed, but a feed analysis is a must
Dairy farmers see multiple benefits from forage blends
Input costs have been reduced and more acres returned to crop production
Dairy farmers Paul and Erin Kernaleguen near Birch Hills, Sask. say they’re convinced about the value of regenerative farming practices in growing forage crops for their cattle. They farm with Paul’s parents, Jos and Brenda Kernaleugen. “We were a conventional operation until 2012 when we started looking at doing things differently,” Paul says. “Our average […] Read more
Tips on growing replacement heifers
Keep them growing with a good plane of nutrition, but don’t get them fat
Developing a set of good heifers is the goal of everyone raising their own replacements. Success depends on many factors, including age at puberty, herd health, a proper vaccination program, parasite control and nutrition. Fertility and age at puberty are heritable but also influenced by nutrition. Heifers need optimal nutrition for growth and development, including […] Read more
Tips on when and how to check cows during calving
Don’t hesitate to check progress — it’s better to intervene a bit early than too late
Most cows and heifers progress normally through three stages of labour (early labour, active labour with abdominal straining and expulsion of the placenta after delivery of the calf.) Uterine contractions in early labour get the calf aimed toward the birth canal, the cervix dilates and the calf starts through. The water sac and then the […] Read more
Ranchers apply new practices summer and winter
High-intensity grazing along with swath grazing boosts overall production, plus how to construct a 3-D fence
Matt and Angela Kumlin, a young farm couple near Cochrane, Alta., are making major changes to their forage management and winter feeding programs, and they’re seeing beneficial results. They have cattle of their own and take in yearlings for custom grazing in the summer, utilizing different forages in their pasture mix. “Most of our grassland […] Read more
Connecting rural communities to mental health
Don’t be afraid to reach out for help
People in rural communities with limited access to mental health care can use the phone as the first step to reach a crisis intervention program, says Cynthia Beck, a farmer and university student completing her Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology. She plans to finish graduate school and become a registered clinical psychologist working in rural […] Read more
Your calving season checklist — be prepared
Don’t wait till the last minute to start searching for equipment
Before calving starts, you want everything you might need on hand, and have all facilities and equipment functional and ready for use. A few calves may arrive early, so don’t wait till the last minute to get machinery or other equipment out of the calving barn or maternity pen if that’s where you stored or […] Read more
Cattle important to regenerative ag program
Producer finds that cattle and crops can complement each other
Jerry Baerg farms grain and cattle in central Alberta near Linden. He grew up on the family farm and worked with his dad, then worked off farm for a while. On his return, he bought into the farm and began farming full time. While attending a soil health/grazing conference five years ago, he began thinking […] Read more
Improving pastures through regenerative agriculture
A low-input strategy is paying off for this central Alberta producer
Brendon Anderson took over the family farm near Rimbey in central Alberta a few years back and is now focused on regenerative agriculture to improve soils and forage production. Ultimately he would like to get to a system of year-round grazing, but that may not be possible in some winters that deliver nearly four feet […] Read more
Tips for ‘grafting’ a new calf to a new mother
Smell and taste are two senses used in the bonding process
When fostering or “grafting” an orphan calf or twin onto a cow that lost her own calf at birth, some producers skin the dead calf and tie the hide onto the substitute calf. If the cow had a chance to lick and smell her dead calf before it was taken away, tieing its hide over […] Read more
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