Forages & Production Tips

Beef Cattle, Livestock, Pasture, Reuters

JBS accused of violating rainforest protection laws

By GFM Network News April 1, 2017

Brasilia | Reuters –– The world’s largest meatpacker, Brazil’s JBS SA, has for years knowingly bought cattle that were raised on illegally deforested land, turning a blind eye to regulations meant to protect the Amazon rainforest, Brazil’s environmental regulator has alleged. The accusation comes even as JBS and other meatpackers in Brazil, the top global […] Read more

Crops, Hay, Machinery

Technology could open up hay export markets for Ontario

By GFM Network News March 21, 2017

An Ontario hay co-operative hopes to have a double-compaction facility running by 2018, giving it access to global markets for hay. Ontario hay has traditionally been at a shipping cost disadvantage compared to most competitors, as hay headed for Asia or the Middle East has had to be shipped by rail to the West Coast. […] Read more

Crops, Dairy Cattle, Forages, Machinery

Robot milker firm Lely to shed forage equipment business

By Grainews Staff, GFM Network News March 13, 2017

Dutch dairy equipment manufacturer Lely, best known in the Canadian market for its robotic milking systems, plans to focus on that business and sell its forage equipment lines to Agco. The two companies announced Monday they have an agreement in principle for Lely to sell its forage division, including two German manufacturing plants, to U.S.-based […] Read more

A high stocking density and moving cattle quickly through pastures works well for both  beef production and waterfowl conservation objectives.

Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock, Pasture

Cows and ducks work well together

Producer applies his rotational grazing system to conservation pastures

By Angela Lovell March 9, 2017

Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) and Rapid City, Manitoba area cattle producer Gerald Bos are working collaboratively on a project that’s a win-win situation for both by benefitting nesting waterfowl and Bos’s beef herd. The project revolves around ‘The Smith purchase’ — a half section of land that DUC bought in 1994, which happens to be […] Read more

Moisture and a reduced stocking rate helped pastures to get back into a productive state above and below ground.

Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock, Pasture

Keeping soil biology ticking

Pasture Management: Grazing setbacks happen, but find opportunities to get back on track

By Kim Nielsen March 1, 2017

Normal weather” at 4 Clover Ranch near Rocky Mountain House, Alta. has been illusive for a couple of years at least and it has created some grazing challenges at the expense of pasture performance. Our planned grazing system, where we look at the health of the grass on an ongoing basis, has responded well over […] Read more

Bale grazing is one of the popular options for winter grazing, especially when you have good ranch help.

Cattleman’s Corner, Forages, Weather

Winter grazing begins before Dec. 1

Don't assume winter grazing won’t work ‘here’ — look at the options

By Sean McGrath January 30, 2017

I confess, I am a winter grazier. I love grazing cows in the wintertime. I like reducing my labour and cutting my costs. I like free time for spending with kids or writing Grainews articles. Truth be told, I even like riding saddle horses in the cold, as a lot of our terrain is not […] Read more

Alberta Outstanding Young Farmer nominees, Shane and Kristen Schooten and their children Gracen, five and Berkley, three.

Beef Cattle, Forages, News

Outstanding Young Farmers Alberta: Shane and Kristen Schooten

Starting young and working with family pays off for Shane and Kristen Schooten

By Geoff Geddes November 23, 2016

More often than not, mixing family and business is like an ill-conceived blind date: awkward and hard to get out of. That’s not the case for Shane and Kristen Schooten, recent winners of Alberta’s Outstanding Young Farmer (OYF) award. They are living proof that you can survive and even thrive by blending family and finances. […] Read more

Crops, Forages

The three worst forage weeds

By Leeann Minogue October 17, 2016

The benefit of attending of Saskatchewan Agriculture’s Crop Diagnostic School at Swift Current last July was having the opportunity to get an up-close look at problems farmers face every season. One of the experts on hand was Rachel Turnquist, a regional forage specialist with Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Agriculture. Turnquist gave us a look at what […] Read more

Crops, Forages, Weather

High-quality forages tougher to find this year

By GFM Network News October 6, 2016

CNS Canada — There seems to be no shortage of forages in Western Canada this year, as wet weather has allowed grasses to keep progressing at a steady rate. Finding high-quality hay could be the challenge, however, according to crop watchers in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. “It’s been tough for guys to put four to five […] Read more

Crops, Features, Forages

Forages and grasses for marginal land

Permanent cover crops can increase fertility in "problem soils" over time

By Julienne Isaacs September 26, 2016

Jeff Schoenau has a word for agricultural areas currently in annual production that fail to deliver a return on expensive inputs: “heartache land.” It’s better known as “marginal” land, and it can be defined as land with soil that has limitations including poor water-holding capacity and water availability to roots due to sandy texture or […] Read more

GFM Network News

U.S. livestock: CME cattle tick lower in thin pre-holiday trade

U.S. grains: Wheat extends gains on short covering, war risk

Prairie forecast: Plenty more chances for snow over Holidays

Forages