Forages & Production Tips

Drought has meant more demand for forage insurance, but accuracy of measurement based on local conditions is challenging.

Satellite-based insurance may be future of forage risk management

Analysis from above could be an accurate, timely way to measure forage growth

By Melissa Jeffers-Bezan March 4, 2024

Glacier FarmMedia — Satellite-based insurance technology could be a way to protect beef producers during times of drought. There’s more interest in forage insurance during recent droughty times on the Prairies, but evaluating local forage risk is challenging. “Weather events are becoming more acute in severity and frequency, you know the drought of 2023, 2021,” […] Read more

Researchers now recommend allowing one or two years between terminating an old alfalfa stand and reseeding.

Columns, Forages, Practical Tips

Alfalfa replant disease and related disorders

Whatever the cause, we can realize it's a problem and try to avoid it

By Ieuan Evans March 1, 2024

Back in the 1980s I spent a lot of time on alfalfa diseases, particularly the verticillium wilt disease problem that was spreading across the Prairies, particularly in southern Alberta. In a few snow-free and cold Decembers in those years, a lot of damage was done to alfalfa, winterkilling entire fields of three-year-old stands. Even white […] Read more

Equipment, Forages, Machinery

Compostable bale wrap heads toward wide release

Nature's Net Wrap an environment-friendly alternative to long-lived plastic

By Scott Garvey March 1, 2024

Virtually every cattle farmer and rancher has tripped over an old piece of plastic baler twine or net wrap stuck in the ground in a corral or bale yard. The stuff just never seems to go away. But an entrepreneurial Alberta ranching family has come up with a solution to eliminate that problem with a […] Read more

Here we see a cover crop grazing blend at the Ag in Motion farm show near Langham, Sask., in 2023.

Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner, Forages

Grazing cover crops shows soil health dividends

Livestock producers see the benefits but say they could really use more information

By Melissa Jeffers-Bezan January 12, 2024

Glacier FarmMedia — If you’ve wondered whether livestock producers are taking a different approach to cover crops than those growing them for the grain — and are seeing distinct benefits in doing so — the surveys so far say yes. Callum Morrison, a crop production extension specialist for Manitoba Agriculture at Carman and a master’s […] Read more

This old trough, no longer useable for water, was repurposed into an inexpensive feeder for the bulls. Tucked into the corner of the fence with a bit of reinforcement, it can easily be refilled as needed.

Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner, Columns, Pasture

A handy inexpensive feed bunk

A repurposed water trough and other fencing materials were all put to good use

By Heather Smith Thomas December 15, 2023

This fall, we decided to let our two yearling bulls out of the corral for winter and have them eat down some willows. Last winter, we created a new little pasture by clearing out the trees and willow bushes, then piling and burning them in hopes of growing more grass. We grazed that new pasture […] Read more

Dr. Dan Undersander, middle, is the 2023 winner of the Canadian Forage and Grassland Association Leadership Award. He is joined by Cedric MacLeod, executive director of CFGA, left and Eric Boot, right, chair, international exporters of CFGA.
Photo: Catherine Brown

Crops, Forages

Forage association presents 2023 Leadership Award

By GFM Network News November 30, 2023

The Canadian Forage and Grassland Association (CFGA) presented its Leadership Award at its 14th Annual Conference on Nov. 29, in Harrison Hot Springs, British Columbia, to Dr. Dan Undersander of Wisconsin – the first non-Canadian to win this award. As well as being the keynote speaker at the conference, Undersander has worked as a forage […] Read more

A new model of the trailer-style Hustler bale processor on display at the 2023 Ag In Motion Show. The processor comes in various sizes from single bale up to six and eight bale capacity. The single bale processor can attach to the tractor with a patented snap-lock system as well as trailer style.

Cattleman’s Corner, Equipment, Hay

Gentle hay handling does make a difference

Feed, and feed value, can be lost with flail-type bale shredders

By Lee Hart November 28, 2023

Jonathan Karsin figures a Hustler bale unroller has easily paid for itself by more efficient use of hay. Karsin is one of the principals of Karsin Farms Simmentals at Newton, about 20 km southeast of Portage la Prairie, Man. He says they have been able to save at least one large round bale per head […] Read more

Cattleman’s Corner, Pasture

Herbicide is only part of the pasture weed control program

Proper grazing management doesn't give weeds a place to start

By Grainews Staff October 4, 2023

Western Canadian livestock producers looking to control weeds on pasture should consider an integrated pasture management program that uses several tools from the tool box, says a specialties business leader with Corteva Agriscience. Mark Versluys says applying a herbicide to knock back some of the more difficult weeds is an excellent start, but that needs […] Read more

Close-up file photo of an alfalfa plant in a Canadian field. (Jennifer Seeman/iStock/Getty Images)

Crops, Forages

DLF buys Corteva’s alfalfa seed business

Business to be 'fully transitioned' after 2024 season

By Dave Bedard, GFM Network News September 8, 2023

International forage and turf seed firm DLF is stretching its reach in the alfalfa market with a deal for Corteva Agriscience’s assets in that business. The Danish firm announced Wednesday it had acquired Corteva’s global alfalfa germplasm and breeding program for an undisclosed sum, including its current commercial alfalfa varieties and their trademarks such as […] Read more

Mature winter wheat. (Allan Dawson photo)

Canola, Cereals, Crops, Forages, Soybeans

Manitoba’s crops continue to hold up

Hay yields generally below average; pasture conditions were deteriorating due to dryness

By GFM Network News August 2, 2023

MarketsFarm – Timely rains in Manitoba have kept the province’s crops in relatively good shape, according to the latest crop report. Manitoba Agriculture said precipitation as of Aug. 1 amounted to as much as 73 millimeters around Zhoda in the southeast to 13 mm at The Pas in the north. Although several locales throughout the […] Read more

GFM Network News

Huge crops in South America says analyst

U.S. livestock: ‘Cattle on feed’ report supports prices

U.S. grains: Wheat trades near contract lows under ample global supply

Forages