alfalfa Archives - Page 2 of 4

Cattle are often susceptible to frothy bloat when grazing lush alfalfa pastures. It is best to ease them into high-risk pastures and even provide some dry hay or straw.

Preventing frothy bloat on early spring pasture

A couple of treatments are available, but management practices can avoid the problem

By Peter Vitti June 9, 2023

As a beef nutritionist, I haven’t heard about many fatal cow bloat cases over the last 10 years, but of the few I’m aware of, it seems it takes only a few things to come together to make bloat deadly. From talking to experienced beef producers, I am also aware that the risk of annual […] Read more

If there are wet conditions during the growing season, producers should think about have alfalfa hay tested for nitrate levels.

Cattleman’s Corner, Dairy Cattle, Livestock

Include high-quality alfalfa in a balanced dairy ration

Dairy Corner: Test for nitrates if the crop was produced under high-moisture conditions

By Peter Vitti April 25, 2023

High-quality alfalfa has not escaped the high cost of other dairy feeds, and thus significantly contributes to the record-setting cost of producing milk. And last year’s foul growing season, with wet conditions in some areas across the Prairies, was not kind to some alfalfa crops, resulting in some sprouting. This resulted in a few cases […] Read more

File photo of an irrigated alfalfa stand in Saudi Arabia. (JohnnyGreig/E+/Getty Images)

Crops, Markets

Saudi Arabia highly dependent on grain imports

Alfalfa more profitable for domestic growers

By GFM Network News April 4, 2023

MarketsFarm — While Saudi Arabia is a giant among the oil-producing countries of the world, the desert kingdom does produce small amounts of grain. With a population that’s about one million less than Canada’s, Saudi Arabia is extremely dependent on importing its grain from overseas. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) attaché in Riyadh explained […] Read more

The nymph (juvenile) stage of  the twice-stabbed stink bug.

Crops, News

New and notable Prairie crop pest insects

Haven’t heard of canola flower midge? Can’t identify those RED BUGS showing up in your fields? Didn’t know alfalfa weevil populations are developing insecticide resistance? Everything you need to know about new insect threats

By Madeleine Baerg June 4, 2020

Most Prairie farmers know more than they might want to about common crop pests like grasshoppers, cutworms and flea beetles. However, nature likes to throw curveballs, and pests are no exception. Here’s what you need to know about several new-to-you pests currently catching Prairie farmers by surprise. Alfalfa weevil While alfalfa weevils are familiar to […] Read more

This photo was taken July 25,2017. It is a good quarter section that has changed hands and belongs to an absentee owner. It was “planted down,” and the result a few years later was a decent stand of bromegrass. This looked like a fair seed crop. But it was later baled as a hay crop.

Columns, Crops

Les Henry: Fertilizing for forage yields

For higher grass yields, fertilize it like a crop

By Les Henry March 11, 2020

We often hear “plant it down” when a field is not performing well for annual crops. That may mean simply planting some grass and accepting hay yields determined by the moisture in a given year. It is not uncommon for such stands to perform poorly and then be utilized as pasture. There are many situations […] Read more

Ed Shaw, left and Scott Keller talk about diversification options at FarmTech in Edmonton.

Columns, Hart Attacks

Some good ol’ reminders about diversification

No crazy ideas about what to do with alfalfa and barley

By Lee Hart February 28, 2020

I must admit I haven’t heard much about farm “diversification” in recent years. And maybe that just means everyone these days is already diversified to the max so there is no need to talk about it. I think back 15 or 20 years and there were many actively promoted diversification schemes (and some of them […] Read more

Standing corn west of Giroux, Man. on Oct. 21, 2019. (Dave Bedard photo)

Corn, Crops, Forages

Manitoba beef sector faces tight feed situation

By GFM Network News October 22, 2019

MarketsFarm — An early snowstorm may have been the last straw for Manitoba livestock producers looking to put up feed ahead of winter. While the foot or more of heavy snow that blanketed much of the province over the Thanksgiving weekend has melted, saturated fields continue to limit corn silage harvests and hay cutting. “Feed […] Read more

Ben Stewart talks to farm tour members about an annual forage seeding including triticale and forage brassicas that will be cut for swath grazing.

Cattleman’s Corner, Forages

Species diversity is key to year-round grazing

Annual seedings provide important support to perennial pastures

By Lee Hart October 15, 2018

Ben Stewart believes in using a diverse mix of annual, biannual and perennial forages in his summer pasture and winter feeding program to improve rates of gain on his cattle, reduce winter feeding costs and improve soil health. The fact that he also works with a company that sells forage seed might make him a […] Read more

Crops, Forages, Wheat & Chaff

Successful forage establishment

Q & A with CPS

By Nathan Trowell March 8, 2018

Q: What are the top factors for successful forage establishment? A: To grow a productive forage crop, consider important factors like soil, weeds, previous crop and herbicide residues. Identify and consider the impact of soil factors like flooding, drainage, low pH (acidity), texture and salinity that may impede establishment, productivity or species/variety selection. Control winter annual, biennial […] Read more

It takes more than water and sunshine to grow grass — you need to also plan for it.

Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock

Where does grass come from?

Aside from the obvious answer, it is important to have a grazing plan

By Sean McGrath February 7, 2018

We do some apparently strange things on our operation. We are short on cropland and long on native rangeland in our resource mix, so we run smaller cows and calve later than many of our neighbours. We also try to extend our grazing season, particularly the grass component, for as long as is humanly or […] Read more

GFM Network News

U.S. grains: Soybeans retreat after rally, wheat holds at three-month high

Klassen: Feeder market drops sharply

Dryness, drought likely to persist says forecaster

Tag Archives alfalfa