Whether we use our equipment daily or not, we can’t ignore the overhead cost of having and maintaining it.

Rethinking yardage costs

Those costs can be higher than most think, so running your own numbers is important

For many of us, winter is a season of feeding cows. Feed is one of the key drivers of animal performance and is one of the highest direct costs for most cattle operations. Notice the use of the word feed. Feeding — that is, the act of providing feed — can also be one of […] Read more

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

Grazing cover crops shows soil health dividends

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

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


burdock

Herbicide is only part of the pasture weed control program

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

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

Winter feeding bison on top of a patch of foxtail barley has been an effective way for Jacques Saquet to control the weed.

Applying management to pasture weed control

Maintaining a healthy forage stand is best defence against weeds

Peter Tokar and Jacques Saquet are two Manitoba livestock producers who have applied changes in management practices to help control some particularly difficult pasture weed infestations. Tokar, who owns a mixed farm — primarily a beef cow-calf operation — near Swan River in west-central Manitoba, deals with patches of burdock on his pastures. Saquet, who […] Read more


Whether they are domestic or wild species, producers need to be aware that there can be some risks with the co-mingling of different species with cattle.

The pros and cons of pasturing species together

Thoughts about running cattle, bison, sheep, horses et cetera on the same piece of land

It can be a challenge to weigh the benefits and risks of running species such as beef cattle, sheep, bison and horses together on the same pastures, especially if feed is short. The pros and cons can be difficult for you and your veterinarian to address. While usually it is not a problem, there can […] Read more

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

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


File: Grazing land.

Ideas for extended fall and winter grazing

Annual crops and protein supplements are among the options

There are many ways to extend the grazing season on most farms and ranches. In years with not enough rain in regions without irrigation, native pastures and hay aftermath don’t produce as much forage as normal, One option to increase forage production is seeding and grazing annual crops, which may include cereals and brassicas. Extending […] Read more

An adult lygus bug. (Photo courtesy Canola Council of Canada)

Matador, Voliam insecticides back in ‘limited’ release

Revised labels prohibit feeding, foraging of treated crops

Syngenta Canada no longer plans to keep its lambda-cyhalothrin insecticide products off the market in Western Canada this year — but it’s planning to have a smaller supply. The crop chem and seed company announced Friday it will have a “limited amount” of its lambda-cy-based products Matador 120EC and Voliam Xpress available in the West […] Read more


Along with native grass pastures, the Baergs are trying different combinations of seeded grass and legume species to 
provide both annual and perennial forage stands.

Crop diversity intended to beef up the soil

Proper rotation is part of developing sustainable farming operation

“If you take care of the grass, it will take care of you.” These are the words of wisdom Alberta cattle producer Jerry Baerg received from one of his mentors, and which he has followed as he and his family set about building a sustainable beef operation near Linden in south-central Alberta. Over the past […] Read more

On the McGrath ranch they manage grazing at a very intensive level with various record keeping apps, charts, monitoring points and other systems in place.

Calculating ‘cow bushels per acre’

Most grain crops are measured by bushels per acre, so why not do the same for forage?

If you’re familiar with grain farming, the term “bushels per acre” is a common frame of reference for measuring yield. There are nuances around this, such as moisture level, bushel weight and protein content, but bushels per acre is a relatively well understood industry standard. When we think about a lot of the cow-calf industry […] Read more