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Under hot and dry conditions this is a situation of pasture being depleted with no supplement food in sight.
Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner

A feed strategy to help compensate for poor pastures

It’s a hot dry summer out there in many places — any grass just isn’t doing it

By
Western Canada is having one of the hottest and driest summers in 30 years. It might not be the widespread drought of the past, but this year’s pastures are either simply nonexistent or filled with nutritionally hollow grass. As a result, cattle performance is likely to be compromised now and in months ahead with a […] Read more
Grass tetany isn’t a huge problem, but where or when conditions develop, it can be corrected.
Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner

Nip risk of grass tetany in the bud

Provide a tablespoon or two daily of magnesium mineral supplement before turnout

By
Every spring, I think about the possibilities of grass tetany in the cow herds going out to graze in on lush prairie grass. While nobody wants to find a fresh cow that died under mysterious circumstances, there is no need to panic. Fortunately, most threats of fatal grass tetany can be reduced by providing beef […] Read more
Cattleman’s Corner, Forages, Livestock

Sweeter forage grasses may benefit milk production

Different classes of livestock can make better use of forage mix

By
Spring is the time of rebirth. This year our livestock is not scheduled for babies till late spring so we have more time than usual to study, read, and plan our 2018 pasture season. While reading over garden catalogues my mind keeps turning to old ideas of turnip grazing, mangels (large beet) or potato choppers. […] Read more
File: Grazing land.
Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock

A two-step (plus) grazing plan

Use the grass, but don’t abuse it — allow for recovery time

By
Often I see people’s eyes glaze over and a sense of disconnect when talking about grazing plans — surely after caring for cattle all winter, we can just turn them out in the spring and go round them up in the fall. Like most of agriculture now, the pressure for returns on a land base […] Read more
Stockpiled forage for late fall and winter grazing can be produced by not grazing a pasture at all until late fall, 
or by grazing it early in the season and then “resting it” — bringing cows back when the snow flies.
Cattleman’s Corner, Forages, Livestock

More details on Step 3 of the two-step grazing plan

Use the grass, but then give it a chance to recover before coming back

By
Step 3 of the two-step grazing plan could also be titled, “How To Not Graze,” as this by far seems to be the biggest challenge facing pastures in Western Canada and perhaps around the world. In order for grazing to be successful, we first have to grow forage, and in order to do this to […] 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
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
New crops equal new feeding practices
Crops, Features

New crops equal new feeding practices

Adding corn to rotations is changing livestock 
feeding practices in Western Canada

By
As corn moves into Western Canada, so does the opportunity for livestock producers to diversify and improve the diet of their animals. Beef and dairy producers in the west have embraced corn as part of their animals’ ration and are increasing corn acres rapidly. Traditionally, beef cattle in the west have been fed with one […] Read more
(GullLakeSK.ca)
Forages, Livestock, Pasture, Weather

Wildfire-damaged grazing areas up for Saskatchewan aid

By ,
Saskatchewan’s provincial disaster assistance program (PDAP) will be opened up to cover southwestern grazing areas damaged by this fall’s wildfires. The province’s government relations minister, Larry Doke, on Wednesday announced producers who incurred wildfire damage on “tame and native lands” intended for grazing may now apply for assistance to get feed for affected livestock. Winds […] Read more
(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)
Crops, Hay, Weather

Hay shortage could make for difficult winter

By
CNS Canada — Many cattle producers looking for local feed this winter might have a difficult time, according to a Saskatchewan provincial forage specialist. However, producers further north in the grey and black soil zones, and those in Alberta producing high-quality feed for export, saw near-record hay production. Terry Kowalchuk of Saskatchewan Agriculture in Regina […] Read more
This grass cage with rain gauge is on a multi-species pasture with 
three species of legumes and three grass species.
Cattleman’s Corner, Forages, Livestock

Multi-benefits of multi-species pastures

Collecting plenty of solar rays above ground benefits soil health below ground

By
I am a big fan of diversity in both perennial and annual grazing situations. In some ways multiple species are more difficult to manage than less-diverse plant communities. In a multi-species scenario every action and in particular its timing will favour one species over another and shift the balance of power in the pasture. The […] Read more

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