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


Even without increasing the cow herd size, enhanced grazing management can pay dividends by extending the grazing season.

The importance of giving grass a vacation

A properly managed rest period should lead to increased forage production

Often the largest category of costs in a cattle operation is what economists consider fixed costs. These are usually big things such as tractors or land. In most cases, land is the largest cost item in a farm operation. On the other side of this equation are what we refer to as variable costs. These […] Read more