pastures Archives - Page 3 of 4

Hay shortage in Manitoba Interlake reaches tipping point

By GFM Network News September 5, 2019

MarketsFarm — A state of agricultural emergency has been declared in 12 municipalities, mostly in Manitoba’s Interlake region, due to chronically low hay yields. Drought and grasshoppers have hindered crops to the point that hay production is about 25 to 30 per cent of average. “We’ve moved cows out of pastures because the grasshoppers ate […] Read more

Crops, Pasture, Weather

Prairie drought reaches tipping point

By GFM Network News June 19, 2019

MarketsFarm — The Prairie provinces have been under the influence of a large ridge of high pressure for a number of weeks, which has produced prolonged dryness with little precipitation. That high pressure system has pushed low-pressure, precipitation-carrying systems to the south, where the U.S. Midwest has already received significant rain. Environment Canada estimated the […] Read more

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 Peter Vitti August 15, 2018

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

Crops, Forages, Weather

Forage supplies starting to dip on dry Prairies

By GFM Network News May 16, 2018

CNS Canada — Forage supplies are starting to dwindle across Western Canada following a long, cold, winter and rain is needed soon to make for a good forage crop this year. “People tended to kind of blend hay this year and they managed to get through. But the prolonged cold spring really I think put […] Read more

Beef Cattle, Livestock, Markets, Reuters

U.S. cattle placements hit 16-year high for February

By GFM Network News March 23, 2018

Chicago | Reuters — Ranchers drove 7.3 per cent more cattle into U.S. feedlots in February than a year ago, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported on Friday, the most for the month in 16 years. Persistent drought in the U.S. Plains withered winter wheat grazing pastures, which forced beef cattle into feedyards in states […] Read more

Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock

A two-step (plus) grazing plan

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

By Sean McGrath March 2, 2018

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

Gregory, Heather and young Thomas Eppich are in the farming (and horse) business together.

Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock

We are the Eppichs

Young farm couple starting from scratch in the cattle and horse business

By Heather Eppich February 23, 2018

Hello! We are Gregory and Heather Eppich. I, Heather, grew up on the family ranch in Salmon, Idaho and Gregory grew up on the family farm in Handel, Saskatchewan. We got married July 23, 2016 and I moved to Handel. We have a small organic farm, a few cows and horses and a Border collie/Lab […] Read more

Crops, Hay, Weather

Hay shortage could make for difficult winter

By GFM Network News October 3, 2017

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

I measured the water at this location SE 27 Tp 32 R3 W3 on October 2, 2001. This photo was taken on July 26, 2017.

Columns, Livestock

Water, salt and cows in pastures

Let’s use disaster as a chance to learn more about measuring the salt content in water

By Les Henry September 12, 2017

The recent loss of 200 head of stock due to bad water brings the subject of water and cows into sharp focus. The loss occurred at a pasture near Shamrock, Sask., about 75 km southwest of Moose Jaw. Let me first offer condolences to the producers who lost cattle. In my experience cows are more […] Read more

Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay and B.C. Agriculture Minister Lana Popham met Wednesday in Victoria. (Photo courtesy AAFC)

Forages, Livestock, Weather

Options weighed for AgriRecovery in B.C. fire zones

By Grainews Staff, GFM Network News August 16, 2017

Officials in British Columbia are now gauging what sorts of damages and expenses can be covered through an AgriRecovery plan for ranchers and farmers affected by wildfires. The federal and B.C. governments announced Wednesday they’re “working together to quickly assess the extraordinary costs farmers are incurring and what additional assistance may be required to recover […] Read more

Alberta crop conditions improve: report

U.S. grains: Corn sets contract lows on expectations for big US crop

U.S. livestock: Cattle strength continues

GFM Network News