pastures Archives - Page 3 of 4

Lastiwka sought out efficient cattle genetics, such as Luing-cross cows, that can make use of a variety of forages. And he says fences may not be in perfect shape, but as long as they work that's the main thing.

Short and long-term thoughts on forage management

Some good lessons to be learned from more than three decades of experience of what works and doesn’t work

By Lee Hart March 10, 2022

A farm without a tractor. Some of the fences could use a bit of work. The cows have been known to eat thistles. And the farmer doesn’t hesitate to say “this really didn’t work out the way I planned.” So could a person trust any advice from this operation? If it was any place other […] Read more

Anderson cattle graze in early winter an area of the stockpiled annual forage blend that wasn’t cut for swath grazing.

Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock

Improving pastures through regenerative agriculture

A low-input strategy is paying off for this central Alberta producer

By Heather Smith Thomas January 27, 2021

Brendon Anderson took over the family farm near Rimbey in central Alberta a few years back and is now focused on regenerative agriculture to improve soils and forage production. Ultimately he would like to get to a system of year-round grazing, but that may not be possible in some winters that deliver nearly four feet […] Read more

Crops, Hay, Pasture

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

GFM Network News

USDA defends $12 billion subsidy amid farm economy challenges

Canada December retail sales down 0.4 per cent; seen up 1.5 per cent in January

Feed Grains Weekly: Domestic prices remain flat

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