Hay Archives | Alberta Farmer Express

Cattle, like these ones in Willow Valley, need more feed during cold weather. Winter feed costs can account for three-quarters of the annual feed bill.

Feed testing is a luxury you can’t afford to miss out on this winter

The first step is to get representative samples — and that can be trickier than it sounds

By Jennifer Blair December 2, 2019

Just like you can’t always tell if your cattle are healthy by looking at them, you can’t see the quality of your feed at first glance. Luckily, feed testing can help you manage both. “The nutrition program is almost always the culprit when things just aren’t quite right,” said Karin Schmid, research and production manager […] Read more

A thin cow will need an extra 1,400 pounds of hay just to stay warm over the winter.

Livestock, News

There are extra challenges in wintering cows this year

Early weaning, supplement feed, and feeding vitamins earlier should be considered

By Alberta Agriculture And Forestry November 21, 2019

With feed quality and quantity “all over the map this year,” producers face challenges weaning calves and maintaining cows, says a provincial beef and forage specialist. “If calves were not provided with creep feed over the summer, weaning weights will be lower than in most years — as much as 150 pounds per animal,” said […] Read more

The Livingstone Range makes for a picturesque backdrop for these cattle grazing in the Willow Valley. The picture for Alberta’s beef herd isn’t quite as pretty but given drought conditions and a feed shortage earlier in the year, the situation is fairly good for most producers, says Brian Perillat of CanFax.

Livestock, News

Not bad feels pretty good for cattle producers this year

It’s far from a banner year but given how things started, 2019 has been better than expected

By Alexis Kienlen November 21, 2019

This year has probably gone better than most cattle producers in Alberta expected. “We started out dry and in a drought, and conditions were a concern early in the year,” said Brian Perillat, manager and senior analyst with CanFax. “But we worked through it and we’ve come full circle. “We’ve got really ample feed supplies […] Read more

Ground-level grazing of long-stemmed forages is the key to equine dental health.

Horse Health, Livestock

Some feeds can be too easy to digest for horses

The mechanics of nibbling, chomping and crunching are important to horse health

By Carol Shwetz Dvm November 14, 2019

There is a harmonic resonance that is audibly evident when a horse chews. This chewing sound soothes, calms and contents the nervous system of the horse, and most horse owners would agree that it also soothes the nervous system of the human. There are many reasons chewing is an important part of a horse’s life […] Read more

Forages, Livestock

Stubble grazing presents nutrition issues for cattle

By Alberta Agriculture And Forestry November 12, 2019

If you’re turning cows out in stubble fields or allowing them to graze slough hay or mature hay along fences and headlands, there are nutritional factors to consider, says a provincial forage specialist. Straw, chaff and overmature grass hays are typically low in protein, energy, calcium and magnesium, but relatively high in phosphorus, said Barry […] Read more

Crops, News, Weather

Alberta harvest continues, 11 per cent of crops remain

Alberta Crop Report: Conditions as of November 5

By Alberta Agriculture November 8, 2019

Following a cooler than normal growing season, September brought several wet spells, interspersed by two major dry spells, each lasting less than two weeks. In October, wet spells occurred more frequently, with the northern half of the province blanketed with a few cloudy days. Over the past month, all areas in the province experienced below […] Read more

Alternative feeds could offer big savings this winter, but supplies vary by region and feed testing is a must.

Crops, Livestock, News

Harvest woes increase supply of alternative feeds

Prices are down and depending on the region, availability is up — but you need to do the math

By Beef Cattle Research Council November 5, 2019

Hay costs vary significantly this year, with prices in some areas with short supplies nearly double those in areas with adequate supplies. On the other hand, there could be numerous options for alternate winter feeds this year as some crops originally intended for grain are being harvested as feed. Alberta feed barley prices have dropped […] Read more

Crops, Weather

Poor weather continues to hamper Alberta harvest

By MarketsFarm November 1, 2019

Snow, rain and cold winds continued to hamper harvest operations in Alberta during the week ended Oct. 29, according to the latest provincial crop report. Total harvest progress across the province was pegged at 81 per cent done, which was up eight points from the previous week. Southern Alberta was farthest along, at 95 per […] Read more

The best way to store bales outside is in rows, with at least a foot between rows and six inches between bales, although you want to stay away from tree lines as that allows more snow to collect.

Hay, Livestock

Proper hay storage can be the difference between a win and a wreck

Pyramid-style stacks are a no-no for your bales

By Jennifer Blair October 31, 2019

How your hay looks heading into winter depends on two things — where you farm, and how badly you were hit by the never-ending rains this summer. If you’re on the Eastern Slopes in southern Alberta where the weather was good, you’re probably in luck. But heading farther east, conditions this summer were dry and […] Read more

Crops, News, Weather

Weather plays nice to see Alberta harvest pick up pace

Alberta Crop Report: Conditions as of October 22

By Alberta Agriculture October 25, 2019

Significant momentum was made in some areas getting crop in the bin this past week, with the provincial average currently estimated at 74 per cent of all crops combined. This jump is primarily attributed to Central, North East and North West regions where 26, 16 and 13 per cent respectively of Major Crop* acres were […] Read more

JBS says U.S. IPO would not change headquarters

Prairie cash wheat: CWRS prices up, durum largely down

U.S. grains: Soy futures rise as China offers tariff waivers

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