Reading Time: < 1 minute So far uncommon to Alberta, puncturevine has all the makings of a potential headache to you and me, alike. What started as an annual herb in southern Europe has started spreading into Canada (in British Columbia and Ontario). Like most other weeds, this plant prefers areas of disturbed, bare ground and grows as a summer […] Read more
Keep watch for this potential new invader
Noxious Weeds: Puncturevine
Saskatchewan offers provincial pasture leases to patron groups
Cattle producers using provincial pastures heading into the final three years of the Saskatchewan Pastures Program (SPP) will get the first chance at leasing them. The province announced in March it would wind down the SPP, kicking off a public consultation process. Based on those consultations, the province confirmed Thursday it will grant the 50 […] Read more
Seeding 91 per cent complete, harvest of over-wintered crops nears completion
Alberta crop conditions as of June 6
Reading Time: < 1 minute A week of favourable weather has advanced seeding to 91 per cent completed, up 12 percentage points for the week but well behind the five year average of 99.5 per cent. Seeding intentions are changing due to the late date as producers shift acres to barley away from spring wheat, canola and field peas. Crop […] Read more
Stewardship program ‘putting our money where our mouth is’
For producers involved with the ALUS program, ecosystem services become a type of production like any other
Reading Time: 4 minutes The poplars ringing Adrienne Herron’s wetland stopped growing where her cattle and horses were grazing, and just wouldn’t rebound. That was a real wake-up call for the Innisfail-area rancher. “I was concerned by the impact I was having on this ephemeral wetland with the cows and horses keeping the grass down as much as they […] Read more
Seeding well behind five year average, crop stages behind normal
Alberta crop conditions as of May 30
Reading Time: < 1 minute Seeding progress in the province has reached 79 per cent complete, up 22 percentage points on the week, but well behind the five-year average of 97 per cent. A weather front early in the reporting period brought strong winds and varying amounts of rain to the North West and North East regions, reaching into the […] Read more
This quick-spreading weed gets an early start
Noxious weeds: Canada thistle
Reading Time: < 1 minute Spring brings lovely native flowers, but also noxious weeds. The aggressive perennial Canada thistle is a favourite of disturbed soils of all types. It starts sending shoots from horizontal roots to the surface of soil around mid-April, with flowers to follow in mid-June and continuing throughout the summer. Easy to distinguish from other weeds, this […] Read more
They’ll drink to that — cows and calves do better with cleaner water
Study finds cattle drink more from troughs, and that results in more milk and faster-gaining calves
Reading Time: < 1 minute Pumping dugout water into troughs can boost weight gain in calves. In a study done at the Western Beef Development Centre, cow-calf pairs were provided with either direct access to a dugout or access to troughs of untreated water pumped from the same dugout. Calves with cows that drank from the troughs gained an additional […] Read more
Nominate a great steward for environmental award
Deadline for nominations is July 15
Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta Beef Producers is seeking nominations for the 2018 Environmental Stewardship Award. The award recognizes cattle producers whose stewardship practices contribute to the environment, and enhance productivity and profitability. Applicants are invited to share the unique environmental practices employed on their operation and to present the positive story about cattle producers’ contribution to the environment. […] Read more
Seeding progress spikes in Alberta, farmers 57 per cent complete
Alberta crop conditions as of May 23
Reading Time: 2 minutes In most parts of the province, weather conditions over the last week were favourable for the harvesting of crops left over from 2016 as well as the seeding of new crops for 2017. Showers and rainfall over the last week occurred mainly in the western parts of the province. Provincially, seeding progress was up by […] Read more
Don’t let livestock graze too early
Reading Time: < 1 minute Turning animals onto pastures while grass plants are still small, succulent, and their second leaf barely fully emerged, may be doing more harm than good. Provincial forage specialist Karin Lindquist said if the grass is bitten before it has reached that three-leaf stage, it is forced to revert back to those energy stores to regrow […] Read more