Reading Time: 3 minutes Peas, lentils and beans got a big boost in their public profile thanks to the UN’s International Year of Pulses in 2016 and soon rangelands will get their turn in the spotlight. While “it’s tough to get people excited” about an event that’s still three years away, the UN International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists […] Read more
Threatened rangelands will be in the global spotlight in 2026
The UN’s international year will highlight both the threat and ways to preserve this critical habitat
Grazing management website truly is a ‘one-stop shop’
Finding info relevant for Alberta used to be challenging, but Pasture 101 changed that
Reading Time: 3 minutes There was a time when students of a pasture school came home with a large binder of pasture management information. It wasn’t something easily carried around, especially not on horseback. These days there’s an easier way and it’s called Pasture 101. “It’s designed to provide basic and advanced components of pasture and grazing management,” said […] Read more
Global equipment makers take notice of Agri-Trade
This year’s event will feature a special German Pavilion and attract buyers from around the world
Reading Time: 3 minutes German engineering and homegrown country music are two things marking the return of a full-scale Agri-Trade this November in Red Deer. Organizers of the ag equipment expo have been working with counterparts at German ag trade show company IFWexpo to bring manufacturers from that country to Alberta. IFWexpo organizes German Pavilions on behalf of Germany’s […] Read more
No shortage of innovative ag products at Agri-Trade
Equipment expo has a ‘tough job’ in picking just five finalists for its AgInnovations showdown
Reading Time: 4 minutes Technology continues to change one of the oldest professions – farming. Showcasing some of the latest agricultural technology is at the heart of the AgInnovation contest at Agri-Trade, the annual ag equipment expo in Red Deer. This is the 14th year for the competition, which culminates with five finalists making five-minute pitches before a live […] Read more
There are low-cost ways to bring a tired pasture back to life
Caring for ‘baby plants’ and managing land with your cows are two pillars of pasture rejuvenation
Reading Time: 4 minutes Fertilizer and fuel prices got you down? If you have unproductive pasture, the high cost of a total redo may have you unsure of what to do. But there are low-cost possibilities, says a longtime forage extension specialist. “Everything is an option when it comes to pasture rejuvenation,” said Grant Lastiwka. One of the first […] Read more
A swath-grazing sabbatical can be a way to redo worn-out hay land
Reading Time: < 1 minute Plagued with unproductive hay land? Reseeding to an annual and swath grazing for two or three years might be the answer. The first year start with a rapid growing cereal that is hardy “like an oat or barley, if you choose to put another large seed, stick with a pea,” said forage expert Grant Lastiwka. […] Read more
To build or not to build that new barn? That is a devilish question
Spending big on new facilities isn’t easy and neither is figuring out what will work best in future
Reading Time: 4 minutes Your head has told you for years that your facilities are long overdue for an upgrade. But other areas of the farm always took priority. Finally, after a few years of less than stellar calving conditions in April and not being able to move the squeeze function on your chute because it was constantly frozen, […] Read more
Been there, done that: Acclimating heifers to chutes pays dividends
Practice runs through facilities lowers the fear factor and can even reduce open rates, study finds
Reading Time: 3 minutes Just having a less stressful life would have been worth it for Karyn Neilson, but acclimating heifers to handling facilities may also result in more calves. “The minimal time invested into acclimating is well worth the results,” said the Stettler-area producer. It all started when Neilson and husband Lance contacted Olds College inquiring how they […] Read more
OPEN TO CHANGE: Trying something new isn’t easy — but it can pay off
Two producers share their experience of heading in a brand new direction and how it played out
Reading Time: 4 minutes Have you ever acted on the recommendations of experts? Many will agree expert advice is great — however, to follow through with it often costs money and time. But Charlie Christie and Terri Mappin are two producers who listened, decided to give it a go and are glad they did. At wit’s end A very […] Read more
Good calving data can deliver dollars, but first you need to record it
Collecting more info during calving can reveal issues you didn’t know you had, says vet
Reading Time: 4 minutes There is a lot of information that can be collected during calving season. But what data is worth spending time recording? And why should we be collecting data to begin with? A bare-bones record — such as how many cows and how many calves they had — doesn’t get you very far if you’re looking […] Read more
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