Reading Time: 4 minutes The pandemic put a lot of things on hold for the past 18 months, but advances in agriculture technology is not one of them. “There are a lot of new innovations; technology has not slowed with the pandemic,” said David Fiddler, Agri-Trade show manager. This year, the show’s Ag Innovations Award program saw more applicants […] Read more
Agri-Trade receives record number of Ag Innovations entries
Five finalists will make their pitches before a live audience at the farm show
Agri-Trade is ready to get on with business
Proof of vaccination or a recent test is ‘what we have to do to be able to go forward,’ says show manager
Reading Time: 3 minutes Planning a large-scale farm show during the pandemic is not for the faint of heart, but the organizers of Agri-Trade are getting geared up to return this November. “You never know from one day to the next what we were facing for a while, but the (Alberta) government has laid it out pretty clear what […] Read more
If you’re aiming for pasture perfection, you need a scorecard
Getting maximum production is an elusive target but good records help a lot, says producer
Reading Time: 3 minutes Is your pasture above- or below-average? And if you don’t keep accurate records over time, how do you know? The first step is knowing what your land is capable of producing so you can set a proper grazing rate, says Ryan Boyd. That was driven home for the Manitoba producer when he was awarded a […] Read more
Don’t miss out by neglecting nutrient needs of forages
Nitrogen levels are usually the limiting factor but there are several issues to consider
Reading Time: 5 minutes When you think annual crops, you also think about the fertilizer needs for that crop. But the nutrient needs of the 26-million-plus acres of forages are not often thought of. “Not fertilizing forage stands is often a missed opportunity,” said Ross McKenzie, a former Alberta Agriculture soil and crop researcher. By the end of the […] Read more
Little things can help improve flow of cattle
There are some easy fixes that make a difference, says long-time vet
Reading Time: 4 minutes There’s no ‘silver bullet’ system that will have cattle flowing perfectly, eliminate welfare issues, and guarantee a positive experience for the handler. But there are some easy ways to make them better, says Dr. Roy Lewis, who has seen, and worked in, a lot of systems. Here’s his list of tips. Give ’em space “The […] Read more
Is your setup safe? If so, you’re doing all of these things
Reading Time: 2 minutes We often think how we can work our cows to avoid stress and injury to them. But spare a thought for the handlers — whether yourself, employees or your vet. “Some people will definitely put you in harm’s way, and not even know it,” said Dr. Roy Lewis, who was a large-animal vet for more […] Read more
Before you can go with the flow, you need to get the flow going
A new handling system has proven to be like night and day on Short Grass Ranches
Reading Time: 4 minutes Low stress and good flow are what all producers want when putting cattle through a handling system. Oftentimes though, cattle balk at something or just don’t flow as smoothly as they should. That’s the situation Craig Lehr found himself in, even though he had a “very well-built” one-piece, S-alley livestock-handling system with a crowding tub […] Read more
Carrying capacity: You gotta know if it can hold ’em
Overgrazing can really hurt productivity, so it pays to know how many cows you can put on a pasture
Reading Time: 3 minutes Struggling with finding the right amount of cattle to graze on a pasture or not sure how many cattle a new rented pasture will hold? The Beef Cattle Research Council now has a calculator to help you with that. There are four basic principles of range management: Balancing forage supply and demand; managing for uniform […] Read more
Selecting the right forage mix has never been easier
New forage selection tool builds on extensive research and puts it all in an easy-to-use package
Reading Time: 3 minutes Trying to decide what forage to seed in a newly broken field? The Forage U Pick selector takes the guesswork out of it. Forage U Pick is not a new tool. Twelve years ago, the Saskatchewan Forage Council developed a Dryland Forage Selection Tool. It was well used by producers in that province, provincial ministries, […] Read more
Cattle mats help prevent slips and injuries when processing
Mats are a simple and relatively inexpensive way to improve traction and reduce slips, says Lacombe feedlot operator
Reading Time: 2 minutes Slips, trips, and falls in cattle can be common occurrences when putting animals through handling systems. For Lacombe-area farmer Colin Rice, preventing these occurrences when they built their feedlot was on their to-do list. Rice, who operates Rice Farms Ltd. with his cousin, decided to start a feedlot when they took over the farm three […] Read more
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