The not-for-profit Thunder Bay Agricultural Research Station’s quest for a longer-term operating plan has ended with a new operator, and a new name. The Ontario government recently announced it will transfer the TBARS’s operating and research programming responsibilities to Thunder Bay-based Lakehead University, which will now operate the site as Lakehead University Agricultural Research Station […] Read more
Lakehead University to operate Thunder Bay ag station
Loans pledged for wildfire-damaged Alberta farms
Ranchers and farmers in two southeastern Alberta municipalities hit by wildfire in mid-October may soon be able to apply for interest-free rebuilding loans. The province’s Agriculture Financial Services Corp. (AFSC) on Wednesday announced loan applications will be available Jan. 8 for eligible producers in Cypress County and the MD of Acadia. Applications under the Hilda […] Read more
Harvestec owner Linamar set to buy MacDon
Canadian harvesting equipment company MacDon is set to join the ag arm of industrial equipment and parts manufacturer Linamar. Guelph-based Linamar Corp., which markets the Harvestec brand of corn harvesting headers in North America, on Thursday announced a “definitive” agreement to buy 100 per cent of Winnipeg-based MacDon and its group of companies for $1.2 […] Read more
Mycotoxins — the invisible danger for livestock
Ruminant nutritionist offers tips to ensure feed doesn’t pose a health hazard to your cattle
Reading Time: 3 minutes Mould and mycotoxins can be tricky, but there are a few tips that can help prevent them from hurting your cattle. That was the message that Amanda Van De Kerckhove, ruminant nutritionist with Co-op Feeds, brought to Northlands’ first BeefTech event. “It can be a little overwhelming when you look at all the factors that […] Read more
Attend this forage webinar in person
'In-person' webinar Dec. 12 at Olds College Bell-E Learning Centre
Reading Time: < 1 minute The webinar season is underway, but that can be a challenge for those who’ve never participated in these online learning events (or those with poor internet connections). So the Beef Cattle Research Council is inviting producers to attend its Dec. 12 webinar on forage diseases in person. The webinar on forage diseases that affect yield, […] Read more
Wildfire-damaged grazing areas up for Saskatchewan aid
Saskatchewan’s provincial disaster assistance program (PDAP) will be opened up to cover southwestern grazing areas damaged by this fall’s wildfires. The province’s government relations minister, Larry Doke, on Wednesday announced producers who incurred wildfire damage on “tame and native lands” intended for grazing may now apply for assistance to get feed for affected livestock. Winds […] Read more
Have a plan to get the most out of your feed supply
Strategies include keeping alfalfa until the third trimester and monitoring the calcium/phosphorus ratio when feeding cereals
Reading Time: 2 minutes Livestock producers have several months of winter ahead of them. “It’s best to develop a strategy to get the most out of your feed supply at the start of feeding season, and it’s not too late,” said provincial beef extension specialist Andrea Hanson. By testing the various feeds and knowing the nutritional values of each, […] Read more
Three tips for swath and bale grazing this winter
Match your cows and your feed, leave a ‘snowshoe’ if mud is an issue, and make those swaths wide and high
Reading Time: 3 minutes If you’re planning to swath or bale graze cattle this winter, here are three pieces of advice from Agriculture Canada research scientists Vern Baron in Lacombe and John Duynisveld in Nappan, N.S. Match animal and forage Successful extended grazing matches the energy requirements of the cow with the true quality of the forage and/or supplement […] Read more
There may be slim pickins in the pasture
Water-stressed forages have more fibre and less protein, and that can reduce feed intake and body conditioning
Reading Time: 2 minutes A hot, dry summer hastened the maturity and dormancy of native and improved pastures in many parts of the province, reducing both quality and digestibility of forages. “Plants do not grow as tall as normal in dry conditions,” said beef and forage specialist Barry Yaremcio. “Fibre levels increase faster and overall energy content of the […] Read more
Communities rally around producers in wildfires’ wake
Ranchers, farmers and rural residents who suffered losses, injuries and more in recent wildfires in southeastern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan are seeing support from neighbours and beyond. Alongside a number of online campaigns launched in support of affected farmers and families, the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association on Monday launched a wildfire relief fund to help […] Read more
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