Reading Time: < 1 minute Sustainability, keeping a social licence, human resource strategies, and leasing for cattle are on the agenda for this year’s Cow-Calfenomics. As well, the one-day event will feature Brian Perillat from Canfax, who will give a marketing outlook and speak about herd expansion while forage business specialist Grant Lastiwka will give a presentation on economic grazing […] Read more
What’s on this year’s Cow-Calfenomics agenda?
Province creates online listings for alternative feed uses
Reading Time: < 1 minute In response to numerous calls to the Alberta Agriculture and Forestry’s Ag-Info Centre about options for alternative use of crops, a new category has been created under hay and pasture listings on the department’s web page. “Called Standing Annual Crop, the new category gives producers the option to list their crops for alternative uses so […] Read more
Dry means extra dangers for grazing livestock
Water hemlock and blue-green algae are two killers that pose an increased risk in dry, hot years
Reading Time: 2 minutes Dried-up sloughs and waterways mean cattle can graze things they normally wouldn’t. And that can be deadly. Water hemlock — something cattle wouldn’t normally eat — is one of the dangers. Its leaves and stems are toxic, but the root is especially dangerous, with a marble-sized piece enough to kill a cow. “Water hemlock is […] Read more
Auditor general’s report fires up grazing lease debate
The auditor general says ranchers are scooping up millions in payments that should go to the province, but leaseholders say that’s nonsense
Reading Time: 4 minutes A new report on Alberta’s grazing lease system by the provincial auditor general is throwing fuel on the long-simmering, controversial debate. The report estimates the province could be losing up to $25 million annually by allowing ranchers to keep compensation from energy companies when they drill or lay a pipeline. The report also says the […] Read more
Survival mode: Three allies to help you deal with drought
Young producer says knowing exactly how many days of grazing are left is a ‘game changer’ in a drought year
Reading Time: 4 minutes Cattle producer Blake Hall isn’t about to sugar-coat things. “People are so petrified of the word drought, but we’ve been using it for the last three weeks,” the Red Deer cattle producer said in a July 7 interview. “We stopped seeing any significant regrowth in our pastures about five weeks ago. Now we’re in drought-management […] Read more
Sask. to open protected grasslands for grazing
Crown-held native prairie and other grasslands held for wildlife conservation in Saskatchewan will be opened up to ranchers needing grazing land for cattle in dry areas. Environment Minister Herb Cox announced Tuesday the province will make about 90,000 acres of Fish and Wildlife Development Fund (FWDF) land available to cattle producers. The same grazing lease […] Read more
Learn how to benefit from sainfoin
A new sainfoin variety called AC Mountainview will allow producers to add alfalfa to their pastures without fear of bloat
Reading Time: 2 minutes A new variety of sainfoin is the focus of an upcoming training session in Lethbridge on July 21 and 22. “AC Mountainview has the ability to regrow more quickly than older varieties,” said Grant Lastiwka, a provincial forage and livestock business specialist. “Having a non-bloating, early growth and good regrowth legume is certainly something that […] Read more
The five keys to assessing rangeland health
The old adage about not being able to manage what you can’t measure applies to rangelands
Reading Time: 3 minutes Native rangelands are key assets to livestock producers — and rangeland health assessments allow them to adjust grazing practices to achieve productive, sustainable grazings. A rangeland assessment system looks at the five key functions of rangelands: integrity and ecological status; community structure; hydrologic function and nutrient cycling; site stability, and noxious weeds. And in all […] Read more
Carbon storage could equal cash for your grass
Reading Time: 2 minutes Alberta farmers who practise no-till cropping have been eligible to apply for carbon credits since 2002. We know that grasslands capture and store carbon, so why aren’t landowners with pasture getting paid for their contribution? That’s the focus of a University of Alberta study on the environmental benefits of things such as wildlife habitat and […] Read more
Feeding pasture cattle on insured hay fields
Reading Time: 2 minutes Here are the options for pasturing cattle on insured hay fields. If clients have any questions or concerns about the policy or procedures they should contact their local Agricultural Financial Services (AFSC) branch office. This spring has experienced low precipitation rates and windy conditions in many parts of the province that may be contributing to […] Read more
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