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
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
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
Drought management is a very long game, says master grazier
Getting through a year like this one is at the heart of the management system Graeme Finn uses
Reading Time: 3 minutes Managing for a drought should start the day you begin ranching. That was the message from Graeme Finn of Southern Cross Livestock for attendees at a recent field tour put on by the West Central Forage Association. “This year is the wrong year to start thinking about drought management,” said the Aussie native who now […] Read more
Feeding site permit requirement suspended
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Natural Resources Conservation Board is suspending the requirement for a permit for a temporary confined feeding site. The government agency “recognizes that due to the current very dry conditions and poor grass pastures, summer feeding of cow-calf herds may be required (and)… will not require producers to obtain permits” for temporary confined feeding. However, […] Read more
DISASTER: Hope dries up along with the pastures and fields
Everyone is hurting but the fallout for the cattle sector may be felt for years to come
Reading Time: 6 minutes The effect of the arid spring and the blistering July heatwave will be felt “for years to come.” “On a scale of one to 10, I’d put this at a 10 — it’s extremely severe,” said Melanie Wowk, chair of Alberta Beef Producers. “The herd will shrink — not just out of this province, but […] 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
Grasslands conservation effort gets $70-million boost
Major grasslands initiative to fund 800 stewardship projects across the Prairies
Reading Time: 4 minutes There have been a lot of grasslands conservation efforts, but none as large as the Weston Family Prairie Grasslands Initiative. Five organizations are being given nearly $25 million by the Weston Family Foundation for what may be the largest grasslands conservation effort ever in Canada. And each of the five groups will be committing additional […] Read more
Grasslands Conservation Guide available
Reading Time: < 1 minute Birds Canada has produced a 69-page guide to help landowners learn more about financial incentive programs available to preserve, enhance, or restore grasslands and important prairie habitats. The guide outlines available programs, including ones available in Alberta. Some offer funding for projects while others offer assistance in protecting habitat and species that rely on grasslands. […] Read more
Innovative farmers ‘harvest’ water to boost production
Coen Farm created shallow ditches called swales to capture millions of gallons of snowmelt each spring
Reading Time: 3 minutes This winter, you might want to harvest something a little different on your farm — water. “Our farm harvests 40 years of water in two weeks just from snowmelt,” said Takota Coen, who farms near Ferintosh with his parents. “We live in one of the only places in the world where you can actually increase […] Read more
Making rotational grazing the norm would be a ‘win win,’ says study
If all of Alberta’s grasslands were rotational grazed, 1.2 million tonnes of carbon could be sequestered every year
Reading Time: 4 minutes Grazing your cattle just a little differently could be a win win for your operation and the environment, says a new study from the University of Alberta. “The idea is to evaluate alternative grazing systems to see which ones are best and which ones maximize the sequestration and storage of carbon,” said ecology professor, Mark […] Read more
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