Excessively cold temperatures in Alberta may be causing headaches for both feed grain buyers and sellers, but prices remain relatively steady for what’s moving. The cold weather hasn’t really led to a significant increase in demand, but “it’s definitely made the farmer grumpy,” said Brandon Motz of CorNine Commodities in Lacombe, Alta. “In general, the […] Read more
Feed weekly outlook: Markets steady amid cold Alberta weather
Klassen: Feeder market starts year with cautious tone
Western Canadian feeder cattle prices were relatively unchanged to slightly softer compared to mid-December. The market was lightly tested, with direct off farm to feedlot trade, but auction market activity was rather quiet. Winter conditions in southern Alberta caused buyers to be on the defensive, with lighter calves reflecting small discounts; however, vaccinated feeders on […] Read more
U.S. forecaster sees 90 per cent chance of El Nino in winter
Reuters — There is a 90 per cent chance of the El Nino weather pattern emerging during the Northern Hemisphere winter of 2018-19, a U.S. government weather forecaster said on Thursday. “The official forecast favours the formation of a weak El Nino,” the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center (CPC) said in a monthly forecast. […] Read more
Alberta farmers try to wrap up ‘very unusual year’
CNS Canada — As winter approaches, producers in Alberta are still in the fields trying to wrap up the last bit of the 2018 harvest. According to the final crop report issued by Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, about six per cent of all crops were still in the field at the end of October. The […] Read more
Fall is a good time to inspect and maintain a dugout
Mowing and ensuring the float line is below ice level are good yearly practices, and warning signs are a must
Reading Time: 2 minutes When inspecting your dugout, work from the outside in. A fall inspection should start with a check of the area that feeds into the dugout, said provincial water specialist Dan Benson. “A properly graded, mowed grassed waterway is an excellent best-management practice that can reduce turbidity and nutrient-rich water from entering your dugout,” he said. […] Read more
The numbers are in and, baby, it was cold this winter
A cold snap that started in February and continued through March made for a long and chilly winter
Reading Time: 3 minutes Yet another month has come and gone, and for most of us across the Prairies, March 2018 was not one we really care to remember. After a warm start to 2018 that saw January temperatures averaging from 1 C to 3 C above the long-term average across all three Prairie provinces, cold weather moved in […] Read more
Extended winter could lead to more Prairie oat acres
CNS Canada — With winter still hanging on across Western Canada, one buyer thinks it could lead to an uptick in oat acres. “Later seeding generally increases oat acres. We’d rather see them seeded earlier but farmers have had a tendency when things get late (to) throw some more acres into oats,” said Scott Shiels […] Read more
What to consider when blanketing your horse
Horse Health: The animal’s body condition, nutrition and level of activity can all affect this decision
Reading Time: 4 minutes Most horses are blanketed in the winter according to the personal principles of the owner. However, like any other management practice, blanketing horses has its rightful place and proper use. The decision to blanket the horse comes with advantages and disadvantages. First, it is good to know that nature has provided the horse with extremely […] Read more
Alberta harvest nears end, forage and feed reserves seen adequate
Alberta crop conditions as of October 31 (FINAL)
Reading Time: 2 minutes Harvest is virtually complete across the province, with 98.6 per cent of the crops now in the bin. While harvest in the Southern and Central Regions has been completed, good weather conditions over the last two weeks also allowed northern producers to make good harvest progress. About 98 per cent of the crops in the […] 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
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