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
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
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
La Nina could return cold, snowy tradition to Prairies
CNS Canada — The world’s major weather forecasters predict a slightly better than 50 per cent chance that a La Nina weather pattern will occur this fall and winter. Most Prairie farmers could see good things happening if the system does materialize, because La Nina systems tend to bring what many people think of as […] Read more
Warm weather wins out in this crazy up-and-down winter
The recipe was simple but unusual: Send in warm weather, then a big blast of cold, and repeat all winter long
Reading Time: 3 minutes From a climatological point of view, winter is now over. The 12-month year is broken into four equally long seasons, with winter covering December, January, and February. From a southern and central Alberta view, there is still one month to go. For most of the Canadian Prairies, winter starts in November and usually ends in March. In some […] Read more
Manitoba to axe limits on hog barns
UPDATED, March 20 — Manitoba’s restrictions on hog barn and manure storage construction are set to be shelved by way of an omnibus “red tape reduction” bill. Provincial Finance Minister Cameron Friesen on Thursday introduced Bill 24 for first reading. Among its 15 proposed amendments to various pieces of legislation, the bill would repeal two […] Read more
Provincial tips for fall yardwork
Reading Time: < 1 minute Topping or cutting back herbaceous perennials this fall can help prevent the overwintering of diseases and insects, although leaving some material can help to hold a snow cover during the winter. Mulching in the fall will help to prevent plants from being forced from the ground, but it should be done after the ground is […] Read more
Extended grazing saves time and money — if done right
Winter grazing is a simple concept, but the trick is in things like good body condition scores in fall and the right grazing sequence
Reading Time: 3 minutes Winter feeding cattle is a matter of using the right tool at the right time, says a federal forage specialist. “Placing grazing methods in sequence is probably going to be the efficient method time after time to reduce risks and costs,” said Vern Baron, a research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. “In this day […] Read more
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