Researchers examine forage growth and grazing pressure

Researchers examine forage growth and grazing pressure

News Roundup from the April 2024 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

Dr. Bart Lardner is well known in the beef industry across the western Prairies for his work on beef cattle management and forage production. At the end of January, he provided information to the industry on his research once again as he presented at the Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference.  He says lately a lot of […] Read more

A plot of alfalfa at Ag in Motion in 2023. Producers are generally underusing legumes in forage mixes, says one expert.

Do you know what’s in your forage mix?

Understanding the benefits and risks of different forages, and whether they fit your goals, are vital to success

Every forage plant holds some sort of risk without proper management, and it’s becoming harder for producers to get the right information. After an extensive career working with beef and dairy herds across Texas and South Carolina, Dr. Dan Undersander, professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin, still likes travelling around North America to talk […] Read more


Walter Wims and John Dormaar.

Managing grazing through drought

Understanding how plants respond to drought is key to adapting your grazing strategy

I first met Dr. Alex Johnston, one of Canada’s leading range management scientists, at a 4-H camp that I was helping to lead in a wilderness area in the mountains north of Pincher Creek, Alta., many years ago. He was an impressive figure, dressed in his ceremonial headdress, given to him when he was inducted […] Read more

Making forage insurance more accessible across Canada

Making forage insurance more accessible across Canada

One challenge is insuring a crop for sale versus one for on-farm feed

An industry-government forage insurance task team is working on ways to make forage insurance more widely available across the country. Currently, producers can insure forages under AgriInsurance, but other forage insurance isn’t equal across Canada and very few forage producers use it.  Ryder Lee, general manager of the Canadian Cattle Association and chair of the […] Read more


Close-up file photo of an alfalfa plant in a Canadian field. (Jennifer Seeman/iStock/Getty Images)

More N, more yield, less diesel

Perennial forage can keep nitrogen in the soil rather than escaping as greenhouse gas

A North American leader in advanced forage production systems wants producers to think about legumes as more than a feed source. University of Wisconsin professor emeritus Dan Undersander says they should also think of them as a nitrogen source for other crops, with a bonus of reducing greenhouse gases (GHGs). “By using legumes appropriately, we […] Read more

Overgrazing means less carbon and more methane

Overgrazing means less carbon and more methane

Research is demonstrating the importance of legumes in a forage system

[UPDATED: April 2] Thirty years ago Dr. Bart Lardner’s research focused on production efficiency. More recently, the researcher and professor at the University of Saskatchewan says his research program has moved toward ways the beef industry benefits the environment. His presentation last November at the Canadian Forage and Grassland Association’s 14th annual conference in Harrison […] Read more


Ideally, a cow’s body condition score should be evaluated and corrected right after weaning, as that is the period of lowest nutrient requirement.

Post-calving nutrition to maximize conception rates

Evaluating body condition score can be difficult and requires training

With the current price of calves, targeting high pregnancy rates should be a priority on any cow-calf operation. In addition to remaining pregnant, they must conceive early in the breeding season to maintain a 365-day calving interval and ensure a uniform calf crop. This will promote better returns for the weaned calves and profitability for […] Read more

Chicory on a farm near Turtle Lake, Sask, which was part of the Saskatchewan Forage Council’s 2023 summer tour. Plants such as chicory can be part of a parasite control strategy.

Managing parasite resistance to livestock dewormers

There’s no easy way to extinguish resistance to dewormers, but producers can manage it and control parasites

The debate is over on whether internal parasites are developing resistance to dewormers in Canadian cow herds, as far as the research is concerned. But while researchers can offer some general principles, ranchers will need to get a little creative to figure out how to manage it on their own operations. Dr. John Gilleard is […] Read more


Photo: Union Forage/Facebook

U.S. seed giant acquires Calgary-based Union Forage

Will continue to operate under Union Forage name in 2024 but status beyond that uncertain

South Dakota-based Millborn Seeds announced today it had purchased Union Forage. In a news release, Millborn described Union Forage as a “forage seed innovator” that aligns with its “mission of enriching land and lives by delivering more than 1,200 species of seed solutions to farmers, ranchers and landowners across North America.”

Minor changes to a mineral and vitamin feeding program can make a big difference to animal health and productivity.

Changing feeding programs after calving

Nutrition with Barry Yaremcio

Cows and bred heifers require 25 per cent more nutrients after calving than during late pregnancy. Milk production peaks eight weeks after calving. Feed intake increases until 12 weeks after calving. The increased feed intake is the result of the digestive system expanding to fill the space that was occupied by the fetus and reproductive […] Read more