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
Managing grazing through drought
Understanding how plants respond to drought is key to adapting your grazing strategy
Cows can control Canada thistle and brush
Managed grazing is one way to suppress aspen and thistles in your pasture
Last fall, while driving through central Alberta and Saskatchewan, I saw pasture after pasture full of mature Canada thistle and aspen regrowth, which reduce available forage. Over the years, research has found that rotational grazing can help control these weedy outbreaks. The main reason for rotational grazing is to give plants a chance to regrow […] Read more
What’s up with the beef industry down under?
A researcher who has lived and worked in both Canada and Australia offers some perspective on this beef-producing powerhouse
Australia is one of the largest beef exporters in the world and will have nearly 29 million head of cattle this year, according to Meat and Livestock Australia. New South Wales and Queensland account for more than 70 per cent of the red meat and livestock off-farm sales. The red meat industry, which includes beef, […] Read more
Agriculture Canada launches new Living Lab project at Saskatchewan’s South of the Divide
The producer-centred project will look at how land managers can mitigate climate change on the Prairies, as well as promote biodiversity and provide other benefits
There is a group of ranchers in southwest Saskatchewan that is very active in maintaining the native rangelands. Over the years these ranchers, who are part of the South of the Divide Conservation Action Program, have aimed to maintain their conservation plan, benefiting the environment in their community in the southwest. The South of the […] Read more
What does the On-Farm Climate Action Fund mean for rotational grazing?
The federal government has slated money to support rotational grazing. But what costs are covered and how can producers access funding and support?
For the past 70-plus years, forage scientists and grazing extension specialists have been promoting different forms of rotational grazing to cattle producers in various parts of the world. It all started with Andre Marcel Voisin (Jan 7, 1903 – Dec 21, 1964) a French biochemist and farmer and author of Rational Intensive Grazing. On his […] Read more
Stocking cattle and stockpiling forage
Tim Wray walks us through his family’s plan for the grazing season as they seek to balance forage supplies with cattle inventory
When it comes to handling drought, a little planning and strategy go a long way for the Wray family. Tim Wray grew up on his family’s cattle operation in Irricana, a small town located 50 kilometres northeast of Calgary. Today Tim and his uncle, Doug Wray, operate Wray Ranch, which has endured dry conditions for […] Read more
Cows on the Planet aims to inform public about beef production
News Roundup from the May 2022 issue of Canadian Cattlemen
Cows on the Planet is a new podcast series designed to present balanced, science-based information on beef production, environmental issues and related topics to consumers. Dr. Kim Stanford, University of Lethbridge livestock pathogen researcher; Dr. Tim McAllister, one of Agriculture Canada’s leading ruminant nutritionists and microbiologists at Lethbridge; and David Hill, University of Lethbridge, have […] Read more
Do you have a drought management strategy?
With more droughts in the future, grass managers need to develop a strong management plan and a destocking strategy to act upon when it doesn’t rain or have a method to take advantage of lush growth if there’s plenty of moisture. “The stock or destock strategy is an interesting and difficult concept,” says Dr. Bart […] Read more
Bale grazing and pasture rejuvenation
Forage extension veteran Grant Lastiwka shares his winter-feeding strategy and explains how it fits into his year-round grazing system
Grant Lastiwka eats, sleeps and dreams forages. As one of Canada’s most enthusiastic forage extension specialists, Lastiwka is the go-to man for information on year-round grazing management. Past winner of the Alberta Forage Industry Network (AFIN) Leadership Award and former livestock and forage business specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, Lastiwka has had an illustrious […] Read more
Ideas for advanced grazing management
Once you’ve established the foundation of grazing management, you’re ready to fine-tune the system
The idea of moving cattle to graze higher-quality forages goes back hundreds of years. Long before barbed wire and electric fences, shepherds would move their flocks every day to new areas to graze. Similarly, on the North American prairie, the vast herds of buffalo were continually on the move in search of better grazing. The […] Read more
Canadian Cattlemen Presents: Depth of Field
