While high nitrates in feeds are more commonly seen in frost-touched plants, Saskatchewan Agriculture staff have been seeing high levels in drought-stressed crops this summer, highlighting the importance of feed testing this fall. “We’ve seen a really wide variety of test results come in, some as high as five per cent (for nitrates), which is […] Read more
How to sample feeds
From bales to silage to swath-grazing, experts share tips for getting representative samples
Comment: Keep your pencil sharp
“The most important tool on the farm is the pencil.” That was the best farming advice Mike Buis ever received, and it came from his grandfather. Buis recently conducted a virtual tour of his family’s Chatham, Ont., beef farm for the Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation. Coincidentally, a day or two before the Buis Beef tour, […] Read more
Timing key when managing high-nitrate feeds
News Roundup from the October 2021 issue of Canadian Cattlemen
You’ve tested your feed and you’ve got some high-nitrate crop in the field or the feedyard. What exactly are the risks to your cattle and what can you do to manage them? High nitrate levels can affect reproduction, and this time of year is especially risky for herds calving in May or June, says Barry […] Read more
Beware vitamin and mineral deficiencies in the cow herd during drought
News Roundup from the September 27, 2021 issue of Canadian Cattlemen
As ranchers pull cattle from parched pastures this fall, veterinarians and livestock nutritionists advise watching for vitamin and mineral deficiencies. “This year we’re going to be seeing a lot of guys feeding some alternative feeds, maybe a little bit more straw in their rations, so it’ll be important to balance off those important macro minerals […] Read more
Comment: Benchmarking Canada’s cow-calf operations
We are facing a very real winter feed shortage in Western Canada due to the drought, and some people are making tough decisions around culling cattle. We’ve also been facing a lack of profitability, especially in the cow-calf sector, and I think that ranch-level economics are compounding what would already be a tough situation with […] Read more
Cows and Wildlife
It’s World Habitat Day today, and that made me think about an observation I’ve been ruminating on for several months. When I’m not at my desk, I’m often outside, and in the warmer months, I spend a lot of time riding my horse down backroads and through bush trails. I live in the Parkland-Boreal transition zone of northwestern […] Read more
Comment: Getting through a crisis
Recently I was chatting with a few ranchers over supper after a beef cattle tour about potential long-term effects of this drought. We discussed how it might affect businesses linked to the beef sector (truckers, processors, etc.), and whether it would eat into the “infrastructure” that supports our industry and our rural communities. We weren’t […] Read more
Boosting forage quality through ammoniation
Anhydrous ammonia can improve poor-quality forage, but it comes with challenges and safety risks.
Ranchers and beef farmers who have sourced straw for their cows may now be looking for ways to boost the ration quality. Ammoniation is one option, but it’s not easily done. Applying anhydrous ammonia is a “tried-and-true technique” for improving poor-quality forages, says Dr. John McKinnon, speaking during a Beef Research Council of Canada webinar on […] Read more
Watch water quality and mineral consumption during drought
As drought grips Western Canada and parts of Ontario, producers need to watch water quality and mineral consumption. Dr. Cheryl Waldner, professor and research chair at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, says that total dissolved solids and sulphates are two issues that farmers and ranchers should be testing for right now. Waldner was one […] Read more
A Tale of Two Ministries: The provincial auditor weighs in on slaughterhouse inspections
If you haven’t done so already, please read my earlier blog post outlining Sask’s provincial meat inspection system before reading this one. When Merle Friesen first built his slaughter plant, it was inspected by Sask Health. While he emphasizes that he is only speaking from his personal experience, the Sask Health inspection he describes is not nearly as rigorous as Sask Ag’s […] Read more
Canadian Cattlemen Presents: Depth of Field
