Southwest of Calgary, Alta., as the jagged peaks of the Rockies level out to the Prairies, rough fescue grows in dense tufts. This native plant is Alberta’s provincial grass and a tasty meal for livestock in the fall and winter. Saskatchewan’s provincial grass is needle-and-thread grass, named after its sharp seed tip and long awn. […] Read more
Native plant 411 for livestock producers
The native plants in your pasture tell a story about everything from disturbances to soil quality
Water systems for cattle operations
A water system can help beef producers make the best use possible of their resources
In Western Canada, the land aches for water. Drought has plagued parts of the Prairies for years now. Water levels in rivers, lakes and producers’ dugouts have dropped. Grass in the summer looks the same as it does in the fall — brown, crunchy and dead. The concern lingers going into the growing and calving […] Read more
Push to protect native grasslands picks up steam
[UPDATED: May 2, 2024] The drive to protect native grasslands on the Canadian Prairies is gaining momentum. The Canadian Cattle Association (CCA), in partnership with Ducks Unlimited Canada and the Nature Conservancy of Canada, is working to create the Grasslands Conservation Initiative. Canadian Cattle Association president Nathan Phinney says they have seen too much native […] Read more
Researcher targets fibre digestibility in cattle for forage efficiency
Initial research found surprising links between cattle efficient at digesting fibre and methane emissions
Dr. Gabriel Ribeiro walks onto the stage at the Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference following four other researchers in the Saskatchewan beef industry. This is part of the Cattle College portion of the conference, where researchers educate conference attendees on the work they’ve been doing in the industry. Ribeiro is an assistant professor and the Saskatchewan […] Read more
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
Keep an eye on water quality this summer
Low winter snowfall, low rainfall, heat and water use all heighten concern for dugout quality
On the Canadian Prairies, a green Christmas doesn’t exist. However, a brown Christmas sure did in 2023, thanks to El Niño. Snow was scarce on the Prairies earlier this winter, with temperatures rarely falling below -20 C, or even -10 C. With a drought stretching through multiple years, the dry winter is causing even more […] Read more
Research finds benefits to precision manure management
Research project conducted via the Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence
Dr. Jeff Schoenau, a researcher at the University of Saskatchewan, says manure should be applied precisely. At the Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference that took place in late January 2024 in Regina, Sask., Schoenau presented on research he’s done regarding precision manure management, which is getting the manure in the right place, at the right rate, […] Read more
Preventing and prepping for a foot-and-mouth outbreak
Canada has lined up funding for an improved vaccine bank in case of a foot-and-mouth outbreak. But does that mean we’re ready?
In 2001, foot-and-mouth disease decimated the U.K.’s beef industry. Millions of animals were culled after foot-and-mouth broke out in the country. According to the BBC, there were 2,000 cases of the disease, which resulted in entire farms having their animals slaughtered. Soldiers dug mass graves and piles of carcasses burned, black smoke billowing into the […] Read more
Managing mental health during succession planning on the family farm
Succession planning is never easy, but understanding the pressure points and how to cope go a long way
When Doreen Blumhagen was starting her family, the farm was where she wanted to be. Blumhagen and her husband, Shannon, own and operate their farm near Halkirk, Alta., where they have grown crops and raised cattle for over 30 years. The sprawling, flat prairie dotted with wind turbines and herds of cattle is where Blumhagen […] Read more
Cattle ranching on Vancouver Island
While the climate is milder than the Prairies, island producers must contend with a small land base, high land prices and the cost of ferries
Vancouver Island contains a variety of landscapes: beaches with shells and the corpses of moon jellyfish, the frigid water of the Pacific Ocean washing in and out. A rugged, snow-capped mountain range looms over the island. Redwood trees reach high into the sky, the forest floor sheltered and mossy. There are grasslands here, too, in […] Read more
Canadian Cattlemen Presents: Depth of Field
