A free-choice silage pit may be the right stockpile grazing option to reduce your equipment costs and simplify winter feeding. Ben Stuart, forage specialist with Union Forage, first used this method of “grazing” silage to decrease winter feeding costs while maintaining quality in a system that’s easily accessible for cattle. “We wanted to look at […] Read more
Free-choice silage pit grazing a simple winter feeding option
Ben Stuart, a forage specialist and beef producer, explains how to make this feeding option work for you
Forage intercropping trials show promise in Western Canada
Research is underway to fully understand the best practices for incorporating forage mixtures in this cropping method
The practice of intercropping is receiving more attention on the Prairies, and research centres are exploring the possibilities for forage options. The potential benefits are promising, researchers say, but more work is needed to provide producers with accurate information on how best to apply this method. “I think it’s really interesting that there’s some combinations […] Read more
Research finds trust in Canadian food system at an all-time high
Agri-food industry’s strong response to pandemic has increased trust that Canadians will have continuous access to food
Public trust in Canada’s food system is at an all-time high, thanks to agri-food stakeholders’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Canadian Centre for Food Integrity’s (CCFI) 2020 public trust research shows that despite the unusual challenges the Canadian food system has faced this year, the sector’s actions have resulted in an overall increase in trust […] Read more
Love for photography leads to film career in beef industry
Young Leader Spotlight: Meet the videographer who helped bring "Guardians of the Grasslands" to life
When Ben Wilson was encouraged to apply for the Cattlemen’s Young Leaders program in 2017, he remembers laughing aloud. Wilson, who is one half of Story Brokers Media House, didn’t think the program would accept a filmmaker who wasn’t a beef producer, but being chosen to participate in the mentorship program ended up making a […] Read more
Reforms to Manitoba’s Crown lands still frustrate leaseholders
Rent break and extending lease renewals to family transfers seen as positive moves by industry, but producers say issues still exist with new program
Agricultural Crown land leaseholders in 18 Manitoba municipalities that declared a state of agricultural disaster in 2019 will be given a one-time rent credit. However, some leaseholders say this won’t make much difference due to the rising rental rate introduced as one of the many reforms to the agricultural Crown land (ACL) lease program in […] Read more
New vet student makes the best of virtual learning
Young Leader Spotlight: Patricia Fawley planned to be learning veterinary medicine hands-on while in the Caribbean, but the pandemic shifted her studies online.
Starting veterinary school is a new challenge under any circumstance, but taking your first semesters entirely online is a particularly unusual situation. For Patricia Fawley, attending Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine on St. Kitts and Nevis holds the added allure of studying on an island in the Caribbean. Before she could travel there to […] Read more
Canadian producer builds pasture-to-plate beef business in Mongolia
Blending modern feedlot practices with tradition is opening new doors for a small feedlot in Mongolia
When Jeremy and Roxy Thiessen first served their home-finished beef to friends, their guests declared they’d never tasted anything like it. While this is often how stories of direct-marketing success begin, the Thiessens had a distinct advantage based on their location and market demands, providing a unique opportunity for this family. At first glance, the […] Read more
Research shows benefits of well-managed agricultural landscapes to flood resiliency
Scientists are creating tools to better measure the value of wetlands and grasslands to naturally mitigate floods
Of the many benefits to human well-being provided by wetlands, flood attenuation is an ecosystem service that is receiving more attention. Now, scientists are working to accurately measure the flood resiliency of well-managed wetlands and grasslands, taking into consideration the value of agricultural management practices that benefit a landscape’s water-holding capacity. “We’re building better tools […] Read more
Nutrition 101 for replacement heifers
Six tips to create a nutrition plan to give replacement heifers the best start possible in your herd
Setting clear benchmarks is an ideal place to begin when creating your heifer development program. This is where Kristin Thompson, ruminant nutritionist for New Life Mills, begins when she works with cow-calf producers to develop nutrition programs for replacement females. Monitoring your heifers’ growth begins with knowing how much they need to gain by the […] Read more
B.C. Beef brand a step closer to grocery store shelves
Producer-owned corporation to source B.C.-raised cull cows and market ground beef locally
A rancher-owned beef brand in B.C. is a step closer to reality with the lease of a federally inspected packing plant. The plan to launch a B.C. Beef brand is moving ahead after several years of work by the province’s beef industry, with the project’s steering committee announcing its lease of the KML processing plant […] Read more
Canadian Cattlemen Presents: Depth of Field
