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A dugout covered in duckweed, which is considered beneficial. However, producers should monitor for water quality issues such as blue-green algae, sulphate and salt.
Animal Health, Livestock

Keep an eye on water quality this summer

Low winter snowfall, low rainfall, heat and water use all heighten concern for dugout quality

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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
cattle drinking water at a dugout
Features, Livestock

Unpacking a water quality test

Learn how to read the results of a water quality test and what they mean for your herd

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Water quality is often overlooked when developing cattle rations. For every kilogram of dry feed consumed, an animal drinks between three to five kg of water. Temperature and feed type can affect water intake. As well, lactating cows have a higher water intake compared to pregnant animals. A lack of water reduces feed intake and […] Read more
Cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, can produce toxins that are harmful to livestock, wildlife and people.
Beef Cattle, Livestock, News

Take caution if blue-green algae is present in cattle water

“Blue-green algae can look like blue-green scum, pea soup or grass clippings suspended in the water. You should start watching for it when the temperatures rise above 25 C.”

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Glacier FarmMedia – In over three decades as a veterinarian, Roy Lewis never saw a cow die from ingesting blue-green algae from an infected water source. But he still says it’s an issue ranchers should watch for. Blue-green algae can be instantly deadly to an animal that ingests a sufficient amount. However, it’s tricky to identify as […] Read more
blue green algae
Comment, Grazing

Pond scum: blue-green algae and cattle

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It’s a routine summer day of checking cattle, maybe repairing a bit of fence. Nothing too stressful, at least until you see the dugout you’re using as a water source for your cattle, which has algae in it. Now what? The first question is whether it’s blue-green algae, which can release toxins harmful to cattle, […] Read more
Insulators for electric fencing will be a black-and-white PST-exempt expense for ranchers in Saskatchewan starting April 1, 2022. (Gallagher.com)
General, Machinery

Saskatchewan clarifying certain on-farm PST exemptions

More items to be specified as exempt in tax regulations

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Saskatchewan farmers’ and ranchers’ concerns about some inconsistencies in how and when provincial sales tax is applied to purchases of on-farm equipment will be dealt with in a revised list effective late next week. The province said Wednesday in a budget release that a “number of clarifications” will be made to its Provincial Sales Tax […] Read more
The Dycks funnel cows and calves down an alley to a split, where calves go under a half-gate.
Features, Livestock

Bringing water and cattle together

This ranching family has created water hubs in their pastures to support rotational grazing

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Sometimes a western Canadian rancher is faced with two things that just don’t seem to mesh or come together. It can become an “If the mountain will not come to Muhammad, then Muhammad must go the mountain” type of scenario. For Perry Dyck, owner and operator of Triangle D Land and Cattle Ltd. of Hanley, […] Read more
Appearances are deceiving when it comes to water quality as evidenced by the sulphate levels in these 2016 samples: 1,731 mg/l in jug 1; 2,056 mg/l) in jug 2; 21 mg/l in jug 3 and 15 mg/l in jug 4.
Features, Livestock

Use caution when testing livestock water quality with hand-held meters

Study compared test results of hand-held meters to laboratory results

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Livestock and feed specialists with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture have learned that not all methods of testing water quality are equal, especially when it comes to total dissolved solids and sulphates. Leah Clark, livestock and feed extension specialist with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, took part in a study comparing the accuracy of water […] Read more
Canadian drought conditions at March 31, 2018. (Drought Monitor map, Agr.gc.ca)

Prairie drought conditions improve

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CNS Canada — While drought conditions in Western Canada have improved following late-season snowfall, it isn’t a completely rosy picture just yet. “We have seen significant departures from normal in terms of precipitation (on the Prairies over) a long period. The winter hasn’t been above average (for precipitation) so there hasn’t been a whole lot […] Read more

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