Studies in three Prairie provinces used covers to block rainfall and simulate various levels of drought.

Stocking rates key to climate change adjustment

Low defoliation rates and leaving lots of litter are best for coping with weather variations from year to year

Fast and hard? Slow and easy? And how many animals per acre? Stocking and defoliation rates are a complex and even controversial issue, and depend a lot on the weather. Climate change could make them even more complex. To get a better idea on how producers should respond, Edward Bork and a team from the […] Read more

Beef: A nutritious part of a sustainable diet

Beef: A nutritious part of a sustainable diet

Research on the Record with Reynold Bergen

In July 2014, a well-respected journal called Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences published a report that criticized meat production in general, and beef production in general, on the basis of their environmental footprints (“Land, irrigation, water, greenhouse gas, and reactive nitrogen burdens of meat, eggs, and dairy production in the United States,” PNAS […] Read more


In many grasslands, including those of Western Canada, moderate grazing actually boosts overall plant diversity.

Making hay of environmental goods and services

Researchers wrestle with turning an abstract concept into concrete profits for producers

If you were to ask most cattle producers about the goods and services their grasslands provide, it might seem like an obvious question. Most would say that quality forage promotes the health of their cattle, provides high-quality protein and boosts their bottom line. Others might talk about how their grazing practices promote biodiversity and overall […] Read more

cattle herd

The environmental hoofprint of Canada’s beef industry

Research on the Record with Reynold Bergen

Our industry is maligned for producing greenhouse gas. Practically every living organism produces greenhouse gas, even plants, but cattle produce more than other livestock because rumen bacteria produce methane as they digest feed. Additional greenhouse gas comes from manure (methane and nitrous oxide) and fossil fuel use (carbon dioxide). However, like the industry’s “water footprint,” […] Read more



Angus Herd

Understanding holistic management

Holistic Ranching with Don Campbell

H M has been in Western Canada for about 30 years. That is a relatively short time for a new concept. The term H M is well known but I suspect there are many people who do not understand what H M is. Lack of understanding can generate fear. If you have heard the term, […] Read more


Tim Smith inspects this year’s brassica forage with his daughter Katelyn.

2016 Nuffield scholar: Tim Smith goes in search of ecological goods and services

Smith to study how other cultures recognize the benefits and value of pastures

If you are reading this article, you might someday find yourself applying for a Nuffield scholarship. It was articles and presentations at conferences by Nuffield alumni that first drew Tim Smith’s attention to the program and he is now preparing to embark on an opportunity of a lifetime as a 2016 Nuffield scholar. Smith is […] Read more