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A file photo showing different seeding rates of Saltlander compared to plots containing foxtail barley
Features, Forages, News

Saline-tolerant AC Saltlander under the microscope

New research shows 
forage's potential cost benefit 


By
It takes a good deal of time to develop a new forage variety and determine the best way to manage it but in the case of AC Saltlander green wheatgrass the timing couldn’t be better for Prairie producers growing anxious about future droughts. AC Saltlander is a perennial green wheatgrass with a high tolerance for […] Read more
cattle grazing
Features, Forages

Good grazing means manage for what you want

Soil and grass health is vital to achieve sustainability in our cattle industry

By
For many, rangeland represents a tough, unresponsive “thing” that resists use and abuse with unlimited regeneration potential. Good cattlemen know that the actual restoration potential of rangeland and pasture is limited. Preservation and rejuvenation of rangeland must be carefully managed. Soil and grass health is an earmark for the cattle industry and a vital signal […] Read more
In his long career Shabtai Bittman has studied forage production right across Canada.
Crops, Features, Forages

An ecological approach to forage research

Top AAFC research scientist shares his thoughts on growing forages

By
Dr. Shabtai Bittman, one of Canada’s top sustainable cropping systems research scientists at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Research Centre in Agassiz, B.C., says growing forages for hay and pasture is very different than growing grain crops. “With forages, we are dealing with perennial crops that are subject to encroachment from other grasses and from weeds, […] Read more
Alberta studies showed 25-57 more grazing days and 31-92 per cent more profit from grass-legume stands versus grass alone.
Features, Forages

A plug for grass-legume mixes for grazing

An ideal pasture depends on the goals of the producer

By
Research over the years in various regions has looked at the potential and advantages of grass-legume mixtures for pasture. A diversified pasture stand allows for different plants to thrive in different conditions, adding drought resistance. Legumes have a deep tap root and can penetrate deeper into the soil profile where there’s more moisture. Pastures with […] Read more
round hay bales in field
Forages, Livestock

Forage testing more complicated, but rations more accurate

Forage testing has evolved significantly in the past three to five years, with more precise tools for livestock ration development

By
Forage quality evaluation has moved from rule of thumb to rule of rumen. Mark Bowman, a ruminant nutritionist with Grand Valley Fortifiers in Cambridge, Ont., told the annual meeting of the Canadian Forage and Grassland Association in Guelph last November that forage testing has evolved significantly in the past three to five years, with more […] Read more
More than 1.2 million acres are infested with leafy spurge in Manitoba alone, with an annual estimate loss of over $40 million.
Beef Cattle, Forages

Spurge purge tests bovine palates

Goats and sheep can eat leafy spurge. Can cattle be trained to do the same?

By
Like a parent convincing kids to eat their vegetables because they’re good for them, Jane Thornton is trying the same approach with getting cattle to eat leafy spurge. “Contrary to popular belief, leafy spurge is a very nutritious plant, comparable to alfalfa in quality,” Thornton says. “If cattle can become accustomed to eating leafy spurge […] Read more
Tom Kilcer recommends triticale as a cover crop with high feed value, and says to manage it as a feed crop, not just a cover, using seed treatment and good seed.
Crops, Forages

Don’t call it ‘cover,’ call it ‘feed’

How sacrificing some silage yield can gain another six to 10 tons of forage per acre

By
Tom Kilcer says farmers are missing an opportunity to create greater value from cover crops by using them in a carefully planned winter forage system. He’s promoting a system that gives up some yield in corn silage planted after the winter forage in order to gain overall total yield over a whole growing season.  Kilcer, […] Read more
cattle in a feedlot
Cereals, Feed markets, Market talk

Feed grain outlook for 2018

Market Talk with Jerry Klassen

By
Once again it is that time of year when I receive many inquiries from cattle producers with regard to the price outlook for feed grains. At the time of writing this article, Lethbridge area feedlots were buying feed barley in the range of $218/mt to $223/mt; however, feedlots located between Calgary and Edmonton were making […] Read more
Pasture blends
Forages, Research

Pasture blends

Research on the Record with Reynold Bergen

By
Most forage seed companies offer a pasture blend. Some customize their blend to the customer’s situation, but others use a least-cost formulation to produce a more attractively priced blend. Ideally, the blend should contain grasses and legumes that grow well together, are well adapted to the environment and soil type they will be seeded in, […] Read more
Research shows if cattle are given a preference, they want between 60 to 80 per cent of legumes in their pasture.
Crops, Forages

Legumes are best, but…

Nova Scotia researchers are looking at ways to maintain their percentage in forage mixtures under grazing

By
Not only are legumes a superfood for humans, but they are a superfood for cattle too. In fact, regardless of what type of livestock producers raise, the animals perform better on a diet of grass mixed with legumes than if just on a diet of straight grass, resulting in better weight gain and increased milk […] Read more

Canadian Cattlemen Presents: Depth of Field

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AGCanadaTV: In case you missed it; your national ag news recap for Sept. 5, 2025

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