
Tag Archives Forages

Onward and upward for the CFGA
Notes from the Canadian Forage and Grassland Association annual conference
The Canadian Forage and Grassland Association drew the year to a close on a high note coming out of its annual conference at Saskatoon in November. As the theme, “Capturing the Intensity” suggests, the event offered a lineup of insightful presenters on an array of topics from intensive forage management systems and soil health to […] Read more

Wheat versus barley in feedlot rations
Researchers ask if you can get away with more wheat in a ration, when it pays
Research scientists at Ag Canada’s Lethbridge Research Centre have put wheat to the test every which way and found that it could replace all the barley in feedlot finishing rations with no measurable negative effects on growth or carcass quality. In a nutshell, there’s a tendency toward lower feed intake and improved feed efficiency with […] Read more

Multi-species silage is like free insurance
As spring turned to summer without giving up much rain, Kevin Stebeleski really started to wonder about his decision to give multi-species silage a try for the first time. Those worries turned moot as July rains and warm weather transformed the 100-acre field into a smorgasbord of forages that landed 8.5 tons to the acre […] Read more

Take precautions when feeding salvage crops to cattle
In drought years it’s often hard to locate adequate forage for cattle so producers sometimes turn to alternatives like drought-stressed pulse, oilseed or cereal crops that normally wouldn’t go for feed. These emergency feeds can be a godsend in a dry year, but both Barry Yaremcio, a beef and forage specialist with Alberta Agriculture and […] Read more

Rumen microbes and bloat in cattle
Key to the prevention of bloat is understanding the role the bacteria community plays
Bloat is marked by impairment in the ability of cattle to expel gas from the rumen, a process known as eructation. Gases including carbon dioxide and methane are produced during normal fermentation and their accumulation in the rumen causes severe distention of the first two compartments of a cow’s stomach, compressing the lungs and heart […] Read more

Help where help is needed
Harvey Brink looks to service specialists for expert advice on feeding fababeans and other chores
When Harvey Brink needs help he goes shopping instead of advertising. Rather than having a full-time employee or seasonal helpers, he counts on the services of his cattle buyer, beef nutritionist, grain marketer and crop agrologist. A financial adviser may be next as he and his wife, Coby, start thinking about their succession plan. Handling […] Read more

Intensive cell grazing for times of drought: It works!
I learned a long time ago you cannot plan for a drought in a drought. If that is your plan, you are way too late
In 2002, we had the worst drought in 80 years; 2003 was also dry and the grasshoppers were insane. In 2008, we had another drought. 2009 was also very dry and it was the only year I had to destock early. Now we are in 2015 and we have a severe drought in my area. What do […] Read more

Measuring feed quality in the field
A new system allows for bale-by-bale feed value testing
In challenging economic times it is more important than ever to know the value of the alfalfa forage you are feeding your dairy or beef cattle. Whether you are blending alfalfa in a ration to maximize lactation, fertility and calf growth, or utilizing lesser-quality hay for dry cattle or replacements, you want to know that […] Read more

Planned grazing for livestock
Planned grazing describes the process we use to plan our grazing in holistic management. Planned grazing was developed by Allan Savory. It is based on two key points. The first is that overgrazing is due to time not the number of animals. It is vital that we understand this point if we want to have […] Read more

Will late-summer swath grazing maintain alfalfa?
Background: Numerous studies have shown that maintaining 40 per cent alfalfa in a forage stand is the most economical way of improving soil fertility, forage yields and animal grazing performance. Unfortunately, alfalfa drops below the 40 per cent threshold level after several years of grazing. Alfalfa drops out of perennial pastures partly due to over-use […] Read more