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“Once trust is broken in a business arrangement, get out... Trust is the most important part of any relationship.”
Features, Forages, Livestock

The other side of the fence

Grazing with Steve Kenyon

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Your neighbour is not perfect, even if it may look like he has it all together. The same is true here at Greener Pastures. I will be the first to tell you of our struggles and of the issues that we have endured. I have had more than my share of discouragement on this ranch. […] Read more
Cattle graze at the Waldron Ranch Grazing Co-op, which encompasses 65,000 acres.
Beef Cattle, Features

Historic ranch provides top grazing opportunities for cattle

Waldron Ranch has been a cattle producer’s paradise since Duncan McNab McEachran established it in 1883

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You know a winter range is excellent grazing land when a cow will cross every fence she can to get there. Mike Roberts, manager of the Waldron Ranch Grazing Co-op, pointed out a herd of cows grazing in low-lying pastures while hosting participants of the Canadian Forage and Grassland Association’s pre-conference tour in November. This […] Read more
Features, Hay, Livestock

Bale grazing. ‘What a waste of feed!’ NO

Grazing with Steve Kenyon

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I still receive this comment quite often when I speak about bale grazing. Our industry is hung up on being efficient. We don’t want to waste anything. I know we have all been trained to target 97 per cent efficiency in everything we do. But I would rather be effective. Most of our efficiencies come from looking at […] Read more
When cows bale graze, are they letting good quality forages fall by the wayside?
Livestock, News, News Roundup

Bale grazing trial looks at feed waste

Grazing: News Roundup from the December 2018 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

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Bale grazing is a common winter feeding practice but how much forage are those cows leaving behind? Alberta Agriculture and Food recently shared results from one trial that examined that question. The Lakeland Agricultural Research Association (LARA) measured waste from bale grazing over four winters, from 2008 through 2011. The study was done using the […] Read more
Lupine.
Features, Livestock, Pasture

Beware of toxic plants in pastures

There are many toxic plants in Western Canada cattle producers need to steer clear of

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Different regions have different problem plants, and to make it even more confusing these same plants are only toxic if eaten in certain amounts or in certain stages of growth, while others are toxic at all times. Rachel Turnquist, a forage extension specialist in Saskatchewan, says there are many toxic plants in Western Canada. You […] Read more
Brian Harper (left) got down to ground level as a recent grazing workshop toured the high-stock-density grazing experiment on his land north of Brandon, Man.
Beef Cattle, Features, Livestock

Put the land first… and everything else will follow

Rotational grazing setup uses 16, eight-acre paddocks that cattle move through on four-day intervals

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When Brian Harper first witnessed high stock density or “mob” grazing, his reaction was “there is no way I am moving cattle two to three times a day.” Yet the beneficial impact on the land from this approach ultimately convinced Harper that it could fit into their operation. He had already seen an improvement when […] Read more
A mild winter is great for access to feed, but make sure you have enough quality snow for a water source.
Beef Cattle, Features, Forages

Strategies for year-round grazing

With careful forage management, cattle can harvest their own feed year-round

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Winter feeding is the biggest input cost when raising cattle, so many producers try to minimize the number of days they have to feed hay. In some situations, with careful forage management, cattle can harvest their own feed year-round, especially in mild climates. Even in northern climates with cold weather and snow, year-round grazing can […] Read more
The study tracks the performance of pregnant beef cows swath grazing a polycrop mixture versus straight barley.

Forages, News, News Roundup

Polycrop grazing goes under the microscope

Research: News Roundup from the November 2018 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

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Those wondering about polycrop potential to sequester carbon, improve soil health and benefit animal performance will have some answers by the fall of 2019 thanks to research underway at the University of Saskatchewan. Jacqueline Toews, a graduate student in the College of Agriculture and Bioresources, is halfway through a two-year study comparing the costs and […] Read more
Winterfat is an excellent protein source for grazing cattle as it maintains its leaves late into the fall and early winter.
Livestock, Nutrition, Pasture

The Matador Community Pasture: A unique educational experience

Nutrition with John McKinnon

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One of the privileges of a faculty position at a Canadian university is the interaction one has with undergraduate students. In my case, I co-teach a class where we take students on a seven-day tour of livestock operations across Western Canada. We cover everything from hogs to dairy, bison, chickens, meat and milk processing, and […] Read more
Beef Cattle, Features, Forages

Protein kick needed for mature, dry forages

Nutrition: Supplementation will be important this year in many parts of the Prairies

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In the fall and winter, most native forages and tame pastures are low in protein (unless fall rains have stimulated new growth), yet many stockmen try to extend grazing as long as possible through winter because winter feeding is the most expensive part of raising cattle. Depending on the protein source, adding a protein supplement […] Read more

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