
Tag Archives herd management

Virtual fencing pilot coming to Saskatchewan
Project to explore whether new technology is feasible for Canadian producers
Given how time-consuming and expensive fencing can be, it’s little wonder that virtual fencing has piqued the interest of farmers and ranchers in Canada and beyond. But is the juice worth the squeeze? One cattle group in Saskatchewan aims to find out. Chad MacPherson, the general manager of the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association (SSGA), says […] Read more

The health and safety shield of stockmanship
By making good stockmanship a regular practice, producers can reduce risk to themselves, their families and their workers
A standard of Canada’s manufacturing plants and production facilities is safety programs, work processes and procedures designed to keep equipment running and workers safe. Farms and ranches are not immune to accidents or incidents, nor to regulation and litigation, but continue to lag behind the modern world’s pursuit of this benchmark. “Health and safety roles […] Read more

Using data to drive decisions
The family behind Echo Sand Ranching and Korova Feeders challenges conventional thinking in seedstock production and sales
Data has always driven herd management decisions for Doug and Helga Price, though their methods for using data have greatly evolved over the years. At one time, they calculated performance data for Echo Sand Ranching on paper. Helga spent long hours working this information to rank the females in their herd. Today, with an easy-to-use […] Read more
Dairy organizations partner to manage risk
A partnership among Canadian dairy service provider organizations should help position Canadian producers to take advantage of rapidly changing technology and make the sector more efficient, the groups say. Why does it matter? The number of Canadian dairy farmers continues to drop and the need for more efficient services is growing as the price of […] Read more

Dairy services organizations create partnership
Three major service providers in Canadian dairy farming have formed a partnership that will result in one company supplying herd management and genetic services to Canadian dairy farmers. The partnership, including CanWest DHI, Valacta and the Canadian Dairy Network (CDN), still has to be approved by farmer-members of the organizations. CanWest DHI provides on-farm testing […] Read more

Drought management for pastures: Q & A
Tips on getting past a drought and when you should consider destocking
Q. We have just experienced the driest May on record. The growth on my pastures is pretty dismal. I am under a lot of pressure and stress. Can H M help me? A. Yes, definitely. H M is a decision-making process. Good decision-making is always important. In difficult times it is critical. Thank you so […] Read more

Six cell design strategies for pasture cattle
For years, I have taken as many schools and seminars as I could, in a quest to improve my business. One thing that I have seen throughout my education is that pasture cell design is never explained well, if it is even discussed at all. The “why” on rotational grazing is always discussed, but the […] Read more

Drones can give cattle producers a new perspective on herd management
Infrared cameras on UAVs are being tested to detect differences in body temperature of animals
Unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly referred to as drones, are part of a growing trend toward precision agriculture: using technology to reduce costs and maximize yields. Dr. John Church from Thompson Rivers University (TRU) is leading the way in developing applications for the technology in the cattle sector. “Drone technology has real potential as a tool […] Read more