
Tag Archives livestock feed

Union Forage rising
Thinking outside the box, customer consultation key to Union Forage’s success
In the Union Forage warehouse, general manager Geoff Barker explains the process of creating custom forage seed blends for clients, his voice denoting his Australian roots. Towering shelves lining the south Calgary warehouse are stacked with pallets and large totes of seed, neatly labelled for traceability purposes. On the wall, a large promotional poster states […] Read more

Feed grain summary
Market Talk with Jerry Klassen
Cattle producers have faced an uphill battle securing feed grain supplies during the 2021-22 crop year. After last year’s drought, which decimated the barley crop, many feedlots switched over to using U.S. corn. The large volume of purchases, along with winter conditions, resulted in rail delays, which has been common in Western Canada over the […] Read more

How to sample feeds
From bales to silage to swath-grazing, experts share tips for getting representative samples
While high nitrates in feeds are more commonly seen in frost-touched plants, Saskatchewan Agriculture staff have been seeing high levels in drought-stressed crops this summer, highlighting the importance of feed testing this fall. “We’ve seen a really wide variety of test results come in, some as high as five per cent (for nitrates), which is […] Read more

China to make protein for livestock from carbon monoxide
Beijing | Reuters – Chinese researchers say they have found a way to produce an animal feed protein from carbon monoxide in what is being hailed as a breakthrough that could help reduce the country’s reliance on huge volumes of imported soybeans. China is by far the world’s top buyer of soybeans, bringing in around […] Read more

Timing key when managing high-nitrate feeds
News Roundup from the October 2021 issue of Canadian Cattlemen
You’ve tested your feed and you’ve got some high-nitrate crop in the field or the feedyard. What exactly are the risks to your cattle and what can you do to manage them? High nitrate levels can affect reproduction, and this time of year is especially risky for herds calving in May or June, says Barry […] Read more

Are byproduct feeds the answer to a limited feed supply?
Nutrition with John McKinnon
In my last column, I addressed the use of low-quality roughages in wintering rations. That column was prompted by widespread drought across Western and Central Canada. Recent rains have helped alleviate dry conditions; however, they have not mitigated impending feed shortages. As a result, producers continue to scramble for winter feed, with many looking to […] Read more

Feed fears come into focus after poor first cut, flagging pasture
Livestock producers are facing yet another year of both poor first-cut yields and ongoing pasture concerns
Glacier FarmMedia – Producers are seeing their fears realized with light hay cuts and pasture supplies once again running thin. With the exception of very localized patches of the southeast, which are seeing almost normal growth, most producers harvested 50 to 70 per cent of their normal forage in the first cut, according to John […] Read more

Canadian feed-grade dairy product class expanded
Buttermilk products now qualify for 4(m) permit price
A dairy product class set up to boost markets for solids non-fat (SNF), by boosting their use in animal feed such as milk replacer, has been expanded to include more products. The Canadian Dairy Commission announced Monday that its 4(m) milk class has been updated to allow dairy processors to get the 4(m) permit price […] Read more

Turning food waste into livestock feed
Jill Burkhardt shares her experience with a program that allows farmers to recycle grocery store shrink
Doughnuts, broccoli, pineapples, bread, cakes and cookies — sounds like some things you’d eat during the week? Well, it’s what our feeder cattle eat. Yes, you read that right, our feeders eat doughnuts, fruits, vegetables and cakes. How? It’s all thanks to a program called Loop and a local grocery store chain, Save-On-Foods. Loop started […] Read more

Matching a TMR machine to a livestock operation
When choosing a machine, start with the feed type going into the ration, then look at the features
Total mixed ration (TMR) mixers have become a fixture on feedlots, dairies and mixed farms. They are the “must have” machines to process, mix and deliver multiple variations of feed to the livestock industry. These heavy-duty blenders have improved feeding efficiency and provide exacting energy requirements without sacrificing the physical characteristics needed for proper rumen […] Read more