A group of young Richardson’s ground squirrels, commonly known as gophers. Weather in previous years has led to a population boom of the rodents, but conditions may be less favourable in 2025.

How farmers and ranchers can manage a gopher boom

Ranchers and farmers have fewer options for controlling gophers, but encouraging predators and managing the environment may help

The Richardson’s ground squirrel has been a challenge for prairie farmers for over a hundred years. Records of gopher bounties and provincial holidays for gopher hunting go back to 1917, but a lot of research has gone into the effectiveness of predatory mammals and birds. Foxes, weasels, snakes and badgers are efficient rodent hunters, said […] Read more

cattle on a very dry-looking pasture during a drought

Drought preparation is better than reaction

News Roundup from the June 2025 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

Glacier FarmMedia – When it comes to drought, imagining the worst may be the best way to start planning for it. Wayne Knight, executive director for Holistic Management International, is originally from South Africa, a country known for drought and dry conditions. Because of his background, he’s learned to always be prepared for drought. “I […] Read more


A helicopter dumps water on a forest fire in the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia.

Comment: Trying to keep ahead of the fire

Back in May 2002, a guy was running a log skidder in some bush pasture on the north side of Turtle Lake, Sask. It was hot and dry, one of those days when the temperature was higher than the humidity. I’m not sure exactly what happened. Perhaps it was just a spark from the log […] Read more

two people conducting a prescribed burn of grasses

Reintroducing fire to Saskatchewan pastures

Prescribed burns can be effective at 
revitalizing native grasslands when done right

Pastures evolve over time. Woody plants and shrubs, which cattle can’t eat, may encroach on natural grasses. Invasive species, such as Kentucky bluegrass, may also move in, cutting into native grass productivity. One way of managing this is through fire. At the Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference, Eric Lamb and Renny Grilz presented recent research regarding […] Read more


Jerry Baerg at the Western Canada Conference on Soil Health and Grazing in Edmonton

Farmer incorporates cattle into grain operation to boost soil health

Jerry Baerg focuses on sustainability through the five soil health principles

When Jerry Baerg first came to the Western Canada Conference on Soil Health and Grazing years ago, he was just starting to think about regenerative agriculture and sustainable practices. Now, he is well-known in the industry for his work in this sphere.  At the Western Canada Conference on Soil Health and Grazing in Edmonton, Alta., […] Read more



Laio Silva Sobrinho’s passion for soil has led him to a career in agricultural research.

Olds College researchers trial new technologies to support grazing and soil health

Satellite technology, soil biologicals and rising plate metres are all on the research docket at Olds College

Laio Silva Sobrinho’s passion is soil. He initially got his undergrad in forestry in Brazil, but when he came to Canada to do his master’s, he knew it would be in soil science. “Even during my undergrad, I worked with soil remediation in relation to heavy metals. So, it wasn’t too much of a change […] Read more

hay bales in a field

Making hay when the sun isn’t shining

The 2024 forage season is looking much different in the Prairies than the last few years. As the season started, we were quite worried about the lack of moisture we had in Western Canada in the last few years, which drastically reduced forage and grain yields.  However, we have generally had a lot of moisture […] Read more


Ryan Canart offloads yearlings in this corral, then familiarizes them with electric fence in a training paddock with several wires, before turning them into paddocks with one wire.

Manitoba beef producer focuses on rotational grazing on yearling operation

Longer rest period, daily moves and water infrastructure underpin 
Ryan Canart’s grazing system

Though Ryan Canart grew up in Kamloops, B.C., he has always had roots in Manitoba. He spent much of his time as a kid with cattle in sales barns with his brother and his father, who worked as an order buyer but was originally from Elkhorn, Man. He was comfortable around cattle at a young […] Read more

A sweet and red clover forage mix.

Choosing forage varieties without getting lost in the weeds

Research on the Record with Reynold Bergen

Henry Ford famously said, “Any customer can have a car painted any colour that he wants so long as it’s black.” Today’s vehicles have endless options in terms of colour, body style, engine, drivetrain and everything else you can imagine. Some people revel in these endless options, enjoy mixing and matching and “building” exactly what […] Read more