Imagine rejuvenating a tired pasture (without the need to break it up and start from scratch), while simultaneously reducing the risk of bloat in future grazings. Recent studies conducted on the Prairies have shown that including sainfoin in an alfalfa stand at just 20-30 per cent can significantly decrease or even eliminate the risk of… Read More
Category: Beef School
Corn, wheat, barley — you know starch is an essential component of cattle diets, but do you know why? Is wheat an easy swap out for barley in a ration? Is it worth buying steam-flaked corn? In this episode of the Beef School, Karen Beauchemin, with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada at Lethbridge, lays out what… Read More
It’s the dead of winter — do you know what your cattle’s rumen is up to? Chances are, cattle are wintering mainly on dry hay, with maybe some added straw to stretch hay supplies. When it comes to winter grazing and feeding, it’s important to take rumen pH levels and the impact a low pH… Read More
A grazing plan doesn’t have to be all or nothing — some ranchers will use set-stock grazing, rotational grazing, and any combination of corn, swath, or stock-piled grazing. The key is to figure out what you’re trying to accomplish, then use the strategy that’s best suited to your land base, calving season, and labour availability…. Read More
Year-round grazing may mean different things to different people, but to Doug Wray, it essentially means providing ‘locally grown’ sustenance to his herd — that is, feeding where the forage was grown. Wray implements strategies like swath grazing and bale grazing to achieve his goals, driving the cost of winter feeding down to about $0.80/head/day… Read More
From storage requirements to difficult-to-spell words like ‘Mannheimia haemolytica’ and ‘rhinotracheitis,’ there’s a lot to consider when it comes to vaccinating cattle. And that complexity is one of the reasons Cody Creelman, veterinarian and managing partner of Veterinary Agri-Health Services, suggests producers develop a customized, written vaccination protocol, with annual reviews. “It’s important to [re-assess it] every… Read More
From planting to feeding, there is a lot to consider when it comes to growing, and keeping a high quality silage. “I think over the years we’ve learned that we have to be patient when we’re harvesting to get the silage off at the right time,” says Ryan Kasko of Kasko Cattle Co. “Especially corn… Read More
Quality in…Quality out What you feed an animal it is important to achieve the maximum performance of that animal in the feedyard. everyone chases performance. There are many feed input options from oats to triticale to rye to DDG’s to corn. According to Dr. Darryl Gibb of Gowans Feed Consulting “You push for performance and… Read More
High moisture corn delivers the energy benefits of straight grain corn, with the added bonuses of not having to dry or flake it, potentially higher yields and higher available energy, and, frankly, lower risk of crop and harvest losses due to the shorter Western Canada growing season. “If you can put up quality silage, you… Read More
Heifers are the keystone to improving your herd in the long-term. Carefully selected heifers result in a more productive cow herd, but you’ve got to have clearly defined goals and selection criteria to get there. In this Beef School episode, Dr. John McKinnon, professor with the University of Saskatchewan and Saskatchewan Beef Industry Chair, outlines… Read More
Corn is an attractive crop for cattle producers — as silage and as an extended or winter grazing option. But corn is also mighty pricey to grow, and can require new equipment to get it in the ground. Does grazing corn really pay? To find out, Shaun Haney met with Dr. Bart Lardner, with the… Read More
Corn may be king in the grain world, but does it reign supreme in the silage world, too? The short answer: yes. When it comes to both silage yield and quality, plus digestibility, palatability, and energy density, corn comes out on top vs. barley, says Nicole Rasmussen, with DuPont Pioneer, in this Beef School episode…. Read More
Do you inoculate your silage? If not, you could be losing out on added digestibility or leaving the bunk or silo open to added spoilage. In this very first episode of the Beef School, we meet with Dr. Tim McAllister, principal research scientist, ruminant nutrition & microbiology, with Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, to learn more… Read More