If you’re looking to build soil nutrient levels in pasture, do you order fertilizer or do you buy sheep? If you’re Mike Swidersky and family, you buy sheep as a complement to raising cattle. How does it work? You run the sheep after the cattle (they utilize pasture differently and aren’t susceptible to the other… Read more »
Category: Forage
Resilient forage lines and pollinator mixes on offer for 2019
Dairy and cattle producers need high palatability and digestibility in the forage ration for top production, but it’s also very important that forages persist and thrive even after tough Canadian winters. For 2019, Nutrien Ag Solutions is offering two new alfalfa lines —Halo 2 and PV Parlour HG — that fit the bill. Sheldon Hains, forage… Read more »
Change blades in seconds with new mower-conditioner
Looking to cut your hay close, clean, and quick while conditioning it for faster dry down and nutrient preservation? If that’s the plan, it may be time to take a closer look at New Hollands’s new Discbine 209 and 210 disc mower-conditioners. The side-pull mowers were rolled out at the recent Farm Progress Show at Boone, Iowa…. Read more »
Forage specialist says to be cautious of nitrate accumulation
Unwanted snow that blanketed parts of Alberta and Saskatchewan in the month of September has left many farmers at a standstill near the more-than-halfway point of harvest for the year. According to Karin Lindquist, forage and beef specialist with Alberta Agriculture, the frost could be also be a concern for nitrate accumulation. “What happens is,… Read more »
Wheat Pete’s Word, Sept 19: Surprising soy yields, sprouting corn, plus hay and more hay
Harvest is rolling, rolling, rolling, and the rush is on perhaps more than most years as the Ontario crop is rushing towards dry and even too-dry at an incredible rate. In this week’s Wheat Pete’s Word, host Peter Johnson rounds up some pretty impressive soybean and dry bean yields, while silage yields disappoint, though that’s… Read more »
Manitoba Beef and Forage Initiatives names new general manager
Manitoba Beef and Forage Initiatives (MBFI) has named Mary-Jane Orr as its new general manager. Orr will oversee all aspects of the three MBFI research and demonstration sites near Brandon at Brookdale Farm, First Street Pasture, and Johnson Farm, as well as the new MBFI Learning Centre. The field sites and MBFI Learning Center are… Read more »
348 acres in eight hours (yes, Guinness has a record for cutting hay)
Yes, Guinness has a record for hay mowed in an eight hour period. And a custom haying operator near Greeley, Colorado holds that record, as of July. Tate Mesbergen says he was inspired to attempt breaking the record while visiting Agritechnica in Hanover, Germany last November, when he saw a Polish manufacturer advertising how its… Read more »
New Holland Kombi bales and wraps in one pass
The new Roll-Belt round baler with a Kombi wrapper from New Holland allows producers to bale and wrap simultaneously, eliminating the need to make a second pass with a tractor and bale wrapper. New Holland says the baler-wrapper, which debuted at the recent Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa, will also significantly reduce regrowth damage and the… Read more »
Deere forage harvester chops 400 tons per hour
John Deere’s new 9000 Series self-propelled forage harvesters claim to deliver both high-capacity harvesting and forage quality. The 9000 Series harvesters, which provide up to 400 tons of throughput per hour, debuted last week at the Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa. In this video, Deere senior marketing representative Shaun Fritchey explains how the four new models… Read more »
$2.85 million for beef and forage research announced at MBFI Learning Centre grand opening
Manitoba Beef and Forage Initiatives (MBFI) celebrated the opening of the Learning Centre at its Brookdale Farm north of Brandon on Tuesday. Coinciding with the ceremony, the federal and provincial governments announced $2.85 million to support MBFI’s research over the next five years. MBFI is a partnership between Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Beef Producers, Ducks Unlimited… Read more »
APAS calls for tax deferral program ASAP
The time is now for the federal government to take action and help livestock producers affected by dry conditions with a tax deferral program, according to Todd Lewis, president of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS). Lewis notes feed shortages are top of mind for most producers and there’s plenty of uncertainty right now if… Read more »
Be cautious when buying in hay, says forage specialist
If you’re running low on forage, chances are you might already be starting to look for hay suppliers outside of your area. Terry Kowalchuk, forage specialist for the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, says you have to be conscious of who you buy from, so that you do not get more than you bargained for. He… Read more »
10 tips to stretch forage supplies
Lack of forage due to dry conditions is weighing heavily on the minds of livestock producers across Canada. Manitoba’s Forage and Grassland Association (MFGA) recently released a list of tips on minimizing the impact of dry condition on forage supplies. MFGA chair Darren Chapman says it’s all about being prepared in advanced, but sometimes even that… Read more »
Beef School, Ep 10: Planning for your priorities in grazing management
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 »
Producers grapple with potential hay shortage
Depending on where you’re located, what you have for cattle feed could be drastically different then what your neighbour 10 miles away has. It also differs from province to province. It’s been dry in much of Western Canada, as well as parts of Ontario, resulting in low yields and producers scrambling for feed come the… Read more »