Pastures or hay fields looking a little thin? It could be time to rejuvenate those forage fields! But how, when, and with what? For this episode of The Agronomists, host Lyndsey Smith is joined by Christine O’Reilly with OMAFA and Grant Lastiwka of Renovo Seeds to talk about the role of grazing and hay management… Read More
Category: Forage
Dairy farmer Crosbie Williams milks 180 cows in a modern freestyle barn at Pond View Farms in Goulds, Newfoundland. Williams and his brother, Ray, operate one of 19 dairy farms in a province that boasts the largest dairy operations, based on average cow numbers, in the country. Those farms produce 100 per cent of the… Read More
Massey Ferguson says its new Hesston double small square baler is a perfect fit for farmers facing labour shortages and tight harvest windows. With the MF SB.1436DB small square baler, farmers can now produce two rows of bales per field pass. In this report from Commodity Classic at Denver, Colorado, Jessica Williamson, Massey’s hay and… Read More
In spring 2021, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) announced funding to expand its Living Labs initiative to every province. Today, organizations tasked with connecting farmers, scientists, and other stakeholders to advance sustainable, environmentally friendly on-farm practices and technologies are starting to see preliminary results. One such organization is Food Water Wellness Foundation in Alberta. Kim… Read More
The microbiomes of animals, on and in crops, and in soil and water are incredibly complex that are intricately interconnected, with each influencing the others in various ways. Dr. Tim McAllister, principal research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, has spent nearly a decade studying microbiomes, referring to them as the one health microbiome or… Read More
It can be a challenge to talk about ranching in Canada without also talking about winter. For half the year, in most parts of the country, there is little that grows. That means that livestock feed needs to be grown within a very short timeframe, and the animals consuming it are fed for a lot… Read More
Over the decades, attitudes, thoughts and ideas within the forage and grazing community have shifted; however, the passion that ranchers have for the land and their lifelong commitment to learning have not. While at the Western Canada Conference on Soil Health and Grazing (WCCSHG) at Edmonton, Alta., last week, Grant Lastiwka of Renovo Seed spoke… Read More
For the average Canadian, the long, lonely drive along the Trans-Canada Highway across southern Saskatchewan and Alberta is capital B boring. For those not from the Prairies, the seemingly endless, mostly flat landscape can seem underwhelming when you’re used to rolling hills and mountains or cities and towns. But those who take the time to… Read More
It takes years of dedication and whole lot of patience to develop a strong forage variety. For Dr. Bruce Coulman, his journey into plant breeding started when he was working in the Crop Science Department at the University of Saskatchewan back in high school. Coulman’s enjoyment in working the plots sparked a long career, leading… Read More
Customer feedback is the driving force behind a stack of updates farmers will see in New Holland’s 2025 FR Forage Cruiser self-propelled forage harvesters. Key upgrades include cab interior changes to reduce noise, boost space, and ease operation — there’s also CustomSteer, which allows tailored responses for faster turns on headlands. New Holland has added… Read More