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Four steps to a fair land rental agreement

As land values increase, so do land rental rates, but commodity prices don’t always follow the same trajectory, although input costs might. So how do you come to an arrangement to rent land that is fair and profitable for both parties, because that’s the number one consideration if both want a stable, long-term deal. “Communication



Management strategies for using grazing muzzles

Management strategies for using grazing muzzles

Horse Health: Grass consumption can be reduced by 30 to 80 per cent depending on the horse or pony wearing one

The grazing muzzle is a simple, effective, and sensible tool caretakers can use to manage the grass intake of their horses. The grazing muzzle is a basket-like contraption — a piece of headgear a horse wears with the intention of slowing down and reducing grass intake on pasture. The horse wearing the muzzle can breathe



Proper rations, location, and salt additives are key to managing mineral intake of cattle gone to pasture.

Manage your cattle’s mineral menu

Consistent monitoring, proper salt use and location are all key to ensure 
minerals and supplements are effective

Minerals and supplements are necessary tools in cattle production but how do you ensure the herd has what it needs while avoiding expensive waste? Animal nutrition expert D.J. Woodward says striking that balance means monitoring, proper rations and appropriate salt use. “Cattle have to consume minerals in order to have all of the health benefits

Michael Thiele (r), grazing club co-ordinator with the Manitoba Forage and Grasslands Association spoke on the importance of organic matter in pasture soil at a recent grazing workshop.

Tired pasture? The solution is in the soil

To create a healthy pasture, grazing expert says to start with ground cover, 
plant a diverse mix and avoid disturbing the soil

To get more pasture growth above ground, start by looking below the surface, says Michael Thiele, grazing club co-ordinator for the Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association (MFGA). “Nutrient levels in the soils across Canada have been greatly depleted since conventional agriculture began and the same nutrient depletion can be seen in the foods we are



“Research in the dairy industry shows that cows eat more forage that is higher in sugar content. Researchers are also seeing a corresponding increase in milk production, up to eight per cent,” said Bill Houston, senior range and forage biologist with AAFC.

Industry updated on research efforts in forage and grassland sector

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada presented the details of its forage research project that began last October

Awareness of the role forage plays in a healthy agricultural sector has grown over the past six years since the formation of the Canadian Forage and Grassland Association (CFGA), speakers told the group’s annual meeting here. “Just as recent as two years ago the dairy industry had no interest in investing in the research and


Black Angus Cow with Calf

Beef 911: What you need to know about anthrax

There are outbreaks every few years, especially during drought, but there are ways to deal with this scary killer

Anthrax puts fear into cattle producers and with good reason. Cattle are very susceptible along with a long list of other species, including bison and horses. It is also considered a zoonosis which means humans can contract it. Fortunately, it is generally the cutaneous (skin) form in humans and responds well to antibiotics. Unfortunately, terrorist

Clayton Robins opened his farm for a tour in mid-August to explain the benefits of his high-energy forage grazing system.

Putting grazing theory into practice

Clayton Robins suggests a grazing system of high-energy 
forage can hone the best gains while regenerating pastures

Following years of research and the publication of a Nuffield study, Clayton Robins is now seeing the results of implementing a high-energy forage system on his own farm. “The greatest hurdle to the forage-fed beef enterprise lies in the difficulty in providing an adequate level of diet energy, especially in the form of a low-cost