wolf

Province addresses wildlife predation

Manitoba livestock producers will see an increase to wildlife damage compensation beginning in April

Manitoba livestock producers will soon see higher compensation rates for animals injured or killed by wildlife. Beginning April 1, the maximum value for domestic animals killed or injured by natural predators will increase from $2,000 to $3,000. “Creating an environment for producers to succeed in Manitoba is vital to building strong rural communities in our

Robin on nest

Why do some songbirds warm eggs longer than others?

Birds with a short lifespan put more effort into incubating their young

The amount of care parents provide their young varies greatly across the animal kingdom, particularly among songbird species, who spend anywhere from 20 per cent to nearly 100 per cent of daylight hours warming eggs in their nests. A team of researchers led by Thomas Martin, senior scientist and professor at UM’s Montana Cooperative Wildlife


Beef producers are conservationists

Manitoba’s beef producers are the single largest collection of conservationists in the province. That may sound like a radical statement to some, but it is in fact a reflection of reality. It is also a fact that is increasingly becoming recognized by legislators and policy-makers. When announcing the new legislation to protect ecosystems, Hon. Gord

Cattle converge near the swollen Maple Lakes drain after heavy rains two weeks ago around Reston unleashed “flash flooding.”  Photo: Daniel Winters


Southwest ranchers grapple with flooding

Fast flowing water from recent rainstorms in the Reston area has caused 
widespread damage to downstream roads, haylands and crops

With five gyres the colour of black tea swirling into culverts in the background, Garth Elliott stood on a washed-out road and looks out over what appears to be an inland sea. It’s actually Stoney Creek, which in most years is a tiny rivulet fed by sloughs. “Some years, this creek doesn’t even run,” said


Community pasture takeover plan revealed

Proposal calls for a new, non-profit corporation with seven elected 
members to take over former federally managed community pastures

The federal government is pulling out, but a new boss is taking up the reins. A steering committee for the Association of Manitoba Community Pastures, a new not-for-profit group, has developed a business plan for taking over the operation of a million acres of formerly federally managed grazing rangelands in the province. That’s good news,

Bale grazing may require rethink, say researchers

Winter feeding cattle on pasture has long been pitched to ranchers as one of the best things they can do to help the environment and their own bottom line. But new research on the Pipestone Creek watershed in Saskatchewan shows that it may not be as green as earlier suggested. “It’s controversial only because you


Corral water after in-field feeding

In-field winter feeding can save time and money, while fostering healthy crop and forage growth, according to Jeff Schoenau of the University of Saskatchewan. Schoenau and colleagues at the university’s College of Agriculture and Bioresources conducted a three-year study following the effects of in-field winter feeding on animal and pasture health, as well as on

Corral water after in-field feeding

In-field winter feeding can save time and money, while fostering healthy crop and forage growth, according to Jeff Schoenau of the University of Saskatchewan. Schoenau and colleagues at the university’s College of Agriculture and Bioresources conducted a three-year study following the effects of in-field winter feeding on animal and pasture health, as well as on



Carrying Capacity Is Not Just About Numbers

Assessing the carrying capacity of your pasture is about more than just stocking rate. Calculating the carrying capacity of the land will help you stock to a level that maintains the health and productivity of both the land and the animals that feed on it. But how do you make that calculation? The 13 participants