In the last Beef Research School episode, we took a virtual walk through a riparian area to assess its health. Healthy riparian areas, that transitional zone from pasture to waterway, are critical to decreasing riverbank erosion and nutrient migration to waterways. Once you've determined the general health of your riparian areas, it's time to put... Read More
Category: Livestock
Horses are an integral part of the cowboy culture and a symbol of all things honky tonk and down-home country. But has anyone ever thought to ask horses what type of music they prefer? Of course not. The video below is the one no one in the country music industry wants you to see —... Read More
How often do you walk the waterways, riverbanks and marshy areas of your pastures? These transitional areas from pasture to waterway, called riparian zones, are vital to soil and water health and deserve attention now and again to ensure cattle haven't been too hard on them, or that invasive species or undesired species have moved... Read More
It's always a treat to find an economist whose insights and discussions don't bore you to tears or leave you feeling a wee bit deflated (sorry, economists!). That's why RealAgriculture.com is always glad to cross paths with Glen Hodgson, senior vice president & chief economist with the Conference Board of Canada, as he's not just... Read More
It costs money to promote Canadian Beef and finally some of this funding will be on the backs of importers. Federal Agriculture Minister, Gerry Ritz announced this morning that an amendment to the Beef Cattle Research, Market Development and Promotion Levies Order to include an import levy on beef cattle, beef and beef products. The... Read More
The 2013 calving season was, to say the least, awful on our farm. Ugh, I still shudder at the thought of it. If you were anything like me, you were confused. The lack of sleep and surplus of snow certainly didn’t help. Why is this calf sick? What are these signs and symptoms indicative of?... Read More
Well-managed pastures can produce good yields for years, but will produce best if fertility of those pastures is planned for the long-term. Big producing pastures require big fertility numbers, though grazing helps to cycle these nutrients back to the soil. Over-grazing, too low or high stocking densities and time all can begin to mine pasture... Read More
Mid-summer is typically a lower price window in the cattle market, and this year is no different. What is different, however, versus the last few summers, is the cattle-feeder friendly weather and crop prices building for this fall. As Shaun Haney and Anne Wasko, of Gateway Livestock, discuss in this latest Beef Market Update, seasonal... Read More
A couple weeks ago at the International Livestock Congress I took the opportunity to have my 9 year old daughter join me for the day. I expected her to sit in the corner of the room and play on her ipod all day but instead she naturally asked for a media pass and volunteered for... Read More
With concerns around climate change, the availability of non-renewable resources, and increasing the sustainability of industries as a whole, it is not surprising that organizations like the Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute (PAMI) are looking at ways to harness energy that is otherwise wasted. I recently spoke to Joy Agnew, project manager at PAMI, about their... Read More