Manitoba Forage & Grassland eNews
February 2014
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A Note from our Executive Director 

 

Despite what seems an unending polar vortex that has us in its cold grip, thoughts and planning for spring are underway. 

 

The MFGA recently held our annual general meeting in Brandon on February 5th. Thank you to those who took time to attend the meeting and hear what the MFGA has been up to over the last year and our plans for the coming year. I would like to thank the directors and staff for their on-going support and welcome our newest Board member, Glen Campbell. Glen brings with him a wealth of knowledge in the area of grazing as he and his wife Dorothy run a cow-calf operation. Glen has served on several boards including most recently the Manitoba Beef Producers and we look forward to him joining us at the board table. We would also like to say farewell to Hushton Block who has relocated to the AAFC Lacombe office as a beef production systems researcher. 

 

On the hay front, we have been asked about the possible impacts of cold weather on alfalfa. Despite the cold, alfalfa appears to like it and a related article below better outlines this. The Green Gold program will continue to be offered across the province and we would encourage all hay producers to use this program to optimize the best times to cut alfalfa. 

 

The MFGA Executive will be meeting in the near future with MASC to discuss items of concern and programs offered in the areas of pasture and hay land insurance by MASC. We would encourage all producers to review the new programming introduced by MASC. The deadline is March 31st for these programs and represent positive steps forward in the area of coverage flexibility for hay and pasture lands. 

 

On the pasture front, it is time to start thinking about pasture planning. Managing grasslands provides for not only more grass going forward but a better bottom line overall for producers. Over the years producers have implemented a number of beneficial management practises (BMPs) that best suit their individual needs on the landscapes they manage. The benefits of managed grasslands is recognized not only by producers but by a broader audience as well. 

 

Recently the MFGA, along with the CFGA and our counterparts in Alberta and Saskatchewan, submitted a funding proposal to the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) for the implementation of grazing BMPs across the prairies. The CEC facilitates collaboration and public participation to foster conservation, protection and enhancement of the North American environment for the benefit of present and future generations, in the context of increasing economic, trade, and social links among Canada, Mexico, and the United States. I'm pleased to say that our proposal was successful and that we are currently finalizing the process in which to work with producers in the implementation of BMPs and the associated costs that will be covered for each project. Please stay tuned for more details. 

 

In the meantime, here's hoping that spring is truly just around the corner and that the grass will be green on both sides of the fence!

 

Wanda McFadyen, Executive Director, MFGA

 

MASC 2014 FORAGE INSURANCE PROGRAM DEADLINE: MARCH 31

Forage and grassland producers can learn more about the improved forage insurance package by contacting their local MASC office or visiting their direct program link

Download the following documents provided by MASC:

Round Bale Storage

 

This winter, while feeding your livestock, take a look at your bales and make an estimate as to how much loss you are getting in your bales due to improper storage. Large round bales typically have higher storage losses especially when stored outdoors. Placing round bales outside on the ground is the cheapest method of storage but can lead to the greatest potential for dry matter weathering. Most of these losses take place on the bottom of the bale where moisture levels remain the highest and air movement the lowest. 

 

There are a number of techniques to help minimize outdoor storage losses.  Download the full article.

   

John McGregor, Extension Support, MFGA

A Producer Profile

Welcome to Glen Campbell, Our Newly Elected
MFGA Board of Director (Western Manitoba)

 

Getting involved in our industry is nothing new to Glen Campbell, MFGA's newest Board of Director. He has been a MB Beef Producer Director for 6 years, an Ex-Officio Director for the MB Habitat Heritage Corporation, and an active member of many organizations such as the Leafy Spurge Stakeholders Group and the Invasive Species Council. Glen has also taken the Holistic Management Course. 

For over 35 years, Glen has been running a cow/calf operation in the Riding Mountain area. He and is wife Dorothy and son Kabe, dubbed "Team Campbell Ranch", had 150 cow/calf for 15 of those years. Glen uses hay and pasture bale grazing, swath grazing, and, for the last 3 years, the once-over grazing system where during the growing period grazing occurs over 5 days once a year. When the crop is dormant, grazing can occur again. 

Glen has been a member of MFGA for several years and looks forward to continue his speaking with school kids about the benefits of ranching and meeting other dedicated people who are interested in spreading the word on the value of our grasslands. "It's important people understand the ecological goods and services provided by Manitoba grasslands, such as flood mitigation, wildlife refuge, carbon sequestration, wetland storage, waste treatment, nutrient cycling and recreation," he said. "I want to do what I can to help preserve a way of life." 

Glen and Dorothy also run the Campbell Angus Ranch B and B in Onanole, MB.  

 

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MFGA
Articles In this Issue
A Note from our Executive Director
MASC 2014 Forage Insurance Program Deadline March 31
Round Bale Storage
A Producer Profile - Glen Campbell
Pasture Planning 101
Feeding Your Horse without Hurting Your Land
MB Beef Producers Announcement
The Snow is Good for Alfalfa
Hay as a Fertilizer
Ramping Up for the 2014 Green Gold Program
Our Friends of Forage & Grasslands
Dairy Farmers of Canada
Ducks Unlimited
MacDon
MHHC
MSA
MASC
Northstar
Pickseed
SeCan
MAFRD
AAFC 
Industry Resources

Foragebeef.ca adds new research papers

 

 

Wintering Site: Assessment and Design Tool - A Guide to Selecting and Managing a Wintering Site in Western Canada 

 

Effects of long-term protection from grazing on phenotypic expression in geographically separated mountain rough fescue populations 

 

Forage yield of simple and complex grass legume mixtures under two management strategies

 

Benefits of mixing timothy with alfalfa for forage yield, nutritive value, and weed suppression in northern environments

 

Comparison of grazing oat and pea crop residue versus feeding grass-legume hay on beef cow performance, reproductive efficiency, and system cost

 

Consumption and drinking behavior of beef cattle offered a choice of several water types 

Industry Events
Important Links
 
 
 
 

Pasture Planning 101  

 

Everyone is looking for that one grass or one grazing system that is going to turn everything around. The Silver Bullet is not a thing it is YOU. Learn everything you can about forage, ecology, cattle and economics. Part of that learning process is understanding and putting into practice the four major grazing principals:
1. Balance livestock demand with forage supply 
2. Distribute livestock evenly 
3. Provide the forage with an adequate recovery period after grazing 
4. Avoid grazing during vulnerable periods 

Pasture planning 101 looks at these 4 principals and helps you determine the correct stocking rates for your pasture and proper distribution of animals. It looks at pasture division based on your land and forage base as well as your manpower. Finally, it looks at rest periods for forages and how to avoid or minimize the negative effects of grazing. 

There are no right or wrong ways to manage your forages or pastures as long as the methods that you choose observe the 4 Grazing Principals. 


John McGregor, Extension Support, MFGA

 

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In one end and out the other - feeding your horse without hurting your land

Credit Jennifer Blair, AGCanada.com

 
Managing a horse's manure can be a challenge due to its type (and high output) of waste. A horse's inefficiency at absorbing nutrients in its diet can quickly lead to excess phosphorous and nitrogen piling up on the ground. Overfeeding or incorrect feeding is a common contributor, and if left unchecked, horses can be an unwilling contributor to high nutrient concentrations in groundwater. But choosing the right hay and tailoring your horse's diet can help you avoid these problems. Read more.

 

Manitoba Beef Producers Announcement
 
Congratulations to Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) on their successful Annual General Meeting. MFGA has worked with Cam Dahl and MBP on many projects over the years. We wish him well on future endeavours and look forward to working with Melinda Germain who recently joined MBP. 
 
The Snow is Good for Alfalfa

Credit Bruce Anderson-Extension Forage Specialist, UNL

 
Recent snowstorms left at least some snow just about everywhere and this is good news for alfalfa, which is grown almost everywhere in Manitoba. 
 
Alfalfa loves snow. In fact, nothing can increase the chance of alfalfa surviving winter better than a nice, thick blanket of snow. Last fall's moderate weather allowed alfalfa plants to harden well for winter, leaving them with a high concentration of nutrients and a low concentration of water in their roots. This winterized condition enables alfalfa crowns and roots to withstand temperatures down to as low as 12 degrees below zero. 
 
This may not sound that cold, but remember that the soil doesn't get as cold as the air above it. And when soil is covered with a blanket of snow, this snow acts like a layer of insulation protecting the ground from bitter cold temperatures. Plus, it reduces the rate that soils and alfalfa roots dry out. This is why winters with little snow cover can cause more injury to alfalfa stands, especially if soils also are dry. 
 
Of course, management practices in the fall influence the affect of snow on your alfalfa. Tall stubble provides some insulation value and will catch more snow. Also, avoiding alfalfa harvest during the so-called risk period from mid-August through September helps alfalfa roots winterize well by building up nutrients and reducing water content. 
 
While all this snow can disrupt our daily routines, just remember how valuable it is to your alfalfa. Then, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. 
 
Looking at the recent soil temperatures that are monitored by MAFRD, most areas are still well above the critical -12 C temperature. There are a few exceptions Pierson, Teulon, Elm Creek and Starbuck. If your fields don't have a blanket of snow that is 6-8 inches deep, you could be seeing temperatures below -12. 
 
To check soil temperatures in your area, click on the graph below and follow the link.

 

Hay as a Fertilizer

 

When you are feeding cattle in the winter do you ever get concerned about the feed that they are wasting? Do you force your cows to clean up the feed before you set out any more bales? 

 

At this time of year when you are feeding cattle few producers stop to think about the dollar value of the nutrients in the hay in terms of fertilizer. Mature cows should excrete close to 100% of the nutrients they consume in terms of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). In addition, the waste hay nutrients will also have value. Utilizing the nutrients in both of these sources can have economical benefits. Thinking about how to capture this value can be one way of reducing fertilizer prices and increasing forage yields. 

 

If we look at 100 cows being fed 30 lbs/day of 17% protein alfalfa hay that is .03% P and 2.4% K of the value of the nutrients available to the pasture as manure works out to be 81 lbs N. If we assume that only 35% is available, because of volatilization of N that still leaves close to 30 lbs available N. The value of P is 9 lbs and K is 72 lbs. On a per ton basis we are looking at 19 lbs N, 6 lbs P and 48 lbs of K. Knowing this, you can then put a $ value on the manure and wasted hay. 

 

Once you know the value of the manure and the wasted hay the next hurtle is getting it to the field. In the past, one of the common practices was to clean out the wintering areas once a year and then haul and spread the material on the fields. More recently, producers have tended towards having the cows do the hauling and spreading by adopting techniques likes swath grazing or bale grazing. 

 

Bale grazing involves setting a large number of feed bales out in the fall and regulating the cows feed intake using electric fencing. Cows are then moved every 2-5 days. Proper site selection and bale density will ensure the nutrients from manure, urine and leftover material are uniformly deposited at acceptable rates to enhance forage growth and minimize environmental impacts on water quality.

Livestock managers will have a greater chance of success if they become familiar with the practice and issues of bale grazing before they start. Plan the bale grazing system. Monitor the feed, livestock and weather conditions during bale grazing. Make adjustments as needed. 

 

For more information on bale grazing click on the sites below:   

Bale Grazing

 

John McGregor, Extension Support, MFGA

 

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Ramping Up for the 2014 Green Gold Program

 

For nearly 20 years, the Green Gold program has put forage quality up front for alfalfa producers during the spring growing season when forage quality is especially difficult to assess. This increased awareness of forage quality is significant because the first cut typically produces more forage than any other cut. Knowing the forage quality decline of an area helps develop a trend for producers to judge how the current season is shaping up and when to start the first cut on their farms. Since sampling is real-time, the effect of current weather conditions on quality is accurately reflected in the results. 

  

In 2013, the program was expanded to include most of the province. With the expansion the program covered alfalfa development in the north and south areas of the Eastern, Central and Western areas of the province. 

 

Receive 2014 Green Gold Reports:   

MFGA is planning on running the program again in the spring of 2014 and we look forward to helping producers determine the best time to cut their alfalfa. The information is emailed directly to over 500 alfalfa, dairy, beef and sheep producers. "These reports are very helpful as a management tool," says Raymond Pelletier, a Manitoba dairy producer. "Receiving them by email or text means we obtain the results in a timely fashion, allowing us to achieve our target protein levels."

 

Become a 2014 Green Gold Sponsor:

Please consider being a Green Gold sponsor. To run the program successfully, MFGA relies heavily on sponsor support from the ag industry, producer groups and financial institutions. As a sponsor, your logo will be included at the top of each report, on our website, and in our news releases. "We are very appreciative of the sponsorship for the program - it demonstrates that they take agriculture seriously especially in the area of forage management," says Mr Pelletier.

 

To receive reports or become a sponsor: email John McGregor, our coordinator, with your contact information.  

 

Learn more about the Green Gold Program.

 

John McGregor, Extension Support, MFGA

 

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Manitoba Forage & Grassland eNews is published by the Manitoba Forage & Grassland Association (MFGA).  Articles in this publication does not imply endorsement by MFGA.