2008 Brandon Research Centre Beef & Pasture Tour

September 30, 2008

Over 100 participants toured the Research Centre to see the project results on:

• ammonia nitrogen loss from bare ground and forage covered ground,
• novel annual forages for mid-season and late-season grazing and swathgrazing,
• the effects of resting perennial grass and grass/alfalfa pastures on pasture productivity and on alfalfa persistence,
• impact of early (March/April) versus late (May/June) calving under western Canadian conditions on: economics, labour requirements, and energy use efficiency of cow-calf production,
• strategies for finishing the early-born and late-born steers from these calving systems,
• the impact of winter bale feeding and harrowing hay residue on nutrient accumulation and forage yield on light land and,
• various strategies to control leafy spurge.

To view the speaker presentations and the fact sheets distributed please click on the files below.

2006 AAFC – Brandon Research Centre Pasture Tour

Clayton Robins, Katherine Buckley and Hushton Block speaking on impact of winter bale feeding on leafy spurge, soil nutrient cycling and cow nutrition.

Lynne Girardin from the University of Saskatchewan speaking about the impact of time of calving on profitability of cow-calf production.

Shannon Scott  from the Brandon Research Centre speaking on the impact of time of calving and finishing system on profitability and on meat quality of finishing cattle.

Simon Neufeld of the University of Manitoba speaking on the effect of resting pastures on water use efficiency.

Use of tunnels to measure ammonia loss from bare ground and from perennial forages.

Use of a novel waxy barley for swathgrazing – palatability test.