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Newsletters

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April 2024

In this issue:

  • Coordinator's Note- Laura Gibney

  • 5 Tips to grazing spring cover crops 

  • Keep a close watch for these issues when calving

  • Let There Be Legumes

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January 2024

In this issue:

  • Director's Note- Ben Campbell

  • Alternative Winter Feeding Strategies for Beef Cattle Management

  • Pasture insurance helps farmers manage dry conditions

  • Drought feeds vitamin A deficiencies

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October 2023

In this issue:

  • Director's Note-Jerry Baerg

  • Timing key when managing high-nitrate feeds

  • Grazing cattle on cropland can be mutually beneficial 

  • Planning before shipping cattle can save big dollars in reduced shrink

  • Regenerative Agriculture Soil Principles

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July 2023

In this issue:

  • Chairman's Note- Daniel Doerksen

  • Cow  patties help shed light on pasture health

  • Are you ranching for practice or profit?

  • Rebuilding or replacing forage stands

  • Alberta Pasture Grass- Nutrition throughout the grazing season

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April 2023

In this issue:

  • Treasurer's Note- Justin Blades

  • Cover crop offer cost savings

  • Managing heifers during and after calving

  • Build Drought- Resistant Soil Via "Boom-Bust Grazing"

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January 2023

In this issue:

  • Director's Note- Dave Sammons

  • Swath-graze cattle to save and gain

  • Year-round grazing reduces winter feeding costs

  • Get your farm finances on track to reduce stress

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October 2022

In this issue:

  • Director's Note- Jerry Baerg

  • Farming, farm programs, and the "prove it" generation

  • Grazing Greeners

  • Poisonous Plants in Hay and Silage

  • Ariel Views Save Time

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July 2022

In this issue:

  • Director's Note- Sarah Green

  • In search of fescue

  • Restoring our Foothills Grasslands

  • There are low-cost ways to bring a tired pasture back to life

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April 2022

In this issue:

  • Managers Note- Laura Gibney

  • Good calving data can deliver dollars, but first you need to record it

  • Cow Nutrition Considerations at Calving and Early Lactation

  • Spring Grazing Management: How Early is Too Early 

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January 2022

In this issue:

  • Chairman's Note- Rod Vergouwen

  • Stock Density

  • Regenerative ag has to prove itself

  • Looking Forward to 2022 Markets (and Beyond)

  • Does market analysis enhance your profitability

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October 2021

In this issue:

  • Director’s Note – Ryan Scott

  • Canadian Agricultural Partnership Farm Technology program

  • Got livestock feed with high nitrates? Here’s how to manage it

  • What everyone should know about low-stress cattle handling

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July 2021

In this issue:

  • Treasurer’s Note – Justin Blades

  • Drought Management Plan for Your Cow/Calf Enterprise

  • Maintaining quality of cut hay

  • Five benefits of creep feeding calves

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April 2021

In this issue:

  • Coordinator’s Note – Sonja Bloom

  • Ground Squirrel Control in Montana

  • The Orphan Well Association and Your Land

  • Forage 2021: Grazing and Forage Management During and After Drought

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January 2021

In this issue:

  • Director's Note – Emily Lowe

  • Grazing for Soil Health

  • Increasing Cow-calf Profitability Through Management

  • Bale Grazing Checks The Boxes For Three Canadian Producers

  • 3 Steps for Starting a Beef Herd

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March 2024

In this issue:

  • Manager's Note- Laura Gibney

  • Managing winter water supply

  • Minerals take centre stage in winter ration for beef cows

  • Red Solo cup suggests perfect cow shape

  • Calving distribution could help address open rate riddle

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December 2023

In this issue:

  • Coordinator's Note- Sonja Bloom

  • Tips for winter water systems for cattle

  • Livestock Gentec wins ASTech Award

  • Pasture Management: Healthy and Productive Grasslands

  •  Consider feed requirements for beef cattle during cold weather

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September 2023

In this issue:

  • Director's Note-Wolter Van der Kamp

  • Several options for wintering grazing

  • Early weaning an option during drought

  • Supplementing Cattle on Drought-affected Pastures and Ranges

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June 2023

In this issue:

  • Director's Note- Angela Kumlin

  • Cattle Hacks- Practical Tips for the cow herd

  • Manage soil health while grazing cropland

  • The Highlights: Kris Nichols at the South Dakota 2023 Soil Health Conference

  • Using hooves instead of harrows to rejuvenate pastures

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March 2023

In this issue:

  • Manager's Note- Laura Gibney

  • Burke Teichert shares the secrets of a profitable cow

  • Crop diversity intended to beef up  the soil

  • Building Soil With "Wasted Grass" 

  • Managing Hypothermia in Newborn Calves

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December 2022

In this issue:

  • Director's Note- Emily Lowe

  • Playing With Fire: When Manageable Risk Delivers Great Reward

  • Study compares haylage vs. hay

  • 16 practical tips for selecting productive replacement heifers

  • Winter Feed Supplementation for Cows

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September 2022

In this issue:

  • Vice Chairman's Note- Daryl Chubb

  • Soil Health Institute Announces Recommended Measurements for Evaluating Soil Health

  • Ergot in Crops, Hayfields and Pastures

  • Satellite tracking of cows still a work in progress

  • Plant diversity on Alberta rangelands is minimally affected by management intensive cattle grazing, study finds

  • Keep your eye out for drought-caused nutrient deficiency in your cattle

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June 2022

In this issue:

  • Director's Note- Wolter van der Kamp

  • Rotational Grazing doesn't make rain, but it helps to keep it, study finds

  • Going slow speeds handling process

  • Satellite tracking of cows still a work in progress

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March 2022

In this issue:

  • Vice Chairman's Note- Daniel Doerksen

  • Soil tests more valuable than ever

  • Perennial Forages for Saline Seeps

  • Biometrics and artificial intelligence may be coming to a ranch near you

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December 2021

In this issue:

  • Director’s Note – Tanis Cross

  • Feeding cattle this winter is all about striking the right balance

  • Producers say beef boom passing them by

  • Matchmaking: Select cattle genetics that are fit for your operation

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September 2021

In this issue:

  • Director’s Note – Emily Lowe

  • AgSmart 2021 - A Rancher's Perspective

  • Livestock and feed resources planning during drought

  • How ag plastics recycling works in Alberta - challenges and opportunities

  • Specialists Provide Advice on Early Weaning Calves

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June 2021

In this issue:

  • Director’s Note – Wolter van der Kamp

  • Ideas for advanced grazing management

  • AgriStability sees significant change with the removal of the reference margin limit

  • Journey to Regenerative – Timber Ridge Land & Cattle

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March 2021

In this issue:

  • Director’s Note – Daniel Doerksen

  • Step-by-Step Strategies for Restoring Western Rangelands

  • Pollinator Projects: Putting the Buzz in Agricultural Production

  • Calving seasons tips & tricks: obstetrics and prolapses

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December 2020

In this issue:

  • Vice-Chairman’s Note – Rod Vergouwen

  • Whither the wind: How to decide on windbreaks

  • Forage intercropping trials show promise in Western Canada

  • ‘Messy’ fields may help bottom line

  • Bulls need special attention during winter

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February 2024

In this issue:

  • Director's Note- Dave Sammons

  • Calving ease top priority when selecting heifer bulls

  • Meeting Cow Requirements While Winter Grazing

  • Tips for ‘grafting’ a new calf to a new mother

  • Choosing the right mineral supplements can be daunting

     

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November 2023

In this issue:

  • Director's Note- Tanis Cross

  • Thinking about alternative feed sources? Think outside the box

  • Weaning considerations for healthy calves

  • Low-stress Cattle Handling's Domino Effect on Improved Health, Productivity

  • Major determinants of profita

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August 2023

In this issue:

  • Director's Note- Sarah Green

  • Three insights on controlling Canada thistle through grazing

  • Watch out for blue-green algae where livestock drink

  • Celebrating Wray Ranch. the 2023 Environmental Stewardship Award Winner

  • A Case Study on Replacement Heifer Selection

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May 2023

In this issue:

  • Coordinator's Note- Kayla Minor

  • Low-stress  cattle handling's  effect on improved health, productivity

  • Pick the right forage for productivity and profitability

  • The QuadrApplicator by R.A West

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February 2023

In this issue:

  • Director's Note- Ryan Scott

  • Snow can work as a winter water source for cattle

  • Rake-bunched hay a winter option

  • A guide to selecting the perfect heifer bull

  • It is time to begin the early evening feeding 

Click the photo to read this month's issue

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November 2022

In this issue:

  • Director's Note- Tanis Cross

  • Winterizing your grazing plans

  • What is a rancher

  • Poisonous Plants in Hay and Silage (revised)

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August 2022

In this issue:

  • Summer Student's Note- Morgan Robertson

  • Into the woods

  • Converting Marginal Cropland To Perennials Builds Soil And Profitability

  • What works- or at least helps- in reducing livestock predation?

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May 2022

In this issue:

  • Director's Note- Morrie Goetjen

  • United Nations declare 2026 the International Years of Rangelands and Pastoralists

  • Restoring marginal lands can be a long-term money maker

  • Long-term study shows benefits of planned rotational grazing

  • The building block of soil 

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February 2022

In this issue:

  • Coordinator's Note- Kayla Minor

  • Management can boost pasture by 80 per cent

  • 'Messy' Fields may help bottom line

  • Revamping carbon credits could boost regenerative agriculture

  • Managing salinity with forages

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November 2021

In this issue:

  • Director’s Note – Morie Goetjen

  • Battling BRD with Genomics

  • 'Its not the cow, its the how' : why a long-time vegetarian became beef's biggest champion

  • Managing Ag Plastics Long-term - Can Product Suppliers Play a Bigger Role?

  • 'Preg' testing cows is easier than it used to be

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August 2021

In this issue:

  • Director’s Note – Jerry Baerg

  • Cutting Annual Crops for Livestock Feed

  • Ag Forward: managing on-farm plastics

  • Why Refusing Land Access to the Orphan Well Association Might be a Bad Idea

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May 2021

In this issue:

  • Director’s Note – Marcel Busz

  • New tools to understand natural habitats on farmland

  • 3 tips for training your cattle dog to work stock

  • Weed control in pastures

  • Designing the watering system for your grazing method

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February 2021

In this issue:

  • Director's Note – Tanis Cross

  • Well Decommissioning 101

  • Will the development of the Grassy Mountain Coal Project adversely affect one of the top agricultural food production areas on the continent? - Letter to the editor

  • Cattle care in the cold

  • Working with farming neighbours to graze crop residue

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  • Directors Note - Ben Campbell

  • Beef producers share insights into certification programs

  • Backgrounding basics - easing the transition from weaning to feeding

  • Soil Carbon, Soil Health and Carbon Markets

  • Chairman's Note - Alex Robertson

  • WLPIP helps producers minimize risk in volatile marketplace

  • Nitrate buildup a threat after light frost

  • Making genomics work for commercial cattle herds

  • Is your ranch a "ranch of the future"

  • Put antimicrobials, traceability, and biosecurity on your to-do list

  • Director's Note - Daryl Chubb

  • Keep an eye out for blue-green algae in dugouts

  • Is it time to rejuvenate that old hay field or pasture?

  • Low-stress weaning for calves

  • Director's Note - Steve Yule

  • Swath later for better winter grazing

  • The five principles of soil health

  • Taking a fresh look at your land, cattle and grazing system

  • Director's Note - Morrie Goetjen

  • Breeding season bull management

  • Been there, dung that

  • Where does short-season corn fit? 

  • Director's Note - Sean LaBrie

  • Checking water from afar

  • 7 common cattle fencing mistakes

  • Carbon Sequestration a positive aspect of beef cattle grazing grasslands

  • Saving a jewel—and the setting it’s placed in

  • Putting science into grass management

  • Manager's Note - Laura Gibney

  • Selecting the right forage mix has never been easier

  • Seeding tips for perennial forages

  • Where are we at with antimicrobial resistance?

  • Warm season crops and cool climates

  • How to head off summer pneumonia

  • Profitability, finances and your ranching future

  • Director's Note - Justin Blades

  • When parentage testing pays for your commercial operation

  • Calving: minimizing personal risk

  • Legumes can boost pasture productivity

  • Greenfeed may be linked to milk fever

  • Disease can be bad news for calves

  • Director's Note - Tamara Garstin

  • Research finds Canadians want to learn about agriculture

  • Should all forages be valued the same?

  • Beef Nutrition

  • Tips for grafting a calf

  • Treasurer's Note - Ben Campbell

  • Develop a plan for the year ahead

  • Triticale attributes make for sound feed options

  • The importance of getting quality colostrum

  • Cows and Chaos webinar series back in 2020

  • Chairman's Note - Andy Hart

  • Managing resistance to internal parasites in cattle

  • Regeneration Canada reaches out to farmers

  • Feds delay transport rule enforcement

  • A boaring threat to our meat production

  • Director's Note - Rod Vergouwen

  • Feedlots to be put to the test - and that's what they want

  • Itching and rubbing in your herd? Lice treatment may be necessary

  • Researchers make case for grassland benefits

  • Turning common heifer development logic on its head

  • There are extra challenges in wintering cows this year

  • Director's Note - Marcel Busz

  • For climate-smart farmers, carbon solutions is in the soil

  • Producers pay attention to body condition

  • Bye-bye Canada Thistle

  • Vice Chair's Note - Alex Robertson

  • The roots of life and health: Elaine Ingham's theory of the living soil

  • Device said to calm cattle for a variety of procedures

  • Let's seize this historic opportunity in our agriculture sector

  • The importance of pregnancy checking the cow herd

  • Director's Note - Steve Yule

  • Sustainability starts in the microbiome

  • Understanding and Using Basis Levels in Cattle Marketing 

  • What to consider when choosing alternate cattle feed sources

  • Sustainable beef pilot moving up to the next level

  • Summer Student's Note - Jodi Giles

  • Conservation Finds a Home on the Range: DUC Supports Beef Industry for Environmental Sustainability with ABP

  • Understanding the Cattle Market Sliding Scale

  • Rains bring some relief to hay markets, but not much

  • Call it 'a vegan sandwich': Beyond Meat a hot topic as beef producers converge on Cowtown

  • Director's Note - Morrie Goetjen

  • Introduction to Livestock Marketing

  • 8 strategies for selecting replacement heifers

  • Low-stress weaning for calves

  • Getting Cows to Breed Back and Breed Up Quickly 

  • Director's Note - Justin Blades

  • Don't delay planning your winter feed supply

  • Drought brings additional livestock challenges

  • Persistence pays

  • Coordinator's Note - Sonja Bloom

  • Why Didn't My Cover Crops Work? 

  • Spring Planting Summer Annuals for Fall & Winter Pasture

  • Castration Tips and Pain Control

  • Director's Note - Sean LaBrie

  • Establishing reproductive momentum in replacement heifers

  • Opinion: A farmer's transformation

  • Students make pitch in ag competition

  • Vaccines made simple - basics you need to know

  • Treasurer's Note - Ben Campbell

  • A Climate Change Solution Beneath our Feet

  • Clean Surroundings Called Key to Calves Getting a Good Start

  • Finding the Right Minerals for Your Cow-Calf Operation

  • Director's Note - Tamara Garstin

  • Reducing Nitrate Concerns When Grazing Forage Cover Crops

  • Handy Tips to Prepare for Calving Season

  • Rotating Pastures to Reduce Scours in Calves

  • Director's Note - Mike Roberts

  • Bale Grazing Trial Looks at Feed Waste

  • Doing the Math on a Straw-grain Ration for Pregnant Cows

  • Can Cows Help Mitigate Climate Change? Yes, They Can!

  • Manage Weather Risks to Feed & Water

  • Director's Note - Steve Yule

  • Some Do's and Don'ts When Treating Cattle in Cold Weather

  • Don't Neglect the Boys When Their Work is Done

  • Livestock Medication Rules Take Effect Dec 1

  • Director's Note - Stan Wiebe

  • Building Soil Resilience With Cover Crops

  • Cow Feeding Economics This Winter

  • Canada: A Role Model for Sustainable Beef Production

  • Director's Note - Alex Robertson

  • WLPIP Claim Window: What to Keep in Mind

  • Alberta Beef Producers Plebiscite Regulations Announced 

  • Be Prepared for Nitrate Poisoning in Forages

  • Director's Note - Justin Blades

  • Have You Tested Your Feed?

  • There's a Reason Stem-mining Weevils are the Priciest Livestock in Alberta

  • The Bane That is Absinth Wormwood

  • Predator Compensation Benefits All of Society

  • Winter Cow Care

· Director's Note - Sean LaBrie

· Canadian Agricultural Partnership Grants

· Minimizing Heat Stress in Beef Cattle
· Producers Can Now Take Beef Sustainability to the Bank

· Director's Note - Rod Vergouwen

· Fencing; Back To Basics

· Are You Ready For A Drone? 
· Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP)

- Director's Note - Morrie Goetjen

- The Environmental Argument for Cattle

- What's the Big Deal About Soil? Everything
- Technology's Ability to Deliver Beef a World Away

- Manager's Note: Laura Gibney

- Producers Should Have a Back Up Plan to Ensure Quality Water Year Round

- Good Grazing Means Managing for What You Want
- Why Your Cows Need Those Expensive Vitamins

- Director's Note: Andy Hart

- Manager's Note: Jennifer Duckering

- Where do all the cows graze in Alberta

- AgriStability
- Bursary Recipients

- Director's Note: Tamara Garstin
- 2018 FFGA Membership Renewal

- FFGA Annual General Meeting
- FFGA JOB OPPORTUNITY (Environmental & Communications Coordinator)

- Calving Book Technology: There's an App for That!

- Director's Note: Ben Campbell
- 2018 FFGA Membership Renewal

- FFGA Annual General Meeting
- Climate Change and Grassland Management

- Bringing in Livestock Key to Rebuilding Soil

- Director's Note: Andy Hart
- 2018 FFGA Membership Renewal

- FFGA Annual General Meeting
- Texas Ranches Manage Cattle to Improve Habitat and Watershed Health

- Winter Watering: What Are My Options?

- Executive Director - Agricultural Research & Extension Council of Alberta (ARECA) - Job Posting

- Director's Note: Morrie Goetjen
- The 7 "What If" Questions Every Rancher Should Ask Themselves

- Making Compost Tea Specific to Your Crop
- Cover Crops as Forage for Beef Cattle - BCRC Factsheet
- Soil Aggregates Found in Great Soil "Just Like Christmas"

- Director's Note: Alex Robertson
- Enjoying the Little Things in Life - Soil Microbes
- 12 Tips on Positioning for Successin Times of Economic Resets
- Swath Grazing: More Than Just Frozen TV Dinner for Your Overwintering Cattle

- Director's Note: Tamara Garstin
- Opportunities Exist in the Public's Misconception of Agriculture

- Foothills Grazing Bursary - 2018
- Can Forage Seed Breeding Compensate for Fewer Pastures?
- No Need to Fear Winter Grazing, Let the Cows Do the Work for You

- Environmental Coordinator's Note: Rachel McLean
- Solar Photovoltaics Grant Update

- Managed Grazing's Effects on Soil Quality & Structure
- Rebuilding Spent Pasture: Four Years in Photos
- Native Forages Offer Resilience Against Mother Nature
- Forages & Grasslands: How They Contribute to Preservation of Biodiversity

- Director's Note: Graeme Finn
- The Importance of Monitoring Livestock Water Quality
- Get More Bang for Your Nitrogen Buck
- 3 Tips for Farm Business Success

- Increase Stock Density to Improve Land Faster

- 5 Habits Young Producers Should Practice

- Fast Facts on Forage Brassicas

- Treasurer's Note: Ben Campbell

- 5 Tips to Develop a Grazing System in Sync with Nature

- In Search of Fescue

- Understanding Human Behaviors & How They Affect Cattle Handling

- How Can I Improve My Tame Pasture?

- More Soil Organic Matter Makes More Rain

- Director's Note: Stan Wiebe

- 3 Ways to Achieve a 266% ROI with Cover Crops

- Data Collection with Drones

- Digging Deep Reveals the Intricate World of Roots

- All About Mycorrhizal Fungi

- Gabe Brown: The Brown Family Grazing Strategy

- Vice Chairman's Note: Andy Hart
- Manage Your Pasture's Nitrogen Cycle
- What's in Your Calving Kit?
- Fresh Water is the Primary Soil Nutrient You Should Be Managing For
- Seedbed Preparation for High Legume Pastures
- Considerations for Using Overwintered Crops as Livestock Feed

- Chairman's Note
- FFGA Bursary Recipient
- Jim Gerrish Grazing School
- 5 Forage Establishment Mistakes to Avoid
- Making Sense of Many Systems of Rotational Grazing

- Manager's Note: Jennifer Duckering

- 7 Tips for Financial Success

- Poison Bait Not the Only Answer to Gopher Problems

- Reproduction & Grazing Were Designed For Each Other

- Spain & Portugal Agriculture Tour

- Director's Note - Rod Vergouwen

-What is Rotational Grazing?

- Foothills Forage's Annual General Meeting

- Bale Grazing Dos and Dont's

- Is It Time to Start Early Evening Feeding?

- Generating Electricity From the Sun.

- Director's Note: Morrie Goetjen
- Tighty Whities and Soil Health
- Economics of Swath Grazing
- Range Management: Then & Now
- Canada Thistle Weevils: A Hopeful Biocontrol?

 

- Director's Note: Stan Wiebe

- Are Stockpiled Forages Your Winter Grazing Insurance

- Calving Clinic
- FFGA is Hiring

- FFGA Christmas Party

- Director's Note: Tamara Garstin

- Snow as a Water Source

- Reduce Winter Feeding & Be More Profitable

- Can Grasslands Be Managed as a CO2 Sink?

- Vice Chariman's Note: Andy Hart

-Grazing Crop Aftermath

- Frost Seeding - A Cheap Alternative?

- How Hay is Stacked Does Make a Difference

- Cow-Calfenomics

- Director's Note: Alex Robertson

- Advanced Soils School

- The Facts on Feed Testing

- Profit Per Cow or Per Acre?

- Is It Residual or Is It Reside?

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