Major grazing and forage conference set for swift current

Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food

A major livestock and grazing event is set to occur in Swift Current on December 12-13. This will be the fourth “Foraging into the Future” workshop to take place in the city, with the theme of this year’s session being “Understanding Selective Grazing Behaviour on the Range.”

Previous “Foraging into the Future” workshops have attracted anywhere from 125-225 participants. Trevor Lennox, a Forage Development Specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food (SAF), says organizers are expecting the 2006 version to be just as well-received, if not more popular.

“The workshop will put producers in contact with some of North America’s leading forage and grazing researchers,” Lennox noted.

One such expert is Dr. Derek Bailey of New Mexico State University, who will speak about improving ranch profitability by selecting animals that are better adapted to the topography of one’s rangeland. In this session, Bailey will address topics such as grazing distribution and why it matters to producers, differences in the ability of individual animals to graze rugged farmland, and better developing animals to their rangeland conditions.

Bailey will further discuss his research on using grazing management tools, such as supplemental feeding and herding, to improve animal distribution into areas where forage resources are underutilized. He will also speak on the use of livestock as a tool to improve wildlife habitat on rangeland.

Dr. Jeff Mosley from Montana State University will help producers gain a better understanding of grazing behaviour of rangeland cattle, and what techniques can be used for limiting the affects of grazing on riparian areas. By understanding their habits, farmers can better manage where cattle will graze on their rangeland.

“Retaining youth in agriculture is an issue near and dear to the hearts of everyone involved in the industry,” said Lennox. “That topic will be discussed at this year’s conference by Christoph Weder, recently named the 2006 Alberta Outstanding Young Farmer, who will be sharing his experiences with participants.”

Weder recently left his job as a beef specialist in Alberta to pursue his dream of ranching on a full-time basis. He will also talk about methods he has found to improve the cow/calf producer's profitability in the beef industry.

A popular feature that will continue from previous workshops is the producer panel, which, this year, will discuss various methods of improving distribution on rangeland. “The producer panel provides an excellent forum in which participants can hear what their colleagues are doing, and perhaps pick up some useful tips in the process,” Lennox said.

A new item added for the 2006 workshop is “Tips and Tricks for Training Cattle Dogs,” a topic that will be presented by a very popular trainer from southwest Saskatchewan. “Cattle dogs are an important asset when it comes to working with animals, and this session will give producers an inside perspective from the eyes of a professional dog handler,” Lennox stated.

The program will finish with several updates from groups doing forage research on the Canadian Prairies, including the Western Beef Development Centre in Lanigan, the Chinook Applied Research Association in Oyen, Alberta, and the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research facilities in Swift Current, Scott and Brandon.

The planning committee has worked hard to attract funding for this event, and is very proud to be able to offer a two-day event of this quality for only $50 per person or $80 per family couple. Producers interested in attending the workshop must pre-register by calling the SAF regional office in Swift Current at (306) 778-8285.

For further information, contact:

Trevor Lennox, Forage Development Specialist
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Phone: (306) 778-8294