From time to time the Agriculture and Agri-Food Brandon Research Centre hosts tours.

PAST EVENT PROCEEDINGS

2008 Brandon Research Centre Beef & Pasture Tour Proceedings, 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.

• Cover, Sponsors, Table of Contents, Agenda
• Speaker Presentations (1 – 9)
• AAFC Fact Sheets below are: Impact of Alfalfa & Fertiizer on Pastures on:
• Soil Nutrient Recycling
• Pasture Carrying Capacity
• Methane Production
• Importance of Including and Maintaining Alfalfa in your Pasture
• Forage Quality
• Energy Use Efficiency
• Cow Calf Productivity
• Economics
• Carbon Sequestration

2006 AAFC – Brandon Research Centre Pasture Tour Proceedings

• How does variety and fungicide treatment affect nutritional quality of oats for swath-grazing by dry cows?
• What is the impact of riparian management on biodiversity?
• Can resting pastures during the critical late-season period affect productivity and alfalfa persistence?
• What is the impact of fertilizing low-tannin and high-tannin legumes with swine manure on greenhouse gas emissions and pathogen transmission?
• How do you establish a hardy shelterbelt?
• What is the impact of fertility and including alfalfa on pasture and cattle productivity?
• Can you finishing steers on swath-grazed forage peas and annual cereals?
• How much greenhouse gas is produced from pasture?
• How much carbon can be stored in pastures?
• How does the new grazing-tolerant AC Killarney Orchardgrass perform?
• How do you eliminate leafy spurge from pastures?

Download the Report.

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.