Cattle Country - May 2022

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BY MANITOBA MANITOBABEEF BEEFPRODUCERS PRODUCERS

MAY JULY 2022 2021

Emilia Johnston, along with her mom, Trisha Dewar, visited the Manitoba Beef Producers’ booth at the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair (RMWF) over spring break. This year’s RMWF was the first since 2019 owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and organizers reported 43,000 guests passed through the gates. (Photo credit: Terra Bergen/MBP)

Growing Learning Opportunities With 4-H Manitoba Laura Plett, of Sawmill Creek Livestock near Stead, enjoys some family time with son Dustin between filming segments on her property for the upcoming Season 32 of Great Tastes of Manitoba. (Photo credit: Donalee Jones)

BY: DR. MARY-JANE ORR, MBFI GENERAL MANAGER

An action packed 4-H Beef Day will be hosted on May 14th at MBFI demonstrating calving, carcass Manitoba Beef & Forage Initiatives (MBFI) was ultrasound, low-stress handing, and heifer judging thrilled to attend 4-H Day at the Royal Manitoba Winter class. Knowing when and how to aid in a challenging Fair on March 29 for the unveiling of Clover, a life-sized birth can be the difference of life and death for the calf cow and calf model. crop. The risk-free simulation training provided under The difficult offers guidance ofboth guesttradspeaker veterinarians will build Lowe. was detected in an Alberta cow and interThat meansthe good news for

BY RON FRIESENbirth (dystocia) simulation model numerous educational opportunities for 4-H valuable skills forwho 4-Hpromembers.The Topics will cover the Ottawa to en- national borders immediately slammed industry has asked ersmembers, who export beef and ranchers fromIt seeing a but calfCanada is bornhas to finally technicalduce training in signs andsay. stages of normal delivery, decisiontrading trees partners on took 18how years, courage Canada’s to recog- shut to Canadian beef exports. it, industry officials animal husbandry interventions. Clover and her“The calf are when will to intervene, practicing the the feelOIE’s for fetus position, been declared BSE-free. ruling and accept Canadian Since 50 per cent of beef in Canada is difference be the ability to nize a fantastic teaching tool made use of chains delivery.restrictions, he said.

The World Organization forpossible Animal through beef without exported, producers suddenly found themaccess sponmarkets and thatcorrect we otherwise weren’tto assist sorship(OIE) support from Manitoba Agriculture, For the Sharifederal Agricul- selves with collapsed market prices and aniHealth has recognized Canada as a able CO-OP, In a Mayto 27 have statement, to because we didn’t haveBeef that Day, status,we ” are excited MBFI, Manitoba Beefrisk Producers, Manitoba Days, Leachman (Ultrabeef Scanning) demonstrating theBibeau said the mals they could not sell because the market country with negligible of bovine sponture Minister Marie-Claude saidAg Tyler Fulton, Manitoba Beef Producers and Crop Connect. (BSE), giving it the president. application of carcass ultrasound on MBFI’s giform encephalopathy government will doyearling so. could not absorb them. is status honoured be working with heifers. Carcass ultrasound provides mostMBFI preferred under to the OIE’s sys“Canada will informa those trading The result was cataclysmic for the inBob4-H Lowe,replacement Canadian Cattlemen’s AsManitoba to house Clover events of livestock performance tem for evaluating BSE risk. and support learning partners of Canada’s BSEand negligible risk sta- dustry. CCA estimates direct economic sociation (CCA)non-invasive president, saidsnapshot some Asian at our Farm in Learning Centre. The modelstill is limit development.

Shari will walk the collection TheBrookdale announcement May removes tus through and will undertake immediate work to losses between 2003 and 2006 alone ranged countries Canadian beef imports designed to mimic natural rugged of months scannedofimages of BSE backfat, ribeyeexpanded area andglobal per cent the final trade barrier againstmovement Canadian andtobe support market access for between $4.9 billion and $5.5 billion. Some cattle under 30 age, citing enough for extensive demonstration and teaching fat reason for independent measurement at beef and beef 26,000 beef producers left the industry bebeef exports.

Canada’s high-quality cattle, concerns.use.

Now intramuscular they no longer have The Negligible working simulation was developed the CUP Lab in Ames, Iowa.

Members willsaid. have the risk status means import- bytoVeterinary do so. products, ” Bibeau tween 2006 and 2011. More than 2.2 milSimulator to grounds support teaching the opportunity to learn about howItthe is difficult 4-H Manitoba’s at the Manitoba Winter Fair ing countriesIndustries no longer (VSI) have any lion acres ofRoyal pasture lands were converted “Assuming that the world is based hasdata beencollected a long and jour- Clover (Photo calving process provide of how part of anthere’s ongoing replacement for restricting beefand from Canadahands-on because oflearning to crops,Orr/MBFI) creating a major negative environon science-based trade, no study reasonevaluating ney for Canadian beefheifer producers sincecredit: that Mary-Jane to identify and address issues with fetal position. selection. anymore,” said black day in May 2003 when a case of BSE mental and ecological impact. Page Page23 BSE. to have those restrictions

President’s President's Column Column

Managing Weatherthrough related uncertainty emergencies

MBP’s new Reliable food expert summer

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Page Page48

Page12 12 Page

www.mbbeef.ca

water

POSTMASTER ETURN UNDELIVERABLE OPIES TO: POSTMASTER:: PLEASE PLEASE RRETURN UNDELIVERABLECCOPIES MBP, UNIT 220, 530 CENTURY STREET, WINNIPE G, MB R3H 0Y4 WINNIPEG, 0Y4 CANADIAN ATIONS MAIL PRODUCT CANADIAN PUBLIC PUBLICATIONS PRODUCT SALES AGREEMEN T NUMBER 40005187 POSTAGE PAID IN G. AGREEMENT IN WINNIPE WINNIPEG.

Canada achieves BSE negligible risk status

2

CATTLE COUNTRY May 2022

An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure on the Farm Feed inventory is extremely tight after the long, cold winter required more feed, leaving us all anxious for the new spring grass and growing season. Manitoba Beef Producers advocated for changes to the AgriRecovery Feed Assistance program that led to several meaningful improvements over the last several months.

With the addition of the Extraordinary Expenses section to the program early in the new year, producers who used their own time and equipment received some recognition for their additional efforts to make feed and provide water to their livestock. Before these changes, these producers and activities would not have been eligible for a claim on the program.

Around the same time, the program expanded the list of eligible feed and supplements that provided greater flexibility to producers.

In early March, our governments (both federal and provincial) approved a change to the program application deadline, moving it from March 15 to April 15. This reflected the fact that the exceptional snow and cold led to increased feed requirements that would require more, late season feed purchases.

situation here in Manitoba this year. The exceptional snowfall across most of the province should lead to a much-needed recharge of surface water sources, thereby easing a lot of the concern coming out of last year. On our farm in Birtle, we had dugouts go dry in June of last year, while this year the above average runoff has filled all of our surface water reservoirs.

However, the lesson that I have learned from last year’s extreme drought is that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Let’s fully utilize the tools that we have available to protect against the negative effects of a changing climate. Access to BMP 503 (Managing Livestock Access to Riparian Areas) under the Ag Action Manitoba program in recent years helped many of us develop water sources for our livestock. Also take in consideration that AgriInsurance offerings like forage and pasture insurance helps to cover the risk to our feed needs, and there is AgriStability for broad risk management that is specific to your farm.

All the best as we head into spring and summer!

TYLER FULTON President’s Column

Further to this, they also restructured the program so that it eliminated the producer share and increased the maximum payment. This will help those producers that were both on the lower and high end of need and will not require any additional application or resubmitting of receipts.

All of these changes are welcome and will make a positive difference to Manitoba’s beef producers that were hardest hit by the drought. I thank both Ministers Marie-Claude Bibeau and Derek Johnson and their staff for acknowledging the shortcomings in the program and for taking action to help our producers more fully recover from the devasting effects of the 2021 drought.

With the winter behind us and spring in full swing, I feel fortunate for the huge improvement in the moisture

One of the dugouts at Tyton Farms that reflect the very different moisture situation in much of Manitoba this year versus 2021. (Photo credit: Tyler Fulton)

Cattle Country reader survey Cattle Country, a free publication of Manitoba Beef Producers, is the only newspaper in Manitoba written by beef producers, for beef producers. The newspaper has been in print since 1998 and is also available in a digital format.

The newspaper offers the latest industry news, interesting features, producer profiles, and updates on the activities of MBP eight times per year.

Cattle Country is the paper for anyone involved in beef production, industry stakeholders, and partners, as well as rural communities. It is also read by government staff and elected officials.

Manitoba Beef Producers has launched a survey to ensure the newspaper is meeting the needs of the sector and the readership. All responses will be kept confidential and used by MBP staff to guide decision making with the newspaper.

DISTRICT 1

ALFRED EPP

DISTRICT 5

STEVEN MANNS

Boissevain-Morton, Brenda-Waskada, Grassland, Cornwallis, Elton, Norfolk-Treherne, Deloraine-Winchester, and Two Borders North Norfolk, Oakland-Wawanesa, Glenboro-South Cypress, and Victoria

DISTRICT 2

NANCY HOWATT

Argyle, Cartwright-Roblin, KillarneyTurtle Mountain, Lorne, Louise, Pembina, and Prairie Lakes

DISTRICT 6

MELISSA ATCHISON

Pipestone, Riverdale, Sifton, Souris-Glenwood, Wallace-Woodworth, and Whitehead

DISTRICT 3

DISTRICT 7

Cartier, Dufferin, Grey, MacDonald, Portage la Prairie, Rhineland, Roland, Stanley, Thompson, Montcalm, Morris, and Ritchot

Ellice-Archie, Hamiota, Prairie-View, Riding Mountain West, Rossburn, Russell-Binscarth, and Yellowhead

DISTRICT 4

MATTHEW ATKINSON 2ND

ANDRE STEPPLER

VACANT

TYLER FULTON PRESIDENT

DISTRICT 8

Clanwilliam-Erickson, Glenella-Lansdowne, De Salaberry, Emerson-Franklin, Hanover, Harrison-Park, Minto-Odanah, Oakview, La Broquerie, Piney and Stuartburn, Montcalm, North Cypress-Langford, Rosedale, Morris, Ritchot, Springfield, Ste. Anne, Taché, and West Lake-Gladstone R.M. of Piney and Reynolds

To access the survey, please input the following URL into your browser: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/J3W99VM or follow these steps: Hold your smartphone or tablet over the QR Code so that it’s clearly visible within your smartphone’s screen. Two things can happen when you correctly hold your smartphone over a QR Code.

1.

The phone automatically scans the code.

2.

On some readers, you have to press a button to snap a picture, not unlike the button on your smartphone camera. If necessary, press the button.

Presto! Your smartphone reads the code and navigates to the intended destination, which doesn’t happen instantly. It may take a few seconds on most devices.

DISTRICT 9

TREVOR SUND

Alexander, Brokenhead, East St. Paul, Lac Du Bonnet, Rockwood, Rosser, St. Andrews, St. Clements, St. Francois Xavier, West St. Paul, Whitemouth, Woodlands, LGD of Pinawa, Reynolds, Springfield, Ste. Anne, and Taché

DISTRICT 13

DISTRICT 14

MARY PAZIUK

Dauphin, Ethelbert, Gilbert Plains, Grandview, Roblin and Mossey River

VACANT

Minitonas-Bowsman, Mountain, and Swan Valley West

MANITOBA BEEF PRODUCERS

COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING LEAD

Armstrong, Bifrost-Riverton, Fisher, and Gimli

Ph: 1-800-772-0458

Deb Walger

DISTRICT 11

PH - (204) 772-4542 FX - (204) 774-3264 info@mbbeef.ca www.mbbeef.ca

DISTRICT 10

MIKE DUGUID SECRETARY

ARVID NOTTVEIT

Coldwell, Grahamdale, St. Laurent, and West Interlake

DISTRICT 12

MARK GOOD TREASURER

Alonsa, Lakeshore, McCreary, and Ste. Rose

Unit 220, 530 Century Street Winnipeg, MB R3H 0Y4

GENERAL MANAGER Carson Callum

POLICY ANALYST Maureen Cousins

www.mbbeef.ca

David Hultin

FINANCE

OFFICE ASSISTANT Jennifer Patryluk

LIVESTOCK PREDATION PREVENTION PROJECT COORDINATOR Ray Bittner

CATTLE COUNTRY EDITOR David Hultin

DESIGNED BY

Print Studio One

CATTLE COUNTRY May 2022

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MBP busy with Advocacy Work, Return of Events like RMWF Greetings all, I hope your spring has been going well. I know there can be challenges for calving following a drought year due to many factors, but hopefully there have been no major issues on your farm.

I’d like to start my report by welcoming a new team member to MBP’s dedicated staff and contractors. Anna Borys has recently joined us as our new Food Expert.

She will be the new face of Great Tastes of Manitoba (GTOM) and assist us with various other consumer-facing events. Anna has extensive knowledge in the food/nutrition space, and will be a welcome addition.

Please keep your eye out for Anna on the GTOM set in the coming months and watch for her food columns in upcoming issues of Cattle Country.

I want to thank all members and industry stakeholders for attending our 43rdAGM in February. As I have said, the original goal was to hold it in person. However, the Omicron variant didn’t allow for that. Conditions permitting we plan to hold an industry knowledge transfer event and BBQ on July 13th at Manitoba Beef and Forage Initiatives’ Brookdale site north of Brandon.

The intent is to bring many of us back together to share information, to network and to have some good food and laughs. This has been something we have been missing without being able to hold our President’s Banquets in conjunction with in-person AGMs. Stay tuned for further details on this event in the MBP E-Newsletter, Cattle Country and our social media accounts.

The last couple of months since our AGM has been quite busy. Many advocacy efforts have been un-

CARSON CALLUM

General Manager’s Column dertaken by MBP, including ones focused on drought relief and on the environment. I was invited to take part in a multi-commodity roundtable with Member of Parliament Terry Duguid, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

It was a great opportunity to discuss beef’s role in the environment. The main message I left with the group is that beef plays a critical role in climate change mitigation, and we need to support producers in their efforts or we may see continued conversion of grassland habitat to other uses. The federal government has a major focus on tackling climate change, and it’s important to demonstrate the positive role beef plays in areas such as carbon sequestration, flood and drought resiliency, biodiversity and more.

In March, the major event MBP reps attended was the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) AGM in the Ottawa. There were lots of informative discussions and meetings. There was a focus on a number of federal files which are of great importance here in Manitoba, such as Business Risk Management programs, animal health issues, and the environment. We have great Manitoba representation on the board of CCA, with Tyler Fulton, Matthew Atkinson, and Mike Duguid representing us there. They are able to raise issues and

Preference will be given to those students pursuing a field of study related to agriculture or to those acquiring a skilled trade or pursuing a career that would be beneficial to the rural economy.

The completed application, supporting documents, references, required essay or video, etc. must be submitted to MBP by 4:30 p.m. Friday, November 4, 2022.

solutions to many important files that impact Manitoba.

During the week, we attended one of the first in-person events on Parliament Hill in Ottawa since the start of the pandemic, and we were able to engage with many MPs on the importance of beef production to Canada.

We also were able to honor the work put in for the cattle industry by Bob Lowe, who has finished his term as CCA president. I thank Bob for the amazing leadership he has provided during a very challenging time in the sector.

MBP was also very excited to be back to the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair for the first time since 2019.

Thank you to all that attended and visited us at the booth. Also, thanks to our directors who spent time chatting with the public on beef’s role in a healthy ecosystem. Thanks for the Steppler Family for providing a phenomenal cow/calf pair for attendees to visit at the event. On Tuesday that week Manitoba 4-H Council and Agriculture Minister Derek Johnson unveiled “Clover”, a realistic model cow for training and public trust efforts. MBP helped fund the acquisition of this great learning tool. Minister Johnson even helped birth the model calf, which was awesome to see. It was a great event overall this year, and you could really feel folks were happy to be back.

Speaking of 4-H, I want to thank all the 30+ kids and their families who attended the virtual cooking session MBP helped host. It was very well received by attendees and organizers.

Before I close another GM column, I have a couple of reminders. We are still doing outreach to fill director vacancies in District 4 and District 14. If you know anyone who would like to help advance the sector and work with a great team, please give me a call at the office 204-772-4542.

Also, the due date for AgriRecovery form submissions is May 13th, so please ensure you have all the required documents in order to receive your support payment. MBP thanks both the federal and provincial governments for making recent adjustments to AgriRecovery programs to help provide more assistance to producers impacted by last year’s devastating drought.

This is sincerely appreciated.

Have a great rest of your spring, and we look forward to seeing many of you this summer.

Carson

 Page 1

Growing Learning Opportunities with 4-H Manitoba Participants will learn and practice the principles of low-stress handling. Topics will cover the causes and ways to lower stress on livestock for a more manageable and safer livestock handling experience. Members will also hone their judging skills with yearling replacement heifers and learn about principles of grazing management.

Following the Beef Day, MBFI would be happy to work with all 4-H beef clubs and the public to coordinate site visits and tailor learning experiences in beef cattle production.

Upcoming Field Days - Save the Dates • June 1, 2022; MBFI Brookdale Farm – Electric fencing, solar power, and pasture water pipelines • July 6, 2022; MBFI First Street Pasture & Brookdale Farm – Pasture and soil health assessments • Aug. 3, 2022; MBFI Brookdale Farm – Annual forages and alternative feed rations For more information or to start a conversation please email MBFI at information@mbfi.ca or call 204-761-3300.

The difficult birth (dystocia) simulation model offers numerous educational opportunities for 4-H members. (Photo credit: Mary-Jane Orr/MBFI)

www.mbbeef.ca

4

CATTLE COUNTRY May 2022

AgriRecovery Drought Programming Changed to Provide More Support to Producers (March 30, 2022 Joint Federal/Provincial Government News Release) The governments of Canada and Manitoba are making changes to the AgriRecovery Drought Assistance Program to make it easier for producers to receive funding and to enhance financial compensation, federal Minister of Agriculture and AgriFood Marie-Claude Bibeau and Manitoba Agriculture Minister Derek Johnson announced.

“Manitoba producers are working hard, and our government is committed to ensuring they are fully supported during this difficult time,” said Bibeau. “By making these changes to the AgriRecovery program in the province, we are making it easier for them to access funding that will help them when they need it most.”

Changes include: • eliminating the “producer share” for applicants to increase payments to each applicant. The “producer share” was set at $50 per head for cattle, bison, elk and horses or $10 per head for sheep and goats; • reducing the compensation rate and the extraordinary expenses for feed receipts to 70 per cent from 75 per cent, which, when combined with eliminating the “producer share”, will increase funding to all applicants; • increasing the maximum payment to $270 per head for cattle, bison, elk and horses from $250 per head and from $50 per head for sheep and goats to $54 per head, which will allow producers who have already received the maximum amount to receive an additional payment; and • adjusting previous claims automatically, so clients do not need to reapply.

“We know producers need some additional support after last year’s drought, and these changes are the best way to accomplish that while staying within the parameters of the AgriRecovery program,” said Johnson.

“This will help producers receive additional funding in a timely way so they can get the support they need as soon as possible.”

Johnson also noted that an extension has been put in place for the Livestock Feed and Transportation Drought Assistance program. The program, which covers feed, feed transportation and related extraordinary expenses, will now cover eligible expenses up to April 15. The application deadline has been updated to May 13.

The deadline has been extended due to extreme weather conditions in January and February that have required producers to increase the amount of feed used to maintain the health and welfare of their animals.

Under the drought assistance program, eligible expenditures between June 1, 2021 and April 15, 2022 include feed purchases, rentals of additional crop or pasture acres, temporary fencing for supplemental grazing, hauling water, harvesting extra acres and hauling self-produced feed from distant locations. Eligible animals under the program include breeding animals of beef and dairy cattle, horses raised for pregnant mare urine, sheep, goats, bison and elk. Producers must support a minimum of 10 animals to qualify for assistance.

“Manitoba Beef Producers has had ongoing engagement with the provincial and federal governments about the drought’s adverse effects and how to potentially modify programs to make them more responsive to cattle producers’ needs,” said Tyler Fulton, president, Manitoba Beef Producers. “These latest adjustments will help get more financial assistance to producers who have faced feed and water challenges and we thank governments for listening to the concerns and making these important changes.”

For detailed program information, producers can contact an AG-MASC Service Centre or call toll-free 1-84-GROW-MB-AG (1-844-769-6224). They can also visit www.manitoba.ca/agriculture/canadian-agricultural-partnership/business-risk-management-programs/index.html.

Manitobans can stay up to date on the province’s agricultural programs and services by following Manitoba Agriculture on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ MBGovAg. Additional Program Information AgriRecovery is a disaster relief framework under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership that provides a coordinated process for federal, provincial and territorial governments to respond rapidly when disasters affecting several producers occur.

The Livestock Feed and Transportation Drought Assistance program was developed in consultation with industry to help meet the needs of Manitoba producers experiencing drought conditions. The program helps livestock producers affected by low moisture conditions in 2021 to maintain their breeding herds.

Interested producers will need to complete or provide paperwork such as: an application form; declaration of eligible breeding animals (if first time applying); declaration of extraordinary expenses (if have extraordinary expenses - only submit once); self-haul declaration (if you hauled the feed); invoices; and, proof of payment for purchases.

What’s New Re: feed purchases and extraordinary expenses – deductible removed and maximum payments increased:

• The producer share or deductible has been eliminated from the payment calculation.

• The maximum per head payments have been increased to $270 per breeding head for beef and dairy cattle, bison, elk and horses (for PMU); and $54 per breeding head for sheep and goats.

• The payment rate is now 70% of eligible expenses with payments capped at the new maximums.

• Producers will see increased payments due to these changes. No producers will see a reduction.

• These changes are retroactive to June 1, 2021 and apply to all applications received.

• For previously submitted claims, the Program Administrator will automatically issue payments triggered by eliminating the producer share and increasing the caps. A cheque and payment letter will be automatically issued without producers needing to submit extra documentation or request that their payments be recalculated.

Extension of Invoice Dates Invoices dated on or before April 15, 2022 are eligible if the purchase or transportation was to continue maintaining the eligible breeding animals owned on March 15, 2022. This extension will assist producers facing issues with taking delivery of feed ordered before the original March 15th deadline.

Extension of Application Deadline The application deadline has been extended to May 13, 2022 due to the extension of the eligible dates for invoices. This extension will allow time to obtain proof of payment for the purchases made by April 15, 2022.

Previous Expansion Of Eligible Expenses Expansion of Eligible Feeds: the list of eligible feeds now includes feed additives and premixes, molasses based products, vitamins, minerals, and oils and fats.

The change is retroactive to June 1, 2021. Previous applicants of the program have been sent an email or letter in the mail informing them how they can apply for these expenses. ‑Extraordinary Expenses incurred between June 1, 2021 and March 15, 2022 including hauling water, renting extra pasture and cropland, harvesting extra acres for livestock feed, temporary fencing for supplemental grazing, and transporting feed from distant locations. A one time declaration of extraordinary expenses can be submitted over the life of the program.

For more information on AgriRecovery Feed and Transportation Drought Assistance refer to: https:// www.manitoba.ca/agriculture/livestock/agrirecovery-feed-purchase-transport-assistance.html

YEAR ROUND

Forage and Grazing

CANADA’S GRAZEFORAGE YEAR INNOVATORS ROUND

PERENNIAL FORAGES • ANNUAL COVER CROP FORAGES • DROUGHT GRAZING FORAGES

Perennial Forages | Annual Forages High Performance Alfalfa ......................................................... | Hybrid Fall Rye Graeme Finn, Union Forage 403-312-2240

Amber McNish, Union Forage ...................................................... 204-264-0609 Jonathan Bouw, Edie Creek Angus ............................................. 204-471-4696 Jason Bednarek, 2B Land & Cattle .............................................. 204-768-0184 Ben Fox, Fox Technologies................................. 204/638/4181 / 204-647-5060

Toll Free: 1-877-COW-CHOW

Ken Van Driesten, Nutrisource/Dairytech/Bullseye ................... 587-727-0433 Michael Mott, Michael Mott Livestock ........................................ 204-861-0319 Joey Bootsman, Bootsman Ag Enterprises ................................ 204-720-8386 Darren keown, 3K Holdings.......................................................... 204-937-7333 Scott & Darryl Perkin, Perkin Seed & Soil Company .................. 204-534-8137

WWW.UNIONFORAGE.COM

www.mbbeef.ca

CATTLE COUNTRY May 2022

5

Predation Strategies: Mitigate or Control?

Support to Test Risk Mitigation Practices Available in 2022

BY: RAY BITTNER Raising a calf or lamb from a newborn to becoming a mother takes a lot of effort to accomplish, not only by the dam or ewe, but by the whole farm. Considerable time and resources are used when you take into account other factors like feed supplies, fences, vaccinations, veterinary care, producer labour and more.

Yet all of that work can be lost to your farm in a minute due to a predator’s actions. Is it any wonder that producers feel frustrated and wonder what to do to try to prevent this from happening again?

The question about whether to mitigate or to control for actions by wildlife is a good one. It’s also akin to the chicken and egg conundrum: which do you do first?

First of all let’s define the words: Mitigate: The process or result of making something less severe, harsh or hostile.

Control: To have power over.

Anyone who has farmed through a situation where wildlife takes your young stock knows that you feel powerless when this starts happening, and even worse when it gets repeated over and over. Farmers’ instinct may be to enact the “let’s roll” mentality and go out a clean up all of the wolves, coyotes, bears, and anything else that could harm their stock. Unfortunately, by the time you act in defence of your property, the damage is already done. Occasionally you can slow down the next wave of losses, but predators are opportunistic and may have moved on and attacked someone else’s livestock before you can get traps and controls in place.

So as it turns out, having control over livestock predators is a difficult task. Most professional trappers agree that a trapping control strategy is a long-term risk management strategy, so long-term in fact, that it is similar to farming and ranching in that you need to work on the lifecycle of the predators, removing some in

winter, removing some in spring, and being ever vigilant during the times when your livestock are most exposed to predator hunger.

In reviewing the previous paragraph you start to see that an effective predator control strategy is actually a risk mitigation strategy in that it is making the potential for problems less likely. A trapper will remove an alpha pair of wolves so the pups don’t become your problem next year.

As a farmer or rancher, it seems every spare moment is accounted for and the time available for predator control is limited to hours you should be sleeping or tending to animal management or feed supply. The use of risk mitigation practices (RMPs) can help toward reducing negative interactions between your livestock and predators. This is where the Livestock Predation Prevention Pilot Project (LPPPP) comes into play.

Administered by Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP), the LPPP is intended to help introduce predation RMPs to Manitoba farms and ranches, and to test their effectiveness. All of these practices are intended to lessen the desire of wildlife to focus on your herd or flock and create possible problems. If you choose to participate you will be required to critique the effectiveness and practicality of the RMPs you use. In return for your input you will be only required to pay for 25% of the cost of the products provided.

There is still time for you to participate in this important pilot project! The following RMPs available for 2022: Composting pens for deadstock: These pens help reduce potential food sources for predators.

Predator resistant livestock penning: These pens reduce predators’ ability to get to your youngstock or newborns, and helps limit losses and food supply to local predators.

Fladry wire penning: This involves electric fence

with streamers to limit canine predators from moving into your herd.

Foxlights: These small light show devices help distract predators and urge them to move on instead of moving in.

Game cameras: Knowing who your predator is, and what time of day they are stalking your herd can help you mitigate a problem.

Veterinarian assessments and consultations: Having a new set of eyes to review your livestock’s health prior to pasture can be very helpful in keeping livestock out of the food chain of predators.

Cow bells: This RMP option is new for 2022, but has been an option for centuries. Bells on cows can disturb and disrupt wildlife patterns around your livestock.

GPS ear tags. This RMP option is new for 2022, making use of new technology unimaginable a few years ago. Insert an ear tag into a cow and find out where she is, and what behaviors might be cues for predator pursuit or harassment of your herd.

For more information or to enquire taking part in the LPPP project please contact Ray Bittner at (204) 7680010 or RBittner@mbbeef.ca Individual RMP factsheets, photos and diagrams can be found by visiting https://mbbeef.ca/producers/ and clicking on the Livestock Predation Prevention Project icon on the left side.

Project funding is being provided by the Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Beef Producers and the Manitoba Sheep Association. Guidance is being provided by members of the Livestock Predation Protection Working Group, which includes the aforementioned entities, as well as the Manitoba Trappers Association, Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation, and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

This summer...

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Thank you to everyone who showed interest & supported our breeding program at our 2022 sale!

Our 2022 Bull sale was a great success!

We were honoured to see repeat and new customers who purchased our bulls to improve profitability in their cow herd. We have bulls heading to new homes as far away as Ontario, B.C. and South Dakota.

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Contact your GVF Beef Specialist today or call us directly to learn more.

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ARE YOU STILL LOOKING FOR A BULL? We kept a few extra 2 year old bulls to sell via private treaty out of the yard. Heifer bulls available.

Please call or email for more information.

JONATHAN

(204) 471-4696 Advanced Animal Nutrition for Improved Human Health

www.mbbeef.ca

STEFAN

(204) 232-1620

info@ediecreekangus.com

ediecreekangus.com

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CATTLE COUNTRY May 2022

Tiktok not for Mental Health Advice BY: ANGELA LOVELL Although the stigma round mental health and wellness is weakening, it has not disappeared, and farmers and ranchers are likely among the people least comfortable talking about these issues, but are certainly not immune from mental health stresses and impacts.

And with a new generation of younger farmers taking on – or preparing to take on - the additional pressure and responsibility of the family farm from their parents, there’s more stress being heaped on top of the strains of day-to-day in farming.

These factors could perhaps, in part, explain the growing trend towards people accessing mental health advice through online social media platforms like TikTok. “The pendulum has selectively swung in the opposite direction away from some of the very stigmatized aspects of psychiatry to things like social media, where there’s almost a celebration of some forms of mental illness,” says Winnipeg-based psychiatrist, Dr. Jessica Kreviazuk, FRCP, an Assistant Professor at the University of Manitoba, Max Rady College of Medicine Department of Psychiatry and who has clinical roles within the adult mental health program of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority. “What myself and my colleagues have been noticing is people self-diagnosing with all manner of mental health diagnoses, and then coming in and wanting them to be rubber-stamped by us.”

There are apparently a lot of ‘fad’ mental health diagnoses circulating on the internet; everything from ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) to autism spectrum diagnosis.

“What’s been interesting to observe is the people, particularly younger people, will come in and say, Tik Tok told me that I have undiagnosed ADHD,” Kreviazuk says. “We do an assessment and find out that some certainly do have it, and treating it makes a world of difference. But then there are other people who clearly don’t have it, and it’s an uphill battle to try to explain to them why they don’t have it. Maybe they have something different, like an anxiety disorder, or maybe they have nothing at all and they’re just facing life in the fast lane where we’ve all become addicted to distractions of all kinds and it’s not ADHD. So, while there’s still strong stigma on one side, on the other side people are seeking a diagnosis where it may be appropriate and where it may not be.”

The danger, of course, is that these kinds of pseudo-experts on social media can cause a lot of harm, especially to people who really do need help and support.

“It cheapens the actual lived experience of someone with mental illness because it trivializes it and says, well everyone has got this particular disorder, so what’s the big deal?” Kreviazuk says. “The big deal is that when you actually live with these disorders in a true sense, it can be impairing, life-altering and in some cases life-destroying. These are not just trivial sorts of diagnoses. For example, a child who was never diagnosed with ADHD, may have struggled markedly through school, and came to think about themselves as incompetent or incapable because of their disability. It really undermines the suffering of people who are truly diagnosed with these things and struggle with them.”

Where do you go for help?

Statistics show that mental health issues are more common than most people realize. As an example, almost one out of eight people at some point in their lifetime in Canada will meet the criteria for a mood disorder. So, where should people go to access good, sound advice and get the help and support they need if they are suffering with their mental health?

“Number one, do not consult Dr. Google,” Kreviazuk says. “There is good information online but most people don’t know how to navigate to it or they don’t know if they’ve landed on good information or poor information. Why should they? They don’t have a medical background. People can’t be blamed for falling into traps of poor information online, so, I think the best advice is, as much as possible; stay off Google if you’re at the point of still trying to figure out what may be going on with you.”

The best place to start, says Kreviazuk is with your own family doctor.

“Connecting with your family doctor is always the Kreviazuk admits that part of the stigma and fear best way in, and 50 per cent of what family physicians see associated with mental illness still stems from people’s is mental health-related,” she says. “Your family doctor is well trained in diagnosing and treating mental health diagnoses so, that’s going to be a reliable starting point.”

But people also need their loved ones, their support networks and their communities to help them overcome mental health struggles. We all know instinctively when something is not quite right with someone we care about, and willfully ignoring the situation won’t make it any better for that person or your own anxiety.

Although it’s often difficult to approach a loved one that you think might be having some mental health struggles, if you broach the subject, in many cases, that person will welcome the concern.

“My advice to people is, just be forthright with your questions, don’t dance around, just be straightforward,” Kreviazuk says. “Asking someone, for example, about their mental health if they are struggling is usually received with some relief by the person because they’re desperate in some sense to find someone who’s willing to connect with them, listen, or hear them. They will often be thankful for someone reaching out to them.

So, just ask directly, how have you been doing lately?

Is there anything I can do to help you out; it looks like you might be having a hard time? Use straightforward, Dr. Jessica Kreviazuk, FRCP (Photo credit: Jessica Kreviazuk) simple language.”

One thing many people are afraid about is interfer- suspicion of treatments, based on horror stories about ing in a way that might push someone over the edge, barbaric treatments of yesteryear. especially if they are suicidal. Kreviazuk emphasizes “Psychiatric treatment has come a long way. that is not the case.

Treatments are modern, effective, safe, and commonly “Asking someone if they’re suicidal directly, will prescribed,” Kreviazuk says. “We’ve got good treatments not introduce the idea of suicide to a person who is that get people well relatively quickly. Most people struggling with let’s say depression or severe anxiety,” who have recovered from depression will tell you the Kreviazuk says. “It does not make things worse. People treatments have been very opposite to what’s portrayed are worried about planting suicidal thoughts in their in Hollywood, especially from the 60s and 70s. Those head, but the truth is that it’s not the case; very likely kinds of images persist in people’s brains, and people they’ve already thought about it so you’re not going to think, if that’s what getting better means then I’ll just introduce anything to them that they haven’t already stay sick. Well, we’re not there anymore.” thought about.”

In fact, talking about it, it puts it on the table as something that can be discussed, she adds.

“There’s not going to be judgment about it; it’s just part of the open discussion,” she says.

“It can come as a great relief to someone to say oh, someone is willing to be able to tolerate the amount of distress that I’m feeling. So, it’s actually a really powerful intervention. It doesn’t mean you go around asking everyone, are you suicidal? It can be judiciously asked of someone who you truly care about and have their best interests in mind. You’re not going to plant the TikTok is a social media app centered around short idea of suicide in their mind, they’ve already videos.

Many people think of it as a bite-size version thought about it, and you may actually end up of YouTube, with videos ranging between five and 120 saving their life, so it’s a very important thing to seconds in length. be able to talk frankly about.”

Battling our own unconscious bias More than 160 million And those who are struggling with mental hours of video are watched wellness or illness need to be reassured that it’s on TikTok in any given not a character flaw or some sign of weakness or minute of the day. incompetence.

Of the more than “That idea may seem outdated but uncon884 million people scious bias can still be there,” Kreviazuk says. “If who are active on I’m a farmer or a rancher and admit that I’ve got TikTok, 57% are depression or I’m super anxious, I am probably female, while 43% are worried that just tells people that I’m weak, but male. that couldn’t be farther from the truth. There’s The majority of the nothing in any of the literature or research that TikTok audience is Gen Z, correlates character weakness or pathology with with 42% of the audience aged depression or anxiety, there’s absolutely no basis 18 to 24 years old. (Source: https:// for that but that’s still something that I think is blog.hootsuite.com/what-is-tiktok/) quite prevalent.”

It’s also a truth, that’s worth reminding ourselves, that nobody can cure mental health issues or mental illness in isolation.

“Although time heals a lot of wounds, time and isolation will not necessarily be a helpful recipe for recovering from depression or severe SERVICES anxiety,” Kreviazuk says. “Being in a commuLois McRae & Joyce Gordon RR 1 Box 57 nity, and being connected to people who care Brandon, Manitoba R7A 5Y1 about us and doing things that are helpful for h: 204-728-3058 our mental health, that’s how we move forward. c: 204-573-5192 A lot of times people will say, if I just ignore this, f: 204-727-7744 if I don’t tell anyone I’m sure it will go away or marmacfarms1@gmail.com get better, and that kind of avoidance strategy LIVESTOCK INSURANCE just amplifies the symptoms over time.” specializing in livestock insurance for over 45 years

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CATTLE COUNTRY May 2022

7

Grassland Stewardship Program Offers New Opportunities for Cattle Producers BY: WAYNE HILDEBRAND Manitoba Beef Producers received funding from Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) to offer the Keep Grazing Program to cattle producers over a three-year period. The focus of the program was to deliver information and incentives to cattle producers about enhancing pastureland, with the goal of improving grass quality and maintaining a healthy habitat for species at risk.

Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation (MHHC) was pleased to partner with Manitoba Beef Producers to deliver the program,” said Stephen Carlyle, chief executive officer of Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation (MHHC). In total, Manitoba is home to 59 species identified under the federal Species at Risk Act. Many of these species are connected to agricultural landscapes.

Key concerns are conversion of grasslands to cropland, and habitat degradation.

“The Keep Grazing program understands that grazed pastures offer tremendous benefits to biodiversity and habitat,” said Carlyle. “Cattle producers in Manitoba are an important part of the solution to protecting wildlife habitat. Ranchers play an integral role in conserving grassland, and grasslands are critical habitat for species at risk. Through production practices, Manitoba cattle producers are making a significant difference to endangered plants and animals. I want to relay our thanks to Manitoba’s cattle producers for your stewardship of grasslands, and protection of species at risk in the province.”

The Keep Grazing Program provided incentives to cattle producers for livestock infrastructure support.

Cost-shared incentives and management services were available under a 10-year agreement. Funds were

available to participating producers in four targeted grasslands in southwestern Manitoba. Funding was a maximum of $10,000 per quarter section up to a maximum of $50,000 per landowner. Infrastructure incentive funding could be used for fencing, watering systems, shrub control, and establishing new pastures.

“Manitoba Beef Producers and Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation have worked hard to secure new funding for cattle producers to expand the Keep Grazing program,” said Curtis Hullick, field manager for MHHC. “Our goal is to get money into cattle producers’ hands to help preserve managed pastures. Last year the average payment to cattle producers was $15,000 per project.

We believe investing in pasture infrastructure will help keep grasslands on the landscape, which will assist in the survival of wildlife and species at risk.”

“Last year the Keep Grazing program received $611,000 in funding, of which the Manitoba Beef Producers organization contributed $250,000 of its ECCC funding,” said Jenna Wiebe, MHHC. “With this funding 57 projects were completed involving 53 landowners and the enhancement of over 21,000 acres of grassland pasture habitat. This coming year Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation is expecting to allocate $829,000 in total program funding, of which Manitoba Beef Producers is contributing $407,525 of its ECCC funding and in kind producer support. So far this year the program already has 33 projects on the go.” More applications are welcome.

“There is some great news for 2022,” said Carol Graham, habitat conservation specialist with MHHC. “The Keep Grazing program has changed its name to the Grassland Stewardship program. The change is largely in name only. The incentive program has not changed.

The program eligibility area has expanded to include all

Managing encroachment to improve habitat. (Photo credit: Wayne Hildebrand)

of southwestern Manitoba, and funding has increased to $13,000 per quarter section to cover increasing infrastructure costs. Grassland habitat biodiversity and landscape resilience is now a higher program priority with the addition of rangeland management planning.

Funding from the Grassland Stewardship Program allows cattle producers to increase forage production while contributing to grassland benefits through the rangeland management process.”

For more information, contact Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation. See www.mhhc.mb.ca

Infrastructure incentive funding could be utilized for new fencing. (Photo credit: Wayne Hildebrand)

Managing water supplies. (Photo credit: Wayne Hildebrand)

MHHC pa ys producers to conserve, restore or enhance wildlife habita t.

For more informa tion ca ll Ka sie McLaug hlin a t (204) 724-0583 or visit www.mhhc.mb.ca www.mbbeef.ca

8

CATTLE COUNTRY May 2022

Managing Your Farm Through Uncertainty BY: SCOTT KEMP When I talk to cattle producers, the main words I hear are “prices” and “uncertainty.”

Prices are going up – land, feed, equipment, but uncertainty around the world and rising financial pressures in Canada are creating a lot of angst and stress as the days get longer.

The laundry list of factors that are combining to affect both prices and leading to uncertainty seems daunting. They include: • Governments winding down COVID-19 infrastructure and restrictions • The Canadian and global economy waiting to settle someplace • Invasion of Ukraine and sanctions on Russia • Commodity prices spikes and the increase in feed prices as a result • Shortage of feed on the prairies • Inflation >5% for first time since 1990s.

Most of these big questions are not going to be cleared up in the next couple of months or even during this calendar year.

What does that mean for Manitoba cattle producers?

There’s a saying that businesses (which would include farmers) cannot adjust costs fast enough to compensate for falling revenues.

Maybe this can be better framed as a question: can a farm adjust expenses fast enough to compensate for increasing interest costs?

Let’s think about this in both the shorter term and longer term.

Long term ‒ to put it simply, we just don’t know.

I know that’s a bit of a cop-out, but it’s true. All of the factors listed above are like pegs in the Plinko board from the Price is Right – we have no idea of the direction that chip is going to take.

Short term we do have some indication of trends.

Interest rates are going to go up. Commodity prices looking like they are going to stay high and what that means for feed prices as a result. Federal government focus on environmental sustainability and carbon

reduction strategies and what that means for the cattle and livestock industries.

So, what can cattle producer do?

Our advice is to get your management in order.

What that means to you will be specific to your own situation.

Think about your farm business management in three key alignments: • Vision • Financial Performance • Management Vision What does the future look like to you? When you look ahead five or maybe 10 years, what is the picture that you see in your head?

You may have done this deliberately in the past or have an idea about what you would like to the future to look like. It’s important to get that clarity within yourself about what you are working towards.

After you have clarity within yourself, it’s important to share that vision with your family and those involved in the farm. Have a discussion, hear what other people’s vision is and start working on getting everyone working toward a common goal.

Financial Performance “The best way to predict the future is to study the past.” (Robert Kiyosaki) The second key alignment is financial performance.

Your farm’s past financial performance is the best indicator of future financial performance.

What are your financial strengths and weaknesses?

Every farm has good years and bad years based on weather, market prices and other factors. Looking at your own trendlines over 3-5 years can help inform you of the direction your farm is headed.

How does that past performance and those trendlines line up with what you want to accomplish? Are you on track, do adjustments need to be made? What changes do you need to make to help you realize your vision?

Management The third key alignment is management ‒ what are you doing season by season, month by month, day by

day that helps you work toward your financial future and your farm and family future?

Aligning your farm’s vision, financial performance, and management may not give you the answer to what the future holds, but it will give you the best opportunity to weather any storm and take advantage of calmer waters.

Scott Kemp is a farm and agribusiness management consultant with Backswath Management. He can be reached at scott.kemp@backswath.com

www.mbbeef.ca

/ManitobaBeef

/ManitobaBeefProducers1

$10.36 Million for Manitoba-Made, Nature-Based Solutions to Climate Change Manitobans are benefiting from a new and lasting approach to funding land, water and wildlife conservation projects.

Through a unique partnership, the province of Manitoba created three permanent trust funds at the Winnipeg Foundation. With initial investments totalling $204 million, the Conservation, GROW and Wetlands GROW Trusts generated $10.36 million this year for new projects that take a nature-based approach to tackling climate change. The Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation, a registered Manitoba charity, manages granting programs for the Trusts.

MHHC has been helping to make Manitoba a greener place to live since 1986. In addition to its new role managing trust granting programs, MHHC has also permanently protected over 200,000 acres of conservation lands in cooperation with private landowners.

Learn more about MHHC at mhhc.mb.ca. (Registered Charitable #126479468 RR 0001) 2022 Grant Recipients: Assiniboine West Watershed District Association of Manitoba Community Pastures Benchland Forage Consortium Birtle Miniota & District Development Corporation Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society - Manitoba Chapter Central Assiniboine Watershed District Delta Waterfowl Ducks Unlimited Canada East Interlake Watershed District Holistic Management Canada Manitoba Beef Producers Manitoba Forage & Grassland Association Nature Manitoba North East Red Watershed District Pembina Valley Watershed District Redboine Watershed District Seine Rat Roseau Watershed District Seven Oaks School Division - Ozhaawashkwaa Animikii-Bineshi Aki Onji Kinimaagae’ Inun (Aki Centre) Souris River Watershed District Swan Lake Watershed District The Fort Whyte Foundation Inc. o/a FortWhyte Alive The Nature Conservancy of Canada West Interlake Watershed District Westlake Watershed District Winnipeg Metropolitan Region Whitemud Watershed District

Watershed Resilience in a Changing Climate Land Stewardship through Grazing Management Improvements Aspen parkland habitat improvement Riparian Forest Interpretive Kiosk After School Nature Club and Fisher River Cree Nation Planning Project Farming the Best - Conserving the Rest Wetland conservation and enhancement Habitat Restoration and Enhancement in Manitoba’s Working Landscapes GROW Conservation Auction Adoption of Farming Practices to Enhance Manitoba’s Natural Infrastructure Grassland Enhancement Addressing watershed priorities for soil health Reaching Landowners about Avian Species at Risk NRWD GROW Program Pembina Plum Initiative RBWD GROW Program GROWing EG&S in the Seine Rat and Roseau Watershed District

$ 1,602,500.00 $ 400,000.00 $ 62,250.00 $ 12,000.00 $ 60,000.00 $ 805,000.00 $ 89,705.00 $ 750,000.00 $ 295,000.00 $ 200,000.00 $ 400,000.00 $ 439,800.00 $ 8,080.00 $ 350,000.00 $ 1,060,000.00 $ 427,000.00 $ 69,780.00

Interpretive Signage & Oral Storytelling Soil and Water Programming in the Souris River Watershed District $ Enhancing Watershed Health by Improving Water Quality and Nutrient Management Revitalizing Wetland Trail and improving Recreation and Interpretive Value Several Projects Working with landowners to improve watershed health Wildlife and Upland Enhancement Projects Building Resiliency in the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region 2022-2024 GROW Program

www.mbbeef.ca

$ 50,000.00 1,014,000.00 $ 428,200.00 $ 25,000.00 $ 340,000.00 $ 517,500.00 $ 71,604.00 $ 25,000.00 $ 756,450.00

CATTLE COUNTRY May 2022

9

StockTalk Q&A Feature Brought to you by Manitoba Agriculture Tim Clarke

control program and can help reduce fly-induced stress on your cattle allowing them a better opportunity to reach their full genetic potential.

The full report can be found at the Manitoba Beef & Forage Initiatives webpage (www.mbfi.ca/nutrition-feed-efficiency) I will be retiring from Manitoba Agriculture in May of 2022. I have enjoyed Tim.clarke@gov.mb.ca, 204-768-0534 working with cattle producers and farmers in Manitoba throughout the years. I believe farming is one of the most noble of occupations, and want to thank you for all Question: How much impact do horn, stable and face flies on my cattle affect their your hard work and risk taking in order to supply consumers with a safe, affordable performance? and abundant food supply.

Answer: Face flies congregate around the eyes, nose and mouth of cattle and feed off their secretions. They do not suck blood, however they are the main cause and vector of pinkeye.

Horn and stable flies pierce and suck blood out of livestock. Horn flies can take as many as 38 blood meals/day with an average feed of 1.5 mg of blood. These blood sucking insects can carry mastitis bacteria, anaplasmosis and bovine leucosis.

Decreased weight gains and feed efficiency as well as reduced milk production have been well documented. Control of horn flies resulted in a 9.8 lb gain advantage in steers (Kinzer et al. 1984), and a 34 lb gain advantage in mature cows (Smythe et al. 2019). Calves paired with fly treated cows had an increase in weaning weights of 13-36 lbs (Campbell 1976, Cocke et al. 1989, Smythe et al. 2019).

Recently a new product for horn fly control was registered in Canada called Altosid IGR. Altosid is an insect growth regulator (IGR) which breaks the horn fly lifecycle preventing adults from emerging (hatching) from the manure. Altosid can be purchased in lick tubs or mineral for the cattle to consume. Cargill Animal Nutrition sells this product in their Right Now Emerald and Onyx with Altosid IGR pasture mineral.

In 2021 Manitoba Agriculture and Cargill partnered with Manitoba Beef & Forage Initiatives Inc. (MBFI) research farms to conduct an Altosid IGR mineral trial. MBFI has a research farm near Brookdale and one near Brandon, which are Altosid treated group still had some fly pressure. Photo from treated group at Brookdale farm.

Livestock Specialist Manitoba Agriculture

WEANING WEIGHT AS A % MOTHERS GAIN BODY WEIGHT

FARM/ ANIMAL TYPE

ALTOSID TREATED

BEGINNING WEIGHT

BEGINNING DATE

END WEIGHT

END DATE

BROOKDALE COWS

YES

1083

JUNE 4/21

1135

NOV 23/21

52

n/a

BROOKDALE CALVES

YES

79

MAY @ birth

545

NOV 8/21

466

48.0

JOHNSON COWS

NO

1356

MAY 21/21

1396

NOV 2/21

40

n/a

JOHNSON CALVES

NO

85

MAY @ birth

565

NOV 8/21

480

40.4

about 12 miles apart. Horn flies are not good fliers and stay close to their host. Both groups were offered free choice Onyx mineral and salt blocks, and the Brookdale cattle received the Altosid IGR in the mineral pack. The cow/calf pairs in the trial were weighed about every six weeks. It should be noted that the Brookdale farm is wetter (pothole country) and the fly pressure is greater; as well, the Brookdale cows were first and second calvers. Also the cows at the Johnson farm (untreated) were mature, bigger cows.

Altosid and non-Altosid mineral were fed prior to fly emergence as recommended by the manufacturer, with the goal of 100 grams or 2 oz/cow/day consumption.

Mineral consumption by both groups was for the most part on target.

It is important to note that no single method of fly control will result in complete eradication. An effective program keeps horn fly levels to less than 200 flies per animal. There are no restrictions on using other fly control measures in conjunction with Altosid IGR in cases of extreme fly pressure. Altosid IGR is a great base for your fly

We want to hear from you For the next issue of Cattle Country, a Manitoba Agriculture forage or livestock specialist will answer a selected question. Email your questions to Tim.Clarke@gov.mb.ca StockTalk Q&A for Cattle Country is brought to you by Manitoba Agriculture. We encourage you to email your questions to our department’s forage and livestock team, who have a combined 175 years of agronomy experience. We are here to help make your cattle operation successful. Contact us today.

Elizabeth Nernberg

Roblin

204-247-0087

Pam Iwanchysko

Dauphin

204-648-3965 Pamela.Iwanchysko@gov.mb.ca

Elizabeth.Nernberg@gov.mb.ca

Tim Clarke

Arborg

204-768-0534

Tim.Clarke@gov.mb.ca

Shawn Cabak

Portage

204-239-3403

Shawn.Cabak@gov.mb.ca

Juanita Kopp

Beausejour

204-825-4302

Juanita.Kopp@gov.mb.ca

UPCOMING EVENTS! CAA CONVENTION

Moncton, NB June 9-12, 2022 For more details visit www.cdnangus.ca

MAA SUMMER GOLD SHOW Harding Fair- Harding, MB July 22, 2022

SHOWDOWN Keystone Centre - Brandon, MB July 27-29, 2022 For information and events check out the MAA website! www.cdnangus.ca/manitoba-angus-association/

Manitoba Angus Association P: 1-888-622-6487

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E: mandi.mbangus@gmail.com

10 CATTLE COUNTRY May 2022

Researchers, Producers and Industry Discuss Farming for Sustainable Food Systems

The 8th Annual Sustainability of Canadian Agriculture Conference (SCAC) was held virtually March 16-18 and was organized by the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences at the University of Manitoba. (Photo credit: Emma McGeough)

BY PETER FROHLICH, NATIONAL CENTRE FOR LIVESTOCK AND THE ENVIRONMENT, UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA The 8th Annual Sustainability of Canadian Agriculture Conference (SCAC) was held virtually March 16-18.

This year’s theme, “Farming for sustainable food systems” renewed the ongoing commitments of producers, industry and academia to work together to enhance and grow an environmentally sustainable Canadian agricultural sector. The National Centre for Livestock and the Environment (NCLE) and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) partnered once again to bring forward a program that explored strategies to redesign our food production systems, forge the road to carbon neutrality and manage agriculture production from a broad landscape perspective to achieve enhanced sustainability.

Leveraging the agri-food system for a post-carbon world The Keynote address was given by David Kanter, a passionate researcher who is the associate professor of environmental studies at New York University and Vice-Chair of the International Nitrogen Initiative.

Kanter tackled the big picture environmental policy structure and eloquently emphasized the inadequacy and ineffectiveness of current global policy instruments to make meaningful change to emissions as we strive to transition to a post-carbon agri-food system. Kanter emphasized that decarbonizing agriculture and the broader agri-food system is essential to meeting global carbon emission targets.

He suggests solutions are found in a new governance approach focused not only farmers but on all the players in the food industry, including fertilizer companies, processors, crop advisors, water treatment plants, supermarkets and others. It is important to consider all the components of the agriculture industry as they all influence production decisions that farmers make.

Kanter suggests that solutions to effective decarbonization of agriculture rest in optimizing and transforming agricultural production with consideration given to the many factors that offer tradeoffs and synergies.

Kanter calls on researchers and industry stakeholders including government to continue exploring novel strategies and developing effective policies to achieve Canada’s emissions targets.

Redesigning our food production systems During this panel session speakers explored avenues to redesign existing production systems to further develop sustainability in agriculture. Can we build on what nature has already provided? Perenniality and diversity are present-day buzz terms deemed as innovative methods to enhance current cropping systems practices.

When in fact, existing knowledge tells us that all natural ecosystems such as forests, grasslands, savannahs, the tundra and deserts are dominated by perennial and diverse vegetation that has survived for years, decades or even centuries.

Part of the solution can be to readjust elements of the current cropping systems by replacing annual crops with perennial plants that will replenish carbon inputs, enhance soil microbial activity and foster soil stability by minimizing carbon and nitrogen loss. Utilizing existing knowledge also means recognizing the abundance of information available from the Indigenous cultures of Canada. A presentation during this panel outlined what the Canadian government, via Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) is doing to recognize this knowledge and how listening to traditional Indigenous concepts needs to be a part of the current conversation.

Recycling and reusing co-products from the processing sector is essential to enhance agricultural sustainability. The final presenter demonstrated the functionality and profitably of repurposing co-products from the Manitoba yellow pea processing industry as a novel protein ingredient in livestock feed.

Paving the road for carbon neutrality The speakers in this session agree that that the road to carbon neutrality requires changes in the fundamental structure of our food production system with an emphasis on nitrogen reduction to achieve the 2030 target of reducing nitrogen use by 30%.

Can we do it? Options include incentives for adoption of 4R practices (right source, rate, right time and place) and increasing the role of carbon markets.

Furthermore, the key to the successful reduction of nitrogen is rooted in biology and it includes increased reliance on grain legumes and other plants that biologically fix nitrogen plus the use of renewable energy for both nitrogen fertilizer production and to run farm machinery. The on-farm perspective in this session included examples of how to make a farm net negative including adoption of regenerative agricultural practices, incorporating green substitutes for nitrogen fertilizers and diesel fuel and ensuring we are adopting sustainable intensification of inputs to optimize yield and profitability.

The final speaker provided an industry perspective with an introduction to carbon offsetting, reaffirming that there is a need for a carbon market. Agricultural producers are uniquely positioned to benefit from rising carbon prices. Carbon offsets, including emissions avoidance (mitigation) and carbon sequestration, accelerate decarbonization and with the price of carbon increasing, demand exceeds supply and early adopters will receive cash payments for offsets they generate.

Farming with a landscape perspective The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. In this session we heard about big picture, landscape scale farm management practices. The first presentation set the stage and defined the landscape of a farm operation in terms of integrated facets, including cropland and wetland management. Practices that increase the organic carbon in the soil are built on an understanding of the relationship between moisture, soil erosion and tillage practices as well as the need to increase organic biomass in the soil.

To build on the researcher perspective, the producer emphasized the benefits of adding livestock manure and zero till practices to improve the amount of organic carbon in the soil. Leaving natural areas natural can have positive effects on soil health and crop yields. Preserving natural areas, conserving, restoring and managing landscapes is also the mission for Ducks Unlimited Canada. Amongst the many on-the-ground conservation activities, Ducks Unlimited Canada supports the beef industry and its grazing practices that help to maintain diverse grasslands within the ecosystems.

The final producer perspective focused on agricultural systems management and echoed the importance of regenerative agriculture through integration of crops, livestock and conservation activities. With hard work, these methods can be scalable and profitable leading to increased water absorption in soils, increased nutrients and increased organic matter. Take care of the land and it will take care of us.

www.mbbeef.ca

Farming for sustainable food systems and Holos workshop More than 80 conference participants joined the Holos model training workshop and received hands-on training and demonstrations on the modeling software.

Holos is a free, whole-farm model and software program that estimates greenhouse gas emissions on individual farms. The objective of Holos is to examine the impact of management practices on GHG emissions from farms.

Training consisted of short demonstrations followed by the opportunity for participants to practice what they have learned on their own computers, to ask questions and to provide feedback.

Student Video Competition Graduate students were invited to pitch their research projects in three-minute pre-recorded videos on how their work can benefit farmers and the sustainability of Canadian agriculture. Eleven creative entries were submitted to the competition by students from across Canada. A wide range of sustainability topics were addressed from mitigating greenhouse gas emissions to increasing crop diversity and assessing on farm management practices that ensure environmental sustainability. The competition winners included first place Emily Laage (Dalhousie University) who talked about organic field crop greenhouse gas emissions across Canada, second place Crystal Almdal (University of Manitoba) who discussed how crop diversity reduces aphid colonization in soybean and third place Sharandeep Singh (University of British Columbia) who gave an entertaining glimpse into his research on combating fusarium head blight in wheat. An additional prize, the people choice award was awarded to Emily Laage. All videos can be viewed on the conference website.

Barley Sandwich Sessions New this year and the invention by Dr. Roland Kroebel, conference co-chair and researcher with AAFC, were the very successful and well-attended Barley Sandwich Sessions. Two end-of-day sessions were designed to stimulate free conversations between conference attendees, scientists, producers and industry on a wide range of topics related to sustainability in agriculture. The first Barley Sandwich Session encouraged conference attendees to enter one of three virtual rooms that held experts that discussed beef, soils and farm modeling concepts in agriculture. The second Barley Sandwich Session was held on the last day of the conference following closing remarks and carried on into the early evening. The discussions during this session flowed freely and build on the topics established by speakers during the previous three days of presentations.

The conference drew on average 200 attendees per day. Once again this year the SCAC was approved for continuing education units with the Prairie Crop Advisor Board. The 2022 Sustainability of Canadian Agriculture Conference organizing committee, comprised of researchers, industry, producers, and government and co-chaired by Dr. Kim Ominski, Director of NCLE, would like to thank all those who attended and helped to make this annual conference a success.

A special thanks to Planners Plus who worked hard to ensure a seamless online delivery of the conference. See y’all next year!

Please visit the SCAC 2022 conference website to view recorded presentations, information about speakers, student video competition and more.

Sustainability of Canadian Agriculture 2022 Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences University of Manitoba (umanitoba.ca)

CATTLE COUNTRY May 2022 11

What Happened to the Market on Big Calves?

As I write this column, it is the middle of April, and inclement weather has disrupted deliveries of livestock to markets for most of the past two weeks. Despite bad weather, the numbers of cattle fresh off the farms for sale has dwindled, and most of the markets and buyers are predicting that the spring cattle run is all but over.

In hindsight, those who held back their lighter weight calves instead of selling in late November and December are getting well paid for their calves, especially the heifers, if they aren’t too fleshy. Those who held onto their bigger calves and are trying to sell 900-pounders now should have sold them in October and saved the feed.

So, what happened to the market on the big calves, and why are the lighter weights so strong? It comes down to the feeding fundamentals, supply and the availability of pen space.

For all of April, the fed cattle futures have been volatile to say the least.

Wild swings in the market have made cattle feeders nervous. There is still a backlog of market-ready fed cattle. In Manitoba, we are waiting five to six weeks to deliver cattle to the processors out west after pricing.

Feedlots in Alberta are plugged up with market ready cattle that are eating high priced feed and not gaining in value. The price this week is a little better at around $2.78 on the rail delivered to Alberta. Some of the cattle that are being harvested now and were priced months ago are north of $3.00 dressed. So, to be blunt, pen space is a problem.

The other factor is the cost of feeding the finishing ration in western Canada. If you are buying all of your feed inputs on the cash market today to finish a pen of cattle, your cost of gain depending on the performance of the cattle will be north of $2.00 per pound of gain for heifers and around $1.75 per pound of gain for steers.

RICK WRIGHT The Bottom Line

Even at today’s disappointing prices for the cattle over 825 pounds, the break evens on those cattle with today’s cash feed costs is well over $3.00 per pound dressed.

Is there relief from the high grain prices in the near future? Well, there normally would be on a normal year.

Old grain inventory would be dropping at this time of year. That is not the case this year as prices are climbing

In Manitoba, the Ontario influence on the cattle market has made the Manitoba prices considerably stronger than further west. Transportation costs have skyrocketed this spring. Freight from central Manitoba to southwestern Ontario is over $16.00 per hundredweight; add commission, insurance, feed, water and rest charges, and the extra costs are nearly 20 cents per pound on top of the price of the cattle. The reason Ontario can do it is because they have a surplus of feed and the cost of gain to finish the cattle. Ontario’s cattle feeding infrastructure is growing despite its limited processing capacity. Without Ontario’s support this year, the Manitoba cattle price would be considerably lower.

Despite the high projected feed costs, the yearling market off grass is very strong. Contracts for legitimate grass yearlings have been very strong, prompting local grass operations to go headto-head with Ontario for inventory, creating a very favourable market for the cattle under 750 pounds.

The light calves under 600 pounds are really too light for grass, but demand is strong, as it costs considerably less to background on silage than feed a finishing ration.

These lightweight cattle are a long-term investment and give the owners time for the markets for both the grain and fed cattle to change in their favour. All things considered I am truly surprised the market in Manitoba is as strong as it is.

The Manitoba Livestock Marketing Association has a new president. Allan Munroe from Killarney was recently elected as the new President. Board members elected were Robin Hill, JGL; Brad Kehler, Grunthal Auction Mart; Rick Wright, Rick Wright Cattle Consulting; and Kirk Keisman, Ashern Auction Mart.

Until next time, Rick.

With the unsettled conflict in the Ukraine, which is the largest barley and wheat grower in Europe, the world supplies are very unpredictable. rather than dropping. The reason? World demand! The export market is setting the floor price for all grains. This past year, the best strategy for the grain producer was to do nothing as far as contracting for risk management.

There are reports of grain brokers offering over $8.00 per bushel for new crop barley off the combine in Manitoba.

Last year at this time, $4.25 in Manitoba would have been attractive to many sellers. In the USA, corn on the cash market is over $8.00 per bushel. With the unsettled conflict in the Ukraine, which is the largest barley and wheat grower in Europe, the world supplies are very unpredictable. This will remain in place until after the harvest in that area. In North America, feed grain and silage acres are disappearing and being replaced with canola and soybeans.

Thank You

To all the bidders and buyers who supported this years bull and female sale. Your support is greatly appreciated!

Bulls & heifers sold across the country, from Alberta to New Brunswick.

CALF PROCESSING

High Selling Bull Lot 20Prime Entice 2J Consigned by Prime Angus Ranch, Arcola, SK purchased by Tobacco Creek Cattle Co.

Reduce Your Handling Time

High Selling Heifer Lot 931Herbourne DGB Roxie 15J Consigned by Herbourne Shorthorns, Somerset, MB purchased by Charlie Peckover

REMINDER- AGM Saturday, June 18th a at the test station. Please RSVP to Cody.

SAVE THE DATE- Ladies of the Station, Select Bred Heifer Sale- December 2022, watch our Facebook page & website for details.

Cody Nolan, Manager www.manitobabulltest.com Visit our Facebook page- Manitoba Bull Test Station

204-763-4696 Cell 204-573-4006

www.mbbeef.ca

CALF SORTING GATE 1-800-661-7002

hi-hog.com

-HOG HI FARM & RANCH TH

EQUIPMENT LTD. Est. 1974

E OU TST

Av a i l a b l e @ F e d e ra t e d C o - o p A g C e n t r e s

RA ANDING B

ND

🍁🍁

12 CATTLE COUNTRY May 2022

The Real Smell of Summer – Grilling is Back!

Beef Poppers with Cream Cheese Zesty Italian Marinade: • • • • • • • • •

¼ cup white wine vinegar ¼ cup lemon juice, fresh 1 tbsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp italian seasoning 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tbsp honey 1 tsp kosher salt ¼ tsp black pepper, ground ½ cup canola oil

ASSEMBLY Step 1: Slice steak into very thin strips about 2” in length. Add to a shallow covered container and pour ½ cup of zesty Italian marinade. Toss to coat and fully submerge. Allow to marinate for a minimum of 8 hours up to 24 hours in fridge.

Step 2: Layer lengthwise one ½ piece of bacon, one strip of marinated steak and one chunk of pepperoncini, lined up from the bottom leaving about 1-2” of bacon space along top. Roll upwards into a tight roll and pierce with a toothpick through the middle to secure, assuring you’ve pierced through the pepperoncini, so it doesn’t fall out when cooking. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Poppers: • • • •

276 g inside round marinating steak ½ cup zesty italian marinade 375 g bacon, thin cut, sliced in thirds 8-10 ea. pepperoncini, cored, deseeded, and quartered • 1/3 cup cream cheese, lightly whipped

MARINADE DIRECTIONS Step 1: Italian Marinade: In a food processor or blender, add all ingredients except oil and blend on high until well combined, about 30 seconds.

Step 2: In a slow steady stream, add oil until it forms an emulsified dressing, about 1 minute.

Step 3: Transfer to a sealed container and chill until required.

Step 3: Barbecue: Heat grill on high heat. Using a grill mat, place poppers on top and grill about 10-12 minutes, turning as to evenly brown all sides. Adjust heat as necessary as to not char your poppers too badly!

Stove Top: In a non-stick frying pan or cast-iron skillet over medium heat, fry skewered poppers until bacon is lightly crispy, browned and steak is cooked through.

About 8 minutes, flipping halfway.

Step 4: Allow to rest for about 5 minutes and then serve with a dollop of whipped cream cheese on top.

Photo credit: Anna Borys

BY: ANNA BORYS Is it just me or is everyone else as glad to be done with this winter as I am? From the constant back ache from moving the mountains of snow, to the extreme windchill warnings, not to mention this pandemic that seems to be never-ending. The hope of patio season, gardening and the sizzle of beef hitting a hot grill fills me with an almost tangible sense of relief and excitement.

Along with warm weather comes backyard dining, and one of my favourite recipes is this variation on the classic “Jalapeno Popper”. During my culinary training, we were taught that if you’re going to be serving a onebite type dish, it is critical each bite be as flavourful as you can make it. These one-bite flavour explosions bring the salty, the crunchy, the savoury, the smoky and the creamy to the party. This appetizer recipe was adapted from one of my dad’s recipes which is always a winner for any occasion, no exaggeration. In fact, it DID win a family friendly appetizer competition several years ago amongst some heavy hitters like sous vide duck sliders, and mini-Beef Wellingtons.

I guarantee once you make these Beef Poppers, you’ll be adding them to your “favourites” section of your recipe box! Enjoy!

The beauty of this hors d’oeuvre recipe, is it can be tailored to your liking. Don’t have time to make the marinade? No problem! Your favourite bottled Italian vinaigrette will also work. Not the right level of heat?

Then just adjust your pepper selection to either fresh jalapenos for a milder heat level or opt for an extra hot pickled pepper to really make your friends sweat! Forgot the refill the propane tank for the barbecue? This recipe works just as well stove top.

A few things to consider: if grilling, I’d highly recommend using a grill mat as to prevent flare ups as the fat renders out of the bacon. You’ll still get nice grill marks while not completely engulfing your tasty bites in flames. The marinade also makes for a fantastic salad dressing or sauce. I keep mine in a sealed small glass jar and it keeps for up to a week or even longer (but it rarely lasts that long because I put it on everything!)

Offers for Sale by Private Treaty 50 Yearling Black Angus Bulls and 10 2 yr. old Bulls Sires Represented: *Bar-E-L Candidate 10C *BM Archer 29D *Young Dale Absolute 3D *BJ Harvestor *Young Dale Hi Definition 185B Son of Cowboy Logic 181F

*Black Meadows Feel Good *Young Dale Eden 126E *Musgrave Sky High

*Frey Cowboy Logic 181F All bulls are Bunk Fed TMR Silage Ration Fertility Tested and Delivery Available Young Dale Absolute 3D

Several Packages of *Open Heifers (groups of 10) (available end of March) Fed Responsibly to Ensure Longevity!

Musgrave Sky High 1535

The WALKERS Miniota, MB Call Bill at 204-567-3782

www.mbbeef.ca

QUALITY ANGUS since 1958