Elizabeth Nernberg is a Livestock Specialist with Manitoba Agriculture based out of Roblin. For over 20 years, she has worked with livestock producers in planning their winter-feed program. Elizabeth is dedicated to assisting clients lower their winter feed costs and working with them to balance their own rations.

Elizabeth holds a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with honours from the University of Manitoba, majoring in Animal Science. Growing up on the farm and being a 4-H beef member for 9 years, it is no surprise she still enjoys helping out on their 4th generation cow-calf operation today, with the 5th generation right beside her.

During this episode, Elizabeth and I discuss the assistance that Livestock Specialists in Manitoba can offer to producers who are making decisions on their winter feeding programs.  This includes help with balancing rations, understanding feed tests or determining what types of winter feeding might work best for your operation. 

We also touch on some of the most common mistakes or oversights that Elizabeth sees when producers are planning for their winter rations.  Elizabeth urges all producers to plan early and conservatively for their winter feeding needs, in order to ensure you are not scrambling to find feed in the winter months when it may be less available or higher cost. 

Elizabeth shares information on topics including the importance of feed testing, differences in rations for different classes of cattle and differences in nutritional needs of cattle who calve in the winter versus spring months.  We also touch on some innovative feeding methods being used by Manitoba producers and some cost-effective strategies to increase the performance of your winter ration.

The link to the cost of production information which shows feed costs at 37% of the total costs in a 300 head operation is below.  The budget for 150 head has it pegged at 45% of the total costs.

COP Beef Cow-Calf.xls (gov.mb.ca) 

Link to the Feed Plan Online Calculator:

MASC Online Calculators

If you are wanting to find out more about winter feeding strategies, or to get some assistance in planning your winter rations, you can reach out to any of the Livestock Feed Specialists through the website below, or call 1-800-769-6224.

https://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/crops/crop-management/forages/contacts.html

The research programs and daily operations at MBFI would not be possible without the funding from the Province of Manitoba, Government of Canada, and Canadian Agricultural Partnership, as well as the partnership with Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP), Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) and the Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association (MFGA). 

We encourage you to follow MBFI on social media, or check out the website for more information on project findings and results, upcoming events and more!

Instagram: @MBBeefandForage

Facebook: @MBBeefandForage

Twitter: @MBBeefandForage

Website: www.mbfi.ca 

Email address: [email protected] 

We are so excited to share the first Producer Profile, where we meet Cameron & Lisa Hodgins of Lenore, Manitoba.

Cameron and Lisa Hodgins of Hodgins Farm are 3rd generation farmers on their family farm near Lenore, Manitoba. Here they are raising their four young children; Carrie, Chase, Cole and Conner and farm closely with Cameron’s parents, Ed and Debra. Hodgins Farm has a cow/calf and yearling operation along with raising grass fed beef, pastured pork, chicken and turkey, free range hens and honey bees and direct marketing their products to consumers. The Hodgins are guided by their values and beliefs in the principles of regenerative and holistic agriculture and enjoy discussing their farming practices with consumers and other producers as well as contributing to their local community. They believe that farming within a healthy, resilient ecosystem will result in healthy soils, plants, and animals for our future generations. 

In this episode, we have the opportunity to chat about what it means to both Cameron and Lisa to be raising their children in the farming lifestyle, and in particular, on a farm that uses regenerative practices and is very conscious about their impact on the environment. 

Lisa shares what her typical roles are on the farm and how she balances these with raising their children.  We discuss some of the challenges she has faced raising their children on the farm and she shares some valuable advice for other farm moms who may be facing some challenges balancing the farm and family roles. 

Cameron shares more about their cattle operations and how he manages these herds to meet the needs of the cattle, while also meeting the needs of the land and ecosystem.  He shares information on the Woodworth Grazing Club and his role as a mentor with the Farm Resilience Mentorship Advanced Grazing Project. 

If you are interested in finding out more about Hodgins Farm, their grass fed and pasture raised animals, honey, or other products, please visit them at the links below.

Website www.hodginsfarm.com 

Facebook Hodgins Farm | Facebook 

Instagram Hodgins Farm (@hodginsfarm) • Instagram photos and videos 

Cameron’s Email Address: [email protected] 

We encourage you to follow MBFI on social media, or visit the website for more information on project findings and results, upcoming events and more!

Instagram: @MBBeefandForage

Facebook: @MBBeefandForage

Twitter: @MBBeefandForage

Website: www.mbfi.ca 

Email address: [email protected] 

The research programs and daily operations at MBFI would not be possible without the funding from the Province of Manitoba, Government of Canada and Canadian Agricultural Partnership, as well as the partnership with Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP), Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) and the Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association (MFGA). 

Episode #12: Precision Cattle Ranching for Improved Reproductive Efficiencies 

Dr. Susan Markus has over 30 years of extensive experience in beef cattle production and sheep nutrition being currently involved in a large cow/calf, backgrounding and feedlot operation with her husband and 4 children in east central Alberta (Castor, AB) Canada.  In addition, she has been a leader in the Paintearth 4H Beef Club and regularly organizes field trips and educational activities for her club and district. Having grown up on a large mixed farm (cow/calf and grain) in northern Manitoba and regularly driving tractors to perform tasks prior to the development of no-till practices, Susan developed a keen interest in cows that set the path for her future education.  

She holds a PhD in Animal Behaviour from the University of Alberta, a Masters in Ruminant Nutrition from the University of Manitoba and a BSc in Agriculture from the University of Saskatchewan.  Susan started her career with Manitoba Agriculture as an agrologist in the southwestern town of Boissevain.  Dr. Markus has been with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry for 25 years, initially as a beef and forage specialist in Coronation, AB, and since 2006, as a Livestock Research Scientist in the Livestock Research and Extension Branch.  Susan is also an adjunct professor at the University of Alberta and regularly mentors students in various class projects and research.   She started with Lakeland College as a Livestock Research Scientist in their applied research program Feb 2021.

Her background in extension and adult education allows her to bring the science of animal research and new technologies into the classrooms for students and onto the ranch for livestock producers.  While Susan’s research involvement is varied from production, genomics, feed efficiency and nutrition to economics, she maintains a key interest in supporting practical ideas from the livestock industry. 

Dr. Markus is currently working on a project called, “Precision Cattle Ranching for Improved Reproductive Efficiencies”. The project uses three different groups of replacement heifers, located in Manitoba (at MBFI), Alberta and BC. In this episode, she discusses how this project came to be and what objectives she and her team are looking to achieve. She shares her thoughts on managing breeding herds and developing replacements in beef cattle, and how this relates to growth traits, carcass traits and fertility.

A number of different technologies are being used in the study, each was selected for a specific purpose that offers technology that is related to the selection of replacement heifers.  Technology included in this study includes boluses, chute exit scores, confirmation assessments, carcass traits and carcass ultrasound, growth traits, reproductive trait ultrasounds, and cameras to detect heat.

She summarizes what Precision Ranching means, and how targeting the right animals in the right program can be useful for beef cattle producers.  This study brings forward many tools that can be useful in decision making for your program and assist you in increasing profitability.  Dr. Markus also shares information on how producers can use some of the technology in their herd, the cost associated with some of these and the hope for the availability of this technology in the future.

Before we wrap up, Susan shares information about the new Agriculture Technology Degree at Lakeland College.

If listeners want to find out more about the project, you can contact Lakeland College and ask to speak with Dr. Markus.

Lakeland College Website: https://www.lakelandcollege.ca

Stay tuned for a follow up on this project in the future!  Further information and results will be available from MBFI once this research is concluded and data is analyzed.

The research programs and daily operations at MBFI would not be possible without the funding from the Province of Manitoba, Government of Canada, and Canadian Agricultural Partnership, as well as the partnership with Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP), Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) and the Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association (MFGA). 

We encourage you to follow MBFI on social media, or check out the website for more information on project findings and results, upcoming events and more!

Instagram: @MBBeefandForage

Facebook: @MBBeefandForage

Twitter: @MBBeefandForage

Website: www.mbfi.ca 

Email address: [email protected]

Episode #11: Case Study in Strategic Beef Herd Development with Mary-Jane Orr

We are back chatting this week with Mary-Jane Orr, General Manager for Manitoba Beef & Forage Initiatives Inc.  Mary-Jane leads a dedicated team at MBFI to advance Manitoba’s beef & forage industry through engaging stakeholders, evaluating on-farm innovation, and extension for sustainability of farmers, the public, and the environment. She deeply values the opportunity to collaborate with producers, researchers, education providers, extension specialists, conservation groups, and all stakeholders in field-testing management practices and growing understanding of improved production in Manitoba. Mary-Jane holds a PhD from Purdue University in soil microbial ecology in agricultural systems, is a Professional Agrologist, and Certified Crop Advisor. Her experience in ecology and field agronomy gives her a unique perspective on the challenges facing agriculture today. 

In this episode, we are talking about the Strategic Beef Cattle Herd Development Project that is underway at MBFI.  This case study is in its 4th year.

The episode starts with an overview of the Strategic Beef Herd Development Project, its origin and the objectives that MBFI is hoping to achieve. We look at hybrid vigor and why this can add profitability to the herd.We also discuss many different decision making tools, such as culling strategies and breeding stock selection criteria, as well as their importance and impact on herd sustainability. 

Mary-Jane shares information on the different technologies that are being trialed as part of this project, which includes genomic testing, smart boluses, carcass ultrasounding, eSense ear tags and GPS collars.  Each of these play an important role in gathering information on each animal in the herd and allows MBFI to make herd management decisions for future goals.   

This is a long-term study  with a lot of different aspects and information.  The hope through sharing information about this project is that producers may find elements that are useful for them in their operation, and will ultimately improve the  farm’s profitability and sustainability. 

To view the entire project report, with sections on each topic, please visit: https://www.mbfi.ca/nutrition-feed-efficiency and look for the Strategic Beef Herd Development Project listing .

To contact Mary-Jane and find out more about this project, or any of the other projects or events at MBFI, please call her at 431-255-0011 or email at [email protected]

There are many great links and resources referenced in this episode.  We encourage you to take a few minutes to view these, if you are interested in learning more.

John Basarab "Genomic retained heterosis effects on fertility and lifetime productivity in beef heifers" https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/full/10.1139/cjas-2017-0192 

John Basarab Background & Information https://livestockgentec.ualberta.ca/2021/06/25/john-basarab-new-head-of-beef-operations-at-gentec/

Recent article in Western Producer on Basarab, “Beef sector faces genomic roadblocks” https://www.producer.com/livestock/beef-sector-faces-genomic-roadblocks/

Alberta Beef Producers Article on Hybrid Vigour, “Rein-vigor-ate your herd” https://abpdaily.com/business-tools/reinvigorate-your-herd/

Graham Plastow, UofA Bio https://apps.ualberta.ca/directory/person/plastow

Canadian Cattlemen Article on Genomic Tools with Graham Plastow, “Genomic tools for crossbred cattle in the works” https://www.canadiancattlemen.ca/features/genomic-tools-for-crossbred-cattle-in-the-works/

Neogen Igenity Profiles 

https://www.neogen.com/solutions/igenity-profiles/

UltraBeef Ultrasound Services - Visit them on Facebook at Ultrabeef Ultrasound Services or online at www.ultrabeef.ca

There are many references in this episode to resources found on the Beef Cattle Research Council website.  To view these, please visit https://www.beefresearch.ca 

The research programs and daily operations at MBFI would not be possible without the funding from the Province of Manitoba, Government of Canada, and Canadian Agricultural Partnership, as well as the partnership with Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP), Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) and the Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association (MFGA). 

We encourage you to follow MBFI on social media, or check out the website for more information on project findings and results, upcoming events and more!

Instagram: @MBBeefandForage

Facebook: @MBBeefandForage

Twitter: @MBBeefandForage

Website: www.mbfi.ca 

Email address: [email protected] 

Mary-Jane’s Phone Number: 431-255-0011

Bonus Episode: The Bright Future of Ag with MBFI’s 2022 Summer Students

In this Bonus Episode, we meet MBFI’s four amazing summer students. These up and coming ag professionals have been busy at the farm doing everything from cattle health checks and daily moves, to yard work, seeding, haying and everything in between!  Each of them has a slightly different career path and future plan, but their love of the outdoors and the animals they work with is a common theme.  Join me as I introduce the 2022 Summer Students!

Lauren McKee

Lauren grew up on a family farm Northeast of Brandon where her family has a mixed beef and grain operation along with raising Suffolk Draft Horses.  Growing up, she was heavily involved with all aspects of the farm and continues to help when possible.  Lauren spent ten years in the 4-H program in equine and beef clubs. Much of her free time is spent training the Suffolk draft foals or driving her miniature horses. This fall, Lauren is going into the third year of her Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, majoring in Animal Science at the University of Saskatchewan.  In the future, Lauren plans to be involved in the agricultural sector to support and benefit the growth of livestock in the rural area. 

Maeghan McDonald

This fall Maeghan is entering the final term of her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science at Brandon University. Maeghan grew up in a rural area near the small town of Brookdale, Manitoba on her family's acreage. She has always had a deep appreciation for the environment and the outdoors, which is what pushed her to study Environmental Science.  While Maeghan did not grow up on a farm, she was always surrounded by farmsteads and people in the agriculture industry, and as such has always been interested in this field. Maeghan is currently working her third summer as a co-op student through Brandon university and her second summer as an employee at MBFI. While working at MBFI Maeghan has been privileged to learn a ton of new skills and knowledge relevant to the beef cattle industry. It has been a pleasure to learn about rangeland management, beef production, and sustainable farming. As Maeghan continues to grow as a professional in the environmental sector she hopes to continue to expand her repertoire of skills and knowledge so she can make positive impacts throughout her career.

Josie Pedersen

This fall Josie will be a 3rd year Animal Science student at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon.  She grew up on her family’s commercial cattle operation North of Neepawa and was a member of the Neepawa 4-H beef club until graduating high school. During high school Josie was able to take part in different youth agriculture events across Canada and worked on the family farm for a summer and also at the Neepawa vet clinic. This is Josie’s 2nd summer at MBFI and she really enjoys being in the fields, beef cattle production and rangeland management. Going forward Josie hopes to maintain an active role in the production of cattle and sustainable farming that is practiced at MBFI. 

Oksana Iwanchysko

This fall Oksana will be entering her first year of vet school after completing 2 years of an Animal Bioscience Degree at the University of Saskatchewan. She lives on an acreage North of Dauphin, where she was an active member of the community and has been a 4-H member for 13 years. This is Oksana’s first summer with MBFI and she has enjoyed all aspects of the position and will continue to implement the management practices used at MBFI.

If you are interested in being a summer student at MBFI for future years, or know a student who might be interested, please watch for the annual advertisement for available positions.  As an MBFI Summer Student, you are sure to gain hands-on experience in both the cattle and crop industries.  

MBFI would like to send a special thank you to Canada Summer Jobs for their assistance with funding to hire these fantastic students.

The research programs and daily operations at MBFI would not be possible without the funding from the Province of Manitoba, Government of Canada and Canadian Agricultural Partnership, as well as the partnership with Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP), Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) and the Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association (MFGA). 

We encourage you to follow MBFI on social media, or check out the website for more information on project findings and results, upcoming events and more!

Instagram: @MBBeefandForage

Facebook: @MBBeefandForage

Twitter: @MBBeefandForage

Website: www.mbfi.ca 

Email address: [email protected]

Raymond Bittner is the Predation Lead with the Manitoba Beef Producers. Ray has spent his career troubleshooting on farms all over Manitoba over the last 30 years, with a career spanning from livestock genetics, nutrition, environment, and economics.  Ray continues to operate the family farm with beef and cash cropping with his wife and family.  Ray has always enjoyed the creative side of agriculture, with boundless new ideas, inventions, and then building and using them to make life easier or more efficient.

During this episode, Ray and I dig into the topic of predation in Manitoba. According to MASC's 2020 Report, the annual reported loss from predation in Manitoba impacted over 750 farms and triggered over 2 million dollars in compensation.  Many losses are not reported or unable to be paid out due to the challenges of producing sufficient evidence of the predator attack, so the actual economic impact in the province is likely much higher.

The Livestock Predator Prevention Pilot Program began in 2020, but the discussion on the need for a project began many years prior to this, as predation has been an ongoing issue.  It is a 3 year project that aims to assist producers in mitigating the risk of predation through field trialing the use of Risk Management Practices, which include fox lights, electric netting, game cameras, deadstock composting, and several other practices.  While the pre-purchased supplies for this project are nearly sold out, Ray encourages producers to contact him for support and resources for their own farms. 

Data is being  collected and will be summarized following the project to determine which practices were most successful in reducing predation on Manitoba farms.  

We discuss what “deadstock composting” is, the benefits of this practice and why the scavenging of dead animals is an open invitation for predators to visit the farm time and time again, which can lead to the predation of live animals.  

Deadstock composting is being trialed at MBFI.  Listeners who are interested in viewing the deadstock composting set up are welcome to stop at MBFI to take a tour.  

As mentioned in the show, the Manitoba Beef Producers Annual Meeting will include a report on this project.  The AGM is held in February each year. The MBP also host district meetings every Fall across the province, please visit the MBP website for updates on dates and locations as these decisions are finalized. 

There are many partners who are collaborating on this project with Manitoba Beef Producers.  For a complete list of these partners and to find out more information about the project itself, please visit:

https://mbbeef.ca/producers/

To contact Ray directly to discuss predation in your area, or the risk management practices, please contact him at:

[email protected]

Phone/Text: 204-768-0010

We encourage you to follow MBFI on social media, or visit the website for more information on project findings and results, upcoming events and more!

Instagram: @MBBeefandForage

Facebook: @MBBeefandForage

Twitter: @MBBeefandForage

Website: www.mbfi.ca 

Email address: [email protected] 

The research programs and daily operations at MBFI would not be possible without the funding from the Province of Manitoba, Government of Canada, and the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, as well as the partnership with Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP), Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) and the Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association (MFGA). 

Michael Thiele was born and raised in Dauphin, Manitoba on a typical Prairie farm. Wheat and canola dominated the crop rotation with some barley, oats and peas. A small herd of cows grazed the unfarmed acres. Michael’s career trajectory was most likely farming, given his active involvement in the family farm and his decision to study Plant Science in the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Manitoba.

In hindsight, not returning to the family farm after graduating university was a blessing for Michael. Instead, he began a 30-plus-year journey to understand agriculture and the importance of soil, water, sunlight, plants and animals and the realization that all the parts are interconnected – a concept critical to the long-term success of food production and the health of the biosphere. Over that time Michael has worked with many conservation organizations focused on soil, water and wildlife habitat in the context of Prairie agriculture.

In this episode Michael and I talk about two different projects Michael is involved with, the Ducks Unlimited Canada Grazing Club and the General Mills Pilot program.  

The DUC Grazing Club in the Brandon area began in 1999.  Michael shares the problems producers were facing at that time, which jump started the program.  We also discuss how the DUC Grazing Club has evolved over the years, and the current goals and objectives of the program.

We finish our discussion about the Grazing Clubs by talking about the events that are upcoming, as well as resources producers can access on the YouTube Channel.  To find more information about the DUC Grazing Clubs, please visit: 

DUC Grazing Clubs Website: https://www.ducks.ca/resources/landowners/grazing-clubs/

Manitoba Grazing Clubs YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLthJYUxgXXaegQ9J_TnbeA

In partnership with Understanding Ag, General Mills has funded and administered three pilot programs across Canada and the United States. General Mills is committing to regenerative agricultural practices on 1 million acres of farmland by 2030. 

Their definition of regenerative agriculture is any method of farming that “protects and intentionally enhances natural resources and farming communities.”  General Mills’ core principles of regenerative agriculture include minimizing soil disturbance, maximizing crop diversity, keeping the soil covered, maintaining a living root year round and integrating livestock to crop land. 

Michael expands on what the General Mills Pilot Program is, as well as discussing the goals of the project, support that is available to producers who are involved in the program and the studies that have taken place on acres that are part of the project.

For more information about the General Mills Pilot Program, please visit: 

https://www.generalmills.com/how-we-make-it/healthier-planet/environmental-impact/regenerative-agriculture

Also mentioned in this episode are: 

• The 1000 Farms Initiative https://www.ecdysis.bio/featured-project
• Understanding Ag https://understandingag.com
• Regenified https://regenified.com

If you would like to contact Michael to find out more about the DUC Grazing Clubs, or the General Mills Pilot Program, or to chat with him about the wealth of information he possesses in regards to regenerative agriculture, you can contact him at: [email protected] or 204-365-6334.

Please note, this episode was recorded in the spring of 2022, so workshops mentioned may be passed by the date of airing.

We encourage you to follow MBFI on social media, or check out the website for more information on project findings and results, upcoming events and more!

Instagram: @MBBeefandForage

Facebook: @MBBeefandForage

Twitter: @MBBeefandForage

Website: www.mbfi.ca 

Email address: [email protected] 

The research programs and daily operations at MBFI would not be possible without the funding from the Province of Manitoba, Government of Canada and Canadian Agricultural Partnership, as well as the partnership with Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP), Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) and the Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association (MFGA). 

Pam Iwanchysko has been a Livestock Specialist with Manitoba Agriculture in Dauphin, Manitoba for more than 25 years. She was raised on a mixed farm north of Dauphin. She attended the University of Manitoba where she received her BSc. Degree and then proceeded to attend the University of Saskatchewan to complete her Master’s degree in Ruminant Nutrition.  She is passionate about agriculture and improving grazing systems and is continuing her efforts by playing a key role in reinstating the grazing mentorship program back into Manitoba through the Canadian Forage and Grassland Association.  Pam was recently inducted into Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association’s Agricultural Hall of Fame. She and her husband have three children and raise grass fed chickens on a small acreage outside of Dauphin.

Pam is the lead on the Planned Grazing Project at MBFI.  This project spanned 6 years, ending in 2021 and has provided huge amounts of data on the benefits of planned grazing from both an environmental and ecological standpoint.  Pam is very passionate about this project and the impacts of planned grazing on soil and forage health and production.  Throughout this project, careful management of forages through the use of planned, or rotational grazing, has allowed MBFI to graze cattle for a month longer per season than the comparison continuous grazing herd.  This additional grazing keeps money in producer pockets as additional feed sources don’t need to be brought in for that month, and calves can be sold later in the season, at a higher weight, which also increases cow-calf program profits.  

In this episode, Pam shares some of her research history and background, as well as information about her role as a Livestock Specialist with Manitoba Agriculture.  

We discuss what Planned Grazing is, how this kind of system works during the grazing season, the many benefits of planned grazing and how to set up a planned grazing system on your operation.

We talk about the outcomes of the planned grazing project at MBFI, and the differences noticed in grazing days and forage production between the planned and continuous grazing cattle herds.  We also discuss trends in animal performance and calf weaning weights.

The project includes an economic comparison between continuous and planned grazing systems for the cattle.  Pam gives us an overview of the difference in profit during the years of this program.

We wrap up the conversation by chatting about how all of this information is relevant to producers and the very positive impacts it can have in their operations, as well as why more producers may not be using a planned grazing system.  Pam expresses the first steps you can implement towards moving to a planned grazing system on your farm.

We encourage you to follow MBFI on social media, or check out the website for more information on project findings and results, upcoming events and more!

Follow this link to view snapshots, videos and annual reports for the Planned Grazing Project:  Forage & Grassland Productivity 

Instagram: @MBBeefandForage

Facebook: @MBBeefandForage

Twitter: @MBBeefandForage

Website: www.mbfi.ca 

Email address: [email protected] 

Upcoming Grazing Workshop Series Dates:

• August 3rd - Diversify your grazing 
• Register at www.mbfi.ca/registration 

The research programs and daily operations at MBFI would not be possible without the funding from the Province of Manitoba, Government of Canada and Canadian Agricultural Partnership, as well as the partnership with Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP), Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) and the Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association (MFGA). 

In this episode, you will meet Dr. Kateryn Rochon.

Kateryn is an associate professor of Veterinary and Wildlife Entomology at the University of Manitoba. Her research program is focused on insects and ticks as vectors of livestock and wildlife pathogens. Before joining the Department of Entomology in 2012, Kateryn was a postdoctoral fellow at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Lethbridge, where she worked on Rocky Mountain wood ticks. Past research includes work on flies and their ability to transmit bacteria and viruses in cattle, swine, and poultry operations. Currently, her research has an emphasis on the distribution and ecology of American dog ticks and blacklegged ticks, but she’s hopeful to get back into other bitey things like flies, lice and mites in the near future.

In this episode, we discuss all things ticks. Kateryn is currently working on a project that is assessing the relationship between tick abundance on pastures and cattle, and the risk ticks represent to cattle and livestock workers.  For this project, MBFI’s pastures are 2 of 4 sites that are being sampled for ticks.  Kateryn shares how sampling is carried out for the cattle, horses and humans in this study, as well as what the collected ticks are tested for after collection.  

We also have an in depth chat about bovine anaplasmosis, what it is, what to look for and why it can be a threat if it enters your herd. 

Kateryn shares her involvement with the eTick program and how this app can benefit both producers and the general public. 

To wrap up the episode, Kateryn and I discuss how all of this information can assist producers during their grazing planning in order to reduce the risk of tick pressure and anaplasmosis in the herd and protection strategies for producers themselves.

For more information or to read the articles discussed in the episode please visit: 

Cattle Country Magazine, May 2021 - Anaplasmosis in Beef Cattle - new cases found in Manitoba, Glen Duizer https://issuu.com/manitobabeefproducers/docs/cattle_country_may_2021_final_lr 

Cattle Country Magazine, September 2019 - Ticks and bovine anaplasmosis - mapping the risk, Christine Rawluk

https://issuu.com/manitobabeefproducers/docs/2019_binder_bb03f92afae9c9 

We encourage you to follow MBFI on social media, or check out the website for more information on project findings and results, upcoming events and more!

Instagram: @MBBeefandForage

Facebook: @MBBeefandForage

Twitter: @MBBeefandForage

Website: www.mbfi.ca 

Email address: [email protected] 

Upcoming Grazing Workshop Series Dates:

• July 6th - Health Check your pastures and soils
• August 3rd - Diversify your grazing 
• Register at www.mbfi.ca/registration 

Thank you to Manitoba Beef Producers and Manitoba Agriculture for your funding towards the project.  Visit their websites at:

Manitoba Beef Producers

https://mbbeef.ca/producers/ or visit them on Twitter @ManitobaBeef

Manitoba Agriculture

https://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/ or visit them on Twitter @MBGovAg  

The research programs and daily operations at MBFI would not be possible without the funding from the Province of Manitoba, Government of Canada and Canadian Agricultural Partnership, as well as the partnership with Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP), Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) and the Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association (MFGA). 

In this episode, you will meet Carson Callum, General Manager with Manitoba Beef Producers.

Carson joined MBP in 2019, and comes with an extension background in agriculture.  He has a Master’s of Science in Agriculture, specifically related to beef cattle. Carson has worked in many areas of the ag sector, and the beef industry is near and dear to him. He grew up on a small beef farm south of Miami Manitoba. He now lives in Winnipeg with his family, which includes his wife Britni, and sons Cohen and Sullivan. Carson admits his favourite role in life is fatherhood, but sure enjoys working on behalf of the beef industry as well.

In this episode, Carson and I talk about the advocacy efforts Manitoba Beef Producers has been undertaking over the past couple of years. These efforts have resulted in financial aid for farmers who experienced feed and water shortages last year, as well as those impacted by the storms and flooding this spring.  

Advocacy efforts by MBP include:

- Water availability BMP 503 Provincial cost share funding program for water infrastructure development (currently closed)

- Provincial & Federal Agri-Recovery program for feed shortages due to 2021 drought (currently closed)

- Disaster Financial Assistance (open) for 2022 spring storms  

Link to application: https://forms.gov.mb.ca/dfa-application/

We also touch on mental health resources that are available, as well as the power of connection with your neighbors and peers through the challenging times in the ag industry.  

Mental Health Resources

For information about the Manitoba Farm and Rural Support Services line go to:  https://supportline.ca/ or call 1-866-367-3276 (line operates 24/7).

Klinic Community Health has resources available. See: https://klinic.mb.ca/

FCC also provides resources at the following site: https://www.fcc-fac.ca/en/community/wellness.html

Our chat includes a discussion about public trust and what producers can do to share the positive stories that exist everyday in the ag industry, as well as the upcoming BBQ event Manitoba Beef Producers is hosting at MBFI on July 13th. We encourage producers to attend on this day for lots of laughs, good food and a chance to get together after what has been a tough year. 

We wrap up today’s conversation by discussing the Livestock Predation Pilot Project that Manitoba Beef Producers has been working on, which includes a quick discussion of mitigating the risk of predation and deadstock composting.  We hope to further discuss this project on an upcoming episode. 

To contact Carson for more information, please email [email protected] or call 204-772-4542. 

Manitoba Beef Producers Website: https://mbbeef.ca or visit @ManitobaBeef

Guardians of the Grasslands:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CG4ROvCu0Y 

We encourage you to follow MBFI on social media, or check out the website for more information on project findings and results, upcoming events and more!

Instagram: @MBBeefandForage

Facebook: @MBBeefandForage

Twitter: @MBBeefandForage

Website: www.mbfi.ca 

Email address: [email protected] 

Don’t Forget to Register for the Upcoming Grazing Workshops:

• July 6th - Health Check your pastures and soils
• August 3rd - Diversify your grazing 
• Register at www.mbfi.ca/registration 

The research programs and daily operations at MBFI would not be possible without the funding from the Province of Manitoba, Government of Canada and Canadian Agricultural Partnership, as well as the partnership with Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP), Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) and the Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association (MFGA).