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. 

To start off today, Mary-Jane shares some of the things she considers when planning winter feed for MBFI’s cattle herd.  We then discuss some of the alternate winter feeding ideas they have used at MBFI to reduce winter feeding costs and how this might vary year to year based on the growing season.  Knowing how high winter feed costs can be, we chat about ways to reduce feed waste, and which strategies have yielded the most and least “waste.”

Mary-Jane also shares information on feed testing. Beef Cattle Research Council  has an excellent resource page on feed testing practices, you can find the link below.

We also discuss the 2024 silage variety trial and what the preliminary outcomes of this research, as well as what is next to come for this in the 2025 growing season.

For more info on winter feeding strategies and analysis tune in to:

Beef & Forage Roundup Episode #15: Extended Grazing at Brookdale Farm with Shawn Cabak

Beef & Forage Roundup Episode #16: The Cost of Overwintering Cattle & Feed Calculator with Ben Hamm 

Beef & Forage Roundup Episode #18: Bale Placement & Binding with Dr. Mary-Jane Orr 

Links mentioned in this episode:

BCRC Feed Quality, Testing & Analysis: https://www.beefresearch.ca/tools/feed-testing-analysis-for-beef-cattle/

MBFI YouTube Webinar Series: https://www.youtube.com/@MBBeefandForage

CowBytes Information Link: https://www.beefresearch.ca/cowbytes/

MB Ag Extension Contact Information: 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 Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, as well as the partnership with Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) and Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC).

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

X (Twitter): @MBBeefandForage

Website: www.mbfi.ca 

Email address: [email protected] 

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