ALBERTA PASTURE NUTRIENT ANALYSIS
Forage alone often fails to meet the full mineral requirements of beef cattle during the grazing season, particularly for essential trace elements like selenium, cobalt, and iodine, which are commonly deficient in pasture plants. The widespread use of macronutrient fertilizers (N, P, K) can increase forage yield without improving trace mineral levels, potentially worsening imbalances. To address this, the current study analyzes the seasonal and regional variation in forage nutrient content across Alberta, aiming to support more informed and sustainable mineral supplementation decisions for cattle producers…
ASPEN RANCH CROP DEMONSTRATION SITE
This site is a collaborative effort between Aspen Ranch Canada (James River Bridge, AB) and the CAFLA. Designed as a location that can be used to educate producers, youth, and the public on various agricultural practices surrounding the planting, growth, and harvest of forage and cereal crops, this site serves to showcase these species in their various growth stages, at the same time, highlighting the impact these species can have on soil and microorganism health with multiple objectives…
EVALUATION OF TERMINATION METHODS FOR COVER CROPS
In Alberta’s organic farming sector, managing cover crops without herbicides poses a unique challenge. While cover crops and reduced tillage are known to improve soil health and crop yields, terminating high biomass cover crops can be difficult without relying on repeated tillage—a practice that risks long-term soil degradation…
CANADA THISTLE STEM MINING WEEVILS
Canada Thistle is a highly invasive, noxious weed under the Alberta Weed Control Act. Known for its aggressive spread via seeds and lateral roots, it poses a long-standing challenge for farmers and ranchers across the province. Traditional control methods like spraying, mowing, grazing, and burning are often ineffective or impractical—especially in hard-to-reach areas such as riparian zones, fence lines, and waste areas. One promising approach is the use of biological control, including insect species specifically introduced to target and suppress Canada Thistle populations…
Canada Thistle Stem Mining Weevils: Project Report
Study of the impact of stem mining weevils for biological control of Canada thistle was targeted in riparian areas. The survival, growth and spread of the weevils varied from site-to-site environments.
