Lakeland shares updates at Research on the Ranch
Cool, damp weather did not damper Lakeland College’s third annual Applied Research for the Ranch Field Day on Sept. 12. Over 75 producers, industry representatives, students, researchers and staff attended the day-long event at the Vermilion campus.
In collaboration with the Canadian Forage and Grasslands Association (CFGA) and the Agricultural Research and Extension Council of Alberta (ARECA), the morning was spent in one of the college’s pastures where Kyle Hafner, bachelor of agriculture technology (BAgTech) student, provided an overview of the grazing plan he implemented over the 2024 grazing season.
While at the pasture, Dr. Susan Markus, researcher with Lakeland College, talked about the GPS tags she is testing with a local producer. Neil Thorsteinson from Range Ward provided tips and tricks for ensuring a strong grounding for a portable electric fence system, and Brittnay Thomas demonstrated the usefulness of a drone for monitoring pasture forage, animal movement and health.
Back at the Agriculture Technology Centre, the crowd was treated to numerous presentations about various projects underway at Lakeland. Dr. Obioha Durunna is performing a trial of the Altosid product for horn fly control. Dr. Markus shared information about the research she is conducting on replacement heifer selection and the benefits of performing a reproductive tract examination prior to turn out with the bull. Dr. Brenda Ralston and BAgTech practicum student Kyleigh Magatioux outlined the challenge of providing free choice minerals to the cattle herd and individual animals' vitamin and mineral levels due to varied intake levels. Researcher Brittnay Thomas shared information on the work she is doing for Dr. Yuri Montanholi with Lakeland’s bison herd on pasture management, and Aspen McTaggart provided an update on the Sheep/Goat Vegetation Management Accreditation course she spent the summer working on.
The final part of the day was spent learning about the journey Larry Ruud and his son Austin have been on to develop, manufacture, and distribute Nature’s Net Wrap, a compostable biopolymer alternative to the present plastic net wrap available to ag producers for baling.