G8 Summit

[grassfarmer]

Pandiana, Yes it certainly is a challenge growing enough grass in a drought. That said I have grazed cows without supplementation into mid November in the last two years. Getting calves weaned by the end of September allows the cows to gain condition which wouldn't be possible if they were still milking. If we had more moisture and more growth last year we would have had enough grass to last to Christmas - despite the snow as the cows will happily graze through it if there is enough reward there. Again any grass not utilised in the fall can be grazed from mid April onwards once the snow goes albeit with some supplementation.
I don't profess to know this Rimbey country better than you butI feel these methods will be the most profitable way ahead for me and are entirely possible in this area given average growing conditions. (Grazing June-December without feed supplements and mid April to late May with some feed added.)
I won't bother replying to whiteface as he/she won't read this anyway but wasn't that a hard thread to follow? Seems like they were replying to a different thread to mine everytime. Strange.

[grassfarmer]

So much depends on the land we have, wherever it is. Whether is was given to us or bought with nonagricultural money, no matter.
Now we go to work with ideas, based on experience and learning. Some learn to graze the grass til its gone. Some learn to work with the ground they have, the grass, the moisture, and sometimes even the type of cows.
I will move again to another part of this province someday and at that time will introduce all that I have learned to this new piece of ground. Grazing can be extended almost throughout the year based on stocking rates and grass management.I've moved electric fence in as much as 1 foot of snow for my cattle to graze later season grown pasture in December. Tested better than most hay.I just love to have cows turned into a field of carry over grass in April when some new shutes of grass are starting to add to the value, and slowly adjust the ration to grass once again. It all dependes on our choices. None of us are really making enough money from this business to argue about it.

As far as grass fed, I don't know. I've never given grass fed beef a fair sampling, but sure do love my beef fed a finishing ration of around 70% barley. Our chefs and customers in our meat shops seem to like it too. That is not to say that a meat shop next door might outsell us with their grass finished product. Healthier???? I don't know about that one. We sure get the boys up the food chain stirred when we claim healthier with our Natural, no hormone, no antibiotic story. One of the holdbacks with grass finished is the fact that it is seasonal,,,, or frozen here in Alberta. Some folks are finishing on grass hay, but I think it would be a bit different product.
Take your beef, and your story to the consumer, there is lots of room out there for fresh new choices.

[ALICIA]

I've been reading your comments on grass feed versis grain feed.
All I have to do is look in my own herd at my yearling. If I don't feed them grain they are at least 200 to 300 pounds lighter in the spring.
Strait grass and hay just doesn't cut it if you want your calfs to grow after weining and not only that try giving your calves creep will on there mothers.
The bottom line is grain is easer to digest. With less energy to digest the more meat they put on in the form of pounds, this means earlier to market, this means more money in your pocket.
Feeding grain if the animal is over 2 years old is a waist of time if you are looking for growth. If you are looking to get your cow breed back early this is good but for any other reason beside fattening for flavour its a waist of your money.

I'm not a know it all, I just have had cattle all my life. And I know with out a douht that my calve are far better if they get grain when they are in the growth stage of life and the best genetics in the world can't make up the difference of no grain in there diet. Try it your self and then you will see.

[greybeard]

Randy,you say "take your story to the consumer,there is lots of room for everone".
That scares me a bit. We are just recovering from all the years of declining consumption while the consumer picked the leanest looking steak on the meat counter only to be disapointed with poor eating product.
Nothing compares with a home-raised ,slightly over-finished steak.
I'm sure grass-fed can be done real well,but...If it's all presented as healthy,I shudder to think of what some of the stuff will carry for finnish.
One mans opinion.

[pandiana]

Your point is well taken, grassfarmer, regarding 'growing season' vs 'grazing season'. In order to take full advantage of banked grass we would require considerably more land base.

The trick is to balance. You require a large enough herd to justify your overhead expense. You need enough land to allow for periods of stress such as drought, early snow,hail etc.. (Alberta Ag suggested at one time you should carry over at lease 1/3 of your feed each year).

We are definately short of land but find it hard to justify additional bank payments to fund a marginal enterprise.

[pandiana]

By everyone, I mean everyone who has the personal desire to stay away from the mainstream and find their own way.
Those "everyone's" are few and far between, and yes there is lots of room for them.

[cswilson]

Grass vs Grain is a hard paradim for most people to deal with. We calve late-wean early(120 days) and winter our calves on straight hay then grass our yearlings. With this system our cost of production is less than when we calved early and fed more grain. Compensatory gain is a wonderful thing. Will grass finished beef become the norm I highly doubt it-will it become a profitable niche for top grass managers-IT ALREADY HAS. It does take the proper genetics and very good forage management-not the pasture is toast we better kill these steers sort of thing. Now with bloat management improving with the new products I can see it expanding somewhat. We've had steers gain 4 pounds a day over the entire grazing season and groups go over 21/2 so you can get some finish on.

[kato]

Then again, we calve early, send calves to pasture who can make use of the grass themselves, along with their mothers, wean early, feed hard, and by the time backgrounded calves are heading to pasture, ours are finished, or nearly so.

For us, we can't wait an extra year for the income, and don't have the land to grass those calves anyway. Our forage supply is just enough for the cows. Not a problem for steers on feed, though because they get straw.

It's whatever works for you.