To read about the 2023 LFCE Summer Field Day presented by Canadian Western Agribition, click here.

9:30 a.m. - Registration
10:00 a.m. - Welcome, introductions
10:30 a.m. - Coffee, graduate student posters, tradeshow
11:15 a.m. - Pens, plots and paddocks tour (first stop)
Lunch
1:30 p.m. - Pens, plots and paddocks tour (two more stops)
3:30 p.m. - Closing remarks, snack

The Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence (LFCE) will host its annual Field Day on Tuesday, June 21, 2022. The event's presenting sponsor is the Canadian Western Agribition (CWA). 

The field day's program includes presentations in the morning, a complimentary lunch, and field and paddock tours in the afternoon. Events begin at 10 a.m. 

Click here to register for the 2022 LFCE Field Day.

Tentative agenda: 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., June 21, 2022

• Register

We were thrilled to host our 2021 summer field day on July 20! To read about the day's events, including our Plots, Pens and Paddocks research tour, go to: https://lfce.usask.ca/news/lfce-summer-field-day-returns.php 

The LFCE’s second annual summer field day for producers was scheduled for June 23. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have postponed the field day. We are especially excited about this year’s event. Canadian Western Agribition is onboard as a major sponsor. 

A committee with representatives from the College of Agriculture and Bioresources, the Western College of Veterinary Medicine and Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Agriculture has held a couple of planning meetings and has already lined up speakers for the day. Once the restriction on large gatherings is lifted by the Government of Saskatchewan, the committee will continue with its plans and will reschedule the 2020 LFCE Summer Field Day presented by Canadian Western Agribition.

The field day might look different than originally planned, but we will still provide opportunities for producers as well as industry and government folks to learn about the latest research at the LFCE and to network with one another.

When social gatherings are allowed, the organizing committee will take precautions to ensure the safety of the everyone who attends the field day.

June 18, 2019 - Under One Roof: Summer Field Day for Producers
Story and video: Click here.
Program and research highlights: Click here.

Pens, Plots and Paddocks Tour

University of Saskatchewan faculty and graduate students presented more than a dozen research projects, ranging from environmental monitoring to forage varieties to feeding finishing cattle. To read about the research, click here.

Bovine tuberculosis and reproductive research in bison: Where we are and where we are going
Dr. Gregg P. Adams, Professor, Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine
Dr. Todd K. Shury, Adjunct Professor, Department of Veterinary Pathology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, and Parks Canada wildlife veterinarian

Breeding to improve biomass yield and quality in forage barley and oat varieties
Dr. Aaron Beattie (PhD), Associate Professor, Department of Plant Sciences and Crop Development Centre, College of Agriculture and Bioresources, and Ministry of Agriculture Strategic Research Program (SRP) Chair in Barley and Oat Breeding and Genetics

The effects of sulphates in water on beef cattle performance and feed intake
Leah Clark (MSc, PAg), Provincial Cattle Specialist, Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture
Colby Elford (BSc, PAg), Livestock and Feed Extension Specialist, Agriculture Knowledge Centre, Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture

Evaluation of BRSV and BHV specific antibody responses between heterologous and homologous prime-boost vaccinated western Canadian beef calves
Dr. Nathan Erickson, Assistant Professor, Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine

Environmental monitoring at the LFCE
Dr. Terry Fonstad (PhD), Associate Dean Research and Partnerships, and Associate Professor, College of Engineering
Crystal Rinas (MSc, PEng), Research Engineer, Department of Civil and Geological Engineering, College of Engineering

Toe-tip necrosis: What we know and how to control the disease
Dr. Murray Jelinski, Professor, Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine

Forage systems: Managing soil, water, plant and animal interfaces
Dr. H. A. (Bart) Lardner (PhD), Professor, Department of Animal and Poultry Science, College of Agriculture and Bioresources, and Ministry of Agriculture Strategic Research Program (SRP) Chair in Cow-Calf and Forage Systems

Cow-calf management practice adoption in Western Canada and beyond
Kathy Larson (MSc, PAg), Extension Economist and Research Associate, Department of Agriculture and Resource Economics, College of Agriculture and Bioresources

Integrated management approach to optimize red clover seed production in Saskatchewan
Dan Malamura, Master of Science student, Department of Plant Sciences, College of Agriculture and Bioresources (supervisor Dr. Sean Praeger (PhD))

Improving beef cattle health and welfare through the study of animal behaviour
Dr. Diego Moya, Assistant Professor, Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine

Barley grain processing: How important is the method and severity?
Coleman Nixdorff, Master of Science student, Department of Animal and Poultry Science, College of Agriculture and Bioresources (supervisor: Dr. Greg Penner (PhD))

Evaluation of triticale varieties compared to barley as silage in beef backgrounding programs
Brittany Ross, Master of Science student, Department of Animal and Poultry Science, College of Agriculture and Bioresources (supervisor: Dr. Bart Lardner (PhD))

Manure and soil management research at the LFCE
Dr. Jeff Schoenau (PhD, PAg), Professor, Department of Soil Science, College of Agriculture and Bioresources, and Ministry of Agriculture Strategic Research Program (SRP) Chair in Soil Nutrient Management

The economics of extended forage backgrounding in conventional and non-conventional beef production systems
Janelle Smith, Master of Science student, Department of Animal and Poultry Science, College of Agriculture and Bioresources (supervisors: Dr. John McKinnon (PhD) and Dr. Bart Lardner (PhD))

For more information, contact Lana Haight at lana.haight@usask.ca. 

The Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence continues to build awareness among producers and others involved in the cattle and livestock industries. One of the ways we do this is to participate in tradeshows at industry events including: the Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference, the Saskatchewan Stock Growers annual convention, the Canadian Beef Industry Conference, and Ag in Motion.

The Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence holds a corporate membership with Canadian Western Agribition. It is also an international partner at the annual fall Agribition event where it runs a tradeshow booth in the International Trade Centre.

In 2019, Canadian Western Agribition's announced its commitment to contribute $100,000 over 10 years to the centre.

On Dec. 10, 2019, Highline Manufacturing hosted its customer field day at the Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence. After a tour of the facilities, 44 people participated in workshops and demonstratons organized by Highline.

On Dec. 6, 2019, Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture Range Management Forum spent a full day at the Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence. The 46 people who attended the forum toured the faciliites and participated in presentations and demonstrations.

On Feb. 7, 2019, the Western Canadian Feedlot Management School was held at our Clavet facilities. Approximately 115 attendees toured the BCRTU and the FCCRTU in the morning. In the afternoon, they participated in hands-on demonstrations at various stations: nutrition and grain processing methods, implant and proper injection techniques, and live animal evaluation.

Hosted by the Saskatchewan Forage Council, the Agriculture Demonstration of Practices and Technologies (ADOPT) field day on Dec. 5, 2018, covered grain maturity for swath grazing and how to increase winter grazing days. After meeting at the Beef Cattle Research and Teaching Unit and listening to presentations by faculty members and a graduate student, the 40 participants including livestock producers as well as government and industry representatives travelled to Goodale Farm where a winter grazing trial is being conducted.

Feb. 23, 2021, was Canada’s Agriculture Day!

Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan and Canadian Food Focus hosted a virtual event where people, young and old, learned more about cows and how scientists are studying how cattle are raised. We started with a video tour of the University of Saskatchewan's Livestock & Forage Centre of Excellence followed by a Q&A session with the centre's associate director Dr. Colin Palmer and its outreach and engagement specialist Lana Haight.

February 11, 2020
noon to 1 p.m.

Guardians of the Grasslands - documentary and panel discussion
Sometimes what you thought was the problem is really the solution!

Convocation Hall, University of Saskatchewan
11:30 - doors open
Free lunch for first 100 students
Noon - documentary followed by a panel discussion, Q&A

Panelists:
Jeremy Brown, Ducks Unlimited
Brandt Carter, Carter Cattle Company
Tamara Carter, Carter Cattle Company
Les Kroeger, Canadian Bison Association
Ryder Lee, Saskatchewan Cattlemen's Association

Canada’s native grasslands are disappearing at an alarming rate – in fact, they are one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world. A collaboration between The Nature Conservancy of Canada and Ducks Unlimited Canada, along with a collection of ranchers, the film seeks to showcase how cattle continue to create hope on what’s left of these iconic landscapes for the plant and animal species that call them home.

For more information about the USask event, contact Lana Haight at lana.haight@usask.ca 

To learn more about the documentary, go to https://guardiansofthegrasslands.ca/

We love to share the amazing research that scientists conduct at the Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence. And one of the ways we do that is by conducting tours.

In 2019, we hosted 63 tour groups, totalling 1,283 people. That's a lot of people! Graduate students who are involved in research at the centre are fantastic ambassadors and eager to share what they and others are learning in order to advance the livestock industry.

From 4-H club members to producers to government representatives, we have hosted people from far and wide. Our visitors have come from Finland, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Australia, Cameroon, Japan, Vietnam, Mexico, Indonesia and, of course, Canada.

Tours were temporarily suspended during the pandemic, but we are excited that we can welcome tour groups once again.

If you are interested in booking a tour, email livestockandforage.tours@usask.ca.