Farms.com Home   Ag Industry News

Saskatchewan researchers studying cattle and bison grazing patterns

Saskatchewan researchers studying cattle and bison grazing patterns

The University of Saskatchewan and Nature Conservancy of Canada are leading the project

By Diego Flammini
News Reporter
Farms.com

Western Canadian scientists want to collect in-depth information about how some animals graze.

Researchers from the University of Saskatchewan and Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) will monitor how cattle and bison feed along the 13,000-acre Old Man on His Back Ranch.

Bison and cattle will wear GPS collars that track their movements. Researchers will study where the animals go and what they graze on.

Then, the scientists will introduce changes to grazing patterns to study how the adjusted feeding patterns impact the plants and animals native to the area, which has been protected by NCC since 1995.

“The team from the university has set up plots throughout the ranch and they’re (tracking) detailed information,” Matthew Braun, NCC’s manager of conservation science and planning, told Farms.com today. “They’ll take soil samples, species compositions, forage productivity samples and other indicators that help us show what kind of birds would like that habitat.”

The grasslands in the area have evolved as bison roam. The scientists want to examine how closely they can simulate that evolution.

They also want to demonstrate a positive relationship between agricultural land use and conservation initiatives.

“The whole point of this (project) is to see if we can improve the environment for some of the plant and animal species that live on that property,” Braun said.  “In some cases it’s not good enough to just have grassland (for birds), we need some that’s well-grazed and low.”

The project is still in its infancy, Braun added.


Trending Video

Women in Ag. The Promotion of Female Farmers through Social Media | Madalyn Thayer | TEDxBGSU

Video: Women in Ag. The Promotion of Female Farmers through Social Media | Madalyn Thayer | TEDxBGSU

Less than 1% of Americans are farmers. The majority of those farmers are men. Many people have minimal experience with farms and agriculture. High schools are getting rid of their FFA programs and many colleges, including BGSU, do not have agricultural programs or classes. There is a new social media phenomenon where women are making content based on their farming endeavors and gaining lots of traction. Education is the one of the most important parts of agriculture, because the more people know the more they will emphasize with farmers and create policy that benefits everybody. Female farmers have taken to social media sharing their experience in the agricultural world. These women are breaking stereotypes and educating everyday citizens about farming which is extremely important for the future of agriculture. Madalyn is 19 years old and will be gradated with her bachelors degree in communication on December 2024. She lives on a farm and have spent lots of time working in agriculture. She has her own farmers market and love learning about all subjects, especially agriculture. She was on the BGSU Firelands Student government from 2021-2023 as a CCP Ambassador and was awarded the 3&1 communication excellency award in April of 2024. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.