MBFI Working To Support Researchers During COVID-19

Apr 06, 2020

A number of reseach projects and trials set to take place through the Manitoba Beef and Forage Initiatives have had to be postponed due to COVID-19.

"At MBFI we're going to do everything we can to follow the lead and support researchers as much as we can," said general manager, Mary-Jane Orr.

One study out of the University of Manitoba looking at grazing on early emerging pastures was set to begin any day, but Orr says that has been put on hold in conjunction will all activities at the university.

"And so we're working to accomodate the project in any way that we can and hopefully we can reschedule activities for the fall, but that's all going to be up in the air with a lot of moving parts to try to accomodate. (We have to) figure out how we'll fit it in to the next grazing session, and how the master's students on the project has the data that she needs and is able to graduate as well," explained Orr.

She noted some flexibility remains on the farm so staff is able to continue looking after the facility and the on-farm demonstrations and trials that are already underway.

"We are able to accomodate all of the social distancing measures between our two farm stations and the learning centre. Our full time staff is able to have independent work spaces, and we are able to make sure the animals are well cared for."

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Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.