Advertisement

New forage mix sought for New Brunswick livestock

New forage mix sought for New Brunswick livestock

The New Brunswick Soil and Crop Improvement Association is researching a different forage mix to provide a higher quality feed for livestock.

On 30 test sites around the province, types of forage that are different from what is normally found on New Brunswick farms have been planted.

Fred Waddy's two-hectare plot in Salisbury is planted with alfalfa, meadow brome, meadow fescue and rye grass.

"If you talk to a crop grower, a dairy farmer — whatever — he would say, `No, you can't plant those things together,'" said Waddy.

"But the latest research out of [Agriculture] Canada from the last five, 10 years, shows the benefit of planting these together."

Waddy says livestock farmers have been using the same forage mix for generations and it's not working anymore.

"Our forage quality is not good enough and our forage yields are not as high as Ontario and Quebec. That makes it more difficult to make a living as a either a dairy farmer, beef farmer, sheep farmer - whatever," said Waddy.

Waddy says there's a lack of agriculture research in the Maritimes compared to other parts of Canada.

He also says farmers have to find more efficiencies every year to survive.