Ducks Unlimited contributing 467 acres to Manitoba beef and forage research farm

"It's a blank canvas, ready for us to approach projects in new ways. This land provides the opportunity to ask questions on a commercial scale. The benefit will be more representative of the context of beef operations, which ultimately means better research to help producers."

"As a producer in the Ducks Unlimited Canada target landscape, I see the value of research that helps us manage grasslands in ways that support productive cattle operations, healthy ecosystems and biodiversity."

"Their recommendations emphasize retaining the commercial scale of study, benchmarking the transition from tame hay production to high-capacity rotational grazing and overall, transparent capture of the economics of grazing."

The Manitoba Beef and Forage Initiatives (MBFI) Brookdale Research Farm near Brandon is expanding its land base by 42 percent through a partnership with Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC). DUC is contributing 467 acres known as the Odanah Pasture, located north of the existing farm in the Rural Municipality of Minto-Odanah. The property consists primarily of grassland with 123 wetland basins that DUC has been restoring since acquiring the land in 2020. MBFI plans to use this expanded land for commercial-scale research projects, including studies on rotational grazing systems, virtual fencing technology, and grazing economics. Producer input emphasizes maintaining commercial relevance while capturing transparent economic data to benefit beef operations and support healthy ecosystems.

Read at Realagriculture