Mary-Jane leads a dedicated team at MBFI to advance Manitoba’s beef & forage industry through engaging stakeholders, evaluating on-farm innovation, and extension for sustainability of farmers, the public, and the environment. She deeply values the opportunity to collaborate with producers, researchers, education providers, extension specialists, conservation groups, and all stakeholders in field-testing management practices and growing understanding of improved production in Manitoba. Mary-Jane holds a PhD from Purdue University in soil microbial ecology in agricultural systems, is a Professional Agrologist, and Certified Crop Advisor. Her experience in ecology and field agronomy gives her a unique perspective on the challenges facing agriculture today.

In this episode, we are talking about MBFI’s Case study in Strategic Herd Development. We had chatted with Mary-Jane for Episode #91 about micronutrient deficiencies in MBFI’s herd, as a result of the previous drought year. Mary-Jane gives us a bit of background on this and changes they have made since then with the MBFI herd.

We talk about the pregnancy testing results of the herd in 2025, as well as the results of the blood draws that were taken on the MBFI herd to look into micronutrient deficiencies. Mary-Jane also shares the changes they saw in those blood draw results since using Multi-Min.

Mary-Jane also shares the goals of the MBFI herd, along with how the herd is being included in a project with Mika Asai-Coakwell and a student of Mika’s, Nyah Hopkins, for their Forage Efficient Cow Study.

As we wrap up, we discuss different tools Mary-Jane and the staff are using for herd selection and monitoring, record keeping software and some other new and exciting technologies that are being used with the cattle herd.

The research programs and daily operations at MBFI would not be possible without the funding from the Province of Manitoba, Government of Canada, and Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, as well as the partnership with Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) and Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC).

We encourage you to follow MBFI on social media, or check out the website for more information on project findings and results, upcoming events and more!

Instagram: @MBBeefandForage

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Website: www.mbfi.ca

Email address: information@mbfi.ca

Mary-Jane’s Phone Number: 431-255-0011