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SPECIAL AREAS BOARD Notes from the Field — March 2017 Have You Started Thinking About Controlling Gophers? It may only be March, but with the recent warm weather, reports Adult male gophers are the first to emerge in the early spring, with of active Richardson’s Ground Squirrels (aka Gophers) are coming adult females following 10-14 days later. Typically, the male in. After 2016’s favourable conditions, effectively controlling these mortality is high in spring due to weather conditions, predation, destructive pests should be a key priority this spring. drowning, etc. One litter is born from an adult female each year, with a typical litter size of 5-6 on native pasture, and 9-10 when So what makes gophers alfalfa or clover fields are adjacent. tick (besides eating your crops)? The young will emerge from their burrows 25-30 days after birth, however 50-80% mortality is expected. A large portion of the Biology—Gophers eat a surviving young gophers will then move to a new area and wide variety of broad-leafed establish a new burrowing system during June and July. and grass species, and can Movements of 3km are common so it is essential to continually directly compete for forage monitor fields throughout the season as populations will fluctuate. with livestock herds. No-till or minimum tillage areas can Adult males will enter hibernation see increased gopher during late June or early July, as pressure. In addition to crop and rangeland feeding, gopher soil soon as they have enough fat mounds are hard on machinery, and the bare soil can invite reserves stored to carry them undesired vegetation including noxious and hard to control weeds. through winter. The adult females You may also see evidence of badgers on gopher infested land as will follow suit later on in July, with gophers are an important source of food for these creatures. The the young gophers beginning larger badger holes can be dangerous to livestock, wildlife and hibernation during mid-August and cause additional machinery wear & tear. as late as September. (Cont’d) Is Your Farm Family Being Safe? Canada’s Ag Safety Week is Here! MARCH 12-18 IS CANADA’S AG specific risks impacting them and the tools availa- ble to manage them. SAFETY WEEK DID YOU KNOW? Adapted from www.agsafetyweek.ca Last year, the campaign’s focus was on children. For 2017, the focus will be on Appealing to The Special Areas Ag Service The Canadian Agricultural Safety Associa- Adults. So get ready to browse through the Boards donate funds to provide tion (CASA) and the Canadian Federation of www.agsafetyweek.ca resources, tweet your sup- farm safety training to Agriculture (CFA) have launched a three-year port, and declare to your friends and followers elementary students within our campaign entitled “Be an AgSafe Family” to that you and yours are an AgSafe Family. municipal borders. In 2016 help farm families like yours stay safe. there were 764 kindergarten to Additional Resources grade 6 students from 14 rural While farm safety is a priority 365 days a year, -Farm Safety Walkabout March 12-18 helps by highlighting the tools avail- schools that received in-class -Toolbox Talks for Producers presentations from the Alberta able to help keep every generation on your family -Create a General Policy Statement for your Farm farm safe. From the young toddler; to the busy Farm Safety Center. You can -Safe Ag Tasks for Children see the Alberta Farm Safety adult juggling family, farm, and work; to the older -Keep Children Safe on the Farm Center Annual Report here. farmer with an age-defying drive to keep on farm- -The Flip Side of ATV’s ing. Just as each person is unique, so to are the For more information, go to www.specialareas.ab.ca or visit us on our Facebook page and Twitter @SpecialAreas. SPECIAL AREAS BOARD Notes from the Field — March 2017 Have You Started Thinking About Controlling Gophers? Control Methods—Ground squirrels can 2% Liquid Strychnine—The raw product You do not have to contact your Ag be controlled by shooting, trapping or for strychnine is imported from overseas, Fieldman in order to purchase the gassing, but these methods are time with supply shortages leading to the illegal strychnine, just request it from your local consuming and usually effective only in stockpiling of the poison. Additional risks District Office. If you have questions or small areas. A gassing technique using from this include storing it on farm where it concerns, don’t hesitate to call your local liquid foam forced down the burrow under has the potential to poison anything and Ag Fieldman. pressure, drowning the ground squirrel works well in small areas Strychnine is available on a first where other techniques are difficult to STRYCHNINE NOW AVAILABLE come, first serve basis. Cases will use. The product is called EXIT and is not be held on your behalf. available through commercial 2% Liquid Strychnine, a popular gopher poison, The best time to use strychnine is in applicators. Aluminum phosphide is available for sale from your local Special the spring before green vegetation is called “Phostoxin” (a poison) is a new Areas Office (located in Consort, Hanna and available as strychnine is mixed with gassing control method recently Oyen) from March 1 to August 1, 2017. grain for consumption by the ground registered, and is showing good squirrels, and are less likely to control results. Applicators must have an anyone that ingests it. To prevent this from consume grain when exterior rodent control licence to apply the happening, the basic purchasing plan for lush green plants are product, and caution must be exercised to 2% Liquid Strychnine is based on the available. The optimal ensure safety as the gas is toxic to all life supply and demand of the product and is application time for forms. One to two pellets are placed in up to the discretion of the local Agricultural strychnine is fast each active burrow, and the entrance filled Fieldman. approaching in the in with dirt. All label restrictions must be Special Areas. followed closely. Baiting should be done Currently, you may purchase up to one case (24 bottles), with an additional one when the ground squirrels are If using strychnine, case (24 bottles) TWO WEEKS LATER, underground for the day, which usually use caution and be aware all dead while supplies last. means baiting late in the day after carcasses must be retrieved and disposed Richardson ground squirrel activity has of to prevent secondary poisoning. ceased. Do You Know a Cattlemen’s Young Leader ? The Cattlemen’s Young Leaders Jesse Williams. Nicole was paired up with Tim development program is accepting online Hardman, the beef director the World Wildlife applications for mentorships until March Fund US, based out of Kansas. Nicole and 31, 2017. Tim are focusing on prairie conservation and environmental stewardship within the beef This program from the Canadian Cattlemen’s industry. Jesse’s mentor is Lethbridge area Association gives young beef leaders from 18- feedlot owner Ryan Kasko. Their focus is If you are interested, applying today at 35 years of age an opportunity to increase economic beef production, risk mitigation, www.cattelemensyoungleaders.com their industry knowledge and have a mentor of using technology on the ranch and vertically Mentorships are awarded to any individual similar interests. A travel budget is provided to integrated operations. wanting to be an ambassador for beef allow attendance at conferences, workshops production, regardless of their role currently in The program will choose 24 semi-finalists to and international beef events. the industry. For more information you can attend the 2nd Annual Canadian Beef Industry contact the CYL youth leadership coordinator, In 2016, Special Areas was proud to have two Conference August 15-17th, 2017. After round Emily Ritchie. individuals recognized—Nicole Viste and table discussion, 16 finalists are selected. SPECIAL AREAS BOARD Notes from the Field — March 2017 Winter Feeding on Native Rangelands—What’s the Impact? Have you ever considered the effects can cause a shift in the ecosystem’s concern related to feeding bales on native of your winter feeding sites on the balance, leading to a change in species prairie range. Other stewardship concerns composition. include the adverse effect on solonetzic area’s established vegetation? soils from the salt content present in Maintenance of biodiversity of native manure. These soils are the most common Whether you are feeding on crop stubble, species is a priority on lease land, so winter soils throughout the Special Areas, and will perennial forages or native prairie, animal feeding sites with a visible shift in species have reduced productivity when high levels traffic and manure build impact existing soil will negatively impact a rangeland health of salt are deposited—ie: winter feeding and vegetation conditions. assessment. In the dark brown soil zone sites. (see map) this shift causes non-native, Did you know that approximately 75-90% of invasive species such as smooth brome, Litter also plays a fundamental role in the the nutrients consumed by grazing animals Kentucky bluegrass and crested maintenance of healthy range, providing are cycled back into the soil through wheatgrass to move in. In the drier brown insulation to keep the soil temperatures manure and urine? When it comes to bale soil zone, often you see a shift towards a more consistent and to help preserve grazing, studies have shown perennial monoculture of Western Wheatgrass and moisture. Winter feeding sites can lead to forages with at least one species of annual weeds at winter feeding sites. this layer of litter being greatly reduced, rhizomatous grass are your best option for Although both non-native and native which over time can also be a factor in a recovery of the feeding site and nutrient species in either soil zones can be species shift.

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