By Nick Dunn

The world has been evolving with technology for many years and the agricultural industry has changed to adopt these new technologies in many accelerated ways. With crop production, our equipment has evolved to include the latest technology at our fingertips. This allows us to be more efficient and ultimately enables us to implement the 4R stewardship model, which is applying the Right source, at the Right rate, Right time and Right place. This same implementation is starting to hit the livestock sector and I believe it is going to change the industry, like how GPS changed the cropping sector, in due time. The reason we have adopted these changes to how we crop land is for an obvious reason: to save time and money. Now that tech companies have been establishing themselves in the livestock industry, if they can prove they can save ranchers’ time and money, then they will have a permanent seat at the table.

If you ask a producer what the most utilized piece of equipment is on the farm, he/she is going to tell you that it’s all of it. It takes the full fleet and then some to produce crops and livestock. It’s the same reason why you have more than one wrench in your toolbox or screwdriver; you need many tools. Another tool that has a big role on the farm is drones, and that’s not only to do with crop scouting and taking elevated photos or videos. Drones can be utilized for many daily activities to manage livestock such as infrastructure inspection, herd counts, reading tags, livestock recovery, thermal imaging (disease and stress detection), temperature measurements and more to come with continued software development. A drone equipped with an optical zoom and thermal imaging camera will have the capability to achieve all that you would need to with livestock and on the lower side costs around $7,000. With the new Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (SCAP) there is funding available for producers to cover 50% of the costs of purchasing a drone for your farm.

I went to a conference last December and they had a speaker who spoke on new smart ear tags. These ear tags were equipped with GPS, and thermal reading capabilities. This gave producers the benefit of tracking their livestock from time spent in feeding and watering locations and if there were any sudden changes to body temperature.

He also spoke on virtual fencing, which in my mind has some major trust issues, but if you could overlook that, would provide a major benefit and allow producers to do something that seems impossible. Each animal is equipped with a GPS collar like the shock collars we have on our pets. The boundaries can be set with any device and can be done in seconds just like drawing border lines on satellite imagery.  The collars will work directly with the map boundaries you have drawn. Producers can make changes so fast that they can actually herd their animals with this process. The possibilities are endless when you can put up gates and fences and take them down in seconds, and virtually anywhere. I could even see this going to the next level with autonomous herding and organizing.

Another device he mentioned were the boluses that were swallowed and sit in the reticulum of cattle. This provides more data in terms of feed efficiency and heat detection, which will also change the way we manage cattle and provide us with more data that can be used to make inclined decisions.

Technology does have many benefits, but like everything there are also challenges and the biggest one is the high costs. Luckily there are some grants available through SCAP, but still, efficiency isn’t free. I believe these costs will come down in time just like we have seen with other technologies that we use day-to-day like computers, TVs and cellphones. Technology will be integrated further into the livestock industry to help producers enable their stewardship, which is managing the Right animal, Right feed, at the Right time and at the Right place. We are pioneers of technology integration into the agricultural industry.

Nick Dunn is Flagstaff County’s Agricultural Fieldman. He can be reached via email at: ndunn@flagstaff.ab.ca or by phone at: 780-384-4138.

By Nick Dunn

This year the Ag Services department faced many challenges along with producers in Flagstaff County to achieve its successes within our programs and services. The Ag Services department consists of 11 seasonal employees, myself the Agricultural Fieldman, and Matthew Pfeffer the Agricultural Foreman. Roadside mowing is expected to be completed twice annually and due to the early drought conditions we experienced this spring we were delayed by two weeks and started mowing in mid-June. Overcoming some adversity meant playing catch-up for what felt like the entire summer. However, with our motivated crew we were able to catch-up on our second cut and in the end accomplished 1.75 cuts. All roadsides are mowed with our Kuhn disc mowers that cut 10 feet down to the edge of the slope. Some may have noticed their roadsides were cut with our Shulte blade mower, which cuts 15 feet along all arterial and collector roadsides. This was the first year we have mowed collector roadsides with the Shulte mower as they were previously cut with the Kuhns.

The Ag Services department also offers roadside and custom spraying services. When trees and shrubs reach full leaf, our roadside sprayers start the season spraying previously hydro-axed roadside shoulders, which is conducted by the Public Works department. Vegetation that’s above 4 feet tall will be spot-sprayed with Garlon XRT while vegetation under 4 feet will be sprayed with Navius Flex. After brush spraying, we will then move into our weed control program that consists of treating one-third of the municipal roadsides. Last year we sprayed the southern third of our county, which consisted of Hwy 53 and Hwy 608 South and this year we sprayed the northern third, which consisted of Twp Rd 440 North. Our roadsides are currently sprayed with Navius Flex, which has a residual effect to suit our spraying program and provide long-term control on tough-to-kill weed species. Herbicide groupings are altered throughout the program to ensure that we do not promote the buildup of weed resistance. Crews also found themselves spraying gravel sites, stockpiles, municipal grounds including many recreational areas, Hardisty areas as part of our new leafy spurge program, and now even provincial highways. Flagstaff County entered an agreement with Alberta Transportation in 2023 to spray problematic areas throughout our borders that they were struggling to manage at full cost-recovery. We’re hoping that Alberta Transportation will continue to work with us as I believe our inspectors and sprayers can perform maintenance in a more timely and accurate manner as it is part of the Weed Control Act to control noxious weeds, and destroy prohibited noxious weeds. The Ag Services department also provides custom spraying on private land at cost-recovery with UTVs, ATVs, backpack sprayers, an Intelli-spray truck, roadside sprayers, and when it comes to scentless chamomile (mayweed) we will even pick it. As of 2023, Flagstaff County is now a registered vendor for herbicides and pesticides with the Province of Alberta and is happy to provide rural acreage owners and producers access to certain herbicides and rodenticides.

The Ag Services department also operated in some pest control duties that included removing beaver dams at cost-recovery and providing free rental traps accompanied with a damage deposit. We will continue to host extension events including Between the Roots news columns, workshops, webinars, certification courses, podcasts, Conservation Easements, other ongoing programs and projects such as Shelterbelt Establishment, Wetland Resiliency and Replacement Program (WRRP), and Alberta Land Use Services (ALUS). NEW in 2024 there will be three satellite mulch sites that will be located in Sedgewick, Galahad, and Strome. These sites will aim to give Flagstaff residents free access to wood mulch, keep mulch out of our Regional Landfill, and reduce costs for arborists performing maintenance within our borders.

The park’s crew consists of a park’s caretaker, and two labourers that are tasked with maintaining Flagstaff County owned campgrounds, playgrounds, and recreational areas. New in 2023, Flagstaff entered into an agreement with the Diplomat Mine Museum Society to assist in the grounds and facility maintenance. Many playground repairs were made to Strome and Fish Lake as well as the replacement of the Galahad playground. Other repairs included rebuilding the Fish Lake aerator, rebuilding picnic tables, fire pits, campsite utilities and restoring the ball diamond areas in Strome.

If you would like to stay updated or learn more about the Ag Services or Parks and Recreation departments, you can view our quarterly reports in the report’s sections of the Council Meeting Minutes or our ASB Meeting Minutes that we also have quarterly or as needed. I would like to thank our seasonal crews for their contributions in the 2023 season. Their hard work and passion doesn’t go unnoticed.

Nick Dunn is Flagstaff County’s Agricultural Fieldman. He can be reached via email at: ndunn@flagstaff.ab.ca or by phone at: 780-384-4138.

Flagstaff County is pleased to announce that CAO Shelly Armstrong has been awarded the 2023 R.W. Hay Award as outstanding rural CAO at the recent Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) convention in Edmonton.

Shelly’s career in public service has so far spanned 36 years, including more than 30 as CAO – longevity that reflects her dedication to serving her community, said RMA Vice President Kara Westerlund during the award presentation.

“This CAO has been a driver of constant innovation and improvement,” Westerlund noted, “including advocating for and facilitating long-term strategic planning and integration of asset management, risk assessment and long-range financial modelling within all municipal departments and as key council decision-making tools.”

Flagstaff County Council nominated Shelly for the prestigious award, stating in their nomination package that Shelly “has consistently demonstrated professionalism, trustworthiness, and transformative leadership. … Our relationship has been built on trust and mutual respect. Her consistent professionalism has been instrumental in nurturing the highest potential within Council and the entire organization.”

Beyond her municipal work, Shelly was also commended for the countless hours she has committed as a director and volunteer for many local organizations.

“As a local leader, this CAO regularly goes above and beyond to make sure local voluntary organizations and other service groups are supported and thriving,” Westerlund added. 

The RMA established the R.W. Hay Award in 1997 for Excellence in Rural Municipal Administration to recognize the superior service provided by rural administrators.

The winning CAO is chosen annually by an evaluation committee consisting of three past winners, three representatives from the Society of Local Government Managers Board of Directors (SLGM), and one member of the RMA Board of Directors. No individual may receive the award more than once.

Please join us in congratulating Shelly on this well-deserved honour.

By Nick Dunn

Now that harvest 2023 is behind us, it’s time to start planning for the next growing season. For some, that means servicing equipment and placing it back in the shed, and for others, it means bringing machinery out of the shed to go back to work. This year came with many challenges but the opportunity to do some fall work was not one of them. Finishing harvest ahead of our average coupled with an extended fall has allowed producers to get a head start on the upcoming season.

Fall can be a great time to apply fertilizer on next year’s crop. It all starts with a soil test that can be done by yourself or contracted out through agronomists and local retailers. The information gathered through the soil tests can help you make informed decisions with your fertility plan. The first step is to set a realistic yield goal and figure out what nutritional values you will need to reach that yield goal based on uptake. Yes, there are many variables to make a yield goal but one of them we can control is our inputs. You are more likely to reach your yield goal by giving your crop the best opportunity nutritionally than banking solely on a good growing season, although they go hand in hand. The final part of that equation is to know how much you have, and that comes from soil testing and analyzing data gathered from previous growing seasons. What you need – What you got = What you apply. Soil sampling is only as good as the one who samples it. The soil sample needs to represent the whole field to be a good representation. It doesn’t necessarily matter on the sampling method if it be benchmarked or average sample. It needs to be taken from certain areas in the field with consistent depths. Stay away from the low and high spots as it could throw the sample off. For a better picture sample as far down as 24”. Today, software and technology has made this process much easier and can integrate variable rates into the farming machinery based on data, which of course comes at an extra cost.

Applying fertilizer in the spring can often affect producers’ bottom line as fertilizer prices typically go down in fall due to lower demand. Not only can it lower producers’ expenses but can also give them a head start in the upcoming year. When applying fertilizer in the fall, producers need to be aware of the loss risks that are associated with fall fertilization. Nitrogen especially is susceptible to many forms of losses including volatilization, which occurs when nitrogen in the form of ammonia is lost to the atmosphere, typically in dry conditions. Denitrification is when warm saturated soil bacteria convert nitrate nitrogen into gaseous forms. Leaching occurs when excessive water carries nitrogen down past the root zone leaving it plant inaccessible. Losses are also incurred through soil erosion, whether it be through wind or water. Applying the fertilizer in a tight band reduces a lot of these losses but does not eliminate the risk. It is recommended fall fertilizer application be done when soil temperatures reach 5˚ C or less, but before freeze-up. There are products on the market to help mitigate losses with dry fertilizer such as Environmentally Smart Nitrogen (ESN). ESN has a biodegradable polymer coating the nitrogen prill that enables the nitrogen to be slowly released over approximately 45 days. Applying phosphate, potassium, and sulphur in the fall is less sensitive compared to nitrogen. You can combine them without worrying too much about losses. While sulfur can leach with excessive water, phosphate and potassium will remain in place as they are rather immobile within our soils. Some producers will apply sulphur fines on their upcoming canola ground in the fall to keep it out of the drill in spring as it may increase chances of plugging when paired with high humidity and nitrogen. Sulphur fines are also cheaper than sulphur prills.

Regardless of whether you apply fertilizer in the fall or not, it is still a good opportunity to test your soil and start planning for the upcoming season. Soil testing coupled with realistic yield goals will set the foundation of your fertility plans and depending on the markets, it could possibly save you money compared to the high-demanding spring.

Nick Dunn is Flagstaff County’s Agricultural Fieldman. He can be reached via email at: ndunn@flagstaff.ab.ca or by phone at: 780-384-4138.

By Nick Dunn

According to the 2006 Agricultural Profile, in Flagstaff County there are more than 1,000,000 acres of farmland, 250,000 acres of them are pasture or hay land. Of that 250,000 pasture acres, it is estimated that 100,000 acres are tame or seeded, and 150,000 acres are natural. These lands produce high-quality forage for our livestock producers and maintaining these lands is predominantly crucial to their operations in beef production as most of their cattle feed is forage based. When pastures are seeded, they are typically forgotten about, and over time we have seen pasture plant stands and quality decrease, affecting livestock producers’ bottom line. Ultimately rainfall and fertilization are the main dictators of how well a pasture is going to perform in a season. We have seen depleting growth within our pastures as we have been experiencing drought-like conditions and high temperatures that have burnt both our seeded and natural pastures.

Pasture management can be very complicated and can change over time according to the conditions. It is important that landowners closely monitor their pastures to help them make timely decisions when needed. Some of the best management practices that have been set to the side are weed and brush control, fertilization, and other mechanical practices. Controlling weed and brush within pastures is crucial to promote the growth of the native forages and to prevent unwanted vegetation from establishing. Some of the noxious weeds within pastures are poisonous to livestock and landowners are legally obligated to control them. When legumes are present and needed, producers will often have to sacrifice areas to control certain weed infestations with selective herbicides and spot spraying. Like every weed problem, the more it is neglected the greater the infestation and cost will be to control it. Flagstaff County has a Pesticide Vendor Registration with the Province of Alberta and carries range and pasture products to sell to landowners on a cost-recovery basis. You can also find these herbicides at selected retailers throughout the County.

Fertilization is also an important part of pasture maintenance and soil testing will help identify deficiencies that are within the soil. A common practice at a minimum is to broadcast dry urea in the fall or early spring. Soil testing is always recommended prior to application.

Other maintenance strategies include mechanical practices such as investing in the land and infrastructure to help with rotational grazing. Grazing the land too hard will deplete forages and legumes to a point where you might have to reseed much earlier than expected. Optimizing pasture utilization and cattle management is crucial to conserve the pastureland.

Sometimes our pastures have reached the end of their life cycle and it becomes necessary to undertake a more extensive rejuvenation process, including re-seeding with a forage blend. This is particularly the case when pastures have become severely degraded or overgrazed, resulting in poor forage quality and consistently reduced growth and vegetation. During this time, we often start to see weed infestations starting to take over the land and grass weaning down. Older pastures usually have high compaction, which decreases their ability to take on and retain soil moisture, leading to low productivity. Some producers or landowners will break the ground up and plant annual crops for a couple years. This process will rejuvenate soil quality by breaking up hardpan layers, decreasing compaction, weed and brush control and increasing organic material. After 2-3 years of implementing annual crops, producers will then select the appropriate forage species that will be best suited for their land and livestock nutritional needs.

It is important that we do not sideline the maintenance of pastures. Neglected pastures will end up costing producers more by increasing the cost of rejuvenation. It is important that we monitor the conditions of the pasture throughout the year as they do change, address issues promptly and stay informed about best management practices.

Nick Dunn is Flagstaff County’s Agricultural Fieldman. He can be reached via email at: ndunn@flagstaff.ab.ca or by phone at: 780-384-4138.

By Nick Dunn

It is that time of year when we start to see more machinery going down the road and I ask all of you to share the roadway accordingly. I can personally testify that nothing means more to an equipment operator going down the road than to see oncoming traffic pull over to the side or tailing with adequate space. The blind spots in big machinery are much larger than ones of a normal-sized vehicle, so placing yourself in a position where the operators can see you may just save a life. Another approach is that if you see oncoming equipment, plan an alternative route if feasible. I can assure you that you will not be disappointed with the breathtaking views of Flagstaff County in the fall.  

Harvest in Flagstaff is a time where the community comes together, whether that’s neighbours helping neighbours or friends in town helping friends in the field. Long hours, tireless teamwork and dedication are what feeds this world, and being a farming community, we are the backbone.  

At the start of this year’s season, we were on the verge of declaring an Agricultural Disaster due to drought conditions. With improved conditions, that only left us facing variables like hail damage and pressures from pests. Producers have faced adversity repeatedly, and each time, they have emerged stronger, more resilient, and more determined to not only feed our community but the world. This year has certainly been unique with many variations of maturity and crop quality all within our borders. We have the good, the bad, and the ugly, which is a direct result of minimal blanket coverage rainfall. With harvest going into full swing, I have not heard of many yields; however, I suspect some producers will be surprised with some of their crops, particularly oilseeds. The canola plant has always amazed me with its ability to perform in low plant densities and bounce back from natural stresses. These yields may not be “bin busting” but in times like we have witnessed this year, we can be grateful to have a harvest, as many of us were expecting to be in the field much earlier.  

According to the Alberta Crop Report released on September 5, 35% of all crops have been combined provincially. The majority of that being in the south where they have experienced drier and warmer weather. Challenges we are facing now are cool, moist and smoky conditions that are delaying maturity even further. Our region has only completed 9% of the harvest, which is behind the five-year average of 14%. Surface soil moisture conditions (sub-surface in brackets) are currently rated at 7 (19) per cent poor, 21 (29) per cent fair, 60 (44) per cent good, 11 (8) per cent excellent and 1 (0) per cent excessive. Second cut hay is 62 per cent complete and average yield is at 1 ton per acre, above the five-year average 0.8 tons per acre. The majority of pasture growth conditions are rated as fair. If you would like to read more information or previous Alberta Crop Reports, please visit: www.alberta.ca/alberta-crop-reports.  

From my behalf I would like to wish you all a safe and successful harvest and to enjoy them meals in the field!  

Nick Dunn is Flagstaff County’s Agricultural Fieldman. He can be reached via email at: ndunn@flagstaff.ab.ca or by phone at: 780-384-4138.

Council performed departmental priority surveys at the June 14, 2023, Council meeting. The results have been compiled into this report. Click HERE to see the report.

No matter your fitness level, you can join the Flagstaff Fitness Challenge by downloading the Strava app onto your smartphone and searching “Flagstaff Fitness Challenge“.

Here, participants can share their activities, cheer on others and compete on the weekly leaderboards.

All participants who log at least one workout in a week will have their name entered in a draw for that week’s weekly prize package (the challenge runs for six weeks). Please note that participants are only eligible for one weekly prize pack.

If you log at least one activity in all six weeks, your name will be entered into the grand prize draw! It’s that easy!

The six-week Flagstaff Fitness Challenge started June 21, 2023. We urge you to rise to the challenge!

General Guidelines

• Participants do not have to live in Flagstaff County to take part in the Flagstaff Fitness Challenge.
• Winners are responsible for prize pickup at the Flagstaff County Administration Building.
• A photograph of each winner will be taken when picking up a prize.
• All participants are encouraged to cheer on your fellow fitness enthusiasts through Strava, while also sharing photos and feedback from your workouts.
• And most importantly, all participants are encouraged to have fun!  

Weekly Prizes

Each week, any participant who has logged at least one activity in our group on Strava will be entered into our weekly draw! The weekly prize package includes:

💪 Free bicycle tune-up from Grizzly Country Bike Shop
💪 $15 gift card to Rogue Coffee Co.
💪 $50 in Flagstaff Bucks
💪 A “Succeeding Together/Flagstaff Proud” T-shirt
💪 Flagstaff Region golf balls and tees
💪A Flagstaff County water bottle

Note: Participants are only eligible for one weekly prize pack. Flagstaff County Communications Coordinator Cary Castagna will reach out via email (ccastagna@flagstaff.ab.ca) to each week’s winner to confirm pickup details.

• Week 6 Winner

  Kristin Kueber

   

• Week 5 Winner

  Sarah Anderson

• Week 4 Winner

  Kaybree Mazure

• Week 3 Winner

  Cheryl Frost

• Week 2 Winner

  Laura Zwack

• Week 1 Winner

  Sandra Erickson

Grand Prize Draw

If you log at least one activity in all six weeks, your name will be entered into the grand prize draw for a $500 personal training package with HOM of Well Being’s partner JDHD Fitness.

The training package includes 10 personal training sessions with personal trainer Josh Damberger of JDHD Fitness (each session is one hour and will occur over Zoom or FaceTime).

Josh Damberger is a friendly, hardworking person who is passionate about wellness, life balance, and helping people achieve their goals. His philosophy is to train with your best effort every time, no matter your fitness level, even if that just means your best for that day. 

As a personal trainer, Josh works with his clients to understand their unique goals and challenges to develop a fun and effective training program. 

Josh’s credentials include a Personal Fitness Trainer Certificate from Elevated Learning Academy in Calgary, American Council on Exercise Certification, Red Cross Standard First Aid, Fascial Stretch Therapy Practitioner Certification, Dotfit Nutrition Certification, and Olympic Lifting Certification. 

Brittany MacMillan of BAM Fitness is also donating exercise resistance bands, which come with a four-week workout plan! Plus, she’s also throwing in one 2023 subscription for the BAM Fitness app (on sale now for $174.99, originally $349.99), featuring eight proven training programs!

Grand Prize Winner

The winner of our grand prize draw is Nicole Nychyporuk.

Sponsors

The following local businesses are generously sponsoring prizes:

• HOM of Well Being
• Grizzly Country Bike Shop
• BAM Fitness
• Rogue Coffee Co.

History of the Flagstaff Fitness Challenge

The Flagstaff Bike Challenge was established in the summer of 2020 as a way to encourage the region’s residents to get outside, get active and feel connected to the area in a safe manner during the pandemic. It was designed for participants of ALL ages and abilities. The Flagstaff Bike Challenge continued in 2021 with a few minor tweaks.

In 2022, the challenge was expanded to include a variety of activities, including walking, running, hiking, cycling, swimming, weight training, yoga and much more! It was rebranded the Flagstaff Fitness Challenge.

About Strava

Watch for your Tax & Assessment Notice in the mail. All notices were mailed Wednesday, May 31, 2023. If you have not received your notice by Monday, June 19, 2023, please contact our office at 780-384-4100. If you require a receipt to be sent to you, please indicate that on the bottom of the notice when you return your payment.

The tax due date is Monday, October 16, 2023.

For more on taxation, please click HERE.

By Nick Dunn

In last month’s column, I discussed the history, behaviours, and life cycle of the coyote, as it is crucial information for understanding how to control them. With a growing coyote population, it has raised concerns about their impact on livestock, pets, and human safety for rural, and urban residents. These canines are very adaptable to their environment and intelligent, which makes them difficult to control. There are many strategies that can be implemented to help reduce the risks of predatory attack and manage their populations.

For livestock producers, some traditional methods we have implemented are trapping, shooting, and poisoning. These methods are lethal and are not necessarily the best management practices available. Although the coyote can be controlled with lethal methods year-round on private land, they are still a valuable part of our environment, which is why we need to adopt sound husbandry practices to reduce interactions between livestock and coyotes. These practices include herd surveillance, closely monitoring your livestock until they become large enough to defend themselves. First time calvers should not be left unattended in open range situations. Corralling at night with smaller livestock is another practice, but this doesn’t pertain to cattle as they are relatively safe from coyote attacks outside of calving season. Livestock behaviour can be a telltale if they have been attacked previously. Some signs of frequent attacks would be an increase in nervousness, and being more alert and fearful than usual. For sheep, if they have been attacked or disturbed, they will tend to break into smaller groups or be more scattered. Coyote predation on livestock is a learned behaviour; introducing them to young, sick, injured livestock, and livestock carrion will promote this behaviour. Age classing should also be considered; not placing young livestock on open pasture until they can defend themselves will greatly reduce the potential for attacks. The best method for preventing livestock predation is guard animals, when they live full-time with the flock or herd. Dogs, donkeys, and llamas have all been used successfully within our County to protect our livestock and the choice depends on the livestock needing protection, predators, budget, or personal preference.

Rural and urban residents can also face coyote predation. Urban areas don’t pose as much of a risk compared to rural areas but it ultimately depends on the availability of food sources. It’s important to keep yard sites clear of garbage, pet food, and small prey like rodents. By eliminating their food sources, the likelihood of coyote interactions is significantly lowered. Coyotes will generally avoid human interaction but will occasionally target small pets if given the opportunity. If you live on the outskirts of your municipality, you would be at greater risk than those that live within. It’s important for pet owners to supervise their pets and children outdoors, especially during dusk and dawn when coyotes are most active. Most encounters happen during walks on remote pathways; be sure to stay in well-lit areas and if an encounter does occur, try to get something between you and the predator itself like a fence or walking stick. Staying calm is very important, avoid turning your back, maintain eye contact, talk with a firm voice, and back away slowly if possible. After the encounter has taken place, it is important to report this issue to local authorities so they can help ensure that this encounter doesn’t take place again.

Of these management practices mentioned, there isn’t one practice that will ultimately stop the threat of predators for livestock producers, and urban and rural residents. The best management practice is to adopt as many of these controls as possible. By employing these methods, we can coexist with coyotes while preserving the ecological balance.  

Nick Dunn is Flagstaff County’s Agricultural Fieldman. He can be reached via email at: ndunn@flagstaff.ab.ca or by phone at: 780-384-4138.