with Caroline Reisiger

Perennial cool-season pastures are the backbone of beef production in Ontario, yet nitrogen (N) application remains an overlooked strategy in pasture research. This talk explores how strategic N fertilization can increase pasture productivity, stocking rates, and calf output in rotationally grazed systems. Field-scale research from a 64-acre cow-calf pasture in Elora, Ontario demonstrates that increasing rates of polymer-coated urea boosted forage yield primarily through enhanced grass growth, supporting higher stocking density and greater beef production per acre. Environmental trade-offs are also examined, highlighting how improved N management may help producers balance productivity and sustainability.

Caroline Reisiger is a PhD candidate in the Department of Plant Agriculture at the University of Guelph, where she studies pasture-based livestock systems and forage management. Originally from a small Christmas tree farm in Brant County, she completed her BSc (2020, Plant Science) and MSc (2022, Molecular and Cellular Biology) at U of G, and now focuses on improving grazing recommendations in Ontario through applied research on nitrogen fertility, forage utilization, and alternative forage species in perennial pastures in pursuit of her PhD. Her work includes field-scale grazing trials and on-farm measurement tools to help producers increase pasture productivity while considering economic and environmental outcomes.

This presentation is sponsored by

*For CCAs this event counts as 1 unit for Nutrient Management CEUs

*This event is recognized as OSCIA OFCAF KSE under BMP category Nitrogen Management

with Dr. Heather Murphy

Dr. Murphy will present results from a 3-year rotational grazing of beef cattle project where her team intensively studied 5 rotational farms and 4 conventional farms over 3 grazing seasons in southern Ontario. She will present findings on pathogen presence in soil, water and cattle fecal samples and management factors that seemed to influence presence of pathogens in cattle environments.

Dr. Murphy has over twenty years of experience in water-related research in both North America and abroad. Dr. Murphy obtained her PhD in Environmental Engineering from the University of Guelph, Canada. Following her PhD, she worked for the United Nations International Emergency Children’s Fund (UNICEF) as a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Specialist in Mali and Madagascar. In 2015 she joined Temple University’s College of Public Health where she was an Assistant Professor for 5 years. In 2020, she joined the Department of Pathobiology, in the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) as Tier II Canada Research Chair and Associate Professor working in the area of One Health. She was recently inducted into the Royal Society of Canada in their College of New Scholars and was named one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women in 2025 for her research and mentorship of female scientists. Dr. Murphy’s work seeks to identify and understand the ways pathogens move through water and the environment, and propose appropriate interventions needed to protect human and animal health.

This presentation is sponsored by

*For CCAs this event counts as 1 unit for Soil & Water Management CEUs

*This event is recognized as OSCIA OFCAF KSE under BMP category Nitrogen Management

Panelist – Amadou Thiam

Amadou O. Thiam is a Senior Engineer in Agri‑Food Systems with over 23 years of experience advancing environmental sustainability in the agri‑food sector. He provides engineering leadership in the mitigation of greenhouse gas, odour, and ammonia emissions, and brings strong expertise in soil and water management on agricultural lands, including the design of pasture watering systems and wintering sites for cow‑calf operations. Amadou holds degrees in Agricultural Engineering from McGill University and Environmental Management from the Université de Sherbrooke, and is a graduate of the Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program (AALP).

Panelist – Steve Sickle

Bio coming soon.

Panelist – Tom Cunningham

A fourth-generation cow-calf producer on the Bruce Peninsula, Tom and his wife, Amanda, farm on the same land where he was born and raised in Mar, 12km north of Wiarton, Ontario. He is proud to farm alongside his parents, Ron and Nancy Cunningham, running a commercial herd of Simmental and Charolais cross cows. Tom enjoys spending time with his children – Clover 17, Clinton 15, Darcie 10 – and volunteering for various community boards. He is an advocate for young farmers, and is passionate about supporting the next generation.

*For CCAs this event counts as 1 unit for Professional Development CEUs

*This event is recognized as OSCIA OFCAF KSE under BMP category Rotational Grazing

If you missed Profitable Pastures, we are happy to offer it, and many other presentations, on our YouTube channel! Subscribe to be notified when new content is added!

Previous topics covered include:

• Getting Started on Rotational Grazing
• Predicting Cattle Performance from Grazed Pasture, and
• The Best Money Spent on the Ranch