Raising truly grass-fed, grass-finished beef is challenging in any climate, but doing it through the long, bitter winters of the Western Canadian Prairies adds a whole other dimension to the work.
Ranchers committed to regenerative practices and 100% forage-based finishing must uphold both animal welfare and ecological integrity for twelve months of the year. Winter tests every system, every decision, and every assumption.
Yet it is precisely these harsh months that reveal the strength of regenerative practices. Winter is not an obstacle. It’s part of the system itself. Here's how Prairie Ranchers Beef manages livestock, soils, and ecosystems under some of the toughest conditions in North America.
1. It Starts in the Growing Season
Regenerative ranchers don't start thinking about winter in November. They start planning for it in May.
Well-managed pastures with strong root systems and diverse plant species produce more biomass during the growing season. Through adaptive rotational grazing, ranchers leave adequate rest periods and intentionally "bank" late-season forage that will serve as winter feed.
Grasses with deep, healthy roots capture more moisture through droughty summers, survive freeze-thaw cycles, rebound earlier in spring, and increase soil carbon, which improves soil structure and water retention. This resilience means ranchers are less dependent on imported feed and external inputs. By the time the snow flies, the land is ready.
2. Keeping Cattle on Grass Through the Cold
On the Western Canadian Prairies we use multiple strategies to keep cattle grazing on pasture, rather than feeding stored grains or concentrates, even during extreme cold.
Tall grasses left uncut and ungrazed until winter act as both feed and natural shelter, with cattle grazing through some snow cover. When snow is deep or crusted, we turn to bale grazing, swath grazing with temporary fencing, or feeding stored forages like silage and hay.
Bale grazing deserves a closer look. It's a regenerative winter practice where large round bales of hay are placed strategically across the pasture before winter arrives. Instead of feeding bales in a dry lot, cattle are moved systematically to fresh bales. This spreads manure and urine evenly across the landscape, reduces fuel and labour, minimizes soil compaction, and improves fertility in targeted areas. Cattle remain on the land, cycling nutrients back where they belong.
3. Animal Welfare in Harsh Weather
Grass-fed, grass-finished beef only works if the animals stay healthy and stress-free in winter.
Producers often select breeds such as Angus, Hereford, Galloway, or other British-based cattle adapted to winter hardiness. Thick winter coats, good foraging instincts, and efficient metabolisms allow them to thrive in –30°C.
Shelter matters, too. Our regenerative ranches rely heavily on coulees, bush patches, and portable wind fencing with straw bedding. These reduce wind chill, energy demands, and stress.
There's also what ranchers call "the furnace effect." Digesting fibrous grasses generates body heat, making a forage-based diet not just nutritionally appropriate but a form of thermoregulation. Pair that with continuous access to fresh water — through solar-heated troughs, dugout aeration systems, or even snow — and cattle can maintain their condition through the coldest months.
4. What's Happening Underground
Winter is not downtime for the soil — it’s when many regenerative benefits are locked in.
Ungrazed residue, tall forage, and strategic bale placement all help capture wind-blown snow, which increases spring moisture infiltration and reduces evaporation. Cattle grazing across fields throughout winter naturally fertilize the land. The manure and urine they deposit support nutrient cycling, soil biology, and spring grass vigour.
By keeping cattle out on pasture rather than in concentrated feeding areas, regenerative producers avoid deep manure packs, runoff concerns, and nutrient loading. Winter grazing spreads impact gently and evenly.
It’s important to note that not every animal stays on pasture year-round. Cattle needing specialized care or in the final finishing stage are managed in responsible, well-regulated feedlots.
5. Maintaining Quality on Winter Forage
Consumers sometimes wonder whether cattle can gain or maintain condition on winter forage alone. The answer is yes, when the system is managed properly.
Producers ensure forage tests meet the nutritional needs of finishing cattle, monitoring protein levels, energy (TDN), and mineral balance. If required, regenerative ranchers supplement with mineral blends but always keep grain out of the system for true grass-fed and grass-finished beef.
6. Regeneration Never Stops
The regenerative mindset views winter as part of the ecosystem cycle. Rest periods for perennial plants. Natural pruning from wildlife. Moisture capture through snow layering. Nutrient distribution via bale grazing or swath grazing. These cycles build soil year after year, creating a healthier landscape and a more climate-resilient ranch.
Producing grass-fed and grass-finished beef through the winters of the Western Canadian Prairies requires experience, planning, and a commitment to regenerative principles. But when done well, winter becomes a powerful tool.
Great-tasting beef is the outcome of a year-round relationship between cattle, land, and stewardship rooted in responsibility and respect.
