Wintering site assessment and design tool

Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development

The Wintering Site Assessment and Design Tool was designed, says Trevor Wallace, nutrient management specialist, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD), to help producers identify environmental risks associated with in-field winter feeding sites and systems, allowing producers to compare one situation against another. The tool also suggests the adoption of beneficial management practices (BMPs) which producers can adopt to address risks.


The greatest environmental risk from wintering sites is the potential of water contamination from runoff carrying nutrients, pathogens and sediments. Nutrient accumulation in the soils under in-field feeding systems is another factor that can significantly increase the risk of nutrient loss. The goal is to take advantage of the nutrients from in-field feeding systems and not to lose them.

The tool evaluates five main wintering site factors: site characteristics, feeding strategies, bedding and shelter management, water source management and post-wintering site management. Wallace said the tool looks at factors such as flooding frequency, stocking rate, run-off, bedding and shelter, water system management and post-site management to determine the risk of nutrient loss.

“For example, it looks at the proposed feeding systems,” said Wallace. “An imported feeding system, such as bale grazing, is where feed is brought onto a site to be fed, while a non-imported feeding system the feed is grown on site, like swath grazing. These two feeding systems differ in their risk of nutrient accumulation. With a swath grazing system, animals generally move down the field with the feed, meaning that the nutrients are also moved across the field. With bale grazing, the animals go to where the bales are and all the nutrients from the feed is generally deposited in a small area potentially resulting in nutrient accumulation. With a bale grazing system we can use the bales to direct the animals where we want them to go, with a swath grazing system they follow the swaths.”

“The Wintering Site Assessment and Design Tool is an excellent vehicle for farmers to evaluate their wintering site,” adds Wallace. “It provides a way to assess the potential risk of a feeding system at a site and suggests BMP options to address the identified risks. The objective is to make sure the site selected for the winter feeding system is meeting the animal’s needs, minimizes the risk to the environment and maximizes the benefit of the in-field feeding system.”

The Wintering Site Assessment and Design Tool is available by calling ARD’s publication office at 1-800-292-5697, or can be downloaded at www.agriculture.alberta.ca/manure.