When it comes to row-by-row seed distribution, let's just say there's room to improve the accuracy of bulk metering systems on many air seeders. "Right now in the marketplace, with bulk metering that delivers the product through those manifolds, the deviation is approximately 20 to 23 percent throughout industry at this time," says Owen Kinch,... Read More
Category: Video
As the list of herbicide-tolerance traits in soybeans grows, so does the risk of off-target herbicide applications. For many years, most soybeans in North America have been glyphosate-tolerant, with the exception in areas that grow conventional soybeans for the food market. But LibertyLink glufosinate-tolerant soybeans are being planted on some acres and Monsanto plans to... Read More
How often do you check to make sure tire air pressure is appropriate for the tire type and conditions? Higher inflation can increase compaction and reduce soil productivity, as was demonstrated at the Ag in Motion show at Langham, Sask. this week. As Michelin's Mike Pantaleo explains in this video, they dug two soil pits,... Read More
When soybean aphids start multiplying in soybean fields, the decision to spray is typically triggered by the number of aphids found on each plant. The threshold for growers in Western Canada is usually reached when there are an average of 250 aphids per plant on 80 percent of the plants. The population should still be... Read More
If there was a "celebrity" category for machinery, Versatile's one-of-a-kind four-axle, articulated tractor might top the list. Nearly everyone who passed by it at Ag in Motion this week stopped to take or pose for a photo with "Big Roy." As part of the company's 50th anniversary celebration, Versatile unveiled the fully-restored 600 horsepower machine... Read More
Soil microbes require carbon to grow. And they're not picky where that carbon comes from. To demonstrate microbial activity as it relates to soil health, Manitoba Agriculture soil management specialist Marla Riekman and some colleagues buried what she calls "an indicator material" in various locations this spring. Their material of choice: cotton, specifically the soft,... Read More
"Herbicide layering" looks to be an effective approach to managing hard-to-control cleavers in pulses. As Eric Johnson, weed scientist at the University of Saskatchewan, explains in this Pulse School episode, herbicide layering is the application of different modes of action sequentially. It usually involves a pre-seed soil-applied herbicide, such as sulfentrazone, ethalflurolin or pyroxasulfone, ,... Read More
Mobile phones have become an essential piece of equipment on most North American farms. A study just completed by Ipsos underlines what we've seen here at Real Agriculture — how farmers have fallen in love with and come to rely on their smartphones, even more than the general public. The research firm found over 80... Read More
Pea aphids populations have been reaching problematic levels in some parts of the Prairies over the last few weeks. In this Pulse School episode, Dennis Lange, provincial pulse specialist in Manitoba, says they're still a concern in some areas. "We're at the stage where some of the later seeded pea fields are in the late... Read More
When Monkton, Ontario-based dairy producers Rick and Theresa Portena planned their recent expansion they decided that a 40-stall herringbone rotary milking parlour would anchor their operation. The Portenas considered milking robots but they’re big fans of parlours. They like to get the milking done as fast and efficiently as possible and they don’t like to... Read More