Post-harvest spray applications are an effective way to deal with hard-to-control perennial and winter annual weeds like Canadian thistle, foxtail barley and dandelion. But, whether you're dealing with frost, labour shortages or incredibly dry conditions, spraying in the fall can be a challenge. A dry fall can not only limit the active growth of weeds,... Read More
Category: Video
With good lodging resistance, early seeding and marketing flexibility, it's no wonder faba bean acres continue to rise in Alberta. And with harvest nearing completion, those faba bean stalks are starting to fall, leaving many a smiling farmer in their wake. "By now a lot of the faba beans have started to come off," said... Read More
The Five Nations Beef Alliance (FNBA) met in Australia for their annual conference. Tours and introductions began in Brisbane, then gradually migrated towards Cairns, where the conference concluded. Some of the topics discussed at the FNBA meetings, included discussions around: the letter of support for a comprehensive Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, Country of Origin Labelling, consumer... Read More
Phil Needham's main message for anyone aiming for maximum wheat yields is always to pay most attention to the actual seeding pass. The potential of any crop is established at seeding and emergence, and achieving maximum potential requires quality seed, high seeding rates and the all-important precise seed placement. Several types of drills will do... Read More
There's a lot you can learn from late season scouting of canola. Not only is this prime insect feeding time, it's also when disease development reaches its peak. Prematurely ripened areas in a field should be a giant red flag to any farmer or agronomist. What are you looking for? It could be sclerotinia, blackleg,... Read More
Abiotic — or "nonliving" — stresses can cause significant yield loss in canola. And, unfortunately, symptoms like sterile and distorted pods, flower blast and pale petals are not unique to one stressor, making misdiagnosis very common. For example, extreme heat, nutrient deficiency and herbicide injury can all result in very similar damage in canola plants.... Read More
Trichomaniasis and vibriosis are infectious diseases that cause infertility in cattle as a result of embryonic death. Cows will often abort within the first 90 days of pregnancy, making it difficult to detect. One of the few signs of infection is a higher than average number of cows coming back into service in late fall,... Read More
Versatile unveiled the ML series air drills in 2012. These drills features technology that incorporates: "Accurate seed placement with Level, Independent openers for uncompromised Vertical Emergence of crops," or, "ALIVE" technology. The drills focus on providing an accurate and consistent seed placement based on the angle of the parallel linkage on the gauge wheels compared... Read More
The decision to swath or straight-cut is one you will ultimately have to make on your own. It may depend on a multitude of factors: the number of people available to help, the plant stand, how many acres you have to harvest etc. etc. But, what if you gave it a shot? Would you commit... Read More
The benefits of growing winter wheat are vast. In addition to providing an efficient use of both early and late-season moisture, winter wheat also creates habitat for upland birds, decreases soil erosion, reduces the need for pesticides (and also the selection pressure for herbicide-resistance in weed populations) and increases the diversity of a crop rotation.... Read More