Feed barley prices have no business being where they are, based on supply-demand fundamentals, but that hasn’t quelled the rally. With prices for old crop sitting a premium over new crop, most in the industry expected old crop would gradually decline over summer and the two would eventually converge. But dry weather in southern Alberta […] Read more
Barley
Feed barley defies expectations as prices rally
Persistently dry conditions taking their toll
Colour me skeptical, but I don’t think the prairie crop will be as big as some think. Like lots of people, I was fooled last year. The crop turned out much better than expected, but abundant subsoil moisture buffered the lack of rainfall experienced by many regions during the growing season. This year, not so […] Read more
Couple shows ranching’s younger side
The Groots had limited experience but a willingness to learn when they took over the family ranch in northern B.C.
TOPLEY, B.C. — Roger and Lana Groot became full-time ranchers in 2011 with limited experience but plenty of willingness to take over the family operation at Topley. Located on Highway 16 about 275 kilometres northwest of Prince George, Hatch Creek Ranch is a showplace with a newly renovated house, tidy landscaping and neat corrals. The […] Read moreMalt barley yields closing in on feed varieties
Irrigation Crop Diversification Corp. researchers in Sask. are also looking for the best time to spray durum for fusarium
OUTLOOK, Sask. — Higher-yielding malting barley varieties could lead farmers to grow them even if they aren’t guaranteed malt quality. Agronomy research underway at several sites in Saskatchewan is comparing newer malt varieties that promise higher yields with feed varieties that do yield higher. Garry Hnatowich, research director at the Irrigation Crop Diversification Corp. in […] Read more
Semi-dwarf hemp varieties recommended
OUTLOOK, Sask. — An experienced hemp grower says first-time growers should consider semi-dwarf varieties. Larry Marshall, who farms at Shellbrook, Sask., told attendees of a recent field day at the Canada-Saskatchewan Irrigation Diversification Centre, where variety trials of hemp are being grown, that shorter crops are easier to manage. He said he noticed that the […] Read more
Good bacteria: they’re found in yogurt and silage
Researchers look at using the next generation of inoculants to help livestock producers turn silage into a probiotic
FRIEDENSFELD, Man. — With probiotics, it’s hard to separate hype from reality. Supporters claim that probiotics, products loaded with beneficial bacteria, are a cure-all for a long list of diseases. Others aren’t convinced. They believe that probiotics don’t stand up to scientific scrutiny. Nonetheless, it’s becoming common for dairy farmers and other producers to include […] Read moreCanfax report – August 2, 2018
Fed cattle prices flat Alberta direct cattle prices slid lower last week, and bids softened as the week progressed. Live trade was reported in a tighter trading range last week with prices unevenly $2.50-$5 per hundredweight lower than the previous week. Dressed sales were generally $5-$6 per cwt. lower, and the majority of last week’s […] Read more
Record canola harvest forecast
Canola could see record production this harvest, said Neil Townsend of FarmLink. The Grain World crop tour, sponsored by FarmLink Marketing Solutions, completed its annual drive through the prairie provinces July 24-26. Market analysts reviewed the information and released their projections in Saskatoon July 26. “We took canola up almost four bushels an acre (38.2 […] Read more
Cluster focuses on agronomy
A new research cluster is expected to provide a much-needed cohesive approach to multi-crop issues, say industry and government officials. The Integrated Crop Agronomy Cluster will receive as much as $9 million over five years under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership’s AgriScience program. The federal government is investing $6.3 million in funding to the Western Grains […] Read more
Prairie crop looks slightly leaner than last year
LANGHAM, Sask. — Bruce Burnett thinks the 2018 crop will be a bit smaller than the 2017 crop after touring fields across the prairie region. “Crop yields are expected to be lower than last year but not by a significant amount,” he told farmers attending the 2018 Ag in Motion show. He estimated an average […] Read more
