Side-by-side in Brad Graham’s field stand two LibertyLink 5440 canola plants. One of them is visibly burned and dying after a recent glyphosate application. The other one is still tall, vigorous and already forming seed pods, well ahead of the immature plants from a reseeded second crop of the same variety that surrounds it. What […] Read more
Stories by Daniel Winters
Tricked-out breathalyzer tests seed quality
Germinating seeds, like boozy pub patrons, emit ethyl alcohol. And just like overimbibers, the more fumes they give off, the less dependable they are. Now, a seed quality test kit that measures ethyl alcohol emissions is ready after nearly a decade of experimentation, said Wayne Buckley, a research scientist at Agriculture Canada’s Brandon Research Centre. […] Read more
Follow canola with cereals: fertility expert
Canola is an effective phosphorus user – maybe too effective as far as crops that come after it in a rotation are concerned. Recent studies have found a link between the interactions of soil microbes known as mycorrhizal fungi and the root systems of plants such as corn, flax and soybeans. To tap the nutrients […] Read more
Slaughter capacity clouds hog futures outlook
Hog futures prices are trending steadily higher into 2009 but don’t rule out the risk of a 1998-style “price disaster” in this year’s fourth quarter, says a University of Missouri agricultural economics professor. In a recent market outlook paper, Ron Plain and colleague Glenn Grimes ruminated on the odds that the record hog supply ready […] Read more
Lack of COOL info keeps turmoil swirling in markets
Confusion in the Canadian cattle industry is unlikely to be resolved for at least the next 18 months, says the latest market analysis by livestock broker Rick Wright. Record-high corn and barley prices and oil at nearly $150 per barrel has raised the cost of gain to $1.05 per pound on a 750 lb. steer, […] Read more
Buy inputs now, farmers urged
When is anhydrous ammonia cheap at $1,300 per tonne? Answer: Maybe now, because some are suggesting that it could soar to as high as $2,000 a tonne by next spring. Palpable fear was in the air when the subject came up during last week’s Keystone Agricultural Producers general meeting in Brandon. Robert McLean, vice-president of […] Read more
Hogs raised outside prone to parasites
Allowing hogs to root around outdoors could lead to a resurgence of historically significant parasites, says an American researcher. Hogs confined in close quarters are more susceptible to infectious disease and need to be treated with antibiotics, but that practice has been blamed for causing the proliferation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. However, Wondwossen Gebreyes of Ohio […] Read more
Less water, fewer ducks
Dry spring weather has hit prairie duck populations hard. This year’s Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey, which covered most of the prairie pothole region as well as boreal and eastern areas, estimated that total duck numbers had fallen nine percent to 37.3 million from 41.2 million last year. However, the survey noted that the […] Read more
Barn fires spark call for building codes
Three large barn fires that have killed almost 30,000 hogs this year have sparked discussions about whether construction codes should be applied to large industrial farms. Manitoba deputy fire commissioner Mike Jones said that in the coming weeks the Office of the Fire Commissioner (OFC) will hold talks with key stakeholders, including Keystone Agricultural Producers, […] Read more
Failed Pigeon King leaves few assets
What did it take for Arlan Galbraith, the self-styled Pigeon King, to build an empire worth millions? About 1,000 contractors and unsecured creditors who are owed $23 million might be interested to know. According to a statement of affairs posted on-line by bankruptcy trustee BDO Dunwoody, besides a staff of 16, Galbraith ran his pigeon […] Read more
