Growing carrots has always been a challenge. In years gone by, I had to watch my husband like a hawk or he would plant several rows of the things just because they produced so well. No amount of arguing could convince him that, come September, there was always a glut of carrots on the market. […] Read more
Stories by Freelance writer
Fear of farming shares common roots
Researcher says fostering direct, personal links among producers and consumers can help develop comfort and trust
Why do some people embrace misinformation and conspiracy theories about farming and food production and others do not? A team of American and Canadian researchers dug into this question by looking at 170 studies involving more than 158,000 participants. Their meta-analysis found that people vulnerable to misinformation and conspiracy theories share three traits. They tend […] Read more
Prairie harvest stays ahead of five-year average
Dry conditions across the region continue to leave many producers without adequate soil moisture as harvest wraps up
Harvest continues across the Prairies with completion rates continuing to surpass provincial and regional five-year averages. Producers in Alberta are 65 percent complete, a 21 percent increase compared to last week, according to the Alberta crop report released on Sept. 22. Producers in the south are nearly 91 percent finished on all crops, an increase […] Read more
Alta. fertility study focuses on heifers
Researchers look for the most effective and inexpensive ways cattle producers can select heifers for natural insemination
Breeding cattle for the commercial market can be a real crap shoot. A lot of research has gone into the fertility of bulls, given their genetic importance. However, researchers at Lakeland College are trying to offer farmers deeper insight into their breeding programs by looking at the predictive analysis of heifers. Through the Precision Ranching […] Read more
U.S. study tracks potential spread of African swine fever
African swine fever is a highly contagious hemorrhagic viral disease in pigs with a mortality that can reach 100 percent on a farm and can spread rapidly. Infected pigs may not show symptoms before they die, making transmission even more dangerous and costly. Symptoms include fever, diarrhea, vomiting, blotchy skin, loss of appetite, weakness, coughing […] Read more
Ranchers wary of scant feed supply
Prairie cattle producers are nervous heading into winter as grain harvest continues. Kyle Hebert, District 1 director for the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association and owner of Hebert Livestock Ventures, does custom silage work in the southeast corner of the province. He’s seen tonnage between three and nine tonnes per acre for barley silage this year. “We […] Read more
Senior horses may one day require end-of-life decision
Living conditions for retired horses vary widely and can be inhumane but they still need appropriate care
SASKATOON — At more than 20 years old, senior horses come with joys and challenges. Senior horses in good health can still be ridden, keep younger horses company and be used in lessons or therapeutic riding programs. Dr. Valentina Ragno, an internal medicine specialist at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, said owners of senior […] Read more
Harvest conditions favourable in most regions
Precipitation has impacted some regions and crops including malt barley that has experienced some chitting
Some Prairie grain producers had to deal with rain last week, but managed to make hay when the sun did shine. Areas in southeastern Saskatchewan and southwestern Manitoba received the most moisture, with more than 40 millimetres in the Corning, Sask., area and more than 21-24 mm in Glenboro and Arborg areas of Manitoba. Mitchell […] Read more
Farmers can select for methane-efficient cows
World-first approach could reduce a herd’s methane emissions by 20-30 per cent by 2050, help meet industry’s GHG goals
A world-leading approach to creating a methane-specific breeding index has been developed by Lactanet. Not content to wait until “sniffer” technology for measuring bovine methane emissions eventually becomes more affordable, the Canadian dairy data collection and genetics analysis organization developed the index based on milk samples. “Canada will be the first country globally to offer […] Read more
Owning young horses can be challenging
Weanlings, yearlings and two-year-olds require attention, protection and quality hay for long-term health
Canadian horse breeding ramped up during the pandemic when demand for horses increased. Now there are a lot of yearlings and two-year-olds around. Weanlings, yearlings and two-year-olds are curious, feisty and accident-prone. These young horses are particularly at risk for lacerations, eye injuries and becoming tangled in fencing. Dr. Nora Huaman Chavarria is a clinical […] Read more
