Manitoba Agriculture

Running a farm smoothly requires a great deal of decision making and families that are successful at it make decisions democratically. Even if there is a boss who directs the operation, successful farm enterprises share leadership and management opportunities with family members who work in the business. Communication is vital to a farm’s success. Taking […] Read more

Copper deficiencies in wheat are most obvious when swathing or dry combining the crops. Copper-deficient wheat often has stem melacrosis, or a brownish, stunted appearance. These stunted plants often occur in patches through the field. Affected plants are delayed in maturity, have small, shriveled kernels and may have greater ergot infestation than healthy wheat. This […] Read more

Fall-seeded canola and some of the early-planted spring canola has emerged, which means it’s time to assess plant stands. The plant stands for fall-seeded canola are generally quite variable and do not always follow the same plant stand recommendations as spring-planted canola. The ideal plant stand for spring canola is seven to 11 plants per […] Read more

A computer software program can help farmers keep up with new crop protection products registered each year and to plan a pest control program. The Prairie Crop Protection Planner is designed to complement the Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta Crop Protection Guides. A guide for each province is included with each program ordered. The planner was […] Read more

The decision whether to use urea or ammonia should be based on price, availability of application equipment and personal preference. But some rules for optimizing efficiency of fall fertilization remain the same. The objective is to maintain nitrogen in the ammonia form to prevent loss in spring by leaching in sandy soils or denitrification under […] Read more

Research from Denmark indicates clipping the teeth of healthy sows is not necessary. Gus Wruck, swine quality assurance specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, said in the July edition of Manitoba Swine Update that a discussion on the merits of clipping teeth in baby pigs occurred recently on a hog internet site called the Swine-L discussion group, […] Read more

Assessing an alfalfa stand in fall determines which fields are likely to suffer winter injury and allows time for spring planning. Sample plants from four representative areas of the field and use stem counts to estimate yield potential. Yields will not be limited in stands with 40 to 55 stems per sq. foot. Stands with […] Read more

Several myths about the waste from intensive livestock operations have developed, which confuse the debate about their contribution to the agricultural sector. MYTH #1 All manure lagoons stink. Odor is one of the most contentious issues of public concern with the expanding livestock industry because offensive odor is difficult to measure. A general rule for […] Read more