Deborah Haines and her partners are milking the cattle market to build their business. From humble beginnings in labs and basements, Saskatoon Colostrum Co. Ltd. now fills a former agricultural sprayer warehouse in Saskatoon’s north end. “It’s been a lot of work. If we knew how much work, we probably never would have done it,” […] Read more
Stories by Michael Raine
Equipment makers in buying mood
Some prairie agricultural manufacturers are in acquisition mode. Bourgault Industries Ltd. of St. Brieux, Sask., has bought bale processor manufacturer Highline Manufacturing Inc. of Vonda, Sask. And MacDon Industries Ltd. of Winnipeg is exploring the purchase of Saskatoon-based Precision Metal Fabricating’s harvest equipment line. The Bourgault-Highline deal will leave Highline intact in Vonda with the […] Read more
Barn vents withstand cold
New ideas in rooftop ventilation don’t come along that often, but a Saskatchewan company thinks it has one. Mackay Equipment of Saskatoon and SKOV A/S of Glyngøre, Denmark, have worked together to create a new ceiling vent for the worldwide market. Bringing fresh air into livestock barns sounds easy enough, until extremely cold weather is […] Read more
Retina reveals age
Alberta Agriculture has begun a project to determine an animal’s age by the look in its eyes and mouth. Photographing an animal’s retina produces an unerring identification, when a digital image of the eye’s rear surface is securely stored and made computer traceable. Unlike tags, the eye will not fall off. A retinal record provides […] Read more
Study compares generic, brand name ivermectin
The manufacturer of Ivomec has hired a research scientist to examine how its popular livestock insecticide stacks up against the generic competition. Merial has hired Rob Rew of Westchester, Connecticut, to more extensively reproduce a University of Arkansas study that questioned the long-term effectiveness of significantly cheaper generic ivermectin products when compared to more expensive, […] Read more
Assessing frost damage takes patience
Assessing spring frost damage is an art as well as a science, agrologists say. Although frosts can come in any month, those that arrive shortly after seeding create difficult assessments and choices for producers. Frost injury to plant tissue occurs when ice forms inside the tissues and threatens cellular structures. At 0 C, water surrounding […] Read more
Thermometer first tool in cattle checkup
The old Far Side cartoon goes like this: Horse diagnosis for veterinarians Ð broken leg: shoot; bad foot: shoot; sore eye: shoot; etc. When it comes to cattle producers performing pasture diagnosis, veterinarians say the practice of shooting penicillin is nearly as comical. “Got a sick animal? Give it a shot of penicillin. If nothing […] Read more
Time grazing with grass peaks
Not all grasses are created equal and maximizing the potential of each is a matter of taking advantage of their seasonal growth traits. Producers too often measure their grass pastures in acres rather than varietal productivity. Different varieties yield more or less at various points in the season. Some get their growing out of the […] Read more
Plants get tough with hardy gene
A University of Saskatchewan researcher hopes a gene that enables bromegrass to thrive in tough, prairie conditions will create faster maturing, higher yielding transgenic crops. U of S plant scientist Larry Gusta expected to have a deal signed with a corporate partner this week to use the Rob-5 gene, which is responsible for bromegrass’s hardiness […] Read more
Keep heart of seed drill pumping
There’s no room for hot air when talking about air cart servicing, says Clint Rousell of CNH’s Flexi-Coil division in Saskatoon. Rousell, who trains mechanics and farmers about CNH air seeding equipment, said too little attention is paid to seeding equipment “unless it fails us loudly.” He told producers attending the Canola Council of Canada’s […] Read more
