Dementia care in rural communities has its challenges, but a leading researcher says there are ways communities can help those affected. Anthea Innes of Bournemouth University in Poole, England, said dementia can’t be prevented but it can be slowed. “Things that are good for your heart are also good for your brain,” she told delegates […] Read more
Stories by Robyn Tocker
Safety program targets young farmers
A farm safety program is focusing on younger producers. Carolyn Sheridan, the clinical director of AgriSafe, told the Safety and Health in Agricultural and Rural Populations (SHARP) conference in Saskatoon Oct. 20 that the AgriSafe network’s overall goal is to support the growing network of trained health-care providers and safety workers. “It’s so that people […] Read more
Fewer hunting licences, shorter season as deer populations decline
White-tailed and mule deer populations are declining across much of the Prairies. An estimated 49 percent decrease in white-tailed deer numbers in Saskatchewan has prompted the government to change the length of the hunting season, while mule deer numbers have dropped to 22,000 from 43,000 in 2001. Several severe winters in the province have been […] Read more
Trees provide inside story
A Saskatchewan researcher hopes shelter belts can help determine the future of trees on the Prairies. Professor Colin Laroque from the University of Saskatchewan’s soil sciences department has been part of the Agricultural Greenhouse Gas project for the past four years. He and his team of undergraduate students have explored farms across Saskatchewan, looking at […] Read more
Mellow music puts hens in the mood for laying
Happy Egg Co. creates CD | Research shows that hens prefer to lay eggs in nests where classical music is playing
A study conducted by researchers at the University of Bristol found that hens seem to prefer classical music when laying eggs. The study was commissioned on a whim, says a spokesperson for the Happy Egg Co., just to see if there were any positive benefits. “We wanted to see if it would help them feel […] Read more
European retrofit reduces spray drift
Wingssprayer | Dutch producer and designer Harrie Hoeben says attachment allows farmers to spray with finer droplets
A European sprayer is based on the idea that smaller is better. Dutch producer Harrie Hoeben said he thought up the Wingssprayer after the government focused on reducing spray drift by four percent. Producers started spraying larger droplets to meet the goal. “That’s why I started to think about ways to change the equipment so […] Read moreStolen cattle found after six years
RCMP from Biggar, Sask., have located cattle that went missing in 2008. Police executed a search warrant Sept. 18 at a rural fenced pasture in the Rural Municipality of Glenside. A week earlier, on Sept. 11, they had received a complaint from Livestock Services of Saskatchewan that stolen cattle were grazing in a herd in […] Read more
Discovery may protect young bees from varroa mites
New strategy | Researcher says varroa mites could be tricked into attacking older forager bees
A British Columbia researcher has helped figured out how to redirect varroa mites’ interest from younger nurse bees to older forager bees. Erika Plettner, an insect researcher from Simon Fraser University, said the discovery won’t eradicate the mites, but the chemical compounds that mimic natural odorants from plants can confuse the mites enough to choose […] Read morePOS Pilot Plant receives federal funding
The federal government announced a $504,000 investment into the POS Pilot Plant earlier today. This money will be used for new equipment needed to provide services to those in the biotech and biofuel companies. POS has also invested an additional $554,000. “We are ensuring that Canadian companies have an edge in developing and commercializing their […] Read more
Musk ox sighting in northern Man. could be good news for species
Wandering south from Nunavut Manitoba conservation specialist says grizzly bears, cougars, pronghorns and trumpeter swans are also making a comeback
A lone musk ox recently attracted the attention of five caribou hunters near Nejanilini Lake in northern Manitoba, but that was just the beginning of the “lonely” musk ox’s popularity. The extremely rare treat prompted people to ask why musk ox have returned since their last sighting in the early 1800s. Bill Watkins of Manitoba […] Read more
