Natural insecticide
A new insecticide approved for use in stored grain has been approved by Health Canada and by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Protect-It, produced by HTI Agritech Inc., is available for the 1996 season. The product is based on diatomaceous earth, a naturally occurring dust comprised of the tiny fossilized skeletons of microscopic marine algae. Protect-It is non-toxic. It absorbs the waxy protective layer on insects so they die of dehydration. It can be applied as a dust or spray and requires only safety precautions normally used in dusty conditions.
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HTI Agritech estimates the cost of treating a bin at .2 to .3 cents per bushel of bin capacity, or $20 to $30 for a 10,000 bushel bin.
It can be applied through bin aeration systems or by spraying structure walls where infestation is severe. If Protect-It remains dry, it provides long-term control. Approval of the product for use in various commodities may vary among regions, but HTI Agritech said Protect-It can be used in wheat, rye, beans, corn, rice, sorghum, barley, soybeans sunflower, oats, peas and birdseed. It will kill a variety of insects including rusty grain beetles, flat grain beetles, saw-toothed grain beetles, granary weevils and pea weevils.
In Canada it is available from Saskatchewan Wheat Pool and Manitoba Pool Elevators farm service centres. Contact: HTI Agritech Inc., 1540-800 W. Pender Street, Vancouver, B.C. V6C 2V6; tel. 1-888-476-4473; fax 604-685-6039.
Bale-wrapping baler
Hesston has expanded its hay equipment line in response to trends toward baling silage and high moisture crops. The BW40 and BW45 bale wrappers can handle either round or square bales with diameter and length of five feet (1.5 metres) and weighing up to 2,600 pounds (1,170 kilograms).
The BW40 features a rotating platform on a three-point mounted frame and uses tractor hydraulics for its operations. A rotating table turns the bale and plastic film is applied at up to 22 revolutions per minute.
The self-loading BW45 has a stationary platform with rotating rollers. As the bale turns on the rollers, a rotating arm circles the bale to seal it in film. A programmable control unit allows the operator to wrap each bale the same number of times, with equal overlap.
Contact: An AGCO Hesston dealer.
Feed processor
J-Star Industries has developed an optional Hay Saw processor for use on its Oswalt feed mixer line, designed to process bales of long-stemmed hay without other processing equipment. The unit is available on most new Oswalt models and can be fitted on many existing models. It is built with abrasion-resistant steel and installed in a continuous ribbon on the leading edge of the two bottom augers. As hay is pulled into the lower augers, an even sawing action cuts through the hay. As the auger turns, it processes the hay and mixes it with other feed. By regulating the processing time, farmers can control particle length of the ration. The option package for the Hay Saw also includes a seven-gauge steel liner and heavy-duty hay bar.
Contact: J-Star Industries, 801 Janesville Ave., Fort Atkinson Wi. U.S.A. 53538; tel. 414-563-5521.
