OUTLOOK, Sask. – When feeding sunflowers to cattle was discussed at a recent crop tour in Outlook, the crowd was fortunate to have Dave Christensen on hand. The professor emeritus from the University of Saskatchewan’s animal and poultry science department said various studies have been conducted dealing with how ruminants digest sunflowers. “We’ve done several […] Read more
Production — page 109
Sunflowers creep into dairy rations
Improved sunflower varieties in development
Canadian farmers are a step closer to being able to grow Clearfield sunflowers, which could give them the advantage of herbicide-tolerant varieties. BASF Canada Inc. recently received the final regulatory approvals from Ottawa to pursue the development of Clearfield sunflowers in both oilseed and confectionary markets. However, it could still be several years before those […] Read more
Swather setup keeps organic fields clean
ASSINIBOIA, Sask. – Dwayne Woolhouse originally cut weeds on his organic farm with a swather. “We tried it both ways,” the Assinboia farmer said. “If we had the canvases on, we ended up with a row down the field that would kill the crop out. With the canvases off, (the weeds) piled on the table […] Read more
Soil testing can increase profits
Soil testing can improve a farm’s bottom line. It can prevent a grower from underfertilizing, which leads to lower yields, or it might suggest less fertilizer use and so reduce the cost of production. Yet a recent poll shows only 51 percent of Saskatchewan farmers do some testing every year. The number is higher in […] Read more
New Products
Lawn mowers Massey Ferguson’s ZT29 and ZT33 hydrostatic drive grass mowers are ideal for farms and ranches with large areas of lawn. The riding mowers are designed for maximum rider comfort and include high back seats, arm rests, seatbelts and a standard roll-over protection system. The mower can be raised to a 90 degree position […] Read more
Wilt alfalfa before silaging
The high protein content in ensiled alfalfa is not all usable by ruminant animals. In feeding and research trials, even red clover made into silage has a higher level of protein recovery in animals than alfalfa. “Factors that affect forage protein utilization in alfalfa include the speed of fermentation and rapid lowering of pH,” said […] Read more
Sunflowers show promise in Sask.
OUTLOOK, Sask. – The future is looking sunny for sunflowers in Saskatchewan, says a Saskatoon-based Agriculture Canada researcher who co-ordinates sunflower variety testing in the province. “Up to 1983, all the testing for sunflower variety registration was done by the Manitoba Sunflower Committee,” Cliff Powlowski said during a recent tour at the Irrigation Crop Diversification […] Read more
Crop is top money maker, says grower
OUTLOOK, Sask. – At the Irrigation Crop Diversification Corp. centre’s recent tour in Outlook, Jim Thorson told attendees that sunflowers are either first or second when it comes to money-making crops on his farm. “Sunflowers have been an interesting crop on our farm,” said Thorson, who is chair of the Saskatchewan Sunflower Committee. “I’ve had […] Read more
Out of sight can’t be out of mind
Grain quality cannot be improved during storage. Grain improperly harvested and dried will remain of low quality no matter how well it is stored. The main objective of proper grain storage is to maintain the quality that existed immediately after harvesting and drying. In cereal grain, a loss in quality and quantity during storage is […] Read more
New Products
Fertilizer line Case IH has unveiled a new line of fertilizer placement implements. The NTX5310 Strip-Till System is designed to maximize nutrient intake and reduce runoff in minimum or no-till situations. It offers minimum till producers a nutrient application option for wet, cold spring conditions. By banding fertilizer into the root zone, the fertilizer is […] Read more
