An American government scientist has developed an infant formula for calves that may help them fight infection from salmonella and other microbes, especially during stressful times. The dietary supplement alters calves’ immunity enough to help them cope with transport stress, which appears to be among the worst sources of stress early in an animal’s life. […] Read more
Production
Anti-stress formula gives calves a boost
New Products
Fencing machine The Spool Mule wire fence installer is designed to handle spools of wire, allowing the operator to unspool and stretch wire with ease. It attaches to a skid steer or can be adapted to the three-point hitch of a tractor. The Spool Mule can spool out a two metre roll of page wire, […] Read more
Wasted nitrogen, wasted dollars
Nitrogen management tests indicate that excess nitrogen fertilizer not only costs more on the input side, but can also force a drop in yield. The research, conducted by the Northeast Agricultural Research Foundation, or NARF, in Melfort, Sask., documented the economic impact of putting 100 pounds of nitrogen per acre on spring wheat. The test […] Read more
Device improves mapping of nitrogen needs
Five producers in the Melfort, Sask., area have field-scale GreenSeeker projects on their own farms. Their goals and what they seek to accomplish with the device is as varied as the farms themselves. While some see an immediate payback, others see the GreenSeeker as just one piece of a giant puzzle that goes by the […] Read more
Keeping eye on nitrogen saves money
Bill Raun has dedicated the past 14 years of his career to converting plant-nitrogen data into practical information that wheat growers on the northern Great Plains can use to manage their crops. “We regularly put $10-$20 per acre into a guy’s pocket every year if he puts the N-rich test strip in each field and […] Read more
How to purify problematic well water – Water Clinic
Q: I read your article in the Western Producer titled “Arsenic in water supply not to be treated lightly.” I was wondering if you could let me know what is the best way economically and reliably purify well water. Our well was drilled about four years ago but has yet to be used. We recently […] Read more
Syrup business taps into local trees
KAMSACK, Sask. Ñ Allen Bennett has spent the last nine years building a maple syrup processing business on his family’s farm near Kamsack. Starting with 77 home-made taps the first year, Bennett expects to have around 25,000 taps drawing sap from Manitoba maple trees this spring. Less than 20 percent of those taps will be […] Read more
Nebraska Tractor Test still pulling for farmer
When Nebraska farmer W.F. Crozier bought a new tractor in 1918, he had no idea what kind of mechanism he was kick-starting. After a few acres, Crozier figured his new tractor didn’t live up to the advertised claims. But, of course, he had no way of proving it. History books point out that Crozier was […] Read more
New Products
Organic fertilizer Alfalfa Green soil nutrient is made from 100 percent dehydrated alfalfa. It contains natural nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and calcium, as well as various naturally occurring micronutrients. The weed-free, non-toxic, environmentally friendly fertilizer is ideal for organic field plots and garden projects and is safe around children and pets. It decomposes quickly and is […] Read more
System uses waste more efficiently
A new way to treat waste water from hog production may benefit hog producers and the environment. Researchers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and companies in the United States, Spain and Japan were satisfied with the system’s performance during a recent year-long evaluation, in which brown waste water from a lagoon was converted into […] Read more
