Production — page 167

Facts on bison grazing Bison are a relatively common sight on the Prairie, albeit behind fences. They arrived as a form of specialized livestock with their reputation intact. Because they are the original grazers of the prairie, they are environmentally friendly. It is said bison won’t overgraze. This is a misconception, said Brant Kirychuk, rangeland […] Read more

Application system option Morris Industries has introduced variable rate technology as an option for its 7000 series air carts. The system is designed to allow farmers to vary the application rate of fertilizer or seed from the tractor cab with the press of a button. Application rates can be altered on-the-go in increments of five […] Read more

Forming fall weaning plan Calf weaning and post-weaning strategy differs from farm to farm. “Pasture and feed supplies play a major role in deciding when to wean,” said Trevor Yurchak, beef specialist with Alberta Agriculture. “If producers have a surplus of excellent quality pasture, late weaning can pay. Average or poor pasture may not provide […] Read more

Green dust a problem Some Saskatchewan farmers have noticed clouds of green dust emerging from the backs of the combines with some settling on the cutting bar. This green cloud is usually composed of spores from non-pathogenic fungi growing on stems and leaves in the swath, said Michael Celetti, plant disease specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture. […] Read more

Utility post Baygard has introduced a new utility post for use in electric fencing, as driveway markers and as stakes for trees and garden plants. The Super-T is made of PVC plastic and comes in four, five and six-foot lengths. For more information write Baygard at 6 Holtby Ave., Brampton, Ont., L6X 2M1, or phone […] Read more

Insect catcher Farnam Co. has introduced the decorative Fly Inn, an insecticide-free fly control product for indoor use. The insect traps are triangular shaped containers with sticky interiors. They are placed at the bottom corner of a window. Flies and other insects get trapped in the corner of the unit, out of sight. The disposable […] Read more

Planning next year’s calf crop Creep feeding, pregnancy testing and early weaning will pay for themselves by eliminating open cows and late calving in the future, said Jim Armstrong, livestock agrologist with Saskatchewan Agriculture in Tisdale. Other benefits of these practices include reduced winter feed costs for the cow, and higher returns for a more […] Read more

Natural lighting Aurora Lite Systems has introduced a new way to funnel sunlight into buildings. The Sun-Lite is a tube that brings natural light into any building. It is made from reflective aluminum pipe. A reflector mounted above the roof directs light down the tube into a translucent dome that diffuses it through the interior. […] Read more

Growing winter wheat Winter wheat is an excellent option for many southern prairie farmers, but if they are considering the crop, they should seed soon. It can out-yield spring wheat by up to 20 percent. Winter wheat is seeded in the fall and harvested earlier than spring wheat. In the crop rotation, it spreads out […] Read more

All in good taste The question of whether grazing sheep on spurge affects the taste and quality of the meat is often raised, so a test was set up to compare sheep grazing spurge to animals with no spurge in their diets. The test consisted of eight mature ewes, four from a bluegrass pasture and […] Read more