Production — page 169

Grain probe With bins emptying out before the end of the crop year, it’s a good time for producers thinking of installing a remote grain probe to shop around. Probes are designed to ease the job of testing the moisture of grain in a bin. Instead of climbing a ladder with a pail and probing […] Read more

Footrot trial under way A new vaccine called Volar is available to treat footrot. A trial now under way on bulls in Saskatchewan community pastures is designed to find out if there is value in adding it to a regular vaccination program. Volar is a product of Bayer, which donated enough vaccine for 400 bulls […] Read more

Lack of phosphorus is frequently the most limiting nutrient in alfalfa production in Western Canada, reducing yield, quality and longevity of the crops. A recent study has found an inoculant called Provide can help make more phosphorus available, but it is not a substitute for a long-term phosphorus-fertilization program. The project supported by Saskatchewan Agriculture […] Read more

ATV attachment Four-wheel-drive all terrain vehicles are becoming the workhorse of many farms. Darin Hubscher, a Swan River, Man. farmer, has invented a four-foot, seven shank cultivator attachment with spring-loaded harrows for ATVs. It’s designed for cultivating in shelterbelts, gardens and yards. Called the Quadivator it hitches to ATVs with a simple drop-in pin and […] Read more

Grain monitor Agton Enterprises of Saskatoon has introduced a new grain loss monitor to its product line. The monitor keeps an electronic eye on harvesting operations, helping the combine operator fine-tune settings and minimize losses. It has a needle-type indicator, a sieve/walker selector and sensitivity control. The impact sensors can be mounted on sieve, walker […] Read more

The Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute in Humboldt, Sask. has completed a study of seeding lightweight grasses with air seeders. The system can be problematic because if seed in the tank bridges, the seed might not flow through the metering system, there can be high variation in seed flow rates to each opener and variations in […] Read more

New grain vacuum acts like an auger By Michael Raine Western Producer staff REGINA, Sask. – Grain vacuums have graced farms for more than two decades, often in a love-hate relationship with farmers. They’ve earned their reputation as a handy supplement to the grain auger, but have been criticized for being too slow for hauling […] Read more

The Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute is studying hay maceration with a prototype machine. Maceration shreds stems of forage crops and presses the material into a thin mat, PAMI says. The mat is placed onto the cut stubble for natural air drying. It differs from traditional crop condition in several ways: The windrow is wider and […] Read more

Not all mould is fusarium The mould turning up on some spring combined grain in Alberta is not fusarium head blight or tombstone disease, says Leuan Evans, plant disease specialist with Alberta Agriculture. The moulds are mostly harmless fungi that can reduce the feed value of grain and make it less palatable to livestock, but […] Read more

Bin probe and garbage wagon G.O. Welding and Manufacturing has developed a new bin probe that provides a sample from inside the bin without the operator having to climb a ladder. The Easy Probe is 1.5 metres (60 inches) long and is tilted in the bin at a 45 degree angle, which means the end […] Read more