Production — page 170

Milk monitoring system Alfa Laval Agri Inc. has introduced a portable take-off electronic milk monitoring system for tie-stall barns. The Advisor manages herd production by providing information such as milk yield, flow and time. It is designed to be accurate to within 10 percent of each animal’s daily production level It records milking time for […] Read more

Sand cracks Heredity and nutrition are often implicated as causes of sand cracks, which make cows lame and can lead to premature culling of stock. But Jim Armstrong, livestock agrologist with Saskatchewan Agriculture in Tisdale, suspects there may also be a strong link with selenium toxicity. “Selenium supplementation came to the front when research showed […] Read more

Post hole digger Worksaver has introduced a new post hole digger. The model 300 is compatible with most 14 to 24 horsepower tractors equipped with a category 0 three-point hitch and 540 r.p.m. power takeoff. It handles 30-inch augers with six, nine and 12-inch diameters and features a lever that allows the operator to adjust […] Read more

Strawberry and garlic exports? The Prairies might soon become a source of strawberry and garlic plants for California. Horticulturists from the University of Saskatchewan have found the total yield of Saskatchewan-grown strawberry plants, when planted in test plots at the University of California at Davis, increased by 11 to 19 percent. The early yields of […] Read more

Mower-conditioner New Holland has introduced a centre pivot-tongue mower-conditioner called the Discbine. The cutterbar, which is driven from both ends, features 10 small-diameter, modular disc cutting units for a 13-foot cut. The model 1431 has a cutting disc profile and crop lifters to give smooth crop flow to the conditioning rolls. The 102-inch chevron-design conditioner […] Read more

Controlling ground squirrels When it comes to controlling ground squirrels, the earlier the better. “Removing adult animals in early spring has the advantage of eliminating up to six times as many animals that otherwise would appear later in the year,” said John Bourne, pest prevention and management specialist with Alberta Agriculture. Poison baits are the […] Read more

Cause of bloating The high nutrition value of legumes such as white clover and alfalfa means they are used extensively in the dairy and red meat industries. But these legumes can cause bloat, a problem that costs up to $150 million a year in Canada. Bloat is caused by production of a stable foam in […] Read more

Utility blades Leon-Ram Enterprises Inc. has introduced two new utility rear blades. The units have adjustable angle, tilt and offset. The Model 30 is designed for use with tractors with p.t.o.s of up to 30 horsepower. The blades, which come in four, five and six-foot widths, have a cutting edge of one-quarter inch by three […] Read more

Field pea magic Pea magic is the improved yield that can occur for the crop following field peas in rotation. New Agriculture Canada studies show it is due mainly to the nitrogen contribution of the pulse crop rather than to effects associated with rotations such as reduced severity of pests and diseases. The information comes […] Read more

Combine turbo boosts efficiency An Australian company has introduced a new combine option via a new Saskatchewan company. Developed in Australia, the Grain Turbo has been sold there for three years. Today, 250 of the units are in use there and reports by Australian agricultural engineering firms have been positive. Grain Turbo forces a stream […] Read more