Alberta Agriculture has developed a tip sheet containing best management practices for disinfecting farm machinery to prevent the spread of clubroot between canola fields. Basic sanitation Remove soil and plant debris from equipment by scraping clumps off before leaving the field. Clean residual soil and debris from surfaces by using compressed air, steam or by […] Read more
Production
Clean machine keeps clubroot at bay
New Products
Combine header MacDon’s FD70 FlexDraper combine header won an ASABE AE50 award last year. The units are available in 30, 35 and 40 foot sizes and can increase a combine’s productivity by up to 30 percent over traditional headers. A new system of balanced linkage for the three section frame reduces ground friction for better […] Read more
Switchgrass all talk, little action
Switchgrass has become one of the buzzwords of the biofuel industry, especially in light of the growing food versus fuel debate. Interest in the crop has been building since U.S. president George Bush mentioned it in his 2006 state of the union address as a potential feedstock for cutting edge ethanol production. The perennial crop […] Read more
Ag facts
A beetle that jumps like a flea Flea beetles cost North American producers $300 to $500 million a year in lost production, according to the Canola Council of Canada and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The tiny insects have powerful rear legs that allow them to spring away when disturbed. They feed on plants within […] Read more
Big drill demands big hydraulics
Transcona, Man. – Horsepower is not the same thing as hydraulic power, a lesson some people are learning this spring as they hook their new upsized air cart to their reliable old tractor. “There are thousands of 4 x 4 tractors out there with extra horsepower to pull a bigger drill, but they don’t have […] Read more
Drill makers say hydraulic capacity essential
Norbert and Pat Beaujot are considered the two main origins of the hydraulic dilemma. Norbert owns Seed Master, a company that manufactures air drills up to 90 feet. Pat owns Seed Hawk, the company that manufactures air drills up to 84 feet. A trickle down trend started when prairie farmers began buying the Beaujot brothers’ […] Read more
Quality sprayer water getting harder to find
Farmers in some areas, especially in southeastern Saskatchewan and southwestern Manitoba, may have to look farther afield this season for clean, clear water to fill sprayer tanks. However, with the dry, cool weather so far this year, some farmers might get away without having to spray at all. In Manitoba, near Melita, ground zero for […] Read more
Infrared thermometer reveals potential problem spots
TRANSCONA, Man. – In any hydraulic system, heat is generated at the precise point where power loss occurs. Find the hot spot and you’ve found the problem. Once that obvious problem is rectified, you can continue following the hydraulic lines to find other points where some degree of excess heat is generated. Those extra warm […] Read more
New Products
Windrowers MacDon’s new M Series of self propelled windrowers are designed to boost production in the field and reduce transport times. The windrowers feature MacDon’s patented dual direction technology, which allows a 180 degree rotation of the operator station for stability on the road. The M Series windrowers have a top field speed of 25.7 […] Read more
Long row to hoe to get money tree
St. Clements, Man. – The prospect of an environmentally friendly biomass tree farm that annually returns $60 to $80 per acre holds a certain attraction, especially considering that each planting is good for 15 to 20 years. However, the equipment is highly specialized and not easily available. In fact, when it comes to harvest, the […] Read more
