A little Swedish robot that automatically drives itself around a barn while pressure washing and disinfecting was the star attraction at Hog & Poultry Days in Winnipeg. Dubbed the Clever Cleaner by its inventors, the robot was developed to remove people from the unpleasant and unhealthy job of cleaning livestock facilities, especially hog barns. The […] Read more
Production — page 80
Robot does the dirty work
Farm to raise breeding stock for Monsanto
Faced with ever-tightening margins in commercial pig production, Peter and Shirley Voldeng, owners of Fairway Farms in Naicam, Sask., may have found a way out. By teaming up with Monsanto Choice Genetics to produce purebred Genepacker females for commercial swine producers across North America, the Voldengs hope to avoid the endless race to the bottom […] Read more
Recycled material keeps hay high and dry
CARSTAIRS, Alta. – When Jim Klys bought a hay truck with a 30 foot deck and didn’t have room to put it in the shop, he decided to put up a building for it. He set one up using recycled oilfield tubing and a canvas cover. “My neighbour Richard Schmidt has been in the oilfield […] Read more
New Products
Diesel Gator The John Deere Gator TH 6×4 Diesel delivers performance in a stable, turf-friendly 6×4 configuration. The 854 cc Yanmar diesel engine gives the new Gator 30 percent more displacement than the previous Gator 6×4 Diesel. It delivers approximately 20 percent more maximum torque, with a top speed of 20 mph. Capacities include a […] Read more
Bigger is better
While a high level of milk production is an important aspect of the operation at Prairie Diamond Farms near Balgonie, Sask., Jennifer Strudwick says the conformation of the cattle is just as important. “Our cows aren’t small. The average sized cow is probably 1,400 pounds and 59 or 60 inches tall at the withers. Some […] Read more
Fresh food not just for people
Keeping fresh feed in front of the cows is an important aspect of top milk production on the Prairie Diamond Farm near Balgonie. The cows get milked at 5 a.m. and about 4:15 p.m., but feed is given to the cows throughout the day. “We spend a lot of time in the barn and when […] Read more
From farm to fridge
When fresh milk leaves a dairy farm, it can end up in a range of food products, including cheese, sour cream, ice cream, yogurt, butter or milk. But because it’s highly perishable, quality control measures greet it at every turn. “It’s tested for butterfat, protein and inhibitors before it even goes into the plant itself. […] Read more
New Products
Apache sprayer Equipment Technologies has launched the 2007 AS 710 self-propelled sprayer. It features a 750 gallon tank, 155 horsepower, six-cylinder engine and JCB four-speed power shift, torque-converted transmission. The 155 hp, six-cylinder diesel engine, efficient mechanical drive train, and lightweight design combine to offer low fuel consumption and a good power-to-weight ratio, according to […] Read more
Custom plow installs pasture pipelines
LAKE ALMA, Sask. – A dry spring in south-central Saskatchewan this year, forced many farmers to start a search for new water supplies. Yet there was no pasture pipeline plow available in the area. So Wayne Hagen, who ranches near Lake Alma and operates Hagen Manufacturing out of his farm shop, decided to build one. […] Read more
Meeting criteria critical for $9 specialty canola
WINNIPEG – The recent ban on trans fats by the City of New York may not, in itself, create a huge increase in canola oil consumption. However, the New York law has triggered a public focus on the problems associated with trans fats which could lead to more demand for healthier oils. Before Canadian canola […] Read more
