No ‘quick fix’ for DON
Although the incidence of fusarium head blight is not as widespread as in 1993, some swine producers may be faced with feeding wheat with high levels of the associated mycotoxin, DON. Levels above one to two parts per million in complete feed can reduce feed intake and pig performance.
Hydrated sodium aluminum silicate is being marketed in Manitoba as a possible de-toxifying agent. HSAS is sold under a variety of brand names and is used in the feed industry as an anti-caking agent. It appears effective at binding aflatoxin, a mycotoxin common in the United States, but HSAS is not effective in binding significant amounts of DON.
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Recent research has shown that the addition of one percent HSAS (10 kg per tonne) did not improve the performance of pigs fed diets containing up to 6.8 ppm of DON.
There is no “quick fix” to detoxify DON. Producers should blend contaminated grain.
– Manitoba Swine Update
Flax shives for weed control
Survival of a shelterbelt is dependent on weed control, especially during establishment years. Weeds reduce survival and growth of trees through competition for moisture, nutrients and light. In the past, weeds have been controlled by mechanical and chemical means.
Another option is using flax shives for mulch. Flax shives are a byproduct of processing flax straw for fibre. The companies that process the flax have no use for the byproduct. Shives are usually burned on site or hauled away for disposal.
They are applied as a mulch around new or existing shelterbelts. Not long after applying the mulch, it compacts, forming a crust layer. This compact, dense layer preserves moisture and controls weeds.
The shelterbelt site should be prepared ahead of time by removing furrows, ridges and existing weeds. Small trees and lower limbs of larger trees should not be covered by the mulch or covered areas will smother and die. Don’t mix topsoil with the mulch, as this will encourage weed growth.
Dale Timmerman, at the Morden office of the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration, is testing flax shives as a mulch in shelterbelts near Treherne, Man. Trial consists of comparing flax shives that are five, 10 and 15 centimetres deep with a control.
Timmerman observed a dramatic increase in moisture, tree growth and weed suppression. He concluded a depth of 10-15 cm of flax shive mulch provided optimum weed control.
Rodent damage was not a problem, nor did a 70-km/h wind disturb the mulch. Studies at the PFRA Shelterbelt Centre in Indian Head, Sask., using flax shives, show similar results to the Treherne trial.
The mulch can be applied with bunk feeders, forage wagons, manure wagons or gravity boxes. Application by hand is time-consuming, but it may be feasible in a small area. Weed patches in the mulch can be controlled through spot spraying or mowing.
For more information contact the PFRA Shelterbelt Centre at (306) 695-2284 or the Morden PFRA office at (204) 822-4078.
– PFRA
