Reading Time: 2 minutes There was some relief for crops in Saskatchewan following sporadic showers. The provincial agriculture department said farmers are hoping for more rain to aid head and pod filling, but the weekly crop report for the week ended July 28 noted that more moisture wouldn’t help the yields for more advanced crops.
Rain aids some Saskatchewan crops
Soil moisture largely adequate
Corteva showcases new BMR silage varieties at Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show 2024
Reading Time: < 1 minute Corteva Agrisciences is showcasing its new Boltava brand of brown mid-rib silage corn hybrids at Canada's Outdoor Farm Show near Woodstock.
A ‘new’ corn trait makes for better feed
Enogen hybrid trait boosts an enzyme that enhances the breakdown of starch into sugar and increases ruminal starch digestibility in cattle
Reading Time: 5 minutes David Bekkering knows a thing or two about corn, and given the size of his operation, it only makes sense. As farm manage er of TFS Expanse, knowing how it’s grown and turned into feed goes a long way to defining success for his operation. Bekkering and his brother James run four Alberta feedlots with […] Read more
Going for nutrition rather than bushels per acre
Silage-specific corn hybrids can offer better returns in beef and milk
Reading Time: 5 minutes When commodity prices are higher than normal, it’s sometimes hard to switch gears and think about corn production using a metric other than bushels. But precision agriculture techniques can also be used to maximize feed characteristics for meat and milk production. At the 2022 edition of Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show, seed companies were distributing their […] Read more
Getting forage crops off to a good start
Weed control and fertility are among the considerations before planting tame forage
Reading Time: 4 minutes As so often in farming, the advice on the best strategy for establishing tame pastures starts with “It depends.” “When we’re talking about general establishment considerations for all uses, we really have to look at the soil type, the texture, soil pH and how rocky it is,” says Mike Witt, a farmer, professional hydrologist and […] Read more
Choosing corn hybrids specifically for silage
Leafy floury hybrids are more digestible in the silo and in the rumen
Reading Time: 5 minutes Producers know that feeding high-quality silage can improve weight gain in beef cattle and increase milk production in dairy cows. So it makes sense to consider growing a corn hybrid bred specifically for silage rather than grain. Francis Glenn, a corn breeder and president of Glenn Seed in Ontario, saw the opportunity for silage-specific corn […] Read more
Saskatchewan extends greenfeed seeding deadline
Reading Time: 2 minutes Saskatchewan farmers who still want to put in cereal crops for greenfeed with crop insurance coverage will get an extra couple of weeks to do so. Saskatchewan Crop Insurance on Wednesday announced an extension on the June 30 deadline for seeding crops for greenfeed, to July 15. Producers who have crop insurance will now be […] Read more
New balers from AGCO
These Lely-influenced balers join the MF family in North America
Reading Time: 3 minutes After announcing in March 2017 that it had acquired the hay and forage division of European equipment manufacturer Lely, AGCO strode its way into the Agritechnica farm machinery show in Germany that November and proudly introduced a new Massey Ferguson baler based in large part on the engineering it inherited in the Lely purchase. There […] Read more
Nitrate accumulation a danger in hailed-out crops
The crop, its development stage, and the amount of nitrogen in the soil all need to be considered
Reading Time: 2 minutes Think about nitrate accumulation when salvaging cereal, oilseed, or hay crops damaged by hail, says a provincial beef and forage specialist. “Nitrate accumulation occurs in a plant when it is injured and is not able to convert nitrate to protein efficiently after a hailstorm,” said Barry Yaremcio. “In non-legume crops, water and nutrients are pushed […] Read more
Forage fed vs. corn silage in dairy cattle
Quebec researcher says that since dairy farmers are paid based on components, forage-fed cattle can outperform those fed on corn silage
Reading Time: 3 minutes Corn silage use is trending on Quebec’s large dairy farms, but Valacta’s Robert Berthiaume argues farmers who run against the herd can bulk up their bottom line with perennial forages. “If you make the best use you can of perennial forages, you can make a lot of money, at least as much or more than […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
