Veterinarians warn that the dry start to the season may come back to roost when producers start pregnancy checking this fall. Why it matters: Poor winter rations followed by poor pastures may mean a hard calving season next year. Dr. Carl Reesink, of the Fisher Veterinary Clinic in Fisher Branch, says he is worried about
Poor pastures cast a long shadow, despite recent storms
The province has gotten rain, but poor nutrition could affect the next calving season
Survival of the fittest
Can you get more bang for your buck by planting your canola?
The jury is still out on using row crop seeders to sow canola, despite a growing number of Manitoba producers who have the equipment in their sheds. The implements’ precision seed placement, and the associated promise of lower seeding rates without compromising on yield, has bolstered interest from growers who may have already invested in
Ag in Motion announces new Discovery Farm
The Ag in Motion grounds will now be the host to farm demonstration projects throughout the growing season
The home of Western Canada’s largest farm show is now a season-long test site for incoming production trends. Organizers opened Ag in Motion this year with the announcement of the Glacier FarmMedia Discovery Farm, and its newly minted “Field of Excellence,” July 15. The announcement slates 380 acres of the Ag in Motion grounds outside
VIDEO: WEEDit takes to the field at Crops-A-Palooza
Tom Wolf of Sprayers 101 and Jesper Voois explain how the spot sprayer targets individual weeds
At Crops-A-Palooza in Carberry on July 24, Tom Wolf of Sprayers 101 spoke about the possible in crop use of WEEDit, although the green on brown technology is largely used for burn off, since it doesn’t differentiate between the green of a crop and green of the weeds. Jesper Voois, product specialist with Rometron, goes
A thorn in the side of oat growers
Common buckthorn is a haven for crown rust spores over the winter and an easy source of infection if the farmer opts for a susceptible oat variety
Oat growers may want to gauge the distance to the nearest woody stream bed the next time they choose a variety. That’s one of the messages sent out during this year’s Crop Diagnostic School in Carman in the first two weeks of July. Why it matters: Manitoba’s most popular oat varieties have either been downgraded
Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association backs up regenerative ag
The movement is now an official cause for MFGA
The Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association is officially endorsing regenerative agriculture. “MFGA’s interests in regenerative agriculture lie squarely in producing high-quality food while improving the natural ecosystem,” the position reads. “Regenerative agriculture” involves farm practices aimed at improving the landscape, soil health and biodiversity. Grazing is a key part of the system, including rotational or
Hail Mary passes?
The promise of hail recovery products sounds great for dry bean producers, but so far trials have yielded mostly question marks
Dry bean growers better be ready to make more than one pass if they’re trying some of the new post-hail recovery products to fend off blight. “There are products registered, but they’re registered for multiple applications, so if you’re just spraying something on a crop as a one-off, you probably won’t see that yield benefit,”
Pressure rising again on feed supply as first cut falls short
Recent rains came too late to boost growth
Hay shortages still have a chokehold on Manitoba as producers take stock of their first cut. Rains gave much-needed relief to fields across southern Manitoba since the end of June, but it was largely too late for the forage crop. Top-tier stands this year only reach about 60 per cent of normal, according to John
Young grasshoppers’ patience rewarded
Producers are in their sprayer cabs again, this time after grasshoppers
Manitoba’s weather has been good for grasshoppers in the last three years, and now some fields are paying the price. “Right now, there’s pockets in the province that do have some very high levels of grasshoppers,” provincial entomologist John Gavloski said. “There’s quite a bit of edge spraying going on where people are trying to
Don’t let hot air spoil your silage
Silage expert highlights dry matter and nutrient loss in uncovered pits and poorly managed feed-out where oxygen can get into silage
If you think you’ve packed that silage enough, pack it again. That’s among the tidbits from John McKinnon of JJM Nutrition Services in Saskatoon as Manitoba farmers prepare for what’s potentially another bad forage year. Late rains, a delayed or even skipped first hay cut, thin stands, frosts and a generally cold spring all have