Ranchers aren’t typically the computer nerd type, and many might be pleased to hear that the Beef InfoXchange System (BIXS) is due for an update aimed at smoothing out its rough edges. Larry Thomas, the national co-ordinator for the program supported by the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, said that after almost two years in operation, the
BIXS 2.0 promises easier, faster access to carcass data
Community garden thrives on fertile ag society ground
Food for the Future project grows larger in its second year, and adds a neighbouring community garden plot tended by three families
Underneath a cloudy sky on a still, humid morning in July, Leah Lees and Rhoda Canning are busy battling potato bugs when a young helper makes a plea for mosquito repellent. Lees and Canning don’t stop squashing, but there is some laughter as they debate the philosophical contradictions of using skin-applied chemical repellents in an
Shepherds urged to add their say in draft sheep industry code
Sheep producers, consumers and anyone with an interest in the welfare of sheep are being asked to review and comment on a new sheep code of practice that is available online. The code is one of eight livestock codes that have been undergoing revision, with a focus on a number of welfare issues, including painful
Shepherds urged to add their say in draft sheep industry code
Sheep producers, consumers and anyone with an interest in the welfare of sheep are being asked to review and comment on a new sheep code of practice that is available online. The code is one of eight livestock codes that have been undergoing revision, with a focus on a number of welfare issues, including painful
No takers for ‘pasture swaps’
The studies show running goats with cattle could create a “serious win-win,” but Saskatchewan goatherd Brian Payne is having trouble getting buy-in. Payne, who runs 225 Savanna goats near Humboldt, has been running ads and making pitches at livestock meetings looking for cattle producers willing to enter into “pasture swaps.” “I haven’t found anybody yet,”
Nationwide co-op to buy lambs this fall
The Canadian Lamb Producers Co-operative is ready to launch. Notices have been sent out to lamb producers, who have until Aug. 6 to sign a 36-month production agreement committing them to sell a minimum of 25 lambs each year, buy a $500 share, and pay a one-time $35 per head fee for each lamb they
Nationwide co-op to buy lambs this fall
The Canadian Lamb Producers Co-operative is ready to launch. Notices have been sent out to lamb producers, who have until Aug. 6 to sign a 36-month production agreement committing them to sell a minimum of 25 lambs each year, buy a $500 share, and pay a one-time $35 per head fee for each lamb they
Grasshopper today’s top pest issue in Manitoba
Weird weather appears to putting the lie to the age-old assertion that on the Prairies, you get either grasshoppers or mosquitoes, but never both. In scattered pockets around the province, young hoppers are boiling underneath the grass canopy even as hordes of mosquitoes hover above creating misery for man, bird and beast. “Currently, the biggest
Southwest ranchers grapple with flooding
Fast flowing water from recent rainstorms in the Reston area has caused widespread damage to downstream roads, haylands and crops
With five gyres the colour of black tea swirling into culverts in the background, Garth Elliott stood on a washed-out road and looks out over what appears to be an inland sea. It’s actually Stoney Creek, which in most years is a tiny rivulet fed by sloughs. “Some years, this creek doesn’t even run,” saidWeather impact info now on the AIR
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) has created a new application Canadians can access over the Internet to report on how weather and climate conditions affect their farm operations. “It allows a producer to provide their story to us,” said Trevor Hadwen, an AAFC agroclimate specialist based in Regina. The Agroclimate Impact Reporter (AIR) is an
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
