Biologcials and biostimulants are gaining traction, but experts say Prairie grain growers still need to ask hard questions and look for data that backs up companies’ claims.
Tag Archives Fertility
Sorting out the noise on fertilizer biologicals and biostimulants
With more companies entering the biologicals and biostimulant space, Prairie farmers are being urged to look past the hype and dig into the data
Split nitrogen pays off on protein, not yield
High-yielding wheat varieties need a lot of nitrogen, but new research suggests that splitting that application may decrease the economic and ecological risk while also paying dividends on protein
Split nitrogen application could boost protein in spring wheat, but it might be hard to gauge whether that boost adds actual financial value in a given season. Amy Mangin and Don Flaten, both crop nutrition researchers with the University of Manitoba, have been hoping to update nitrogen management in spring wheat, given the new genetics
Beef 911: Rectal palpation versus ultrasound for pregnant cows
Both methods have advantages, but the key is having reproductive exams at least once a year
Both rectal palpation and ultrasounding for pregnancy have advantages depending on their intended application, and both require a skilled veterinarian performing the pregnancy exam to get accurate results. I will outline the pros and cons of each method so you can see how to best fit them into your farming operation, and dispel some myths
Farmer panel discusses 4R nutrient stewardship
There could a fifth ‘R’ in sustainable nutrient management — the right economics
The 4R Nutrient Stewardship program aimed at promoting nutrient management on Canadian farms is short an R. The four “Rs” are using the right source of fertilizer, applied at the right time, at the right rate and in the right place. The fifth “R” is the right economics. “Economics determine the rate of change,” Virden
Beef 911: On-farm semen collection is a valuable tool
With a valuable bull, on-farm collection becomes like an insurance plan preserving his genetics for the future
This is the time of year when either your own hot breeding prospects or ones for sale are coming to the forefront. A good insurance plan is collecting semen on these hot new or proven prospects, especially when you incorporate artificial insemination into your program. This article will review some of the finer points of
Reading soil tests key for proper nutrient use
The devil is in the details when it comes to nutrient application, meaning there is no silver bullet, just lots of hard work
If you’re planning on going somewhere, it’s best to know where you are starting from before you head out. The same can be said of soil fertility. According to Brian Hefty of Ag PhD, too many producers make assumptions about soil health and nutrients when deciding what inputs to use on their field crops. “Soil
White spots speak volumes about alfalfa’s needs
Alfalfa can pull down its own nitrogen from the atmosphere, but can’t conjure up phosphorus, potassium, sulphur, and boron out of thin air
Alfalfa isn’t a plant that complains a lot, but white spots on its leaves are a clear plea for more potash. After poking around in the field surrounded by whispering poplars at the recent Hay Day tour near Neepawa, provincial soil fertility specialist John Heard pointed out a shining example of “full-blown potassium deficiency.” FarmersGot bald patches on eroded knolls? Ammonium sulphate may be the cause
If you’ve always assumed canola emerges poorly on eroded knolls because the soil there is poor, think again. Toxicity from ammonium sulphate fertilizer could be the real reason behind those bald patches, especially on Newdale-type soils with high amounts of calcium carbonate in the subsoil zones, according to University of Manitoba student Laryssa Grenkow. “The
New study says Brazil beats Iowa in protecting waterways from eutrophication
Brown University study finds deficient Brazilian soils hold on to phosphorus while rich Iowan farmland is spoiling waterways even though much less of the fertilizer is being applied
A new American study has turned a long-held belief on its head by discovering that — in one respect, anyways — growing soybeans in Iowa is environmentally worse than growing them in the former Amazon rainforest. Researchers from Brown University found Iowa farmers are doing more harm to waterways than their counterparts in Matto Grosso,Be careful applying micronutrients, says soil scientist Don Flaten
Some Manitoba soils need micronutrients but “they are very rare,” says Don Flaten, a soil scientist at the University of Manitoba. “We tend to have some of the most fertile soils in North America here (in Western Canada) partly because they’re young,” he said in an interview. “They’re recently glaciated and mixed up and they
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
