Reading Time: < 1 minute It was a year when breaking the rules paid off for canola producers. Seeding deep and seeding late frequently produced better results than seeding early and shallow, which is rarely the case. And reseeding paid off, too. “There were a lot of things that worked this year that I hope you don’t do next year,” […] Read more
It was a year like no other for canola crops
The clubroot onslaught continues — but there is some hopeful news
Alberta fields are seeing massive numbers of clubroot spores, but new research has found a 90 per cent drop-off after a two-year break
Reading Time: 3 minutes Clubroot’s march through Alberta is relentless and the level of infestation here is 100 times — or even 1,000 times — worse than in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. But there is a bit of good news: Moving to a three-year rotation is more effective than previously believed, says a Canola Council of Canada agronomist. “New work […] Read more
Misunderstood bats don’t deserve their bad rap
Expert says bats aren’t a rabies threat but gobble up a lot of mosquitoes and pests like wheat midge
Reading Time: 3 minutes Bats are associated with scary things like vampires and rabies, but it’s time to give the critters a break. “For some reason, bats have a negative image around them,” said Lisa Card, a conservation technician with Highway 2 Conservation, which serves Sturgeon, Athabasca, Barrhead, and Westlock counties. “It might be because they are nocturnal and […] Read more
What to do when the bats come home to roost
Reading Time: 2 minutes Bats in your belfry? Or rather, your barn or attic? “If you know that you have bats in your house, chances are it’s because there is not a good habitat for them somewhere else,” says conservation technician Lisa Card. “Most species would rather not be there, but their habitat has been altered and for whatever […] Read more
Wolves filling up on cattle in southwestern Alberta
Cattle are the No. 1 prey of wolves where ranches and the predator’s territory overlap
Reading Time: 3 minutes If you ranch in southwestern Alberta, it might seem that the big, bad wolf is out to get you. Unfortunately, you’re right. A University of Alberta study that tracked wolves — and what they eat — found cattle made up 45 per cent of the predator’s diet during the grazing season. The study tracked wolf […] Read more
Famed Hays Converter cattle find a new home — and a new future
Donating the herd to the University of Alberta will improve its genetics and make them more available
Reading Time: 2 minutes A herd of Canada’s first breed of beef cattle will soon be home on the range at the Roy Berg Kinsella Research Ranch. Dan Hays and his family are donating their herd of Hays Converter cattle to the University of Alberta for research purposes, with the herd moving to the Kinsella Research ranch by 2018. […] Read more
Make hay while the sun shines
It’s good times in the cattle business, but there are things that need to get done before the next downturn
Reading Time: 5 minutes Good times don’t last forever, so use them wisely. That, in a nutshell, is the advice of four Alberta cattle producers who were asked for their thoughts on the current state of the sector and what lies ahead. A decade of misery following the BSE crisis in 2003 has been followed by record-high prices, and […] Read more
Will rodeo’s top showcase leave town?
Northlands’ contract for the Canadian Finals Rodeo is up in 2017 and there’s a chance the rodeo could saddle up and mosey on
Reading Time: 2 minutes Will Edmonton still be the host of Canada’s top rodeo in 2017? The Canadian Finals Rodeo has been held in conjunction with Farmfair International, owned by Northlands, for 42 years, but the contract for the rodeo showcase is up for renewal. The Canadian Professional Rodeo Association plans to issue a request for proposals, and that […] Read more
Crop insurance payouts soar after drought and hail
The final tally will top $700 million and may reach $900 million, with more than 6,400 hail claims processed already
Reading Time: 3 minutes While yields may be better than expected in many areas, this season’s drought and hail still hit producers hard. Agricultural Financial Services Corporation expects to pay out between $700 million and $900 million in crop insurance payments — a huge increase from the 2014 tally of $370 million. “The payouts are expected to be higher […] Read more
Pain control for cattle the new normal
The beef code of practice recommends pain control medication for procedures such as dehorning and castrating
Reading Time: 3 minutes Times are changing, and both growing social pressure and knowledge about animal welfare is making pain control part of the equation in cattle production. “Society expects it of us, and it’s part of that social licence to operate,” said John Campbell, a veterinarian and head of large-animal clinical sciences at the Western College of Veterinary […] Read more
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