Reading Time: 2 minutes Camelina is one step closer to being a feed source for livestock species. “Camelina is not a perfect feedstuff, but it does have some advantages that could be an opportunity for layers, broilers and eventually turkeys,” provincial research scientist Eduardo Beltranena said at the recent Western Poultry Conference. The oilseed is a member of the […] Read more
Camelina soon to be a poultry feed option
Camelina 'cake' could be a new, attractive poultry feed
Alberta Wheat chair says rail review misses the mark
Kevin Auch says lifting the revenue cap would be a mistake and reciprocal penalties are needed
Reading Time: 3 minutes A panel that spent a year and a half reviewing the Canadian Transportation Act got its key recommendations wrong. That’s the reaction from farmers, including Alberta Wheat Commission chair Kevin Auch. “We need to have some measure of a level playing field in the whole rail transportation thing,” said Auch, who farms near Carmangay. “We’re […] Read more
Low dollar won’t necessarily make 2016 a banner year for local produce
Cash-strapped produce consumers may go for ‘most bang for their buck’ in beleaguered Albertan economy
Reading Time: 3 minutes Some might think the low Canadian dollar might make 2016 a good year for local produce growers. Not necessarily, say two experts in the field. “The talk I’ve heard is that high food costs will normalize farmers’ markets or direct-market sales. These might have cost a little bit more before. Our cost of production is […] Read more
Oilpatch slowdown steers couple back to farming
Kelly Hansen thought he had put farming behind him, but he and wife Jocelyn have been drawn back to the land
Reading Time: 2 minutes While many are suffering because of the downturn in the oilpatch, the Hansen family is using the slowdown as an opportunity to get into farming. Kelly Hansen grew up on a farm near Dapp, but left when he was 16 and was happy to put farming behind him. “But as things changed, I wanted to […] Read more
The secret life of your cow’s reproductive system
Becoming adept at artificial insemination takes time and a lot of practice — here’s what you need to know
Reading Time: 4 minutes Many people are nervous about artificially inseminating their cattle. But knowing a few of the basics about a cow’s reproductive system can help get you on the way to creating an artificial insemination program, said Colin Palmer, associate professor at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan. “The ultimate goal is […] Read more
AI could be a big bang for your buck for beef
The bull doesn’t charge for service, but he costs quite a bit to keep around when he isn’t working
Reading Time: 3 minutes It could make sense to skip the bull in a beef cattle operation, says an economist with the Western Beef Development Centre. “Natural-service breeding is still the most common. Probably some of the hesitancy is the feeling that it is more expensive to use fixed-time artificial insemination,” Kathy Larson said during a webinar hosted by […] Read more
Be bold and dream big, says legendary plant scientist
The father of farmers’ biggest money-maker says crop scientists are just getting started
Reading Time: 4 minutes Wilf Keller isn’t a household name, even in farm circles, but his work has helped pay a lot of mortgages across the Prairies. The Saskatchewan native was the key player in the development of the first genetically modified, herbicide-resistant canola — the most profitable crop Canadian farmers have ever grown. Since 2012, Keller has been […] Read more
GM alfalfa may already be in Alberta
Accidental contamination of foundation seed heightens fears that forage and hay markets worth hundreds of millions are in peril
Reading Time: 7 minutes Genetically modified alfalfa has somehow made its way into Alberta — raising fears that western Canadian forage seed growers and hay exporters could be shut out of markets worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Alberta Farmer recently learned that a batch of foundation seed contaminated with Roundup Ready alfalfa was sent to a forage seed […] Read more
Wild bees can boost your yields
FarmTech: There’s an estimated 300 species of wild bees in Alberta, and they can’t be beat as pollinators
Reading Time: 3 minutes Wild bees buzzing around your field can give you a bigger bang for your buck than honeybees or leafcutter bees. That’s because they actually do a better job of pollinating, said bee specialist Ralph Cartar. “Our whole world is built around managed bees and using honeybees as best we can, but in fact, the most […] Read more
The trick is in the timing with plant growth regulators
FarmTech: The hormone reduces lodging and makes harvest a lot easier, but proper staging is a challenge
Reading Time: 3 minutes Plant growth regulators can work, but use with caution. If the conditions aren’t right, you could have a wreck, said participants in a plant growth regulators panel at FarmTech. “If you’re going to use a plant growth regulator, focus it on situations where you are pushing yield limits,” said Emile deMilliano, manager of training with […] Read more