Reading Time: 2 minutes No one really seems to know for sure how fababeans will work in silage — but Robyne Bowness has a few educated guesses. “Fababeans should make a fantastic silage crop,” said Bowness, pulse research scientist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. “Nutritionally for the animals, fababean is a very good option. It’s high in protein, […] Read more
Fababeans in silage? Give it a shot, says pulse researcher
Nutritionally, fababean silage is a good option — but the return on investment is a question mark
Alberta’s top agriculture politicians pledge to work together
Agriculture Minister Oneil Carlier says he and Wildrose critic Rick Strankman ‘both have the same goal in mind’
Reading Time: 3 minutes The NDP’s majority win was a big surprise, and now Alberta’s new ag minister and his chief critic have another one — they want to work together. Oneil Carlier, a rookie politician now in charge of both agriculture and forestry, and Wildrose ag critic, Rick Strankman both told Alberta Farmer they’d rather work together than […] Read more
Plant growth regulators aren’t for everyone, says researcher
Producers need to choose a responsive variety and get their staging right when using plant growth regulators on wheat
Reading Time: 3 minutes Do plant growth regulators offer a good bang for your buck? Sure — if the conditions are right. If not, you’re wasting your money. “Plant growth regulators aren’t to be used on every acre, like a herbicide or nitrogen fertilizer,” said Sheri Strydhorst, a research scientist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. “Producers need to […] Read more
Genomics proving its worth for purebred cattle
Genomically enhanced selection is catching on with purebred producers, but crossbreds pose more of a challenge
Reading Time: 2 minutes Purebred cattle have a leg up on their crossbred cousins — at least as far as genomics is concerned. “The purebred industries are the ones that are really using genomically enhanced selection indexes,” said Dawn Trautman, technology translator at Livestock Gentec. “In the purebred industry, you can get validated markers a lot faster because you’re […] Read more
Brace yourself — winter annual weeds worse than usual this year
Dry conditions earlier this spring gave winter annuals an edge and for some growers, it’s too late to manage them
Reading Time: 2 minutes The dry conditions of early spring could lead to a spike in winter annual weeds. “Winter annuals could be a problem,” said Neil Harker, research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. “We really haven’t had a lot of spring moisture, so the ones that were already established, like stinkweed and flixweed and winter annual cleavers, […] Read more
What will the ‘orange crush’ mean for Alberta?
Two political analysts predictions now that the NDP is at the helm of the wild rose province
Reading Time: 6 minutes What lies in store for Alberta now that voters have elected an NDP government? Even new Premier Rachel Notley may not know the answer to that question — she’s said that it was only in the final week of the election that she realized the polls might be true and her party was heading to […] Read more
New animal care assessment tool to measure animal welfare in Canadian feedlots
With the new assessment program, cattle feeders can show consumers exactly how they’re ensuring the welfare of their animals
Reading Time: 3 minutes The organization that represents Canada’s cattle feeders is staying one step ahead of changing consumer demands, through a new feedlot animal care assessment program. “The National Cattle Feeders’ Association decided that it wanted to be proactive and develop a national animal care assessment program for feed yards,” said Dr. Joyce Van Donkersgoed, a feedlot veterinarian […] Read more
Start scouting: stripe rust in winter wheat is spreading north
Producers across the province need to start scouting their winter wheat fields for signs of stripe rust
Reading Time: 3 minutes Stripe rust overwintering on three winter wheat fields in the Edmonton area is “concerning,” says a provincial winter wheat agronomist. “Last year, stripe rust overwintered in the central Alberta region, near Lacombe, Red Deer, and Olds, which was alarming because it really hasn’t overwintered in years,” said Janine Paly of Ducks Unlimited Canada. “Last year, […] Read more
Earthworm Invasion! Help stop the spread of these alien invaders
Earthworms may be considered beneficial bugs in agricultural operations, but in Alberta’s forests, these invasive insects can spell trouble
Reading Time: 2 minutes A silent horde of alien invaders are worming their way through the Alberta countryside. These creepy-crawlies came from a world away, and there’s no stopping them now. The best we can hope to do is slow the spread of these invasive earthworms, says the head of the Alberta Worm Invasion Project. “In North American forests, […] Read more
Pick the right tool for the job when creating cover crop blends
Using a diverse blend of cover crops — including cool- and warm-season grasses and broadleaf crops — covers the bases while targeting soil issues
Reading Time: 3 minutes When it comes to choosing the right cover crops for your farm, one size definitely doesn’t fit all. “Growers need to have an objective in mind in terms of what they want to get out of a cover crop,” said Bob Blackshaw, a research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. “You have to choose the […] Read more
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