Reading Time: 3 minutes In the environmental debate, some rank cattle up there with smokestacks and auto emissions. But Canadian researchers are discovering Mother Nature has developed her own mitigation strategy for bovine burps, flatulence, and excrement — and showing that grazing cattle has major environmental benefits. In 2000, concerns over cattle and greenhouse gases prompted Allan Iwaasa of […] Read more
Saving the environment one legume at a time
Condensed tannins reduce bloat and do a whole lot more besides
Don’t rush when upgrading or replacing a handling system
You’ll be living with any changes for a long time, so it pays to do your research and seek expert advice
Reading Time: 3 minutes You’re going to invest in a new cattle-handling system, but there are so many options, you’re feeling confused. Here are some things to consider: Crowding tubs or Bud Box? A crowding tub is designed to move cattle from a wide group alley into a narrow single-file alley. Like the Bud Box, they rely on the […] Read more
Expert says go with the flow when working cattle
Dylan Biggs says there’s no ‘magical facility’ that will keep cattle calm and quiet — the biggest factor is how they are handled
Reading Time: 4 minutes Thanks to high cattle prices, many producers may be thinking of investing in a handling system. The goals may be simple — such as improving efficiency, reducing animal stress or allowing one person to safely process cattle. But what that system looks like is left to the individual producer. “There is no magical facility that […] Read more
Temple Grandin says producers ‘pushing biology too hard’
High-profile animal welfare expert says producers must address livestock issues or society will dictate solutions
Reading Time: 4 minutes Farmers, you have issues — downer dairy cows, structurally unsound cattle, and osteoporosis so bad in laying hens that huge numbers of them suffer broken bones. That’s the latest message from world-renowned animal scientist Temple Grandin, and it comes with a stark warning: Producers need to address these issues before society steps in and dictates change. […] Read more
Canola the star in graphic novels for schoolkids
The 10th Chase Duffy book is about to hit the shelves and continue his adventures in learning about canola
Reading Time: 2 minutes Farmers at the recent Alberta Canola Producers Commission meeting were welcomed by an entourage of cartoon characters on the stage. These characters are from the Chase Duffy book series, which was launched in 2010 and is aimed at elementary students aged eight to 11. The main character in the books is Chase ‘Superman’ Duffy, a […] Read more
Website to shine a light on grain prices
Data updated on a daily basis for eight zones across the Prairies
Reading Time: 3 minutes Don’t know if your local elevator is offering a good price or not? There’s an app for that. Or at least there will be once www.pdqinfo.ca is fully up and running. The new website, created by the Alberta Wheat Commission with $743,000 in federal funding, aims to give farmers timely and accurate pricing data for […] Read more
New website to shed light on grain prices
Edmonton — Don’t know if your local elevator is offering a good price or not? There’s an app for that. Or at least there will be once www.pdqinfo.ca is fully up and running. The new website, created by the Alberta Wheat Commission with $742,725 in federal funding, aims to give farmers timely and accurate pricing […] Read more
Grab the info you need on your farm
It’s easy to get information overload at FarmTech so look for one or two key learning experiences, says one longtime attendee
Reading Time: 2 minutes Kent Erickson is one of FarmTech’s biggest fans. The Irma-area farmer began attending the event in 2001 as a university student, has only missed one conference, and since 2007 has served on the planning committee, including a stint as the group’s chair. “FarmTech is important because it focuses on the education side (of farming),” said […] Read more
Explore your ‘soft’ side at FarmTech
Succession and the generation gap are just as important on the farm as technology and agronomic advances
Reading Time: 2 minutes In the “not so good days” of grain farming, Todd Hames attended FarmTech because it was an uplifting experience. The third-generation farmer from Marwayne was able to meet people who were excited about farming when farming was not that great. Now, he keeps coming back because he wants to be with innovative farmers and keep […] Read more
Keeping farmers on the leading edge
FarmTech 2015 features nearly three dozen speakers, with topics ranging from weed resistance to how to work with generation Y
Reading Time: 2 minutes The goal hasn’t changed since the first FarmTech conference in 2000 — helping farmers who are seeking to gain an edge from the latest technology, innovations, and top-flight experts. “Producers will be able to choose from a variety of concurrent speakers whose only appearance in Alberta this year will be at FarmTech 2015,” said conference […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
