Reading Time: < 1 minute One of the sessions from the recent Cow-Calfenomics risk management series is now available on Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development’s web page. The theme of this year’s series was Seizing Opportunity in the Alberta Cow-Calf Sector. The agenda included: Meat and cattle fundamentals for herd planning: opportunities and threats to expanding the cow herd; Linking […] Read more
Session recordings available from the Cow-Calfenomics risk management series
Stripe rust alert in Alberta
Disease found in Oregon three weeks earlier than ever recorded
Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta Agriculture plant pathologist Mike Harding has issued a bulletin noting that stripe rust alerts have been issued for Oregon and Montana. A Jan. 19 Capital Press story says stripe rust has been discovered in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Oregon State University plant pathologist Chris Mundt and three extension researchers issued an alert Jan. 19 informing […] Read more
They’re nasty little critters — and alfalfa weevils are on the move
Previously deemed a southern Alberta problem, alfalfa weevils have been spotted as far north as Stettler and Provost
Reading Time: 2 minutes Well, it turns out alfalfa weevils can’t read road signs. “We thought it was a southern Alberta problem that doesn’t go beyond Highway 1 — most weevils don’t like it beyond Highway 1 — but lo and behold, we found it all the way through Stettler and Provost,” said Shelley Barkley, insect research technologist with […] Read more
Updated CropChoiCe$ available
Software tool allows users to choose from 40 different crops
Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development has released the 2015 version of Cropchoice$. The software tool allows users to choose from 40 different crops and evaluate eight different scenarios. Each scenario can accommodate 32 fields. Users can either use their own costs and land rents to build their crop plan or use the AgriProfit$ costs already […] Read more
Ready to pull the trigger? Some thoughts on seeding early
A head start is tempting, but frost dates and saprophytic organisms may curb your enthusiasm
Reading Time: 3 minutes To seed early or not to seed early; that is the question. “If you have an early spring, there is that tendency to want to go early,” said Doon Pauly, agronomy research scientist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development in Lethbridge. “I’m fully expecting that we will be in the field by the middle of […] Read more
Video guides to gluten- and allergy-free foods
Short videos offer an introduction to the booming market for these products
Reading Time: < 1 minute Did you know that the market for allergen- and gluten-free products is projected to surpass $26 billion by the year 2017? Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development has made three animated videos to help food manufacturers assess the opportunities and minimize the risks associated with producing these products. The videos are: A Food Manufacturer’s Guide to […] Read more
Think safety before taking farm equipment on the road
Thirteen per cent of farm-related fatalities across Canada are traffic related, and most involve tractors
Reading Time: < 1 minute Spring often means taking equipment on public roads, and that can be a hazardous business. According to the Canadian Agricultural Injury Reporting program, 13 per cent of farm-related fatalities across Canada are traffic related, and most involve tractors. “Maintenance is a contributing factor to the safety of transporting farm equipment,” said Kenda Lubeck, farm safety […] Read more
Skipping soil tests could cost you big time
You have to know how to interpret it, but not soil sampling and using 'the usual retail blends' can be a costly mistake
Reading Time: 5 minutes Not very many hands go up when Mark Cutts asks a room full of producers how many of them test their soil every year. “I don’t think the majority is doing soil testing,” said the crop specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. “If a producer is happy with his yields and he’s not soil […] Read more
Take ‘a little extra look’ at residual feed intake number
Beef research scientist says feed efficiency is a trait that can be measured and can lead to significant herd improvement
Reading Time: 2 minutes Improving the feed efficiency of a beef cattle herd can mean big savings for producers. One way to achieve this goal is to select breeding bulls that are naturally feed efficient, since 80 to 90 per cent of the genetic improvement in a herd comes through the sires. “With this being bull-buying season, I think […] Read more
Expert says it’s a good time to reseed forage stands
There are several reasons for rejuvenating forage stands this year, but limited seed supplies are a reason to move quickly
Reading Time: 2 minutes This year may be a good time to look at reseeding forage stands. “Because of tough financial times, we’ve been allowing some of our forage stands to just go from year to year,” said Grant Lastiwka, a forage and livestock business specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. “In addition, many forage stands that were […] Read more
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