There was some relief for crops in Saskatchewan following sporadic showers. The provincial agriculture department said farmers are hoping for more rain to aid head and pod filling, but the weekly crop report for the week ended July 28 noted that more moisture wouldn’t help the yields for more advanced crops.
Rain aids some Saskatchewan crops
Soil moisture largely adequate
Corteva showcases new BMR silage varieties at Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show 2024
Corteva Agrisciences is showcasing its new Boltava brand of brown mid-rib silage corn hybrids at Canada's Outdoor Farm Show near Woodstock.
High moisture corn and ‘snaplage’ shine in study
Lower heat unit corn could displace some barley in feed rations
Reading Time: 3 minutes A study shows that high moisture corn and snaplage, along with the appearance of lower heat unit corn could displace barley in feed rations.
Don’t be fooled by moisture content when buying feed
Moisture content is all over the map this year, which makes price comparisons more difficult
Reading Time: 2 minutes Knowing the moisture content of feeds is key when comparing prices. “The summer of 2019 was extremely challenging for anyone trying to put up dry forage,” said farm business management specialist Ted Nibourg. “More often than not, hay and greenfeed were baled at moisture contents greater than normal. In an attempt to salvage forage production this […] Read more
A poor canola crop can be used for feed
Reading Time: < 1 minute Salvage canola crops can make good cattle feed, says a provincial beef and forage specialist. “With dry conditions in the northern and southern parts of the province, late seeding and hailstorms in others, some canola crops could be candidates for salvaging and used for cattle feed,” said Barry Yaremcio. Canola plants in full bloom to […] Read more
Watch for nitrate accumulation in hailed-out crops
There’s extra value in a salvage crop this year, but nitrates are a risk in crops such as canola and wheat
Reading Time: 2 minutes The issue of nitrate accumulation needs to be considered when salvaging hailed-out crops. “Nitrate accumulation occurs in a plant when it is injured and is not able to convert nitrate to protein efficiently after a hail storm,” said provincial beef and forage specialist Barry Yaremcio. “In non-legume crops, water and nutrients are pushed into the […] Read more
Saskatchewan extends greenfeed seeding deadline
Saskatchewan farmers who still want to put in cereal crops for greenfeed with crop insurance coverage will get an extra couple of weeks to do so. Saskatchewan Crop Insurance on Wednesday announced an extension on the June 30 deadline for seeding crops for greenfeed, to July 15. Producers who have crop insurance will now be […] Read more
Feed skyrockets in many areas — but there are options out there
Hay is uneconomical in some areas, forcing producers to either cull or find alternative feed sources
Reading Time: 5 minutes Record-setting temperatures in mid-August have added pressure to an already desperate situation for cattle producers across Alberta. “There are some people who are going to be really short on feed and pasture,” Alberta Beef Producers executive director Rich Smith said in mid-August. “Some people are in a really tough situation. The heat last week was […] Read more
Nitrate accumulation a danger in hailed-out crops, says specialist
The crop, its development stage, and the amount of nitrogen in the soil all need to be considered
Reading Time: 2 minutes Think about nitrate accumulation when salvaging cereal, oilseed, or hay crops damaged by hail, says a provincial beef and forage specialist. “Nitrate accumulation occurs in a plant when it is injured and is not able to convert nitrate to protein efficiently after a hailstorm,” said Barry Yaremcio. “In non-legume crops, water and nutrients are pushed […] Read more
You can’t make heat, but you can pick the right variety for corn silage
Harvesting at the right time to maximize digestibility is also key
Reading Time: 4 minutes Feeding corn silage to cattle comes with some risks in Alberta — but there are ways you can manage that. “There are a lot of different factors that will affect yield and quality in corn silage,” said federal research scientist Karen Beauchemin. “You have some control over some of these factors, but not all. So […] Read more
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