A New Holland Speedrower 260 Plus windrower unit, outfitted with Honey Bee’s WSC30 header. (Media.CNHIndustrial.com)

CNH enlists Sask. manufacturer for new windrower draper heads

Honey Bee to partner on new small-grain swathing combos

A new manufacturing partnership will see New Holland’s Speedrower Plus and Case IH’s WD5 windrower lines put to work swathing small grains and canola — and put made-in-Saskatchewan faces forward as they do. Case IH and New Holland’s parent firm CNH and Honey Bee Manufacturing say they’ve set up a partnership agreement for compatibility between […] Read more

Don’t be too hasty to harvest your canola

Don’t be too hasty to harvest your canola

Canola Council launches campaign to persuade farmers of the benefits of patience

Reading Time: 3 minutes The Canola Council of Canada is encouraging farmers to hold off on harvesting canola so yield improves. Research in the early 2000s showed that canola swathed at 60-70 per cent seed colour change (SCC) yielded 11 per cent more than fields swathed at 30-40 per cent. That research was reinforced in 2013, when the Indian […] Read more


Photo: File

Five reasons to hold off on swathing canola

When exactly is the right time to cut that swath? Here are the reasons to wait

According to Angela Brackenreed, agronomy specialist with the Canola Council of Canada, there’s been a real shift in the industry when it comes to canola swath timing. “I think there’s a much better understanding of the economics and yield benefit of waiting to swath,” she says. “My impression is that the early swathing that happens is done[...]
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Western Prairies see low yields as harvest ramps up

CNS Canada –– This summer’s erratic weather has taken its toll on plant development in Alberta and parts of western Saskatchewan, according to crop-watchers in those areas. “We have heard that dry conditions have caused plants (peas) to slough off or have the tillers dry off and have lost those heads,” said Barry Yaremcio at[...]
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canola field

Start small when straight cutting canola for the first time

Reading Time: < 1 minute This year’s thin canola crop may force some producers to take their chances with straight cutting. “Typically we recommend a well-knit, even crop — something that the wind won’t shake, rattle, and roll — so that we prevent shattering and loss,” said Keith Gabert, Canola Council of Canada agronomist. “This year will be a little[...]
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Finding the right time to swath is going to be tricky this year, says Canola Council agronomist Keith Gabert.

Crack open some pods before swathing canola this year, says agronomist

The ideal time to swath canola is when 60 per cent of seeds have changed colour — 
but 30 per cent is more realistic for large acreages

Reading Time: 3 minutes Keith Gabert is already dreading phone calls about swath timing in canola. “It’s going to be a hard job to figure out where your canola crop is going to be at for swathing, especially on some of those thin stands,” said the Canola Council of Canada agronomist at the Making the Grade workshop in late[...]
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forage barley

Silage varieties for Alberta cattle producers

Reading Time: < 1 minute This year’s version of Silage Varieties for Alberta is now available. Under the umbrella of the Agricultural Research and Extension Council of Alberta, eight applied research groups performed forage testing of various varieties at 12 locations throughout the province. This was the sixth year of tests. “Varieties of barley, oats, triticale and peas commonly used[...]
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cow eating hay

Improve performance with a sweet treat for your cattle — afternoon-cut forage

Sugar concentration in forages peaks about 11 to 13 hours after sunrise — and can be as much as five per cent higher

Reading Time: 2 minutes Make hay while the sun shines’ is good advice in more ways than one, says a federal research scientist. “There’s fairly strong evidence that shows, by increasing the sugar concentration in forages, you can improve the performance of ruminants,” said Gilles Bélanger, who spoke during a recent Beef Cattle Research Council webinar. “If you want[...]
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