Forages Archives - Page 6 of 175

Model-year 2025 Jaguar forage harvesters are getting several updates that improve capacity and efficiency.

Claas updates the Jaguar forage harvester line

Capacity and efficiency improvements dominate changes for 2025 model year

By Scott Garvey October 28, 2024

In late August, during the U.S. Farm Progress Show in Iowa, Claas announced several updates to its line of Jaguar self-propelled forage harvesters. First among those updates “is our new V-Flex knife drum. You can get it in 20-, 24-, 28- and 36-knife,” says Matt Jaynes, the product manager for the Jaguar line. The new […] Read more

The John Deere 535 baler that burned at the Eppich farm.

Cattleman’s Corner, Columns, Equipment, Hay

Counting one’s blessings after our baler burns

Eppich News: A baler fire is a reminder to be prepared and understand what to do in an emergency

By Heather Eppich October 24, 2024

On Sept. 5, our John Deere 535 baler went up in smoke. It is a big hit for our small operation, but we have much to be thankful for. As farmers we do dangerous things every day. Every day we are just going to go swath the wheat, or we are just going to combine, […] Read more

A calf chows down on sorghum on John Griffin’s south-central Saskatchewan ranch.

Crops, Features, Forages

Sorghum sudangrass may help soil beat back diseases

The crop’s benefits for farmers are piling up, but be aware of some drawbacks, experts say

By Jeff Melchior October 18, 2024

Researchers have found potential in sorghum sudangrass — a hybrid of sorghum varieties — as a fungal disease-fighting, soil-enriching grass for cover crops. Although the research was conducted in Prince Edward Island, some say there may be applications for Western Canada as well — including potential as highly-nutritious cattle feed. Two Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada […] Read more

When stock water levels drop, a solar water system can help extend the quantity and preserve quality in the remaining water.

Cattleman’s Corner, Columns

Prepare your ranch and business plan for bouts with drought

A Little Bit Western: There are ways to extend feed and water — but do so with caution and monitoring

By Tara Mulhern Davidson October 17, 2024

In late summer I was invited to the Canadian Beef Industry Conference in Saskatoon to share my perspective on navigating drought. I would prefer covering a more cheerful topic, but as a fourth-generation Palliser Triangle dweller who resides on a ranch abandoned not once but twice by its former occupants, I’ll admit I’ve got experience […] Read more

Crops

Manitoba crop report: Most of the harvest off the field

By Glen Hallick - MarketsFarm October 9, 2024

Combining in Manitoba advanced 12 points at 85 per cent complete for the week ended Oct. 7. While some crops made great amounts of progress, others did not. The largest gains were made in the province's soybean and flax harvests as they are up 41 points apiece at 70 and 61 per cent finished respectively.

This is one of the weather stations Shannon Winny has on the family farm in Saskatchewan. The round black device at the top is the ultrasonic wind speed sensor. The station, powered by a small solar panel, can also collect data on rainfall, temperature, dew point, humidity, solar radiation and leaf wetness. The cables near the bottom are part of an add-on feature for soil moisture sensing. Basic models start around $1,100. | Photo: Courtesy of Shannon Winny

Features, Weather

On-farm weather stations help guide management decisions

The return on investment can come from improved efficiency, helping growers get the most out of a crop under variable growing conditions

By Lee Hart October 4, 2024

An on-farm weather station doesn’t make the crop grow better, but farmers and agrologists using the technology say real-time information about precipitation, wind, temperature and soil moisture reserves can help guide decisions about if or when to apply crop inputs — and provide a good indication of what yield they might expect. Field scouting is […] Read more

Capacity to sit on this year’s crop waiting for a better price won’t be an option available to everyone.

Crops, News

Feeling the pinch

Uncertainty across commodity and input markets creates difficult choices for farmers

By Don Norman September 18, 2024

Farmers are facing a tight squeeze this fall. Commodity prices are low, and the lower input prices that they’re used to this time of year are not materializing. Keystone Agricultural Producers president Jill Verwey says it’s a tough time for growers. “Being able to make a profit this year is going to be pretty slim,” […] Read more

Crops, Markets, Pulses

Alberta weekly crop report: Harvest yields are coming in lighter than expected

By Glen Hallick - MarketsFarm September 13, 2024

Combining of major crops in Alberta progressed 23 points during the week ended Sept. 10, reaching 54 per cent, according to the province's latest weekly crop report. While dry weather helped to advance the harvest, crop yields were not meeting expectations.

One plant can have many aliases. Scarlet mallow, a native prairie wildflower, is also referred to as salmon pinks or “cowboys’ delight.” Biologists generally use Latin plant names to avoid common name confusion.

Cattleman’s Corner, Columns

Plants and their identity crises

A Little Bit Western: One person’s weed is another person’s useful and cherished plant

By Tara Mulhern Davidson September 12, 2024

Like many farmers and ranchers, I’ve always been curious about plants. After all, we are surrounded by plants, and humans depend on them for everything from food and forage to fibre and fun. Throughout the growing season, as interesting plants pop up in ditches, fields and pastures, I get texts, tweets and messages with photos […] Read more

Combining of spring cereals provincewide was approaching or near the three-quarters done mark, per the latest crop report from the provincial agriculture department on Sept. 10. Photo: File

Crops, Weather

Manitoba harvest advances with co-operative weather

By Glen Hallick - MarketsFarm September 11, 2024

Harvesting in Manitoba reached 40 per cent complete according to the latest crop report from the provincial agriculture department on Sept. 10. The central region was furthest along a 51 per cent finished, followed by the eastern region at 47 per cent done, the southwest at 38 per cent, the Interlake at 34 per cent and the northwest at 25 per cent.

U.S. livestock: Hog futures hit contract highs on shock herd decline

Alberta Crop Report: Harvest more than three-quarters finished

NFU says proposed plant breeders’ rights come at farmers’ expense

GFM Network News