Planning for 4R nutrient management must be farm-specific — that is, geared for the unique crops, cropping practices, soils and climatic conditions of the farm, researcher Ross McKenzie writes.
Tag Archives fertility
Make a plan to achieve the four Rs of fertilizer management
Agronomy Management: Remember, what’s 'right' for on-farm nutrient management varies from region to region
Beef cattle more prone to trace mineral deficiencies
Animal Health: A recent study showed connections between some trace mineral deficiencies and disease
The trace mineral status of our cows and calves is a significant challenge for western Canadian producers and veterinarians.
Ground Level: The power of seeing and the crutch of complexity
“Seeing is believing” is a common cliché applicable to the adoption of technology in agriculture. Adoption rates of autosteer, sectional control and weigh cells in grain carts and air-seeder tanks are incredible. Auto guidance adoption, for example, was well above 50 per cent in the U.S. as of 2019 (McFadden et al., 2023). Nowadays, it […] Read more
Finding ideal scrotal size important in sire purchasing
Animal Health: Be careful not to buy a bull with too large of a scrotal size
If there’s something the market desires, there’s no doubt that purebred beef breeders can make it happen. A few years ago we did notice breed averages for scrotal size coming up a bit, so the minimum accepted scrotal sizes were adjusted up just a bit (one centimetre) in some cases. I think that is about […] Read more
Ways to improve the microbiome
Scientists consider how we could better support relationships between plants, soil and microbes
Glacier FarmMedia — The hyperbole around biologicals and what they can do for crop production sounds like 10 million crickets in a suburban backyard. There’s a lot of noise around biologicals, and for good reason. Soil contains millions of bacteria, fungi and other microbes that perform vital functions for plants. As a result, global agri-science […] Read more
Strip tillage reducing erosion risk
For this Alberta farmer, the practice is one tool to protect vulnerable crops from the blast of prevailing winds
John Kolk hasn’t ironed out all the wrinkles involved in getting a crop seeded and growing while reducing or eliminating the risk of soil erosion, but the southern Alberta farmer has made “significant progress.” In recent years, a combination of practices that include cover crops and strip tillage have helped to hold the soil in […] Read more
Peatland farming, the Prairies’ best-kept secret
Practical Research: Improving these lands' copper fertility could potentially pay significant dividends
In 1981, I heard a discussion on micronutrients in crop production by the late Jerry Stoller. He talked about the need to pay attention to the micronutrient needs of crops, because just like macronutrients — nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulphur — they can be depleted over time on even the best cropland. Stoller also said […] Read more
Fertility tips for corn
How to get the most out of your fertilizer dollars
Corn is a crop that needs a lot of nitrogen to grow properly and produce the best yields. With today’s high prices for fertilizer and high crop prices, it’s more important than ever to strike the right balance that optimizes yields and profits while keeping fertility costs under control. “There’s a lot of money at […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
