january 7, 2013

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Volume 39, Number 1 | JANUARY 7, 2013

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PRACTICAL PRODUCTION TIPS FOR THE PRAIRIE FARMER

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Row planters versus air drills There are some benefits to gain from row planters, but your decision to buy one will depend on row spacing and seeding rates BY LISA GUENTHER

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ow planters offer some benefits over air drills when seeding soybeans, according to research done in Ontario and Manitoba. But those advantages won’t add up to a new equipment purchase for every farmer. Horst Bohner is a soybean specialist with Ontario’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. From 2008 through 2010, Bohner and his colleagues compared soybeans seeded with a 1560 John Deere no-till drill to soybeans seeded with a Kearney 15-inch vacuum planter. Row spacing was set at 7.5 inches and 15 inches for the drill, and 15 inches for the planter. Seeding rates ranged from 100,000 seeds per acre to 300,000 seeds per acre. “The long and the short of it, there was a small but real benefit in terms of yield. And I think where that comes from is a little bit of a better plant stand, partially. And we think that the reason we’re getting a larger percentage of plants compared to what we’re seeding with the planter is because of depth control,” says Bohner. Soybeans seeded with the planter in 15-inch rows yielded about 1.8 bushels per acre more than soybeans seeded with the drill in 15-inch rows. The planter also yielded a 5.2 per cent plant stand advantage. When compare to the 7.5-inch drill, the planter yielded 0.8 more bushels per acre, and had a 7.3 per cent bump in plant establishment 30 days after seeding. There was no difference between plants seeded with a 15-inch drill and a 7.5-inch drill. Higher seeding rates increased yields significantly. Researchers found the most economical seeding rate at 7.5-inch spacing was about 186,000 seeds per acre. Bohner says the planters and the drills seemed to work best when seeding at a depth of 1.5

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Soybeans seeded with a Bourgault single manifold air drill on eight-inch spacing with narrow openers and a coil packer, with a medium seeding rate (201,124 seeds per acre).

Soybeans seeded with a John Deere multi manifold air drill on 10-inch spacing with narrow openers and on-row packing, with a medium seeding rate (201,124 seeds per acre).

PHOTOS: AGRISKILLS INC.

All three of these photos show soybean seeding trials conducted in 2010 for Manitoba Pulse Growers Association. These soybeans were seeded with a John Deere max-emerge vacuum planter on 15-inch spacing, with a medium seeding rate (171,910 seeds per acre). inches to 2.5 inches. The drill doesn’t seed as well at an inch to 1.5 inches. “The planter is not really quite there either, but at least it’s a little bit better when you’re seeding more shallow,” says Bohner.

MANITOBA TRIALS Brent VanKoughnet, owner of Agri Skills Inc., ran seeding trials for the Manitoba Pulse Growers Association from 2010 through 2012. The trials, located near

Carman, Man., looked at using planters and air drills at different seeding rates and row spacings. “Under the broadest range of conditions, the planter seems to be a reasonable hedge. You’re more likely to get a better plant

In This Issue

stand with a planter across the broadest range of growing conditions,” says VanKoughnet. Seed placement is more important in wider rows, VanKoughnet says. Large gaps in seven or » CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

Wheat & Chaff ..................

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Features ............................

5

Columns ........................... 18 Crop Advisor’s Casebook

24

Machinery & Shop ............ 25 FarmLife ............................ 31

Oustanding young farmers LEE HART PAGE 5

Soybeans in Alberta

PATRICK FABIAN PAGE 16

Cattleman’s Corner .......... 34

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JANUARY 7, 2013

Wheat & Chaff STAMPEDE

BY JERRY PALEN LEEANN MINOGUE

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y mother gave me a new cookbook for Christmas this year. It’s called “Good Cookin’ with the L.A.W.” No, we haven’t been reduced to selling cookbooks to fund policing in rural Saskatchewan (yet). L.A.W. is short for “Lacadena Area Women (and Friends).” Since Lacadena, the west-central Saskatchewan community where I grew up has a population of two (or four, when my cousin and his wife aren’t in Saskatoon), it really is important to include “area” in the title. (In fact, the friends in the subtitle come from as far away as Eston, Elrose and Kyle — about 30 miles in any direction.) I was really happy to get this cookbook. I have the 2004 Lacadena community cookbook in my kitchen cupboard, and I use it all the time. I would have said that the original cookbook has pretty much every recipe I really need, but I’m sure my husband will be glad to see a few new recipes in the rotation. As soon as I opened my new cookbook, I flipped through the pages to see which recipes were included and who’d sent them in. It’s probably the same for anyone reading their hometown cookbook: turning the pages of this book is almost as good as going back for a visit. There’s the burnt grapes dessert that the Lacadena Wanna-Be’s served at their dinner theatre a few years ago. My aunt’s chocolate cake. A few exotic recipes that the neighbour’s daughter brought home from her trip to Europe to work as an au-pair. Lists of all of the squares and cookies I remember eating at every local event. Recipes for soups and stews that were donated and served at the rink kitchen, when there used to be a rink. Then I got to page 124.

PRETENSIONS My name was on page 124. Next to the recipe for “flat apple pie.” Oh no. “This is a disaster!” I said. Years ago, a Lacadena neighbour, Karen, shared her mother’s recipe for apple slices with my family. It’s brilliant. You use an almost-pie crust to make a, well, “flat apple pie” on a cookie sheet. It’s perfect for cutting into square pieces to pack in a kid’s lunch kit or farmer’s cooler. The recipe is fantastic. And I can sort of make it. If you don’t mind how it looks, or you don’t expect it to turn out exactly right every time, and if you’re not thinking it’s going to taste quite the same as it does when Karen makes it. The problem is that now,

everyone in Lacadena will think I’m trying to take credit for Karen’s recipe. “What can I do?” I asked my family. “Don’t worry,” my brother said. “There’s already a list of corrections up at the post office.” Sure enough. There was a posted list. The list of corrections wasn’t up in the post office because anybody was angry that someone else had stolen their recipes. And certainly not because anyone thinks they could do a better job putting this cookbook together than the organizing community — it’s pretty impressive when a town with a population of two (or four) can put together a 184-page cookbook in the first place, and in any project like this there’s bound to be a misattribution or two. No. The list is up on the post office because Lacadena is the kind of community where everyone knows there’s not much point trying to pretend to be someone you’re not, because everyone else already knows who you are anyway. Maybe you can get away with that sort of thing in the big city, but it’s not going to fly in small-town Saskatchewan.” I was relieved. “Good,” I told my brother. I’ll add my correction to the list. “Or,” he said, “You could write about it Grainews.”

SMALL TOWN CHANGES The most amazing thing about this cookbook isn’t the few minor errors or the fact that there are three different ways to make a lazy cabbage roll casserole. The most amazing thing is that a community with a population of two (or four) can pull together a cookbook at all, and that they would take the time to go to the effort. Back in the 50s and 60s, Lacadena was a good-sized town. There was a café, a co-op, a bank, a school, more than one store, and even a machinery dealership. But over time, farms got bigger and people moved away. Lacadena is about an hour’s drive from bigger centres like Swift Current or Rosetown — quite a distance to commute. By the time I was growing up, things were slowing down. The school closed before I got there. The two-sheet natural curling ice rink was still in operation, so I did have a chance to learn how to make change by selling coffee and chocolate bars from the rink kitchen, and how to throw the “Lacadena TakeOut” (a graceless two-handed two-feet-in-the-hack delivery, designed to just heft the rock past the hog line when it’s so warm there are puddles on the ice). But the curling rink was torn down years ago, and it’s been decades since there was any skating ice in Lacadena. The church where my husband and I were married 10 years ago has seen its last service. In recent years, natural gas

development has brought a little bit of new steady work to the area, but still, over the last decade, the population has continued to fall. The only “businesses” left in town are the post office and the municipal office. And yet, even now, the community puts together a cookbook. And that’s not all. Every year, they sell out tickets for more than one performance of a dinner theatre. And the show isn’t the one-man monologue you might expect when you hear about the population. They put on a good show, with a full cast and crew and the best sound effects I’ve seen (heard?) in a Prairie theatre. When someone from the community gets married, they still put on a bridal shower. At the last one I was home for, the local groom-to-be and his fiancée had to back two-and-ahalf SUVs up to the doors of the community hall to pack up all their new Tupperware and tea towels. According to the write-up in the front of my new cookbook, at least one women’s group has been organized and meeting in Lacadena at any given time since 1911. This group, the L.A.W., is relatively new, but I’m willing to bet that, somehow, they’ll find a way to carry on this tradition. It’s a little worrying to notice that, right now, most of the L.A.W.’s catering work is coming from funerals and auction sales, but I’m sure they’ll be other events too. These days, every recipe ever imagined is on the Internet, for free, complete with glamour photos of the finished dish and a list of possible ingredient substitutions. Sure, we have Wi-Fi in the house and laptop on the cupboard, but never mind the Internet. In my kitchen, we’ll be cooking with the L.A.W.

WELCOME TO JANUARY We’re starting off the New Year with a busy month. The Crop Production Show in Saskatoon, Manitoba Ag Days in Brandon and Edmonton’s FarmTech all take place in January. Between the four of us, Scott Garvey, Lisa Guenther, Lee Hart and I will be taking notes at all of these events — look out for us and say hello. If you’re not out at a farm show, a cold January evening is a good time to catch up on your reading or teach yourself a new skill. In our columns section, Toban Dyck suggests learning to use Twitter. January is also a good time to start learning more about vertical tillage. Our machinery editor Scott Garvey has tracked down a five-part series on vertical tillage by Todd Botterill. These articles will explain what vertical tillage is, the benefits and vertical tillage tools you might want to consider for your farm. We hope you enjoy this issue, and that your 2013 is off to a great start. Leeann

JANUARY 7, 2013

grainews.ca /

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Wheat & Chaff ALF BRYAN

ALF BRYAN

Wisdom from Alf

A tribute to Alf Bryan

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lf Bryan passed away on December 3, 2012 at the nursing home in Moose Jaw, Sask. Alf was a family man, farmer and political critic but he will be best remembered as the farmer from Tagaske who scribed in Grainews under the column head “I May be wrong but...” Alf ran as a Liberal in the Trudeau years and came in third in the constituency of Moose Jaw in 1974. He then focused his wrath on the Canadian Wheat Board and the single-desk selling for wheat and barley. In 1986, then editor of Grainews John Clark challenged Alf to write his views in print. Alf rose to the challenge and became a mustread columnist for years. Long-time Grainews readers will recall Alf’s wit, unbridled love for

farming and his ability to put his feelings into print. Alf acquired quite a following of readers — some who loved him and his words and some who read his work so they could disagree with him. Alf loved both groups. Alf and I had many pleasant chats over the years. It was always: “Sirski, this is Bryan,” and away went the conversations. We never had to assign Alf a topic: he always had several ideas for columns rolling around in his. Alf rounded out his writing career by publishing five books. Three were based on his columns; the other two were novels. Alf is sadly missed by his wife Shirley, son Shane and his wife Crystal, his three grandchildren — Alexis, Tristin and Sophie — and numerous other relatives. † Andy Sirski

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PHOTO: SHANE BRYAN

Farmer, columnist and author Alf Bryan, shown here in February 2001, died in December, 2012 at age 86.

ALF BRYAN

Remembering Alf Bryan M y uncle, Alf Bryan, died on December 3, 2012 at the age of 86. Writing is just thinking on paper, and Alf had a vivid mind. He was a clear thinker and that came through in his writing. Alf craved knowledge and read voraciously — his mind retained what he read, and he could recall facts instantly. Alf wrote his stories in longhand, deep into the night at his kitchen table. He was a master wordsmith and storyteller. He had an enormous vocabulary and would pick just the right word for his purpose — he would bend the rules of grammar when he thought it would help contribute to the flow and rhythm of a paragraph. He had studied Latin in his youth, and would throw some in for flavour occasionally. Alf and Doug (dad) farmed together at Bridgeford through the 1950s. They would argue, sometimes bitterly, but they always made up. In 1962, Dad, mom, and me, just a year old, moved to the Avril place south of Central Butte. Once they were farming on their own Dad and Alf competed with one another buying land and both of them built up sizeable farms over their lifetimes. Through the 1960s and ’70s Alf would come down to the farm to visit. Sitting around the kitchen table we would discuss controversial topics like capital punishment and abortion; we would compare economic and political systems. Dad or Alfred would often make a point with an eloquent quote from Shakespeare, Hemingway, Kipling, or

one of many more writers and poets they could quote by heart. When I got older I would visit Alf at his schoolhouse in Tugaske, where he had an extensive library, before the place burned down. He would often lend me books to read. We discussed the ideas of Plato, Aristotle, Ayn Rand, Freud, Darwin, von Mises and many more. Alf was a man of reason — he believed the universe was knowable and that someday science would explain what the universe is made of and how it works. Alf certainly didn’t believe in God, and, more than that, he would never surrender his mind to the dictates and indoctrination of the church. He called himself a pagan. Alf loved playing hockey. I played with him on the Tugaske Plainsmen Rec. team for a few years in my late teens and early 20’s. He was pushing 60 at the time. He played defence and had a wickedly effective poke check. If you did get by him, often as not he’d dump you with a two-hander across the ankles. Between shifts he’d sit on the bench and cough till his face turned purple. I was always worried he’d have a heart attack. One time we were playing in Marquis in a tournament. Final game, we’re two goals down going into the third period. We’re sitting in the dressing room. It’s quiet except for heavy breathing. Alf was by far our oldest player and therefore our de facto coach, and he knew how to motivate people. Alf was the first to speak. He said to Don Dougherty, our best player, “Don, I’ll bet you

a 40 of whiskey that you can’t score a hat trick this period”. Don says, “It’s a bet if I can play with Nutley.” So, sure enough Gord Nutley set up Don for three goals and we won the tournament. Alf was more than happy to buy the whiskey. Alf spent the last few years of his life in an old folks home in Moose Jaw, which was not much of a life for a man who treasured his freedom, and the wide-open Prairie. I had hoped he could die at his farmhouse, where he could look out over his beloved fields. A few years ago, when he was still fairly coherent, I went to visit him. He was happy to see me — it had been a long time. He asked me if I had a cigarette. I said, “Well, we can’t smoke in here, the nurses will freak out.” He said, “This is my *$%* house, and I’ll smoke in it if I want to!” So, we had a smoke. What was I going to say? “No?” And yes, we did get caught, and the nurses did freak out. It was worth it. Alf never planned his funeral. One time Karen, his stepdaughter, asked him about it, and all he said was “Just throw me out on a rockpile, the coyotes will take care of me.” His wife, Shirley, decided he would be buried by a preacher, as a Christian, to the shock of the rest of his family. Then they laid him beside his mother, Ruby, and his first wife, Fay. He always did say that Bryan men were dominated by their women. At least he was buried in his hard hat. † David Bryan

t’s odd how people come into your life. I never actually met Alf face to face, but I always vowed I would some day. I thought about it every time I passed by Sintaluta (he must have written about delivering grain there), but this time, as I drove down No. 1 Highway on my way to Alberta, I knew it was too late. Alf was an outspoken old farmer that talked about those silly young farmers “pumping” all of the moisture out of the ground with continuous cropping. In the 1980’s I was one of those silly young farmers actively promoting the latest in soil conservation techniques. Alf was a vocal opponent of the Canadian Wheat Board’s single desk selling feature, I was an active supporter. In many respects we couldn’t have been more opposite, but what we did share was a passion for speaking our minds, and Alf did it in spades. It was after reading one of his columns in Grainews that I felt compelled to write and take him to task for what I believed to be a “wrong” opinion. To say that the rebuttal took me places I never knew existed would be an understatement. What started out as a commentary on summerfallow became a voyage into ancient civilizations, mythological creatures and an explanation that I couldn’t help but laugh at. Such began our long-distance understanding that we would have to agree to disagree because we were both too stubborn to sway the other’s view. Over the years I think there were times that he deliberately baited me, but I would retaliate by letter and try, unsuccessfully, sway his opinion one more time. One night he phoned me back and offered to “further my education” by selling me one of his books. I don’t think it would have changed my mind either, but now I wish I had bought it. I never got to shake his hand, but I’m going to miss him. The farm press lost a likeable and humourous curmudgeon, but we all lost another perspective on life. If there’s a plowed field up yonder, I know Alf is going to find it. Rest well, my friend. † Les McEwan

PHOTO CONTEST

GIVE US YOUR BEST SHOT This photo was sent in by Elena Bryden. Elena and her husband Chris farm near Nipawin and Arborfield, Saskatchewan. Elena loves photography. She took this photo of their CAT combine when they had finished one field and were moving to another. She was following Chris in the truck while he drove the combine. Thanks for sharing this Elena. A cheque for $25 is on its way to your mailbox. If you’d like to see your photo on this page and receive $25, send your best shot to [email protected]. Please send only one or two photos at a time and include your name and address, the names of anyone in the photo, where the photo was taken and a bit about what was going on that day. A little write-up about your farm is welcome, too. Please ensure that images are of high resolution (1 MB is preferred), and if the image includes a person, we need to be able to see their face clearly. — Leeann

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JANUARY 7, 2013

Cover Stories CROP PRODUCTION » CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

ROW PLANTERS VERSUS AIR DRILLS eight-inch rows likely neighbour areas with higher seed concentrations. “If you had gaps like that in a 30-inch row, then you’d have seeds right on top of each other because it’s so concentrated. And then you’d have spaces that would be kind of a waste.” In 2010, soybeans were seeded in eight-inch spacings by a Bourgault single-manifold air drill, and 10-inch spacing by a John Deere multi-manifold air drill. A John Deere max-emerge vacuum planter, set on 15-inch spacing, was also used. High, medium, and low seeding rates were set for each implement. Too much rain after seeding stressed all the treatments, particularly the John Deere air drill with on-row packing. Though there was a yield penalty due to poor emergence, it was less severe than expected. “By looking at the fields, they looked like they were going to be 50 per cent of the yield, and you ended up with 80 per cent of the yield, or something like that,” says VanKoughnet. Hail robbed yield from all the treatments, but as the treatments were replicated four times, each treatment was likely affected equally by the hail, VanKoughnet says. The planter set at 15-inch spacing yielded better than the other treatments, no matter the seeding rate. At the lowest seeding rate of just over 140,000 seeds per acre, the 15-inch spacing yielded 31.5 bushels per acre. The 15-inch spac-

ing seeded at the higher seeding rate also had the highest yields, of nearly 34 bushels per acre. The 10-inch spacing yielded around 29 bushels per acre at each seeding rate, while the eight-inch spacing yielded about 30 bushels at the lowest rate, to 32.4 bushels at the highest rate. In 2011, VanKoughnet looked at eight-inch row spacing with an air drill, and 15- and 30-inch spacing with a vacuum planter. All the plants got off to a great start, but then the taps shut off. Lack of moisture became a key factor. “It didn’t matter how many seeds you planted, and it didn’t matter what row spacing there was. It all came to that maximum yield of about 41.5 bushels or somewhere around there.” Dry weather in 2012 punished some soybeans in 30-inch spacings. VanKoughnet says the upright, early-maturing variety in the 30-inch spacing was too mature to benefit from a crucial early August rain. The crop canopy filled in later and barely covered the rows, allowing sun and wind to dry the exposed soil. The upright, early-maturing variety in eight-inch spacing was about a week behind, and fared better. The later-maturing, bushy variety didn’t suffer a yield penalty in the 30-inch spacing.

sometimes by going with a little bit of a wider row like a 15-inch over 7.5, you can put some more coulters on there and try and push some of the trash out of the way,” says Bohner. Managing the trash could prevent frost damage, too. VanKoughnet had coulters in front of the planter row for some strips, which moved the trash about one inch from the soybeans. “And there was no frost on those beans. And where the strip of trash had not lifted, and was right over top of the beans, they were frozen back to the cotyledons.”

Farmers who want to cut seeding rates will want to consider a planter VanKoughnet says this was replicated seven times across the field. His experience has implications for farmers seeding early into no till. “I would wait and make sure I got good, warm soil and then pop them into the ground, particularly if there’s a bunch of straw.”

NEW EQUIPMENT?

MANAGE TRASH DURING SEEDING The right equipment can help farmers manage residue during seeding. Bohner says lots of residue can be difficult for the equipment to punch through, and may cause emergence problems. “If there’s a lot of residue from the previous crop in no till, then

Does the potential for better seed placement warrant the purchase of new equipment? Boehner says there is no question the planter is superior for seeding in 15-inch rows because it does a better job with depth control and seed distribution. “The confounding factor here is that if you don’t have a planter unit, and you can only go in 7.5-

inch rows, then that’s okay too. The way to get around any problems with that distribution issue is just to keep the seeding rate on the high side, and then it all washes out anyway and it doesn’t really matter,” says Boehner. But farmers who want to cut seeding rates will want to consider a planter. “So far (in) the comparisons we’ve done, we’re adding close to 20,000 more plants in an air drill than we would with a planter. And at the price of seed right now, that bumps around $11 an acre,” says VanKoughnet. Farmers looking at a 30-inch planter should keep in mind 30-inch rows will likely require an extra pass with the sprayer to control weeds, partially offsetting savings from lower seeding rates. Though cheap 30-inch planters are readily available in the United States, finding an affordable 15 or 20-inch planter is more difficult. Farmers who plan to grow corn as well, or who have many acres to seed to soybeans, may be able to justify the purchase. VanKoughnet says farmers should also consider how new their air drill is. He says researchers need to compare the vacuum planter’s performance to that of new air drills with single disc offsets, individual depth control, and individual packing. Ultimately, an air drill gets the job done. “You can’t wreck a soybean crop from the piece of equipment you use, if it’s doing its job right. You can get a good soybean yield with the planter or with an air drill, if the conditions are right,” says VanKoughnet. † Lisa Guenther is a field editor with Grainews based at Livelong, Sask. Contact her at Lisa. [email protected]

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Heather Anderson HEAD OFFICE 1666 Dublin Avenue, Winnipeg, Man. R3H 0H1 Phone: (204) 944-5567 Fax: (204) 944-5562 ADVERTISING SALES

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EXTENDED OUTLOOK FOR THE PRAIRIES Weather Forecast for the period of December 30, 2012 to January 26, 2013

Southern Alberta

Peace River Region December 30 - January 5 Clear and very cold in the north. Changeable in the south with a few higher windchills and scattered snow.

December 30 - January 5 Clear and very cold in the north. Changeable in the south with a few higher windchills and scattered snow.

January 6 - 12 Cold and clear most days except for minor warming in the south with some snow and drifting.

January 6 - 12 Cold and clear most days except for minor warming in the south with some snow and drifting.

January 13 - 19 Higher windchills and often fair, aside from scattered light snow on a couple of days. January 20 - 26 Cold temperatures, fair skies and high windchills prevail, but minor warming in the south brings some light snow and drifting on a couple of days.

-21 / -10 Grande Prairie 32.7 mms

Manitoba December 30 - January 5 Colder with a few high windchill days. Fair, but some light snow and drifting on a couple of days.

January 6 - 12 Cold air dominates, but slight warming brings occasional snow and blowing on a couple of days.

January 6 - 12 Cold, but minor warming brings scattered snow and blowing on 2 or 3 days. Clear and cold in the north.

January 13 - 19 Higher windchills and often fair, aside from scattered light snow on a couple of occasions.

January 13 - 19 Mostly settled aside from light snow and drifting on 2 or 3 days. Temperatures vary from cold to mild.

January 13 - 19 Temperatures fluctuate, but average near or a bit above normal. Scattered snow and drifting.

Canadian Postmaster: Send address changes and undeliverable copies (covers only) to PO Box 9800, Winnipeg, Man. R3C 3K7.

January 20 - 26 Cold temperatures, fair skies and high windchills prevail, but minor warming in the south brings some light snow and drifting on a couple of days.

January 20 - 26 High pressure brings clear and very cold conditions on most days. Expect some light snowfall and drifting in the south on 2 or 3 occasions.

January 20 - 26 Clear skies, cold temperatures and a few high windchills dominate in spite of spotty light snow and drifting on a couple of days.

U.S. Postmaster: Send address changes and undeliverable copies (covers only) to 1666 Dublin Avenue, Winnipeg, Man. R3H 0H1.

-20 / -9 Edmonton ABOVE NORMAL

31.1 mms

-15 / -5

31.0 mms

Banff

-19 / -8 Red Deer 20.7 mms

-23 / -12 North Battleford

-27 / -16 The Pas

-26 / -14 Prince Albert 15.4 mms

18.4 mms

NEAR NORMAL

-23 / -12 Saskatoon 15.9 mms

-21 / -10 -20 / -10 Moose Jaw 14.7 mms Swift 17.7 mms 12.2 mms -16 / -5 Current -21 / -12 Medicine Hat 20.0 mms Weyburn cms Lethbridge 17.319mms 17.2 mms -21 / -11 20.3 mms 26 cms -14 / -3 Estevan -16 / -4 Calgary

Precipitation Outlook For January

18.0 mms

-24 / -13 Yorkton -23 / -13 21.2 mms Regina

18.8 mms

GRAINEWS is printed on recyclable paper with linseed oil-based inks. Published 18 times a year.

Precipitation Forecast

-16 / -6 Jasper

Subscription prices: For Canadian farmers, $49.35 per year or $79.00 for 2 years (includes GST). Man. residents add 7% PST to above prices. U.S: $43.00 per year (U.S. Funds). Outside Canada & U.S.: $79 per year. ISSN 0229-8090. Call 1-800-665-0502 for subscriptions. Fax (204) 954-1422.

December 30 - January 5 Colder with higher windchills at times. Fair skies alternate with spotty snow and drifting.

23.3 mms

Forecasts should be 80% accurate, but expect variations by a day or two because of changeable speed of weather systems.

Saskatchewan

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage.

-24 / -13 Dauphin

19.3 mms

Much Above Normal Below Much above normal normal below normal normal

-26 / -15 Gimli

25.1 mms

-22 / -12 -25 / -14 Portage -24 / -13 Brandon 23.8 mms Winnipeg 18.4 mms

Melita -25 / -12

19.2 mms

19.3 mms

Temperatures are normals for January 15th averaged over 30 years. Precipitation (water equivalent) normals for January in mms. ©2012 WeatherTec Services Inc. www.weathertec.mb.ca

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JANUARY 7, 2013

grainews.ca /

Features OUTSTANDING YOUNG FARMERS

Saskatchewan and Quebec couples win national OYF honors Young farming couples from Saskatchewan and Quebec have been named Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers for 2012 BY LEE HART

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Lee Hart is a field editor for Grainews in Calgary, Contact him at 403-592-1964 or by email at [email protected]

Quebec OYFs Johanne Cameron and Martin Brodeur Choquette.

Saskatchewan OYFs Vance Lester and Susan Echlin.

5525 CL Crushes NeXerA 2012 CL 5525 CL Better yield, Better net and complete marketing flexiBility 5525 CL is a yield-leading variety in all canola production systems, delivering outstanding net returns while you retain complete marketing flexibility. Head-to-head in the 2011 Canola Performance Trials mid-season zone, 5525 CL out-yielded Nexera® 2012 by an average of 8 bu/ac1. The result: $50.361 per acre more in farmers’ pockets even after specialty oil premiums. With the freedom to market 5525 CL anywhere, and high net returns, 5525 CL crushes the competition. In the end, it all comes down to performance and BrettYoung brings a new standard of excellence to the field.

CANOLA PERFORMANCE TRIALS 2 2011 75

60

Average Yield

ance Lester and Susan Echlin, who operate a successful fruit winery near Saskatoon, and Martin Brodeur Choquette and Johanne Cameron, who have built up a flock of 1,200 sheep on their farm near St. Hyacinth, Que., were named winners at the national awards competition held in Charlottetown, P.E.I. Lester and Echlin have been building their award winning Living Sky Winery at Perdue, Sask., since 2005. Choquette and Cameron both began building their respective sheep flocks in their teens and early 20s and combined their love of farming and agricultural skills when they met in 2004. Today they operate a successful lamb and purebred sheep farm — Les Bergeries Marovine — at St-Charles-sur-Richelieu. Lester and Echlin told the more than 200 OYF alumni and guess attending the national event that while their product is wine, they are farmers first. They grow and make wine from cherries, rhubarb, black currents, raspberries and haskap from a 10-acre orchard which they plan to expand by about 50 per cent over the next couple of years. They located the orchard by a large pond for the rare times they need to irrigate the crop. “We’re not certified organic, but operate as if we are,” says Sue. To accommodate processing, they purchased the old Co-op store in a nearby town, and completely retrofitted it into a CFIA inspected facility with tank space for about 11,000 litres of wine at any one time. Production reached 18,000 litres in 2012. While it sounds like a warn out phrase, “it really is a difficult decision” to select only two from a field of excellent candidates, says Rick Thiessen, an OYF alumni winner from Abbottsford, B.C. who along with OYF alumni Alan Bryson of Que., and former P.E.I. premier Pat Binns were judges for the 2012 competition. The two national winners are selected from a field of seven regional OYF nominees. Other 2012 nominees include Peter and Nicole Tuytel, dairy producers from Chilliwack, B.C.; Robert and Angela Semeniuk, grain farmers from Smoky Lake, Alta.; Dustin Williams and Laura McDougald-Williams grain farmers from Souris, Man.; Cory and Heidi Van Groningen, beef producers from Cayuga, Ont.; and Mark and Sally Bernard, organic grain and livestock producers from Freetown, P.E.I. The 2012 event was the first time the national OYF awards ceremony was held in P.E.I. in its 32-year history. Next year the OYF awards will be hosted by the Saskatchewan regional OYF committee and will be held in conjunction with the Canadian Western Agribition livestock show in Regina in mid-November. †

58 bu/acre 50 bu/acre

45

30

15

0 5525 CL 2012 CL 2

brettyoung.ca

•

Data from 2011 Canola Performance Trials – medium season zone.

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BrettYoung is a trademark of BrettYoung seeds Limited. Ares is a trademark and Clearfield and the unique Clearfield symbol are registered trademarks of BAsF Agrochemical Products B.V. All used with permission by BAsF Canada Inc. All others are trademarks of their respective companies. 12026 10.12 1 Based on 2012 Nexera oil premiums and 2012 sr Ps on the seed. For complete details on the trials visit www.canolaperformancetrials.ca

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JANUARY 7, 2013

Features Canola production

Take another look at straight-combining canola Saskatchewan researchers examine straight-combining canola and make some recommendations to reduce losses for those willing to try it Leeann Minogue

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t a summer research field day in Swift Current last July, quite a few farmers raised their hands when researcher Chris Holzapfel asked how many had experience with straight-combining canola. Holzapfel looked a little surprised, until he remembered that many farmers in southwest Saskatchewan are new to canola and probably don’t have a swather handy. But even if you have a swather on deck, you might want to think about straight-combining some of the canola on your farm. In 2011 and 2012, Holzapfel of the Indian Head Agricultural Research Foundation (IHARF), with the help of several sponsors including SaskCanola and the Manitoba Canola Growers, led a team of researchers looking at straight-combining canola. In two years of trials in four different  locations  across Saskatchewan, swathing was better in some years and locations, while in some situations straightcombining led to less shattering, Holzapfel told farmers attending Canola Day on Nov. 5 in Weyburn, Sask. Results depended primarily on weather and timing, he said. If you’re in a situation where straight-combining makes sense, there are things you can do to decrease potential losses. However, there isn’t much you can do about wind. Indian Head had as much wind as anywhere else in 2012. When researchers went out to measure losses about a month after straight-combining, they found a 62 per cent yield loss. Part of this loss may have been caused by sclerotinia, but wind was a big issue. On Aug. 25, winds at the Indian Head station were 80 km per hour. As Holzapfel says, that’s “difficult to plan for.” On 32 of the 40 days before harvest, wind speeds were greater than 31 km per hour. If you’re going to try straightcutting your canola, here are four factors to think about first.

2. Glyphosate When it came to using glyphosate pre-harvest, Holzapfel found no significant impact on the yield that made it into the combine. However, he said using glyphosate was still “a nice way to get rid of some of that variability you always see.” Glyphosate also brings the benefit of weed control. 3. Header choice At the Swift Current site, Holzapfel measured seed loss at harvest using four different types of headers: rigid, draper and stripper headers, as well as BISO header extensions. (BISO header extensions are imported from Europe, where they’ve been

designed specifically for use in rapeseed. They can be attached to existing headers, but do not fit on all types. They are currently available in widths only up to 30 feet.) Holzapfel said they “definitely got the best gains with the BISO header extension.” The next best option was the draper header, with a rigid header coming third.

4.  Variety choice Although, as Holzapfel says, “Polish canola is a little less prone to shattering,” to make his research more relevant, he looked at  12  different  high-yielding Argentine hybrids. In 2011, trials were started in Indian Head,

Scott and Swift Current to look at the importance of varieties. While his research isn’t fully compiled yet, Holzapfel is willing to make some preliminary comments. Overall, the research found that LibertyLink varieties produced the least shattering, followed by Clearfield seed, with Roundup Ready taking third place. Holzapfel saw a lot of variability, but says, “One variety in particular came out to be much better.” Bayer’s Invigor 5440 was the best performer of the 12 varieties. “In most locations, especially where we had pretty high losses, it was doing a little bit better.” Holzapfel says, “Invigors do hold up fairly well overall. But that’s not always the case.”

photo: leeann minogue

Chris  Holazpfel  describes  his straight-combining  study  to farmers at a summer research tour at Swift Current.

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1. Pod Sealants Pod sealants have been available in Western Canada since 2008. These products are designed to reduce shattering losses in any pod-forming plant. Holzapfel and his team tried three brands: Pod Ceal DC, pod-Stik and Desikote Max. While there were a few cases where pod sealants led to lower shattering losses, after measuring seed left on the ground postharvest, Holzapfel told farmers in Weyburn, “In most cases — seven out of eight cases —we had no significant benefits from using the pod sealant.” Holzapfel estimates the cost of applying pod sealant is likely equivalent to the cost of swathing. Aerial application would do less damage, but would also make pod sealant even more expensive. Holzapfel says, “When we looked at the big picture, we just didn’t see a return on investment.”

Always read and follow label directions. AgSolutions, and HEADLINE are registered trade-marks of BASF Corporation; AgCelence, and INSURE are trade-marks of BASF SE, all used with permission by BASF Canada Inc. INSURE Cereal and/or HEADLINE should be used in a preventative disease control program. © 2013 BASF Canada Inc.

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JANUARY 7, 2013

grainews.ca /

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Features the pod sealants,” says Holzapfel, “but this was something that came out.” But as he reminded the Weyburn audience, variety choice can’t fix everything. “If you take anything home from this, none of these varieties are shatter proof,” Holzapfel says.

Swathing pros Swathing has many benefits. 1.  Timing: When swathing, “you knock it down and it’s ready when you are,” says Holzapfel. This is a way to even out maturity, and desiccate green weeds. Once your crop is swathed, you can be more flexible about harvest dates, working around other crops’ maturity as necessary. 2.  Maturity: Swathing can even out maturity (especially important in an uneven field), and can desiccate green weeds. 3.  Avoid shattering loss: This is the biggest factor. Holzapfel says, “it comes down to risk.” One year

of bad loss may have paid for the purchase of a swather, and maybe even hiring someone to run it.

Straight-combining pros As Holzapfel has found, straightcombining isn’t all downside. 1.  Timing: “There is a fairly narrow window of optimal timing for swathing,” Holpazel says. “If you’ve got a lot of acres to get over, limited manpower and equipment, and other crops to deal with,” you may want to have two options. If you can’t get to every field at just the right time to swath, maybe it makes sense to leave some canola standing, and plan to get the timing right with your combine. 2.  Costs: Of course, straightcombining will save you the costs of swathing, and the labour you need to have on hand to get it done at the right time. 3.  Reduced risk under some conditions: In cases where you have a lodged crop or sparse stubble, you may not have much of a

stand to hold your swath in place, incrasing your chance of blowing. 4.  Seed quality: Leaving your crop standing all the way to maturity results in larger seeds, and higher oil content. Overall, he found a six per cent increase in seed size — an increase in weight from 3.2 to 3.4 grams per 1,000 seeds. This balanced out a roughly six per cent increase in shattering losses. This isn’t an economic factor to consider now — as Holzapfel says, “farmers don’t get paid for oil” — but some day, processors may reward farmers financially for providing seed with higher oil content. Because this study used small plots, straight-combining is at a slight disadvantage. There are more edges per acre in smaller fields, and plants on the edges of a field have less protection from wind and weather. Overall, Holzapfel says, “Don’t be afraid to try straight-combining.” But remember, he says, “there are some risks.” † Leeann Minogue is the editor of Grainews

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Looking for 5440

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s I was working on this story, more than one  farmer  mentioned a concern that InVigor 5440 canola may not be available from Bayer in the future. According to Blaine Woycheshin, manager of oilseed crops at InVigor Seed, that’s not going to be a problem. Woycheshin says, “InVigor 5440 hybrid is a consistent and reliable performer with great yields and strong lodging resistance. It remains in our 2013 InVigor hybrid canola lineup and will continue to be an excellence choice for growers for the future.” † Leeann Minogue

University canola reserach

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eketel Haile, a graduate student studying weed science at the  University  o f Saskatchewan has also been looking at the outcomes of straight-combining canola. In 2010 and 2011, Haile found no significant difference in seed loss in fields that were straight-combined compared to those that were swathed. Haile says “Swathing is not better than straight-cutting.” It’s his next comment that may seem particularly relevant after 2012, the “Year of the Great Wind” in many parts of the Prairies. Haile says, when it comes to straight-combining, “there is a risk of high wind or storms. Otherwise, there is no concerns.” For the last three years, Haile and other researchers have used a specialized vacuum cleaner to sample 66 canola fields across Western Canada. They examined fields that were both swathed and straight-combined, within three weeks of harvest. In each of the 66 fields, Haile and his co-workers took dirt back to their lab, separated the seeds from soil and crop residue, then measured the weight of pure seed that had been left behind. Haile doesn’t have results from 2012 yet — he’s still working in the lab, separating seeds from soil before he can take a final measure of the Saskatchewan samples. “It’s a lot of work, actually,” he says.

The results In 2010 and 2011, Haile and his fellow researchers found some interesting results: Farmers with more canola acres had higher seed loss than farmers with fewer canola acres. Hails puts this down to timing. “When they have more acres, they need more time to swath and harvest. They may not get to the field in the optimal time.” Farmers using conventional combines had higher seed loss than those with rotary combines. Haile’s study found less seed loss in LibertyLink varieties than Roundup Ready varieties. This mirrors the results found by Chris Holzapfel at the Indian Head Agricultural Research Foundation. There was some correlation between seed loss and yield — a higher yield meant a slightly higher percentage of seed lost. On average, Haile found seed loss of 3.28 bushels per acre in the fields they surveyed — this was 7.3 per cent of the total yield. Haile says, “This is a lot, actually, but not all of these seeds will germinate.” However, they certainly aren’t harmless. “The seeds can stay in the soil for four or five years, and create a weed problem for subsequent crops.” † Leeann Minogue

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JANUARY 7, 2013

Features SOIL MANAGEMENT

Cleaning up contaminants All farmers fear contaminated soil. New clean up processes help bring contaminated land back to its original state BY DANELL VAN STAVEREN

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spent last winter, on my way to the rink, driving past a mountain of dirt being processed by various machines. It looked very labourious and complicated. The grapevine reported that there had been an oil spill, and cleaning it up involved digging up the contaminated dirt, and “cooking” the oil out of it. As I zipped past with kids in the backseat and skates in the trunk, the questions that kept coming to mind were, “What will be left of the dirt when this is through?” and, “Will this land ever grow anything again?”

THERMAL DESORPTION REMEDIATION When a pipeline leaked on land owned by Griffin, Sask., farmers Stacey and Kara Lee Lund, the company that owns the pipeline arranged to have the spill cleaned up by Nelson Environmental Remediation Ltd. (NER). NER, with headquarters at Spruce Grove, Alta., has 15 years experience with a process called “thermal desorption remediation.” This was the same process I had driven past last winter, and it’s also being used in the clean up on Lund’s land. What is thermal desorption

remediation? According to Tyrel Watchell, business development officer for NER, “It is the safest most economical way of treating contaminated soil on site, meeting the strictest of government standards.” Thermal desorption remediation (TDR) is the process of removing harmful chemicals from soil, by using heat to change the chemicals into gasses. Special equipment is used to collect the gasses. Then dust and harmful chemicals are separated from the gasses and disposed of safely. The end result is clean dirt.

At the end of the process, the soil is clean TDR is not the same as incineration, which uses heat to destroy chemicals in the soil. TDR does not sterilize the soil; the inorganic composition of the soil is left intact. TDR can be used to clean up various chemical contaminations, however, across Western Canada the most common chemicals needing remediation are the petroleum hydrocarbons, such as crude oil, diesel and other chemicals found in the oil field industry. One of

This aerial photo of the reclamation work being done on Stacey and Kara Lee Lund’s land near Griffin, Sask., shows the scope of the reclamation project. the advantages of TDR, Watchell points out, is that the contamination need not be recent to be successfully remediated. “Spills can be two months old or 20 years old. There are many historically contaminated sites that can be fixed using TDR, even after other methods have been tried.”

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soil — and they keep the nitrogen available for the crop. AGROTAIN® stabilizer can be blended with urea-based fertilizer products to reduce surface loss from ammonia volatilization. Urease breaks down urea into a form that can be lost into the air when the urea is still on the soil surface. AGROTAIN® stabilizer works by blocking the urease enzyme in the soil.

With a broadcast application with urea protected by AGROTAIN® stabilizer, you can still get the nutrients the crop needs to get a good ® By adding AGROTAIN start but can avoid having stabilizer, growers can apply to place all your nitrogen at urea to their fields without once. And you can cut down having to put it into the on all the time it takes away

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The process of TDR requires special equipment called a thermal desorption unit (TDU). A TDU is moved to the contamination site. The contaminated soil is excavated, brought to the TDU, dropped into a hopper, and then onto a conveyer belt. Once on the conveyor belt, the soil moves into the desorber at a controlled rate. There, it is heated to volatilize the hydrocarbons, which are removed from the soil as a gas stream. The temperature and processing time of the desorber are set according to the type and concentration of petroleum product in the soil, soil type and soil moisture content. The soil exits the desorber as clean dirt. It will be re-hydrated and cooled. The gas stream of toxic chemicals separated from the soil pass through the baghouse — a filtration unit where dust and particulate are removed from the gas stream. In the final stage of the process, the gas stream enters the oxidizer. Here, toxic hydrocarbon molecules are rendered harmless with the addition of oxygen and increased temperature.

RESTORING THE DIRT The clean dirt produced as the end result of the thermal desorption process is tested by an independent lab to ensure that petroleum toxins have been removed from the soil to specifications set by provincial and federal governments. This dirt is used as backfill at the excavation site. The thermal desorption process can remediate between 500 and 800 metric tonnes of contaminated soil in 12 hours. When compared to alternative remediation methods, such as landfilling, TDR has environmental advantages. Had the pipeline leak on Lund’s land been landfilled, the contaminated soil would have had to have been excavated and hauled to a landfill site. “There would have been a lot of truck traffic,” says Stacey Lund. “The on-site process saves the roads.” In this case, landfilling

would have meant hauling away 16,000 tonnes of soil, then sourcing and hauling back in another 16,000 tonnes of uncontaminated soil to backfill the excavated site. Landfilling does not eliminate contaminants from the soil, but simply moves the problem from one location to another. Because hydrocarbons could be released into the atmosphere or back into the ground at the new site, they continue to pose future environmental and liability issues. TDR and landfilling cost about the same: about $50 per tonne of contaminated soil, but TDR has some clear advantages for farmland: • At the end of the process, the soil is clean. Petroleum contaminates are eliminated to regulated standards. • TDR leaves the inorganic integrity of the soil intact. The clean soil used to backfill the contamination site will have the same characteristics as the soil around the contamination site. Once organics are re-established, over time the soil has the potential to return to its original level of productivity. The process of re-establishing organics can be accelerated by adding straw and manure to the topsoil. • With TDR, clean soil from the original location is used as backfill instead. This eliminates the need to bring in soil from another location, which carries the risk of introducing a new weed or insect pest to the land. Tyrel Watchell of Nelson Environmental Remediation sums up the TDR finished product by saying, “At the end of the day we put that dirt back in, and contour it, and seed it, or leave it fallow to regenerate.” The two acre piece of remediated ground owned by Stacey and Kara Lee Lund should be ready to be put back into production next growing season. I’ll be keeping an eye on it next spring, as I zip past with kids in the backseat, on my way to the soccer field. † Danell van Staveren farms and writes near Griffin, Sask.

JANUARY 7, 2013

grainews.ca /

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Features VERTICAL TILLAGE SPECIAL

Sorting through vertical tillage, part one In this first instalment of a five-part series, Todd Botterill takes a look at the new movement to vertical tillage, what it really means and how to make the conversion on your farm

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ertical tillage is all the rage today. You can’t turn around without seeing a new vertical tillage machine or hearing about one. For those of us who have been involved with vertical tillage since the term was first coined, the recent pandemonium can be bittersweet. It feels good to have the recognition, and know that what we started working on so many years ago isn’t just some flash-inthe-pan idea. It’s also frustrating, though, to see so many touting the virtues of vertical tillage without really understanding what it is. It’s kind of like someone showing up late to your birthday party and yelling, “Happy New Years!” The concept behind vertical tillage isn’t new. I’ve been told that research into the idea actually first started in the 1950s, but the technology wasn’t ready then to allow the machinery to run reliably. And it was a far cry from the practices used at the time. It wasn’t until the late 1990s and early 2000s that we saw the research brought up again. Most of the credit for the popularity of vertical tillage can be given to an agronomist in Central Illinois named Ken Ferrie. His ongoing trials with Farm Journal Magazine showed very good results in corn, where seedbed preparation was looked at from a vertical perspective. So what is vertical tillage? Simply put, it’s a farming system focusing on creating a consistent seedbed vertically through your field. It doesn’t really matter which direction the dirt moves when you work it, it’s about what kind of density layers there are in your soil and how they affect moisture and root migration through the soil profile.

VERTICAL TILLAGE TOOLS Not all vertical tillage tools are meant to do the same thing. Many conventional tillage tools, such as cultivators and tandem or offset disks, create a “smear” layer below where they run as they drag through the soil. The soil above that layer is loose and fluffy. You typically place your seeds in the fluffy dirt where the roots can grow and move easily through the soil profile. As they grow down, they hit the smear layer, which is much denser than the fluffy soil the root is used to. The root will often take the path of least resistance, moving sideways until it finds a break in the smear layer where it can grow downwards. If the smear layer was created by a tool like a cultivator with full-width sweeps, there aren’t too many places for the root to grow down. This dense layer also prevents moisture from migrating up through the soil by capillary movement, or moving through the cracks in the soil, which really cuts down on the amount of moisture available to the plant later in the year if it becomes dry. For the most part, whatever moisture the crop is going to have for growth is what the soil can retain above the depth that it was worked to.

So if you ran the cultivator three inches deep, you have three inches of moisture retention. If you have consistent rains, you don’t notice much loss. But if it turns dry, you can have deeper moisture that really isn’t available to your crop. In a vertical tillage system there are no soil density layers to affect root growth and moisture migration. Studies have shown that vertical tillage farming systems actually improve moisture migration through the soil even though in many cases they are doing less overall tillage than other practices. In wet years, water will be better able to migrate through the soil, and in dry conditions migrate back up again.

TRANSITIONING TO VERTICAL TILLAGE To transition into a vertical tillage system you must first remove the tillage (different density) layers in your soil. Then you need to make sure that any subsequent pass does not put a tillage layer back in. There are a large number of tools out; in the next instalment, we’ll classify these tools into different categories. † Todd Botterill has been a territory manager for Phoenix Rotary Harrows and spent time in the corn belt of the U.S. during the early introduction of vertical tillage systems. In 2006 he became Salford Farm Machinery’s Western Canada territory manager. In 2009 he took over the family business, which wholesales tillage implements across Western Canada. He lives at Newton, Man.

PHOTO: SCOTT GARVEY

There are a variety of vertical tillage implements on the market today, each with different capabilities. Picking the right ones to establish and maintain a vertical tillage program for your farm requires doing a little homework.

The

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17

Proving Ground Comparisons

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22

Proving Ground Comparisons

Better seed in so many weighs. Farming is large-scale, and at DuPont Pioneer, we think seed trials should reflect real farming. That’s why each year we test our seed products in over 1500 large-scale Proving Ground™ trials of canola, corn and soybeans across Western Canada. And why our goal is to test our Pioneer® brand products on your farm under your field conditions to find the right product for the right acre. Ask your Pioneer Hi-Bred sales rep about Proving Ground trial results in your area.

www.pioneer.com/yield Canola yield data summary averaged across 3 years (2010-2012). Yield data collected from large-scale, grower managed Proving Ground trials across Western Canada as of November 30th, 2012. Product responses are variable and subject to any number of environmental, disease and pest pressures. Individual results may vary. Multi-year and multi-location data is a better predictor of future performance. Refer to www.pioneer.com/yield or contact a Pioneer Hi-Bred sales representative for the latest and complete listing of traits and scores for each Pioneer ® brand product. Roundup Ready is a registered trademark used under license from the Monsanto Company. Dekalb is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Pioneer® brand products are provided subject to the terms and conditions of purchase which are part of the labeling and purchase documents. The DuPont Oval Logo is a registered trademark of DuPont. ®, TM, SM Trademarks and service marks licensed to Pioneer Hi-Bred Limited. © 2012, PHL. PR273_PG_Yield Ad_AE_v4

PR273 PG Hybrids Yield GN FE v4.indd 1

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JANUARY 7, 2013

Features SOIL MANAGEMENT

Drainage designed for snowmelt Many of our water management practices are designed to move water downstream as quickly as possible. It may be more effective to keep water in place, for use when it’s needed BY ANGELA LOVELL

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he reality of living on the Canadian Prairies is that you are likely going to have too much water when you don’t need it and not enough when you do. That’s largely because 80 to 90 per cent of surface water received on the Prairies comes from snowmelt. Managing that water effectively is the main focus of the Watershed Systems Research Program (WSRP). The WSRP is a $1.25 million, five-year program based at the University of Manitoba. It was established by the Government of Manitoba in response to recommendations by the Clean Environment Commission and the Lake Winnipeg Stewardship Board. Its goals are to enhance the quality and use of water resources in Lake Winnipeg and its watershed. The Lake Winnipeg watershed is the second largest in Canada, covering almost one million square miles and spanning four provinces and four U.S. states via the Winnipeg, Red, Assiniboine and Saskatchewan rivers. Over 50 per cent of the watershed is agricultural land supporting a $20 billion per year agricultural industry. It is the

wildlife habitat, conserving them is probably one of the first and best water management strategies. But as natural wetlands continue to be drained for various reasons, the effects of both normal and extreme runoff events continue to be felt more acutely. Even though we must accept the inevitability of extreme events, it is possible to employ a water management strategy, says Lobb, which retains and reuses most of the water and nutrients resulting from runoff and rainfall events in most years. Lobb and his colleagues are proposing DrainageRetention-Irrigation systems in conjunction with CaptureRecovery-Reuse systems for nutrient management which can operate locally on a farm scale and also at a community and regional scale. Existing drainage systems are designed to convey runoff from farm fields downstream as fast as possible, treating water as a nuisance or waste. More effective systems might incorporate one or all of the following options, says Lobb: Option 1. Back-Flood Dams or berms: These would be similar to a waffle design, a system that was

capture of nutrients by vegetation, and they do not provide for the harvesting of vegetation for nutrient recovery.” Expanding the existing networks of ditches to help retain larger amounts of runoff would be effective as well as channelling them into retention ponds — perhaps expanding existing natural ponds or potholes — to create or enhance wetland areas, which retain snowmelt runoff early in the season for later release or re-use.

MANAGEMENT PRACTICES In a study of five best management practices (BMPs) in the

Tobacco Creek watershed from 2006-08, researchers found that phosphorus export was reduced by 38 per cent and phosphorus concentration by 32 per cent. The management practices studied were nutrient management, riparian zone and grassed waterway management, grazing restrictions and perennial forage conversion. Researchers found that between one to two-thirds of the phosphorus reductions were attributed to the incorporation of a holding pond, below a beef cattle overwintering feedlot, which covered just one per cent of the area and held four per cent of the total runoff. The advantages of these drainage

systems is the delay of water release to reduce downstream effects, and retention not just of the water resource on the land for irrigation or livestock watering purposes, but also retention of nutrients like phosphorus, which could potentially be recaptured and reused. “We are not realizing all of the potential benefits of the limited water which is available,” says Lobb. “There is a need for new and innovative approaches to water management systems on agricultural lands.” † Angela Lovell is a freelance writer, editor and communications specialist living and working in Manitoba. Find her online at www.angelalovell.ca

“Agricultural land is a major contributor to runoff” — David Lobb

Red River Watershed that contributes most (73 per cent) of the phosphorus entering Lake Winnipeg. Of this phosphorus, 30 per cent comes from Manitoba sources; 43 per cent of that is rural. “Simply due to its prevalence, agricultural land is a major contributor to runoff leading to flooding and to nutrient losses leading to eutrophication and algae blooms,” says Dr. David Lobb, senior research chair of the WSRP. “Farm, municipal and provincial drainage structures have greatly affected this contribution.”

PHOSPHORUS CONCENTRATIONS In the case of phosphorus, although the agricultural losses are low on a per acre basis, the concentrations in the runoff water are high — 200 to 1,000 parts per billion (ppb) — making them a significant contributor to algae growth, which forms at levels of just 20 to 50 ppb and can significantly affect water quality. To improve overall water quality throughout Manitoba, including its lake systems, runoff must be managed in a way that provides better benefits both to agriculture and the landscape. Natural wetlands, pot holes and sloughs on agricultural land act as sponges, absorbing large amounts of snow melt runoff. With the additional ecological benefits they provide, such as erosion prevention, improvements in water quality and

developed in North Dakota for flood control. Fields bounded by raised roads, ditches and wetlands are used as temporary water storage areas to store flood waters and slowly release them after water levels have peaked. More appropriately designed for agricultural production, the backflood areas would use existing low lying areas of fields where flooding is more likely to occur naturally and enhance their water storage capacity by building berms around them to retain more snowmelt runoff. Option 2. Ditches and Retention Ponds: “Existing ditches are designed to convey runoff and have little capacity to store runoff, even temporarily,” says Lobb. “The design of existing ditches does not provide for filtering and BY DAN PIRARO

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Features SOIL MANAGEMENT

Zero till is not always the answer There are many benefits to conservation tillage, but in Manitoba, it may not be the best way to retain moisture and nutrients BY ANGELA LOVELL

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onservation agricultural practices have come to be widely accepted as a good way to prevent erosion, improve soil health and reduce nutrient loading while maintaining moisture on the landscape. Conservation tillage, for example, has many benefits including reducing erosion — especially during rainfall events — reducing nitrogen losses to water, increasing water retention from rainfall, increasing biodiversity, improving soil organic matter, sequestering carbon and providing wildlife habitat.

Dr. David Lobb of the University of Manitoba, however, believes that these practices, while having ecological benefits, may not be terribly effective for moisture or nutrient retention under Manitoba conditions, where snowmelt accounts for 80 to 90 per cent of surface water supplies. A study of two side-by-side tillage systems in the South Tobacco Creek watershed in southwest Manitoba found that although nitrogen and sediment losses were smaller, phosphorus losses from conservation tillage were greater than from conventional tillage. In both systems, erosion of soil particles was a minor contributor

to phosphorus loss. In that study and several others in the Prairies, researchers found that dissolved phosphorus in runoff is the main form of phosphorus loss.

the effect of different best management practices on dissolved phosphorus losses. They found that nutrient and manure management systems provided the

Phosphorus losses from conservation tillage were greater than from conventional tillage These results are similar to recent findings in Ohio’s Maumee River watershed that flows into Lake Erie. Researchers conducted a long-term study of

largest reduction in phosphorus losses (40 per cent and 28 per cent respectively), but conservation tillage increased losses by five per cent.

SNOWMELT RUNOFF The problem, simply put, is that runoff from snowmelt does not penetrate very far into the soil because the ground is still frozen when most of the melting occurs. Lobb and his colleague, Dr. Don Flaten, also of the University of Manitoba and Dr. Jane Elliott with Environment Canada, have found that 80 per cent of runoff during snowmelt occurs when the ground is impermeable, which means most of that snowmelt continues downstream until it reaches a river or lake. The proportion of dissolved phosphorus in that snowmelt runoff is relatively high and stable as it picks up soluble reactive phosphorus from thawing and frozen vegeta-

tive crop residues on the surface of the frozen soil. To compound the problem, on the Prairies periodic flooding — often related to excess water flows caused by rapid snowmelt — causes phosphorus loading to increase. Natural or man-made areas such as ditches or retention dams that hold back runoff and retain nutrients during dryer times will over flow during flood events and contribute an even more concentrated nutrient load to the overall amounts ending up downstream. “Even if nutrient application to agricultural land was to stop tomorrow, nutrients would continue to run off the land for many years,” says Lobb. “It’s a legacy of agriculture.” Flaten and Lobb emphasize the need for more effective ways to reduce phosphorus sources on zero-tilled land, which might include periodic tillage, some form of vertical tillage, or removal of modest amounts of crop residues. “It’s important for farmers to be able to enjoy the benefits of zero tillage, while reducing their expectations that zero tillage is a universal solution to problems with water quality, especially in areas where dissolved phosphorus loss is a major concern and water erosion is a minor concern,” says Lobb. † Angela Lovell is a freelance writer, editor and communications specialist living and working in Manitoba. Find her online at www.angelalovell.ca

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Vegetated buffers are of minimal value during snowmelt. In this photo, water is moving over the snow and frozen ground and into the lake system.

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JANUARY 7, 2013

Features WATER MANAGEMENT

Best water management practices in Manitoba When most of the water in Manitoba’s ecosystem comes from snowmelt, typical best water management practices may not be the most beneficial BY ANGELA LOVELL

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ome scientists are suggesting that some established water quality best management practices may have to be re-evaluated for their effectiveness under Manitoba conditions. Many of the best management practices have been promoted across the Prairies over the last couple of decades were originally developed for ecosystems relying primarily on rain-

fall to replenish their annual water resources. Manitoba’s ecosystem, however, relies largely on snowmelt as its water source. Prairie watersheds produce 80 to 90 per cent of their runoff during snowmelt, with minimal erosion, but with significant losses of dissolved forms of nutrients such as dissolved phosphorus. This means it’s very challenging, but still vitally important to manage spring runoff from

snowmelt in a way that maintains water and nutrients where they are needed most and keeps them from ending up in Prairie lake systems, where excess loading of nutrients such as phosphorus promotes the growth of algae and causes water quality problems.

NEW BEST PRACTICES Specific best management practices (BMPs) need to be developed that are more applicable and effective under snow-

melt runoff conditions, because the processes that contribute to water quality, erosion and water retention in Manitoba are not the same as for ecosystems that primarily rely on rainfall. “BMPs have different effects on different issues, for example nitrogen versus phosphorus, in different environments, i.e. rainfall on sloping land versus snowmelt runoff on plains,” says Dr. Don Flaten of the Department of Soil Science at the University

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of Manitoba. “Our goal should be to improve overall environmental health, because focusing on a single issue, for example phosphorus loss, or a single BMP like zero-till increases the risk of simply exchanging one problem for another.” It’s necessary to treat environmental health more like human health, say Flaten, by correctly diagnosing the problem in each individual case and then fine tuning effective remedies are based on specific circumstances and requirements. BMPs must take into account all the benefits and risk factors, rather than reaching for a quick-fix cure-all. Revised BMPs might include re-evaluating or adapting zerotill systems, which do not help to prevent phosphorus losses during snowmelt runoff in the Manitoba environment. In addition, research conducted in Manitoba, Vermont and Finland has shown that vegetated buffers are often ineffective and may even by counter-productive for removing phosphorus during snowmelt. Recent experiments conducted by Dr. Darshani Kumaragamage at the University of Winnipeg have shown that allowing ponded floodwater to accumulate on some of Manitoba’s agricultural soils for more than a few days can lead to dramatic increases in the release of phosphorus from soil to floodwaters.

TRADITIONAL PRACTICES Some traditional best management practices are not being questioned. For example, farmers should continue to aim for balanced phosphorus and avoid high soil test phosphorus levels by managing their inputs. Winter application of fertilizer and manure should be avoided. But most importantly, farmers and policy-makers alike need to be more informed about all of the environmental and economic benefits and costs of different management practices so they can make better decisions about what will work best in their particular situation. † Angela Lovell is a freelance writer

BY DAN PIRARO

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Features FARM TECHNOLOGY

3D printers: the future of machinery parts and design

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The future is on its way. Design and print your own plastic designs in your home office this winter BY LEEANN MINOGUE

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ired of running to town for parts? Have a great idea for an upgrade on your combine, but don’t have the time or connections to get a prototype part made as a demo for manufacturers? Solutions for these problems are on the way. For some time now, new, 3D printers have been available to designers and engineers. Creators use software to design products, and a 3D printer “prints” them out — layer by layer, until the 3D object is complete. No need for a machinist with a lathe, or an expensive specially designed factory. There are several websites where at-home designers can use software to submit their own designs for printing on industrial printers. Once you learn to use the software, you can e-mail your creation to the printer, then wait for the piece to arrive in the mail. And now, the American-made MakerBot Replicator 2 Desktop 3D printer is priced for home use: US$2,199. You can’t make your own swather (yet), but you can make something up to 410 cubic inches — that’s 11.2” long by 6.0” wide by 6.1” high. The MakerBot Replicator 2 makes 3D versions of your designs using layers of melted plastic. At the high-resolution setting, each layer will be one-tenth of a millimeter — about the thickness of a sheet of copy paper. MakerBot’s website suggests making everything from kids blocks to dishwasher parts. Just like you buy ink for your paper printer or wire for your MIG welder, you’ll need to buy plastic

for your 3D printer. “MakerBot filament” costs from US$48 to $90 per kilogram. There are several colours available at the lower price; the higher price buys glow-in-the dark plastic. Really, the only limitation is the strength of the plastic. When asked about the kinds of uses Prairie farmers might have in mind, Jenifer Howard, director of PR, MakerBot Industries pointed out a few things they don’t recommend making with this particular 3D printer: • “Parts for your engine, containers for hot liquids, or anything else that will melt the material. • A chain...to tow your car. • Support blocks for your refrigerator or the space shuttle, or anything else excessively massive. • Things you need to put a huge amount of torque on, like oil drilling equipment. • Anything life-or-death! We don’t suggest making safety valves or aircraft parts.” While this might seem to limit on-farm uses, several options remain, as suggested by Howard: • “New, customized handles for tools of all kinds. • Covers for corners and edges that stick out. • Replacement buttons, knobs, levers, and latches that have broken or fallen off. • Brackets and clips to suit your exact need.” While MakerBot had 21.6 per cent of the 3D printing market share in 2011, other companies are also in this business. 3D printers are working and in development that can work with substances like steel, icing or even chocolate. † Leeann Minogue is the editor of Grainews

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JANUARY 7, 2013

Features FARMER PANEL

Panel optimistic about 2013 While all is looking good for the coming growing season, farmers say they are familiar with the adage “no one ever lost a crop in January” BY LEE HART

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t may be too wet, or too dry in some regions this winter, but farmers contacted for the early January 2013 Farmer Panel are optimistic about the year ahead. New equipment in the field, changes in rotation, more wheat in rotation and farming more acres, are among the changes farmers have planned for the coming year, say panel members. Canola is still important, but wheat appears to be making a comeback for a few reasons. Wheat has been able to handle a wide range of growing conditions, improved varieties are being developed and prices appear to be strong for the coming year. The market is telling farmers to grow more wheat this year, however — and there is always a however — seed supply might be tight. First of all demand is high, and on top of that, high levels of fusuarium head blight in 2012 may affect the amount of good quality seed available. The message here is to line up seed supplies early. So here are what members of the January Farmer Panel had to say about their plans for 2013:

DALLAS LEDUC GLENTWORTH, SASK. While it is wet in some parts of Saskatchewan, that is not the case in the southwest corner, where Dallas Leduc hopes there will be enough moisture to get crops growing come May. Leduc will be adding about 400 seeded acres to his 7,000-acre grain and oilseed operation near Glentworth, southeast of Swift Current. “We went into the fall incredibly dry,” he says. “There seems to be this area 10 miles by 17 miles, some people call the Chinook belt which seems to be drier than the rest of the country. You don’t have to go many miles in any direction to see more snow than we have right now. And we have no chemfallow heading into 2013, so everything will be seeded on stubble. We will need some spring rains. “While I am a bit worried about the growing conditions, I am optimistic about prices. I think they will hold in there quite well. Durum will probably stay where it is at, I think wheat will rally a bit early in the New Year, mustard

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will be about 40 cents and canola will hang in there around $13, so prices are looking good. We just need the moisture.” Leduc who grows canola, yellow mustard, peas, wheat and durum, says he plans to keep all crops in rotation for 2013, and may increase the yellow mustard aces, and might also bring chickpeas back into the rotation. “That may sound stupid because we swore we’d never grow them again,” he says. “But people are making a few dollars on them, so we may grow them again next year.”

DUSTIN WILLIAMS SOURIS, MAN. Dustin Williams will be making several changes in crops, rotation and production practices in 2013. “This will be a year of changes for us,” says Williams, who along with his wife Laura, and young family crop about 4,200 acres near Souris, in southwest Manitoba. They are renting more land for 2013, includingB:11.5” some pasture being convertedT:11” to annual cropping. The farmer he is rentS:10.25” ing from applied a burn-down

herbicide to kill the forage stand in August. “And on our part, we bought Smart-Till tillage tool, to work the land,” says Williams. “We had been looking for the right tool for sometime. What we like about the Smart-Till is that it can be adjusted to produce the degree of soil disturbance we want. The field was sprayed in August and we used the Smart-Till in October to break up the sod on this pasture and it has done an excellent job of working the field without plowing and discing. We didn’t buy it just for this working this pastureland. It can be adjusted and used more as a low disturbance aeration tool on other cropland to help break up any compaction layer in the top eight inches of soil.” The Smart-Till has a tool bar equipped with a series of eightinch knives or blades that can be adjusted from a zero to 10° angle depending on the desired degree of soil disturbance. The system also has an optional harrow that can also be adjusted for degree of soil disturbance. Along with bringing more land into their farming opera-

tion, Williams is increasing soybean acres and introducing corn in rotation in 2013. He was impressed with the performance of a half section of soybeans last year so plans to grow about 1,200 acres this year. And he’ll seed about 100 acres of grain corn this coming spring. “For our operation the soybeans grow well, and actually pencil out to be more profitable than canola,” he says. “I think both soybeans and corn are better able to handle those really hot mid-summer temperatures.” He plans to hire a custom operator to seed the corn, and will be looking for a used corn header for harvest. Williams also plans to keep canola in rotation. He will be growing Nexera specialty canola again this year. Although he is not able to get the top canola yields in his area, Williams says the premium price paid for Nexera is “like having more canola acres.” He also plans to seed more spring wheat this coming year, to take advantage of new pricing options. “We’re hoping for a good year ahead,” he says. “We know prices are good now, but the market can

JANUARY 7, 2013

grainews.ca /

15

Features soften quickly, so we base our planning on more conservative figures, rather than the top of the market.”

NOLAN ROBERTSON FAIRVIEW, ALTA. Nolan Robertson figures he will be like many farmers across Western Canada, seeding more wheat in 2013. The Alberta Peace River region farmer says the past five years wheat has been one of if not the top returning crop on his farm. “I think a lot of guys will be seeding more wheat this year,” he says. “I know if we had been a seed grower we could have sold a lot of wheat seed this winter. Two things are happening — a lot of people have really been pushing canola rotations and now want to get away from those canola on canola rotations, and secondly wheat is performing well on a wide range of growing conditions and prices are good.”

Robertson says they will still keep a good portion of their 6,800 acre farm in canola, will back off on pea acres, and increase wheat acres. And, he’s learned, too, that CPS wheat is more profitable than hard red spring wheat. “If there is one thing we can grow in the Peace Region it is wheat and I’ve found that bushels pay more than the price premium,” he says. “We’ve found the CPS not only has a better return over hard red spring, but the last three years, CPS wheat has had the highest return of any crop on the farm. We’re seeing some very good marketing opportunities right now, which is exciting.” The Peace River Region was very dry during much of the growing season last year. Robertson said there was a good rain in late fall, and now there is about two feet of snow on the ground in the Fairview area. He is optimistic about good moisture to get the crop started next spring. He bought a new John Deere high

clearance sprayer this past fall to replace an older, smaller high clearance sprayer, and for the first time Robertson has been able to hire a full time person to work on the farm. “We will be farming a few more acres in 2013, although, as in many areas, the price of land is increasing,” he says. “Five or six years ago I would have said the sky is the limit as far as increasing acres was concerned. But in the last few years we are seeing younger people return to the farm as well as older farmers decide to stay in the business longer. There is optimism in agriculture. It might make it more difficult if a person wants to expand, but overall it is good for all farmers. The industry is stronger, people want to stay on the farm and it helps keep our communities going.” † Lee Hart is a field editor for Grainews in Calgary, Contact him at 403-592-1964 or by email at [email protected]

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JANUARY 7, 2013

Features Crop production

Soybeans are in Southern Alberta to stay Soybeans are still the new kid on the block in southern Alberta. Here are nine reasons why they’re not going away By Patrick Fabian

had to find out what worked for our region, as the research done in armers are constantly other parts of North America did looking for different ways not apply to us. No research had to improve their bottom been done on soybeans in southlines. When a new crop ern Alberta except in the 1980s comes along, they look to see where the conclusion was that this if it will work in their opera- crop could not be grown in our tion. Many factors come into short season climate. play when evaluating a new crop: That may have been true adaptability to your growing area, back then, but with the advent learning curve required, special- of Roundup Ready Technology ized equipment needed, potential for soybeans and daylight sensitive varieties, a door was finally marketing issues and more. We’ve been growing soybeans on opened and they can be successin southern Alberta. our farm at 912152A01_FCB Tilley, Alta., since 2004. fully growsNov. 19, 2012 They bring a great benefit to our Now soybeans have been bred and Esso_26535_2012 Hockey Goals & Assists operation, even though over the developed that have greatly shortM0219_Mag_D_ST years, as with any new crop, there ened the days to maturity and has been a lot of trial and error. We fewer heat units required.

F Patrick Fabian and his 2012 soybean crop at Tilley, Alta.

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They’re here to stay Those who have never considered this crop will be wondering, “Are soybeans the magical silver bullet?” And, “Are they going to revolutionize my operation?” The answer to the first question is no. Soybeans are another tool for your crop option toolbox, but just as a nine-sixteenths wrench isn’t going to fix every repair, neither will soybeans be a stand-alone solution. The answer to the second question, “Will they revolutionize your organization,” is “maybe.” They have revolutionized ours. Soybeans offer many advantages. Here are nine of the more prominent benefits: 1.  Spread out the spring seeding workload. Soybeans need to be planted when soils are warm, which usually occurs after the majority of the other crops are seeded. This relieves the stress of getting all the crops planted in such a small window of time. Typical seeding dates for soybeans are in the last two weeks of May to the first week in June. 2.  Lower input costs than many other crops. Although soybeans have most of their costs up front at planting time, they tend to be cheaper than raising other crops that we’re currently growing — in some cases significantly cheaper. Typically, a soybean crop can be planted on irrigation for less than $150 per acre for the entire year’s cash costs, fertility included. Some competing crops require almost that amount in fertilizer alone. Bottom line: fewer inputs means more manoeuvrability cash flowwise, which means less overall risk. 3.  Prepare the soil for next year’s crop. One thing that not too may other crops can boast is the ability to prepare the ground for next year’s crop. Soybeans can. As a legume, they fix huge amounts of nitrogen. To clarify that point, soybean plants require 300 pounds of nitrogen to produce a 50 bushel crop. They not only produce that amount when inoculated properly, but they also leave a significant amount behind that will be released over the next two years to following crops. In addition, the fields are usually substantially cleaner because of the Roundup Ready Technology. The soybean crop can tolerate much higher rates of Roundup than Roundup Ready canola, thereby ensuring the target weeds are killed, not merely suppressed, avoiding  potential  herbicide resistance issues. Because soybeans are both an oilseed and a pulse, they leave the ground mellow for cropping next spring. One farmer in Carbon, Alta., saw a 12 bushel per acre yield increase on his Hard Red Spring wheat planted on soybean stubble versus his canola stubble right beside in 2012. (He treated both quarters as one field to make a fair comparison.) 4.  Can be grown with wheel move irrigation. Because soybeans only grow about 40 inches tall, they can easily be grown under wheel line irrigation. The pipes do not get trapped in the overgrown crop, and late-season watering can be a reality, not just a wish.

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Features 5.  Pests are not an issue. Growing soybeans means no extra trips across the field with dangerous insecticides in your sprayer. No flea beetles, no cabbage seed pod weevils, no lygus bugs, no bertha armyworms threaten the crop. The stems on soybeans are hairy, and act as a natural pest deterrent. 6.  Do not require specialized equipment. Unlike some crops that require specific equipment, soybeans do not. This is a bonus for those who want to try the crop for the first time — their existing equipment is sufficient. Soybeans can be planted with hoe drills, disc drills, air seeders, and planters, and harvested with no modifications to combines. Every combine comes from the factory with settings for soybeans! 7.  Spread out harvest work load. Just as in the spring, soybeans are extremely flexible at harvest. They have an incredible shattering resistance and can be left standing in the field until you are ready to combine them. If you have higher risk crops ready the same time as the soybeans, leave them stand and do the high-risk crops first. Soybeans won’t lodge or shatter on the ground and can be harvested at five miles per hour if desired. 8. Grading factor leniency. If you have grown pulses before you are probably aware of the strict grading rules dealing with harvest and auger damage. Not so with soybeans. If you split a soybean, it’s not dockage; in fact if you took that split and broke it again it still isn’t dockage. Neither are cracks or chips up to 15 per cent of the sample. Unlike canola with a limit of three per cent green seed, soybean grading allows up to five per cent greens with no penalty. 9.  Easy cash flow. Being the second most liquid traded commodity in North America, soybeans are extremely easy to market. They can be pre-sold based on the Chicago futures and up to three crop years in advance as well.

Soybeans allow farmers to spread out their spring seeding workloads, as they need to be seeded after the soil is warm.

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Soybeans changed our farm Earlier in this article, I mentioned that soybeans have revolutionized our farm. Here’s how. Traditionally, alfalfa has been grown in our area for rotation, disease break, spreading out work load, fixing nitrogen and cash flow. The problem is, very rarely can we put up proper alfalfa (both cuttings) without it getting degraded by rain. It’s frustrating trying to market a rain-damaged product, often at break-even or worse. I can get every one of these above-mentioned points that alfalfa offers with soybeans, and I don’t require $150,000 to $200,000 worth of specialized equipment to put up hay. Also, we now have summers that are much more enjoyable where we are not constantly irrigating or haying from seeding to harvest. As a crop to help out on the farm, soybeans would be something to look at. They will not be suited to all farms and all management systems, but they do have some good potential to help spread risk. Variety selection very is important, as we have found out. Soybeans are working well for us, and could be a way to help diversify your farm. † Patrick Fabian is a pedigreed seed producer from Tilley Alberta. Find his email address on his website at www.fabianseedfarms.com, call him at 403-633-9999 or follow him on Twitter@ABSeedman.

Patrick Fabian’s 2012 soybean crop grew more than three feet high.

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Columns Guarding wealth

2013 outlook: flat is the new up in a troubled world

In these times of global turmoil, not losing money can be as good as making gains By Andrew Allentuck

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s a new year begins, the outlook  for  off-farm investments is clouded by troubles around the world. Canada is a sweet spot and the Prairies sweeter still, for Alberta, as always, is good to its business. It is becoming ever more the headquarters of corporate Canada. Saskatchewan is booming with its key products — grains, fertilizer, and energy. Manitoba has its balanced economy and continues to do well in spite of rising tax loads. It is the rest of the world that is in trouble.

The U.S. The United States faces the fiscal cliff. The phrase, coined by Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, alludes to what will happen if tax cuts created in the era of President George W. Bush have not been extended beyond December 31, 2012 and if spending cuts due to go into effect on January 1, 2013 were not cancelled. Economists and political forecasters have taken it as a foregone conclusion, as a Nov. 23 Scotiabank economics report puts it, that a “payroll tax cut will be eliminated to the sharp detriment of Q1 disposable income.” The implication: Americans still employed will have less income to spend. The Congress, so far, has shown no ability to get over its fundamental party divide. Higher taxes may take 1.5 to two per cent out of gross domestic product. If spending cuts go into effect, U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) may drop as much as two per cent. The total, a potential four per cent drop in U.S. GDP, would be a disaster for the American economy and would echo in Canada.

Europe Europe’s time of troubles is not at end. Greece remains the sorest spot with its ratio of debt to GDP headed toward a shocking level of 190 per cent. Ireland is working out its problems; Portugal may be able to survive without default. The prospects for Spain, which is in deep recession with youth unemployment in several parts of Catalonia, Barcelona’s province, approaching 50 per cent of the available work force, are dismal. With a forecast drop of 1.2 per cent of GDP in 2013, Spain has arranged a bank bailout worth US$130 billion in which the European Stability Mechanism, the latest Euro-rescue fund, will aid the European Central Bank to save the country from financial collapse. Italy is in deep recession. Its GDP will shrink what is predicted to be 2.4 per cent this year, but Italy has massive gold reserves. The problem is that if Italy misses a payment on its sovereign bonds, it will be in default. There is not enough money in all of the European central banking system to bail out Italy. The

Italian economy, about 25 per cent larger than Canada’s, could bring down the house of Euro. Those worries alone will keep money out of Italian bonds, force up interest rates all along the Italian yield curve and infect other marginal European debt markets. They are all — save for Germany, the Netherlands and the Scandinavian countries — having a bad case of the chills.

money to repay debt is pushing the Mediterranean nations — mainly Italy, Spain and the lost cause, Greece — into lower

of a gaggle of UN socialists and turn Savannah and Atlanta into leafy gulags. State legislatures in Tennessee and Kansas also debated

tle, though there are investment grade corporate credits around with interest rates of 3.5 to 4.5 per cent. They tend to be expen-

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China China matters a great deal to Canada, for it is where we sell our copper, lumber and pulp, uranium, fertilizer, grains, oilseeds and iron. Barclays Bank China watchers advise that the recently concluded 18th Party Congress marks the beginning of a new decade of leadership goals. The Barclays analysts said, “We think leaders will be more tolerant towards the ‘new normal’ rates of economic growth in China.” Translation: the days of massive stimulus programs to drive growth are probably over. There will be reduced growth in China after massive infrastructure projects, including scores of new airports and dozens of nuclear power plants are completed. GDP growth will subside to six per cent from eight per cent, and the effect will be felt on Bay Street as Canadian resource companies find their own rates of growth of sales declining. That will put downward pressure on the ratio of stock prices to corporate earnings. Don’t expect a hot year for Canadian stocks.

Spending and politics Most of the problems in the United States, Europe and China are the work of politicians and monetary authorities who, over many years, allowed government and private spending to get out of hand. Righting the ship of state in each country will take political courage and wisdom. The problem is that a combination of bad economics and bad leadership continue to hamper recovery. European governments are rightly frightened of mob politics. In Greece the national government cannot impose further austerity without destroying more of the social fabric. Mob violence has broken out in several Spanish cities and the provincial government of Catalonia is threatening to secede from Spain, arguing that it can do better for its economy than the national government in Madrid. A generation of young workers is facing what they see as lifetime unemployment. A political tidal wave threatens the fourth largest economy in Europe. The prospects for world economic recovery rest with politicians in Europe, the United States, perhaps in China, and in Canada. The best minds in Europe are trying to find money to fix the cancer of debt. The problem is that cutting social programs and growth to save

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growth and reduced ability to generate taxes to pay debt. In the United States, still the mover of the world’s economy, there are excellent economists and dedicated political leaders in many levels of the federal government. But far from the Federal Reserve’s board room in Washington, Georgia’s state legislators have recently debated whether President Obama is using a Cold War-era mind control technique called “Delphi” to turn the country into a Communist dictatorship run by the United Nations (UN). I am not kidding. On October 11, the Georgia state legislature met in a closed-door session led by the Republican caucus leader to consider whether the conspiracy would extend the dictatorships of Stalin and Mao Tse Tung into the peach groves of Georgia. The plot: put the U.S. under the control

the concept, called Agenda 21, sive. Priced over their redemption with Kansas condemning the idea values, they will generate capital as a plot to make its citizens turn losses if held to maturity, reducoff their air conditioners, ride ing returns to perhaps 2.5 to 3.0 SBC12149.InVigor bicycles and live in high rises.9-13-2012 This 10:55per AM cent after the price adjustment. Bonds are getting toMagenta, the Yellow, idiocy diverts government from CALMCL-DMX8127 Cyan, end of their run. It is now time to the real task at hand, namely, fixMarsha Walters rest and the world squirm ing the financial mess that SPEC ORIGINALLY GENERATED: Marianne None watch 100%began toward a weak recovery or TRIM: 12.916 to go wrong five years ago in the 12.9167”either x 8” SAFETY: None a deeper recession. debt and banking crisis. Helvetica Neue LT Std (55 Rom In a world in which off-farm Canada’s fate and the direction of investment markets in investments are dicey, at best, cash 2013 depend on actions take in looks good. One per cent or a little the U.S., Europe and China. Our more in a bank or credit union, American neighbours are friends maybe two per cent in a GIC, bareand allies, but political foolish- ly keeps up with inflation, but, ness, such as the Delphi non- as Walter Schroeder, head of the sense, the apparent willingness Dominion Bond Rating Service, of Republicans to create a serious now called DBRS, has said, “flat recession that they can blame on is the new up.” 2013 promises Democrats, the lack of a solu- to be a time when modest goals tion to European debt problems offer the safest and sanest ways to and slowing growth in China will invest. † make for a year of tough stock Andrew Allentuck’s latest book, “When Can I markets. Canadian and American Retire? Planning Your Financial Life After Work,” government bonds pay very lit- was published in 2011 by Penguin Canada

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19

Columns OFF-FARM

Year-end portfolio update 2012 was a good year for Andy Sirski’s portfolio. Find out which stocks he still likes for 2013 ANDY SIRSKI

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lot has happened since December 1, 2012 and most things have raised the value of my portfolio. As I write on December 18, 2012,

in Japan has been re-elected and it favours nuclear energy. Almost at the same time the Shanghai Exchange ($SSEC) on Stockcharts looks to be bottoming, the price of copper is inching up, the price of nickel has inched up, the price of

is a volatile market. Selling high is one of the key things to do to farm volatility. Last winter I started studying what happens when volatile stocks drop through the 10-day moving average (dma). I’ve concluded that most of the

to $23 per ounce, the price of gold drop to $1,540 per ounce and the price of many stocks drop from a nice high to a support price in a few days or a week. The decrease gets aggravated as the prices hit stop losses until the price drops enough to attract attention from patient buyers. There is nothing illegal about this; it is the market at work under a strategy called farming volatility. Some investors have fled this volatile market. Me, I’m brave or stupid enough to think I can learn to farm the volatility.

FIRST MAJESTIC One of the first stocks I bought in big numbers last winter was First Majestic (FR), when the price was around $18 per share. Then I sold calls for July at my cost — that is called the strike price. I collected about $2.25 or more per share from those calls and earned 12 per cent or so for half a year.

For the most part, they also look the same. Except for their remarkable composure when faced with adverse conditions. Nothing outperforms InVigor.

the American administration is coal has bounced off its low and the still playing “catch me if you can” price of natural gas ($natgas) looks over higher taxes and lower entitle- like it peaked at $4 in November. ments. From what I can find,SBC12149.InVigor.Face.4 the China is publicly saying it wants Vigor.Face.4.indd U.S. constitution was designed to Grainews to grow its economy at 7.5 per create this sort of discussion even if Date: cent for8, 2012 several years. While cynInsertion October llow, Black it makes the public think the politi- Bayerics don’t Crop Science think China can save the cal PAGE: parties don’t know what they world’sBCS12261 economy, it does look like 1 doing. the country is back to buying coal, M: 12.9167” x 8” are Bleed: None The President needs to make copper and wood. d (55 Roman, 75 Bold; OpenType) it look like he won the discusMy portfolio took a big hit after sion while the Republicans need the Leap Day Massacre (February Production Contact Numbers: to make it look like they fought 29, 2012), when the price of gold 403 261 7161 403 261 7152 against higher taxes to the bitter dropped $80 or so in one day. end. I suspect Republican lead- That was the peak of silver, gold, ers will continue to lobby for and related shares and we lots of their side but when the deadline those shares. I often say it takes a becomes real, enough Republicans year to wind a portfolio back up will break rank and vote with the from a big hit and as far as I’m Democrats to raise some taxes and concerned, this is close. cut some expenses. It won’t be enough to solve the WATCH THE 10-DAY U.S.’s trillion dollar deficit, but most MOVING AVERAGE will look at it as a start while the One of the main things I learned President will look at it as a victory. In the meantime, the Labor Party the hard way in 2012 is that this

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time when the daily price of a volatile stock drops through its 10 dma, the price keeps falling. Here, in a nutshell, is what I’ve seen happen over and over again in 2012. First the stock or the commodity needs a catalyst that looks like it will push prices down. Then high frequency trading (HFT) investors enter offers to sell small numbers of shares at lower and lower prices, hoping to trigger the stop losses that other investors have put on their shares. The next part is to pull all the bids on the chosen stock or commodity and then put in some stink bids at a price that looks like it could be a support price. Many investors have been spooked by this volatility and they have a hair trigger finger on their sell button on the computer. We saw the price of silver drop

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InVigor® growers are no different from other growers. They don’t get up earlier, work harder or longer than their neighbours.

It takes a year to wind a portfolio back up after a big hit and as far as I’m concerned, this is close T:8”

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That dropped my paper cost to under $16. If the shares got exercised my selling price would be $20.25. Throughout the year I collected $5,85 per share selling calls, netting $5.85 per share over 14 months. Some days the strategy seemed to make a lot of sense and some days not. I chose to sell these shares at $18 because that was my cost and because I figured that sooner or later something would happen to drive the price of FR down. In the middle of December, the management of FR bought a big silver deposit in Mexico called the La Parrella mine using shares of FR as currency. The company issued 14 per cent more shares to buy the silver deposit. The deposit is supposed to be one of the largest undeveloped deposits known in the world. FR has been one of the first stocks to recover after a smack down and think it has a good future. At $20 I might just buy a few more shares.

BONAVISTA (BNP) BNP is part oil and part other fuels like butane and propane. The dividend was over eight per cent when I started to buy shares at under $17. Then the price fell to about $14.10 which could be called a support or just under support. I try not to average down on a falling stock but I was quite sure BNP would turn

out fine so I bought more shares at $16, and more at $15.64. Share prices kept dropping so one day I bought another 300 for under $15 and then another 200 right near the low. My average cost is about $15.90. But get this: at under $15 the dividend is over 10 per cent. My theory is that some investors wanted to buy those shares low enough to earn 10 per cent so they ganged up on the stock. In three days over six million shares were sold by weak hands to new owners who now would earn 10 per cent on their shares and have a good chance of some capital gain. I did not sell. As I write, the shares have bounced 60 cents off their low and I get a dividend check of 12 cents per month (on my 3,500 shares this is $420), taxed at preferential rates. Plus I can sell calls when it’s appropriate.

SHERRITT (S) These days, Sherritt is mostly a nickel mine in Cuba that got going this past fall. Hurricane Sandi hit that area and some mines were shut down but apparently S kept going at a slower capacity. I started buying S at $15.15.

COPPER MOUNTAIN (CUM) This stock has had a very weak start up. I own shares from $7.23 down, but most of my shares cost me $4.00 or less. How? First I sold calls on a few thousand shares for last July. I collected a dollar and paid 20 cents or so to buy them back. That dropped the per share cost. Then I sold puts on 2,000 shares for Jan with a six dollar strike price and collected $2.10 and “got put” the shares. That means I had to buy the shares for $6.00 less $2.10 ($3.90). The shares have inched up and are $4.20 as I write. This stock has tested my patience but it should work out.

THOMPSON CREEK MINES (TCM) I found this one a few months ago and sold puts on 5,000 shares for April with a strike price of $4, collecting $1.10 per share (over $5,000). TCM has an operating molybdenum mine in Nevada. Last spring management sold shares to raise money to develop a copper mine in British Columbia, driving down share prices.

FRANCO NEVADA (FNV) I like this streamer stock and plan to own some most of the time. I sold 1,900 shares at $58 and change and bought back 1,200 at $56 or so. † Andy Sirski is mostly retired. He travels a bit, gardens in summer, plays with granddaughters and manages the family’s investments. Andy also published an electronic newsletter called StocksTalk where he tells readers what he does with his investments and why. To subscribe for a free month email Andy at [email protected].

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JANUARY 7, 2013

Columns UNDERSTANDING MARKET BULLS AND BEARS

Understanding the markets through basis Basis at your local elevator can tell you a lot about what’s going on in world markets BRIAN WITTAL

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irst, a quick review of new pooling options offered by CWB.

CWB POOLING OPTIONS

The winter pool will operate like traditional pools, and features a sixmonth pooling period (Feb. - July) that enables farmers to capture late-season prices, without risking the daily volatility of the cash market. Sign up is from December 12 to February 15 or until tonnage goals are reached, with delivery guaranteed by July 31. The winter pool is being offered for wheat, durum and canola. The futures choice winter pool has the same features as the winter pool, with the flexibility for farmers to choose futures values in order to capture market peaks. Only CWRS grades of wheat are eligible utilizing the Minneapolis wheat futures contract. Sign up is from January 7 to February 15 or until tonnage goals are reached, again with delivery guaranteed by July 31, 2013. Farmers can choose when they think futures values are at or near their highest and lock them in any time before June 21.

The basis will be pooled or averaged from all sales made during the pooling period. For more contract details refer to the CWB website (www.cwb.ca).

BASIS CONTRACTS Now let’s talk basis contracts and how you can use them to get a better read on what is happening in the marketplace. Traditionally, basis is a deduction (the cost of doing business with a grain company) to be taken off of the futures value you lock in to give you a net delivered price. A larger (wider) or smaller (narrower) basis number will tell you which company needs or wants your grain and which ones don’t, at any given time. Now let’s take it one step further up the chain to see how basis can tell us what is happening on the other end — the buyers’ side of the market. Let’s remember that end buyers are contrarians to farmers as they hate high futures values. If a buyer thinks market prices are going to fall, they will try to wait out the markets. If buyers are on the sidelines waiting, grain companies are not making sales, so they will protect themselves by widening their basis levels to discourage farmers from selling or delivering grain. The best strategy for a farmer to use at this time would be to

lock in the futures only portion of a pricing contract for delivery one or two months out. When the buyers come back into the market, grain companies will start to narrow their basis levels in an effort to encourage farmers to sell grain to them to meet those sales.

Every buyer has a different buying strategy This is when you lock in the basis on your previously committed futures contract and/or lock in additional tonnes on a basis only contract for one or two months down the road with the hopes that futures values will rebound in that time and net you a higher value for your grain than the current market value.

END BUYERS Now let’s look ahead to next year and try to determine what end buyers and grain companies are thinking will happen by looking at basis levels. Every buyer has a different

buying strategy depending on their needs and their analysis of the markets. Some may buy what they need for the coming year all at once; others may buy bits at a time hoping that markets will fall and they can buy cheaper product later. End buyers usually need a consistent supply of grain to meet their production and processing needs to maximize profitability. Their goal is to buy as cheap as possible, but at times guaranteeing supply may be more important than price. That is what will drive market demand and price. If world supplies are tight for a specific grain, buyers will look for cheaper alternatives wherever possible. If they are concerned that price will go higher they will look to secure supplies by talking to grain companies and locking in forward sales contracts to ensure their business can continue without supply disruption. Grain companies will try to secure grain from farmers to meet sales contracts by offering attractive basis levels on their forward delivery contracts to get farmers to commit tonnes. Farmers need to watch for these opportunities to lock in basis contracts for forward delivery. If world supplies look to be surplus, end buyers will tend to sit back and only buy small volumes as needed, always looking

ahead with the intention of buying cheaper in the future. In this kind of market, grain companies will tend to keep basis levels wide so that they have some negotiating room when bidding to sell grain to the end users in an oversupplied and competitive marketplace. Other short-term pricing opportunities will arise when companies are looking for limited tonnes to fill a sales commitment. Usually they will narrow their basis aggressively at specific delivery facilities to attract enough tonnes to fill the sale, and then widen it out just as quickly. These pricing opportunities come up with little or no notice so you need to be monitoring and watching for such events as the premiums offered can be very lucrative at times. The end result for farmers is that every dollar you can save on a basis contract is a dollar in your pocket. A better understanding of how basis is used by grain companies to manage risk and volumes will help you make better marketing decisions and improve your farm’s profitability. † Brian Wittal is a Saskatchewan-raised farm boy who has spent the past 32 years in the Alberta Grain Industry. He started Pro Com Marketing Ltd. in 2006 with a focus on helping grain producers better understand the markets and advise them on how to market their grains more profitably. Contact Brian at [email protected]

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21

Columns CAN’T TAKE THE FARM FROM THE BOY

Long winters, hashtags and avoiding the couch Facing the long Prairie winter after years in Toronto, Toban Dyck is turning to the Internet

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rairie winters: Nature’s mental endurance test. Writing this column, a task I usually have no shortage of ideas for, is forcing my mind to think faster and harder than the weather and daylight allows. The winter doldrums are tough for most. And, it seems, the memory of warmer, fun-filled days only lasts ’till, say, about Christmas. January is the moment in the endurance test when you decide to battle through the short days or succumb to the couch.

Twitter can be a very useful tool for a farmer The only thing in my life resembling farming right now is the occasional need to clear snow (using a bi-directional tractor) and the line of bins visible from my dining room. January, from what I have been able to gather, is research and development time for the savvy farmer. This, of course, is due to the bitter colds of western Canadian winters herding us indoors, and forcing us to battle boredom and apathy. Where I’m from, there is a phrase about idle hands being the workshop for, well, you know. Don’t succumb to the couch. Stay sharp and learn something new.

© 2012 The Mosaic Company. All rights reserved. Fusion is a trademark and MicroEssentials is a registered trademark of The Mosaic Company. MES-0410

TOBAN DYCK

I moved to Manitoba from concept to grasp, but very useful. interesting, and stay sharp. And, route. And, to extend the analogy, the people you follow are the Toronto, I went for coffee with So, at the local coffee show, the signing up does not mean you GRACOL my dad and a bunch of other newbie farmer, me, “he must know need to participate; you can just columnists and reporters you have farmers. There was talk of a crop- about these so-called #hashtags,” sit back and take in information chosen to read. Client: To those already in the social tour group in the U.S. heading was called onBroadhead to access thisCo. informa- that is at least 12 hours fresher media know, you’ll note I have out to survey yields and inspect tion. The usefulness and timeliness than anything on TV or print.  69925 the drought damage. A farmer at of the information had every mind, For online publishers and news- neglected to mention the many 𰂦𰀡𰀲𰀲𰀳𰀲𰀡𰁋𰁢𰁤𰁬𰁴𰁰𰁯𰀡𰁔𰁵𰀡𰁏𰁆𰀭𰀡𰁔𰁵𰁦𰀡𰀲𰀲𰀴𰀡𰂦𰀡𰁎𰁪𰁯𰁯𰁦𰁢𰁱𰁰𰁭𰁪𰁴𰀭𰀡𰁎𰁏𰀡𰀶𰀶𰀵𰀲𰀴𰀡𰂦𰀡𰀷𰀲𰀳𰀯𰀸𰀷𰀸𰀯𰀴𰀵𰀶𰀶 the table mentioned something including mine, at the table rapt. papers, Twitter functions like the other platforms that also provide Epson Color Profile: Gracol Swop  Newsreal-time,  Supplied I  alot    Lpi:  fresh agriculture news, about this particular group using have learned about farmtraditional paper route, delivering but, ifyou a #hashtag, allowing anyone agriculture markets counto your frontComm/Gracol door. Only, Pub/Swop3 Approval Stock: ing, Fortune  McCoy  Productoand Pub Newsnews Supplied Epson Stock: News can master Twitter, using the Twitter program access try living through social media. in this case, the front door is the you’ve earned social media knightto the group’s findings, in real Do some research on how to phone in your pocket or the com- hood. Happy tweeting. † time. For those who don’t know setup a Twitter account, start fol- puter at your desk. In this case, Toban Dyck is a freelance writer and a new what a #hashtag is, take the time lowing some ag-business people the amount of followers you have farmer on an old farm. Follow him on Twitter to google it; not a complicated or anyone else you may find is the amount of people on your @tobandyck or email [email protected]

What fertilizer are you using?

SOCIAL MEDIA Now, I know what some of you may be thinking at this point: Twitter is a funny word, created by an unemployed city slicker. Wrong. Well, I actually don’t know if that’s wrong or right, but I do know Twitter can be a very useful tool for a farmer. Soon after my wife and

While every farmer dreams of amazing yields, not all realize the fertilizer they use is responsible for up to 40 percent of yield. So it makes sense to use the most advanced fertilizer available. Choose MicroEssentials®, with FusionTM technology. Every granule offers perfect distribution of nutrients for uniform coverage,

BY DAN PIRARO

Bizarro

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I N N O V AT I O N B Y T H E M O S A I C C O M P A N Y

69925_MES-0410_CanolaBrandAd_GrainNews_k1F.indd 1

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JANUARY 7, 2013

Columns SOILS AND CROPS

Four is not always bigger than three When you’re looking at research data, make sure you know what you’re comparing, and which new products will make a real difference on your farm LES HENRY

A

fter 36 years of writing columns you might expect that I’ve dealt with some topics more than once. This is one of them. It is all about interpreting research trials and the deluge of yield data that is used to convince a farmer to use a variety or product. It is all about natural variation in soils and crops. When we compare A to B, how do we decide how large a yield difference is significant?

SIGNIFICANT There is the first big problem. When research types compare varieties or products they use statistical analysis to determine if the difference is “significant.” But, that is a bad term. The yield difference can be due to the products we are comparing or it might be due to natural variation. To deal with this problem,

research plots replicate the comparison a number of times. Then statistical analysis is done to separate natural variation from that due to the product, variety, etc. If the difference can be proven to be due to the variety/product it is said to be significant. Instead of saying the difference is “significant,” the term we should be using is “real.” To my farm, “significant” means that I will feel the difference in my wallet. With canola at $14 a bushel, five bushels per acre would be significant to most of us. There are very few experiments that can measure a difference of less than five bu./ac.

LEAST SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE Another term used is LSD — not the stuff you used to get high as a teenager — it means “least significant difference.” In other words, if the difference between the lowest and highest yield in an experiment is less than the LSD it is most likely (usually 95 per cent probability) due to random chance. The 2012 Canola Performance Trials report LSD values of 5.4 to

7.8 bu./ac. for the average small plot results. For the small plot results by location the LSD varies from three to 12.3 bu./ac. Let’s do a simple — albeit extreme — example with a high LSD value: Let’s first look at the gross revenue column of the table. For variety D, with 50 bu./ac. at $14 per bushel, the gross revenue is $700 per acre. For variety A, it’s $574 per acre. I make that difference to be $126/ac. On 2,000 acres, that is a quarter of a million dollars. Pretty significant to this old fossil. However, the average yield is 45 bu./ac., and if the statistics are to be believed that is what should be reported for all the varieties. The LSD for this example, shown at the bottom of the table, is 10. The difference between the highest and lowest is only nine, so there is no statistical, or “real” difference among any of the varieties. When sales folks present us with research data to convince us to use a product or variety we must look very carefully at the data. Be careful how you use research data. Four is not always bigger than three.

FIELD DATA EXAMPLE Variety Yield (bu/ac) A 41 B 45 C 43 D 50 E 47 Average 45.2 LSD 10

Gross Revenue (bu/ac @ $14/bu) $574 $630 $602 $700 $658

“Significant” means that I will feel the difference in my wallet CANOLA TRIALS Please, please, please do not misinterpret what I am saying about the Canola Trials. That is a very good program that combines small plot and field scale trials and has rigorous inspection with rejection of field scale data that does not meet specs. And they report the LSD and give an example of how to use it. I only chose the Canola Variety data for this example because it is widely reported and widely used.

Tundra

But, there are many times when data is presented without the rigorous protocol of the canola trials. How many times have you heard a presentation that included: “We measured a difference of three bushels an acre between A and B, but the difference was not ‘significant.” I have done it many times myself. We should throw out the term “significant” and replace it with “real.” A common research plot design is a experiment replicated four times with each treatment randomly placed in each of the four replications. Seldom does a experiment replicated four times find a “real” difference of anything less than five bu./ac. So, be careful when interpreting the data to justify your expense for an input. † J.L.(Les) Henry is a former professor and extension specialist at the University of Saskatchewan. He farms at Dundurn, Sask. He recently finished a second printing of “Henry’s Handbook of Soil and Water,” a book that mixes the basics and practical aspects of soil, fertilizer and farming. Les will cover the shipping and GST for Grainews readers. Simply send a cheque for $50 to Henry Perspectives, 143 Tucker Cres, Saskatoon, SK, S7H 3H7, and he will dispatch a signed book

Trait Stewardship Responsibilities

Notice to Farmers

Farmers love this. Prairie wheat growers are turning to midge tolerant wheat for midge control and high yields. And everyone wants this to continue. That’s the point of the Stewardship Agreement. The Agreement limits the use of farm-saved seed to one generation past Certified seed. It’s a simple step that keeps the interspersed refuge system at the desired level, preventing a build-up of resistant midge. Protect your yields and grade, and preserve this important tool for years to come. What’s not to love about that? Contact your retailer or visit www.midgetolerantwheat.ca to learn more about these new varieties and how the interspersed refuge system works.

Monsanto Company is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship® (ETS). Monsanto products are commercialized in accordance with ETS Product Launch Stewardship Guidance, and in compliance with Monsanto’s Policy for Commercialization of Biotechnology-Derived Plant Products in Commodity Crops. This product has been approved for import into key export markets with functioning regulatory systems. Any crop or material produced from this product can only be exported to, or used, processed or sold in countries where all necessary regulatory approvals have been granted. It is a violation of national and international law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted. Growers should talk to their grain handler or product purchaser to confirm their buying position for this product. Excellence Through Stewardship® is a registered trademark of Excellence Through Stewardship. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Roundup Ready® crops contain genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides. Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. Genuity and Design®, Genuity Icons, Genuity®, Roundup Ready®, and Roundup® are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC. Used under license.

10623A_MON_GEN_stewardship_legal_grainnews.indd 8/20/12 2:47 1 PM

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23

Columns MANAGEMENT MINUTE

Succession: Just do it — part two Succession planning is going to take time and dedication. Use this three-step plan to roll up your sleeves and get to work on your own operation ANDREW DERUYCK

MARK SLOANE

A

s you will recall, in part one in this series on succession Faith and her husband Juan Tafarm called us, frustrated with the lack of progress on the succession plan for their family farm business. We have seen the most success in business transition when one of the generations takes the bull by the horns and drives the process. Part two of this series will focus on the numerous business considerations for the younger generation in preparing a potential offer to the retiring generation. This article may give the older generation some

insight into the younger generations’ concerns and priorities. Clarence S. Darrow was arguably the most famous trial lawyer in the U.S. in the 1920s. He once said, “The first half of our lives is ruined by our parents and the second half by our children.” This reminds us that although it is crucial to focus on our own priorities, we have to consider others’ priorities as well. This is especially true in a succession plan where both generations have a vested interest in the other party being pleased with the outcome. The decisions made in a succession plan today have far reaching effects. If a parent gives too little and has to watch their child struggle and possibly lose the farm, it can be horrific to stand by and watch. Equally, if a child takes or asks for too much and then has to watch their parents live frugally it is hard to enjoy their successes.

THE ANALYSIS To get Faith and Jaun Tafarm on their farm, we used three

main steps. These steps can provide the younger generation with clarity. Step one: Identify the assets integral to the farming business.

Identify the assets integral to the farming business In many cases the older generation has acquired assets that may not be integral to the farm operation or, more importantly, necessary for the younger generation to build an efficient business. Many times the younger generation feels they have to take over the entire operation or nothing at all. In many cases the parents don’t anticipate, want or even care if this is the case. Taking over a viable,B:10.25” efficient business T:10.25”

is much easier than taking over a business that is overmechanized and geared to the energy level of a generation that is much older. This inventory can be further broken down into three categories of assets: land and buildings, machinery, and inventory. Scrutinizing each asset class separately simplifies the process and makes it less overwhelming. Step two: Determine operation capacity. The assets indentified in step one will yield an expected net income and expected net cash flow. This, combined with any continuing off-farm income sources is what will be available to the younger generation to be applied towards fixed charge requirements including loan payments, land rent, property taxes and living costs. Step three: Identify borrowing capacity. In this step we start by identifying the current financial equity position of the younger generation prior to the purchase of any assets identified

in step one. Clearly understanding this position is crucial in determining the ability of the younger generation to borrow capital. Very seldom can that younger generation borrow all the capital required to purchase all the assets identified in step one. Once the borrowing capacity is clearly understood, the younger generation can develop options to secure the assets. This is often done through discounted purchase prices, vendor financing, asset rental, equity or accommodating security from the retiring generation. The process is easy but the analysis is not. It takes commitment, time, and dedication. The moral of the story is that if you make your stew without any meat in it, don’t complain while you are eating it. † Andrew DeRuyck and Mark Sloane manage two farming operations in southern Manitoba and are partners in Right Choice Management Consulting. With over 25 years of cumulative experience, they offer support in farm management, financial management, strategic planning and mediation services. They can be reached at [email protected] and [email protected] or 204-8257392 and 204-825-8443

Beware Sclerotinia, ‘The Pirate of the Prairies.’

For more information please visit: BayerCropScience.ca/Proline

BayerCropScience.ca/Proline or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative.

Always read and follow label directions. Proline® is a registered trademark of the Bayer Group. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.

O-68-01/13-BCS13001-E

B:7.75”

Give no quarter. Factoring an application of Proline® fungicide into your cropping plans will effectively reduce infection rates by up to 80% and keep sclerotinia from stealing your golden treasure.

T:7.75”

If you thought you had seen the last of sclerotinia, you’re dead wrong. Your old foe will be back again this season to plunder your profits and turn your canola crop into a battlefield.

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Features Crop production

PATCHY PREDICAMENT

Crop Advisor’s casebook By Dustin Miller

I

n May of last year, I received a call from an Alberta farmer with 5,000 acres of barley, wheat, canola and alfalfa. Concerned about the yellow patches appearing in his barley field, Byron asked me to visit his operation to take a look. He first noticed the problem at the edge of his field bordering the highway. “I’m unsure what’s causing it. Given the spring we’ve had, it could be caused by frost or excess water, chemical damage or leaf disease,” said Byron. Upon arriving at the field, I noticed yellow patches at the

very edge of the crop, and the plants were stunted in growth. When encountering symptoms such as these, over-application of fertilizer can sometimes be a factor to consider. However, I quickly eliminated this possibility because the patches were circular in shape rather than the linear or square damage caused by an error in fertilizer application. Drought could also present symptoms in this way. However, given the wet spring of 2012, I knew this could not be the cause of the damage in Byron’s field. Although the area had seen quite a bit of moisture, excess water dam-

age was also not the issue because the stress on the crop was localized to the outer edge of the field. Barley is typically quite tolerant to temperatures up to -6 C. However, temperatures had not approached this value, also ruling out the theory of frost damage, and the leaves were yellow rather than the brown colour of frostdamaged plants. As we examined the damaged plants more closely, we discovered some tiny insects hopping around on the plants’ leaves. “Here’s a red flag,” I said to Byron, pointing at one of the small, yellowish, wedge-shaped insects I’d found in the damaged area.

What insect is causing the damage to Byron’s barley field? Send your diagnosis to Grainews, Box 9800, Winnipeg, MB, R3C 3K7; email leeann.minogue@fbcpub lishing.com or fax 204-944-5416 c/o Crop Advisor’s Casebook. Best suggestions will be pooled and one winner will be drawn for a chance to win a Grainews cap and a oneyear subscription to the magazine. The best answer, along with the reasoning which solved the mystery, will appear in the next Crop Advisor’s Solution. † Dustin Miller is a sales agronomist for Richardson Pioneer Ltd. at Magrath, Alta.

Dustin Miller

Crop Advisor’s Solution

CHALK ONE UP TO MOTHER NATURE By Blaine Fornwald

W

There were yellow patches at the end of the barley field, and the plants were stunted in growth.

hen I got a call from Bob in early July, informing me that his durum wheat heads were drying up and failing to properly fill, I thought the problem would be relatively easy to identify. Bob, who farms 7,000 acres of canola, durum wheat and peas near Lampman, Sask., told me that his durum heads were drying out and failing to properly fill. The dried-out heads were scattered randomly across his fields, on both high and low ground, and the tillers were not fully emerging from the shoots. Bob and I went through all possible causes for the symptoms. Almost immediately we ruled out a lack of moisture as the problem — although we’d had several weeks of dry, hot weather with sporadic rain on some fields, the drying heads were also appearing on the fields that had received enough rain. We also considered compaction along the headlands as a possible cause, as the spring had been so wet. But again, the symptoms were spread throughout the field. “Did you plant certified seed? Was it treated?” I asked Bob. Although he had planted various types of seed — some treated, some untreated — there was little or no visual difference between the treated and untreated plants. And when we looked at fertility as a possible cause, we came up with nothing. Bob had supplied aboveadequate nutrients to the field — added to which, the field had lain fallow in 2011 due to wet conditions. The problem now looked more complex than I’d initially thought. But something had triggered in my mind when I saw how sporadically the dried-out heads were scattered through the field. Could it be a sporadic disease causing the problem? I posed

this question to my colleagues. The answer was surprising! Strange disease symptoms had also been found in canola this year. The cause of these symptoms in canola: aster yellows. The idea of the symptoms observed in Bob’s field being caused by aster yellows was kicked around the office. But did aster yellows affect cereal crops? I did some research and learned that it can — and the symptoms fit our hypothesis. We sent some samples away to be DNA tested for aster yellows phytoplasma. Sure enough, we’d found the culprit. As it was a bad year for aster yellows, there wasn’t much Bob could do to manage the problem. There were more leafhoppers present this year than an average year, causing the disease they carry to be more prevalent. Because aster yellows is caused by a microorganism called phytoplasma, not a fungus, common fungicides would not prevent this disease. We thought that the previous year’s warm winter had possibly allowed more leafhoppers, which carry aster yellows, to survive. Alternatively, the drought in the United States might have pushed the insect further north to find lush crops. Bob lost some yield, but that harsh reality was softened by the understanding that he hadn’t done anything wrong — and there was nothing he could do to correct the problem. While we tossed around the possibility that spraying insecticide to kill the leafhoppers might limit the spread of aster yellows, we weren’t certain it would make the most economic sense. “Chalk another one up to Mother Nature,” I said. “We just have to take the results we are given from year to year and learn from them, and hopefully limit damage in the future.” † Blaine Fornwald is a sales agronomist with Richardson Pioneer Ltd. at Lampman, Sask.

JANUARY 7, 2013

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Machinery & Shop NEW SEEDING TECHNOLOGY

New air drill out from Versatile The latest air drill offering from Versatile maintains seeding depth SCOTT GARVEY

U

nder its current mana g e m e n t , Ve r s a t i l e has been aggressively expanding its product line with aim of becoming a full-line manufacturer. Barely two years after breaking into the air drill market with the technology it acquired through the purchase of EezeOn Manufacturing, the brand recently introduced an entirely new model with independentlylinked openers. Called the ML Series, the new drill was introduced at the 2012 Canada’s Farm Progress Show in Regina. “A team of engineers has been working on this new technology and we are extremely impressed with the results,” says Adam Reid, Versatile’s director of marketing. What sets the ML Series apart from much of its competition is it does not rely on hydraulic power to maintain consistent seed placement, lessening power demands on the tractor. “The ML Series drill is able to maintain seeding depth, packing pressure and shank tip force without hydraulic cylinders on each shank, meaning that the tractor requirement, in both horsepower and hydraulic, is less than comparable existing parallel link drills,” Reid adds.

MECHANICAL LINKAGE “ML, means ‘mechanical linkage,’ versus using a hydraulic cylinder for your independent shanks,” said Trevor Jubinville, Versatile’s product marketing manager during an interview at the Regina show in June. “It’s a true one-to-one linkage that uses spring pressure and a separate trip spring. When you adjust the packing pressure the trip force is not compromised.” Packing pressure is changed by adjusting the drill’s frame height, which can be done by simply raising or lowering it hydraulically from the tractor cab. But the drill also senses changing field conditions and makes any necessary adjustments automatically. Each section of the drill (up to five, depending on the working width) has its own gauge wheel. The system compares the position of that wheel to the position of the independently-linked openers beside it. If necessary, hydraulic flow is automatically directed to the lift cylinders to raise or lower the frame, altering the pressure at the openers. All of that is part of what Versatile calls its ALIVE system (Accurate seed placement with Level, Independent open-

ers for uncompromised Vertical Emergence of crops). The system includes three preset depth control settings the tractor operator can chose from. Each adjustment changes the opener angle to allow for shallow, medium or deep seed placement. “What that means for the farmer is he can choose the furrow profile (depth) he wants from the cab of the tractor,” explained Jubinville. “So we give him a choice of three: shallow for oilseeds, medium for cereals and deep for legumes.”

Versatile’s ALIVE system netted the company an AE50 Award this year from the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) for its design. Farmers can equip an ML Series drill with nearly any style of opener built by Atom-Jet. In preproduction field trials, Versatile used three-inch paired row and sideband openers. Versatile’s air seeder carts use a Raven Omni-Seed, hydraulicdrive metering system. Current cart sizes run from 215 to 400

PHOTO: SCOTT GARVEY

New from Versatile for 2013 is an air drill with independently-linked, shank-style openers. The company’s award-winning depth control system maintains down pressure without constant hydraulic pressure from the tractor. bushels, but the company has a larger, four-compartment cart, which also includes a canola tank, that underwent field trials last season. “What we tested this year was a 600 bushel,” added Jubinville.

The ML Series drill will be available in small numbers for the 2013 season with full production beginning in time for 2014. † Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews. Contact him at [email protected]

The Leader in Overlap Control SeedMaster now offers Auto Zone Command™ & FLIP™ (Full Last Implement Pass) as standard features on its on-board and tow-behind tanks. Auto Zone Command prevents costly input overlap by instantly stopping product flow in up to 10 metering zones. The more zones you control, the more money you will save. FLIP is SeedMaster’s patented mapping software that activates Auto Zone Command and halts product flow the first time openers pass through an overlap area. Product is then applied on the last pass, preventing double seed and fertilizer from being applied, and avoiding any seedbed disturbance.

NO OVERLAP CONTROL

10 ZONES OF OVERLAP CONTROL

3200 sq. ft.

320 sq. ft.

The Big Payback – Savings using a 10 zone, 80 ft. drill Year

Acres

Overlap%No Zone Command

1

5,000

7.30%

Overlap%Auto Zone Command

Savings per Acre

Cost Savings/ Total Acres

1.20%

$6.38

$31,903

$6.38 Cost Savings/Acre/Year x 5000 Acres Based on $104.60 /Acre Average Input Cost = $31,903 Input Savings/Year 4

5,000

7.30%

5

5,000

7.30%

1.20%

$6.38

$31,903

1.20%

$6.38

$31,903

The diagram illustrates how SeedMaster’s Auto Zone Command turns off seed and fertilizer to each zone during headland passes. Without Auto Zone Command, the large area in red would receive double inputs, wasting considerable dollars.

TOTAL 5 YEAR SAVINGS = $159,515

For more information on SeedMaster’s Auto Zone Command or FLIP contact your local SeedMaster dealer or call 1.888.721.3001.

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JANUARY 7, 2013

Machinery & Shop ON-FARM EVALUATION

Rating Morris’ prototype disc drill We take a look at Morris’ new prototype coulter drill and find out how one farmer who tested it rates its performance BY SCOTT GARVEY

N

ow that the R&D phase is over, Morris Industries is ready to let its new, independently-linked disc drill loose in the marketplace. The company has had four prototypes at work around the world over the past couple of seasons to get as much field experience and farmer feedback as possible before deciding on the drill’s final specifications. “We had one in Saskatchewan and one in Manitoba,” says Don Henry, COO at Morris. “We also had one in Australia and one in Kazakhstan to get some more testing feedback. For us to come to the market with it, we’ve got to make sure it’s right.” The company also took the unusual step of showing the drill at Canada’s Farm Progress Show in Regina for the past two seasons, introducing it to farmers and getting their feedback as well. Morris has already sold out its initial preproduction run of 10 drills, which will see farmers taking delivery of the first commercial versions in time for the upcoming seeding season. “We have sold a few units for spring of 2013, and we are finalizing all the production plans so we can start building them,” says Randy Ellis, director of North American marketing and sales. “We do plan to have a full production run ready for the spring of 2014.” So far, models with working widths of 40 and 60 feet are production ready, but a 50-foot model will go into field trials this season. And Ellis expects it will be available by 2014, too.

SPECIFICATIONS So what specifications do the new drills have to offer? First, they use a 20-inch coulter disc mounted on a walking beam. Because that configuration pushes the disc through the soil, the walking beam design allows for better penetration and consistent ground following characteristics, according to Morris. Connected to the walking beam behind the coulter is a 13-inch, double-shouldered packer wheel that closes the seed trench. The spoked, 16-inch gauge wheel that runs beside the disc also acts as a scraper, which improves the coulter’s mud-shedding ability allowing the drill to keep working in wet conditions. The independent linkage gives the disc 18 inches of vertical travel to follow uneven terrain. Packing pressure is provided by the same hydraulic system Morris uses on its Contour Drill Series. Customers can get the new disc drill in 7.5-, 10- or 15-inch row spacings.

FARMER REVIEW Robert Misko, who farms near Roblin, Manitoba, is one of the farmers who’ve had a chance to test a 60-foot prototype. It was set

PHOTOS: MORRIS INDUSTRIES

This new coulter drill from Morris has been in the prototype stage for two years and is now in its first preproduction manufacturing run, with 10 models slated for delivery this spring. up for 10-inch row spacings. He took it into his fields last season, seeding corn, wheat and canola. “I think we did about 4,500 acres,” he says.

“I like the field finish. It’s smooth.” — Robert Misko

Misko says he’s found disc drills — generally — are very good when it comes to consistently and accurately placing seed. “I prefer a coulter drill,” he explains. “With a shank drill, there is usually a gap between the gauge wheel and the opener. If you’re going along on a field and you hit a clump of straw or a molehill, the shank goes right through it before the gauge wheel even sees it. With this one (the Morris drill), if I go through a washout or a rut, it seeds right through it. It doesn’t miss any part. You can see the seeds are all coming up evenly. And I like the field finish. It’s smooth.” And in his experience, disc drills perform just as well as shank-style versions in difficult field conditions. He had an opportunity to see if that rule held true for Morris’ prototype during the wet spring conditions last year. “I went through some (conditions) no drill should go really through,” he says. “I never had a stitch of trouble, never plugged a packer wheel, never did anything. It just rolled right through it.”

FIELD SPEED Aside from being able to work through tough conditions, one of the biggest advantages the new disc drill offers is fast field speeds. Misko says he was able to pull the

Openers on the new drill ride on a walking beam design, which marketing reps say improves ground penetration and seed placement. prototype at 7-1/2 to eight m.p.h. and still get very consistent seed placement. “That’s the big advantage of a disc drill,” he says. “You can make acres fast.” “There is a segment of the market that likes disc drills,” says Henry. “There’s definitely some guys with big acres that want to get over it in a short period of time, and certainly with the disc you can increase your speed dramatically, because you’re not moving any dirt. That’s appealing to a lot of guys.” But just how fast is best for any particular farmer depends on a few variables. One of them is how much product you want to put down with the seed, according to Garth Massie, Morris’ corporate agronomist. “That’s a big consideration, how fast you’re going and how much product you’re putting down,” he says. “We know farmers generally run these machines pretty fast.” Coulter wear rates also tend

to increase with higher working speeds, notes Ellis. To pull the 60-foot prototype drill and the prototype 680-bushel seed cart mated to it, Misko used a Case IH Steiger 435. The tractor had no trouble matching the drill’s draft requirements, but because he was travelling fast, working some of his rolling land necessitated dropping down a gear on the uphill pulls. “It’s not the draft that slows you down (on hills), it’s just dead weight,” he says. On relatively level fields, the tractor had no trouble maintaining that 7-1/2 to eight m.p.h. ground speed. Is there anything Misko would change on the drill? “No. Not really,” he answers. “They had some boot configurations that had a bit of an issue holding hoses in. They already had that figured out and said they were going to change that. But in general, I was pretty happy with the way it worked.” Some of the hose lengths on the prototype were a little short,

which was the primary cause of the problem Misko experienced, Ellis explains. That was an easy fix for the production models. As well, the openers themselves will see some very minor modifications to better accommodate the manufacturing process. “We’re making some minor tweaks to the design of the opener to make it more efficient for production,” he says. “We’re reducing the number of welds.” Routine maintenance on the new drill is down to two grease zerks per opener. They only need greasing every 50 or 100 hours, depending on the location. Surprisingly, the new Morris coulter drill still doesn’t have a name or number designation. “We’ve been asking our staff and some of our customers to come up with an appropriate name,” says Henry. “Hopefully, in the near future we’ll have that.” † Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews. Contact him at [email protected]

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Machinery & Shop SHOP CLASS

How to improvise a gasket An old cardboard box provides the material to make a paper gasket when a replacement isn’t available BY SCOTT GARVEY

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ne of the frustrations with breakdowns is they seem to occur at the worst possible time, and getting replacement parts quickly is sometimes a problem. That was the situation with this repair. But being creative can sometimes get things going again — at least temporarily — as in this case. This small, walk-behind snowblower wouldn’t start on a holiday weekend when all the parts stores were closed. After troubleshooting the problem, the carburetor was removed and cleaned. But, the manifold gasket was badly deteriorated, and it couldn’t be reused when reinstalling the carb. So with snow waiting to be cleared, an old cardboard box was pulled from the recycling bin to use as material for a replacement gasket. This farm shop improvisation could be used in a variety of applications as a replacement for paper-type gaskets when an OEM replacement isn’t readily available. As an added bonus, it makes for a no-cost repair. After removing the carb, it was clear the gasket on the intake manifold was unusable. With no replacement on hand, the old gasket was carefully removed and used as a template to create a new one. The original gasket was a thin, paper type, but there was no replacement available. Instead, a replacement for it was cut from thin cardboard salvaged from an old 12-pack, soft drink box. A cereal box or something similar would have also worked. The original gasket was used as a template, and the outline was traced onto the cardboard in just the same way as when cutting a gasket from any type of material. Using a pair of scissors and a sharp blade, the shape was cut out. A drill bit was used to make the mounting-bolt openings. Be sure to use a sharp blade to create clean edges when cutting. If you have any lumps of material from the cut, trim them off to ensure the new cardboard gasket has an even thickness. Don’t forget to clean both mounting surfaces to ensure a good seal. Any remaining material sticking to the surfaces from the old gasket was carefully trimmed off with an adjustable knife. Carb cleaner was sprayed on to dislodge any contamination and wiped off with a rag. Notice the dirt on the shop rag. It came from the two mounting surfaces.” Be careful when cutting out the replacement — this cardboard gasket fit exactly. Once the repaired carb was reinstalled, the snowblower ran perfectly. When using cardboard for a job like this, make sure it’s not the corrugated type. That won’t work. This piece had a thin, solid thickness. Do you have a shop tip to share with Grainews readers? If so, email it to Scott Garvey. †

Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews. Contact him at [email protected]

The gasket on the intake manifold was unusable. The old gasket was used as a template for a new one.

Use a sharp blade to create clean edges when cutting.

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JANUARY 7, 2013

Machinery & Shop SEEDING EQUIPMENT

9700 Series Sunflower drills optimize seedbed utilization AGCO has given its newest air drill a “ribbon-seeding” opener, putting seed and fertilizer into 50 per cent of the available seedbed BY SCOTT GARVEY

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n 2011, AGCO introduced the model 9800 Sunflower air drill at its dealer convention in Kansas City. The 9800 is a joint venture between AGCO and North Dakota-based Amity Technologies. Amity created the design and AGCO took it on as one of its own products under the Sunflower brand, providing global sales and parts distribution through its AGCO dealer network. For the 2013 model year, the 9800, with its single-disc opener on an independently-linked long arm, is joined by the all-new 9700 Series drill, which offers a shank-style opener. It too, is a result of the partnership with Amity. The shank opener on the new 9700 uses what the company calls a “ribbon-seeding” design, which distributes seed across a wide, fiveinch band instead of the typical narrow row. With 10-inch row spacings,

the 9700’s ribbon opener leaves only five inches of unused soil between each five-inch band of seed, so there is a very high rate of seedbed utilization. The company believes this higher utilization rate can boost yields, because more seed and fertilizer can be put into a field. “The ribbon-seeding style of the 9700 Series was long ago proven to produce yields that consistently outperform conventional row drills,” said Tom Draper, Sunflower seeding and tillage product marketing manager. “This is actually a second generation of the Concorde Drill,” explained Mark Wyrick, a product specialist with Amity Technologies during a field demonstration near Beloit, Kansas, last July. AGCO invited members of the farm media there to see the new drill close up. “With the ribbon seeding) using 10-inch spacings, we use 50 per cent of the field,” he added. “Because of that, you can put down three or four times the

PHOTOS: SCOTT GARVEY

AGCO now offers a shank-style air drill with its 9700 Series Sunflower. The company chose to introduce the drill, along with other new tillage implements, to the farm media in a Kansas field last summer.

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Machinery & Shop

The 9700 Series drills use 84° shanks set on 10-inch row spacings. The wide openers deposit a ribbon of seed five inches wide. That provides a 50 per cent seedbed utilization rate. amount of fertilizer with the seed. It’s designed for small grains.” The 9700 Series drills are capable of keeping that wide ribbonseeding opener in the ground even in very hard field conditions. Each shank has a standard 650-pound trip force. So, the 9700 drill is capable of working in fields under both no-till and conventional tillage regimes. Because of that, marketing reps refer to the 9700 as an “air till drill.” AGCO claims the overall weight of each model in the 9700 Series is significantly more than competitors’ offerings to help keep the openers from riding out. “We can also put a coulter on the front if you’re working in a lot of residue,” said Wyrick.

SEED PLACEMENT To get consistant seed placement across the drill’s full width, the frame is levelled using shims on the hydraulic cylinders. And the 9700 is capable of seeding up to three inches deep. That ability to work in the toughest conditions means a farmer would need a pretty significant tractor up front, if he’s going to seed into really firm soil. “As a rule of thumb, you want a big tractor on this one,” Wyrick continued, as he stood in the field next to the demo drill. “On this one, which is a 40-foot model, you’d want at least a 400-horsepower tractor or more. We have 50- and 60-foot drills as well and you’d want

a 500 and 600 horsepower tractor respectively, to be comfortable.” Coulters mounted on each side of the shank openers keep dirt from being thrown over top of adjacent seed rows, which helps ensure even seed depth across the full frame width. That feature also makes the 9700 capable of working at higher speeds. “You can plant up to eight m.p.h. with this one,” he added. Behind the openers is a row of off-set packer wheels mounted on a tandem pivot. Each wheel can exert up to 300 pounds of packing pressure. “You get really good seed-to-soil contact with that across the ribbon (of seed) you’re creating,” he added.

Spring trip-out force on the openers is a hefty 650 pounds. The 9700 is also able to place additional fertilizer below the ribbon of seed using a separate opener. “If you put that additional seed boot on and run an additional manifold, you’re pretty much unlimited to how much fertilizer you can put down. Between the ribbon seeding, using all that space and all the fertilizer you can put around it, this drill outperforms any other. You’re actually getting more seed and more fertilizer in the ground.”

To help the operator ensure product is flowing through the air system when seeding, 9700 drills are also available with an optional, wireless seed blockage monitor system. Using auditory sensors, the ECU on the drill can send a wireless signal to an iPad in the tractor cab. “We’ve developed a free app to go with that,” says Wyrick. “That’s the wave of the future. † Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews. Contact him at [email protected]

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Machinery & Shop Seeding equipment prototypes

Growing capacity while limiting compaction Seed Hawk’s 1,300-bushel air seeder cart rides on rubber belts to blend greatly increased capacity with a very light footprint By Scott Garvey

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photo: scott garvey

Seed Hawk’s model 1300 air seeder cart has an overall length of 53 feet with four modular seed compartments. It’s the largest cart the company has built so far.

T

his isn’t for everybody,” said Brian Dean, Seed Hawk’s vice president, director of R&D. He made that comment as he stood in front of the company’s prototype model 1300 air seeder cart during last year’s Canada’s Farm Progress Show in Regina. And there’s no doubting those words, but the cart is a clear example of what many of today’s large-scale farmers are looking for: equipment that offers increased capacity and efficiency. This coming spring the gigantic model 1300, four-compartment cart will head into its second season of preproduction field trials as

engineers continue to fine tune its design. “This past spring we put 2,500 acres on one,” Dean added.

The 1300 The 1300 is the biggest cart to roll out of Seed Hawk’s Langbank, Saskatchewan, factory since the company began operations. At the concept stage, engineers had to think about how they could get the kind of capacity they wanted and still be able to get it down farm roads. And with the global market the company now sells into, the cart also had to conform to a size that allows it to ship overseas at the lowest cost. That lead to its unique shape, which is a little reminiscent of a railway hopper car.

High-powered, high performance … and high IQ

“The length is a little intimidating,” conceded Dean. “It’s 53 feet and the wheelbase is about 35 feet, so it does get in and out of standard approaches. However, we designed it for export shipment as well. So, we had to keep it narrower for sea containers. That stretched the length a little bit.” When the 1300 is eventually released for sale, it will be one of a very select few carts offered with a rubber track system instead of tires as a standard feature. “With 1,300 bushels, fully loaded, it weighs in at about 115,000 pounds,” he said. “So we were limited on tire options. By the time you price out what you might need, like tandem duals on the back, cost-wise it (tracks) quickly balanced out.” Tracks offer a performance advantage as well. Remarkably, the 1300 has a lower ground compaction rating than some of the company’s smaller seed carts. “The entire cart only puts down 10 p.s.i. of compaction,” continued Dean. “Whereas the tires on our 800 cart, for example, put down 25 p.s.i. when it’s fully loaded.” And to meet the challenging field conditions farmers could face during a damp spring, engineers wanted the 1300 to have superior floatation as well. “This is not something you want to get stuck either, so we needed it to walk on water,” Dean added with a smile.

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Even with its much larger size, the 1300 is able to work with Seed Hawk’s existing metering technology and distribution system. But the final version of the 1300 will likely see modifications to that system in order to deliver a higher volume of product to the openers. “Our concern is the extra length, because we’re adding 25 feet to the lines,” Dean said. “In canola we were up to 335 pounds of fertilizer blend. We had to back off from 5.2 to 4.7 miles per hour, otherwise we were starting to experience the odd plugged run. There are still a few challenges. Not everyone wants to seed at four and a half miles per hour. But if you think about it, if you can stay in the tractor seat for five hours instead of two and a half, you can seed a lot of (extra) acres no matter how fast you’re going.” Creating the 1300 wasn’t just about growing overall load capacity, according to Dean the company also wants to put this cart on the cutting edge of overall efficiency. “The design wasn’t just to build the biggest air cart in the world,” he said. “It was to make it modular, so we used load cells. Hopefully, it will eventually eliminate calibration so you can just put in your default [calibration] settings and go ahead and your load cells will automatically keep you on rate all the time.” As Seed Hawk’s engineering staff continue the R&D process with the 1300, there is no firm word on when it will hit the market. “This won’t be released for another year, at least,” said Dean. † Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews. Contact him at [email protected]

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Home Quarter Farm Life SEEDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT

What the next generation needs for succession success

Your heirs are counting on you to get things done so farm legacy can continue ELAINE FROESE

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ounders typically want to know where their income streams will be after they let go of power and control of management and/or ownership. They also have marital conflict about home residence issues, and how to be fair to non-business heirs. The next generation can’t wait to gain equity, quota, and more decision-making power. Young farmers are smart, tech savvy, and want to have their opinions heard by parents and respected. They also need certainty that timelines for transfer and succession agreements will be honoured. Add the conflict dynamics of a new spouse and you have many interesting conversations ahead! Last November at the World

Holstein Symposium in Toronto, I spoke about the three key things needed on dairy teams for great farm ownership transfers: Clarity Certainty Commitment to act. • Clarity: As the new year dawns I encourage you to converse in a sit-down business meeting with all the generations on your dairy farm. Be clear with each about the vision for growth, the expectations of roles for each worker. You might like to start out with, “I am just curious what your vision of our farm looks like. I need to… and I want…” If the tension is too tight, hire a coach or facilitator to walk you through conflict resolution. We all perform better when we are clear about what is expected of us. • Certainty: People are jazzed and business is profitable when everyone on the team gets things done in a timely fashion, and folks are certain of the deadlines or timelines for

action. Most next-generation farmers are extremely frustrated because they are stuck in what William Bridges calls the “neutral zone.” Put your farm transition plan in drive, a forward

Remember, it is your farm, your family and your choice gear and get unstuck. The best way to do this is to talk about the conflicting needs and wants that need to be reconciled and build your team of advisers to help you map out where the dairy farm is going, and when. What is the date that you plan to give equity shares to your son or daughter who work with you? When will the next generation be the main manager?

• Commitment to act: I am wearing a red bracelet that says “my commitment” as a reminder to act on business goals. What are you using to be a catalyst for those courageous conversations you need to put new management and ownership agreements in place? Are you stalling out because of fear about fairness to the “non-dairy heirs? Non-business heirs… that is the status of your adult children who are not on your farm team as workers and future owners. Book an appointment with your financial planner and accountant to find ways to create cash flow for building your personal wealth bubble. You need options to take care of your income streams first, your lifestyle plan as you age, and then your estate plan. Face your fears about fairness, and get plans in place! A Chinese proverb says, “Talk does not cook rice.” Talking is a great place to start. Be a good listener with a learner mindset,

not a judgment mindset. Make 2013 a really great year by talking, committing and then acting to get the “tough things” done right on your farm. The next generation is counting on you to get things done so that the legacy of your farm can be a blessing to future family units. If you would like a copy of my presentation at the World Holstein Symposium, send an email to elaine@elainefroese. com and put Next Gen Dairy Success in the subject line. Remember, it is your farm, your family and your choice. Choose to act wisely in this new year of opportunity and adventure in agriculture. † Elaine Froese, CAFA, CHICoach is a catalyst for courageous conversations. She empowers farmers with practical tools and conflict resolution. Invite her to ignite actionable change at your next ag event. Visit www.elainefroese.com. and ask questions on her contact page. “Like” her on Facebook at “farm family coach.” Watch her on YouTube at “farm family coach.” Buy Elaine’s book Do the Tough Things Right… how to prevent communication disasters in family business

POSTCARDS FROM THE PRAIRIES

Her magic eyes… As it turns out, all parts of her are magic

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e recently paid a visit to our optometrist to get Isla’s eyes checked out. Seemingly overnight, she developed a lazy eye. Or maybe two. Turns out, she’s far sighted. Apparently enough for the optometrist to warn me that her eyes were going to be noticeably magnified. Translation: she needed glasses. Really thick ones. As we were driving back home from the optometrist visit, I gazed at my daughter through the rear-view mirror. Her head was down, eyes closed... quite frankly, she looked like she’d been hit with a tranquilizer gun. (Which incidentally wasn’t me. I wasn’t carrying that day.) The drops they had put in her eyes to dilate her pupils were wreaking havoc on her vision. As I stared at her through the mirror, my heart started aching. I felt shattered. The best way to explain how I felt was by writing a letter to her, my little Peanut. I share that now with you. Dear Isla, I found out something today that I think we’ve known all along. As it turns out, all parts of you are magic. Including those big, beautiful eyes of yours. I wasn’t upset about the fact that you have to wear glasses; That’s about as inconsequential as having to pull on a pair of pants every day. No, that wasn’t it. Wearing glasses is not a big deal. Losing a loved one... that’s a big deal. Facing a life-threatening illness... that’s a big deal. This is not. We won’t let it be. Why my heart starting aching really badly is because I know that one day, Someone’s going to say something to you about your glasses. And it’ll hurt your feelings.

Your heart will feel so heavy with sadness, that it might just feel like it’s breaking. It might even make you cry. The worst part? Their words may cut just enough to make you think less of yourself. Honey, please don’t ever let that happen. The world does a good enough job of trying to knock you down; promise me you won’t ever do it to yourself. ’Cause you know what we’re going to do when that day comes? When you come home the day it happens, your heart breaking, your big, beautiful eyes spilling over with tears,we’re going to sit down on the floor, and we’re going to hug. Hard. And I won’t let go until you ask me to. And you know what else we’re going to do? Right after Mommy thumps the little @#$%er who hurt you, We’re going to say a prayer for that person. We’re going to ask God to surround that person with love. Because often, people who don’t feel enough love themselves only feel better when they knock others down. Don’t ask me to explain it, Peanut. I don’t completely understand it myself. I think everyone’s inherently good, but sometimes, some people just have a hard time showing it. People who are bullies are hiding something else; a pain they’ve felt, or something they’re feeling, and the only way they can get rid of it, just for a moment, is to hurt someone else. Life’s beaten them down, so if they see someone who looks a little different, and they think they’ve found an easy target, they’ll take aim and fire their useless shot. That’s all it is, Peanut. A useless shot. It’s their only way to feel bigger... better... if only for a moment.

And that’s all right. It’s their bag of crap to hold, not yours. The names they call you aren’t important; what you choose to believe about them is. So let that ache in your heart morph into compassion for them; let that break in your heart be an opening to feel more love for others. But never let that pain make you think less of yourself. ’Cause you know what, Peanut? You get to come home to us every day and be loved something silly for the rest of your life. And that’s a guarantee. So promise me you’ll surround yourself with friends who deserve you... friends who love you for who you are. Friends who know He made you perfect, just the way you are. Friends who don’t want you to change one thing about yourself. As for those magnificently huge, beautiful eyes of yours? They’re so full of magic we had to magnify them. We had no choice.

It was the only way to make them as big as that heart of yours... big enough so the whole, wide world can see that fire burning deep within. Hold on to that. Don’t ever let another living soul snuff it out. I’ll tell you this… we’re going to wear our matching glasses and paint this town red. That’s a promise, babe. I love you. You’re beautiful. You’re perfect. Every single, precious piece of you. If you only remember one thing I ever say, may it be this. Love Mommy † Janita Van de Velde grew up on a farm near Mariapolis, Man. She holds a bachelor of science degree in agricultural economics from the University of Manitoba, and has worked for a financial institution since graduating. She lives in Regina, Sask., with her husband Roddy and their children Jack, Isla and James. Her first novel, Postcards Never Written, was the recipient of the Saskatchewan Reader’s Choice Award and also listed by CBC as one of the top funny books in 2009. She donates a portion of proceeds from the sale of her book to World Vision to help those less fortunate. For more information, or to order her book, visit her website at www.janita.ca

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Home Quarter Farm Life

A taste of the Wild West SCMSA provides that by combining barrel racing and revolver shooting BY CHRISTALEE FROESE

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PHOTOS: CHRISTALEE FROESE

Gary Charnock shows how black powder blanks are shot from a colt .45 in order to pop balloons.

Cain Quam demonstrates how the cowboys of the Wild West might have done it.

February 25 & 26, 2013 The Fairmont Winnipeg

Grainworld, the annual Canadian ag outlook conference, is returning to Winnipeg • Base you spring planting decisions on good information on the markets for the crops we grow on the prairies. • Outlooks for each of our various crops are given by traders in that commodity. • The right planting mix will benefit you as well as the entire industry.

For the agenda, and to register online: www.wildoatsgrainworld.com or call 1-204-942-1459

t’s a sport that makes riders feel like outlaws from the Wild West. Cowboy mounted shooting comes complete with revolvers, horses and gunpowder. However, the guns are loaded with blanks and the bandits are in the form of balloons. “Every kid wanted to be Wyatt Earp or Billy the Kid and in some small way, this gives you a taste of what that might have been like,” said Cain Quam, a member of the Saskatchewan Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association (SCMSA). Cowboy mounted shooting combines the sports of barrel racing and revolver shooting as riders race through a course at high speed, shooting at 10 mounted balloons. Black powder blanks are shot from single-action .45 long Colt guns, with five seconds being deducted from a rider’s time if a balloon target is missed. While the sport has been popular in the United States for many years, a Saskatchewan chapter wasn’t formed until 2009. A small group of enthusiasts, led by Dean Dahlstrom, formed the SCMSA at that time. The association, led by Frank Bullin, now has 58 members and three district clubs (Regina, Saskatoon and Paradise Hill). “A lot of it is getting your horse really broke because if you can’t get that horse exactly where you want him, it’s going to be hard to hit your target,” said Quam. In Canada it is illegal to shoot a gun from the back of a horse. However, cowboy mounted shooting is an exception to that rule because blanks are used. “The horse will definitely jump the first few times you shoot off of it, but if you’ve prepared the horse well and it has a good amount of confidence, it’ll handle it quickly,” said Quam. Gary Charnock, a recreational horse enthusiast, recently took up the sport. “It’s instant gratification because even if you miss the balloon, you’ve still just shot a gun off your horse and that alone is exhilarating,” said Charnock. Charnock and Quam said more competitions and a provincial BY DAN PIRARO

Bizarro

championship are expected in the future as the sport is gaining popularity. While Quam is a professional horse trainer, he said those looking to join the sport certainly don’t have to be career riders. “You need to be able to ride a horse, but you don’t need to be a professional horse rider.” Safety is paramount in the sport, with all participants requiring a Restricted Possession and Acquisition Licence (RPAL). Anyone participating in the sport also has to be over 18, must be a member of the SCMSA for insurance purposes and must ride at an accredited arena. With six approved facilities in Saskatchewan, Charnock said more people are being exposed to the sport.

“When you get on that horse, you have visions of being the wildest cowboys around.” — Cain Quam

“I think awareness is growing and the other thing that is going to help is if a few trainers get involved.” Quam embarked on the sport both for the fun of it and in order to teach others. The horse trainer has offered a cowboy mounted shooting clinic at his Kendal, Sask. arena and hopes to do more in the future. While the technical aspects of the sport, like the 65 different courses, are of interest to Quam, he said mounted shooting is also about riding like the cowboys did in the movies. “When you get on that horse, you have visions of being the wildest cowboys around. I think even Wyatt Earp and Billy the Kid would have had to look out for us.” For more information on the SCMSA and cowboy mounted shooting in Saskatchewan, contact president Frank Bullin at 306-9780550. † Christalee Froese writes from Montmartre, Sask.

BY DAN PIRARO

Bizarro

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Home Quarter Farm Life

The love of crafting

Handmade works of art create feelings of accomplishment BY EDNA MANNING

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rowing up in Saskatoon with parents who had struggled through the Great Depression taught Serena DuBois to live frugally, spend wisely and make do with very little. “My father was a war veteran and died when I was 13 years old. I was the fourth of seven children and each of us had our responsibilities around the home; mine was to take care of my older sister who had cerebral palsy. I’d read to her and entertain her for hours with various crafts. I recall building a bedside table one day from two wooden apple boxes and using nail polish to dress it up,” she says. Although the DuBois family was not well to do, they frequently shared what they had with others. “Mother was an extremely generous woman, hard working and very creative. She was a stay-at-home mom who babysat to earn money. On Saturdays she would bake 17 loaves of bread, another eight during the week. She cooked three chickens on Sunday, as many pies; plus doughnuts, buns, cookies and cakes. We lived in a poor neighbourhood, and I remember kids lining up at our back door asking for food. Somehow we always had plenty to eat, and we certainly never thought of ourselves as poor,” she said. Serena met her husband-to-be, Ed Schille at the University of Saskatchewan where she was studying physical therapy and he was pursuing a diploma in vocational agriculture. Ed worked for United Grain Growers as a field representative giving them the opportunity to travel with Blue Shield Tours, a subsidiary of the company. This allowed Serena to investigate the local artisans and visit art galleries and museums. While raising their three sons, Serena worked full time as a physical therapist, yet found time for arts and crafts. “We had very little when we first got married,” she says. “We had to start from the bottom and build up, so we were always ‘gathering’ — growing vegetables, canning, making jams, jellies, pickles, wine, bucking up firewood and refinishing furniture.” Serena feels a sense of accomplishment in creating handmade items for the home or to give as gifts, whether it’s jars of jam, homemade soap, quilts or stained glass items. Watercolour art continues to be one of her favourite endeavours, along with quilting and cross-stitching. Over the years she’s also done pottery, woodworking, woodcarving, pyrography (wood burning), stuffed animal and doll making, basket weaving, folk-art painting and tatting. Serena also assists Ed with one of his retirement hobbies — constructing wooden rocking horses. While Ed does the carving, Serena prepares the mane and tail for these beautifully crafted toys. As much as she enjoys the artistic process, Serena also derives great pleasure from sharing her creations with family and friends. The couple’s children, grandchildren, friends and other family members are often recipients of her work. “I’m always looking for something that’s unique for somebody else. For instance, if I’m purchasing fabric

for a quilt, I’m thinking of whom it might be right for. “When you’re giving a gift, I believe it should be something of value; an item that shows you really thought about that person. It’s a part of yourself — a gift of your time; a gift from the heart,” she says. Serena is passing on her skills and love of crafting to her grandchildren ages five to nine, hoping to inspire another generation of artisans and crafters. “My happiness comes from creating and planning — I’m always thinking about the next project,” she says. To learn more about Serena’s and Ed’s work visit www. canadianrockinghorse.com or call (306) 933-2645. † Edna Manning writes from Saskatoon, Sask.

Serena displays one of her quilts.

The rocking horses are carefully carved and decorated.

photos: edna manning

FarmTech 2013

Global Perspectives... Local Knowledge

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David Chilton

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Author, Business advisor

Ron MacLean Host of Hockey Night in Canada FarmTech 2013 Banquet

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JANUARY 7, 2013

Home Quarter Farm Life SINGING GARDENER

Tomatoes and onions Plus, are you a water diviner? TED MESEYTON

T

omatoes are No. 1 when it comes to home gardens and horticultural crops in the U.K. Onions are designated the second most important veggie in that country. Canadians also love their homegrown fruits of the vine. Need I say both tomatoes and onions are part and parcel of my assembly of words that follow?

FIRST, LET’S BEGIN WITH A HELLO … received in mid-October 2012 from Ray MacKay at Waskatenau, Alta. who wrote: I’ve had success getting rid of portulaca by spraying with a heavy dose of Roundup or by using rubber gloves and a brush to wet the plant growth. Works very well. Also heard from Allan last October via his iPhone re: dew worms. Hi Ted, We are in Devon, a small town near Edmonton. The lawn is very bumpy from the dew worms. I hear they go down into the ground 10 feet or more and when they come to the surface there is a bumpy pile left. It’s a bit like walking on a rock pile when walking across the lawn. Thanks for the reply and information. Allan

WORLD’S EARLIEST TOMATO Greg Wingate from New Brunswick is still spreading the word about Latah. He wrote to me back in July last year: Hey Ted, I got a great response from your readers this (2012) spring. Raun Griffiths from Constance Bay outside of Ottawa provided the following details on how he managed to enjoy vineripened Latah tomatoes in early July 2012. “We ate Latah tomatoes at supper last night. Looks like there will be more to eat today — it’s only July 5! Now, I am aware that God has everything to do with this, in particular the hot, dry weather. None of the other full-size tomatoes are even close to harvest (there are a few cherries that are ready). That Latah tomato is really something.”

SUE ARMSTRONG

LOVE HEARING FROM YOU Do you have a story about a farm or home-based business? How about some household management tips? Does someone in the family have a special-diet need? Share some of your meal ideas. Send them to FarmLife, 1666 Dublin Ave., Winnipeg, Man. R3H 0H1. Phone 1-800665-0502 or email susan@ fbcpublishing.com. Please remember we can no longer return photos or material. — Sue

These Latah tomatoes grown by Raun Griffiths from near Ottawa were ripe on July 5, 2012. The Singing Gardener shares Raun’s planting schedule and tells where to buy Latah tomato seeds. Ted also asks: How many water diviners are out there in Grainews country? As for starting Latah seeds — here is Raun’s schedule from last year. (Same for Mountain Princess and Black Plum which both have lots of green tomatoes but nothing close to ripe.) • 11 March — “Sowed” the seed on a wet coffee filter in a sealed Baggie placed in a warmish cupboard. • 18 March — Germination was evident so the “sprout” was placed in soil. • 2 April — Transplanted up to a two-inch pot. • 15 April — Potted up to a bigger pot. • 7 May — Tomatoes moved out onto the deck for hardening. • 10 May — A fruit day in a very warm spring — planted out tomatoes in the garden here in Constance Bay outside of Ottawa. • 5 July — Eating Latah tomatoes! I, Ted, remind readers that the Capital Region (Ottawa) is in Zone 5 with a longer growing season and less harsh winter. Most of the Prairies are in Zones 2 and 3 where late-spring and early-fall frosts do happen. Each designated zone has been allotted the coldest degree or average minimum winter temperature where an established plant can survive. Hardiness can also include survival in hot, dry periods and in excessive moisture. Duration of severe periods of stress, wind chill and temperature extremes and adaptation to soil pH level conditions also contribute. Latah is ideal for regions where growing seasons are short, including the near north and high north. Seeds are available from: Mapple Farm, 129 Beech Hill Rd., Weldon, N.B. E4H 4N5 or go to mapplefarm.com.

AN ONION A DAY … keeps the doctor away! WHAT? You’ve got it all wrong Ted! Isn’t it an apple a day? I’ve so much to say about onions that it would take a book to include everything. You may have heard on radio, TV and read in print media about the shortage of over-the-counter cough and cold remedies this winter. It may be time to revive what our forebears did in the olden

days. First, allow me to mention what Margaret Knelsen from near Austin, Manitoba practises for keeping cold and flu germs in check using ordinary cooking onions. Here’s her method. Margaret cuts off about the bottom one-third of onions, distributing as many as a dozen everywhere throughout the house with the root end facing down. “I place one in the bathroom; a couple on top of the fridge; one on my husband’s table beside the TV; a couple in the bedroom; a couple on the bookshelf; even on the windowsill.” According to Margaret the onions stay put “absorbing germs for a long time until they’ve dried up and there’s absolutely no life left in them. After three weeks or so they’re replaced with a fresh batch. What about the remaining top section of each onion? It goes without saying they’re used in any recipe calling for onions. Health benefits of onions are often overlooked, according to Dutch researchers. Onion extracts are recognized for providing relief from coughs, colds and even asthma and bronchitis. When it comes right down to it onions, garlic and apples are jewels of the gardeners’ world and all help keep the doctor away.

EASING THE BREATHING Toddlers, children and adults catching colds are a fact of life. Josh is the father of a two-year-old. Here are his techniques for helping his two-year-old get a good night’s rest when dealing with coughing and congestion. Josh says, “Our home remedies do not involve any cold medication, other than Vicks VapoRub and a small vaporizer. We’ve found this particularly effective for a bad runny nose and a wet cough.” According to Josh, “We first slice the end off an onion.” He says any onion will do, but prefers a large white onion. The onion is cut in quarters and everything put on a plate, including the top.” According to Josh the onion top is the most important part because it gives off the most powerful aroma. The quartered onion goes under the bed or crib for the night. Within minutes the room will start to smell of raw onion. The scent opens up the breathing passageways and helps alleviate mucous discharge. In the

morning the room will not smell so good, but Josh says it’s worth it if it can help your child have a good night’s rest. As a support, a few drops each of eucalyptus and pine essential oils can be dispersed into an essential oil vaporizer. If you don’t have one, make a pad from a wet folded towel. Finally, Josh says, “We apply Vicks VapoRub to the chest and the third toe.” An added option is reflexology; the practice of applying pressure to parts of the feet and sometimes the hands and ears. Such stimulation encourages a beneficial effect to other parts of the body. Josh feels the entire process has proven very effective in every case of a cold and has done wonders for his littler boy. It certainly cleans out the nasty stuff.

I, TED, SAVE CORNCOB HUSKS Memories of fresh corn on the cob from last August and September still linger. What do I do with corncobs once the kernels are gone? Here’s my two cents’ worth. Wear heavy-duty gloves and break the cobs by hand or cut them into several chunks with a hand-held pruning saw or other tool. Place the pieces onto a large sheet of plastic to dry in the sun and store away until needed. Come the following spring, half fill pails with corncob chunks and cover with hot water. Allow the combo to soak for days and days until it becomes soft and mushy. Before setting out tomato transplants, dump about a litre of the slurry into each prepared planting hole and let it soak in. Tomato plant roots love it and will show their appreciation during the growing season. Here’s another reason to save dried corncobs. Let me ask: Are you troubled with squirrels and chipmunks in your vegetable and flower gardens or raiding the bird feeder? These hungry critters are sneaky, inquisitive and always looking to grab a bite whether it’s tomatoes, sunflower seeds, nuts or whatever. From my experience, squirrels love to nibble at, play with and carry off chunks of corncob. You’ll be amused watching them pay attention to something other than your gar-

den and bird feeder. Of course there are those who prefer not to encourage squirrels and wild animals into the yard. I’m told some folks mist birdseed at the feeder with a hot pepper spray. It appears to have no ill effect on birds and discourages wily and crafty visitors. You might consider making peanut butter bird batter to attract feathered friends. The mixture is stiff and composed of one part peanut butter and five parts cornmeal. Press some inside holes that have been drilled out in wooden logs or into crevices of large pine cones and then hang these where they’ll attract woodpeckers, chickadees, nuthatches and bluebirds. It’s a good substitute for an all-season treat but not necessarily less expensive than suet. Peanuts and peanut butter have gone up in price. How do you work with Mother and Father Nature to keep the peace between animals, birds and the garden where you live?

ARE YOU A WATER DIVINER? Back in June 2011, I wrote about such an individual now gone on to his reward. Maurice had that gift and velvet touch for finding water with his Y-shaped red bark willow. Such individuals are commonly known as a witcher, switcher, dowser and diviner. As Maurice once said to me: “I’m not a witch, so it doesn’t bother me one way or the other in spite of what some folks might think or say about the name.” A reader from Coldwater in Ontario close to Orillia, north of Barrie read my article and is looking for a person in her vicinity with such a talent for locating the right spot to locate water. I’d like to compile a list of names and addresses of water diviners from across the nation. If you’re an individual possessing such talent, and willing to share, send me a bit of information about yourself such as name, address and location. Be sure to mention your working tool of choice whether willow, coat hanger, welding rod, crowbar or what have you. Who knows? Somebody in your neighbourhood or elsewhere may require your skill as a water diviner one day. My email address appears below. †

This is Ted Meseyton the Singing Gardener and Grow-It Poet from Portage la Prairie, Man. China is the world’s largest producer of tomatoes. During the 19th century it was common practice for an audience to throw rotten tomatoes at bad actors during stage performances. Fortunately, that’s never happened to me… yet. Keep in mind that tomato leaves and stems are poisonous. They contain atropine and other toxic alkaloids. Unripe, green tomatoes also contain small amounts of these so green ones should never be eaten raw but fried green tomatoes are OK. Enjoy the rest of the winter season as we sing our way into spring and contemplate gardening. My email address is [email protected]

JANUARY 7, 2013

grainews.ca /

35

Cattleman’s Corner THE MARKETS

Non-price factors affect beef demand JERRY KLASSEN MARKET UPDATE

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ast month I did a series of market outlooks for cattle producers. While most want to focus on supply and demand factors regarding cattle and beef longer term, I always start the presentation by going over non-price factors that influence the beef market. Some of these factors are within a producers’ control to enhance their price at the auction market. Some have to do with consumer perception of the beef industry. We’ve all heard about the recent beef recalls and how sensitive cattle prices can be to consumer behaviour. Last spring, the industry endured the “pink slime” media hype. Daytime TV talk show hosts can sometimes paint negative pictures of the beef industry for their own personal benefit. I believe these non-price factors, as they influence beef demand over the longer term, create four major challenges for the industry.

FOOD SAFETY The first major challenge is food safety. Traceability and age verification have become more important in the post-BSE period, especially for Japan and new export markets. In 2008 and 2009, age verification and premise ID were additional costs of production in a not-so-profitable industry. Alberta has legislated age verification and premise ID, which virtually helped all of Western Canada. Cattle born in Alberta could be shipped to Japan while non-age-verified cattle could move to other markets. Industry estimates suggest that 95 per cent of the calves born in Alberta/B.C. are age verified, 35 per cent in Saskatchewan approximately 40 per cent in Manitoba

and about 35 per cent in Ontario. These percentages are not improving but have been stagnating over the past couple years. Producers do not like legislated production practices. However, after the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA) held meetings in parts of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, there was considerable increase in the number of producers age verifying and going through the premise ID process. Communication and education takes time and resources. After the CCIA meetings, the producer mindset changes from “what is in it for me” to “I better do this for the health of the industry.” Canada needs premise ID for certain export markets. Certain human populations are known to have adverse effects to higher metal levels in grains and meats. Water and food quality can be very influential in fetal development. There are also unseen micotoxins or microorganism on certain feedstuffs that have potential to be transferred to humans through the beef production process. In conclusion, premise ID is important for traceability but the consumer also wants to know what the animal is fed and comfortable that the animal was raised under humane conditions. Premise ID is legislated in Alberta and Manitoba but not in Saskatchewan. This has the industry on an uneven playing field. There are some auction markets advertising high prices for non-age verified calves, which promotes the idea that producers don’t have to age verify. This is counter productive longer term. Functional foods or “nutraceuticals” is another category under food safety. It is the beef industry working together with medicine. Rising health-care costs are also a factor driving traceability policy. While beef is not always viewed as a healthy choice for certain people, it does play an important dietary role given its protein and nutritional content.

PHOTO: FILE

Food safety and an aging consumer population are two of the non-price factors that will affect beef markets over the coming months and years. Rising health-care costs will be a significant factor determining diets over the next five to 10 years. For example, men over 40 are advised to only eat about eight ounces of beef per week, otherwise the risk of prostate cancer increases significantly. Men who eat a lot of beef should actually donate blood regularly to lower their iron levels. People can now send away a sample to have their DNA analyzed and in return will receive a report on what foods are more beneficial for their genetic code. This is not always positive for beef. The bloodlines of each generation are getting weaker and more susceptible to new diseases and cancers. The cattle industry is one bacteria away from shutting borders as new strains are a constant risk.

FOOD SECURITY The second major challenge is food security, which has also become a major issue since 2005 when ethanol production started consuming a larger portion of the U.S. corn crop. The world is

no longer comfortable with past stock levels of cereal and coarse grains. We’ve seen how sharply grain prices can move within a sixmonth period. World coarse grain stocks will drop to historical lows at the end of the 2012-13 crop year.

PRODUCTION STRUCTURE The third challenge has to do with the beef production process. Raising cattle in a pure competitive economic environment suggests the industry will continue consolidating. Feedlot and cowcalf operations will become larger with smaller margins and the numbers of each operation will decline longer term. At the same time, consumers tend to have a resistance to factory farms and large scale production. Feedlots and packing plants have a very difficult time sourcing qualified labour and these labour costs are constantly rising. The environment also falls under this challenge, given the public perception that cattle produce high levels of methane gas contributing to global warming.

DEMOGRAPHICS The final challenge has to do with consumer demographics in North America and around the world. Canada and the U.S. have an aging population and older people eat less beef. Canada has a large multicultural society and beef is not consumed regularly by certain cultures. The growing U.S. Latino population also will result in lower per-capita beef consumption. It is important producers are aware of the long-term challenges in the beef industry. Regular supply and demand factors are important, but non-price factors can have a major influence on the farm gate price. The industry has been accelerated into modernization since BSE in 2003. Despite these challenges, I’m optimistic all producers can be successful as the industry works with consumer groups and ensures that beef is safe and healthy. † Gerald Klassen analyzes cattle and hog markets in Winnipeg and also maintains an interest in the family feedlot in Southern Alberta. For comments or speaking engagements, he can be reached at [email protected] or call 204 899 8268

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JANUARY 7, 2013

Keepers & Culls Industry loses well-known cattleman LEE HART

Saskatchewan rancher Neil Jahnke, 1942 to 2012. A funeral service was held in early December for one of the larger-than-life characters of the Canadian beef industry, Neil Jahnke, who died at his ranch near Gouldtown, Sask., November 26. He was 70. Active in the family ranch, and the Canadian beef industry most of his life, highlights of his life and career were captured in the obituary written by his family: “Neil was born on August 15, 1942, in Swift Current, Sask. to Elmer and Mary Jahnke, the eldest of five children. He grew up on the ranch north of Glen Kerr, attending school in Log Valley and in Herbert. “He met the love of his life, Marilyn Gall, at the Little Lake while wearing swimming trunks, boots and a cowboy hat… us kids come by our sense of style honestly. They were married on November 1, 1966, in Morse. They lived at the ranch by Glen Kerr until moving to the Big Coulee northeast of Gouldtown in 1973, where they raised two

children, lived and ranched until Neil’s death. “He was always very active in cowboy politics and served as the president of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, vicechairman of the International Livestock Congress, a member of Canadian Agri-food Marketing Council, Chairman of the Horned Cattle trust fund, chairman of the Saskatchewan Cattle Marketing Deductions Act, president and founding member of Canada Beef Export Federation, founding chairman of the Western Beef Development Centre, chairman of the Beef Information Center, president of the Saskatchewan Livestock Association, vicepresident of Canadian Western Agribition, and chairman of the Commercial Cattle Committee, president of the Saskatchewan Stockgrowers Association and director of the Herbert Stampede Committee. “He was also involved in 4-H, the local school board, the Elks and the Lions. He was named cattleman of the year by SSGA in 1993, received an honourary life membership in the Agricultural Institute of Canada in 1994, received the Saskatchewan Order of Merit in 2001, an honourary life membership with the Saskatchewan Institute of Agrologists in 2004, was inducted into the Saskatchewan Agricultural Hall of Fame in 2005 and received the Honour Scroll from the Saskatchewan Livestock Association in 2010. The Record Stockman named Dad Canadian Livestock Industry Leader of the year 2006. These boards and the people he met through them were very important to him as was the ranch and his family, especially his grandchildren. “Neil was rough, gruff and opinionated, but had an incredibly soft heart and worried about everyone. He loved to argue and it was great

CONTACT US

Write, E-mail or Fax Contact Cattleman’s Corner with comments, ideas or suggestions for and on stories by mail, e-mail, phone or fax. Phone Lee Hart at 403-592-1964 Fax to 403-288-3162 E-mail [email protected] Write to CATTLEMAN’S CORNER, PO Box 71141 Silver Springs RPO, Calgary, Alta. T3B 5K2

if you agreed with him. But, even if you disagreed, if you could back up your beliefs he would accept your right to your own opinion. Convincing him to change his mind was another matter altogether. Neil is survived by his wife, Marilyn; daughter, JJ; grandson, Wyatt; son, Shane (Natasha) — granddaughter, Savannah, grandson Colt; the daughter of his heart, Jill Shapland, her boys, Joshua and Logan; his parents, Elmer & Mary Jahnke” as well as his siblings and several other relatives.

ONLINE RESEARCH Through a partnership with RealAgriculture.com, the Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) has launched a new online learning resource called Beef Research School for the benefit of Canadian beef cattle producers. The school, a series of approximately 30 videos, will encourage producers to utilize researchsupported knowledge and technologies, which can positively impact their herds, land and bottom lines, and support the competitiveness and sustainability of the industry. Videos will feature interviews w i t h r e s e a rc h e r s , v e t e r i n a r ians and other industry experts from across Canada on the latest research knowledge and technology, as well as progressive producers and feedlots that put it into practical use on their operations. Each segment will run approximately six to 10 minutes. “Producers have demonstrated they are keen to learn and will quickly adopt new researchsupported ideas when it makes sense for their operation,” says Matt Bowman, chair of the BCRC and a producer from Thornloe, Ontario. “Given the range of research topics of interest to producers, it can be difficult for them to stay caught up on publications or attend numerous seminars and field days, so the videos will be an engaging, convenient way to learn about the latest innovations.” Topics presented by the videos will include research related to animal health and welfare, feeds, food safety, beef quality, genetics and environmental stewardship. The series will also discuss the importance and value of research in the Canadian beef cattle industry, showcase a research centre and highlight extension resources available across the country. Videos in the School will continue to be filmed and distributed through to Summer 2013.

PRESTON HEADS TB ERADICATION PROGRAM The former chief veterinarian for Manitoba has been named the co-ordinator of the province’s TB eradication program. Dr. Allan Preston will take charge of the long-running program aimed at eliminating bovine tuberculosis from the Riding Mountain Eradication Area (RMEA) of northwestern Manitoba.

Bovine TB is a reportable disease in Canada and its prevalence in livestock remains extremely low. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency runs a surveillance system in federally inspected abattoirs across the country. The most recent detected case in Canada was in a herd in British Columbia in 2011. Livestock herds in Manitoba’s Riding Mountain eradication area (RMEA), however, are considered to be at higher risk because of the presence of the disease in wild deer and elk in the area. Wild elk are believed to be the reservoir for the disease in the park. The RMEA and the rest of Manitoba have been able to maintain a “bovine TB-free” status since 2006, with CFIA’s ongoing surveillance. The disease has not been detected in Manitoba livestock since May 2008, and since 2003 before that case. During the 2011-12 surveillance season, a total of 7,523 head of RMEA livestock were tested for TB across 79 herds. While progress has been made in managing bovine TB in the RMEA in recent years, but the disease continues to be endemic in wild deer and elk, posing “significant challenges” for livestock producers in the area. Many producers in the RMEA are required to have their herds tested for TB periodically, in order to protect animal health and maintain market access. While CFIA pays the cost for the TB tests, producers are responsible for presenting their animals for testing, and the testing and mitigation efforts “inflict considerable costs on producers,” says the Manitoba Beef Producers. “MBP has long called for the appointment of a TB coordinator and we are pleased that governments have made our request a priority,” said Ray Armbruster, MBP president. “Dr. Preston brings a tremendous amount of industry knowledge and expertise to this position and we look forward to working with him.” Preston resides near Riding Mountain National Park, where he operates a grain and beef cattle farm in Hamiota.

MCCARTNEY HONOURED The Canadian Forage & Grassland Association (CFGA) has named Duane McCartney as the recipient of the firstever CFGA Leadership Award. “McCartney’s leadership qualities that have truly made a difference for the forage and grassland sector on a national and international level,” says CFGA chair Doug Wray. McCartney worked in the agriculture industry for over 35 years, and as an employee of the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Melfort Research Station in Saskatchewan he was instrumental in developing the first “Pasture to Plate” forage beef research system in Canada. However, to the producer he is

most recognized as the “face of extended grazing.” McCartney’s timely efforts before and during the aftermath of the 2003 BSE crisis gave alternatives to help save the cow-calf sector of the Canadian beef industry. The extended grazing winter feeding/ management systems McCartney researched and extended out into the hands of producers saves close to 50 per cent of the cost/ day to winter a beef cow. That has been estimated to be anywhere from $70-$165 million in savings to cow-calf producers in Alberta alone. These new systems addressed economics where it mattered most, since feed and management in winter are 60-65 per cent of the total production cost of cow-calf producers. As a result of McCartney’s work and leadership, extended grazing systems have now become a common practice in use by most cow-calf producers in Canada. He extended his research findings at provincial livestock conferences, producer meetings all across Canada, international conferences, and in the farm press. The “300-plus days grazing” phrase he coined is now used in publications throughout North America.

DIAMOND JUBILEE AWARDS The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) has announced that 38 Canadians will receive the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for their significant contributions to the beef industry, their community and their country. CCA President Martin Unrau said it is a special honour to be able to recognize the professional contributions of so many respected individuals in the industry that have worked hard to make a difference. Recipients include: From British Columbia: Morrie Thomas, and Rudy Johnson. From Alberta: Anne Dunford, Arno Doerksen, Ben Thorlakson, Bob Prestage, Brian Nilsson, Chris Mills, Cor Van Raay, Darcy Davis, Dave Plett, David Andrews, Dennis Laycraft, Eugene Janzen, Garnet Altwasser, Hugh Lynch-Staunton, John Stewart-Smith, Julie Stitt, Len Vogelaar, Steve MorganJones, Mabel Hamilton, and Tim McAllister. From Saskatchewan: Brad Wildeman, Gary L. Jones, John McKinnon, and Neil Jahnke, (posthumously). From Manitoba: Marlin Beever. From Ontario, Carolyn McDonell, Charlie Gracey, Graeme Hedley,Jock Buchanan-Smith, Margaret Jean Hutton, Stan Eby, and W. Ronald Usborne. From the Maritimes: Henry Knight, and Robert Acton, N.B.; Charlie MacKenzie, N.S. and Darlene Sanford, P.E.I. Also receiving the award and nominated by other organizations for their significant contributions to Canada’s beef cattle industry are Martin Unrau (Man.); John Newman (Ont.); Harvey Dann (Man.); Shirley McClellan (Alta.); and Red Williams (Sask.).

JANUARY 7, 2013

grainews.ca /

37

Cattleman’s Corner ANYONE CAN START FARMING?

Controlling lice in cattle and goats When she found a cow louse on her own head, Debbie Chikousky realized her cattle had lice DEBBIE CHIKOUSKY

O

ne of my most vivid memories from when we started farming was my first meeting with a cow louse. I had been checking cows for impending births, which involved giving all their tail heads a scratch so I could check the condition of their ligaments. It was a sunny February day so when my head was itchy upon returning to the house I just assumed it was from my toque making my head hot. But it wouldn’t stop. I checked in the mirror just as one of these horrid things crawled onto my forehead. Much girlie screaming ensued. Once I calmed myself I called my neighbours. When they quit laughing they told me my cows had lice — not a big deal, happens all the time, and they wouldn’t live on me. The larger concern with lice is their economic impact on the herd.

DAMAGE FROM LICE There are two types of lice: sucking and chewing. The sucking lice pierce the host’s skin and draw blood. They’re controlled with injectable wormers such as ivermectin. Chewing (biting) lice have chewing mouthparts and feed on particles of hair, scab and skin exudations. These and can only be controlled by external lice-control products. The wounds and skin irritation produced by these parasites result in discomfort and irritation to the animal. Parasites can transmit diseases from sick to healthy animals. Irritation from louse feeding causes animals to rub and scratch, causing raw areas on the skin or loss of hair. Weight loss may occur as a result of nervousness and improper nutrition. Milk production is reduced about 25 per cent. Also, the host is often listless, coats are rough, and in severe cases the loss of blood to sucking lice can lead to anemia. In general, infested livestock cannot be efficiently managed to realize optimum production levels. Lice diminish the gains attained by their feed and if very bad can cause death. University of Nebraska– Lincoln studies and other studies indicate that moderate to heavy lice populations may reduce weight gains of calves by as much as 0.21 pounds per day.

CONTROLLING LICE When we first found lice in our cattle we only had three cows. We bought lice-killing powder and followed the instructions but the lice just came back. I was told to wipe them down with white vinegar. That helped, but within a month they were back to rubbing all their fur off on the barbed wire. We tried pour-on medications from the vet, but the lice just kept coming back even when we repeated the treatments in two weeks to kill the new hatch before they had a chance to lay eggs.

Then I read that lice infestation can be linked to low vitamin A. Interesting, since vitamin A is stored in the liver for three months from the summer grass and this yearly lice ritual started in February, about three months from when the cows were given their vitamin A&D fall shots and right at calving which would be a heavy nutritional draw on the cows. We needled all the cows with A&D, applied lice powder and waited. The lice didn’t come back.

THE SOURCE The burning question in my mind was, “Where did they come from?” We hadn’t brought in new stock or worn any farm clothes to handle other herds.

Research tells us that once lice are in the herd they are easily spread from animal to animal through contact, but many lice are actually introduced to a new herd by hitching a ride on flies. Since we live right next door to the community pasture this was plausible. Louse populations vary seasonally, depending largely on the condition of the host. Most sucking and biting lice begin to increase in number during the fall and reach peak populations in late winter or early spring.

GOATS We thought we had this all figured out. Then we got goats. The same cycle started about three years after they came

home. Once winter came they were covered in the little bugs but — unlike with the cows — we couldn’t get them under control. One of the problems we had with the goats was that they were housed mainly indoors, so the sun wasn’t helping our fight. We used many products on them but none of them were actually licensed for goats and the problem was not resolving. Then we discovered a louse powder that actually listed goats on the label and we got control. It is called Dusting Powder and it is made by Dominion Veterinary Laboratories Ltd. in Winnipeg, Man., and is available in Manitoba at veterinarians and livestock supply stores. Pour-on chemicals do work also

but the meat and milk withdrawals are often too long for use on meat kids. The one product that we were told to try topically was diatomaceous earth, which is not recommended. The little shells it is made of are not to be breathed in because they can cause lung damage, much like asbestos, and opened up a whole new batch of issues for us. This is dangerous for the humans involved in the application — not just the animals that are living in the dust it generates. Wiping them down with white vinegar was a better alternative. † Debbie Chikousky farms with her family at Narcisse, Man. Visitors are always welcome. Contact Debbie at [email protected]

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JANUARY 7, 2013

Cattleman’s Corner BETTER BUNKS AND PASTURES

Proper body condition important for calving PETER VITTI

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ith poor pasture in many parts of Western Canada last year, many beef cows did not have enough good pasture to graze and turn it into milk for good calf growth. By the time, calves were weaned, many cows were brought into winter in only fair body condition. In order to improve body condition by this coming calving season, it’s important to first assess the body condition of all cows in your herd and put them on a sound winterfeeding program. Beef cows that calve in optimum body shape are usually

rewarded with an easier time calving, produce higher-quality colostrum with protective antibodies for their newborn calves, and quickly return to a regular and fertile heat cycle. There are also some long-term effects such as more regular milk production and higher conception rates.

CONDITION SCORING Body condition of cows can be assessed by a visual appraisal system known as Body Condition Score (BCS). It gives a relative score to each cow for her level of body fat covering at any particular period of her productive life. Therefore it is a good snapshot of her nutritional status. On a Canadian body condition score (BCS) scale of one to five (1 = thin, and 5 = obese), mature cows should

maintain or achieve a BCS of 2.5-2.75 by calving time, while replacement heifers should calve out at a little better BCS of 3.0. The BCS or changes to BCS of beef cows within the cow herd are a more reliable guide to fat reserves/nutritional status of each beef cow compared to her actual live body weight or changes to body weight. That’s because factors of gut fill and her continuous weight-gaining stature of pregnancy offers little information as to the true nutritional status of most cows and might even askew each cow’s overall “eyeball” physical condition, aside from her true fatcovering reserves. In contrast, herdmates of similar live body weights may each carry different amounts of fat and could score differently. As a case in point, one 550-kg

cow may be a typical mediumframed 500-kg cow that carries an extra 50 kg of body fat reserve or have a BCS of 3.5, whereas a largeframed and lean cow also weighing 550 kg and has a recorded BCS of 2.2 should gain another 50 kg of fat reserves to improve her calving BCS. Although these two cows have similar body weights, they have different visual BCS and may respond differently to the same winter feeding and management programs.

ASSESS HERD NOW With the above information and some important BCS parameters in mind (and an iPad in hand), one of the best times to assess the cow herd for BCS is in the last 80-90 days of gestation. We often need to put the cow herd on a better plane of nutrition

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not only to maintain or achieve a BCS of 2.5-2.75 by calving, but also to gain a parallel weight of 70-80 kg (the fetus, fetal membranes and placental fluids), which is lost when she calves. Additional feeding programs should be set up for thin mature cows (BCS under 2.0) and growing replacement heifers, so they can gain additional 35-40 kg by the time they calve. Ultimately, a successful calving season equals a cow in the right body condition that gives birth and is ready to nurse a healthy calf. Unfortunately, not all late-gestation cows will have an ideal BCS by calving time. Therefore, thin mature cows (BCS under 2.0) should be segregated from the rest of the herd, and fed together with the replacement heifers to allow for some extra weight gains. It takes about 40-45 days to increase BCS of beef cows by one-half unit (re: one-half unit = 35 kg), therefore cows should be targeted to gain 0.70-1.0 kg of non-fetal weight per day until calving. This requires a straightforward effort to put weight back on thin cows by providing a more intense feed program. Dietary energy and protein are key in all winter rations. The mature cow group of a BCS of 2.5-2.75 will need a new overwinter diet that contains about 55-60 per cent TDN (total digestible nutrients) and about 10-11 per cent protein in order to maintain good body condition. Beef cows that score 2.0 or less and growing replacement heifers, in order to achieve a desired BCS of 2.5 by calving, should consume a similar diet, but energy and protein should be increased about 25 per cent and 20 per cent, respectively. And as the weather gets colder we should be prepared for another energy requirement increase of the entire cow herd by 25-40 per cent.

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Luckily, a winter-feeding program for pregnant beef cows is not difficult to put together, if one has a good forage quality that provides significant essential nutrients to beef cows or can be easily supplemented with additional energy and protein, such as grain concentrates and protein supplements. Minerals with complementary levels of calcium and phosphorus to those found in the forage and with good levels of trace minerals (copper, zinc, manganese, cobalt, iodine and selenium) and vitamins A, D, and E should be provided at the rate of 50-85 grams per head, daily. Salt and a good source of free-choice water should also be included in the feeding program for expecting cows. Putting beef cows on a mid- or late-gestation diet really is a good investment towards having beef cows in the best BCSs by calving. A sound diet should maintain a desirable BCS in mature beef cows, and provide extra growth for replacement heifers and/or increase weight on thin cows. Cows in good shape promotes a smoother and more profitable calving season. † Peter Vitti is an independent livestock nutritionist and consultant based in Winnipeg. To reach him call 204-254-7497 or by email at [email protected]

JANUARY 7, 2013

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Cattleman’s Corner ANIMAL HEALTH

Survey shows how producers handle neonatal diseases Survey shows a surprising number of producers do not vaccinate ROY LEWIS ANIMAL HEALTH

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comprehensive survey completed by Dr. Cheryl Waldner at the Western Veterinary College in Saskatoon in 2010 is providing veterinarians and beef producers with a clearer picture of early calfhood diseases across Western Canada. Surveys were distributed to veterinary clinics across the Prairies and those clinics randomly distributed copies to their clients. And thanks to those participating, veterinarians and their clients who responded and answered the questionnaire completely and honestly. This area of animal health had not been looked at for some time and with the ever-changing dynamics of the cow-calf sector across Western Canada, some interesting results were obtained. Here are some of the more significant points coming from the survey, which should benefit you the cow-calf producer going forward.

VACCINATION VALUE It is no surprise the size of the cow herds has increased over the years to an average of about 200 head. And with greater numbers calving on each farm, it inherently brings with it more problems than smaller herds. A fairly high percentage — 14 per cent — of beef operations treated greater than 10 per cent of their calves for scours. Around five per cent of the herds had real problems with scours. This illustrates the adage that once you have one case you are likely to have several. The key is to prevent the first case from developing, or at least isolate it to prevent further spread. One of the key components against developing scours is boosting the calf’s immunity with colostrum. And improving the quality of the cow’s colostrum is accomplished through good nutrition and proper vaccination, especially for scours. Calves that did not receive adequate colostrum should be supplemented with a goodquality colostrum substitute. With very good, effective scours vaccines that provide a broad spectrum of protection now available to producers, I was shocked to find how very few producers do vaccinate. If we include vaccinating in the fall or pre-calving treatments, only about 40 per cent of producers vaccinate. This to me is quite low, which is one reason why many calves are still treated for scours. This is evident by the amount of electrolytes clinics sell in the spring. I personally would rather try

to prevent than treat. Farmers still regarded diarrhea (whether scours or coccidiosis) as the most important disease they treat in half the herds.

COLOSTRUM It is good to see many producers conscientiously using colostrum or, when necessary, colostrum supplements. The survey showed, if needed, calves were given colostrum supplements in 70 per cent of herds. Now this may have only been one calf in a herd, but it shows me producers are geared up to administer it and have it on hand. The quality of the commercial colostrum sources — products such as Headstart — have really improved over the years. The amount of immunoglobulin available in the products is indicated on the label. (Headstart is produced by the Saskatoon Colostrum Company www.saskcolostrum.com). Some producer’s milk out a heavyproducing cow the first time to have colostrum on hand, as another option when supplements aren’t used. It should be noted Headstart is colostrum from dairies that do vaccinate for scours, as maximum protection on dairy farms is paramount. Only a few (1.9 per cent) used homemade recipes, boluses and milk replacers. I would really caution about the use of these products, as they may not be providing the protection producers think. There is still much education necessary when it comes to colostrum supplementation, but the majority of producers are getting the message, thankfully. The effort of providing colostrum supplementation to twin calves or calves on cows with mastitis or calves with low milk-producing mothers may prevent the first scours case from developing. We all know that protection through the colostrum is key. A little effort here may save lots of treatment headaches later on in the calving season if a scours outbreak is prevented.

high to both these vaccines. In our area boostering the cows with blackleg vaccine every year or two is becoming more of an accepted practice. It has many benefits, although exactly why isn’t completely understood. When looking at the drugs used to treat scours we as veterinarians have generally felt electrolytes are the most important followed by antibiotics (usually injectable) and anti-inflammatory drugs. That’s the recommended practice, however in actual practice the reverse appears to be true. Producers dealing with calf scours are three times more likely to just treat with antibiotics then electrolytes. Most scours occur when calves are three days of age or older, meaning they are most likely viral in origin so the electrolytes will do the most good. Another agreed upon issue with most veterinarians — because the calf gut is com-

promised, injectable antibiotic drugs that get into the bloodstream fast are more beneficial than boluses, which need to be digested and then absorbed. Producers appear to understand this as the survey showed twice as many calves are treated with injectable antibiotics compared to other treatments. There are lots of different concoctions used however, including homemade electrolyte solutions. Some have merit others probably don’t. I always like the commercial electrolyte products, which have been balanced and tested.

PNEUMONIA The second and third most recognized neonatal problems were pneumonia followed by navel infection. The most common treatments given to calves at birth are still selenium and

vitamin A and D shots. With more producers calving later and on pasture, about 40 per cent are providing these treatments. Long-acting antibiotics are given at birth in around 15 per cent of the calves, probably as a protection against navel infection or pneumonia. This survey should provide a good snapshot of what is happening in the industry and what is accepted practice in the field. We slowly are getting back to management levels most of our herds had prior to BSE. I would encourage all producers to adopt management practices recommended by their peers. I hope everyone had a great Christmas, all the best in 2013, and a joyous and healthy calving season. † Roy Lewis is a practicing large animal veterinarian at the Westlock Veterinary Center, north of Edmonton, AB. His main interests are bovine reproduction and herd health

EARLY CALVING Early calving was also shown to increase the risk calves developing scours whether from increased stress from cold weather, calves being in close proximity to each other, or being held in a calving barn where disease might be present. For whatever reason the overall probability increased. Some scours are caused by clostridial organisms, so vaccinating with a clostridial vaccine after Jan. 1 greatly decreased the incidence of scours. Also vaccinating with a scours vaccine after Jan. 1 compared to not vaccinating or in the fall lowered the risk of calves dying at less than one month of age. The colostral immunity will be

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JANUARY 7, 2013

Cattleman’s Corner RANCHER’S DIARY

Icy roads bad news for both man and beast One cow injured, tractor and trailer damaged in separate incidents HEATHER SMITH THOMAS

NOVEMBER 26

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ndrea and I have been working with the young fillies every day, leading them, tying them, and feeding the weanling (Willow) a little grain and alfalfa pellets. Last week our neighbour Alfonzo branded, vaccinated and weaned some late calves and two of the Miller family (one of our new Amish neighbours from the three families that bought the Maurer place) rode over the hills to help. One young man rode through our place and his 17-year-old sister came along later, following his horse’s tracks in the mud, but she couldn’t close the tight wire gate. We saw her up on the hill struggling with the gate, so Lynn drove up there on his four-wheeler and helped her shut it. He showed her a better gate (out of the old Gooch place that Alfonzo is leasing) that would be easier the next time they come riding across the hills. Last Tuesday Lynn took a box of things to town to send to Michael in North Dakota — his prescription medicines and warm socks that Carolyn was sending, and two more boxes of Adapt energy drinks. Those help keep him awake and alert when he’s driving truck nearly 24 hours a day. We had rain and mud, and then it changed to snow and cold. The ice rink in town is solidly frozen and the kids are playing hockey. Charlie is doing hockey this year, and Emily is helping him practise. We started feeding our cows (and 10 pair of Michael’s on our lower pasture) a liquid protein/ mineral supplement to augment their dry pasture. Granddaughter Heather came home briefly from Carroll College for Thanksgiving, and Lynn and I ate homemade pizza with her and Carolyn (Andrea and kids had dinner with

Rick’s family). Yesterday we had another Thanksgiving dinner at Andrea’s house with Lynn’s sister Jenelle and Emily’s dad Jim, who came from Montana.

DECEMBER 10 A week ago we butchered Rishira, Andrea’s 17-year-old cow. She’s had 16 calves but was open this fall. Andrea and Lynn were gutting and skinning her (hung from the tractor loader) when our up-the-creek neighbour Gordon Binning phoned to tell us that Michael and Carolyn’s horses were in his place. A tree had fallen down across the fence and they’d walked over it. Carolyn was at work at the vet clinic in town so Lynn and I drove up there and helped Gordon put the horses back into their proper pasture, and rescued one mare that was trapped in the thick brush along the fence. A couple of days later Lynn helped Carolyn move the horses to our 160-acre mountain pasture, where they can paw through the snow to grass. He and Carolyn set steel posts and fixed Gordon’s fence where the tree knocked it down. Andrea cut and wrapped meat for several days. We ordered an electric meat grinder and after it arrived Andrea got all the hamburger ground. The buckets of meat chunks stayed cold in her little travel trailer; she had to bring them in the house to thaw before she could grind the meat. On Saturday Alfonzo hired another neighbour with a backhoe and finally got a weir put into the ditch that waters his lower fields. This will make it easier to measure water use next summer when the creek gets low. On Sunday Lynn and I watched one of Emily’s hockey tournament games after church. Their little team won a couple of games this weekend. Emily is becoming an excellent hockey player. Michael drove home from North Dakota. He’ll have 12 days off from his truck-driving job, hoping to get some urgent projects done at home. The road was bad, with

storms and ice. Coming through Montana he hit a patch of ice and went off the road. Fortunately the car didn’t roll; it just tore a tire off. Michael was able to change the tire and drive home, getting here at 4 a.m. yesterday morning. With the cold windy weather Lynn helped Andrea made a windbreak shelter for her dogs. This afternoon Michael helped Lynn clean battery terminals on our big tractor so it will start better. They’ll be using it to haul hay.

DECEMBER 17 Tuesday Michael loaded our tractor on the flatbed trailer and hauled it north of town where he’s been pasturing cattle (and bought hay from Michael Phillips). Lynn borrowed another trailer, but during the first trip the borrowed trailer broke a spring and we couldn’t use it anymore. The next day Michael and Carolyn gathered their cattle off that pasture. Bringing them along the slippery road to sort and load at Jenelle’s corral, one old cow slipped and fell down the 20-foot bank, and was upside down against the fence. She was on her back for 45 minutes while they went to get a tractor, and pulled her back up onto the road with a horse and the tractor — with a chain around her front end and rope around her hind feet. She was able to get up and they got her to the corral and into a trailer with a load of calves. With friends, they made two trips with four trailers to haul cows and calves home to our upper place. It snowed four inches before noon and our creek road was slippery in spite of being sanded earlier that morning. One of the loaded trailers nearly went off the edge of the road when the pickup spun out. The driver had to back up into the snowy edge to get enough traction to get up the grade. They got the cows and calves safely hauled, then Michael hauled yearlings to the sale at Butte, Montana. The cow that fell down the bank was able to walk off the trailer but collapsed out in the field and

PHOTO: HEATHER SMITH THOMAS

Last trip of the day, on an icy road and fresh snow, sent the tractor and empty trailer over an embankment. No one was hurt, but it meant that alternate winter-feeding arrangements had to be made. couldn’t get up. They decided to butcher her and Andrea offered to do it because Michael and Carolyn didn’t have time. Friday morning Michael hauled another load of hay, unloaded it at the upper place with his tractor, and used the tractor to put the carcass of the crippled cow on our flatbed feed truck after Andrea shot her. He went for the last load of hay while Lynn and Andrea gutted and skinned the cow at our place. She had a broken hip. It started snowing again after Michael went back to get our tractor after hauling the last load of hay. He planned to use the tractor here to load alfalfa bales to mix with grass hay for his cows. But as Andrea and Lynn were hurrying to cover the hanging cow carcass with sheets and a tarp during the snowstorm, I got a phone call from Michael. The tractor and trailer had slid off the same slippery road where the cow fell off, but thankfully off the other side, which wasn’t such a huge drop-off. Fortunately the trailer popped off the hitch as it twisted over the bank, and didn’t drag the pickup down with it! The trailer was totally wrecked, with the tractor still chained to it, still running, with the cab smashed in. Michael carefully crawled down into it and shut it off. We called a wrecker and Lynn

drove out there, but it was dark by then and they decided to wait until morning. In the daylight, with a wrecker and another tractor they were able to flip the trailer off the tractor and pull it up onto the road, then carefully pulled the tractor back over onto its wheels and pulled it up, too. The wrecker towed the tractor to a repair shop. Hopefully the motor isn’t ruined (all the oil ran out of it). We are thankful that Michael and granddaughter are safe. The tailgate was torn off and the hitch in the bed was damaged, but the pickup didn’t go over the bank upside down. Without that tractor to load our hay for feeding this winter, and with Carolyn having to feed their cows by herself (Michael will be in North Dakota), driving their tractor up and down their steep and slippery driveway to plug in every night, we decided to combine forces. They brought their cattle down to our place yesterday (to be preg checked and vaccinated this morning), and will wean the calves here in our corrals, and keep their cattle here this winter. We’ll all work together to get the cows fed — thankful that our family is still intact and only a cow, vehicles, tractor and trailer have been damaged by the slippery roads! † Heather Smith Thomas ranches with her husband Lynn near Salmon, Idaho. Contact her at 208-756-2841

DAIRY CORNER

Canadian cow top Holstein in the world

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ome things get better with age, and it turns out prize-winning Holstein cows are one of them. The Grand Champion and Supreme Champion at Toronto’s Royal Winter Fair in November was RF Goldwyn Hailey — a 6-year-old, now considered the best in the world of Holstein competition. Having won best udder and Reserve Grand Champion at the Royal Agricultural Fair in 2011, Hailey hit her peak in 2012, claiming the “triple crown” of Holstein competitions. That includes the Grand Champion and Supreme Champion at World Dairy Expo on Oct. 6 in Madison, Wisconsin; Grand Champion at the Quebec International Fall Show in Saint-Hyacinthe, Que.,

Nov. 3; and Grand Champion and Supreme Champion at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, Nov. 9. So how does a cow from central Quebec win top title at the Royal? It’s not all about beauty — though the looks help — it’s also about talent. “Hailey is a fine-tuned cow, that can turn large amounts of forages (food) into large volumes of high-quality milk — and all the while looking great,” says Glen McNeil, president of Holstein Canada. That’s not to say Hailey didn’t face fierce competition at the Royal. In fact her toughest competition came from fellow Canadian cow — Ebyholme Goldwyn Marcia, from Ayr, Ont. The judges themselves

were almost at a loss to declare a winner, declaring both “spectacular cows.” Hailey is owned by Gen-Com Holstein Ltd. of Notre Dame Du Bon Conseil. The dairy farm founded in May 2009 specializes in Holstein breeding with a focus on heifers, cows and embryo production with high genetic potential. According to the owners, the awardwinning Hailey is treated like any other diva. She is washed everyday of the year and when she travels her tour bus rivals that of any modern celebrity, including plush surroundings and unlimited food and water at her disposal. Since October alone, Hailey was travelled more than 4,100 km.

This is what the top Holstein in the world — RF Goldwyn Hailey — looks like when she’s not on her tour bus. And like other top stars, Hailey has to maintain maintaining a precise diet. This discipline has allowed Hailey to maintain in top competition form, even after giving birth to four calves. This, Glen explains, “is the equivalent

of a supermodel returning to the runway after giving birth.” As to what makes Hailey special, Glen says it’s simple, “She is the most complete Holstein cow living in the world today.” † Article courtesy Holstein Canada

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