In mid September, the federal government announced the list of prescribed regions eligible for drought-related livestock tax deferral. The break was welcomed, however ranchers and producer groups criticized the government’s approach, saying it left out too many drought-affected producers. Announced October 31st, the federal government says it is taking steps to answer some of that… Read more »
Category: Feeding
OptiDuo feed pusher makes dairy rations more appetizing
Automated feed pushers save time and reduce workload. These robots can free dairy producers from the constant grind of pushing feed back within reach of their animals. It’s a win/win, as having feed within reach of the animals is just part of the recipe for higher feed intake and great milk production, too, notes Gravin… Read more »
Change blades in seconds with new mower-conditioner
Looking to cut your hay close, clean, and quick while conditioning it for faster dry down and nutrient preservation? If that’s the plan, it may be time to take a closer look at New Hollands’s new Discbine 209 and 210 disc mower-conditioners. The side-pull mowers were rolled out at the recent Farm Progress Show at Boone, Iowa…. Read more »
Indiana farmer milks 2,200 cows with 36 robots
Can robots effectively milk cows on large U.S. dairy farms? That’s a question Plymouth, Indiana farmer Brian Houin is determined to answer at his family-owned Homestead Dairy operation. Canadian farmers have had tremendous success using robot milkers in smaller dairy operations, but Houin is putting the milking machines to the test on a whole new level. In… Read more »
Plug in to Siloking’s electric self-propelled feed mixer
The Siloking eTruck gives dairy producers a clean, comfortable, and convenient way to feed cows with lots of traction for manoeuvring in narrow and low-height barn constructions. The 100 per cent electric-powered vertical mixer is imported from Tittmoning, Germany by Siloking Canada, which set up business in Putnam, ON, two years ago. RealAgriculture took a… Read more »
Silage baler a first for Massey Ferguson
The new Massey Ferguson RB Series silage baler is engineered for durability, reliability, and high throughput, according to AGCO. It’s the first silage-specific baler ever offered by Massey Ferguson, says Matt LeCroy, tactical marketing manager for hay and forage at AGCO. He says the RB Series is a tough, heavy-duty choice for producers who bale corn… Read more »
Vermeer introduces nimble ZR5 self-propelled round baler
Have you ever looked at a self-propelled lawn mower and said, “I wish my baler turned that sharp.” Well, Vermeer said, “We can do that!” RealAgriculture’s Kelvin Heppner got a chance to talk to Josh Vrieze, with Vermeer, at the Farm Progress Show at Boone, Iowa, about their new ZR5 self-propelled baler, that turns like… Read more »
Manitoba Beef and Forage Initiatives names new general manager
Manitoba Beef and Forage Initiatives (MBFI) has named Mary-Jane Orr as its new general manager. Orr will oversee all aspects of the three MBFI research and demonstration sites near Brandon at Brookdale Farm, First Street Pasture, and Johnson Farm, as well as the new MBFI Learning Centre. The field sites and MBFI Learning Center are… Read more »
New Holland Kombi bales and wraps in one pass
The new Roll-Belt round baler with a Kombi wrapper from New Holland allows producers to bale and wrap simultaneously, eliminating the need to make a second pass with a tractor and bale wrapper. New Holland says the baler-wrapper, which debuted at the recent Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa, will also significantly reduce regrowth damage and the… Read more »
Deere forage harvester chops 400 tons per hour
John Deere’s new 9000 Series self-propelled forage harvesters claim to deliver both high-capacity harvesting and forage quality. The 9000 Series harvesters, which provide up to 400 tons of throughput per hour, debuted last week at the Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa. In this video, Deere senior marketing representative Shaun Fritchey explains how the four new models… Read more »
Be cautious when buying in hay, says forage specialist
If you’re running low on forage, chances are you might already be starting to look for hay suppliers outside of your area. Terry Kowalchuk, forage specialist for the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, says you have to be conscious of who you buy from, so that you do not get more than you bargained for. He… Read more »
Keenan moves to a horizontal design for its mixer wagon
Keenan Alltech is going in a different direction with mixer wagons, literally. The company is gong horizontal rather than vertical with its mixer. Field editor Dale Leftwich was at Ag in Motion last month and got a chance to talk to Keenan’s western Canadian sales manager, Brayden Van Driesten, about what can happen when you… Read more »
Ideal fertility timing for top-notch hay
Hay crops can be tricky when it comes to agronomic considerations. Unlike annual crops, hay breaks dormancy, continues to grow and then mature after cutting, and eventually needs to rest up to go dormant again. The unique characteristics of perennials means that fertility is needed at different times of year than most are used to,… Read more »
Ear tag sensor-based feed program field tested on Canadian dairy
Production efficiency is said to be one of the biggest limiting factors in dairy production. So to that end, for the past six months, animal nutrition and health company Alltech has been researching and developing a new production efficiency program called Smart Dairy. It combines nutrigenomics (the study of how nutrition affects gene expression) and… Read more »
Nutrition claims of grass-fed milk require closer scrutiny
Recently, a dairy company out of Wisconsin rolled out its latest marketing campaign, claiming “Organic grass-fed milk is more nutritious. It’s science.” Well, there is good scientific evidence that the composition of milk from cows fed dry hay or fresh forage is higher in omega-3 fatty acids versus cows fed ensiled feed. But, does the… Read more »