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
Category: Feeding
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 (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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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
Pound for pound, the smaller the cow the better she can keep herself cool during those hot summer days. While the total days per year that cause heat stress aren’t that numerous for much of Canada, there’s a day or two lag in the full impact on the cows. When you add up the hot… Read More
Thin margins may have some farmers looking to cut costs, but for croppers and livestock producers alike, there’s an often overlooked option for making money: forage. Whether through higher dairy and beef production efficiency, or through cash sales, recent research out of Michigan State suggests that more farmers should be taking a harder look at forage… Read More
Do you plant a cover crop before or after you harvest corn silage? It’s an option dairy farmers should consider, says University of Wisconsin Extension crops and soils agronomist Heidi Johnson, especially when planting corn after corn. Removing corn silage and then leaving the ground bare risks soil erosion, decreases microbial activity, and reduces the field’s ability… Read More
A new software platform from Valley Agricultural Software (VAS) gives dairy producers real-time access to critical data and reporting from anywhere with an internet or cellular connection. The California-based software company unveiled its new VAS Platform at the recent World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin. In this video, senior software developer James Moger explains that… Read More
Every time a cow takes a lame step or stands for a long period of time she’s sending a signal. Farmers who read those signals and respond with efforts to improve cow comfort are rewarded with increased cow longevity and more profit in their pocket. That’s the return on investing in Cow Signals, according to Agribrands… Read More