Stew Slater

At a field day Sept. 8, Mike Groot explains how he set up the livestock water and fencing for his 24-acre series of test plots at his family’s Crediton-area farm for the Living Labs soil health research initiative.

Test plot measures effects of grazing in crop rotation

Groot family’s Wholesome Pastures is part of Living Labs study

By Stew Slater October 26, 2022

Staff at the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) have good-naturedly described the research plot on Mike Groot’s Crediton-area farm as “crazy strips.” Groot is hoping the soil quality […] Read more

OneCup AI wants to promote its BETSY tracking and surveillance system in dairy cattle. The technology is currently being used on ranches in western Canada and in other species such as horses, sheep and goats.

Milking equipment

Livestock monitoring start-up targets Ontario market

OneCup AI moves from facial recognition to full-body ID

By Stew Slater October 20, 2022

A western Canadian company specializing in livestock monitoring has increased its offering to farmers as the affordability and effectiveness of artificial intelligence has improved. At the recent Canada’s Outdoor Farm […] Read more

Genetics

Turning dairy into beef: Shaking up supply chains

Different approaches are needed to capitalize on the value of dairy-beef crossbreds

By Stew Slater October 17, 2022

The revolutionary ramifications of breeding beef genetics to dairy cows are remaking supply chains. That brings new opportunities and challenges. The University of Guelph’s Dr. Michael Steele got the attention […] Read more

The Aquastar mattress has a 1.5-inch latex memory foam layer at its base, with a single chamber that ensures none of the cow’s body is in contact with a hard surface. The kneeboard, called the Aquaboard, is also water-filled.

Barns

Cow mattress has cooling potential

Single-chamber waterbed uses conductive energy to keep cows cooler

By Stew Slater October 14, 2022

Holstein heifers at Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show (COFS) had the comfort of new waterbeds which, according to manufacturer Bioret, allow the animals’ body heat to dissipate more effectively than other […] Read more

A B.C.-based renewable energy company is helping to fund three on-farm biodigesters that will use corn stover as a digester feedstock.

News

New biodigester project aims to use corn stover

Three on-farm digesters are part of a project from B.C. and Ontario investors

By Stew Slater October 13, 2022

An Ontario project aims to use corn stover to feed biodigesters, forming a new market and use for corn stalks. EverGen, a British Columbia-based renewable energy company, has committed $1.5 […] Read more

Crediton-area mixed farmer Mike Groot watches as OMAFRA forage and grazing specialist Christine O’Reilly demonstrates use of the rising plate meter for measuring pasture yield during a Living Labs research plot tour at the Groot farm on Sept. 8,2022.

Livestock

Pasture knowledge refined to reflect Ontario’s climate

University of Guelph, OMAFRA research uses rising plate meters to accurately measure pasture yield

By Stew Slater October 12, 2022

A team of researchers aims to fine-tune recommendations for rotational grazing in Ontario and a key piece of that research is a tool called a rising plate meter. Ontario Ministry […] Read more

During a demonstration at the recent Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show, Kris Kristjanson displays spilled grain inside a Bushel Plus drop pan – in this case, nine grams of grain from a 35-foot header. Plugging this data into the company’s app showed there would be a loss of 4.7 bushels per acre in the field.

Machinery

Combine concaves and sieves often culprits in grain loss

Calibration clinic at farm show keeps grain in the bin

By Stew Slater October 6, 2022

Fresh from a visit to advise Foam Lake, Sask. crop farmer Dickson Delorme – a.k.a. Quick Dick McDick of ag-themed YouTube fame – about grain loss from his combines, Kris […] Read more

The goal of Semex’s enhanced Immunity+ is to take disease traits from all different publicly-available sources.

Livestock

The next incarnation for dairy disease resistance

Immunity+ traits from Semex are now incorporated into genetic indices, with broad application across the herd

By Stew Slater September 27, 2022

Dairy customers of Semex now have a more in-depth decision to make if they aim to increase the resistance of their herd to disease, thanks to an updated version of […] Read more

The biogas digester being constructed on Nick Thurler’s farm near South Mountain.

Barns

Ambitious plan aims to add 300 biodigesters

DFO vice-chair hopes to see Danish model for renewable natural gas adopted across Canada on dairy farms

By Stew Slater September 23, 2022

A co-operative-style company founded by Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO) vice-chair Nick Thurler has taken its first step toward a goal of gaining access to 80 per cent of the […] Read more

Using a hand-held sandblaster with projectiles to combat weeds in potatoes.

Crops

Research team looks at sandblasting-style weed control

Projectile method needs work to tackle between-row growth

By Stew Slater September 22, 2022

A plot of white beans at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s (AAFC) Harrow research farm is part of a new four-site study taking a sandblasting-style approach to weed control in Canadian […] Read more

Stories by Stew Slater