A new initiative designed to improve alfalfa producers’ access to precision management tools could boost the crop’s popularity and increase production, industry officials say. Data collection has started for two new alfalfa artificial intelligence (AI) decision management tools across Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Manitoba. The project aims to create the data base needed to […] Read more
Tag Archives alfalfa — page 2
Data project could drive new forage tools
Alfalfa hasn’t had the data tied to best management practices that has benefited row crop growers
Corn N status and forage crop bugs
OMAFRA Field Crop Report for June 9
Corn Nitrogen Status Nitrogen mineralization is favoured by warm soil temperatures with adequate soil moisture and aeration. Excess moisture can slow mineralization or increase the potential for losses through denitrification (especially under warm conditions) or leaching. Spring of 2021 progressed similar to 2020. Sunshine and little rainfall resulted in great soil conditions through April and […] Read more
Producers like flexibility of grass-based forage options
Weather, rootworm resistance are reasons to consider alternative crops
While most Ontario dairy producers are watching alfalfa stands and the weather forecast to determine the ideal date for first cutting, several others are eyeing different crops – mainly fall-planted grasses or small grains – as their first 2021 opportunity to add to forage feedstocks. Throughout the growing season, depending on rainfall and the degree […] Read more
Spring update for cereal crops and oilseeds
OMAFRA Field Crop Report for April 29
Winter wheat Winter wheat acreage is up by 8 per cent compared to the 2020 growing season (Statistics Canada). In general, the winter wheat crop looks very good throughout the province. Cold weather caused some temporary leaf necrosis (leaf tip burn) in a few fields. This leaf burn is sometimes made worse when a herbicide […] Read more
Fungicides not always an answer in alfalfa
Spraying could make sense when conditions are right for fungal disease
Farmers must weigh many factors before applying fungicides to alfalfa, said Christine O’Reilly, forage and grazing specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Why it matters: Farmers have found that there have been advantages to using fungicides in corn and with approved options, are now looking at alfalfa. O’Reilly says the […] Read more
VIDEO: First cut hay in full swing, be sure to replenish field nutrients
Field Talk with Deb Campbell
In this edition of Field Talk, Farmtario reporter Jennifer Glenney speaks with Deb Campbell, owner of Agronomy Advantage Inc., about first cut hay. “Yes it’s about yield, yes it’s about quality, but in the big picture it’s also about reaching productivity out of these hay fields and getting hopefully a solid three years of productivity […] Read more
Hay market tight, but concerns with COVID-19-related demand
Significant market opportunities available in Canada and the U.S.
Demand for Ontario-grown hay remains strong in the immediate aftermath of the COVID-19 global pandemic, but longer-term effects are more difficult to judge. “It’s not anything near what other people have had to deal with,” said Ontario Hay and Forage Cooperative chair Fritz Trauttmansdorff of the COVID-19 repercussions for hay growers. He suggested lower-than-average 2019 […] Read more
A good forage stand requires agronomic base
Keys to success include planting at right time, proper seed bed, seed placement, quality seed and weed control
Glacier FarmMedia – Farmers seeking to build a strong forage stand need to use proper crop rotations, fertility and water development, a forage agronomist told a recent Canadian Forage and Grasslands Association conference in Moncton, N.B. Peter Ballerstedt, with the seed company Barenbrug USA, said producers must pay attention to agronomy and make amendments before […] Read more
Manitoba beef sector faces tight feed situation
MarketsFarm — An early snowstorm may have been the last straw for Manitoba livestock producers looking to put up feed ahead of winter. While the foot or more of heavy snow that blanketed much of the province over the Thanksgiving weekend has melted, saturated fields continue to limit corn silage harvests and hay cutting. “Feed […] Read more
Genetically modified alfalfas find their place
Feed quality, harvest window and seed establishment are benefits
Glyphosate-resistant alfalfa is being planted across about 10,000 acres in Ontario, giving farmers the option to better establish and clean up alfalfa fields, while preserving the valuable legume. HarvXtra alfalfa with Roundup Ready technology, a newer alfalfa found in the eastern Canadian market, also provides low lignin content for improved digestibility along with the Roundup […] Read more
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