Gnn141202 by Farm Business Communications

Volume 40, Number 18 | DECEMBER 2, 2014

$4.25

PRACTICAL PRODUCTION TIPS FOR THE PRAIRIE FARMER

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Fusarium in the bin A third of CWRS samples submitted to the CGC were downgraded due to fusarium. Now what? BY PATTY MILLIGAN

ince the first major outbreak in Manitoba in 1993, fusarium head blight (FHB) has established itself in Manitoba and eastern Saskatchewan and continues to move into western Saskatchewan, Alberta, and northern B.C. Farmers in some parts of the Prairies are now accustomed to dealing with the fungal disease and its dominant strain, F. graminearum, and are incorporating management practices to prevent its spread. According to Daryl Beswitherick, program manager for quality assurance and standards with the Canadian Grain Commission, a third of all the samples of CWRS submitted to the CGC’s Harvest Sample Program in 2014 have been downgraded due to fusarium damage. The high infection rates were likely spurred on by the soggy weather in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Only six per cent of those samples downgraded came from Alberta and northern B.C. Fusarium graminearum affects the development of the kernel, so grain yield and quality can drop significantly. It also produces a toxin called deoxynivalenol (DON), which makes grain unsuitable for milling, malting,

brewing and producing ethanol, and limits its use as livestock feed. Farmers will likely experience grade loss, restricted marketing opportunities, added costs, and lost income as a result of a fusarium infection. According to Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, losses in Canada have ranged from $50 million to $300 million annually over the past two decades; future losses are projected to run between $30 to $132 per acre depending on the crop and the area. While weather plays a huge role in the levels of fusarium found in Prairie crops in any given year, farmers can still work to minimize the possibility of infection. They can plant quality fusarium-free seed, select varieties that are less susceptible to fusarium, treat seed, rotate crops, manage stubble and apply a foliar fungicide at the flowering stage. If all of these steps fail, and fusarium-damaged kernels (FDK) in wheat or fusarium mould in barley are visually detected in the field pre-harvest, producers can adjust combine settings to blow the lighter, damaged seeds out the back. The residue must be chopped and spread, and that field taken out of cereal produc-

tion for two to three years to lower reinfection rates. If, despite their best efforts, producers bring in a crop with a high level of fusarium, they should store it separately at 14 per cent moisture in order to minimize the spread of the mould. But what happens next? With bins full of fusarium-infected grain on their hands, what can farmers do to successfully get their crops to market? If their crop is downgraded due to fusarium damage, is there a way to get it back up? Acceptable fusarium levels according to grade and crop can be found on the primary grade determinants tables on the Canadian Grain Commission website. (Find it quickly at www.grainscanada.gc.ca by searching “guides don” in the search box at the top right corner.) Unfortunately, post-harvest treatment options are nonexistent at this time. Currently, no effective physical or chemical treatment has been found to neutralize the fungal infection and reduce the DON levels in harvested grain. The levels are affected little or not at all by the application of heat, acids, mycotoxin binders, or the anti-caking agent HSAS (hydrated sodium aluminum silicate).

PHOTO: LES HENRY

In This Issue

Publications Mail Agreement Number 40069240

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

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

Crop Advisor’s Casebook

Columns ........................... 15 Machinery & Shop ............ 24 Cattleman’s Corner .......... 35

Northgate grain terminal LEE HART PAGE 10

May God's richest blessings come to you and your family this Christmas. John M. Smith

Vertical seeding

SCOTT GARVEY PAGE 24

FarmLife ............................ 40

` “Straight Cut”

CARDALE

“More Wheat...Less Shatter” seeddepot.ca

/ grainews.ca DECEMBER 2, 2014

Wheat & Chaff STAMPEDE

BY JERRY PALEN LEEANN MINOGUE

“Well, I got you home despite the snow and ice, didn’t I?”

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usarium, fusarium, fusarium. Between the results of the Canadian Grain Commission’s survey and my husband’s survey of some of our bins, there seems to be quite a bit of it on the Prairies this year (in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, anyway). We’ve kicked off this issue with a few pages outlining how to prevent it and what to do if you have fusarium in your harvested grain (Spoiler alert: don’t use it to take out a cash advance. See Page 4). On Page 6, I’ve listed a few fusarium-related tips from Mark Mercier, seed care specialist with Syngenta Canada. Mark spoke about fusarium and seed treatments at a farm information meeting in Weyburn in mid-November. As an introduction to his presentation, Mark talked about seed treatments in general, and held a contest giveaway where he asked a true or false question. The question was: Did they use seed treatments during the Roman Empire? The answer turned out to be yes (much to the relief of the brave farmer who spoke up to answer and won the free gym bag.) Mark gave us lots of interesting information about seed treatments and how to apply them during the next hour, but he didn’t say another word about the Roman Empire. I went home curious. Sure enough. It didn’t take long for me to find proof in a discussion paper on the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) website (“The Evolution and Contribution of Plant Breeding to Global Agriculture.”) The paper said, “The first mention of seed treatment dates back 4,000 years: onion or cypress sap was used on seeds in Egypt, Greece and parts of the Roman Empire around 2000 B.C.” This was all of the information about the technique I could find without making a trip to the city library, but it was enough to prove that Mark was correct. (Not that I doubted you, Mark. Really.) I always think of those brightly-

coloured treated seeds as a result of exciting new cutting edge technology. But the truth is that, while the colours may be brighter and our tractors are definitely bigger, most of what we’re doing on the farm isn’t really new. Agriculture has been going on, one way or another, for thousands of years. I have a lot of urban friends on Facebook. At least twice a week they pass around articles about the evils of genetically modified oils or the grave dangers of desiccation. Some of these articles come from more credible sources than others. Some are only alarming, not downright frightening. But all of them have a common theme: the authors are worried that new things that farmers are doing to make a buck are harming their food supply. Many of these articles urge readers to retreat to organic food, implying that driving a few extra blocks or paying a little more to feed our children organicly grown carrots will be an all-natural solution to modern times. But reality isn’t that simple. In early November I sat in on the Weeds and Soils Workshop that took place on the first day of the Organic Connections conference in Regina. One of the speakers was Wally Hamm, an organic certifier with Pro-Cert Organic Systems. Hamm gave an excellent presentation, answering the question, “Can our soils supply, indefinitely, the nutrients needed for organic production?” When Hamm suggested alfalfa as a potential cover crop, an organic farmer in the audience wanted to know why he would promote alfalfa rather than a native plant that served that function naturally on the Prairies before the West was settled. Hamm’s answer was very insightful. “Agriculture is not a natural phenomenon,” Hamm said. “We, because we’ve lived a short lifetime, think that agriculture was always here. It wasn’t. What we are doing here, is we’re participating in the notion of agriculture — after all it is organic agriculture — and we’re saying, ‘well let’s shorten the 200-year process that occurs under grasses and let’s use the legume plant, a deep-rooted legume plant, to short-circuit and rebuild our soils faster.’ So we’re

just tinkering with nature. That’s what agriculture is.” In Hamm’s view, since humans first developed agriculture and started planting crops, we’ve been moving away from anything that can truly be called “natural.” Agriculture, as we know it, as organic farmers know it and as our grandparents knew it is basically an unnatural system. I hadn’t thought of it that way, but I suppose he’s right. There’s nothing “natural” about driving to the organic food store and using a credit card to buy a plastic bag filled with commercially toasted seeds — even if the seeds were grown organically, and even if they are salty and delicious. This is agriculture. We may not always like it, but it is what keeps our deep freezers full, and it has allowed the world population to pass seven billion people. When we’re pushing the cart down the aisle of the grocery store, we all have to decide where to draw the line when it comes to what we eat. Organic? Natural? Cheapest? Best TV commercial? Most of us, I think, draw the line somewhere between food produced using techniques used during the Roman Empire and drinking pesticide right out of the sprayer tank. But we’re all relying on agriculture.

ON NITROGEN For those of you who were left in suspense two paragraphs ago, Wally Hamm’s answer to the question was “yes.” He says it is possible to produce crops over the long term without adding non-organic fertilizers. However, it’s not going to be simple. Some of the techniques he suggested for organic farmers are adding nitrogen-fixing legumes to the rotation, both as cash crops and plough-down crops, and letting the soil rest. “Nitrogen reserves and the supplying power of Western Canadian soils have been seriously depleted since our settlement, and since agriculture was initiated,” Hamm said. Again, proving that we are doing is not necessarily “natural” in a strict sense of the word. But it is keeping (most of) the world population alive. † Leeann

Christmas presents

e’ve timed our first Grainews Giveaway specifically to help you out with your Christmas shopping. Versatile has given us a dozen 1/32 Versatile 4WD 500 collectible tractors to give away as prizes. There are four ways to enter to win, from telephone to Twitter: • Buy a subscription for a friend or relative before Dec. 12. Just call 1-800-665-0502. • Subscribe to the free Grainews daily e-newsletter before December 12. (Go to www.grainews.ca — you’ll find the sign up form about on the right side of the page.) • If you’re a fan of Twitter, retweet our Grainews Giveaway contest tweets or tweet to @grainews using the hashtag #GrainewsGiveaway #beVersatile. (For extra fun, but no extra entry credit, tweet a picture of yourself reading Grainews.)

• When you’re wasting time on Facebook, “Like” one of our Grainews Giveaway contest updates. The official rules are “one entry per person,” but please don’t take that to mean you can’t order Grainews subscriptions as Christmas presents for each of your 17 favourite cousins. Problem solved. †

DECEMBER 2, 2014 grainews.ca /

Wheat & Chaff Photo contest

Farm safety

GIVE US YOUR BEST SHOT Karen Brown sent us this great photo. It was taken before Thanksgiving, but I suspect there is a similar scene going on in the Brown kitchen for Christmas this month. Karen wrote, “Here are my two grandsons, Easton and Eli, helping make the apple pies with our daughter-in-law Alisha. They each have their own rolling pins. They love to come home to the farm. They will be sixth-generation farmers if they should choose farming to be their profession.” The Browns farm 2,000 acres of wheat, barley and canola along with a 300 cow-calf purebred operation in Westlock County, one hour north of Edmonton, Alta. Karen also says, “We love our job. Can’t imagine living anywhere else or doing anything else.” Thank you for sharing this Karen! We hope you and your family have a great Christmas. Send your best shot to leeann.minogue@fbcpublishing.com. We’ll send $25 for published photos. 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

Weather Lore

Listening for rain

Sounds travelling far and wide a rainy day will betide. his is a fairly reliable weather rhyme for two reasons. Air temperatures tend to even out just before a rain and sound muffling currents are neutralized allowing sound waves to zip along more efficiently. Also, before a rain an inversion can occur. In an inversion, temperatures increase with height. Vertical sound waves are usually lost in the cold upper air but the warm upper air of an inversion catches them and allows them to zip along reaching the listener at the same time as the slightly slower moving horizontal waves. †

Shirley Byers’ book “Never Sell Your Hen on a Rainy Day” explores over 100 weather rhymes and sayings. It is available from McNally Robinson at: www.mcnallyrobinson.com.

You might be from the Prairies if...

By Carson Demmans and Jason Sylvestre

You have ever said “NICE RACK” to a man.

Don’t let Jack Frost stop you this winter

e are all used to bitter temperatures and piles of snow that winter blows in. As Canadians, we are winter, our pioneering spirit of overcoming harsh weather means we often scoff at blizzards and sneer at frostbite. However that doesn’t mean we are immune to the harsh realities of cold-weather related illnesses and injuries. There are some simple steps that we can follow to protect ourselves, our workers and our families. A healthy human body temperature is 37 C. A change of body temperature exceeding 1 C can be an indication of illness or environmental conditions beyond the body’s ability to cope. Working in very cold temperatures can be dangerous to your health causing hypothermia or frostbite. The risk of a cold injury or illness can be minimized by proper equipment design, safe work practices and the appropriate clothing. The first step is to monitor weather forecasts to be aware of current and potentially hazardous weather conditions. Having an accurate thermometer is also important. Knowing the actual local temperatures will inform you of what precautions are necessary. It’s an excellent idea to make sure door-handles, latches and other equipment or tools that require handling are operable with gloves or mittens on. Where possible, cover metal handles and bars with an insulating material. When performing work in the cold, keep a steady pace. Quick and intensive work can result in excessive sweating and this can become dangerous once the work stops. If the task requires intensive work that results in excessive sweat, take the time to change into dry clothes and take proper rest periods. Proper clothing is the best defense. Clothing should be selected for the temperature, weather conditions like wind and snow and for the type of activity you will be performing. You might not wear the same clothes to repair a machine as you would to check the cattle. Clothing that is too restrictive won’t work for labour intensive jobs like shoveling grain. Excessive sweating is always a

Agronomy tips… from the field

danger, you want to make sure you are wearing the right gear for the job. Clothing should be worn in multiple loose layers. Not only is the insulation greater by wear the layered clothing, you will also have the option of removing layers if you become too warm performing a task. This option also allows you the freedom to remove layers if the temperature gets warmer or if the wind stops blowing or the sun starts to shine. The layer of clothing next to your skin should be designed to wick away moisture, this will keep your skin dry. If you are working in a wet condition, the outer layers should be water and wind resistant. Cotton as a fabric is not recommended as it tends to get damp quickly and loses its insulating properties. A better choice is wool or synthetic fabrics. Keeping your feet warm and dry can be a challenge. The two sock method is the best way to keep your feet at optimal temperature. Wearing a thin, moisture-wicking sock under a larger, thicker outer sock is the best bet. Make sure that the sock thickness is right for your boots. If your socks are too thick and become compressed, the insulating properties will be lost, reducing the effectiveness of your footwear against the cold. Footwear should be felt-lined, rubber bottomed and have leather tops. These properties will allow your feet to remain warm, dry and allow for moisture to evaporate. Keeping your hands, face and head protected is essential. It’s important to pick the proper gear for the task you are performing. A bulky knit toque might not necessarily be the appropriate head gear for under a hard hat for example. But a liner designed for safety headwear would be appropriate. Scarfs and other loose cold-weather wear are not safe around moving machinery parts or in work environments where they could be entangled or snagged. Pick the appropriate gear for the task. Winter is something that all Canadians are used to. By remembering a few key things, you can perform tasks safely and even enjoy the great outdoors! For more information about CASA and farm safety, please visit casa-acsa.ca † Canadian Agricultural Safety Association — www.casa-acsa.ca

Contest winners

Canola in rotation You might be... contest winners

anola is Western Canada’s main crop so it’s worth talking about how to get the maximum value within your rotation. Fortunately, there are some well-established facts to help you with your planning. Canola on canola: If you seed canola into last year’s canola stubble, expect a yield drop of 16 per cent, according to data collected and analyzed by Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation and Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Development since 2000. So wile strong prices may elevate your potential profit per bushel, lower canola yields might tilt your profit calculations in other directions. Canola following other crops: Canola yields the least when planted after winter wheat or soybeans (-5 per cent and -13 per cent respectively over the 12-year study period.) To get slightly higher canola yields, it’s better to seed into a field that grew spring wheat or field peas last year (four per cent and two per cent respectively). Seeding into canola stubble: What’s best to grow after canola? Cereals do best on canola stubble (a yield boost of three to five per cent). Flax and field peas perform the least well (-12 and -8 per cent, respectively.) These statistics show that not all rotations are created equally, even if they’re diversified. Factoring these numbers into your crop planning for next year could help improve your farm returns. † Richard Marsh, BAg., CCA, technical development lead, Western Canada for Syngenta Canada Inc.

here have been some great entries in our “You might be from the Prairies if…” contest. Here are the winners. All of these winners will receive a free copy of the new book “You Might Be From Saskatchewan If… Volume 2” by Carson Demmans and Jason Sylvestre. You might be from the Prairies if your windshield has more chips in it than a bag of Lays. — Dionne Sauer You might be from the Prairies if you lock your car in town during the summer so you don’t find it full of zucchini when you return. — Judy Thorsteinson You might be from Saskatchewan if your grocery bags have the Roughrider schedule printed on them. — Dorothy Weetman You might be from the Prairies if you have seen the wind. — Evelyn Richelhoff You might be from the Prairies if popping out for a jug of milk is a 50-mile trip.

— E. G. Pederson

Thanks to everyone for entering! † Leeann Minogue

/ grainews.ca DECEMBER 2, 2014

Cover Stories Crop protection » CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

fusarium in the bin

Cleaning can help Cleaning contaminated grain in order to reduce DON levels and increase marketability is possible — though the Fusarium Management Plan in place in Alberta and Northern B.C. prevents seed cleaning plants in those areas from receiving and cleaning grain that tests positive for Fusarium graminearum. Infected grain can be cleaned at plants in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Because the affected kernels tend to be shrunken and lighter than their healthy counterparts, they may come off the air and screen machine, as well as a gravity table — depending on the size of the kernels impacted. Damaged grains are sometimes also discoloured which means a colour sorter might be effective. Beswitherick says price differences will determine whether farmers decide to sell fusarium-infected grain as is or take on the cost of upgrading it. For instance if there is little price difference between a No. 1 and No. 2, then the grain will likely be sold as No. 2. When it comes to No. 3, the decision to upgrade may depend on other factors such as mildew. Fusarium damage might not be the only reason the grain was downgraded and, in the end, selling at a lower grade may not only be the more cost-effective option, it may be the only option. Farmer who choose to clean fusariuminfected grain will end up with a considerable volume of screenings with a high concentration of DON that will not be suitable for livestock feed. These screenings will likely have to be composted, burned, or buried.

Using fusarium-infected grain 1. Using it for seed In areas where fusarium is not established, the primary method of preventing infection is to plant seed that has been tested and is free of fusarium. Where fusarium is established, fusariuminfected grain can be used for seed according to Manitoba Agriculture, but it will require heavy cleaning. In some areas and situations, farmers may have a hard time finding completely fusarium-free grain for seed. Research shows that fusarium-infected seed often has reduced levels of germination and vigour. Seed treatments can improve germination of fusarium-infected seed, but they do not prevent the possibility of fusarium infection at the time of flowering. 2. Using it for food The mycotoxins produced by Fusarium graminearum are, first of all, not destroyed through the process of milling, baking, malting, or brewing. They change the colour of flour and its ability to rise; they also impact the taste of beer and cause it to gush out of the bottle. Most malting companies have zero tolerance for DON in barley. 3. Using it for feed DON is not deadly for livestock but it causes reduced feed consumption. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada sets the maximum DON levels permissible in feed at one ppm for swine, dairy cattle, and horses; at five ppm for beef cattle, sheep and poultry. These levels refer to the livestock’s complete ration so a higher DON level could be tolerated in a blended ration.

Blending is one way to go Farmers may choose to blend their FHBinfected grain with uncontaminated grain to reach suitable DON levels for feeding to

livestock. On its website, 20/20 Seed Labs provides a useful formula for the proportions required to achieve safe levels of DON. 1. Divide the acceptable DON level by the actual level in your sample, then multiply this number by 100 to get the percentage of infected grain it is safe to feed. 2. Add enough sound feed to your infected feed to bring the percentage up to 100. For example: your grain has 10 ppm vomitoxin, and the acceptable level is five ppm. First, Divide five (your level) by 10 (the accepted level), to get 50 per cent infected grain. Step 2: you’ll need to add 50 per cent good feed to get feed that is acceptable. You can find this information online at 2020seedlabs.ca, along with a useful page titled “Fusarium Tests and How to Use Them.” Farmers may blend their grain on-farm. Some elevators, especially in areas where there isn’t a high level of FHB may purchase contaminated grain to blend onsite.

If all else fails, infected grain can be composted at 60 to 70 degrees C for two weeks to kill Fusarium graminearum. Contaminated grain can also be buried or burned. It should never be dumped directly on the ground. Caution must be taken when hauling, loading or unloading fusarium-infected grain to ensure none of it blows onto roadways, ditches or adjacent land. Producers have limited choices when it comes to moving fusarium-infected crops off the farm. While cleaning and blending can be beneficial after the harvest, taking action preharvest to limit the risk of fusarium damage is still the best medicine. As for dry weather during that crucial flowering period? Farmers just have to keep their fingers crossed. † Patty Milligan is a freelance writer based in Alberta.

Soybeans: DUPONT PIONEER: P001T34R: 2300 heat units. Ultra-early maturity. Very good early growth and harvest standability. Average canopy width. Very strong iron chlorosis tolerance. P002T04R: 2325 heat units. Ultra-early maturity. Excellent early growth scores and harvest standability. Above-average canopy width. Built-in phytophthora resistance. Good tolerance to iron chlorosis. P008T22R 2475 heat units. Genuity Roundup Ready 2. Excellent plant height for maturity. Excellent harvest standability. Built-in phytophthora resistance. Very good tolerance to iron chlorosis. Moderate white mould tolerance. P008T70R 2475 heat units. Excellent yield potential. Very good harvest standability. Builtin phytophthora resistance. Good tolerance to iron chlorosis. Excellent yield potential. PRIDE Seeds: PS 0035NR2 2375 heat units. High-yielding Genuity Roundup Ready 2 Yield variety. Combination of strong soybean cyst nematode resistance and above average IDC tolerance.

Lynda Tityk Associate Publisher/ Editorial director

John Morriss

Edi tor

Leeann Minogue fiel d Ed ito r

Lisa Guenther Cattleman’s Corner Editor

Lee Hart Farm life Edito r

Sue Armstrong Machinery EDITOR

Scott Garvey Pro duction Di recto r Des igne r

Steven Cote MARKETING/CI RCUL ATION Dir ector

Lynda Tityk

Circul at ion manag er

Heather Anderson president

Glacier farmmedia

Bob Willcox H e ad O f f i c e 1666 Dublin Avenue, Winnipeg, Man. R3H 0H1 Phone: (204) 944-5568 Fax: (204) 944-5562 Ad ve rtis ing Sa le s

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More new varieties for 2015

PUBLI SH ER

Shawna Gibson

When all else fails

New crop varieties

n our recent roundup of new soybean varieties for 2015, varieties from Dupont Pioneer and PRIDE Seeds were inadvertently left off the list. We apologize for the omission, and are including them here.

1 6 6 6 D u b l i n Av e n u e , W i n n i p e g , MB R 3 H 0 H 1 w w w. g r a i n e w s . c a

Excellent standability and disease tolerance. This variety has good plant height with excellent canopy. Wider Release. PS 0074R2: 2500 heat units. Genuity Roundup Ready 2 Yield high-yielding soybean variety with excellent IDC tolerance. Excellent branching and good height characteristics help this bean perform well even in droughty soils. Well suited for the longer season growing areas of the Red River Valley. Wider Release.

Corn: PRIDE Seeds A4025G3 RIB: 2150 CHU. Genuity VT Triple PRO RIB Complete hybrid delivering above and below ground insect control. Very Early season grain corn. Superior late-season intactness. Very suitable for early planting, cold soils & late harvest timings. Strong agronomics with very good spring vigour, stalk strength and full dent grain. Flared husk for enhanced drydown. Refuge in the bag provides enhanced trait protection and automatic refuge compliance. A4177G3 RIB 2175 CHU. Genuity VT Triple PRO RIB Complete PRIDE G3 hybrid delivering above and below ground insect control. Early maturity multi purpose grain, silage and high moisture corn use. White cob hybrid with high starch, energy and digestibility. Consistent and reliable performance in early zones with exceptional spring vigor. Very suitable for early planting and cold soils. Refuge in the bag provides enhanced trait protection and automatic refuge compliance.

A4414RR 2150: 2150 CHU. New Roundup Ready hybrid with very good emergence and spring vigour conducive for tough cold soils. Early, visually attractive high-end performance as a grain or silage hybrid. A4415G2 RIB: 2200 CHU. New Genuity VT Double PRO RIB Complete product delivering above-ground insect control. Early, visually attractive high-end performance as a grain or silage hybrid. Excellent stalk and root strength. Very good emergence and spring vigour conducive for tough cold soils. Excellent health, drought tolerance and late season intactness. Refuge in the bag provides enhanced trait protection and automatic refuge compliance. A4939G2 RIB: 2350 CHU. Genuity VT Double PRO RIB Complete full season hybrid delivering above-ground insect control. Excellent stalk and root strength. Attractive fall appearance with very good ear size and kernel quality. High-yielding dual purpose for grain and silage use. Flexible harvest timing. Lon-lasting health and staygreen. Refuge in the bag provides enhanced trait protection and automatic refuge compliance. AS1047RR EDF: 2275 to 2450 CHU. Premium, grower and feedlot Roundup Ready hybrid choice to provide undeniable performance for high-moisture corn use and heavy tonnage silage feed. Big, very tall plant with girthy stout ear size. White cob with very good starch levels provide quality silage. Slow grain drying rate preserves reliable and consistent feed. Very good Goss’s wilt tolerance. Wider Release. † Leeann Minogue

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Your next issue! You can expect your next issue in your mailbox about January 6, 2015

The editors and journalists who write, contribute and provide opinions to Grainews and Farm Business Communications attempt to provide accurate and useful opinions, information and analysis. However, the editors, journalists and Grainews and Farm Business Communications, cannot and do not guarantee the accuracy of the information contained in this publication and the editors as well as Grainews and Farm Business Communications assume no responsibility for any actions or decisions taken by any reader for this publication based on any and all information provided.

DECEMBER 2, 2014 grainews.ca /

Features Crop protection

High fusarium levels in southeast Sask. If your elevator agents tells you you’re seed has low fusarium level, take it to the lab anyway

photos: leeann minogue

“The pink in this photo is fusarium,” Ernst said. This wasn’t a fusarium test, just a germination test. Ernst found the sample had 40 per cent germination.

Ernst said the decayed seeds in the photo on the left were caused by root rot (the total fusarium level in this sample was only 5.5 per cent.) The seeds in the photo on the right are treated, from the same sample. The treatment seemed to get rid of the problem.

By Leeann Minogue

onnie Ernst, owner and operator of Prairie Diagnostic Seed Lab at Weyburn, Sask., says she’s been seeing much higher levels of fusarium than usual this year. In wheat, “this year the total is averaging around 14 per cent. The per cent graminearum in that is averaging around 10 per cent.” This preliminary southeast Saskatchewan snapshot is worse for durum, Ernst says. She’s finding total average fusarium in durum around 18 per cent, with 11 per cent graminearum. She’s also finding vigour tests to be quite low for untreated wheat as compared with the normal situation. For untreated durum, about 70 per cent. Ernst warned farmers at a Parrish & Heimbecker information meeting that when they take samples to the elevator for grading, the fusarium level the buyers are seeing is much lower than the levels that will be found through tests at seed labs. Farmers might be told by grain buyers they have, for example, one per cent fusarium, but then, Ernst says, “they get my result back, and it’s quite high in fusarium.” Buyers base their estimate on what they see, Ernst says. “That’s a visual examination. We do plate method for fusarium.” She estimates that a lab test will often find close to 10 times the percentage of fusarium than a grader will see through a visual examination. Even the experts aren’t immune to fusarium damage when the conditions are favourable (or unfavourable, in this case.) “I know on our farm, we checked it and we sprayed it,” Ernst said. “We were in the fields looking, and we thought we’d hit it bang on. And it was still a bad year for fusarium. I just think if we hadn’t sprayed it, it probably would have been way worse.” If you’re treating your seed, Ersnt is cautiously optimistic. “The newer treatments seem to work really well,” she said. “I can’t say that it will eliminate it completely.” If you’re sample is around 80 per cent germination, she said, “the treatment is cutting it, and the germinations are going up.” If you have a sample with lower germination levels, “you aren’t going to see as good a result with the treatment on the seed.” †

Leeann Minogue is the editor of Grainews.

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Features CROP PROTECTION

New fusarium control on the horizon Farmers who spray fungicides for fusarium may soon have a new biocontrol to consider BY JULIENNE ISAACS

usarium head blight is a perennial problem for cereal growers across the Prairies. A fungal disease that can impact many small grain cereals including wheat, rye, barley and oats, fusarium is caused by infection by species of the fungal pathogen Fusarium, and can result in yield losses and reductions in grade and enduse quality. It can also produce mycotoxins such as vomitoxin (DON) that pose risks to human and animal consumers of grain products. Fusarium management must take several forms to be effective. Techniques include seeding Fusarium-resistant varieties, mechanical strategies such as

crop rotation, and applications of biopesticides and fungicides, says Xiben Wang, a pathologist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Cereal Research Centre in Morden, Manitoba. Other techniques, such as moldboard plowing, have shown mild reductions in disease incidence and severity, and DON accumulation. At the Cereal Research Centre, Wang and his colleagues have a three-pronged approach to tackling the problem of fusarium. 1. First, they are working on generating different highthroughput methods that will help them monitor predominant fusarium species in the field, as well as the toxins produced by these species. 2. They are also collaborating

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with breeders to identify sources of resistance to fusarium. 3. Finally, they are investigating the mechanism of pathogen infection on various crops, and finding key genes that are important for those pathogens.

BIOLOGICAL CONTROL While most growers will be using fungicides to control fusarium in cereals for the next few years, a new and highly effective biocontrol is on the horizon. Several years ago, while working at the Morden Cereal Research Centre, pathologist Allen Xue isolated Clonostachys rosea ACM941, a mycoparasite biopesticide, from a field pea plant. Xue demonstrated that Clonostachys rosea could be used effectively against both soil-

borne and seed-borne pathogens on cereal crops. In 1999, AAFC patented ACM941. AAFC recently signed a 10-year licensing agreement with Kingston, Ontariobased company Adjuvants Plus Inc. to develop the technology. Adjuvants Plus has said they are a couple of years away from registering and commercializing ACM941. AAFC is closely monitoring the technology’s development in its path toward regulatory approval through its Pesticide Risk Reduction Program. Xue, now a research scientist in Plant Pathology at the Eastern Cereal and Oilseed Research Centre, has since been working on the identification and development of fusarium resistant germplasms and cereal varieties. He has also been working with

CLO-1, a product of ACM941, which is particularly effective against fusarium graminearum, which is caused by the pathogen Gibberella zeae. “ACM941 is highly effective against G. zeae perithecial production, therefore reducing the initial inoculum,” he says. “It is moderately effective in controlling FHB, fusarium damaged kernels (FDK), and DON under the field epidemical environment, and moderately effective in controlling root rot and seedling blight when used as seed treatment (seedborne phase of FHB).” Xue says these effects, while not significantly different, were demonstrably less than those shown by the recommended chemical fungicides, suggesting that ACM941 has potential for commercial use in an integrated FHB management system. And this form of biological control, Xue says, “is better for the environment and for the organic production of crops.” Wang says Clonostachys rosea ACM941 has been shown to be highly effective in reducing mycelial growth, spore germination and perithecial production in trials. “Its efficacy for the control of fusarium head blight has been demonstrated in several greenhouse and field trials supported by the Pest Management Centre,” he says. “Studies have shown that strain ACM941 significantly reduced infected spikelets by 64 per cent and FDK by 65 per cent in greenhouse experiments when it was sprayed onto wheat heads two days prior to inoculation with Gibberella zeae,” he says. Additionally, he says, under simulated disease epidemic conditions during 2005 to 2007, strain ACM941 reduced the FHB index by 58 per cent, infected spikelets by 46 per cent, FDK by 49 per cent, and DON in kernels by 21 per cent. † Julienne Isaacs is a Winnipeg-based freelance writer and editor. Contact her at julienne. isaacs@gmail.com.

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Three fusarium tips Mark Mercier, seed care specialist with Syngenta Canada warned farmers at a Parrish & Heimbecker information meeting at Weyburn Saskatchewan, that if they plant seed infected with fusarium, “you’re increasing that inoculum load.” He urged farmers to find the best seed they can, with the lowest levels of fusarium they can find. However, he said, “It’s going to be almost impossible to find clean durum this year.” Mercier also warned farmers about the narrow spraying window for fusarium: only 24 to 36 hours. If you miss that crucial window, Mercier says, “you might as well not even take your sprayer out. That’s how critical it is when it comes to fusarium head blight timing.” † Leeann Minogue

DECEMBER 2, 2014 grainews.ca /

Features Crop production

Crop yield and quality all over the map Wrecks in some places, but surprisingly good in others, say farmers talking about the 2014 harvest By Lee Hart

o how was the harvest of 2014? Depending where you on the Prairies it may have set a record for being one of the worst, or slowest in farming memory, while on the other hand, for some it was surprisingly one of the earliest. And quality wise, that ranges across the board too, according to producers contacted for the December farmer panel. Fursarium head blight (FHB) stood out as a major quality downgrade for some cereals in the eastern Prairies, while on the western side it was other weather-related issues that simply slowed harvest, or affected crop quality. As of early November, all farmers had harvest done and crop in the bin, but now it was a matter of waiting for word from crop insurance, or getting crop marketed over the coming weeks.

Brad Crammond Sidney, Man. Winter wheat was a major disappointment for southern Manitoba farmer Brad Crammond, again this year. The fall-seeded cereal hasn’t done well for Crammond the past three years, but with wet growing conditions during the summer on his farm near Sidney, east of Brandon, he doesn’t know what kind of market, if any, he will find for a batch of AC Flourish — a red winter wheat that was badly infected by fusarium head blight. “We actually had pretty decent conditions for the winter wheat harvest, but the quality was terrible,” says Crammond. “The yield was poor and the quality is poor— it is pretty well unmarketable. We’re just waiting word now from crop insurance to see what our options are.” Crammond says his winter wheat has about six per cent FHB infection, which isn’t as bad as some in the region that had up to 30 per cent FHB disease, but still makes it an unsalable crop. Although the quality was poor, he says harvesting winter wheat starting in mid August was “quick and painless, but then combining the rest of the crop was a fight after that,” he says. “It took us too months to the day to get everything done. We started August 13 and finished October 13. We had wet conditions to contend with, but we didn’t have the mud that some people had so we were lucky in that regard.” Aside from being a slow harvest, Crammond says the yield and quality of the rest of his crops — spring wheat, canola and flax — actually was decent. “The yields and quality were actually pretty good,” he says. “Perhaps not as good as last year, but considering the season they were good overall.”

the crop seeded, but then with a decent growing season everything matured quite well. So with the crop ready and extra harvest capacity it took about a month from late August until late September to get his hard red spring wheat, feed barley, canola, and first crop of fababeans in the bin. “There were some ups and downs as far as quality was concerned, but overall not too bad,” says Wiebe. “I was a bit nervous about the wheat because of visual evidence in the region, I thought fusarium might really affect the crop. But we have sent samples away for testing and the results are coming back at less than one per cent, so I am happy about that. I think quite a bit of the durum was hit much worse.” He’s not sure if the variety made a difference, but it appears

AC Shaw — a midge tolerant hard red spring wheat — handled the disease quite well. Wiebe says he may have harvested canola a bit earlier than he should have. He thought it looked good, but in the bin it had more green seed than he likes. “But the crop is dry and safe in the bin, and with a bit of blending I am sure it will market quite well.” The feed barley came off with good quality and a “nice heavy” bushel weight, he says. And he was impressed with his first field of fababeans. “We may have had some seeding issues, but we can correct those next year,” says Wiebe. “Overall I was impressed with the crop. We’ve haven’t grown a pulse crop in 25 years. But fababeans grew well and were good to combine. Overall

they were a nice crop to work with and it appears marketing opportunities are developing. We plan to grow them again next year.”

MARCEL VAN STAVEREN GRIFFIN, SASK. It was another difficult growing season for southeast Saskatchewan farmer Marcel van Staveren and harvest was no walk in the park either. Rainfall over his Griffin-area farm ranged from 20 to 24 inches from April to November. Some crop was seeded on time, some of it was late, some not at all, and then with wet conditions at harvest, the combines weren’t stuck every day but often enough. “About 15 per cent of our acres were either not seeded or drowned

out after seeding,” says van Staveren. “Considering the year we are fortunate that our durum crop is marketable. A lot of it is No. 4, but even that is worth about $10 per bushel, and then the rest is of better quality, so we were fortunate.” He estimates the durum averaged about 50 bushels per acre and will help make up for poor results with canola and soybeans. Both a good portion of canola and soybeans were seeded late due to wet conditions and both crops were affected by an early frost September 12. He had about 3,000 acres of canola seeded between June 8 and 14. “With that frost I was concerned about green seed so I decided to let the crop stand and dry down

» continued on next page

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DOYLE WIEBE LANGHAM, SASK. All things considered, harvest went quite well on Doyle Wiebe’s farm at Langham, Sask., just northeast of Saskatoon. He had some extra labour and a second combine materialized just at harvest. He was a bit late getting

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Features

Marcel van Staveren learned about new crop varieties at the Indian Head Agricultural Research Foundation annual field day in July.

» CONTINUED FROM Previous PAGE and then we could straight combine for the first time,” says van Staveren. “The one variety which was a Pioneer Hi-Bred Roundup Ready variety combined with some seed lost but not too bad, but the other, CPS VT530, was horrible for shattering and we lost a lot on the ground. “ As it turned out, van Staveren said, green seed wasn’t an issue, but then wonders if all the green seed might have been in the top pods and most of that ended up on the ground. The 3,000 acres of soybeans was a mixed bag of results too. The ear-

lier seeded soybeans yielded about 30 to 35 bushels per acre — some of his best, while the later seeded soybeans came in at only 17 bushels per acre. “I am always amazed at how well these things can handle water,” says van Staveren. “They may be only eight inches tall, but they stand there and produce seed, but that lower yield sure pulls your average down.” Looking back at the season, van Staveren says it appears they stopped making money on any crop seeded after June 6, and at best broke even on those late seeded acres. At least there was something growing to help use the moisture, he says.

With excessive moisture an ongoing concern for the farm he did something this year he hasn’t done in 20 years — used a vertical tillage tool and applied anhydrous ammonia in a bid to work down stubble and blacken the soil with hopes of drying out fields before the 2015 seeding season.

JASON CRAIG CAMROSE, Alta. Trying to straight combine an ankle-high canola crop in October capped off a relatively stressful harvest season for Jason Craig at Camrose, Alta., south of Edmonton. Peas harvested in late August actu-

ally produced a decent yield with good quality, but a heavy snowfall in early September made it a challenge to get the rest of the crops harvested over the next two months. “There was some rain at seeding so some of the crops were a bit late, and then that snow in September sort of finished things off,” says Craig. “We had to wait for fields and crops to dry and we only had about 20 per cent of combining done at the end of September. We did most of our combining in October.” Despite the fact that crops were flattened which made combining difficult, he says the quality of the crops actually wasn’t too bad. His barley made malting quality although it was a bit tough. The hard red spring wheat suffered on the quality end with most coming in at feed grade and only some as a No. 3. The canola hugged the ground, but graded No. 1 with very little green seed and only slight shattering loss. And the fababeans came through with a No. 2 grade and stood despite the snow. “The fababeans were actually the last crop we combined,” says Craig. “We sprayed the crop with Reglone about three days before that frost and snow so they started to dry. They stood quiet well despite the snow. They didn’t fall over, but they did get shorter. We combined some in September and they were 23 per cent moisture, so we left the field until last. They were standing and dry, but we still had to run the combine on the ground to get the lower pods.”

KEVIN SERFAS, SERFAS FARMS TURIN, Alta. In a feast and famine year, moisture wise, Kevin Serfas says their southern Alberta farm actually had one of the fastest harvest seasons in recent memory. Although it was quite wet in early June with about 12 inches of rain, it stopped and stayed dry for most of the year through early fall. “We started combining barley in early August and we had everything done by the Tuesday after Thanksgiving,” says Serfas, who farms with his brother Mark and their father Herb Serfas, north and west of Lethbridge. “I can only remember us being done that early twice in the past 15 years.” Silage corn cut for the farm feedlot presented the biggest challenge, says Serfas. The spring rain after seeding reduced corn yields by about 15 per cent, and again it was wet when it came time to chop the corn. Otherwise, over their farmland which covers a distance of about 150 kilometres north to south, Serfas says the feed barley and canola came off with decent yields and good quality. “We had a few delays at harvest but nothing major and actually our crops faired quite well,” he says. “It wasn’t a cake walk, but we’re not complaining.” † Lee Hart is a field editor for Grainews in Calgary. He can be reached by phone at 403-592-1964 or by email at: lee@fbcpublishing.com.

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Sign up for Grainews e-newsletter or follow us on Twitter to be notified of more great giveaways and promotions! CONTEST RULES You may enter the draw in one of four ways: 1. E-NEWS: Visit grainews.ca and subscribe to Grainews daily e-news; 2. SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to or renew your print subscription to Grainews online at grainews.ca or call 1-800-665-0502; 3. TWITTER: Retweet our Grainews Giveaway contest tweets or tweet @Grainews using the hashtag #Grainewsgiveaway #beVersatile, 4. FACEBOOK: Like one of our Grainews Giveaway contest updates. No purchase is necessary. Each subscription shall be treated as a separate entry. Entries must be received on or before 4 p.m. December 12, 2014. Prize: FBC Communications Limited Partnership, will present the winner with one 1/32 scale Ertl, Versatile 500 4WD model tractor, as is and without warranty with an approximate retail value of $70. Eligibility subject to verification. General Rules: a) A random draw will be made in Winnipeg, Manitoba at 12 p.m. on December 15th, 2014 b) In order to win, the contestant must first correctly answer a time-limited, mathematical, skill-testing question. Before being declared the winner, the contestant will be required to sign a declaration and release form which includes the following: i) confirms compliance with the draw rules and acceptance of prize as offered ii) acknowledges the non-responsibility of FBC Communications Limited Partnership; iii) acknowledges the right of FBC Communications Limited Partnership to publish the winner’s picture, name and address without charge or compensation other than the prize offered. c) The prize is not transferable or refundable and has no cash value. d) The decisions of the judges with respect to all aspects of the draw are final. f) The chances of winning are dependent on the total number of eligible entries received. All entries become the property of FBC Communications Limited Partnership which assumes no responsibility for lost, misplaced or misdirected entries. This draw is subject to all federal, provincial and municipal laws and regulations. g) The draw is open only to persons who are residents of Canada (excluding the Province of Quebec) and who are the age of majority, according to the province in which they reside, excepting employees of FBC Communications Limited Partnership, the judges and members of their respective families and persons with whom they are domiciled. To receive the name of the winner, please send a postage-paid, self-addressed envelope within six months after the draw date to FBC Communications Limited Partnership, Box 9800, Winnipeg, MB R3C 3K7 or read the name of the winners at grainews.ca after December 15th 2014.

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Features Crop Advisor’s casebook

Giant canola a puzzle By Andrea Astleford

ack in mid-July, I was contacted by two farmers in the Colonsay area southeast of Saskatoon, Sask. Tyler and Steve called to complain about essentially the same thing — both growers were seeing very large canola plants scattered randomly throughout some of their canola fields. “What are these rogue plants in my field?” asked Tyler, who like Steve grows canola, wheat, peas and occasionally soybeans on his farm. “I don’t know why they’re there, and I’d sure like some help figuring this out.” When I drove out to the two farms to have a look for myself, it was easy to spot the giant plants among the canola crop, which was in full bloom. They were taller, stalkier and generally bigger than the rest of the plants in the fields. I was told the rogue plants had started flowering later than the rest of the canola and that there were no pods with seeds being formed. I checked the field edges as well as high and low spots to see if there were more or less of these large plants there, but like Tyler and Steve, I could detect no observable pattern to the giant canola. While the plant distribution was random, I did notice that some of the giant canola contained more root maggots than the rest of the crop. However, disease pressure appeared to be consistently low throughout all of the canola fields, with no obvious differences between those areas with rogue plants and those without.

Andrea Astleford is a sales agronomist with Richardson Pioneer Ltd. at Saskatoon, Sask. It was only when I enquired into the variety of canola in both farmers’ fields that I began to zero in on the source of the problem. Do you think you know what’s going on in these canola fields? If you have an idea about what’s causing the giant plants, send your diagnosis to Grainews, Box 9800, Winnipeg, Man., R3C 3K7; email leeann.minogue@ fbcpublishing.com or fax 204944-95416 c/o Crop Advisor’s Casebook. The 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 answer, along with reasoning that solved the mystery, will appear in the next Crop Advisor’s Solution File. † Andrea Astleford is a sales agronomist with Richardson Pioneer Ltd. at Saskatoon, Sask.

There were giant plants among the canola crop. They were taller, stalkier and generally bigger than the rest of the plants in the fields. These rogue plants started flowering later than the rest of the canola and there were no pods with seeds being formed.

Casebook winner

his issue’s Casebook winner is Cam Thompson who farms at Maryfield, Sask. Cam, we’ll be sending you a Grainews cap and renewing your subscription for a year. Thanks for reading and entering! †

Leeann Minogue

While the plant distribution was random, some of the giant canola contained more root maggots than the rest of the crop.

Crop advisor’s solution

Herbicide resistance solves cleaver mystery By Kayla Sword

iley, a grain farmer at Marshall, Sask., who grows primarily canola, wheat and barley, called me to complain about a weed problem. It was coming up to July, and Riley was seeing all kinds of cleavers in his canola fields despite his use of an in-crop herbicide. He thought a bad batch of the herbicide product might be to blame, and he asked to come out to the farm to have a look. When I walked out into one of the affected fields, I could see cleavers widely distributed through

the crop. Riley said he’d applied Odyssey, a Group 2 herbicide with the active ingredients imazamox and imazethapyr, three weeks earlier but it wasn’t having much affect. Riley didn’t believe the canola crop had been under any stress, like drought, heat or flooding, and he assured me that herbicide had been properly applied at the right rate, time and conditions — the same way it had been applied on the canola in this field for the past few years. When I questioned Riley further about such factors as spray equipment, water volume and applica-

tion procedures, it was clear all the proper measures had been taken during the herbicide application. I began to suspect the cause of the problem, and a close examination of the cleaver plants lent support to my diagnosis. While it was clear that most of the plants were still growing and hadn’t been affected by the spray, some of the weeds were displaying purpling as well as some cupping on the leaves. This showed an early onset of Group 2 symptoms, but the cleavers were able to metabolize the herbicide and continue to grow. Clearly, herbicide resistance was at work here, and a seed

sample of the cleavers sent away for testing confirmed it. The cleaver had developed a resistance to the Group 2 herbicide after an extended period of yearafter-year use. Unfortunately for Riley, those resistant cleavers in his canola fields resulted in a 25 per cent yield loss. The grower lost even more revenue, the result of the canola crop being downgraded from a No. 1 grade (up to one per cent of cleavers permitted) to a No. 3 grade (up to two per cent of cleavers permitted). The important lesson for Riley, and all growers, is that resistance to

Group 2 herbicides is here and precautions need to be taken to stop or at least slow this growing trend. Next season and beyond, Riley can address his cleaver problem by rotating crops as well as his weed control products to help slow down the onset of herbicide resistance. Applying other herbicide groups as well as using a spring burn-down product, ideally a Group 12 or 14 herbicide containing glyphosate, should help control the cleaver problem by suppressing the troublesome weeds. † Kayla Sword is a sales agronomist for Richardson Pioneer Ltd. at Marshall, Sask.

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Features Grain marketing

Northgate welcomed as another marketing option An $80 million grain terminal and rail export service in southern Sask. is expected to encourage all grain companies to sharpen their pencils By Lee Hart

ameron Nordin can’t wait until the first trains start hauling grain and canola out of a new rail terminal at Northgate, Saskatchewan, destined for U.S. markets. Right now, most of the crops from his southeast Saskatchewan farm near Oxbow are trucked about 60 miles east to a Cargill elevator at Elva, Manitoba. He has other options too, at Carnduff and Estevan, but both of those elevators are still 45 minutes to an hour drive away. Once the new 2.5-million bushel Northgate grain terminal serviced by BNSF (Burlington Northern Santa Fe) Railway is fully operational later next year it will be one more very handy marketing option. “And aside from being handy to our farm, we won’t have to haul grain uphill to get to an elevator,” says Nordin, who along with his brother crop about 7,000 acres about six miles east of Northgate. “It’s not a big issue but it does make it nice if you don’t have to climb out a river valley when hauling grain. “I am delaying my marketing as long as I can this year and hopefully we can move some commodities through Northgate later this year.”

Northgate Commodity Logistics Hub The Northgate project, officially known as the Northgate Commodity Logistics Hub, has stirred up a fair bit of interest among farmers in southern Saskatchewan and Manitoba. It is expected the grain terminal will serve as a marketing option for farmers within a 150 to 200 kilometre trading area. Northgate isn’t just a shipping point, the company will be buying grains, oilseeds and pulses for its customers in the U.S. and Mexico, as well as offshore. Developed by a Canadian investment company — Ceres Global Ag Corp. —Northgate is roughly an $80 million rail terminal project built adjacent to the North Dakota border where at one time there was a hamlet of Northgate, Saskatchewan. Highway 9, which runs north and south along the east side of Saskatchewan, and passes through the southeast communities of Broadview, Carlyle and Alameda, comes to a border crossing at Northgate, Saskatchewan and carries on to Northgate, North Dakota connecting with U.S. highways leading to the interstate highway about 60 miles south at Minot. While CN Rail at one time had a branch line running to Northgate, Sask., it has long been abandoned. Ceres Global Ag is building the grain terminal near where the Northgate hamlet once stood, and laying about a mile

As soon as custom services are available, Canadian farmers will be able to deliver grain to this temporary transloading facility at Northgate. long rail spurline south to the border where it connects with a BNSF branch line which then travels south to the vast BNSF rail network across the U.S. “We hope to be moving some grain from southern Saskatchewan into the U.S. before the end of 2014,” says Curt Larsen, general manager at the Northgate terminal. “Once the customs office is established we plan to move between 50 and 70 rail cars per week into the U.S.” Southern Prairie farmers will be able to haul commodities to a temporary transloading facility at Northgate destined for U.S. markets — which basically means they will unload trucks directly into waiting rail cars. That transloading facility is built and tested and ready to load rail cars. In the meantime, workers from a 100-person crew camp on the Northgate property are busy building the permanent grain terminal, which will be a combination of concrete and steel elevators with 2.5-million bushel capacity. FWS Industrial of Winnipeg, a specialist in slipform concrete structures is the lead contractor on the project. With the crew working all winter, Larsen says the target is to have the permanent grain terminal operational by October 2015. Along with grain storage, Northgate will also have two cleaning lines — one for grains and one for oilseeds. Once that permanent facility is in place, Northgate expects to load two unit trains or about 220 rail cars per week, carrying an estimated 800,000 bushels of grains, oilseeds and pulse crops weekly to U.S. and other export markets.

The permanent grain terminal will be a combination of concrete and steel elevators with 2.5 million bushel capacity.

More than just grain But the overall Northgate project isn’t just about grain. Ceres

Curt Larsen (left) is the general manager at Northgate Terminal. Cameron Nordin farms near Oxbow, Sask.

DECEMBER 2, 2014 grainews.ca /

Features Global has built two, seven-mile long loop tracks that run parallel on the Northgate property. On one side of the loop will be the grain elevators and loading facility and on the other side of the loop will be an equally important “energy” loading facility that will load rail cars with crude oil and natural gas products also bound for U.S. markets. “It is a diversification plan,” says Pat Bracken, CEO and board chairman at Ceres Global Ag. He is based in Minnesota. As the company looked at the project and the potential of being able to connect directly to the U.S. through the BNSF rail, they realized there were two important Canadian industries that Northgate could service — the agriculture and the energy industries. “Canadian farmers experienced a serious bottleneck with rail services last year in trying to move grain to market,” says Bracken. “And there is significant oil production in southern Saskatchewan that all has to be trucked from the oil fields to rail lines. Our Northgate facility will be of value to both of these industries.” Crews are currently building the energy side of Northgate with plans to have a temporary transloading facility that can handle about 15,000 barrels of energy products per day, leading up to a permanent loading facility that will be able to handle up to 60,000 barrels per day when completed next year.

Tied to U.S. markets

Lee Hart is a field editor for Grainews in Calgary, Contact him at 403-592-1964 or by email at lee@fbcpublishing.com.

B:8.125”

FWS Industries is building the 2.5 million bushel capacity elevator system that is expected to be ready by October 2015. The temporary transloadingT:8.125” facility in the background is built and tested and ready to load rail cars. S:8.125”

Address the Elephant in the Field.

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What appeals to farmers such as Cameron Nordin is that Northgate will serve as another marketing option in the southern Saskatchewan, southern Manitoba region. GM Curt Larsen, is also one of the grain buyers working for Northgate. Larsen farmed himself in Saskatchewan for many years, served as a facilities manager for ConAgra grain for a several years and was one of the original market advisers with the Western Canadian FarmLink Marketing services. The main man on the grain buying side is Jason Labossiere, who has also been around the Saskatchewan grain industry for a number of years. An important part of the whole marketing program offered by Northgate and Ceres Global Ag is its built-in connection to the U.S. market. Ceres also owns the U.S. based Riverland Ag Corp. Riverland owns 10 grain storage and handling facilities in Minnesota, New York, Wisconsin and Port Colborne, Ontario. “Riverland already has a well established marketing network in place,” says Larsen. “They have markets across the U.S., Mexico as well as offshore that can all be supplied with high quality Canadian grains and oilseeds. So we will be buying here to supply commodities to Riverland customers. I don’t doubt that we will be very competitive with other grain buyers across the Prairies.” And competition in the marketplace is a good thing, says Nordin. “I am anxious to see what prices and services Northgate can offer,” he says. “I believe as a farmer it is going to help me even if I don’t deliver a particular commodity to Northgate. The fact they are here and providing these services will encourage all grain companies in the southern Prairies to sharpen their pencils.” Nordin who is also a local coun-

cilor with the Rural Municipality of Enniskillen, does encourage all farmers, as well as all oil companies to use the main Highway 9 as much as possible to access the Northgate site, reducing the traffic pressure on municipal roads. Northgate isn’t planning to offer any agronomy services or retail centre for agriculture input products. Although Larsen says it plans to handle bulk commodities for both the agriculture and oil and gas industries. “We have plenty of room on our site to set up bulk handling facilities,” he says. “Once we are fully operational I can see opportunity for farmers to haul in a load of grain to elevator and be able to haul home a load of fertilizer.” Farmers looking for Northgate marketing information can contact Curt Larsen at 306-861-5075 or Jason Labossiere at 306-8617543. †

/ grainews.ca DECEMBER 2, 2014

EXTENDED OUTLOOK FOR THE PRAIRIES Weather Forecast for the period of December 28, 2014 to January 24, 2015

Southern Alberta

Peace River Region

Saskatchewan

December 28 - January 3 Several clear and cold days this week with higher windchills, but a couple of milder days result in snow and drifting.

December 28 - January 3 Expect mostly clear and cold days this week with higher windchills. January 4 - 10 Conditions will continue to be clear and cold with higher windchill values.

January 4 - 10 Cold and settled with a few higher windchills, apart from scattered snow and drifting snow on a couple of days.

January 11 - 17 Fair skies, and sometimes seasonal but mostly cold temperatures. Chance of scattered snow on a couple of days.

January 11 - 17 Fair and seasonal to cold, apart from scattered snow on a couple of occasions. Brisk winds bring higher windchills and drifting.

January 18 - 24 Mainly cold and fair conditions. Brisk winds develop a few high windchills.

-21 / -10 Grande Prairie 32.7 mms

December 28 - January 3 Falling temperatures and brisk winds create higher windchills. Some blowing snow and scattered snow in the south. Settled and cold in the north.

December 28 - January 3 Cold days this week with higher windchills. Otherwise, fair with scattered light snow and some drifting in the south. Clear and cold in the north.

January 4 - 10 Clear and cold with high windchills, but a couple of milder days bring snow and blowing snow to the south. Clear and cold in the north.

January 4 - 10 Mostly clear skies with seasonal to cold temperatures. Slight warming and gusty winds will bring light snow and drifting on 1 or 2 days. Clear and cold in north.

January 11 - 17 Clear and cold most days, aside from light snow and blowing on 2 days this week. Windy days cause high windchills at times.

January 18 - 24 Mainly cold and fair. Brisk winds develop a few high windchills. Slight moderating brings some light snow and drifting on a couple of days.

January 18 - 24 Cold and generally fair. Expect brisk winds with light snow, high windchills and drifting on a few days.

January 11 - 17 Seasonal to cold. Blustery. High windchills. Settled, but some scattered light snow and drifting in the south. January 18 - 24 Mostly cold and fair weather. Brisk winds, light snow, high windchills and drifting on a couple of days.

Precipitation Forecast -20 / -9 Edmonton 23.3 mms

-16 / -6 Jasper

NEAR NORMAL

31.1 mms

-15 / -5

31.0 mms

-19 / -8 Red Deer 20.7 mms

-23 / -12 North Battleford

-26 / -14 Prince Albert 15.4 mms

-27 / -16 The Pas

18.0 mms NEAR NORMAL

18.4 mms

-23 / -12 Saskatoon 15.9 mms

-20 / -10 Yorkton

-24 / -13 Dauphin

-26 / -15 -23 / -13 21.2 mms 19.3 mms -21 / -10 Regina Gimli 25.1 mms -20 / -10 Moose Jaw 14.7 mms Swift 17.7 mms -22 / -12 12.2 mms -25 / -14 Portage -24 / -13 -16 / -5 Current -21 / -12 Medicine Hat Brandon 23.8 mm Wnnipeg 20.0 mms Weyburn 18.4 mms 19mms cms Lethbridge 17.3 19.3 mms 17.2 mms -21 / -11 20.3 mms 26 cms -14 / -3 Estevan Melita -25 / -12

Banff

-16 / -4 Calgary

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

Manitoba

18.8 mms

19.2 mms

Precipitation Outlook For January Much Above Normal Below Much above normal normal below normal normal

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Features Farm technology

A new business model for precision ag data packages Farmers Edge CEO Wade Barnes hopes to profit by bringing a bigger data package to more customers with a new full service, low price model By Leeann Minogue

armers Edge has cut its peracre pricing by more than 50 per cent for the 2015 growing season. Last year, farmers paid $8.95 per acre for a full-service package. This year, the price has fallen to $3.95 per acre, and that was lowered by a further 12 per cent for farmers who signed up before the end of September. “We wanted to do something disruptive in the marketplace,” says Farmers Edge CEO Wade Barnes. “I thought that the market needed to be shaken up.” Farmers Edge recently received funds from Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. “They did our market research for us,” Barnes says. Kleiner Perkins interviewed 20 Farmers Edge customers during their pre-investment investigation of the company and the industry. They found that, while current Farmers Edge customers were satisfied, they hadn’t signed up their entire farm. Kleiner Perkins pointed out that by lowering prices, Farmers Edge could entice current customers to sign up all of their acres, as well as attracting new clients. “In order to get mass adoption, the price point has to be where it becomes a nobrainer,” says Barnes. For $3.95 an acre, Canadian Prairie farmers will have access to the full suite of Farmers Edge products: variable rate fertilizer programs, telematics packages to manage fleets of machinery, updated satellite images every seven to 10 days during the growing season and localized weather information. “We’re combining everything to give farmers a total solution,” says Barnes. With the new influx of investment money, Barnes says, “we’re going to focus on developing a new strategy, focused around field information.”

Typically, farmers use the telematics system that comes with the machine. “This is a bit of a strategy from the big equipment companies,” Barnes says. Once a farmers’ data is tied to a certain telematics system and software, it can be “very difficult for him to switch from green to red or red to green.” In August, Farmers Edge announced a joint venture with FarmCommand. FarmCommand had developed standardized com-

munication between farm implements. This development could be useful for farmers who are interested in telematics data, but who don’t run a full line of equipment produced by the same manufacturer. A plug in the tractor, the combine, the truck, (“anything with an engine” Barnes says), can log all of the diagnostics and field information in real time, and send that data to a manager in another location. “If you don’t collect all the data on every acre,”

Barnes says, “how do you benchmark and measure and know what’s going on?” For example, Barnes says, “They might be running two green combines and a yellow one.” A farmer with a data package that works with all systems would be able to use one software program to measure which machines give you the best fuel consumption. This is possible, Barnes says, because “All the equipment companies have created their systems

around the CAN Bus,” a standardized interface. While it works with most equipment, “on anything that’s older than 10 to 12 years,” Barnes says, “it starts to get difficult.”

Soil agronomy “We’ve also developed some technology in the lab,” Barnes says. While there are soil maps for

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Features TIP OF THE ISSUE » CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Proper planter maintenance for yield increases Winter is a good time for planter inspections and maintenance, even if your planter is new this year BY SANDY ENDICOTT

ext year’s corn yields may be the last thing growers want to think about at this time of year, but as the snow begins to fall, it’s the perfect time to make sure you’re getting everything you can from your corn planter come spring. A properly calibrated planter could make a huge difference to your bottom line — from as little as one to two bushels per acre with fine tuning, to as much as 20 to 30 bushels per acre with a major overhaul, depending on what needs to be addressed. Take advantage of time out of the field to

do a close inspection of the equipment — including bushings and bearings. If you have a finger pickup planter, be sure the metering units are cleaned, working properly and calibrated. With proper maintenance and calibration, a planter should be 85 to 90 per cent ready to roll once the snow melts. Even if your planter is new this year, don’t make the mistake of thinking it is ready to go when you bring it home. Used or new, planters may not be ready to roll. You’ll want to check each unit, the seed metres and calibrate for the hybrids and seeding rates you want to use. Your local agronomist can also help by providing reports on seeding rates and planter information by hybrid.

And when the long-awaited planting season arrives, there’s no substitute for running a planter in a field to make those final adjustments. As you’re planting, stop to check two or three times each day to ensure the planter is running properly (correct height and level) and check the seed depth and placement of trench and seed spacing are where you want them to be, and be prepared to make adjustments. Remember — soil preparation is key. The more uniform the tillable prep, the better the planter will work. Once the crop has emerged, you’ll have a better chance to check your set up and calibration. Walk the fields and pay close attention to plant spacing and uniformity of crop emergence and early growth, so you’ll know what adjustments you want to make for next year. Precise placement is the best way to get a crop off to a good start. And, while there are many factors that will always be out of a grower’s control, seeding depth, seed placement and seed spacing are something that is in reach — with a well-tuned planter. † By Sandy Endicott, senior agronomy manager, Africa, Canada, Eastern Europe and Latin America, DuPont Pioneer.

areas across the Prairies, in some areas, Barnes says, they aren’t detailed enough. Now, Farmers Edge is able to combine data sets to create management zones, similar to soil maps. “For every field, every zone, we’ll know essentially what the water holding capcity is, and the textural analysis,” says Barnes. “That gives us more data throughout the growing season.” This is combined with a localized weather station. When all this information is brought together, farmers will be have early-season yield estimates, more data to determine the best dates for seeding or spraying and information about when there might be higher potential for insect outbreaks. Barnes says he believes historical cropping models are actually quite accurate. However, he says, “the data that feeds into them hasn’t been.” By adding this new level of precise data to traditional models, he says, Farmers Edge is, “taking the old stuff off the shelf, dusting if off, and making it usable again.”

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Particularly in the United States but also here at home, farmers are becoming more interested in knowing which companies have access to and can profit from their agronomic and financial data. For Farmers Edge, the economic question is clear cut. “We’ve been very focused on that. This data belongs to the farmers.” Farmers Edge signs contracts, agreeing not to sell the data, and Barnes says the company will never make profit from selling its clients’ data directly. “When we sign a customer contract, we lay out that the information is protected. “Our growers,” Barnes says, “made it pretty apparent that they care.” However, Farmers Edge does retain the right to aggregate client data and use it for its own purposes.

THE FUTURE “We think that the results are good today. We think they’ll be excellent going forward,” Barnes says. The company has acquired a software development company and a research and development centre, both based in Southern Alberta. “We’ll be able to create better tools in the future,” Barnes says. “We’re bringing a lot more tech to the day-to-day decision making,” he says. As farms get bigger, this information will enable better decision making that might also save money on input costs. For example, with more information, farmers might be confident in saving money by not spraying every acre with fungicide. “It’s way more cost effective to the grower, and probably a lot more sustainable,” Barnes says. As commodity prices fall, farmers will be taking a close at every expense to reduce per acre costs. Barnes doesn’t believe this new reality will be a hardship for Farmers Edge. “It’s going to be a little harder to make money,” Barnes says. “Farmers will saying, ‘I have to make better decisions.’ For under $4 an acre, to have this type of support, even just the ability of creating those soils maps, is probably worth it.” † Leeann Minogue is the editor of Grainews.

DECEMBER 2, 2014 grainews.ca /

Columns OFF FARM INCOME

New indicators show strength of turnarounds Knowing when to sell is at least as important as knowing when to buy. Here are more ways to figure it out happy. Most of those fallen energy stocks are still at their lows. Other investors did not sell at that sell signal but now wish they did. Some of them blame the stocks when, really, a little understanding of technical signals could have saved them a lot of money, hand wringing, maybe self pity and even a total distrust of the stock market. The signals were there: all investors had to do was use them. For example, for months Tourmaline (TOU.TO) was repeatedly recommended and talked about highly in print and on TV but its shares went from under $40 last spring to $54 and change and

ANDY SIRSKI

n this column, I want to discuss some new indicators I’m using to manage my portfolio. A lot of people don’t believe in technical information, but I do wonder how an investor can tolerate some of the events that happened this summer. Many of our readers sold their stocks as they dropped through the 10-day moving average and are quite

then gave back all the gains by October when the price dropped to under $40. I sold out when the daily price dropped through its 10-day moving average at $54. Another popular stock with some investors is Silver Wheaton. It was over US$25 in March, and dropped to under $20 by June. I sold out at $24.50 plus a premium of $0.50 on the last covered call I sold in March. Deere (DE) is another market darling. Deere shares were $94 give or take last winter, dropped through the 10-day moving average at about $92 and fell to around $82. None of those stocks have recovered, even though the

overall market indexes have come back to their old high levels.

NEW INDICATORS Selling as a stock drops through its 10-day moving average is not a new indicator to this column but it works so well I feel I have to keep repeating it. Now for some new indicators. These are available on the free version of www.stockcharts.com. ADX: Average directional index: At stockcharts.com, use the one with the +1 -1 on the chart. You can read up on it under the “chart school” tab near the top of the screen at Stockcharts.com. An ADX reading above 25 usually means the new trend is quite strong. ATX This is called the vortex indicator and its green line usually crosses the red going up a little sooner than the ADX. With the ATX chart we like to see the green line with a reading of more than 1.1 on the right hand side of the chart. The interesting point is this:

If you click on the little box labeled “inspect” under the word “update” on the top of the chart on Stockcharts you will get what amounts to cross hairs on your chart, which can make it easier to compare readings on various indicators. If you also have the 10-day moving average on your chart set for six months you will soon see that when the green ADX and ATX lines are crossing the red going up the price of the shares will also be crossing the 10 day moving average going up. When the green line on the ADX and ATX is crossing the red going down most of the time the daily price also is crossing the 10-day moving average going down. And that’s why I usually say that even the rookiest of rookies could learn to read these charts very quickly and accurately if they only read the chart with the daily price and the 10-day moving average. We hear now that a lot of money managers sold their oil stocks in » CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

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/ grainews.ca DECEMBER 2, 2014

Columns UNDERSTANDING MARKET BULLS AND BEARS

Grading, logistics and world economics Brian Wittal came home from the Cereals North America conference surprised, interested and also worried BRIAN WITTAL

n late October I attended the Cereals North America conference in Winnipeg. This two-day conference was filled with great speakers. In this column, I’ll report on some of the information I picked up during the conference. CWB weather and crop specialist Bruce Burnett reported on the Canadian harvest results. Burnett said this was the worst quality CWAD crop on record, with only four per cent of the crop grading No. 1. He provided the following data:

No. 1 4 per cent No. 2 19 per cent No. 3 37 per cent No. 4 26 per cent No. 5 14 per cent The CWRS crop was close to the 10-year average: No. 1 15 per cent No. 2 35 per cent No. 3 35 per cent Feed 15 per cent So with the No. 5 CWAD and the CWRS feed wheat there is 4MT of feed wheat that will need to go into the domestic feed market this year because selling it to the export market does not pencil out. Current wheat and durum sales and shipments are well above last year; stocks are expected to drop back down to normal levels by the end of the crop year.

Canola quality is good with the majority No. 1 and No. 2, very little No. 3 or sample and most of that will no doubt be blended off. Carry forward from last year was around 2.2MT. Production estimates for this year are 14.8MT, Exports are expected to be 8.7MT, crush 7.5MT leaving us with about 1MT or less at year end. Anything under 1MT is tight and markets will respond accordingly. The fire at the Louis Dreyfus canola crushing plant at Yorkton in late October could impact crush numbers if it is shut down for any length of time.

GRAIN TRANSPORTATION. The president of Quorum Corporation, Mark Hemmes, gave a presention on grain transporta-

tion logistics. Hemmes told delegates that, in 2013, total crop stocks were 81MT. For 2014, this is estimated to be 73MT. Last year’s logistics problems started in June 2013 when grain companies and railways were sitting down to estimate the coming crop and put together a sales and movement plan. It wasn’t until after that that the crop started to show its true potential. By September, when the crop looked to be a bumper crop, the grain companies and railways didn’t have the sales or movement booked to match the crop size — it became a scramble to move the extra grain. Then the five weeks of cold really backlogged the trains, causing severe backlog in the country and not enough grain at the

ports, meaning vessels sat waiting for grain. When the weather drops below -25 C the railways have to reduce the length of their trains from 8,000 to 5,000 feet because it is too cold for the air to push far enough down the brake lines to work properly — it is a safety issue. Usually we get a week or 10 days of -25 C but last winter there were almost five weeks where it stayed at or below that level causing a severe backlog of shipments. Over the past 10 years we would see on average 12 to 16 vessels waiting for grain for six to 10 days. In 2013 there were 38 vessels waiting at one time, and they were waiting an average of 28 days. The longest wait was 42 days. When ships had to wait, grain companies had to pay demurrage

» CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15

NEW INDICATORS SHOW STRENGTH OF TURNAROUNDS

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July, about the time the daily price of oil and natural gas stocks was dropping through the 10-day moving average. Did they come on TV and tell people? No. They told us in October. So we need to learn to read these charts for ourselves.

©20 ©2 ©20 014 4 The T e Mo Th M saic Company. All rights rig ghts re eser served ved ved. ed d. Micr icroEs oEs E ssen Es ntia tials l iss a re ls egi giste s red ed ttrrade ed ademar m rk of The Mos mar M aic Mo a c Co ai Comp mpa p ny. y ME M S-0 - 733 7 73

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At a recent seminar I learned that weekly covered calls are coming to Canada. There will be nine Canadian stocks and one Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) with weekly calls starting sometime in November. The stock symbols are: ABX, BB, ECA, G, POT, RY, SU, TD and YRI. The exchange traded fund is the XIU — the symbol for the top 60 stocks in Canada. The one caution I have is that the volume of shares and calls and puts traded in Canada can be quite small which often leads to a bigger spread between the bid and ask prices of the stock and the premiums on the calls, at least compared to what we can get in the U.S. market. I’m happy to trade weekly calls on the U.S. side because I believe the U.S. dollar is going up compared to our dollar, reducing currency risk. But anyone who wants to do weekly calls in Canadian dollars will soon have the opportunity. † Andy is mostly retired. He gardens, travels a bit with his wife, plays with granddaughters and runs his family’s investments. Andy also publishes an electronic newsletter called StocksTalk where he tells all. If you want to read it free for a month send an email to Andy at sirski@mts.net.

BY JONNY HAWKINS

Country Chuckles

DECEMBER 2, 2014 grainews.ca /

Columns charges. Now you know why basis levels went so wide last winter and stayed there so long. The volume of products moving to the West Coast is growing at an increase of eight per cent a year. This is also causing huge congestion problems as all commodities are fighting for cars and track to get their products to market. Adding more track, or moving products like oil by pipeline, would help relieve some of this pressure but these solutions will not happen overnight.

WORLD ECONOMICS An afternoon session at the Cereals North America conference featured Bluford Putnam, chief economist for CME group. He gave delegates the following information: World food inflation was up three per cent in the past year due to a rise in the the cost of protein (beef, pork). Expect food inflation to rise higher as prices for protein look to stay high into next year. The U.S. ethanol market is mature and not expected to grow unless the U.S. blending mandate is increased, which is not likely to happen. Corn will need to rely on food and feed markets as the main pricing mechanism going forward. Bumper crops means excess stocks and lower prices. I can see corm going down to $2.75 per bushel which means it will come into Canadian feed markets and pressure feed grain values lower here. The U.S. dollar is expected to stay strong this year. That will pressure U.S. grain values. U.S. land values are starting to drop — there have been U.S. land auctions where the land didn’t sell, as no one would meet the pre-set minimum bids. The current world population is 7.25 billion people. It will be nine billion by 2050. After that, some are predicting it will taper off for 30 to 50 years.

spring (April and May) will be cooler and wetter than normal. Summer (June through August) will be hot and dry, more of a normal summer.

WORLD OILSEED OUTLOOK A presentation on the global outlook for oilseeds was given by Dr. William Tierney, chief economist for AgResource Company. He says the world stocks to use ratio for all oilseed crops is at an all time high of 24 per cent. The price of soybeans has dropped 35 per cent since January 2013. Canola prices have dropped 33 per cent. South American and U.S. soybean stocks are up dramatically over the past year and South America looks to be headed for a bumper second crop. This will pressure soybean meal values lower; soybean oil prices should hold steady. Canola prices follow soybean oil —hopefully canola values will hold going forward.

Don’t expect much change in current world oilseed export levels. Carryover stocks will build up. March 2015 Soybeans could hit $8.50 per bushel. If the second South American and crop is big and U.S. farmers plant more soybeans, expect bean values to hit $7 per bushel or lower the following year.

Canola prices have dropped 33 per cent The October 30 presentation by Derek Sliworsky, of the Singaporebased Prima Group, scared the Halloween out of me. Prima is one of the largest milling companies in all of Asia and annually purchases about 1MT of Canadian wheat. The message from Prima was

loud and clear. Since the deregulation of the CWB’s marketing monopoly two years ago, Prima has been experiencing many difficulties with Canadian wheat shipments. There have been problems with inaccurate measurement of the cargo volumes, quality not meeting contract specs, trouble buying larger volume cargos because no company seems to have the ability to source enough of the same quality wheat to meet a 77,000t sale and, finally, there used to be flexibility to defer shipments from Canada. Now, that flexibility and cooperation is gone. Over the past two years, Sliworsky said Prima has bought less wheat from Canada and more from other locations as these logistics problems have cost Prima lost sales and they have incurred additional cost due to poor contract performance on Canada’s part. If these issues persist Prima will continue to buy elsewhere which is going to cost Canadian

WORLD WEATHER The second day of the conference featured Scott Yuknis, found of the Climate Impact Company. Yuknis predicted that weather on the Canadian Prairies from December through February will be milder than last year. The

Brian Wittal has 30 years of grain industry experience, and currently offers market planning and marketing advice to farmers through his company Pro Com Marketing Ltd. (www.procommarketingltd.com).

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WORLD WHEAT Erin Fitzpatrick, a senior grains analyst at Bunge, spoke about the outlook for north American grains. Fitzpatrick said the Canadian crop was average this year, and that strong exports will bring stocks back to more normal levels. In the U.S., there will be low winter wheat production due to poor weather. The dark northern spring (DNS) wheat crop is average yield and quality. The EU’s wheat crop is average but the quality is below average. The French wheat crop is very poor quality. There are ample stocks for domestic needs, which means less U.S. corn imports will be needed. Also, the EU will be aggressively selling into world feed markets, reducing markets for North American feed grains. China is cutting back on imports by about 25 per cent as compared with last year’s levels. Global wheat exports are expected to drop five per cent this year.

wheat farmers a high volume quality market. Sacrificing quality markets for higher volume movement will only benefit the grain companies who make money moving volume. Why have our quality control requirements for loading vessels been reduced? To speed up the process and reduce costs for the grain companies? If we allow grain shippers to make and change the rules it won’t be their bottom line that will be negatively impacted. Who in the industry is going to fix these problems before we lose more quality customers? Who has the ability to enforce these quality standards for the overall benefit of the Canadian grain industry? Some very good questions for you to ask when attending meetings this winter! †

With a broad range of high-performing wheat, durum and feed barley options, Proven® Seed ensures you have the right combination of inputs, technology and expertise best suited for your land. In fact, every Proven Seed cereal variety contains superior genetics and is designed for a unique set of local growing conditions to guarantee grower satisfaction. Talk to your CPS retailer to select the best Proven Seed cereal variety for your farm. Learn more at provenseed.ca Proven® Seed is a registered trademark of Crop Production Services (Canada) Inc. Let’s Talk Farming™ is a trademark of Crop Production Services (Canada) Inc. CPS CROP PRODUCTION SERVICES and Design is a registered trademark of Crop Production Services, Inc. 12/14-41182-2 GN

/ grainews.ca DECEMBER 2, 2014

Columns CAN’T TAKE THE BOY FROM THE FARM

Understanding farm water issues Water: it’s necessary for life. But add the word “drainage” and it can also start fights TOBAN DYCK

orn prices. Why am I getting emails with those words in the subject line? Why does Gmail’s spam filter let that them slip by? I’ve been telling people for a couple years now that I farm. To border guards and others who’d trust or like me more if I worked with my hands, I am a farmer. It’s not a lie, and I enjoy the title. The only person left to convince is me, apparently. We don’t grow corn. I don’t read spam. But I do subscribe to farm market newsletters. It takes a bit, but somewhere between confusion and labeling “corn prices” as spam I remember that contained in that message is content I actually find quite interesting. I’m still a famer when there’s snow on the ground. I’m still a farmer when I’m knee-deep in writing work. I use my city friends as archetypes in this column. They don’t mind. I don’t ask them. But I know they’d say, “Toban, you can make us look as ridiculous and as one-sided as you like.” Thanks, guys. I hear their perspectives on matters most farmers have hard, opposing attitudes toward. Corn prices isn’t one of them. But water is.

WATER ISSUES Water: It’s full of pesticides, phosphorous, and pure evil, and it drains into Lake Winnipeg, threatening freshwater plants and animals. I don’t know enough about the issue to comment, other than to say, city friends, relax about the pure evil business. A: I doubt pure evil exists in water, and B: us farmers aren’t bad people. Here’s what I knew about water before returning to the farm: The right-hand tap is cold, and the left-hand hot. It comes from underground pipes, aquifers, wells, and water-treatment facilities; more a mashup of all the water-related keywords I know. Some municipalities still put fluoride in it, and that’s controversial. It’s necessary for plants to grow, and not everyone has access to potable reserves of it, which is terrible. I also knew that our farm gets water from a well. Oh yeah, and I knew about pH. We had a hot tub in our backyard in Winnipeg. What I’ve learned since then can be summed up in one word: drainage. It begins with mapping out a watershed, an area the entirety of which drains to the same place. Then the plan: each ditch and culvert will have to guide water spilling of fields, yards, and roads to that place, easing it around or under provincial highways, homes, and the gravel roads us farmers use every day.

At the farm level, or, rather, the rural municipality level, drainage is rubber-meets-the-road politics. And it matters. The Prairies have received more than average amounts of precipitation the last couple of years. And the provincial governments in charge have scrambled for ways to make the headlines read something positive; something re-electable. Winnipeg can open its floodway to divert water away from the city’s residential areas. And, last year, Brandon was forced to build dykes as floodwaters threatened the city. Water has to go somewhere, I’ve learned. Our farm has invested in surface drainage. Companies using GPS mapping technology — old news, I know — have cut and trenched veins and ditches into our fields, the benefits of which have long paid for the work. Politicians and others quick to point a finger will say surface drainage work on fields increases the amount of pesticide and phosphorous runoff that will, in some cases, find its way to aquifers and Lake Winnipeg. The crowd goes quiet. “No, not Lake Winnipeg!” My advice: learn to recognize political gesturing. And there are alternatives to surface drainage. Most plants cannot grow sitting in a pool of water. They need to breathe. And here it is, a buried lead: “why do you think they put holes in flower pots?”

On a recent trip to Ontario, a specialist talking about the benefits of tile drainage asked me this, rhetorically, thank goodness. I would have said something, but it wouldn’t have been correct. There’s this thing called tile drainage. It’s relatively new to Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Implementing it. Calling someone to come install it on your field is a risk, and probably a break from tradition. Full disclosure: I don’t deal with change well, either. But on a real basic level, it’s nifty technology. Work with me. You’ve got a watershed, complete with ditches, culverts, and veiny fields. But instead of veiny fields you’ve got drainage pipe buried under your topsoil, deeper than the reach of your cultivator. Your roots will be able to breath, your topsoil won’t runoff after a downpour, and all the water flowing out the exit pipe into a municipally-planned ditch will have been ground filtered. There are parts of southern Ontario where nearly three quarters of all agricultural land is tile drained. It’s what farmers do there. Land can sell for between 15 and $20,000 per acre, so the up-front investment in drainage tile is “a no-brainer,” said one producer. A couple of years ago I chatted with a machinery representative about trends and changes to tractors and implements. He said change needs to roll out slowly.

We have accepted auto-steer, but we’re not yet ready to embrace robotics, even though that technology may increase productivity and efficiency. Tile drainage and drainage, in general, has made headlines over a large-scale push to preserve wetlands. I don’t hate wetlands. I don’t think progress means trampling over, or, in this case, draining, whatever stands between me and an extra dollar in my pocket. I think stewardship is important. But I think change is, too. And I don’t think those involved in surface or subsurface drainage want to get rid of wetlands. “If people are interested in being good stewards, then they should do everything in their power to promote tile drainage,” said the Ontario specialist. I get it. It’s putting pipe into a field. It makes sense. My city friends would call this tampering. Fair enough. But tampering isn’t an argument anymore. We do it all the time, in every industry, in every part of the world, in almost every pocket of history. Tampering, as loosely defined as the term is used, is necessary. We need to maximize our yields to meet food-production demands. Drainage is key to making this happen. It’s also a fascinating, basic phenomenon. Take a step back, and think about it. † Toban Dyck is a freelance writer and a new farmer on an old farm. Follow him on Twitter @tobandyck or email tobandyck@gmail.com.

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Columns FARM FINANCIAL PLANNER

Keep the money in the family Family finds way to transfer financial gains from farming on to the next generation BY ANDREW ALLENTUCK

THE DOWNSIDE

couple we’ll call Jack and Mary Walrosser, 35 and 34, used to farm with Jack’s family in central Manitoba. Jack’s father Harold and Harold’s wife Beatrice, both age 61, farm 960 acres of pasture and oilseeds. Life has had its challenges. Harold had contracts to produce pregnant mare’s urine for the pharmaceutical industry. Those contracts were terminated, but he had enough capital to retire and rent out his land. Land rents now form a large part of his family income. Harold has watched his farm grow in value with the rise of land prices. Jack and Mary now live in town with their two pre-school children. They hold off-farm jobs that pay $100,000 in total. They have been saving to pay down the $120,000 mortgage on their $200,000 house. Harold and Beatrice want to leave their property to Jack. The goal is to preserve the family farmland, its present value of $960,000 and the parents’ income stream.

If the property is transferred from Harold to Jack in a single year, they would have to pay $5,200 of Alternative Minimum Tax even though, theoretically, the Qualified Farmland Capital Gain Tax Deduction provides an offset credit for the AMT due. If they transfer the property over a threeyear period, they can reduce the AMT to zero. There may still be title transfer fees. While the AMT is collected at the time of application of the farmland capital gains deduction, it is used as a credit against future taxes owing. It is a way of prepaying taxes for several years, Erik Forbes explains.

They should use a rent-to-own plan THE PLAN The ideal plan would be to transfer property titles to Jack in recognition of his former work on the family farm, while maintaining Harold’s income. Harold approach Don and Erik Forbes of Don Forbes Associates/Armstrong & Quaile Ltd. in Carberry, Manitoba, for estate planning and tax advice. Under the plan they formed, Harold and Beatrice would transfer farm property to Jack at fair market value. The parents would claim the capital gain, apply for the capital gains exemption, and then raise the farm’s book value to market value virtually tax free. This would allow Jack a higher cost base — he can avoid paying capital gains tax on the initial value of the farm. Harold and his wife want the rental income from the land; they should use a rent-to-own plan. Title would transfer to Jack now, with Jack making a commitment to pass the rental income less land tax costs to his parents. Jack would have no taxable income; the parents would declare the entire taxable portion of income. Harold should take back a zero interest note for the full value of the land with a full repaid clause in the unlikely event of a breakup of Jack and Mary’s marriage, or bankruptcy. This will ensure that the parents have continuing access to the land rental cash flow while the son gets full ownership of the land and can capture rental income after his parents pass away.

The parents will qualify for the farmland capital gains tax exemption. They farmed for more than 30 years before they switched to renting the land five years ago. Eligibility for the farmland capital gains exemption is based on number of years farmed. After active farming, they have the same number of years to remain eligible for the exemption, Erik Forbes adds. Jack should continue contributing $300 per month to his own RRSP, building up $400,000 by age 65. That sum, distributed with all capital and income, would provide $2,000 a month for the next three decades. Jack and Mary already have a reserve of $30,000 in cash

and term deposits. That money should go to a Tax-Free Savings Account, split evenly to take advantage of $31,000 of total accumulated TFSA space since 2009 when the program began. They can get a better rate of return if they use dividend-paying stocks in a low fee mutual fund or exchange traded fund. In retirement, Mary will have a defined benefit pension plan that will pay her $2,482 at age 65 or $1,810 a month at age 60. Jack expects no company pension. Jack and Mary have unfunded liabilities. If one or both of them were to die, their young children would require care. It would be appropriate for them to buy a $500,000 joint first to die term

insurance policy for 10 years to supplement employer-provided insurance and eliminate the need to pay for expensive mortgage life insurance from their bank. If they have their own life insurance, then as the sum of their mortgage debt falls, they will have more cash leftover for the survivor’s and the children’s needs. This plan will meet the family’s needs, but it is complex. On balance, the two generation family will have created a structure of ownership and money management that can survive for the next generation. † Andrew Allentuck’s latest book, When Can I Retire? Planning Your Financial Life After Work, was published by Penguin Canada in January, 2011.

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© NorthStar Genetics 2014 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 2 Yield®, Roundup Ready®, Roundup WeatherMAX®, and Roundup® are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC, Monsanto Canada, Inc. licensee. Respect the Refuge and Design is a registered trademark of the Canadian Seed Trade Association. Used under license. ©2012 Monsanto Canada, Inc.

/ grainews.ca DECEMBER 2, 2014

Columns REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK

Funding: Public, private or PayPal There are many ways to raise fund, rom public-private partnerships to community donations and global campaigns BY LISA GUENTHER

ublic-private partnerships grab headlines and stir up controversy when governments team up with the private sector on everything from highways to hospitals. Many rural communities are familiar with a different funding structure: public-public partnerships. These agreements ask local residents to kick in a good chunk, if not all, of the funding for public infrastructure. In my own community, I need only look out my office window for a recent example. Volunteer labour and local money built the new Livelong post office this summer. And just 15 minutes to the west, in Turtleford, a modern hospital stands as further testament to our get ‘er done attitude. About 15 years ago, it was clear a new hospital was needed. At that time, the price tag on a new building was $6.2 million, Marion Nordell tells me. Nordell was on the hospital board at the time. She says the new hospital was a joint effort between the community and government. “And the community was fortunate that the previous hospital board had the foresight to build up a fund for replacement.” The provincial government kicked in 65 per cent, leaving the rest to surrounding communities Ryan Domotor, RM of Mervin administrator, tells me. Domotor says the RM of Mervin raised over $340,000 through taxation. The town of Turtleford and neigh-

bouring municipalities also contributed. Add that to the hospital board savings, some private donations and government funding, and the hospital was built. But people around here are not unique in their willingness to invest in their communities. Communities know what services they need and, with a little help, they can often find a way to get things done.

“DOING A LOT WITH VERY LITTLE” Stand in a Kenyan grain field, and you’ll notice it looks a lot like a Canadian field, says Tamara Leigh, a communications specialist and freelance writer from Vancouver Island (and, full disclosure, a friend of mine). Seen from a hilltop, the patchwork of fields might remind you of Prairie farmland viewed from a plane. But look around the farmstead, and you’ll notice the lack of machinery and grain bins, things we take for granted in Canada. “My impression was that they are doing a lot with very little,” Leigh says. Leigh joined a farm media tour in Kenya in 2012. She met up with Booker Owuor, president of the Kenya Small Scale Cereal Growers Association, to learn about grain production in the country. The Small Scale Cereal Growers Association counts 30,000 farmers as members. And although they all farm five acres or less, Leigh says they grow most of Kenya’s cereals. Maize is the staple, but farmers also grow wheat, sorghum, barley, millet, rice and legumes.

PHOTO: TAMARA LEIGH

Maize at multiple stages, growing in Kenya in 2012. Each year Kenya loses between 30 and 40 per cent of its crop to poor post-harvest handling, storage, and infrastructure issues. Some issues extend beyond the farmgate. For example, Leigh says with a bit of rain, the roads “can be absolutely impassable.” But some post-harvest problems can be solved on-farm by teaching farmers everything from how to shell maize properly to how to build their own storage facilities. “It’s very, very specific. And some of it is very basic,” says Leigh. “And that was very much my experience of agriculture in

Kenya, was there are some really basic agronomic practices that can be improved at the farm level before you need to look at bringing in technology or layering on other, more complex solutions.” The Kenya Small Scale Cereal Growers Association has trained farmers to teach others how to cut their post-harvest losses. “What they’re looking for funding to do is to get their trainers out to the community and bring all of these small scale farmers together to do these trainings. To do farm visits and look at property storage facilities and do that learning,” says Leigh.

Leigh says the Kenyan government doesn’t typically fund these types of agricultural projects. Kenyan farmers are turning to a broader community for help — in this case, other farmers. Leigh says $50,000 would cover the project costs. She’s hoping to raise at least $10,000 through online donations at fundrazr.com. All proceeds go directly to the Kenya Small Scale Cereal Growers Association. “They’re registered with the Kenyan government,” Leigh says of the association. “They have a long history of working with Kenyan

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Columns farmers. They’re a group that I worked with when I was there. They have legitimacy behind them and they have a proper governance structure.” Asked what makes this project different from other failed development projects undertaken by foreign aid agencies, Leigh says the essential difference is “this is an issue and a solution that’s been identified by Kenyan farmers.” This project is a real “soil-up kind of movement,” says Leigh, unlike many aid organizations “that go in and say: ‘We’re going to identify your issues and tell you how to solve them.’ This is a real farmerdriven movement.”

Technology progresses; the world shrinks It seems to me that technology is making the world seem smaller and smaller. Twitter is like a small town, except geography isn’t a barrier. Facebook felt the same way when I had an account. Fundraising websites such as Fundrazr.com make it easier to support whatever causes are close to your heart. Those projects can be set anywhere in the world, and include everything from people’s health care bills to legal expenses for WikiLeaks staff. Other websites, such as Kiva.org, allow people to

loan as little as $25 to any business owner they deem worthy. The beauty of a site like Fundrazr is that anyone can start fundraising. Want to raise money for a new curling rink in your town? Set up a Fundrazr page, send the link to potential supporters, and you can accept donations through PayPal or credit card. The potential problem with sites like Fundrazr is also that anyone can set up an account, including fraudsters. People can report scams to the site’s administrators. But they don’t pre-screen fundraising campaigns, so there’s nothing to B:10.25” stop someone from ripping off T:10.25” caught. people before they’re

Kiva seems more diligent. Their field partners screen borrowers, looking at loan history, loan purpose, and other factors. But there is always a risk of defaulting. I write this not to discourage you from donating or lending, but to warn you to do a little research. Personally, I’ve thrown a few bucks towards the Kenya post-harvest project, along with an independent media project suggested by a friend, through another crowdfunding site. I think the good done will outweigh the bad, but be careful. Consumer Protection B.C. has several articles on avoiding fraud at www.consumerprotectionbc.ca/blog.

Thanks to these sites we can monitor a small business owner’s progress as they pay back those micro-loans. We can learn about the plights and challenges faced by people from all over the world more easily than ever before. And we can tell others exactly what we need in our own communities. For more on the Kenya Small Scale Cereal Growers Association project, visit fundrazr.com and search “Food Secure Kenya.” If you’re interested in micro-finance, check out Kiva.org. † Lisa Guenther is field editor for Grainews based at Livelong, Sask. Contact her at Lisa.Guenther@ fbcpublishing.com or on Twitter @LtoG.

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/ grainews.ca DECEMBER 2, 2014

Columns SOILS AND CROPS

Tillage: not always a dirty word Moisture cycles change over time. It’s not a crime for soil management practices to change too IT’S NOT A RELIGION LES HENRY

hen soil-incorporated herbicides were all the rage, tillage was the main operation on many farms. For some granular soil-applied herbicides, the recommendation was to cultivate several inches deep at high speed and to go over it twice at right angles. In the best black soils it was not uncommon to hear farmers say they had done seven trips over a field between combine and seeder. The excess tillage was enough to mess up even good soils and the more fragile sandy soils simply blew away in the wind. Weather cycles also played a roll. In general terms the 50s were wet, 60s dry and the 70s wet. The wet 70s coincided with high grain prices leading to affluence we also enjoyed in recent years About the mid-1980s a drier cycle came along. It culminated in 1987-88 with back-to-back drought. 1988 was a complete bust for much of Saskatchewan and eastern Alberta. I recall driving the road from Brooks, Alberta, to Saskatoon in August 1988 and remarking that two old 90 Masseys would combine all the crop we saw in that drive. During the 80s, 90s and early years of this century we had fair crops on just enough precipitation. Moisture conservation was a huge part of soil conservation. That weather cycle drove farmers to say “We must do it differently,” and the zero-till era was born. As I have said many times: the zero-till revolution was driven by farmers tired of dust in the air. Most of the seeder innovations came from farm workshops and farmers’ heads. It was all about moisture conservation — high stubble caught the snow to give good seedbed moisture. And, with direct seeding, that moisture was still in place to make sure that the crop got off to a good start. The low point of the last drought was 2001-02 — back-to-back dry years. In 2001 my pea yield was 12 bu./acre and in 2002 wheat was 20 bushels per acre. Winter 2004-05 was the major weather change year. The big snow filled up the sloughs and they have been more or less full ever since. In this cycle, thanks to zero till, continuous cropping, new canola varieties and porking on lots of fertilizer, we have made good use of the water with high yields. For several years now we have been in excess moisture territory — a hard pill to swallow for an old farm boy from dry old Milden, Saskatchewan. The big crops we have been growing have provided huge straw loads. We may need tillage from time to time to deal with that. Vertical tillage tools have come along to help with that job. Bare up a bit of soil and help to dry it out. Hard to swallow — but we may want to get rid of some water.

Zero tillage is a soil management practice, not a religion. Occasional tillage is not going to upset the work of years of strict zero till. Colleague Jeff Schoenau (University of Saskatchewan, Soil Science) and students did experiments a few years and found that occasional tillage is not detrimental. As for vertical tillage — this old fossil really likes application of anhydrous ammonia to accomplish just that. It has been my nitrogen source for the past many years. The big rage in fertilizer industry circle is the 4Rs: Right source, right rate, right timing and right placement. For my money anhydrous ammonia is still the right source — and the cheapest!

For my money a pass with an anhydrous rig is a very good vertical tillage — very narrow knives penetrate easily, deal with excess straw and with an additional harrow a good seedbed is in place. But, we must not revert to excess tillage and must always be aware that in the goodness of time this wet cycle will end and we will be back to drier times where moisture conservation is paramount. † 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 third 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, Sask., S7H 3H7, and he will dispatch a signed book.

PHOTO: LES HENRY

October 18, 2014: Anhydrous ammonia being applied at 94 pounds of nitrogen to the acre The moisture was excellent. It went to a depth of three to four inches with no “poofing” and no NH3 smell behind the rig.

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Columns KELLY’S AGEXPERT TIPS AND HINTS

Tracking inventory with AgExpert The inventory feature included with AgExpert is a helpful way to track production on your farm KELLY AIREY

he production is now in the bin from a busy harvest season, and cattle have been gathered from the pasture. We are going to have grain and feed production to record, births and deaths of livestock to record and year end inventory numbers to adjust. So let’s take a detailed look at how to get these changes entered into the AgExpert Analyst accounting program. In my previous article, I went over making sure that the inven-

tory accounts are set up and linked for inventory tracking. Now, we will look at recording adjustments to quantity; including opening inventory adjustments, production, births, deaths and grain used as feed and seed. We’ll adjust for input use of fuel and fertilizer. We’ll also go over some inventory reports that can be generated at year end.

ADJUSTING AMOUNT OF INVENTORY To record inventory adjustments to adjust quantity, in AgExpert Click “Inventory” > “Inventory Adjustment,” then select the inventory account you want to adjust. There are two tabs a the top of the pop-up box: “Adjust Quantity” and “Adjust Quality.”

Use “Adjust Quantity” to adjust inventory quantities. TIP: Sales and purchases are NOT entered in this screen, they are always entered through the transaction entry screen. As the deposit is recorded for a sale, your inventory will automatically update, as the sales account was previously set up to link to inventory. To record an adjustment to quantity, you will need to add the date the transaction takes place and a reference. You can use any reference you like. For example: “opening adjust” for opening inventory adjustments, “prod” for production adjustments, or “birth” birth for birth adjustments. You may come up with your own unique way to reference these adjustments.

For a description, type your own explanation of the transaction. For example: “to record opening inventory, or “to record 2014 crop production.” There are several transaction type options for a grain account: • Opening Inventory can be used if this is a new set up and you need to record your opening balances. Or, you may need to adjust opening inventory if you start entering a grain sale in February, for example, and realize there is not enough grain in opening inventory to sell. This can happen — last year’s ending numbers were probably estimates. Opening inventory can be adjusted to meet the requirements of the sale. • Production is used to enter new year production.

J.P. Gervais FCC Chief Agricultural Economist

J.P. Gervais has over 15 years of experience in domestic and international analysis of agricultural policies and markets. He’ll provide insight into major economic trends that shape the Canadian agriculture industry today. Learn how they could impact your farm in the coming year. Appearing at: Yorkton, Winnipeg, Regina, Medicine Hat, Lloydminster

Drew Lerner President, World Weather Inc.

A favourite among the agriculture industry, Drew’s daily assessments of crop and weather expectations support commodity market trade and help many companies make better agricultural business decisions. Hear how weather trends and global climate change could affect your operation in 2015. Appearing at: Regina, Medicine Hat

Mark Robinson Meteorologist, The Weather Network

Mark has been storm chasing since 2000, sending on-the-ground reports to The Weather Network. He has intercepted 15 hurricanes and over 30 tornadoes across North America, including the most destructive hurricane in U.S. history, Katrina. He will discuss the weather trends we could expect to see in 2015. Appearing at: Yorkton, Winnipeg, Lloydminster

Mike Jubinville President, Pro Farmer Canada

Mike is lead analyst and president of Pro Farmer Canada, an independent market analysis and advisory service he started in 1997. Benefit from his experience as he explains current and future trends in agriculture, the current state of commodity markets and what we can expect next. Appearing at: Yorkton, Winnipeg, Regina, Medicine Hat, Lloydminster

Lyndon Carlson

• Feed and Seed options are used if you used grain for feed or seed. • Crop Share is available only in Alberta and Ontario. This option tracks the decrease in quantity that reflects a landlord’s share. There are also several options for livestock accounts: • Opening Inventory is the same as above. • Births and Deaths can be used to record the number of births from calving records, than any deaths throughout the year. • Transfer In can be used to transfer a quantity in from another account. For example: open replacement heifers at the beginning of year are bred heifers at year end. This is a two-part part transaction! Part 1: Select “Bred Heifers Account” and “Transfer In” the Bred Heifers. • Transfer Out can be used to transfer a quantity out from an account. Staying with the with above example: Part 2: Make sure to select the “Replacement Heifers Account” and “Transfer Out” those replacement heifers. Input accounts also have several types of transaction options to record fertilizer or fuel used from inventory. The Grade option will show up if you are tracking for AgriStability. Weights of cattle and grades of grain can be selected. More on AgriStability in a future article. For Quantity, if you’re accounting for spoilage to production, deaths, hay fed or fuel used, make sure to enter a negative number. HINT: If there is already a quantity in the account, you’ll see a summary of the “Totals” at the bottom right side of the screen. Once you enter a number in the quantity, hit the tab button on your keyboard and check that the new total is correct before you record the transaction. If you are asked for “Unit Value”, enter the fair market value per unit. HINT: You will only see this option if you have no inventory currently in the account.

WHEN YOU’RE FINISHED To see your inventory report, in summary or detail, choose “Reports” > “Report Console” > “Inventory”. Next Month: tips on entering deferred sales, and sales and purchases linked to inventory. † Kelly Airey is a producer and Ag Consultant in Western Manitoba. She offers software setups & training, and discounts on software purchases. Contact Kelly at kelly. agconsulting@gmail.com or (204) 365-0136.

FCC Senior Vice-President, Marketing BY JONNY HAWKINS

Lyndon has 30 years of experience in several areas of agribusiness and marketing. He’s been named the Canadian Agri-Marketing Association’s Agri-Marketer of the Year and presented with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for his contributions to 4-H Canada. He’ll help you see where Canadian agriculture is headed and provide insights to improve your farm management skills.

Country Chuckles

Appearing at: Yorkton, Winnipeg, Regina, Medicine Hat, Lloydminster

Beef friends forever

/ grainews.ca DECEMBER 2, 2014

Machinery & Shop Seeding technology

Vertical seeding A vertical tillage implement may make an ideal seeder for winter wheat when conditions are tough — and when they’re good By Scott Garvey

ields in much of Southern Saskatchewan still saturated late into October posed a problem for anyone trying to seed winter wheat. Equipment manufacturer Salford thinks one of its implements, a vertical tillage tool, provides the ideal solution to exactly that problem. But not in the way you might expect. Jim Boak, sales manager for Salford Group, wrote to me in late September to explain: “I feel quite strongly, Scott, that if the western wheat farmer adopted vertical planting practices this fall he would get a good portion of his winter wheat planted even in these wet conditions. I am also quite sure once they tried it they would never go back to the hoe drill planting system.”

Vertical planting Vertical planting involves using a vertical tillage implement as a seeder. To put Boak’s claim to the test, Tri Star Farm Services of Emerald Park, a Salford dealer, set up a 40-foot Salford I-2100 vertical tillage implement mated to a 725 bushel, four-compartment, towbetween Salford seed cart for field trials south of Regina. Grainews was there to see it put to work. According to Boak, Salford’s vertical tillage implements have been involved in seeding trials since 2006, and the results have been consistently impressive. But the Tri Star trials in October are the first time they’ve been carried out in on the Canadian Prairies. Tri Star’s demo unit was equipped with the standard product delivery lines and distribution towers used on Salford seed drills, only the openers are unique to the vertical tillage implement and are positioned behind each coulter set on 7-1/2-inch spacings. “Everything is standard except for the openers,” says Kellen Huber of TSFS. “They’re designed especially for this (the I-2100).” Instead of using coulters with different wave patterns on the rear, the I-2100 set up for seeding used the same 13-wave coulters on both the front and rear rows to create a narrower seed trench. “We went to all 13-wave blades instead of 13 on the front and eight on the rear, because it (the 13-wave blade) makes a one-anda-quarter-inch (wide) trench,” Huber adds. “The eight-wave makes a two-inch trench. We’re blowing seed down right behind the coulter of the unit. We have the harrows set at a gentle angle and the rollers just firm it (the seedbed) down.” During the field trial, the I-2100 was pulled at 7.5 m.p.h. and set to a working depth of two inches. Aside from helping dry out the saturated field surface while placing seed and fertilizer in the sticky clay, the I-2100 also incorporated some residue and helped smoothen out the surface, which were some of the side benefits Huber expected to see during the field trial.

photos: scott garvey

photo: salford

In practice Those additional benefits are among the reasons at least one crop consultant, Phil Brown, known locally in Marion, Indiana, as “The Wheat Doctor,” who specializes in wheat production, has been encouraging all his farmer customers to consider using a vertical tillage tool when seeding winter wheat. “It does a marvellous job of smoothing the field, working out compaction problems and getting our fertilizer and wheat worked in at the same time,” says Brown.

But most of his customers generally use an alternative method to place the seed. After making a standard tillage pass with an unmodified vertical tillage implement, they simply use good-quality fertilizer spreaders to broadcast the wheat and fertilizer onto the field surface. Then, they make another pass with the vertical tillage implement to incorporate them. “Vertical till does a great job of grabbing the dirt, the wheat and the fertilizer throwing it up in the air stirring it and firming it

1. A vertical tillage implement set up to seed could give farmers a chance to get winter wheat into the ground successfully when conditions are tough. 2. Salford’s seeding attachment package for the I-2100 includes an opener designed to place seed just behind each coulter. 3. Kellen Huber of Tri Star Farm Services adjusts the rear harrows to a less aggressive angle for seeding. 4. Advantages of using a vertical tillage implement to seed include smoothing the field surface while incorporating residue and removing ruts. 5. The I-2100 was able to operate even in wet conditions in heavy clay soil. 6. This photo taken from Salford’s own field trials shows stands seeded with a vertical tillage implement compared to a drill.

back up perfectly level so I have no tire tracks,” he explains. “I have no variations in my field. Where the (field seeded with a) drill still has tractor tracks and the old combine tracks I’m trying to bite through. In that first pass you want to work it hard, get it pretty deep so you can control the depth of that second pass to about four inches.” While four inches sounds extraordinarily deep for seeding, Brown says experience has taught him that when incorporating fertilizer while tilling at a four-inch

depth most ended up buried no more than two inches deep. “I found if you work chemicals in four inches, 90 per cent were in the top two inches,” he says. “And the same thing is happening with wheat. If you work it four inches deep, 90 per cent of the wheat is in the top two inches. The average will be about an inch, right where I want my wheat.” But what will that variation do to emergence and plant density? “What I want to have in the fall is three-leaf tillers,” he continues. “Three leaf tillers have

DECEMBER 2, 2014 grainews.ca /

Machinery & Shop CANADA’S FARM PROGRESS SHOW

Aftermarket concave wins Innovation Award Sunnybrook Welding introduces CR Tri-Frame concave for NH combine BY LISA GUENTHER

unnybrook Welding’s new C R Tr i - F r a m e c o n c a v e design slashes change-out time by at least half, claims Gerald Foster, the company’s president and CEO. The key, he says, is the modular design. “So instead of replacing the whole frame, we have a segmented underlay to the concave that bolts in, in three different pieces,” Foster explains. “And each one of those three pieces has three reversible, replaceable segments in it.” Sunnybrook Welding produces combine components compatible with all the major equipment

the largest heads (at maturity). If I have a too-deep one (seed), my solution to the problem is not seven inches away. It’s an inch and half away. If I use a drill and I have a damaged row, the answer to fill in that gap is in the next row. As I look at what I finish with (when broadcasting and incorporating), it looks more like a hay field. It’s just solid (rather than spaced rows).” Originally, Brown decided on the vertical tillage option as a last resort to get a client’s winter wheat seeded, but the results were so impressive, it’s now become his preferred seeding method. “One of my farmers got rid of his drill about six years ago. We started vertical tilling, double spreading it and vertical tilling again because we didn’t have a drill. That’s how we got started. We found we don’t need any more seed and our yields are very competitive.” “It went from the rescue solution, to I have probably 7,000 or 8,000 acres this year that are going to be vertical tilled.” And Brown thinks getting seed in the ground earlier using a vertical tillage implement method rather than waiting for fields to dry out and use a conventional drill gives the crop a head start that leads to better yields. “The earlier the wheat is planted in the fall, the bigger it gets, the larger root mass it gets, the more tillers that get to three leaves, the higher likelihood of a big yield. It is very consistent,” Brown says. “I can vertical till that field, and re-vertical till that field again before I can plant (with a drill). If that loses the five day wait until that drill is ready to run in good conditions, then I would rather have it vertical tilled.” To get a good idea of how well a broadcast spreader is distributing seed, Brown recommends making three or four test passes over the same 50-foot section of a field. Uneven spread patterns are much easier to see when there is more seed lying on the ground. But no matter how you get winter wheat seeds into the ground, Brown believes scouting the crop to monitor its progress and managing it correctly is really the key to filling a combine hopper. “Managed vertical tilled wheat can be very successful,” he says. †

brands. Their products range from rub bars to concaves to rotors. The modular concave for CR model New Holland combines, which was granted a Sterling Innovation Award at Canada’s Farm Progress Show last June, is just the company’s latest offering. Sunnybrook’s modular concave design also cuts waste, Foster says. With a typical concave “You throw 500 pounds of steel into the scrap bin for the loss of three or four ounces of mass when we call it dull,” he says. “With this system you’re able to change out a small piece.” When the people at Sunnybrook Welding started designing the concave, they decided to boron-

ize surfaces instead of chroming them. Boronized equipment wears better than steel and cuts the co-efficient of friction of the concave’s underbelly by about half, according to Foster. The award-winning concave was designed specifically for New Holland combines, but the “technology crosses over to every combine out there,” he adds. The company is currently replicating the technology for other models. Farmers can pick up a Sunnybrook concave through most New Holland dealers. For more information, visit sunnybrookwelding.com. †

PHOTO: LISA GUENTHER

Lisa Guenther is a field editor with Grainews based at Livelong, Sask. Contact her at Lisa. Guenther@fbcpublishing.com.

The modular CR Tri-Frame concave for NH combines garnered Sunnybrook Welding a Silver Innovation Award at Canada’s Farm Progress Show in June.

6230 Tandem Disc Harrow ®

Cut your heaviest residue down to size while eliminating ruts.

The industry’s most dependable Disc Harrow.

785-738-6613 www.landoll.com

Producers who are pushing the envelope on yields with Bt hybrids and other excessive residue producing crops, all have the same issue: “What to do with all of the heavy crop residue after harvest?” Research shows that sizing and incorporating residue into the top few inches of soil speeds up the breakdown. The Landoll 6230 Disc Harrow is the ideal tool to manage residue, clean up ruts from the previous season and economically control weeds. The Tandem Disc Harrow is equipped with an aggressive 20° front gang angle and standard concavity blades with approximately 210 lbs. of weight per blade. This engineered advantage enables the unit to penetrate tough ground conditions, size and mix heavy residue while still doing an excellent job of finish discing. Each of the seven models features a full 3-year warranty and is available in working widths that range from 20’7” through 35’10”. And it’s only available from Landoll… The Company Who Knows You Best.

Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews. Contact him at scott.garvey@fbcpublishing.com. Land-131G.indd 1

7/10/13 3:36 PM

/ grainews.ca DECEMBER 2, 2014

Machinery & Shop Tillage

JD introduces 2730 Combination Ripper New tillage tool from John Deere does multiple tillage functions in one pass By Scott Garvey

here seems to be no stopping the recent resurgence in popularity of tillage. Granted, in many regions of North America passion for tillage really never did fade. But today’s best-selling implements represent an evolution in design that addresses many of the problems caused by older cultivation equipment. That implement evolution has been driven, in part, by new players who’ve entered the North American tillage market with European-inspired equipment, filling a gap some of the major players didn’t seem to be paying much attention to. As a result, formerly unfamiliar brands are becoming household names on Canadian farms. But the majors aren’t standing still; they’re responding to that growing demand with new-age designs of their own. This summer John Deere included the new 2730 Combination Ripper in its official product launch in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Marketing reps describe it as a primary tillage tool designed to size and bury crop

residue. And they add its design allows it to do in one pass what it once took four implements to accomplish. All of that means it takes less time for farmers to get the same amount of field work done, saving money in process. “Much of the operational cost savings comes from combining four key field operations into a single pass,” says Nathan Kramer, tillage product line marketing manager for John Deere. “Completing these four passes independently costs $56.85 per acre, according to the “2013 Iowa Farm Rate Survey” published by Iowa State University.” To accomplish those four different things, the 2730 uses a front row of discs, followed by ripper shanks, then a row of closing discs. To finish off the field surface, it uses a rear levelling attachment. The 2730 is available in working widths from 14 to 26 feet. It’s equipped with 26-inch disc blades and has 38 inches of under-frame clearance to prevent trash from plugging up underneath it, even in the worst conditions. † Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews. Contact him at Scott.Garvey@fbcpublishing.com.

John Deere introduced its new 2730 Combination Ripper to dealers in August.

Alberta: 1 800 661 1394 Sask - Man : 1 800 667 8170 oktire.com

BKT Tires Canada inc. AG/IND 905 641 5636 OTR 780 888 5667 bkt-tires.com

photo: john deere

DECEMBER 2, 2014 grainews.ca /

Machinery & Shop TILLAGE

New implements from AGCO At the U.S. Farm Progress show in August, AGCO introduced wider working widths for Sunflower tandem disc harrow and vertical tillage implements BY SCOTT GARVEY

GCO added new Sunflower brand models to two of its tillage implement lines in August — the 1436SW (the SW refers to the split wing frame design) tandem disc harrow and the 6650 vertical tillage tool. AGCO gave farmers their first look at them during the U.S. Farm Progress Show in the early fall. The new model 6650-48 pushes the maximum working with to 47 feet, 11 inches in the 6650 vertical tillage line. “Sunflower is excited to offer the 6650-48 vertical tillage tool to today’s conservation-minded farmers,” says Larry Kuster, AGCO senior marketing specialist for tillage. “It provides a significant boost in productivity by harnessing the potential of high-horsepower tractors with the ability to cover more than 38 acres an hour.” The 6650 Series tools use the brand’s large-diameter Saber disc blades in gangs set at an 18° angle. The 6650-48 has a five-section frame that folds to a transport width of just over 18 feet. The frame is made from 6x6-inch square tubing with a 3/8-inch thickness for strength and to give the implement its weight. When unfolded, hydraulic cylinders lock the wings in place and permit pivoting only at the lower hinges near the gangs, which allows the implement to more closely follow field contours.

A high-performing tillage tool is more important than ever The 1436SW Series of tandem disc harrows sees the addition of two new working widths, the 33 foot, three inch 1436-33SW and the wider 38 foot 1436-38SW. 1436SW implements weigh up to 600 pounds per working-width foot, allowing them to penetrate firm soils. This line uses a 20-degree gang angle and full concavity disc blades to more aggressively cut and bury field residue. Both front and rear gangs are offset to allow the front gang to cut the entire working width. The rear gang creates a feathering effect that prevents ridge and valley profiles in the wake of the machine. Both sets of gangs ride on C-Flex bearing standards to absorb shocks encountered when striking field obstacles. “They mix residue and topsoil to provide an ideal environment for microbial decomposition of the stalks,” says Kuster. “With today’s tough stalks, increased compaction in many fields, and herbicide-resistant weeds, a highperforming tillage tool is more important than ever.” † Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews. Contact him at Scott.Garvey@fbcpublishing.com.

PHOTOS: AGCO

Sunflower 6650 vertical tillage implements are now available in working widths up to approximately 48 feet.

Sunflower tandem disc harrows use a 20-degree gang angle and concave discs to cut and bury crop residue to speed up the breakdown of plant material.

www.farm-king.com

Crucial details connecting your combine to the market

Grain Vac - PTO Model

Grain Vac - Diesel Model

Backsaver Auger 10/13/16

Backsaver Auger - Feterl Original 12/14

Backsaver Auger - Feterl Original 12

Conventional Auger

Conventional Auger - Feterl Original

Drive-over Hopper

Utility Auger / Unloading Auger

Rollermill / Hammermill

Grain Cleaner

Grain Cart - 1060/1360

Higher input costs and tighter margins require a complete grain management system to make your operation as profitable as possible. The complete line of Farm King grain handling equipment ensures you get top dollar for your crop. With decades of grain handling experience, Farm King offers everything you need to get your grain to market after it leaves the combine.

Visit www.farm-king.com to find a dealer near you.

/ grainews.ca DECEMBER 2, 2014

Machinery & Shop Shop class

How to deal with a loose bearing race Here’s a mechanic’s tip on how to make a loose bearing race fit snuggly into a housing Top View Top View Top View

By Scott Garvey

henever a bearing is replaced, the rule of thumb is replace the race it rides in as well. That ensures the new bearing will last a long time because it will wear properly as it turns in the mated surface provided by a new, matching race. Bearing races are designed to have a friction fit inside a housing. The tolerance between their sides and the opening in the housings should be so tight that races are held firmly in place while the bearing turns freely inside them. All wear then occurs between the race and the bearing, protecting the larger housing. Getting an old bearing race out of a housing is a simple process. Usually, a hammer and punch is all that is required. Firm strikes on the back side of the race will pop it out. The replacement race is then driven into place with a hammer and a tool that ensures the force from the hammer blows is evenly distributed all around the race, squarely seating it. But there are times when a replacement bearing race — even when it’s exactly the right replacement — just doesn’t fit snuggly enough in the housing. If a race is too loose and there isn’t enough friction to hold it tight, it could turn in place with the bearing and eventually damage the housing, which means a really expensive repair bill at some time down the road. However, there is a simple way to get that new race to stay in place, and all that’s required is a centre punch, hammer and some Loctite 660, which is designed just for jobs like this. Blue thread locker isn’t right for this job and probably won’t be an adequate replacement for the 660, unless the gap between the housing and new race is very small.

HI-TEC INDUSTRIES 5.0000X5.0000 000048203r1 4C

Race Race Race

Cross Section CrossSide Section View Cross Section Side View Metal Deformed Side View Deformed Metal Deformed Metal

Race Race Race

Housing Housing Housing

Deformed Metal Deformed Metal Deformed Metal Metal Deformation Metal Deformation Metal Deformation Centre Centre Punch Centre Punch Punch

Housing Housing Housing

Hammer Blow Hammer Blow Hammer Blow

graphic: steve cote

Using a centre punch is an effective way to restore a friction fit between a loose bearing race and housing. “Peening” the sides of the housing effectively reduces the diameter of the opening and lets the race fit tightly into place.

How-to Here’s how to seat a loose race. First, with the bearing race removed, take a centre-punch and peen (strike) the inside surface of the housing where the side of the race mates too. Do this around the entire circumference of the opening. As the point of the centre punch is pounded

into the housing, it displaces some of the metal and pushes it up above the existing surface, creating bumps. What that does is effectively reduce the diameter of the opening in the housing, restoring a friction fit. But that only restores a portion of the friction the race would have had if the tolerances were correct.

To help ensure the race remains in place, apply a film of Loctite 660. This compound can lock a component in place where there is a gap of up to 0.020 of an inch. There are other similar Loctite compounds available for this type of job. There is a chart on their website (loctite.com) to help you decide exactly which prod-

uct best suits your particular application. With the Loctite applied, use a driver to seat the race in the usual way, and allow adequate set up time for the compound. The combination of those two treatments should leave the bearing race secure and ready for work. † Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews. Contact him at Scott.Garvey@fbcpublishing.com.

DECEMBER 2, 2014 grainews.ca /

Machinery & Shop What’s it worth?

Grainews surveys used tractor values We take a look at auction prices for two of John Deere’s popular tractor models: 9630 and 4440

The results Here’s how the results break down. First, the John Deere 9630. Ritchie Brothers’ online site shows the firm auctioned off five of them in Western Canada in 2014. The average price was $181,000, as shown in Table 1. To help put those numbers into context we also looked back a year at sales of that model in 2013 to see how prices compare to one year ear-

2014 Ritchie Brothers’ Prairie auction sales Model 9630

Selling price

Hours

Model year

Low

$142,500.00

3572

2011

High

$220,000.00

870

2011

Average

$181,000.00

Table 2: John Deer 9630

By Scott Garvey

hether you’re in the mood to sell or buy, it pays to keep an eye on used machinery values. To help our readers do that, we’re starting a new feature in Grainews: our What’s it worth? Segment. We’ll regularly pick a couple of machines and survey auction sale results to help you track market values. Hopefully, some of the machines we highlight will be those you’ve had your eye on — or want to sell. This time we’re focusing on two John Deere tractors: the late-model 9630 and much older and smaller 4440. Together these machines appeal to a wide range of producers. We used Ritchie Bros. published auction sale prices as our source. And we limited our survey to only those tractors sold in the three Prairie provinces.

Table 1: John Deer 9630

2013 Ritchie Brothers’ Prairie auction sales Model 9630

Selling price

Hours

Model year

Low

$177,500.00

2,013

2009

High

$265,000.00

831

2010

Average

$210,277.00

Table 3: John Deere 4440 without a loader photo: john deere

Although it’s no longer in production, the JD 9630 is a late model, high horsepower tractor still in demand.

lier. Although these are relatively small sample sizes (there were only nine sold), the comparisons are interesting, showing the average selling price declined roughly $30,000 between 2013 and 2014. See Table 2 for a closer look at the results for the nine tractors sold in 2013. If you don’t have a six-figure purchasing budget or you don’t need the kind of horsepower the 9630 offers, maybe Deere’s 4440 better fits your needs. Table 3 shows how that model sold in 2014. In 2013, the average sale prices were: 2013 average 4440 sale prices: Without a loader: $17,472 With a loader: $22,800

2014 Ritchie Brothers’ Prairie auction sales Model 4440 w/o loader

Selling price

Hours

Model year

Low

$11,000.00

11,784

1979

High

$36,000.00

6,670

1982

Average

$20,875.00

Table 4: John Deere 4440 with a loader 2014 Ritchie Brothers’ Prairie auction sales Model 4440 w/loader

Selling price

Hours

Model year

Low

$19,000.00

8182

1982

High

$24,000.00

6500

1982

Average

$21,500.00

TOUGH CROP CONDITIONS. WHEN OUR CANOLA WENT FLAT, OUR MACDON PICKED IT UP WITH EASE.” Dan Groenenboom, Coalhurst, AB

See more at MacDon.com/testimonials

Publication

MacDon: Dan Groenenboom

Trademarks of products are the marks of their respective manufacturers and/or distributors.

" MACDON WINDROWERS WORK IN

MANITOBA

/ grainews.ca DECEMBER 2, 2014

Machinery & Shop

VAN L EQUIPMENT

MACHINE INNOVATION

Honey Bee reintroduces the tractor-mounted swather concept The company is currently assessing market demand for a new version of the tractor-mounted swather attachment it first produced in the 1980s BY SCOTT GARVEY

ne of the most noticeable machines on display at the Canada’s Farm Progress Show last June was Honey Bee’s tractormounted swather prototype. Now with the widespread availability of both front and rear three-point hitches on nearly every major brand of tractor, the company sees an opportunity to take advantage of that feature by reintroducing the mounted swather header concept it originally began producing in 1984. But this updated and completely re-engineered version brings the concept into the 21st century, eliminating some of the disadvantages inherent in the original ‘80s design, according to company owner Greg Honey. “One of the biggest changes we’ve made from back then till now, is the ability to get it on and off quickly,” he says. “That was one of the biggest drawbacks, the time to mount and dismount. This one is, like, 20 minutes.” “When it’s off it has to be transportable down the highway. It has to narrow up to eight and a half

feet wide, and we wanted to allow it to do that without a lot of extra work. To get this one into full transport mode, it would probably take you half an hour to take it off and get it ready.” The prototype displayed in Regina uses two 25-foot headers to provide a single-pass working width of 50 feet. “Right now we’ve only re-introduced the 50-foot, which is two 25s,” he adds. The swather attachment can be mounted on any two-wheel drive or MFWD tractor with three-point linkage on the front and rear, which is another major change in design from the previous versions. “Back in those days there was very little (three-point) linkage, even on the rear,” he adds. “Today you can get them on both ends. Aside from the linkages, to handle the Honey Bee headers, tractors will need up to six hydraulic remotes. “You need front and rear threepoint and rear PTO,” he continues. “And the more remotes you have the better. We need four on the rear and two on the front. What we have to do is put a remote multiplier on (most tractors) to accomplish that.”

The headers used are the same draper-style Grain Belt Swather models the company supplies for attachment directly to dedicated swathers. And they could be equipped with any of the normally-available options, although the prototype model on display in Regina had only basic features. “We haven’t really set the price yet,” says Honey. “We didn’t put a lot of bells and whistles on this one, because we wanted to keep the costs in line. We didn’t add remote reel speed, remote canvas speed. That stuff you can add.” In fact, the model on display at CFPS is one of only two prototypes the company has built so far. The other was sold to a customer in Kazakhstan. Honey Bee has decided to show the remaining model at events like CFPS and gauge customer reaction before committing to fullscale production. “We’re just seeing what the interest is, again,” Honey says. “We decided to bring this one to the show to see what people would think.” † Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews. Contact him at Scott.Garvey@fbcpublishing.com.

BUHLER INDUSTRIES Reston, Manitoba 15.2500X7.0000 Phone: 204-877-3342 000055462r1 4C

LITTLE MORDEN Morden, Manitoba Phone: 204-325-9027

AG CON EQUIPMENT Winnipeg, Manitoba Phone: 204-255-4772

HEPSON EQUIPMENT Brandon, Manitoba Phone: 204-727-1050

DRUMMOND’S FARM SERVICE Holland, Manitoba Phone: 204-526-2740

NOTRE DAME MOTORS Notre Dame, Manitoba Phone: 204-248-2359

AG WEST

Portage la Prairie, Manitoba Phone: 204-857-5130

SASKATCHEWAN ALL WEST SALES

Rosetown, Saskatchewan Phone: 306-882-2283

KMK

Humboldt, Saskatchewan Phone: 306-682-0738

F.V. PIERLOT & SON LTD. Nipawin, Saskatchewan Phone: 306-862-4732

CAM-DOM MOTORS Perdue, Saskatchewan Phone: 306-237-4212

NOVLAN BROS. SALES Llyodminster, Saskatchewan Phone: 306-825-4871

Honey Bee has built a prototype, updated version of the mounted swather system it produced back in the 1980s. The new design uses front and rear threepoint linkages to mount to a tractor.

OWENS AND SWEITZER Eston, Saskatchewan Phone: 306-962-3637

ALBERTA TROCHU MOTORS LTD. Trochu, Alberta Phone: 403-442-3866

NIEBOER FARM SUPPLIES Nobleford, Alberta Phone: 403-824-3404

Wheels on the header support frame can be pivoted after removal from the tractor to allow the attachment to be put into transport position in a few minutes.

KNM SALES AND SERVICE Barrhead, Alberta Phone: 1-780-674-2888

FOSTER’S AGRI WORLD Beaverlodge, Alberta Phone: 780-354-3622

AG PLUS MECHANICAL Medicine Hat, Alberta Phone: 403-504-1111

DAVE ROSS EQUIPMENT LIMITED PHOTOS: SCOTT GARVEY

A front three-point linkage on the tractor is required to support one of the headers.

Spirit River, Alberta Phone: 780-864-3731

VERSATILE DELTATRACK The Versatile DeltaTrack is a fully integrated purpose built four track system from Versatile. Available in three models 450DT, 500DT, 550DT, The DeltaTrack is built using the most advanced track design in the agriculture industry and features Cummins engine technology, rugged CAT powershift transmissions, and legendary Versatile reliability and serviceability.

WWW.VERSATILE-AG.COM

/ grainews.ca DECEMBER 2, 2014

Machinery & Shop KEEP IT GOING

Classic Versatile a family project Fond memories of a D145 Versatile used on the family farm years ago prompted Ian Wilson and his sons to find and restore a similar tractor BY SCOTT GARVEY

tanding near his fully restored D145 Versatile four-wheel drive tractor, which was parked in a line of classic machines at Canada’s Farm Progress Show in Regina in June, Ian Wilson of Rathwell, Manitoba, explained how fond memories of a D145 his family owned a couple of decades ago prompted him to find another one to restore. Originally, Ian wanted to find the same tractor his family owned, but he wasn’t able to locate it. “My dad and my uncle owned one in 1967,” he says. “I was four when we bought it in Carman, Manitoba, and I rode home in it with my uncle. I couldn’t find that original tractor. I found this one two years ago in Montana. It was in excellent condition. The farmer was still using it.” After hauling the D145 up from Montana, restoring it became a family affair. Ian’s sons Jerrod and Jeff pitched in with the restoration effort. Throughout the past winter, the three spent time in the farm shop working on the engine, along with tackling several hours of body work to spruce up the tractor’s overall appearance. Fortunately, Ian was able to source some unused, original factory decals from a former dealer, which helped maintain the authenticity of the tractors final appearance. “We’ve been working on it over the winter,” Ian says. “It took us two or three months. We had to do a little body work, and we did some engine work. We painted it, put new tires on it, sandblasted the whole thing. We got it custom painted, because we wanted a perfect job. Everything on it is original. All the decals

Jerrod (left) Jeff (centre) and Ian (right) Wilson plan to continue showing their tractor at future farm shows. and everything are restored to exactly the way it was from the factory.” Unlike most tractors of its age, the Wilson’s D145 actually has air conditioning, which still works. “You could buy it and put it on after with the Minntoba cab,” Ian explains. The family is pretty happy with how the D145 turned out and have plans to continue showing it at events like the Regina show. They also plan to put it to work into their fields occasionally. “The boys want to play with it on the farm,” says Ian. “We’re going to do a little cultivating and a little harrowing with it. A couple of neighbours told us we could use their Versatile cultivator and harrows, so it’s all matching.” Unlike the original tractor, this one won’t be leaving the farm after a few years of service. “We’re never going to sell it,” says Ian. † Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews. Contact him at Scott. Garvey@fbcpubishing.com.

PHOTOS: SCOTT GARVEY

The Wilson family of Rathwell, Manitoba, brought their restored 1968 Versatile D145 to Canada’s Farm Progress Show last June.

100% Impressed

RUBIN 9

RUBIN 12

HELIODOR

That’s the feedback from a LEMKEN compact disc trial. You’ve seen a neighbour do a good job at high speed with his blue disc. Maybe it’s time to call a dealer and discover all the benefits of a compact disc! Manitoba

Agcon Equipment Winnipeg (855) 222-9216 Ag West Equipment Ltd. Portage la Prairie (204) 857-5130 Neepawa (204) 476-5378 Avonlea Farm Sales Domain (204) 736-2893 Greenland Equipment Ltd. Carman (204) 745-2054 Nykolaishen Farm Equipment Swan River (204) 734-3466

Reit-Syd Equipment Ltd. Dauphin (204) 638-6443 (877) 638-9610 Saskatchewan

All West Sales Partnership Rosetown (306) 882-2024 GlenMor Equipment LP Prince Albert (306) 764-2325 Lazar Equipment Ltd. Meadow Lake (306) 236-5222 Nykolaishen Farm Equipment Kamsack (306) 542-2814

Nykolaishen Ag Central Kamsack (306) 542-2411 R-J Sales & Service (1991) Ltd. Wadena (306) 338-2541 Tri Star Farm Services Ltd. Regina (306) 586-1603

Pentagon Farm Centre Lacombe (403) 782-6873 Red Deer (403) 346-1815 Millet (780) 387-4747 Westlock (780) 349-3113 Dawson Creek (250) 719-7470

Alberta

Dennill’s Agricenter Dewberry (780) 847-3974 Vegreville (780) 632-2514 Hanlon Ag Centre Lethbridge (403) 329-8686

(800) 488-0115 | www.LEMKEN.ca

DECEMBER 2, 2014 grainews.ca /

Machinery & Shop John Deere

New features for the JD 1910 air cart By Scott Garvey

John Deere has announced its model 1910 air carts will be available in 10 different configurations for the 2015 model year, six towbetween and four tow-behind versions. Buyers get a choice of two or three compartment tanks ranging in capacity from 250 to 550 bushels. Under those tanks are hydraulically controlled meters, allowing for in-cab rate adjustments on the go, so they’re compatible with variable rate control. And for the first time, the carts will offer SectionCommand, a sectional control feature, which can shut off flow to some openers to minimize overlaps. “New, as optional equipment for 2015, the 1910 air cart is

available with SectionCommand technology,” says Ryan Jardon, product manager for John Deere Seeding. “This technology will save growers time and input costs, while promoting increased yields and reduced harvest losses. Our results show that customers can save as much as six percent on seed and fertilizer costs each year.” The actual saving any farmer realizes will, of course, depend on field shape. Getting inputs into a 1910 cart will be a little easier in 2015, because Deere now offers a wirelessly controlled loading auger or conveyer — whichever you choose — on all 350, 430 and 550 bushel models. † Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews. Contact him at Scott.Garvey@fbcpublishing.com.

photos: john deere

John Deere 1910 air carts get a longer options list for the 2015 model year.

The hydraulically driven meters on Deere’s 2015 model year air carts will be available with sectional control capability for the first time.

accessories

A touch of pink Contribute to a good cause, and personalize your seed drill for next spring

f you think pink mud scrapers might make the perfect accessories for your seed drill, Devloo Roto Mud Scrapers could be the thing for you. And by purchasing them you could help contribute to a good cause at the same time. Mark Devloo, manufacturer of Devloo Roto Mud Scrapers, personally donates $5 to breast cancer research for every pink mud scraper that his customers purchase. These scrapers can be used on most seeder types to remove mud from the packer wheels. For more info go to www. rotomudscrapers.com or call Devloo at 204-8257655. †

Sit back, dial up your favourite station … and fnish 100 acres by lunch. Whether it’s unbearably hot, miserably cold or somewhere in between, long days won’t make a dent in your resolve when you’re running a 6R. You’ll have big-time performance for tough jobs … and plenty of comfort for whatever Mother Nature throws your way.

ComfortView™ Cab: The name says it all The ComfortView cab is ideal for the high-hour user. It’s spacious and user-friendly. The automotive style gauges, easy-to-access controls, and standard features such as tilt, telescoping steering wheel and adjustable air seat get you in the right position. And for greater rearward visibility, get 30 degrees of right hand seat swivel with CommandARM™-equipped cabs. Power where you need it With hitch lift capacity of up to 11,990 pounds (5,438 kg) and hydraulic fow of up to 41 gpm (155 lpm), you’ll have power for big implements and fast cycle times. The 6R features a closedcenter, pressure and fow compensated hydraulic system for effciency and reliability.

Redesigned hydraulic stack for simplicity and improved visibility.

New PowerTech™ engines put productivity in the driver’s seat The 6R is all about productivity. With models from 105 to 215 hp, you’ll fnd the size to ft your operation, each with a power bulge that responds instantly to increased horsepower requirements. All engines also include Intelligent Power Management for a boost of up to 40 extra horses. Get the right gear for the job A tractor this versatile needs a transmission to match. That’s why the 6R comes standard with the AutoQuad™ PLUS. You get four power-shiftable gears in each range. Or for even more fne-tuning, try the DirectDrive™. It gives you the convenience of our Infnitely Variable Transmis-

Get IVT convenience and mechanical effciency with DirectDrive.

Scott Garvey

Corner er offce comfort comes standard.

sion™ (IVT) with the effciency of an allmechanical transmission. Just pick one of three ranges and go automatic. Or select manual mode for more control. You can also choose other options, including a full IVT, and a 50 kmh (31 mph) option for fast transport. GreenStar™ ready for precision* With the GreenStar and AutoTrac™ options, you can step into precision quickly and easily. The GS3 Command-Center™ and 7 or 10 inch display helps you program and monitor many tractor functions as well as compatible implements. You can also run a variety of precision software applications for tractor control, mapping, and documentation. Available with technology that helps improve your effciency.

Comfortable and in command Don’t let weather conditions or tough chores slow you down. Get the comfort, power, and convenience of a 6R and you’ll be ready to take on the day … whatever the day brings.

The 6R can take on tillage or planting duties and utility chores with authority. *Requires the installation of TLS front axle with brake.

Work in comfort. Work without limits. 60498-5_8.125x10.Indd 1

JohnDeere.ca

11/12/14 12:36 PM

/ grainews.ca DECEMBER 2, 2014

Machinery & Shop e-QuipTV

Another new Grainews video is online Our latest e-QuipTV episode looks at New Holland’s Boomer 3000 Series tractors By Scott Garvey

he next time you’re surfing the net stop by Grainew.ca and check out the latest online e-QuipTV episode. Filmed at New Holland’s Pennsylvania head office, Grainews was there when product reps introduced the latest versions of the brand’s 3000 Series Boomer compact utility tractors. To find it go to http://www.grainews.ca/video/grainews-takes-alook-at-nhs-compact-utility-tractors, or just look for the e-QuipTV listings under the videos tab at Grainews.ca. †

Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews. Contact him at Scott.Garvey@fbcpublishing.com.

Farm life

Fall fair time

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ocal residents watched the cattle sale from the pens at the Edam Fall Fair on Oct. 25. The fair featured a commercial cattle show and sale, purebred bull pen show, trade show, pancake breakfast and fundraising auction. Commercial bred heifers averaged just over $2,700 at the sale. Fair organizers also raised over $18,000 for Stars Ambulance through a birdhouse auction. For more show and sale results, check the show’s official Twitter feed — @ Edam_Fall_Fair. †

Lisa Guenther

DECEMBER 2, 2014 grainews.ca /

Cattleman’s Corner GUEST COLUMN

Christmas is (not) for children BY STAN HARDER

s a young child, few events created as much excitement and enthusiastic anticipation as the beautifully trimmed spruce tree being set up in the far corner of their living room at our maternal grandma and grandpa’s house at the start of the Christmas holiday season. This was the certain sign Christmas was just around the corner and with it potentially wonderful surprise gifts from Santa, candy canes, sweetened popcorn balls, decorated sugar cookies, fresh apples hung from this tree’s branches by their stems and, incredibly now on reflection, wax candles in upright tin holders actually burning with live fire at the ends of the longest branches on Christmas day. This sacred tree represented our fondest childhood hopes, images of vast treasures soon to be ours filled our souls, their acquisition recognized as being impossibly remote other than at the now imminent arrival of a wonderfully munificent Christmas. And when random shaped, coloured paper packages began to appear by unexplained magic in the open expanse below the lowest spreading branches, our enchantment became almost unbearable. Santa Claus was a real person who dealt kindly with our wildly vivid childhood dreams and us.

He knew with absolute certainty what we needed but more importantly, what we most desperately (and secretly) wanted. Our parents admonished us not to ask for “frivolous” things for Santa thoroughly disapproved of kids who were irresponsible enough to ask for things like expensive toys, expensive being anything that had to be bought rather than made by hand. But Santa would keep a child’s secret and while we indeed wished for things like new mittens and knitted socks when parents were around, secretly we confided to Santa that other things as well, perhaps a single Tinker Toy, would be received most gratefully, and invariably a compassionate aunt or uncle would become our invisible Santa for the day. Those years are long past.

CHRISTMAS EVERY DAY Christmas as a special day for anxiously eager children has all but ceased to be an integral part of today’s increasingly childcentred society. There are few hopes and dreams of special gifts to come since affluent parents no longer wait for Christmas to shower their modern families with virtually everything that might once have been considered a special occasion present. Such giving (and receiving) is now all too frequently seen as basic entitlement by both chil-

dren and parents with no accompanying sentiment other than instant gratification. Increasing numbers of us may heartily condemn what we perhaps see as excessive commercialization of Christmas but we can nonetheless be found simultaneously elbowing aside other shoppers frantically looking for bargain gift items which few people, in truth, actually want never mind need. But this is what folks in our culture do in the Christmas season, almost it seems by addictive

compulsion and we dare not be the visible exception. Families not necessarily motivated by religious conviction may none-the-less set this day aside for kinfolk gatherings wherever possible. The word “Christmas” alone still holds enough authority to move people to great lengths to spend even one day with their families entirely for the sake of doing so. More of us are beginning to see Christmas as less of a meaningless gift exchange time than as a positive reason for families to mould relationships, even if only once a year, in preservation of mutual regard and affection. Most retired folks have in substance become almost indifferent to packages beneath the tree. We still exchange presents, not from need or even recognition of wants but increasingly in nostalgic commemoration of how things used to be, or at least how we remember them to have been.

WHAT’S IMPORTANT Our own decorated tree has become a deep and lasting reservoir of fond memories of many friends and family members long departed and more who are still with us, however distant in miles. There was a time when a popular gift for virtually any occasion was a personalized Christmas tree ornament, and as we now attach and dismantle these aging decora-

tions, each ornament represents a timeless, beautifully reminiscent overtone for reflection on those regrettably fleeting years of our once vibrant youth. We thoughtfully handle these aged curios with great tenderness so we might savour the warm memory of their love-based origins of so many years ago. For a few brief moments those gone before live again in fond recollection and heartfelt esteem symbolized by something as seemingly transient as one lone Christmas tree decoration, but still highly cherished and finding its own special place on our tree one more time. As we reach out to each adornment in turn we receive more soul value from every tender touch than from any other gift we could possibly have been given. Christmas may be passing as a time for creating fond memories in today’s rising generation but for those of us on the other side of this age divide, Christmas only grows more precious each fleeting year. And oh — our favourite tree ornament? A corn husk angel (now without wings) that still tops our evergreen tree every Christmas made by our then 13-year old daughter — in 1976. † Merry Christmas Stan Harder was a long-time beef producer in northeast Alberta, now enjoying retirement in Grand Forks, B.C.

THE MARKETS

Cattle fundamentals remain healthy JERRY KLASSEN MARKET UPDATE

ed cattle prices in Alberta continue to hover between $168 to $172 due to tighter market-ready supplies, steady consumer demand and a weaker Canadian dollar. Cattle on feed numbers continue to come in below year-ago levels in both Canada and the U.S. Cheaper feed grain prices have allowed feedlots to hold cattle and be patient with sales providing the upper hand in weekly negotiations. Positive economic data confirms an increase in consumer spending and a yearover-year increase in disposable income. Finally, weaker crude oil values and the stronger greenback have weighed on the Canadian dollar enhancing fed cattle and wholesale beef prices. Feeder cattle values have been quite volatile over the past month, trading in a wide range from week to week. Average prices for calves and yearlings remain at historical highs but the market is discerning providing premiums for quality and discounts for stressed cattle. Barley prices have been percolating higher since the harvest period but this has done little to temper demand for feeder cat-

tle as feedlot margins are very healthy. U.S. demand for feeder cattle in Manitoba and Eastern Saskatchewan will keep exports above year-ago levels over the winter period.

U.S. HERD IS EXPANDING Throughout 2014, U.S. quarterly beef production has been running sharply below year-ago levels and this trend will continue into the first quarter of 2015. The number of beef cows in slaughtered in the U.S. from Jan. 1 through Sept. 30 was 1.96 million head, down 400,000 head for the same period of 2013. The number of heifers slaughtered for the same time period was 6.38 million head, down 600,000 head from 2013. It is now clear the U.S. cattle complex in the expansion phase, which causes an initial drawdown in supplies. However, it is important to note that for 2015, the year-over-year decline in beef production is only marginally lower than in 2014. Looking at past history, the sharpest decline in beef production is in the first year of expansion because in subsequent years, additional calves start to come on the market. Quarterly pork production estimates show larger supplies in the fourth quarter of this year. For 2015, first-quarter pork production is estimated at 5.9 billion pounds, up from the 2014 first quarter of

5.8 billion pounds. Pork production during 2015 will be above 2014 in each quarter as higher hog prices have encouraged expansionary activity. In Canada, from Jan. through Nov. 1, the number of heifers slaughtered was up 10 per cent over 2013 while the number of cows in the slaughter mix was down eight per cent. Total beef production for the first 10 months of 2014 was 843,127 mt, up two per cent from 823,188 mt during the same timeframe in 2013. Canadian beef production is actually above year-ago levels while the number of cattle slaughtered is up four per cent. Exports of fresh and chilled cuts of beef to the U.S. were 139,000 mt from January 1 through September 30, up 12 per cent from the same period of 2013. The U.S. is easily absorbing the larger beef production from Canada due to their lower production levels.

GOOD ECONOMIC TRENDS Recent economic data from Canada and the U.S. remains in a positive trend. Canadian unemployment levels dropped to 6.5 per cent in October, which was a six-year low. The U.S. unemployment also fell to 5.8 per cent in October, also the lowest level since 2008. U.S. employers have added jobs for nine straight months and this trend will likely continue into December.

U.S. consumer confidence is now at the highest level since July 2007, which reflects that the economy is firing on all cylinders and consumers are optimistic about their future. It is important to realize that at-home and away-from-home spending surged in September and preliminary data reflects a similar trend in October. This is quite counter-seasonal because usually September and October are slower months for restaurant traffic and household budges usually tighten once school starts. Now that the seasonally slower periods of consumption are behind us, November and December look positive for both at-home and away-from-home food spending largely due to favourable economics and optimistic outlook for the average household. Cumulative U.S. at-home food spending is running 3.7 per cent above 2013 and away- from-home food spending is up 4.0 per cent. Consumer financial health remains in positive territory to support retail and wholesale beef values at the current levels. Feedlot margins in Alberta and Saskatchewan are in the range of $150 to $170 per head which has been the major factor driving the feeder cattle market. In the U.S. Southern Plains, feedlot margins are hovering just above $200 per head. Canadian feeder cattle exports to the U.S. from Jan. 1 through Oct. 25 were a

whopping 342,000 head, up 45 per cent over last year. This is a significant factor sustaining the feeder market in Western Canada and the stronger margin structure and weaker Canadian dollar should cause this export trend to continue over the winter period. Barley prices in the Lethbridge area were hovering at $188/mt in early November, up from the harvest lows of $155/mt. The fundamental structure for barley is historically tight for the 2014-15 crop year and I wouldn’t be surprised to see barley prices increase an additional $30/mt over the winter. This is a factor that could temper the strength in feeder cattle prices next spring as feeding margins come under pressure. The year-over-year decline in U.S. beef production and stronger consumer spending is expected to keep fed cattle prices near historical highs into January. The market could see $5 swings on either side of current levels because of the extreme sensitivity to fundamental changes. Feeder cattle prices are expected to stay firm but rising barley prices could weigh on the market over the winter. Feeder cattle exports to the U.S. are expected to remain strong underpinning the western Canadian market. † 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 gklassen7@hotmail.com or call 204 899 8268.

/ grainews.ca DECEMBER 2, 2014

Cattleman’s Corner ANIMAL HEALTH

Snow can be excellent water source ROY LEWIS ANIMAL HEALTH

or eons, wild animals in Canada especially the large herbivores have relied on snow as their primary water source through the winter. It has been shown that some wild species like reindeer actually prefer snow if given a choice. Canadian ruminants, especially pregnant beef and bison cows and heifers, can do well eating snow. On the other hand, I have multiple clients who go to elaborate lengths to make sure their cattle get access to water through the winter. Since we have already in many areas have had adequate snowfall this year the practice of eating snow has become a timely topic. What are some of the facts about common winter watering practices?

SNOW CAN WORK WELL In several studies done in Alberta and Montana where cold weather and adequate snowfall were present all results were very consistent. There was no change in either body fat of the cows and birth weights of the resulting calves, whether animals ate snow or had another water source. Some studies even followed it further to the subsequent weaning weights of the calves and found them unaffected as well. Fertility and days till rebreeding were also unaffected. Unless there is inadequate snow or it is extremely crusted from rains it can be a totally acceptable practice in mature large ruminants (cattle, bison and elk). In late pregnancy where fetal fluids increase

and into calving more water is necessary to produce good-quality colostrum and milk. In those situations, and if the cows are lacking adequate body condition, water is necessary. Cattle are generally brought in closer to the yard for calving and access to water is readily available then. The rest of the time snow consumption will not have any detrimental effect on your mature cattle.

NEED TO MONITOR Fresh snow is very clean and has no fecal contamination; dirty snow however could promote transmission of internal parasites. You must monitor body condition since lack of water will reduce feed consumption and animals will drop condition rapidly if H2O (water or snow) is deficient. Gauntness in the flanks is the first telltale signs. Weight loss over the ribs and spine are visible next. Watch the consistency of the manure as less water of course causes a dryness and stiffness to the cow patties. Eating snow is a learned behaviour so if its new to them livestock may take up to three days to adjust to eating snow. Keep in mind the requirements for water will drop in the winter as the temperature declines. I use an average rule of 10 per cent body weight in summer or about one gallon per 100 lbs. It drops to 2/3 or less in the cold winter. Silage feeding over the years has also decreased the water requirements because of the moisture in it (between 50 and 60 per cent). Livestock must have access to fresh snow so that must be watched closely and there is no doubt the smaller framed cattle do better under this management scheme. There are many benefits to eating snow as it relates to man-

PHOTO: FILE

As long as livestock have plenty of clean, fresh snow research shows that should be sufficient to meet winter watering needs. Pregnant cows, however, should have access to fresh flowing water as they get closer to calving. Moisture in silage also helps to meet livestock water requirements in winter. agement and costs on your farm. Stockpiled pastures or remote and protected wintering areas can be utilized. You save electricity costs by not heating watering bowls and running pumping systems. This is notwithstanding the large initial costs to trenching in lines or purchasing all-weather watering systems. By moving the feeding area the manure is spread out considerably eliminating the need for manure removal. The calving yards can also be kept totally clean until needed In our area we experienced a drought for a few years so this practice of eating snow takes some of the pressure off of farm dugouts or wells that become taxed supplying water year-round. Every year there are one or two wrecks in our area of a producer losing multiple head of cattle after they fall through the dugout ice. This almost invariably occurs when producers cut holes in the ice for the cattle to water. Not only do they

risk drowning, there also gets to be a large concentration of manure on the ice, which in spring contaminates the water. I still remember several years ago seeing an aerial photograph of cattle being watered through a hole in the ice on the Red Deer River. With all the manure on the ice and the thought of communities downstream getting their drinking water from this same source, environmental groups could have a heyday with it. This practice would not happen today. Eating snow on vast expanses of land gets away from these types of environmental concerns.

COWS HAVE ENERGY It was once thought the energy to melt the snow could decrease feed efficiency by taking too much energy to melt. This has since been disproven especially if the livestock must walk a long way to find a thawed water source — that takes energy as well. The heat

created in the rumen during the digestion process easily melts the snow. Thin cows are an exception to this rule and snow watering will make their condition worse. If thin cows back off eating snow compaction is a real possibility. Overall there are no detrimental health aspects to withholding liquid water from cattle or bison for long periods during the winter months when they are not heavily pregnant. You do need to make sure there is adequate fresh snow. And closer to calving, fresh water should be given as the demands on colostrum and milking necessitate water being readily available. Snow watering may prove to be convenient and a cost effective method for your operation. It is also very environmentally friendly and adds to the concept of cattle being very sustainable on our land. † Roy Lewis is an Alberta-based veterinarian specializing in large-animal practice. He is also a part-time technical services vet for Merck Animal Health.

BETTER BUNKS AND PASTURES

Sulphur in some DDGs can poison cattle Don’t avoid DDGs but make sure overall feed sulphur is within tolerance levels. High sulphur can lead to brain disorder and even death in some cattle — have feed tested PETER VITTI

ried distillers’ grains or DDGs can be purchased from a broker for about $200 per tonne. This attractive price makes it a good feed replacement for a variety of high energy and protein supplements for growing and overwintering beef cattle. However, be aware that incoming loads of DDGs often contain high amounts of sulphur that can seriously injure cattle health and performance. It’s a good idea to test purchased DDGs for sulphur content (as well as other byproducts) to establish safe DDGs feed guidelines. Under normal circumstances, sulphur is digested like many of the other essential minerals. Sulphur is released from ingested feed by fermentation in the rumen and is taken up

by the rumen microorganisms. These bacteria convert a substantial portion of it into essential amino acids such as methionine/ cysteine as well as vitamins thiamine and biotin. Such important end products are eventually taken up by cattle and are involved in many different vital functions ranging from acid-base balance of cells, carbohydrate and protein metabolism to vitamin co-factors in active enzymes. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take much sulphur in DDGs to poison cattle.

SULPHUR FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES Sulphur toxicity in cattle begins when the total intake of sulphur from DDGs and other feed ingredients and sulphates in water exceeds an invisible boundary of 0.4 per cent of cattle’s dry matter feed intake. This level is about three times their natural sulphur requirement for beef cattle of 0.15 per cent and the starting point by which the cow’s rumen fluid

literarily becomes polluted with large amounts of dissolved sulfurous compounds. That’s because the rumen microorganisms cannot convert enough incoming dietary sulphur into the above usable S-containing nutrients. As a result, excessive amounts of hydrogen sulphide gas is produced from incomplete sulfurous rumen fermentation, which is finally belched out by cattle. Since most cattle breathe back this poisonous gas into their lungs, absorbed sulphur dioxide is then transported via the blood and ends up in their brains. It is thought this feedback induces a thiamine deficiency, which leads to a brain disorder or polioencephalomalacia (PEM). PEM-affected herds may have one or two cattle with visible symptoms of distress, while other animals show no outward clinical signs. Because it is a brain disorder, common symptoms of PEM are: disorientation, staggering in circles, blindness and pressing their head against objects. Other associ-

ated signs are respiratory distress and reduced feed intake. Death is common among PEM animals.

NEGATIVELY AFFECTS OTHER ELEMENTS Although, not much is known how excessive dietary sulphur induces PEM in cattle, science has proven a link between sulphur and its negative effect upon the absorption and metabolism of copper in cattle; it tends to intensify an already existing molybdenum antagonism toward copper in the cattle’s body. With no direct reference to either PEM or a secondary copper deficiency in cattle, the general conscience among beef producers and nutritionists for years has been that 30 per cent DDGs can be added to diet of most beef cattle with no major repercussions. (i.e.: dry matter intake loss). Because some beef producers were seeing some PEM and copper deficiencies at this approximate one-third DDGs feeding level, some ruminant specialists

lowered their DDGs recommendations to 15 per cent DDGs of the diet (dry matter basis). Keep in mind when following either recommendation the sulphur content of DDGs widely ranges from 0.6 – 1.1 per cent S and ultimately each load of DDGs should be tested, respectively. More complex diets may also contain a combination of feed ingredients, with can have high sulphur levels, such as malt sprouts (0.85 per cent), canola meal (1.2 per cent), and beet pulp (1.0 per cent). By citing these two immediate DDGs recommendations, anyone with a DDGs sulphur analysis could put their feed load to the golden rule test: “Make sure that sulphur intake from all dietary sources (including water) does not exceed 0.4 per cent of dry matter intake.” Test DDGs for sulphur level and calculate DDGs feeding limits to reduce the risk of sulphur toxicity. † Peter Vitti is an independent livestock nutritionist and consultant based in Winnipeg. To reach him call 204-254-7497 or by email at vitti@mts.net.

DECEMBER 2, 2014 grainews.ca /

Cattleman’s Corner ANYONE CAN START FARMING

Snow introduces a few seasons DEBBIE CHIKOUSKY

or our family, the opening day of rifle hunting season means the cows are supposed to be home. This year we were a bit behind, lulled, just a bit, by the lovely fall weather. It had been cool but snow had stayed away until midNovember and it was still warm enough for the dugouts to be open. Feeding the cattle out on pasture is always nicer than having them at home — but then it snowed. It actually snowed on opening morning of hunting season which brought back memories of when we were still living in the city and my husband and father-in-law would venture out in snowstorms so as not to miss the opening morning shoot. Fast forward 30 years and the first snowfall was met instead with us chopping holes in the ice and rushing our cattle home. We have an open tractor so it is as much a convenience for people as it is for the cows for all to be home once winter is really here. Our sheep and goat herds are not totally grass based and our hay is not going to be a high enough quality to be their only feed. In the past the most successful products we have used for them was field peas ground finely in combination with field pea screenings. Whole peas are also

available from a local processing plant but without proper milling machinery they are unacceptable to feed small ruminants due to their capacity to damage teeth. The field peas are very palatable and protein usually ranges from 20 to 27 per cent and energy 88 to 90 per cent TDN (total digestible nutrients) making them a great choice for creep feeds. Luckily the local processing plant feed tests their screenings which showed us that their pea screenings average about 10 per cent protein, making them a great choice for a base grain to build a ration on. Apparently supply of these will be tight this winter but we are still hopeful.

PROTEIN LICK TUBS One option we are exploring for the sheep and goats is using lick tubs. They are not the cheapest alternative but they are the easiest way to let each animal get what they require. The biggest selling feature right now is that we wouldn’t have to feed both a mineral and a protein supplement so that also lowers labour input. The tubs for sheep and goats that are all natural with no urea and no added copper (which makes them unadvisable for goats actually) run $134 for a 200-pound tub. If their consumption remains the same it would cost us 11 cents a day to feed the tub which is more than a pound of barley but the tub eliminates the need to buy vitamin supplements. When we fed protein lick tubs in the past, a tub

lasted almost a month and the sheep wintered very well on them. We are feeding a high-quality salt/mineral called Sea90 (www.seaagri.com) which rounds out their ration very well. Our beef herd will be another challenge. Our forage will be a combination of hays, as well as timothy straw. We used a bit of it last year but need to depend on it more this season since it was too wet to finish the haying season. According to Alberta Agriculture, grass-seed straw (timothy straw in our case) is a feed alternative for beef cattle. A 1,350-pound mature beef cow in decent shape going into winter will require a minimum of 6.5 per cent crude protein (CP) and 50 per cent TDN. As the cow approaches late pregnancy (the last six weeks prior to calving), protein and energy needs increase to 7.5 per cent CP and 54 per cent TDN. After calving a cow’s protein needs rise to 11 per cent and TDN to 63 per cent when the demands of milking and post calving recuperation come. Timothy straw, on its own, averages a 4.9 per cent protein content with a 57 per cent TDN. This will not be our only hay but our mature cows are going to be fed it as a portion of their forage allotment. The easiest way to increase usage of the timothy straw appears to be with the addition of molasses in the form of a liquid feed supplement. Molasses will encourage cattle to eat the timothy to utilize the nutritional value that is there and at the same time improve the nutritional quality of the feed.

STICK WITH FORAGES We have been totally grass-based for years now. Grain feeding cattle without an infrastructure could be tricky plus we would be unable to sell our cattle into our current niche market. Years ago there

was a product available in our area called Kamlik, now known as A-1 Nutrition, which was used by pouring it onto the bales, making the feed more palatable and more digestible. Research being done on dairies utilizing liquid protein supplements looks very promising. According to the studies at the University of Guelph in 2012 the average increase in dry matter intake with the liquid sugar supplements was 1.1kg/day. Although this isn’t a huge amount it had other positive impacts on the cows. They chewed more, produced more saliva and as a result had a higher rumen pH. This created a cycle of higher dry matter intake — in our case timothy straw — and a higher level of total carbohydrate fermented in the rumen. The sugars in the liquid supplement (based on molasses) apparently helps to increase fiber digestion. This science isn’t new. Fifty-eight years ago scientists discovered that by adding molasses to livestock diets the cellulose digestion increased while feeding starch (grain) decreases cellulose digestion. Beneficial rumen bugs grow the best on simple sugars. It will be an experiment this winter but the decision will be to use the A-1 Nutrition product to help our cows through the winter. The goats are going to be offered this product in its liquid form in a lick tank. We are in the process of devising a feeder goats cannot climb on or get their feet into. The sheep will get the tubs. It is a funny thing on our farm — we have been reading and researching the use of molasses for a while now but until it was a necessity nothing changed. We are hopeful the plan works. † Debbie Chikousky farms with her family at Narcisse, Manitoba. Visitors are always welcome. Contact Debbie at debbie@chikouskyfarms.com.

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The Dairy Corner feed management

Push up a diet of stable DMI for optimum milk production BY PETER VITTI

or years, getting lactating dairy cows to eat as much dry matter intake (DMI) as possible has been a common goal among dairy specialists aimed at getting cows to produce more milk. Some of these specialists took note of the more extensive university and extension dairy trials, which report that maximum feed intake is still very important, but it means a lot more than just dumping a total mixed ration (TMR) containing essential nutrients in front of milk cows. Many dairy producers are striving to feed nutritious diets that high-producing cows like to eat, optimize consistent everyday feed intake, produce exceptional rumen health and also require a shovel-full of common sense right at the cows’ feed bunk.

KNOW THE BASICS One of the first things that producer might do before making any substantial changes to existing lactation diets to optimize DMI/increase milk production, is to be particularly aware of the natural laws of general feed consumption by dairy cows.

This means that early high-milkproducing cows should be on target to consume 3.5 to 4.0 per cent of their bodyweight in dry matter feed by nine to 10 weeks after calving. This target sets the tone for the rest of the lactation cycle — for every extra kilo of DMI that a cow eats at peak milk production (i.e. accounting for the natural lag between maximum milk yield and maximum dry matter intake) yields an extra 2.0 to 2.5 kilos of milk per day until she is dried-off at 10 months post-partum. And most large (600 to 700 kg) mature cows will consume about 22 to 27 kg of dry matter feed at peak feed intake. Smaller and growing first-calf heifers should eat about 20 to 25 kilos (DMI, basis). Regardless of these prime DMI targets, dairy cows will only eat so much “as fed” feed, because moisture content adds simple bulk to the dairy diet. Large and early lactation mature cows consume about 43 to 47 kilos of the feed that is put in front them, while younger and smaller cows often eat no more than 40 to 44 kilos of the same diet. By keeping DMI and “as fed” values in perspective, farmers should be able to estimate how much total ration to feed to the herd daily. They should also be monitoring how many old and young early-

lactating cows are entering the herd as well as counting the remainder of the herd milking in mid- and late lactation. Similarly, consistent everyday DMI/as fed feed intake should be viewed as another important signal to the dairy producer that the rumen of each high-producing cow is working efficiently. Rumen microbes digest forage fibre and grain starch, turning them into available energy for body maintenance functions, reproduction and high milk performance. They also break down dietary protein into simple compounds, incorporate them into their own bodies, and inadvertently supply the cow with most of the cows’ protein needs. Unbalanced dairy diets, poor feed quality and rapid feed changes upset such sensitive feed fermenters and can quickly derail optimum feed intake.

MAINTAINING PROPER RUMEN FUNCTION Dairy producers can manage good rumen function in their cows and therefore achieve optimum and consistent feed intake among their cows by applying the following dairy barn suggestions: • Feed high-quality feed. Forage quality is the foundation of all

good feeding programs. Highquality forage supports higher and more consistent DMI due to their lower unusable fibre content and greater in-depth digestion by the microbes that provides essential nutrients for milk production. Avoid feeding mouldy or spoiled forage and grains. • Provide adequate “effective forage fibre.” The dairy diet should contain 28 to 32 per cent NDF with 75 per cent of this NDF coming from the forages. Effective forage fibre promotes natural “cud chewing” in the herd to buffer the pH of the rumen and helps prevent detrimental acidosis. If you have difficulty finding cud chewing cows; not enough effective fibre is being fed. • Formulate a palatable and “rumen-friendly diet.” This point goes beyond merely feeding enough “effective forage fibre.” For example: feed a portion of the grain that has slower rates of starch digestion (re: corn versus barley) as well as avoid feeding excessive amounts of unsaturated fats and/or bypass fats. Make sure to limit feed unpalatable feed ingredients such as blood meal (bypass protein source). • Know DMI and “as-fed” intake — A spot check or even weekly schedule of DMI and as-fed intake of the lactation herd, the moisture content of the diet, and milk fat bulk tests should be recorded. These are indicators of healthy rumens and underlie optimum dry matter intake/milk production. Actual emerging patterns from this data should be periodically reviewed.

• Impose “common sense” bunk management. TMR should be delivered at the same time of the day and should be pushed up at least three to four times during the day. Dairy producers should never allow bunks to go empty or force cows to wait to be fed, or until all feed (including feed refusal) to be eaten before more fresh feed is provided. • Check your mixer wagon. Make sure your feed mixer is working properly to deliver a consistent TMR mix at every feeding. Although mixing times can vary for a number of reason, most producers target three to five minutes to make a homogenous feed mix. • Do a daily barn walk. It is important that average body condition of most lactation cows ranges from 3.0 to 3.5 out of five. Beware of possible acidotic cows in your herd (watch out for gaunt cows, cows not chewing their cud, cows not going to the feed bunk, nutritional lameness). Check out the manure. It should be generally of porridge-like “consistency” (indicator of consistent feed intake and digestibility). These recommendations are practical points in an all-inclusive action plan for optimal DMI and ‘as fed’ intake of a well-balanced and mixed dairy diet consumed by good milk cows. Ideally, if they eat dairy diets with vigour every day, they should consume essential nutrients, remain healthy and fill the bulk tank. † Peter Vitti is an independent livestock nutritionist and consultant based in Winnipeg. To reach him call 204-254-7497 or by email at vitti@mts.net.

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Cattleman’s Corner RANCHER’S DIARY

And then fall turned to winter HEATHER SMITH THOMAS

NOVEMBER 1

ndrea and Em had a wonderful experience at the WBC (World Burn Congress) in Anaheim, California. The four days were filled with inspiring speakers and burn survivors sharing their stories. Andrea and Em reconnected with friends they met at earlier WBC events, and met new ones — the WBC is the annual gathering of a huge support group in which they help one another and celebrate life after a burn. On their trip home, they visited several friends and relatives, including Emily’s friend Eduardo. Emily met him at an earlier WBC when he was a new burn survivor. They also visited Ray (my cousin’s husband; Kit is my twin cousin, who died earlier this year). He was delighted to meet Emily. During the week they were gone, we helped take care of the younger kids. Saturday Lynn took another block of salt to the 320 on his four-wheeler. That afternoon Dani and I made a fast ride on Ed and Dottie to check the cows. Sunday Lynn shut off all our ditches before weather gets colder and they start freezing up. The next day we let the weaned heifers into the little pasture above the orchard, where there is a lot of green grass regrowth. Tuesday I rode Ed to the 320 to check cows and most of them were down on the low end so I moved them back up to the top. It was a little tricky, with the ground frozen. I didn’t want Ed falling down on the steep slopes. That afternoon we picked up the kids at school and took Charlie’s change of clothes before his performance at the Salmon

Idol (singing contest). He did a great job, but his mom didn’t get home in time to hear it. Andrea was exhausted after the long drive home and we didn’t ride the next day. We rode Thursday, Rishiam’s 65th ride since she got him. He was pretty good after nine days off. We rode the ridge to the 320 and found most of the cows down again. We moved them up Baker Creek and out through the timber at the top. When we got home, I took Dottie’s bridle off and started to lead her across the driveway when she suddenly fell forward. I thought she tripped, then realized her front leg had gone through the driveway surface into a deep hole — up past her knee! The old culvert Lynn put in more than 40 years ago (for the ditch) had rusted out and a big hole eroded alongside it. Dottie just happened to step on the right spot to fall through. Luckily it was her (and not a vehicle tire), and I was leading her and not on her. We put a tire over the hole so no one would step in it or drive over it. Yesterday Lynn ordered several long lengths of culvert.

NOVEMBER 7 Last Sunday and Monday Michael dug out the old rusty culvert with the backhoe, then he and Lynn placed the new culverts (coupled together). Michael hauled three dumptruck loads of dirt to bed the pipe and smooth out the driveway. Andrea and I didn’t ride Sunday while they were working on the culvert, but rode on Monday to check cattle. Rishiam was nervous about the machinery and noise, and didn’t want to be caught, so Michael shut off the backhoe. Andrea got him saddled, but when she tried to bridle him he was still upset and reverted back to his earlier phobia — raising his head up and stepping backward. Andrea finally had to resort to our earlier

PHOTO: HEATHER SMITH THOMAS

It was finally time to replace a 40-year-old pipe that had served as a culvert under the driveway. Michael got the new culvert installed and after a couple loads of gravel, yard flow was back to normal. trick, taking the bridle apart and putting it over his ears first. She felt badly that he regressed, after all the progress she’d made the past couple of months. The good note was that after she finally got him bridled and rode to the 320 to check cows, Rishiam did really well. We had to move the cows higher again, and he did a great job. He’s now at ease around the cattle and becoming a useful cow horse. The ground wasn’t frozen that day, and we were able to safely scramble around on the steep hillsides to head some wayward heifers. November 4 was Dani’s birthday and I drew horses on T-shirts for her. My first shipment of books arrived that afternoon (Horse Tales: True Stories from an Idaho Ranch) so I gave one to Dani for her birthday. She was delighted to discover that she is in some of the photos. Michael and Carolyn left yesterday morning on a two-day drive to Wisconsin. They’ve never been to one of Nick’s track meets while he’s been in college in Iowa, so they wanted to go to his final regional meet (in La Crosse, Wisconsin) and surprise him.

NOVEMBER 13 Saturday was cold. Andrea and Dani rode with me to the 320 to check cows and move the low ones back up the ridge to the high grass. Then we rode down Baker Creek to check the water. Even though the ground was frozen in that canyon, the little creek was still open and accessible for the cattle to drink. Monday was cold, windy and snowing, so we didn’t ride. Michael and Carolyn drove home from Iowa after taking Nick back to college following the track meet. The arctic storm was hitting the Dakotas and Montana so they chose a more southern route to come home, through Wyoming. They drove for 22 hours straight and got here at 4:30 a.m. Tuesday morning, exhausted after driving through wind and bad weather. It was very cold that morning. Later in the day they drove their little truck up to the 320 and checked on the cows. With the wind and cold, Baker Creek froze. They opened the gate and brought the cows down to the lower half of that pasture (it has more sunshine), where they could water in the insu-

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and each one taught me a lot — not just about horses and riding, but about life and responsibility, patience, respect and trust, consistency and perseverance.” Thomas is the author of 20 books and countless articles on horsemanship, stockmanship and animal health care. Each story in Horse Tales centres on the author’s experiences with a specific animal, and is infused with lessons on life, family and stockmanship. Together, the stories comprise a beautiful memoir about a remarkable life with horses, and offer a unique glimpse into ranch life in rural Idaho. The 282-page book, priced at $24.95, will be available at Amazon.com, BarnesAndNoble. com, Powells.com and other online retailers. Learn more about the book at www.ajman gum.com. †

Heather Smith Thomas ranches with her husband Lynn near Salmon, Idaho. Contact her at 208-756-2841.

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Heather writes about horses ong-time Grainews columnist Heather Smith Thomas, who has been horse crazy as long as she remembers, has just released a new book chronicling a lifetime of her relationship with horses. Horse Tales: True Stories from an Idaho Ranch has just been published by the Colorado media venture The Frontier Project Inc. It is a collection of 22 nonfiction stories about the horses that helped define Thomas’s life in the ranch country outside Salmon, Idaho. Thomas, who ranches with her husband Lynn and family members, has been writing her Rancher’s Diary column for Grainews for more than 30 years. “This book is about the horses in my life,” Thomas writes in the preface to HorseTales. “They all had very different personalities

lated trough next to the 160-acre pasture. A few years ago we dug out that spring and put in a deeper collection box and buried the pipe to the trough. The water comes out of the ground warm and the pipe doesn’t freeze. We have to take ice off the trough in cold weather, but the water keeps running. Today Lynn drove his fourwheeler to the 320 (bundled up against the bitter wind) to break ice on the trough. This morning it was -18 C, but the wind stopped. What a difference the wind makes! When Lynn drove to the 320 this afternoon the ice was only 1-1/4 inches thick on the water trough instead of two inches. This afternoon it started to snow, after Michael, Carolyn, Andrea and Robbie drove up the creek and got three pickup loads of firewood. We have a lot of pine split but no fir to mix with it. The fir produces more heat and holds a fire longer. During cold weather it’s nice to have some fir, so they are hoping to get a few loads before we get a lot of snow and can’t get up that road. †

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