GN120213

Volume 38, Number 4 | February 13, 2012

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PRACTICAL PRODUCTION TIPS FOR THE PRAIRIE FARMER

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5 tips for growing soybeans in a cool climate With new varieties for areas with shorter growing seasons, lots of farmers are considering soybeans for the first time in 2012. Brad Eggum has some production tips you can use

BY BRAD EGGUM

W

estern Canadian farmers have always had a keen interest in growing new crops. Pulses and oilseeds were few and far between 30 years ago where I farm in southeast Saskatchewan. Since then farmers have actively participated as new crops have been tested and refined to meet our environment and slowly worked into our mainstream rotations. Today pulses and oilseeds are the main drivers of wealth on most Prairie farms. This could be why soybeans are catching the eye of so many farmers.

An oilseed crop that grows like a pulse should be very intriguing in its own right. Add to this the fact that soybeans are relatively simple to grow, harbour few diseases, drop-dead bulletproof for shattering and rarely have grading issues, and their allure grows.

“Where in the world you can grow soybeans, you grow soybeans!” I’m not sure where I first read this quote, maybe 20 years ago, but it intrigued me immensely. Of course the perception has always been that north of the 49th parallel is not a place in the world to

grow this crop — that we don’t produce enough heat to nurture a tropical plant to maturity.

So why have soybeans become more popular through southern Manitoba over the past decade, and why are they now pushing boundaries into Saskatchewan, Alberta and northern Manitoba?

Varieties? Partially! Just as important are the agronomic practices behind these varieties — practices which will enhance success in areas with fewer heat units, or into zero till soils, which tend to be cooler.

It’s been said to me that “If you want to fail at growing soybeans in Saskatchewan, just head down to Iowa and learn how to grow them.” This is not a slight against anyone involved in the production and agronomy of soybeans in Iowa. It simply alludes to the fact that there is lots of time and heat to mature the crop in that region, luxuries we don’t have here. We have to tweak the process to mature our crop in the allotted time.

Presently, the earliest-maturing Roundup Ready soybean varieties fall into a range of 2350 to 2450 Crop Heat Units (CHUs). For many of us, this range of CHU accumulation is

PHOTOS: BRAD EGGUM

Brad Eggum’s soybean field near Halbrite, Sask. The yellow strip is a granular inoculant skip, planned as a test strip.

outside our normal window.

However, these early varieties all have a varying degree of photo or daylight sensitivity. Finding the varieties with the most heightened photo sensitivities is very important. These varieties will still mature when less than

ideal CHUs are provided from the environment. Frankly, trial and error has been the method of choice to establish this trait.

This trait is an important factor behind the respectable yields and maturity we’re seeing from certain varieties of soybeans in

In This Issue

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years when their needs for CHUs are not fully achieved.

Once the selection of the cultivar is established, several other practices will enhance maturity and ultimately yields.

» CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

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

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

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Crop Adviser’s Casebook

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Columns ........................... 22 Machinery & Shop ............ 28 Cattleman’s Corner .......... 32

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FEBRUARY 13, 2012

Wheat & Chaff PROTEIN CONTENT LEEANN MINOGUE

“Guess that answers the question about the cows getting enough to eat.”

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When I ran into Saskatchewan farmer Brad Eggum at the Crop Production Show in Saskatoon he was hoarse after two days of working a seed booth at the show.

“Everyone wants to talk about soybeans,” he said, barely able to talk.

Lots of Prairie farmers are looking to try their luck with soybeans in 2012. My husband and I are on that list. After a less-than-mediocre experience a few years ago, we’ll be giving soybeans another chance on our farm. We had planned to seed some last year, but it was too wet to get into the field at all. So far, this has been a dry winter, and we’re optimistic about finally getting some soybeans into the ground.

As new soybean growers, we can certainly use some advice, and I suspect we’re not alone. Since (apparently) Brad Eggum can’t talk to all new soybean growers in person, I asked him to write an article for the cover of this issue of Grainews. He’s done that — I hope you can put his tips to use.

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Of course we’ve been selling canola and pulses in an open market for years. But the end of the Canadian Wheat Board monopoly will bring all kinds of changes to our marketing system. I went to a conference in Saskatoon where some of these changes were discussed.

One of the conference speakers, Bill Wilson, a professor at North Dakota State University’s department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics, said something that caught my attention. When it comes to their ability to hedge risks and forward price their products, some North Dakota farmers believe wheat is the most risky crop they grow.

Although we can use forwardpricing contracts to minimize our risk, just like we do with canola, wheat comes with some added complications.

Canola is a pretty standard product and farmers usually produce a pretty straightforward No. 1 canola. But wheat is a little more finicky and wheat buyers are a little more specific. We’ll need to make sure we’re growing wheat with the exact specifications that buyers want, and selling it exactly when they need it.

If you have story ideas, call us. You can write the article and we’d pay you, or we can write it.

Phone Leeann Minogue at 306-861-2678 Fax to 204-944-5416 Email leeann.minogue@fbcpublishing.com Write to Grainews, 1666 Dublin Ave., Winnipeg, Man. R3H 0H1

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CROP PROTECTION

Off-patent fungicide approved

O

ff-patent ag chemical maker Mana Canada has picked up federal approval for a foliar fungicide’s use against sclerotinia stem rot and alternaria black spot in canola.

Mana Canada, the Canadian arm of Israeli chemical firm Makhteshim Agan, announced the registration of Overall 240 SC, a Group 2 dicarboximide fungicide with the active ingredient iprodione, found also in FMC’s Rovral fungicides.

Overall 240, Mana says, is expected to help protect a canola grower’s investment by controlling sclerotinia and alternaria and helping to produce higher yield and quality.

When applied at 0.85 to 1.25 litres per care at the 20 to 50 per cent bloom stage, Overall is approved to control sclerotinia

and suppress alternaria. For alternaria black spot control, the product is to be applied at the early green pod stage at 1.25 L/ac. or in split applications of 0.43 L/Ac. at the 20-50 per cent bloom and early green pod stages.

Overall is also registered for use in alfalfa seed crops – in Western Canada only — to control sclerotinia stem rot, at 0.851.25 l/ac. at the 20-50 per cent bloom stage.

Group 2 fungicides have a “medium to high risk” of developing fungicide insensitivity in targeted diseases, Mana says.

The company advises farmers to also use a sclerotinia-forecasting tool to reduce unnecessary applications, and to rotate Group 2 fungicides with fungicides in other groups to control the same disease. † AgCanada.com

We’ve already been getting paid for our wheat based on its protein content, Prairie farmers already know how to grow high-protein wheat. What we’ll have to learn quickly is how to get the most for it in the open market.

Justin Daniels, CWB commodity risk manager, spoke about protein at the Crop Production Show in Saskatoon. He talked about how the CWB has been pooling protein premiums as well as prices. The protein premiums we’ve been getting have been based on the average spread between prices for different protein levels throughout the crop year.

Back in January, Daniels told the audience that the spread between prices for 13.0 and 14.0 per cent protein was about $100 per tonne, but that at one point in the year, it had been closer to $150 per tonne.

In March 2011, 14.0 per cent protein was paying a premium of only $80 per tonne as compared with 13.0. And these differences are what the CWB sees at port — spreads may be more volatile at local elevators, depending on what each grain buyer needs from day to day. As Daniels said, “It all depends on the supply and demand fundamentals in your exact location.”

We’ll be able to watch the Winnipeg futures market for general wheat prices, but forecasting the specific price of our wheat will be more difficult.

Futures markets are set up to be very generic. One tonne of spring wheat is one tonne of spring wheat (with 12.5 per cent protein, as specified on the new ICE futures contract). There aren’t provisions for a lot of variability. This is intentional. If the trade contracts were more specific — for example, if you could buy a futures contract for wheat with 12.0 or 13.0 per cent protein — there wouldn’t be enough contracts traded in any one category to keep the price hitched to reality. Generic contracts increase the volume traded and help buyers learn the true price of the product.

We’ll know the price of generic wheat, and we’ll be able to lock in the prices we like (or can live with), but (so far) there’s no way to lock in protein premiums. If we have a bin full of high-protein wheat, we’ll just have to try to sell when the protein spread is as high as possible.

Daniels had a couple of tips to help farmers pull this off: • “You have to be careful what day you bring your grain in.” As protein premiums will vary over

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time, it will make sense to keep a close eye on the premiums, especially when you’re holding highprotein wheat.

• To help with that first tip, Daniels says “make sure you’re really tight with elevator staff.” They can help you find out when your specific grain can bring the highest price.

• “You may have to think about your binning situation a little differently,” Daniels said. If you have some spring wheat with very high protein, it might make sense to bin it separately, so you can capture a large premium on a particular day.

Will it make sense to invest in extra storage so you have more flexibility to take advantage of protein price premium swings? Time will tell.

• Daniels also suggested that, “If you have high protein in one area of the field, you’re going to want to bin that separately.” After he made this comment, one farmer in the audience pointed out that he lives 25 miles from the nearest protein tester. My husband claims that protein in our fields can vary from one end of the field to the other — it’s not always easy to tell high protein from low protein when you’re in the combine cab.

FALLING NUMBERS Protein content will be a big issue, but perhaps not the only one. In the U.S., as Bill Wilson said at the “Operating Successfully in a New Grain Marketing Environment” conference, farmers’ contracts also include other specifications such as moisture, dockage, and falling number.

I wasn’t familiar with the term “falling number.” This is a wheat quality specification that doesn’t get a lot of discussion in Western Canada. But it turns out that buyers care about this measurement.

Falling numbers are important for bakers who need wheat to make a specific product. Baking with wheat that has a low falling number can make your dough sticky, and affect the shelf life of your end product.

The best falling number for a particular baker will depend on exactly what kind of dough they’re planning to make — different buyers will have different specifications.

Most years, conditions are favourable and falling numbers aren’t a big problem. However, once in a while falling numbers will become an issue. And when they do, U. S. farmers delivering grain that doesn’t meet falling number specifications are subject to discounts set at the time of delivery.

Although the buyer at the Dakota Ag Cooperative told me that he hasn’t seen any grain with a low falling number, they do test for it. Samples of all of the grain they buy are sent to the lab for a falling number test. On the rare occasion that they take in grain with falling numbers that don’t meet the specification, the farmer will be subject to a discount between $US0.15 and $0.50 per bushel. Or, if the falling number is very low, they may refuse the grain.

In this issue, Angela Lovell has taken some time to research falling numbers, so we’ll know what we’re dealing with, if this should this ever become an issue in Canada.

Look for her article on page 14. I hope you find it interesting.

Leeann

FEBRUARY 13, 2012

grainews.ca /

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Wheat & Chaff Farm safety

Machinery

Secure your farm. Secure your safety

T

ime was, nobody locked doors or sheds or trucks on the farm. You didn’t have to. But now farm security is a major issue.

Corporal Miles Hiebert is with the RCMP in Manitoba. He says “It’s really important to secure your farm ­­— homes home, sheds, barns, and shops. Particularly because it’s very likely that your neighbours are too far away to see what’s happening on your property.” So security is up to you.

Hiebert has some tips.

• Make a plan. First, think about your property boundaries. Regularly check the condition of fences and gates. Pay attention to slack wiring and investigate the cause. Repair damaged fences as soon as possible.

Contact the RCMP if the fences appear to have been deliberately cut or tampered with.

• Securely mount gates at entrances to the property and other high-risk areas to strong posts, and lock with heavy-duty chains and padlocks when not in use.

• You might consider putting up warning signs on perimeter fencelines and gates to clearly indicate the boundaries of your property to illegal hunters and trespassers, even snowmobilers.

Signs such as “Private Property, No Trespassing” and “No Hunting

without Permission” may assist in the prosecution of trespassers if detected.

Trim trees and shrubs around your house and buildings to reduce hiding places and increase visibility to and from the main residence. Sounds like the city doesn’t it?

• Then, to make it tougher for intruders, Hiebert suggests installing sensor lighting around your house and buildings. Many farmers are putting in alarm systems, or at least video cameras, to deter or assist the RCMP in catching intruders. There are lots of choices for home and barn and buildings: day and night, infrared and digital video recording systems. Remember when a camera on the cows at calving time was pretty radical?

• Lock up your tools, equipment and ladders to prevent them from being stolen or used to gain access to the homestead, sheds, garages or other storage facilities.

And be sure to keep storage and work areas clean and tidy so you’ll notice any theft right away!

Of course, there are many times you just can’t put your equipment back in the shed. So be smart. Park it away from more public areas if you can and make sure you or someone you trust can see it.

Crop Protection

Pocket the key and lock the cab door and the fuel cap. You might consider disabling the equipment by removing the distributor cap, battery or rotor.

Particularly as seeding approaches, Hiebert advises locking your seed, chemical and grain storages. And if you must leave a loaded truck or seeder in the yard overnight, take the key inside with you. Empty sprayer tanks if you have to leave them unattended anywhere.

Of course, keep a full inventory of all pesticides kept onfarm including the product name; manufacturers’ name; a description of the container/s; formulation type; quantities; expiry dates and values. Put this list with your emergency plan so if first-responders need to check, their work will go smoothly.

And once you’ve completed all this security detail, be sure you write down what you’ve done and what you expect others who work and live on your farm to do about security. For a plan template, go to www.planfarmsafety. ca. Then share it with your family, your employees and your local Community Watch team.

Secure your farm. Secure your safety. † From the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association — www.planfarmsafety.ca

Deere takes MacDon windrowers global

F

arm equipment maker MacDon Industries will be the manufacturer for several lines of self-propelled windrowers and mower conditioners to be sold worldwide under John Deere paint.

U.S.-based ag and heavy equipment giant Deere and Co. announced a “strategic agreement” with Winnipeg-based MacDon, allowing Deere to expand its hay and forage product portfolio globally.

More details about the availability of products coming out of this agreement will be announced later this summer.

“After an in-depth evaluation of the global commercial hay and small grains industries, we determined that specific MacDon self-propelled windrower products would most effectively enable us to serve our customers and expand our overall product lineup,” says William Norton, Deere’s vice-president for hay and forage equipment.

The deal, he says, will allow Deere to expand its product line and “better serve our dairy, live-

Crop Protection

stock, commercial hay, and small grains customers.”

The deal calls for MacDon to manufacture select models of John Deere-branded self-propelled windrowers, including draper and auger headers, and pull-type auger mower conditioners.

John Deere will also continue to manufacture select models of its own, the company said.

The product line will also be integrated fully into the company’s sales, service and parts processes, he said.

Allan MacDonald, CEO of family-owned MacDon, described the agreement as “a very logical step in a relationship that goes back over 30 years.”

MacDon — which began in 1949 as ag equipment maker Killbery Industries before it was bought by the MacDonald family in 1971 — maintains a major manufacturing plant in Winnipeg as well as facilities in the U.S., Australia and Russia. It has a network of over 700 dealers in those countries and Canada, and distributes to over 30 other countries. † AgCanada.com

Crop Protection

New OcTTain XL herbicide BASF Canada simplifies

C

ereal growers in the brown soil zone of Western Canada now have another option for broadleaf weed control with the registration of the new postemergent herbicide OcTTain XL. OcTTain XL is a co-formulation of Group 4 actives fluroxypyr and 2,4-D, registered for use on all varieties of spring wheat, durum wheat and spring barley. With no mixing required, OcTTain XL delivers systemic control of more than 40 broadleaf weeds and works deeper into the plant to control tough weeds right to the roots.

“We know that many cereals growers have reliable, longstanding choices for broadleaf weed control that they are comfortable with,” says Dorothee van Dijk, cereal herbicide product

manager with Dow AgroSciences.

“New OcTTain XL is an upgrade to a grower’s existing broadleaf weed control program, and delivers control of more broadleaf weeds, including hard-to-kill annuals like cleavers, kochia and wild buckwheat.”

OcTTain XL is tank mixable with a wide range of grass herbicides. For best results, apply OcTTain XL from the 4-leaf to flag-leaf stage of the crop, and from the 1- to 6-leaf stage of the weed. OcTTain XL is rainfast within one hour, has no recropping restrictions and is available in three formats — a 40-acre case, 240-acre drum and 960-acre tote. Consult the full product label for complete product information. † Dow AgroSciences

photo contest

GIVE US YOUR BEST SHOT

The grass is always greener under the tires

Anne and Ken Riess farm near Unity, Sask. They’re mainly grain and oilseed farmers with a couple of cows to keep the grass down around the bins. Anne took this shot when one of their cows decided she wanted the grass at the bottom of a stack of three tires. Thanks for sending this in, Anne! We’re sending you a cheque for $25.

Send your best shot to leeann.minogue@fbcpublishing.com.

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

Bayer Clearfield lentil process CropScience launces new cereal graminicide

F

armers can now sign a three-year Clearfield Commitment for lentils beginning in 2012.

The Clearfield Commitment for lentils is an agreement between a Clearfield lentil grower and BASF Canada. Clearfield lentil growers must complete and sign a Clearfield Commitment for lentils, which can be done at their Clearfield lentil herbicide retailer, their Clearfield lentil seed seller or online at BASF’s secure grower website (user name and password required). Once signed, the new three-year commitment will remain in effect until the end of the 2014 growing season. After having signed their commitment, farmers only need to submit their Clearfield lentil acreage annually.

Signing the commitment also qualifies growers to access greater opportunities in the AgSolutions Rewards rebate program and product support from BASF Canada. In addition, farmers agree to Clearfield-confirm test all seed used in the Clearfield Production System for lentils — which will ensure the seed meets the required Clearfield herbicide tolerances. Testing for the 2012 growing season will again be done free of charge.

Farmers looking for more information about the Clearfield lentil multi-year agreement should speak with their local BASF retailer or call AgSolutions Customer Care at 1-877-371-BASF (2273). † BASF

V

arro herbicide is a new Group 2 graminicide that offers an alternative mode of action to help manage Group 1-resistant wild oats.

Lauren Davis, cereal grass herbicide manager at Bayer CropScience says: “With Varro, growers can now battle Group 1 resistant wild oats and be able to plant a pulse crop the following year, which is an important option to have, especially for our customers in the brown soil zones.”

Varro herbicide: • P rovides strong performance of grassy and select broadleaf weeds.

• Is a Group 2 that allows crop rotation flexibility.

• Can be tank-mixed with many broadleaf herbicides to target specific weeds • Provides excellent crop safety on wheat “Wheat growers now have access to a Group 2 grassy weed control solution that offers more wild oat control options in the face of serious Group 1 resistance concerns,” says Davis. † Bayer CropScience

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FEBRUARY 13, 2012

Cover Stories CROP PRODUCTION

1 6 6 6 DUBL IN AVE N UE , W IN N IPE G, MB R3 H 0 H1 www. g ra in e ws . c a PUBLISHER

Bob Willcox ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER/ EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

John Morriss

EDITOR

Lyndsey Smith (on leave) ACTING EDITOR

Leeann Minogue CATTLEMAN’S CORNER EDITOR

Lee Hart FARMLIFE EDITOR

Sue Armstrong MACHINERY EDITOR

Scott Garvey PRODUCTION DIRECTOR

Shawna Gibson

Brad Eggum, in his 2011 soybean crop, near Halbrite, Sask. This crop of TH27005RR soybeans yielded, on average, 32 bushels per acre.

» CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

5 TIPS FOR GROWING SOYBEANS IN A COOL CLIMATE OUR EXPERIENCE We began growing soybeans three seasons ago in 2009 under the guidance of Ron Gendzelevich and Shawn Rempel of Quarry Seed and have been supplying seed and agronomic advice to other producers over the past two seasons. To date, every acre we’ve fostered has been grown with a complete and uncompromised input package.

We’ve had what we consider admirable success as well as some disappointment. The beauty in this has been being able to diagnose what went wrong with the disappointing yields, knowing they received the same inputs as the higher yielding fields. This has provided me with confidence in the recommendations I offer.

1. PLANT INTO WARM SOIL The number one absolute wrong thing to do is to plant a soybean seed into cold soil. Period.

Everything else I will relate will enhance yield and maturity, but cold soils are a game stopper before you’re out of the gate.

Soybeans like warmth. In soils below 8 C these seeds will do little more than take in moisture and rot. The plants that do make it through the cold shock will be slow growing off the start. They will also have a tendency to set their bottom pods closer to the ground. When placed in soils 10 C and warming, soybeans are the strongest plants out of the ground I have ever witnessed. Our zerotill stubbles are generally cooler, longer in the spring. Avoid heavy trash-covered stubbles or consider a heavy harrow to partially blacken the field. Deep seeding will also tend to put the seed into cooler temps. An inch at most should be enough depth. Watch the weather.

If you have the proper soil temperature but there’s a cold front on the way, wait! You will be better off. Later-seeded soybeans have a propensity for catching up on

maturity. Every week later they are seeded will generally only add two to three days to their maturity.

2. USE AN INOCULANT Inoculation is the next most important production factor for soybeans. Soybean rhizobia are a unique strain of bacteria and are not in any way native to our soil. Combine this with the fact that soybeans need to produce vast amounts of nitrogen in their life cycle and it becomes imperative we supply them with the necessary tools to get their work accomplished. A soybean plant will consume in the neighbourhood of six pounds of actual nitrogen per bushel of yield. The best way to

Brad Eggum’s son, Tyson, in the soybean crop in August. Note the plant growth onto the edge of an oil lease in the field. Although the plants are growing in clay and gravel, they’re doing quite nicely. The yellow strips in the background are granular inoculant misses – the result of a plugged air seeder manifold. gin soil. The only disease which jumps to mind as a threat would be sclerotinia. My understanding is that soybeans, while being carriers of the disease, generally do not see huge yield reductions. My concern would be more for another broadleaf crop (such as canola) later in the rotation. Over time other disease issues may emerge, for now we seem to have a hall pass.

4. USE HIGH SEEDING RATES Seeding rates are also a factor to consider. In general, it is felt that any plant seeded at a higher intensity will be hastened in maturity.

Soybeans are no different. Along with speeding maturity you will

When placed in soils 10 C and warming, soybeans are the strongest plants out of the ground I have ever witnessed. enable this is through high rates of granular inoculants on virgin soils.

I also recommend liquid on the seed to start the process early in the plant’s life. My personal trials have shown a seven- to 10-bushel yield bump from the use of a granular and liquid in combination versus using liquid alone.

3. PLANT ON SOYBEAN STUBBLE Generally, your best crop will come from this practice. This will give you a dark, warm stubble to seed into. However, the greatest benefit is the carryover of rhizobia from the previous season. Benefits from applying generous amounts of inoculant are still profoundly beneficial, however not nearly so distinct as on the virgin ground, proving that some bacteria will overwinter in our frozen soils.

One caution when considering cutting inoculant rates when expecting carryover bacteria in the soil is that any flooding may cause the bacteria in these areas to die off, leaving the area similar to vir-

also coax the plant to extend the distance between nodes, which will bring the bottom pods a greater distance from the soil. Wider row spacing will also tend to have this effect.

My jury is still out, however, on row spacing, as generally in my area we are trying to conserve moisture.

Closing the canopy quicker may outweigh the perceived benefit of wider rows. Every agronomic decision we make regarding soybeans has to be viewed from the perspective of how will this affect maturity.

Soybeans are a very elastic plant, meaning they can stack plant mass and yield on to compensate for low seeding rates or emergence issues.

Unfortunately for us, some years we will not have the luxury of time to allow the plant to perform this task.

Higher targeted plant populations are maturity insurance.

5. USE A FUNGICIDE Another critical ingredient, especially on cool years, is the use of Cruiser Maxx Beans. I hesitate to mention products by name, however, the vigour enhancement in

this product is very real and very important when trying to shave days off the back end. Data from the Valley Soybean Expo in Manitoba, consolidated over the past seven years, clearly shows a reduction in days to maturity on a consistent basis and enhanced in cooler years when soybeans are treated with Cruiser. Of course as a minor side benefit, the complete protection of a duel fungicide/insecticide seed treatment is along for the ride.

THE FUTURE OF SOYBEANS The future of soybean varieties will be the Roundup Ready 2 (R2Y) gene and the varieties carrying this trait. The promise from Monsanto has been that the R2Y gene will enhance the varieties it’s inserted into with certain traits. Namely, a more robust and aggressive plant, pods which have better clearance from the soil and more beans per pod. All leading, of course, to better and more consistent yields. Some producers and industry participants have voiced scepticism as to the whether the genetic improvements are sound, or (more cynically) a way for Monsanto to keep patent rights in place.

From what I have seen this past season, what has been promised from Monsanto is being realized in the final product. The R2Y varieties in general stand out in plots when grown beside the RR1 varieties, from larger, more vigorous looking plants to definitely adding more seeds per pod on average. The proof is in the pudding and the Manitoba Crop Variety Evaluation Trials (MCVET) definitely prove that there are some improved genetics in the offing.

I am personally very excited to see the interest in soybean production displayed throughout Western Canada. I’m sure the breeders, and Monsanto, will hear the message that the market is ripe for more earlier-maturing varieties to enhance the area in which we can be successful growing this crop.

We are looking forward. † Brad Eggum operates Eggum Seed Sales from the family farm at Halbrite in southeast Sask.

They have established Saskatchewan’s first bulk soybean distribution system. Contact him at 306-861-7048 or bradeggum@sasktel.net

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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.

FEBRUARY 13, 2012

grainews.ca /

5

Features CROP PROTECTION

Controlling chickweed and cleavers Chickweed and cleavers are becoming more common.

Rotate groups to slow the spread of herbicide resistance

BY GERALD PILGER

T

wo weeds which farmers need to pay particular attention to are cleavers and chickweed.

Both are becoming increasingly common on the prairies. What is even worse is both are rapidly developing resistance to popular herbicides — especially Group 2 herbicides.

Group 2 broadleaf weed resistance has become a big problem in areas of Western Canada. In the 2007 Alberta weed survey, Group 2 resistant chickweed was found in 40 per

cent of the surveyed fields that had chickweed populations. The previous 2001 weed survey had documented Group 2 resistant chickweed in only 17 per cent of fields.

In fields with cleavers, 17 per cent had Group 2 resistant biotypes in 2007.

In 2001 none of the surveyed fields had resistant cleavers.

The author of the 2007 Weed Survey Report, Dr. Hugh Beckie wrote: “resistance is steadily increasing in chickweed and spiny annual sow-thistle, and most recently, cleavers.”

Furthermore, a study by Leeson

in 2005 found the abundance of cleavers is increasing faster than any other weed.

WHAT CAN FARMERS DO ABOUT IT It is important that farmers rotate herbicide groups to slow the spread of Group 2 resistant chickweed and cleavers or we will end up in the same situation we now have with kochia and spiny annual sow thistle. In the 2007 weed survey, every field with spiny annual sow thistle and 85 per cent of fields with

HERBICIDE SELECTIONS FOR CONTROLLING CLEAVERS AND CHICKWEED IN WHEAT AND BARLEY C = CONTROL S = SUPPRESSION Group

Active Ingredient Metsulfuron methyl

Florasulam

2

Tribenuron-methyl Thifensulfuron-methyl + Tribenuron-methyl

Thifensulfuron-methyl + Tribenuron-methyl

2+4

Florasulam + fluroxypyr Fluroxypyr

Mecoprop 4

Mecoprop + Dicamba

Dicamba

5 6

Dicamba + Fluroxypyr Metribuzin Bentzon

7

Linuron

27

Pyrasulfotole

Information compiled from the “2011 Alberta Crop Protection Guide”

The

Herbicide Accurate Ally Assert FL Benchmark Broadband Frontline (XL, 2,4-D) Spectrum Steller Refine M Retain Triton C Barricade Deploy Nimble Refine SG Harmony K, SG (wheat only) Simplicity (wheat only) Stellar Attain Prestige Trophy (some wheats only) Mecoprop-P Optica Trio Target Sword Tracker Banvel II (wheat only) Dyvel Hawkeye (wheat only) Oracle Pulsar Sencor Basagran (wheat only) Linuron Lorox Infinity Tundra Velocity m3

Cleavers

C C C C C C

Chickweed C C C C C C C

C C C S S S

C C C

S

C

C C C C C C C C C C C S C C C

C

C

C C C

C C

S S C C

kochia were Group 2 resistant. We have basically lost the use of Group 2 herbicides to control these two weeds already.

We definitely do not want to add chickweed and cleavers to this list.

Fortunately, growers have quite a few herbicide options for controlling chickweed and cleavers. In fact, the online Alberta Herbicide Selector lists over 30 products and over 150 tank mix combinations that will control cleavers at the 3-4 leaf stage in wheat. However, over half of the products which control cleavers are Group 2 actives. So it is very important that you take the time to study which actives will control cleavers and chickweed in your cereals because you have the most herbicide options in those crops. Make sure you rotate the group 2 broadleaf products with other chemistries that will also control these weeds. The accompanying table categorizes herbicides which will control or suppress chickweed and cleavers in wheat and barley into the group and active ingredients.

Famers have fewer options for controlling these two weeds in other crops.

Growers of Clearfield canola can control both cleavers and chickweed with Absolute, Odyssey and Odyssey DLX, but these products are all Group 2s.

These products will provide season long control of later flushes. Solo and Tensile, also group 2s, do not control chickweed but will supress cleavers. Again, both are Group 2s.

Liberty and all brands of glyphosates will control both cleavers and chickweed in Liberty Link and Roundup Ready canola systems.

However these products only control the emerged weeds at time of spraying. They provide no control of second flushes.

Pulse growers have even fewer options.

Most pulse growers rely on Group 2 products like Odyssey, Pursuit, or Solo in pulse crops. The only other option they have is Group 6 bentazon products like Basagran or using a pre-plant incorporated product like Edge.

HERBICIDE RESISTANCE

C C C C C C C

Herbicide resistance is a growing problem. Extrapolation of the 2007 Alberta Weed Survey results indicates there could be up to 3.1 million acres in Alberta alone where one or more weeds are resistant to one or more products. This is 40 per cent of the cropland in the province. Make sure you are doing everything possible to slow the increase of resistant weeds, including rotating your herbicides through all groups when controlling weeds like chickweed and cleavers. † Gerald Pilger farms at Ohaton, Alta.

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FEBRUARY 13, 2012

Features FARM FINANCE

How to Manage Costs for a Mixed Operation Rolf Penner of Morris, Man. operates an 1,800 acre farm and feeds 6,000 hogs annually. Penner says knowing your costs and updating them regularly is the key to a successful mixed farm

BY HARRY SIEMENS

R

olf Penner of Morris, Man., says the key to a successful mixed farm is knowing your costs and updating them at regular intervals.

“Knowing your costs lets you know your break-even point,” says Penner. He and his father, Udo Penner, farm 1,800 acres of cereal and special crops and finish 6,000 hogs annually, 15 km northeast of Morris. “Once you know where your break-even point is, you have a target. If you don’t have a target, you can’t hit the target.”

Penner says it’s important for him to understand his costs because he runs two farm operations side-by-side, grain and hogs, but uses the same bank account for both.

Understanding basic input costs allows Penner to make timely decisions. With costs changing constantly, he needs updated, current information about the costs of both sides of his operation. “It isn’t good enough to know them today or yesterday.”

He reviews costs regularly. On the crop side, it starts in January, or even the previous fall. Penner calculates his costs, but more specifically he tracks the costs back to each crop (mainly wheat, canola and soybeans). “You break it down, the seed, fertilizer, chemical, fuel, etc., and start tracking, them including price changes, and all those variables throughout the year, updating as you go along,” he says.

The first real check occurs after he completes seeding and can evaluate his fertilizer costs. “You finally put it in the ground — did you buy too much or did you have a little extra?” says Penner.

He takes another check after spraying the crops. Chemical prices change and sometimes he has to spray for certain weeds and sometimes not, so he makes adjustments accordingly.

“So you get to the harvest point, the crop comes off and now you know what all your costs are. Hopefully you have yields that can make you some money,” Penner says.

FROM PAPER TO SOFTWARE “I’m not an old guy, but I remember when I used to do it all on paper. I would have pieces of paper all over the place — in notebooks, binders, loose papers with budgets and lists.

I’d add everything up with a calculator, creating the lists over and over again,” he says. “Now I’ve switched most of that stuff over to different computer programs.”

Penner says Microsoft Excel is a must for today’s farmer. “If something doesn’t exist or there’s a program out there that doesn’t quite put the numbers together the way you want, or the way you think it should, with Excel you’re able to do it,” he says. “It has been on my to-do list to take a winter and develop my own crop record program, but I’ve yet to put it together.”

An important reason Penner still has hogs, even after a short hiatus, is to help diversify his income. There was a time when hogs helped out the grain farm financially, but for the last number of years the grain farm has had to help out the hog side of his operation.

There was a time when mixed farmers could jump in and out of the hog business, often keeping supply and demand in check, but it doesn’t work that way with a modern hog operation, says Penner.

“With the kind of facility we have, the commitments, my weanling supplier on one hand, and Maple Leaf Foods in Brandon on the other, either I’m in the business or not,” says Penner.

So how does Penner amalgamate the two

Grain and hog farmer Rolf Penner of Morris, Man., using his cellphone to capture the moment while he harvests his crop. Rolf believes that he needs to keep his costs updated regularly through the year to run a successful mixed farm. operations? When doing the budgets, he looks at each side of the operation separately, but at the end of the year it all comes together on the farm’s balance sheet and income statement.

“I don’t have different bank accounts for my hog or grain operation, I run the whole thing together,” he says. “It goes back and forth from general to specific depending on what I’m trying to do.”

MANAGING COSTS With volatile feed and fertilizer prices, Penner watches the markets and locks in prices when it looks advantageous to him. Feed prices are another key variable. “Looking at the price of feed, I’m constantly watching to see when is a good time to lock in the feed prices,” says Penner.

Penner believes the key to profitability is tracking costs and knowing exactly which pieces of the farm are making money. This approach takes extra time and effort, but for Penner, it’s paying off. † Harry Siemens is a farm journalist, freelance writer, speaker, and broadcaster living in Winkler, Man. Read his blog at www.seimenssays.com or contact him at harry@ seimenssays.com or 204-325-5215

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FEBRUARY 13, 2012

grainews.ca /

7

Features CROP PRODUCTION

CROP ADVISOR’S CASEBOOK

CANOLA CONUNDRUM

L

ast June, Landon, a local producer, walked into our Ag Business Centre at Strasbourg, Sask., carrying a handful of feeble-looking canola plants. “Something’s affecting the vigour of my canola. Could be low fertility, or maybe a disease.

I also heard some rumours about insects damaging canola in the area,” he said. He set the yellow and wilted plants on my desk. “I thought you might be able to tell me what’s going on with these plants,” he said.

On these sample plants from Landon’s field, I did find some cabbage root maggots and a wireworm. Root maggots are usually found in cool, moist soils in June and July. The maggot creates tunnels in the canola root, and severe tunnelling can reduce plant heath, resulting in the stunting of growth, yellowing of leaves and early plant death.

However, slight feeding of root maggots, as in this case, has very little effect on canola plants. As for

wireworms, they aren’t common canola pests, and they don’t cause a lot of damage to the plants.

“I’d better come out and take a look,” I told him. “I don’t think these pests are your problem.”

Landon farms 2,000 acres of canola, pulses and wheat near Earl Grey, Sask. The field in question looked set back in its development when compared to Landon’s other field of canola across the road. The field appeared to be struggling.

The plants were small, yellowing and wilting, like the ones he had brought to the centre.

I scouted for root maggots, pulling up plants and examining them for tunnelling, but I couldn’t find any other plants with root maggots — or wireworms, for that matter.

I compared the physical attributes of both canola fields.

The soil texture and type was similar, and soil moisture was average, although there had been a fair amount of precipitation early in the spring, which had

CROP ADVISOR’S SOLUTION

SURFACTANT SLIP-UP

A

dding the correct adjuvant to your tank mixture is as important as getting the herbicide tank-mix partners right. Getting it wrong can be a costly mistake, as one producer from Alberta found out last spring.

Two weeks after spraying his wheat crop with a grass and broadleaf herbicide mixture, Jim found healthy wild oats growing in his field. He asked me to visit his 2,000-acre farm east of Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., where he

grows wheat, barley and canola, to evaluate the situation. “There must be something wrong with the chemical,” he told me.

In the field, I noticed the broadleaf weeds were being controlled, but the wild oats were showing few to no signs of herbicide activity, with the exception of a touch of yellowing to the leaves. The wild oats were scattered uniformly throughout the field.

Although the incidence of herbicide-resistant weeds has increased in this area over the years, I did

Jenn Tedford

The canola plants in Landon’s field were yellow and wilted.

already dried up. However, the yellowing of the plants’ leaves in the affected field was more pronounced in low-lying areas, where extensive flooding had taken place that spring. Perhaps the excess moisture had stunted the plants’ growth and had caused chlorosis, I thought. But, if so, both fields would appear chlorotic, and this was not the case. Across the road, the plants were healthy, green, and growing at a normal rate.

A field’s history can reveal many clues when one is trying to determine the causes of an agronomic dilemma. Past activities can shape interactions and crop development. The histories of these two fields would eventu-

ally provide us with the answer we were looking for.

In the spring of 2011, Landon had planted both fields with herbicide-tolerant canola seed, although two different varieties had been used — glyphosatetolerant canola, which produced the yellowed and wilted plants, and glufosinate-tolerant canola, which produced healthy plants.

He’d applied the same fertilizer type and rate to both fields.

It was when Landon told me what he’d planted the previous spring that I knew what the problem was.

In the spring of 2010, Landon had planted one field with wheat and the other with Clearfield lentils.

“Chemistry is the culprit here,” I told him.

Why are the canola plants in one of Landon’s fields yellow and wilting while in another field they’re thriving? Send your diagnosis to Grainews, Box 9800, Winnipeg, MB, R3C 3K7, email leeann.minogue@fbcpublishing.com or fax 204-944-5416 c/o Crop Advisor’s Casebook.

Best suggestions will be pooled and one winner will be drawn for a chance to win a Grainews cap and a one-year subscription to the magazine. The reasoning which solved the mystery will appear in the next Crop Advisor’s Solution File. †

not think that was the problem in this field. Jim had taken precautions, such as implementing crop and herbicide rotation strategies, to prevent herbicide resistance on his farm. Herbicide-resistant wild oats usually grow in random patches, and are not found uniformly scattered across the field.

We could also eliminate resistance as the issue because some of the (non-herbicide-resistant) wild oats would have been controlled by the herbicide.

Jim told me he had sprayed Group 27 and Group 6 broad-spectrum broadleaf herbicides mixed with a registered Group 1 herbicide for grassy weed control. However, Jim’s sprayer records pointed to an adjuvant slip-up.

When I asked Jim what adju-

vant he had added to his tank-mix he said, “This is the one I typically use with my other tank mixes. I always have some on hand.” Jim was referring to a non-ionic surfactant that was not registered for use with the Group 1 herbicide for grassy weed control!

The registered herbicide tankmix required a specific adjuvant, and not the non-ionic surfactant Jim usually added to his other mixes. Without the registered adjuvant, the Group 1 herbicide lost its effectiveness for controlling grassy weeds.

We still had a window of opportunity to respray Jim’s wheat field with a Group 8 herbicide to control the wild oats. Jim had good results with this herbicide, which stunted the growth of the large

wild oat plants and prevented them from heading.

Because he had to respray, it was a costly mistake; however, catching this mistake and correcting it prevented any wild oat runaways that would have carried over to the next year.

Being aware of correct mixing instructions and tank-mix partners, including adjuvants, and the important role they play in herbicide efficacy saves producers time and money. Keeping abreast of the selection and application of chemicals by consulting a crop protection guide, or by picking chemicals with the adjuvant included may also prevent costly mistakes. †

Jenn Tedford is a sales agronomist at Richardson Pioneer Ltd. in Strasbourg, Sask.

Elizabeth Simpson is a sales agronomist at Richardson Pioneer Ltd. in Lamont, Alta.

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FEBRUARY 13, 2012

Features CROP PRODUCTION

Lodging in cereals

& Rural Initiatives. “Zone identification of yield potential, soil testing for N and a proper prescription map appear to offer major improvements in lodging management.”

6 ways to reduce lodging in cereals

BY ANGELA LOVELL

T

here are two types of lodging in cereals. The most common type is root lodging, which usually occurs early in the season and causes leaning of the stems from the crown area because of disturbance to the root system.

Stem lodging generally occurs later in the season, when the stem is more brittle as it approaches maturity. Stem internodes break while the roots are held tightly in hard or dry soil.

There are many factors affecting lodging and plenty of people who will adhere to the belief that each one in and of itself presents the greatest risk, but

the whole issue comes down to achieving balance, says Elston Solberg, president of Agri-Trend Agrology Ltd. “The thing that is always missing in the discussion is the concept of balance,” he says. “If you have way too much nitrogen on a crop relative to whatever other nutrients need to be there in balance, then, of course, the crop is going to fall down. Similarly, if you run into a really high yield potential year and you have areas in your field that are copper deficient then lignification of the straw becomes the issue and the crop falls down. The same with potassium, which is strongly correlated to lodging issues as well as many disease issues. But at the

TIMING OF LODGING

end of the day it is about balance.

It’s not that N is bad and copper is good or potassium is great, it’s about the balance of those nutrients and how they help each other optimize yield and quality and prevent lodging.”

Variability may be the key term when talking about the relationship between nutrients of any kind and lodging. To make the most of variable rate technology that allows farmers to correct imbalances, they need to be certain of the situation they are dealing with. “Most of the farmers using variable rate N management credit it for reduced lodging on their farms,” says John Heard, crop nutrition specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, Food

Lodging will always have a negative effect on yield. Yield loss in lodged crops comes as a result of poor grain filling, head loss and bird damage. Lodging alters the plant’s growth and development, affecting flowering and interfering with photosynthesis and carbohydrate movement within the plant. It can interfere with the plant’s ability to extract nutrients and moisture from the soil, resulting in incomplete grain fill and smaller kernels. This can give yield losses of up to 40 per cent depending on the severity and timing of the lodging.

The amount of yield loss depends on the growth stage of the plant when lodging occurs:

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Before flowering: Stems may regain their upright position if weather conditions are favourable. If not, the crop will have deformed heads and shrivelled kernels.

After flowering: Heads will not regain their upright position. Kernel numbers will not be affected, but the grain weight may be severely reduced depending on weather conditions.

After head emergence: Yield losses are greatest when a crop lodges during the 10 days following head emergence. Yield losses at this stage will range between 15 and 40 per cent.

After maturity: Yield will not be affected, but it may reduce the amount of harvestable grain.

Neck breakage and the loss of the whole head can result with lodging at this stage and this can lead to severe harvest losses. In this case, straight combining will lead to higher losses than swathing.

LODGING AND QUALITY Lodging can contribute to uneven maturity, a higher moisture content (necessitating drying of grain after harvest and increasing costs by up to 30 per cent) and a loss of quality due to sprouting and possible moulding. Test weight losses are typically eight per cent for wheat and barley and 15 per cent for oats. Grain protein content may increase by three to 20 per cent because photosynthesis and carbohydrate accumulation is disrupted. This can adversely affect the malting quality of barley.

Foliar diseases may increase due to a more humid microclimate within the lodged crop.

At harvest, lodging can seriously affect capacity, which can be reduced up to 25 per cent. The flattened crop and green, immature kernels mean the knife has to be run closer to the ground, requiring a slower combine speed. It also means that full length straw enters the combine and loss of unthreshed heads can double. All of which adds to harvest costs.

CAUSES OF LODGING

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Lodging is usually caused because of a combination of morphological (structural) and environmental causes. Lodging can simply be as a result of adverse weather such as high winds, heavy rainfall or hail literally pushing the crop over.

There are, however, a number of factors that will increase the risk of lodging.

Soil Type: Soil type can influence lodging. For example, the black soil zone has a high percentage of land with six or eight percent organic matter, which gives a larger reservoir of N for plants to draw on, thereby increasing the risk of lodging.

Manure: On soils where large amounts of manure are applied on a regular basis, (such as from feedlots or dairy operations), there can be a significant build up of N reserves.

Cultivar: Taller varieties tend to have weaker stems and will lodge easier than semi-dwarf varieties, which have stiffer straw. Plant height, stem thickness and straw density can all affect the ability of the plant to resist a lateral force. Changing plant height can have a big influence on lodging.

FEBRUARY 13, 2012

grainews.ca /

9

Features Roots: Lodging can result from failure of the root system, which if weak, can allow for the plant to be more easily broken or uprooted by force. A well-developed root system helps provide resistance to lodging by improving anchorage.

Disease: The occurrence of fungal diseases such as stem, leaf or stripe rust can increase incidences of lodging. The lush growth resulting from high fertilization (especially of N) and humid, moist conditions can drastically increase the risk of fungal disease. Root diseases, such as eyespot foot rot, strawbreaker foot rot and take-all can all contribute to lodging.

Pests: The wheat stem sawfly causes lodging in wheat. As there is no effective chemical control, experts suggest growing a semi solid stemmed variety. Hessian fly can cause lodging and kinking in wheat or barley crops.

We a t h e r : H o w m u c h N becomes available to the crop (whether from soil reserves or fertilizer application) depends on the weather. During high moisture conditions more N is released, so high moisture and humidity will contribute significantly to lodging.

Fertilization: High N fertilizer rates will increase the likelihood of lodging. Encouraging plants early on to become root dominant by fertilizing for good root development means there is less likelihood of the plant falling over than if the plant is over-fertilized early on, promoting excessive above ground vegetation, which results in the plant being top dominant. The lusher growth promoted by higher N fertilization, especially under cloudy and humid conditions, leads to more disease pressure from leaf, stem and stripe rust, which further weakens the plant.

Potassium levels: Potassium is one of the major nutrients that helps control water and solute movement in the plant. Straw from potassium deficient plants is more brittle and will have a greater tendency to lodge.

Copper: Copper deficient soils are susceptible to lodging.

Copper plays a large role both in pollination of crops and also in lignifications or straw strength.

Seeding rates: Higher plant densities have been shown to increase lodging risk.

TIPS TO PREVENT LODGING If lodging occurs it is important to try and assess the crop to find out why it is lodging. Is it because the fertility is too high or because weather conditions have changed to make more N available from the organic matter in the soil? Could it be because you chose to grow a tall variety for silage or perhaps it is simply due to localized adverse weather?

Once you have a better idea of the cause you can try and reduce future lodging risks through a number of ways.

Reduce Seeding Rates: In general, high plant populations increase shading and produce greater internode elongation.

If you have used normal (or increased) seeding rates previously and experienced lodging, try reducing seeding rates so that plants are around 2.5 centimetres apart and in row widths of 12 to 18 cm. If randomly seeded, the rate should result in 15 to 30

plants per square foot, depending on the rainfall usually received in the area. Earlier seeding during cooler conditions may reduce internode elongation.

Consider Seeding Depth: Crops seeded too deep have delayed emergence and crown root development, whereas too shallow seeding can lead to shallow root systems with reduced anchorage ability. The optimal seeding depth for cereals is generally 2.5 to five cm (one to two inches), if severe drought conditions are not present. Winter cereals (winter wheat, fall rye, winter triticale) should not be sown deeper than 2.5 cm to maintain winter hardiness. The seedbed should be firmed up to achieve good seed/soil contact, allowing for optimum seeding depth, plant spacing and plant population. Planting rows parallel to the direction of strong prevailing winds can reduce incidences of stem lodging.

Reduce N: Soil test to deter-

mine the amount of residual N and other elements present and fertilize accordingly. Consider reducing N rates at seeding based on a soil test and depending on spring moisture conditions. Abundant N during early growth stages promotes

Spilt N applications: Some growers are using split applications of fertilizer to try and reduce lodging by reducing the N uptake and vegetative growth of the plants early on. The risks with split applications, however, are weather related. Too much

Lodging can contribute to uneven maturity, a higher moisture content and a loss of quality due to sprouting and possible moulding. excessive tillering and extensive elongation of the lower stem internodes, whereas later applied N does not affect the stem internodes. When reducing N it is also important not to under-fertilize if there is a risk of mining out the organic matter present in the soil.

rainfall may mean no opportunity to get on the fields at the right time to apply additional fertilizer.

Conversely, if conditions are dry after the second application, the N will sit on the surface and there is an increased risk of N loss due to volatilization.

Choose semi-dwarf varie-

ties: Cultivar selection can affect lodging. Go to semi-dwarf varieties with strong straw to reduce the lodging risk.

Consider crop rotation: It is important to take into account the amount of crop taken off in the previous year to help determine how much N was extracted or added. A cereal following peas, for example, may have sufficient N present to be able to reduce subsequent N applications. Crop rotation is also important for prevention of diseases such as common root rot, scald, net blotch and take-all, which can significantly increase the lodging risk by weakening the plants roots or stems. When a cereal crop is grown on a broad leaf crop stubble, such as canola or flax, the disease pressure is less severe.

Careful rotations can help to lower protein levels in soft white spring wheat and malt barley. † Angela Lovell is a freelance writer, editor and communications specialist living and working in Manitoba. Find her online at www.angelalovell.ca

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FEBRUARY 13, 2012

Features FORAGE PRODUCTION

Understanding Falling Numbers in Wheat While many wheat buyers are concerned with falling numbers, falling numbers don’t tell the whole story when it comes to grain quality

BY ANGELA LOVELL

I

t’s always useful for farmers to have an idea of the quality of the grain in their bins to help them determine what protein level or grade their crop is likely to meet. There are many different factors which affect grain quality and many different ways to test for them. One quality assessment tool that is much more prevalent in the U.S. than in Canada is the falling numbers (FN) test, which is used to estimate the amount of sprout damage in wheat, barley or rye.

“A lot of producers may have heard from U.S. sources that if you have high FN you have high quality wheat and you will get top dollar and that is simply not true,” says Daryl Beswitherick, program manager of quality assurance standards and reinspection with the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC).

“Sprout damage and FN is only one aspect of grain quality, it is not the sole aspect,” says Dr. Dave Hatcher, a research scientist at the Grain Research Laboratory in Winnipeg. “Many producers believe that the whole system could be revised simply around changing to FN and that is a very erroneous idea. FN only deals with sprout damage — there is so much more that goes into grading than that.”

The FN test measures the amount of alpha-amylase, an enzyme important in germination, which is present in the grain. Alpha-amylase converts starch in the grain kernel into energy for the growth stage of the plant, so the more alpha-amylase that is present the greater becomes the potential for sprouting of the grain. The measurement is expressed as the time in seconds it takes for a plunger to fall through a heated slurry of ground grain. The plunger falls more quickly as more alphaamylase is present. The faster it falls the lower the number, so a higher falling number means there is less sprout damage.

The FN test is not commonly performed in Canada, and certainly not at the delivery point. “The FN test is a laboratory-oriented process and with current technology it takes too long to do in a driveway situation at the elevator,” says Bestwitherick. “What we do in the grading situation is visually count sprouted kernels and use this to predict what the FN should be.”

The drawback of the visual test is that it may not detect germinating kernels that do not show symptoms of sprouting.

“There may be circumstances where the kernel seems sound and you won’t see a sprouted kernel, but processes are already occurring within it that can lead to low FN,” says Pam deRocquigny, cereals specialist with Manitoba, Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives. “I equate it to FDK (fusarium damaged kernels) and DON (Deoxynivalenol, a mycotoxin produced by fusar-

ium species). DON is what the markets are concerned about in terms of what’s in the grain, but we use a visual FDK test as a grading standard to try and predict what level of DON there is in the grain.”

Bakers need a certain amount of alpha-amylase in their flour to break down the starch into sugars which feeds the yeast, allows

THE MEANING OF FN Falling Number is particularly important in milling wheat.

Minimum requirements for FN are largely determined by industry, where consistency is a primary concern, and is the reason why most wheat shipments must achieve a FN of 300 sec or higher. Most Canadian wheat varieties generally have a FN of 350 to 500 sec.

“Millers routinely order 30,000 to 35,000 tons of wheat at a time and the flour they produce from that wheat must be

As the grain marketing industry is changing across Western Canada, some believe that FN may become a more important test in the future. fermentation to occur and makes their product rise. Making sure just the right amount of this enzyme is present starts with the FN.

consistent,” says Hatcher. “The key point is that you can add alpha-amylase to good quality flour but you cannot take it out.

So what the industry wants is wheat that has a FN which guarantees a low amount of alphaamylase enzyme is present. They can then mill it into flour and achieve a consistent product that can be tweaked to meet the specific requirements of their customers.”

As the grain marketing industry is changing across Western Canada, some believe that FN may become a more important test in the future. “It’s a matter of economics,” says Hatcher.

“With the change in the structure of the Canadian Wheat Board, grain companies will likely be carving out their own niches in the marketplace, more

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Features

Taking a Falling Numbers test.

PHOTO: CGC

so than they are at the present time, and in doing so they will each be trying to secure customers with specific quality criteria, one of which will be FN.” Where the FN test is regularly performed is by plant breeders and cereal chemists during evaluations of potential new varieties for registration.

“We do special dormancy tests whereby we grow plots from which we harvest materials and treat them in a rain simulator,” says Gavin Humphreys, a wheat breeder at AAFC’s Cereal Research Centre in Winnipeg. “Once the material has been weathered artificially under controlled conditions we do FN testing which allows us to determine the range of sprouting resistance of the material under evaluation.”

Since 1999 a falling number working group led by the CGC with participation from the CWB, producer groups and grain companies has been working to try and develop a simpler, more

functional FN test. “One of the key problems is trying to make certain that whatever methodology we come up with is functional in a primary elevator and reproducible across the country,” says Hatcher. “We are trying to make sure we have a FN test that is fair and representative so that the producer and the grain companies are getting true value for their grain.”

The working group has evaluated a number of different technologies, but have yet to find one which meets the requirements of the CGC and the industry. A product which showed great promise and which could have been used at the farm level to determine FN was, disappointingly, removed from the market by the proprietary owner of the technology.

“A product like that one had many benefits for the farmer, who could have used it to determine the FN of his grain right in his own machine shed,” says

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Hatcher. “I can see as the size of farms increases that many farms will want to pursue this type of testing so that they can market their grain effectively, because with removal of the CWB single desk, it’s going to be an open market place for the farmer and he may want to hold his grain and play the market, which means he will need to know the full quality potential of that grain.”

MANAGING FOR PRE-HARVEST SPROUTING Weather conditions play a huge role in pre-harvest sprouting of wheat and other cereals. Periods of cooler, wet weather at the stage when the crop is mature and starting to dry down, followed by warm, dryer weather are ideal for sprouting to occur, as the seed will begin to germinate. These conditions are often prevalent in the fall, especially in Manitoba, and sprouting problems can be exacerbated if rain or heavy dew occurs after swathing.

Farmers, especially in areas at higher risk, should consider growing varieties with a higher resistance to pre-harvest sprouting, such as AC Domain, Harvest or McKenzie. In shorter season growing areas farmers may still want to grow earlymaturing varieties that offer higher yield potential but have a lower sprouting resistance, such as Roblin or Intrepid, and in these circumstances need to consider making the crop a harvest priority.

“Timely harvesting is not always possible, but especially if you are growing an early maturing variety, with lower pre-harvest sprouting resistance, you need to move it up the chain and get it combined, because you are setting yourself up for problems if you don’t get it harvested in a timely fashion,” says Gavin Humphreys.

Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Agriculture is including pre-harvest sprouting resistance ratings in its 2012 Varieties of Grain Crops listing, which can be found at www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/ Varieties_Grain_Crops.

In-field dry down products can also be used to try and encourage more even maturity, and straight combining of short, strong straw varieties, if practical, is another strategy farmers may consider, says Humphreys.

Storage is another issue that may become increasingly important to Western Canadian farmers as they enter a voluntary marketing system. The ability to store grain longer to try and take advantage of better pricing as stocks are depleted later in the year, means careful consideration of issues like sprouting definitely have to be part of the equation.

“If the storage location is not properly ventilated, and the crop has been taken off early so the moisture content is a bit high, and they don’t have proper drying facilities, they could set themselves up for not only sprouting but spoilage,” says Humphreys.

“Having robust storage facilities where they can ensure the crop is not only dried when it comes off the field, but maintain those conditions during storage is essential.” † Angela Lovell is a freelance writer, editor and communications specialist living and working in Manitoba. Find her online at www. angelalovell.ca

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FEBRUARY 13, 2012

Features CROP PRODUCTION

Western Canadian tillage systems keep changing In wet years, farmers are concerned with compaction and managing crop residues. Farmers who have zero tilled are not sure what that means for the soil layers beneath

BY HARRY SIEMENS

T Salford heavy duty vertical till unit.

PHOTO: SCOTT DAY, MAFRI

odd Botterill of Botterill Sales at Newton, Man., says tillage practices and tillage equipment have changed a lot in the last few years.

Botterill, who sells tillage equipment for several different manufacturing firms, says farmers are looking for a medium point, not quite zero till, but not the recreational tillage of yesteryear either.

“Farmers overworked the ground in some cases, and in some cases didn’t properly manage not working the ground enough,” says Botterill.

“Farmers looked for an inbetween ground.”

While working in the United States some years back, Botterill saw producers going from zero till to rotary harrows, light tillage tools to get the ground to warm and dry out quicker in the spring.

“Some Canadians were saying the Americans didn’t know how to zero till, but Canadians are into the same challenges today, trying to manage huge amounts of residues, especially during wet cycles,” he says. “Farmers are looking to open up the soil, introduce more oxygen, mixing a little bit of soil with the residue, but don’t want to go back to the

chisel plow and mess up what they’ve done so far. They like what the reduced tillage has done to the soil structure.”

Botterill says changes in tillage practices and systems also comes from farmers trying to find ways to deal with the residue and build up a little of the organic matter in the soil. That is why there’s a huge interest in the vertical till tools, with sales in Western Canada jumping from near zero four years ago to literally millions in 2011.

“With the introduction of vertical tillage in the United States, everyone is jumping on the bandwagon now to come up with something they can call a vertical tillage tool,” he says.

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Marla Riekman, a soils specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives at Carman, Man., says that in the last couple of years, especially in southwest Manitoba and southeast Saskatchewan several wet seasons, wet springs, and unseeded crops have unnerved some farmers, and rightfully so. Some have left fields unseeded two years in a row.

“It’s causing farmers to panic a little bit as to how to dry out the fields and manage the residue on the surface,” says Riekman. “I find the vertical tillage equipment kind of interesting because farmers are using it across all of Manitoba in very different tillage systems. It is the same equipment but used in a different way.”

She says farmers in southwest Manitoba are hoping that running this vertical till equipment across the surface will help to blacken up the soil, dry things out on the surface, and increase warming for the spring season.

“It still has the ability, depending on your settings, to leave up to 80 per cent of the stubble standing, so it still works in part as a zero tillage system,” she says.

Riekman defines vertical till equipment as machines where the coulter coming down cuts through the surface, running an inch to two inches down into the ground. The theory is that the cutting action will help dry out the soil.

“I don’t know if that is accurate because we haven’t done enough work with that in Manitoba, to see if it helps to increase drying,” she says. “We haven’t determined whether the soil temperature increases in the spring, and helps to dry out the soil.”

Riekman says people are talking about compaction because it is one of those inevitable things that happens when a farmer, desperate to seed his fields, works when the soil is too wet.

However, says Riekman, when it’s moist and fully saturated, getting stuck in the mud, doesn’t cause compaction, because the soil spores are full of water. It damages the soil surface, causing ruts, but not actually compacting the soil.

Compaction occurs when soil is moist, creating some ruts, but not dry enough to give soil sufficient strength to withstand compaction.

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Features

Marla Riekman, MAFRI soil specialist at Carman, Man. says we need more studies to determine whether new vertical tillage equipment is worth the extra investment. Does it boost yield?

Summer’s vertical till unit.

photo: scott day, mafri.

It is always better to work the field when it’s dry.

“If someone starts to see a yield decrease due to compaction, that’s when they need to think about doing something about it,” Riekman says. “But unless they are seeing a real yield decrease, there is not a whole lot to do.”

Rie kman says compaction decreases the available water holding capacity of that soil.

In heavier soil, compaction squishes soil particles together, leaving less space to hold water.

It decreases the way water can infiltrate down through the soil profile, so as it compacts it can actually cause water to sit on the surface longer because the water can’t move down through the soil profile as well, she adds.

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Making the switch Riekman wants to see a boost in yield, if farmers buy into new tillage systems. She suggests farmers take 10 to 20 acres of a field, use whatever piece of equipment they think will work best, and determine the change in yield. Then the following year, check it out with a yield monitor.

She tells farmers that to fix compaction, the cut must be at least an inch below the compacted layer to fix or break up above that point. This must be done when the soil is dry, or more compaction will occur.

Botterill says studies show there isn’t a big difference between vertical till and conventional till in a good year with consistent moisture all year.

“But when you have a dry year, the crops will have access to much more moisture in fields tilled with vertical tillage equipment,” he says.

“The root systems will be deeper, moisture can move through them much better and that is where you see the bigger jump.”

He recommends farmers look at the middle of the road, meaning somewhere between zero till and recreational tillage.

Check for compaction, but just because a farmer has big equipment, doesn’t mean it’s there.

Determine the main concern — reside management, proper moisture use, or compaction management, he says. †

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FEBRUARY 13, 2012

Features CROP PROTECTION

Reduce your risk of rust Late seeding in many areas last year meant leaf, stem and stripe rust in wheat crops. Find out how to avoid rust this year

BY ANGELA LOVELL

L

ate seeding across a lot of the Prairies due to wet spring conditions last year meant a fair amount of leaf, stem and stripe rust occurred in wheat crops, and Alberta reported incidences of stripe rust which appeared to have overwintered.

Rust diseases generally blow in as spores from the southern U.S. in early summer, but it is possible for them to overwinter.

If late-maturing wheat is still in the field when winter wheat is planted, rust spores from the spring wheat can infect the newly emerging winter wheat crop,

which serves as a “green bridge.”

With adequate snow cover the disease can survive throughout the winter in the winter wheat and subsequently infect spring wheat in the following year.

Although it is theoretically possible for leaf and stem rust to overwinter under certain conditions, it is extremely unlikely as the fungal spores are localized on the leaf and stem surfaces and are usually killed off once winter comes.

It’s easier for stripe rust to overwinter because it grows in a systemic fashion and can travel down into the leaf tissue itself.

“You can get quite a bit more

infection with stripe rust,” says Tom Fetch, a research scientist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Cereal Research Centre in Winnipeg. “And it can overwinter as urediomycelium inside the leaf. As long as you get some snow cover to keep the leaf temperature above -4 C, the fungus will remain alive inside that leaf tissue. Stripe rust can then just grow and re-sporulate when air temperatures get above 5 C and you get an earlier infection in the spring time.”

Using different crop rotations, especially in areas where farmers plan to grow winter wheat, may help to reduce the risk of large

stripe rust disease populations overwintering.

Although the overwintering of stripe rust is something new to the Prairies, the general rust situation in Western Canada appears to be unchanged, especially for leaf and stem rust, neither of which seem to be showing up any earlier or in areas where they have not been seen before.

CHOOSE RESISTANT VARIETIES The first line of defence against rust is to choose resistant varieties. There are still plenty of varieties that are resistant or moderately resistant to stripe,

leaf and stem rust, and the resistance genes currently in use in most North American varieties are holding up fairly well. Fetch recommends that growers check provincial seed guides, however, to make sure the varieties they choose are resistant, especially in the case of leaf rust, as there are some varieties which are still highly susceptible to this strain. As well there is greater variability in the population of leaf rust, which seem to change a lot more than stem rust. “With stem rust it has been one strain that has dominated in North America for about half a dozen years now,” says Fetch.

Early scouting of fields (from late May to early June) is essential to keep ahead of rust diseases. There are few recommendations for when rust diseases have reached economic thresholds in Western Canada. The following economic thresholds are from the U.S. (leaf rust) and Australia (stem and stripe rust).

• Leaf Rust: Look for small, round, orange pustules on leaves and leaf sheaths, especially around leaf axils and tips, where raindrops may have collected during wet conditions. Economic thresholds for leaf rust in the U.S. are one pustule per leaf occurring in at least three of five samples. Scout more frequently if conditions are wet.

• Stem Rust: Stem rust spores may arrive later than other rusts, so scouting should continue into July. Look for reddish-brown, elongated spore pustules on stems, leaves, glumes, awns and kernels. Red spore dust may stick to hands and clothing. Australian data recommends control at an infection rate of five per cent of the leaf area — one per cent infection would be around 35 leaves out of 100 in a sample area.

• Stripe Rust: Look for small, yellowish rust spores (called uredinia) which appear in linear rows running the length of the leaf blade.

The yellow spores may also wipe off onto hands and clothing. Early detection of stripe rust is essential as it can multiply in the crop very quickly, and Australian recommendations are to use a foliar fungicide once infection is at five per cent of the leaf area. Once a crop is 30 per cent infected it may be too late for fungicide application to be effective.

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Features FOLIAR FUNGICIDE There are plenty of foliar fungicides which give effective control of leaf, stem and stripe rust in wheat, and provincial crop protection guides provide information about which ones are registered for use on wheat rust. Fungicides are best applied early, around the flag leaf stage, and before the disease becomes too established.

SEEDING DATES

PHOTO: BRENT MCCALLUM, AAFC, WINNIPEG

Rust diseases generally blow in as spores from the U.S. in early summer, but it is possible for them to overwinter.

The earlier that farmers can seed their wheat the better the likelihood of avoiding the rust spore inoculums that first arrive typically in late June. Under ideal conditions, rust diseases cycle to create new spores in eight to 10 days. By planting early and getting healthy plants that are at a more advanced growth stage before the spores arrive, there are fewer cycles of rust and less inoculum is produced.

“Farmers always want to plant as early as they can,” says Fetch.

“But if you have a choice between different crops you may want to plant your wheat first rather than a crop like canola, which you plan to spray anyway. The wheat can mature first and avoid the rust, so you won’t have to spray that wheat as well.”

SCOUTING To detect overwintering of stripe rust, early and regular scouting is recommended, beginning in late May or early June. Stripe rust requires moisture on leaves for several hours and temperatures around 10 C to infect plants, whereas leaf and stem rust will develop better in overnight temperatures ranging from 15 C to 20 C. Generally hot (above 15 C) and dry conditions discourage stripe rust development. The earlier farmers can detect rust diseases, the more time they will have to evaluate the risk and make decisions about whether it is economical to spray based on yield potential

UG99: AN UPDATE It was recently announced that two new varieties of wheat that are resistant to Ug99, a stem rust that was first discovered in Uganda in 1999, have been released in Kenya.

Ug99 is a highly virulent strain that has spread quickly across eastern Africa and into Yemen and Iran. Much is still unknown about these new varieties, however, including which genes are giving resistance. “The biggest factor in longevity of resistance is the number of genes in that line,” says Tom Fetch. Ug99 has already

The general rust situation in Western Canada appears to be unchanged. overcome a gene used in resistant wheat varieties in Ethiopia.

Fetch is involved in a huge research collaboration called the Borlaug Global Rust Initiative, which brings together scientists from many countries in a common objective of reducing the world’s vulnerability to stem, yellow, and leaf rusts of wheat.

Ug99 has recently been confirmed in Tanzania, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and South Africa, but its spread to South Africa is of most concern for some other wheat growing areas. From South Africa there is a possibility that the Ug99 spores could arrive in both Australia and South America.

Based on recent meteorological data, rust spores would most likely arrive in Brazil on wind events that regularly occur between South Africa and South America, and could then spread into the US and Canada. “That’s how soybean rust got introduced into North America,” says Fetch.

Monitoring is currently being done in Brazil, but to date no Ug99 inoculum has been detected in susceptible trap plots there. Meanwhile research continues to find genes that are resistant to the strain and which can be incorporated into future wheat varieties. †

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FEBRUARY 13, 2012

Features FARM BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

The cost of bad timing If you’re overextended, it can be hard to get everything done at exactly the right time. Here’s some things to think about when you’re planning your time for the upcoming crop season JAY PETERSON

T

here are many business planning resources out there that will tell you being able to do 12 things well and at high efficiency will always be more profitable than trying to do 36 different things at a lower efficiency.

In the context of production agriculture, I think it more than makes sense. Maintaining a clear focus on crop production rather than trying to do too many things at once is more likely to result in maximum yield and profitability.

THE NITROGEN ERROR Last year, I found myself in a tight spot that ended up hurting our overall yield. In mid-summer we were looking to lay down some liquid fertilizer on our oilseed crops. This was accom-

plished on around 60 per cent of our oilseed acres. When it came to the last third of our acreage, I ran into a large problem. I could not find a load of liquid fertilizer within the time frame that was needed before the weather system coming through brought the rain I wanted to use to incorporate the nitrogen. Looking over the results over the last few years, not applying this extra fertilizer mid-season most likely cost us around five bushels to the acre.

It is easy to see that this type of mistake can be very costly and can add up quickly.

This is just one example of an occurrence that happened to me this year that hurt the overall yield of the crop. There are many different things that need to happen within a certain time frame for maximum efficiency. This can include things such as placing the seed as soon as possible in the best soil moisture of the spring, spraying in-crop to allow the best weed-free environment for the crop and placing in-season fertilizer when the weather is the best for incorporation. There

are some strategies that can be used to try and minimize these types of timing errors in a growing season.

WATCH OUT FOR OVEREXTENSION This is one strategy that I think has fallen by the wayside with the advancement in size and precision of today’s equipment. It gives you the feeling that you can extend yourself as far your equipment will let you.

However this does not always equate to a situation where you can properly get to all your work accomplished within the proper time frame.

If you don’t get to your in-crop spraying in time, you can hurt yourself by having weed issues as well as trampling down crop.

If you don’t have the time to get down needed crop nutrition in season, this can have a large effect on yields. As stated above, if you can do 12 really well within the crop year, you’ll see more results than if you do 36 things not so well.

BE PREPARED It’s always difficult to predict every situation that can come up within the growing season. It can be hard to get everything done exactly when you want when odd weather keeps you out of the field.

It obviously does not hurt to be prepared. This can mean many things of course, but in essence it means being ready to do your work when the time comes. Having the chemical you want on hand will mean that, when you need it, you don’t have to waste time going to town to pick it up, or find yourself in a situation like mine where you don’t have what you need to get the job done.

This can also mean making sure that the machinery is ready to go when you need it so you can minimize in-field stops.

Obviously, mechanical failures will occur but being prepared for this type of issue and keeping things in good repair can keep you in the field instead of making stops to fix problems that could have been prevented.

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LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE Another technique I try to use is to roughly think about how much time each operation will take. This includes the number of days it will take, but I also like to break it down farther, to how long each tank may take to spray out or seed and how long it takes to refill from one of these operations. From these estimations I can accurately put together entire operations or parts of the season. This information is vital in making sure I don’t overextend, and I can complete all the tasks necessary for a great year. I can also create contingency plans for situations that might occur. Once you think about the big picture, you can make on-the-go decisions with more ease and efficiency than before.

This is where I fell short in my planning for last year’s in-crop fertilizing needs. I should have had a contingency plan — a way to store a large amount of liquid fertilizer, or a plan for getting delivery efficiently when I needed it. If I had done that and been more prepared, all the acres would have been covered at the optimal time and I would have had a more profitable situation.

By being prepared and understanding your bigger picture timing, you can schedule your work more efficiently to increase the profitability of your operations. † Jay Peterson farms near Frontier, Sask.

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FEBRUARY 13, 2012

Features FARM PLANNING

The right farm size The trend in farm size is bigger, bigger, bigger. Marianne Stamm talks to farmers who have given a lot of thought to choosing the right size for their operations

BY MARIANNE STAMM

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here seems to be a general consensus out there that farms, especially grain farms, need to keep getting bigger in size to be viable enterprises. Do they really always need to grow or can farmers do just as well by learning to maximize the resources they already have? It could be some of both.

“By just farming and enjoying life we were going broke,” says Richard Seatter, who farms Triple Creek Farm with his wife Valerie and son Luke. “We had to get more SEC_WHEAT12REV_T_AFE_GN.qxd land, and then things started going up.” How much land is enough

to make a comfortable income will differ from farm to farm. The Seatters started expanding when their son Luke decided to come back to the farm a few years ago.

They are now farming 2,600 acres north of Westlock, Alberta.

Paul deChamplain, a 28-year old farmer east of Westlock, is cropping 1,700 acres as a sole proprietor. His parents help him in peak times. “I don’t want to get much bigger than 2,000 acres,” he says.

“I find I can do a better job on fewer acres than I can on more.”

Things look different again when there are several family mem1/10/12 3:11 PM Page 1Clayton bers farming together.

Wierenga farms with two brothers

in Neerlandia, Alberta. “Our sons are interested in farming,” he says,

How much land is enough to make a comfortable income will differ from farm to farm. “so that plays into my decision to continue to expand in order to give them the opportunity to farm.”

There is no one right answer

as to what the ideal land base is.

Glen van Dijken also grain farms in the Westlock area. “The size of farm is dependent on one’s goals, and also on future family prospects,” he says. “Twenty years ago I would have looked at the whole thing differently. Then we strove to transition into a multigenerational farm.” At this point he is asking himself what he and his wife need for their future.

TRAITS OF SUCCESSFUL FARMERS There are some management traits these successful farmers seem to share. For one thing,

More wheat solutions than Prairie towns.

they enjoy what they are doing.

“I farm because I enjoy it so much, and I never look at it as a job,” says deChamplain.

“I really enjoy growing crops and the challenge involved in managing the cropping,” says Wierenga.

Seatter believes that philosophy and attitude are everything. “Your philosophy leads you to better decisions and farming practices, because you’re doing it for the right reasons,” he says. “There’s satisfaction in doing it. Hanging onto the farm too tight creates fear. Enjoying what we have been blessed with brings us joy, energy and enables us to see opportunities.”

DeChamplain is always looking for a better way to do new things. He’s tried some different niche markets like grass seed and sunflowers. Being a bit smaller gives him more opportunity to do that. He’ll often ride with other farmers on the tractor and ask them what they are doing.

“Bring people around you that help you do things better,” says Seatter. “That drags you along, because there’s always someone there pushing it. Just hanging out with some of the top farmers is helpful.”

One of those people is his son Luke. “He picks every field apart — what’s wrong with this field, what can we do to make it better,” his father says. Luke’s education, a degree in agriculture, brings real value to the farm.

Ongoing education (workshops, reading, seminars, marketing clubs) is important, Seatter believes, to keep sharp and provide timely information.

INPUTS AND MACHINERY Both Wierenga and deChamplain employ an agronomist to help make decisions in crop management. “We make use of micronutrients where we believe it is warranted,” Wierenga says. “We do test strips to confirm the value of the different approaches to micronutrients.” To increase the efficiency of fertilizer, Wierengas use variable rate application. Not only is it a better use of inputs but it also has less impact on the environment. Wierengas are shareholders in the local farmer owned Co-op, which has been a real asset for them.

Many farmers, like deChamplain

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Features and Seatter, use zero till to both cut costs (fewer fields passes) and improve the soil. DeChamplain also straight cuts all his canola. It gives him more time and he needs one less person.

Doing much of their own machinery repairs definitely helps cut costs, says Seatter. DeChamplain also likes to do his own maintenance, and spent a winter rebuilding the cab of a Kenworth cab over truck.

“Probably for my size of farm I have some pretty big equipment,” deChamplain says. “But it makes me more efficient. Things get done quickly and on time, which all contributes to the bottom line.”

Seatters rarely have the newest iron, but will invest more where they feel it pays, such as in the seeding equipment. “If you don’t have a good start you don’t have anything,” he says. Something he heard at a seminar many years ago: “Don’t mechanize to save time if you don’t have something better to do.”

“There isn’t time to do something more than once,” Seatter says. “For example, you’ll be out there fixing fence all the time, chasing cows — instead of spending one day making a new fence.

You try to never do something just good enough for now. You try to set up efficient practices.” Then he adds, “Everything takes longer than you think it’s going to take.”

A good job of marketing or pricing farm product can make quite a difference to the bottom line too. “Many farmers take the approach that production is the most important,” says Geoff Doell, agronomist consultant to deChamplain. “Yet some of the more successful farms spend equal energy and resources on marketing their product for a better grade and price.” DeChamplain enjoys the challenge of marketing and does it himself, spending much time on the internet and phone for information to make good decisions.

Wierenga follows the advice of paid market advisors and his sense of the markets based on what he’s read about them.

“Input purchasing power is also a huge advantage to those who can afford to do so,” says Doell. Those farmers who have the ability to buy fertilizer or other inputs when the price is lower, usually in the fall, are already ahead of the game.

If attitude is the most important, as Seatter thinks, then Wierenga has the apt closing remark. “I believe that I should care the for land based on the best science available, since it is a privilege to farm this land that God has given to us.” †

Richard and Valerie Seatter, in their wheat field last fall. Farmers who enjoy what they’re doing well.

Uniform emergence Many farmers. Many benefits.

Darren Christensen farms 3,600 acres near St. Rose, MB. This is his experience.

“We started to use JumpStart because we noticed in our neighbour’s JumpStart treated field that they were getting a definite advantage in the spring with the seed coming out of the ground a lot earlier and a lot more uniform. With JumpStart we’ve noticed a lot more uniform emergence, and it was a lot easier for timing for herbicide, for fungicide, and an all over advantage. We could tell on the combine that there was a definite yield advantage where we used JumpStart.”

To put JumpStart to work on your farm, see your local retailer.

Marianne Stamm is an Albertan farm woman currently writing from Switzerland

“An all over advantage.”

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Columns ANYONE CAN START FARMING

Keep in touch with a veterinarian It will be much easier to remain calm during calving and kidding season if you know a veterinarian you can call in case of emergency

W

ith calving and kidding fast approaching, it’s time to talk about veterinarians. For many years we had never needed a veterinarian to assist in a birth. Then last year we had two cesarean sections, one in a cow and one in a goat. We learned that there are things farmers can do to make the veterinarian’s job easier and help facilitate a satisfactory ending.

Most farmers can relate to the horrible sick feeling that occurs when a night-time visit to the barn results in finding your favourite heifer or goat in labour and distress. This is only compounded when you call the vet, who you haven’t called in a year, to discover they aren’t available.

They’re out on another call or worse, they’ve retired. Now you must pull out the phone book and start calling veterinarians that don’t know you. And you don’t know them. For us, this is terrifying. Since we have a multispecies farm we have to look for a multi-species veterinarian.

Thankfully, we have found a few but since they aren’t easy to find we want to keep them happy.

From our experience, in order to have a positive experience with veterinarians it is important to not wait till things are an emergency before getting in touch. It is also important to have information ready for the vet and ask what they will require from you when they arrive.

LAST CALVING SEASON Last calving season we had a heifer that was not able to calf.

Our regular vet wasn’t available, and our secondary vet was two hours away from our farm when the call reached him. The only other veterinarian we could reach didn’t come on farm calls and we do not take animals to the veterinarian’s clinic if possible.

Since we hadn’t left the heifer labouring long before evaluating that the head wouldn’t pass through naturally, our veterinarian on call felt it was acceptable to wait. He advised us to keep her calm, prepare the stall with fresh bedding and have a fivegallon pail of very hot water ready for his arrival. He arrived and was able to get straight to work and deliver a healthy bull calf. He was quite thorough with the aftercare instructions. If this happens again, we’ll be sure to have a paper and pencil is in the barn to record directions.

For a calving emergency the veterinarian doesn’t need the animal’s temperature, but when calling about any other health emergency they will ask for that.

The normal temperature for a cow is 100.4 to 103.1 Fahrenheit.

Sheep and goats have a body temperature of 102.2 to 104.9 F. This is taken rectally on a restrained animal.

LAST KIDDING SEASON Last kidding season we also had a caesarean section on one of our does. She was our only Permanent Canadian Champion and was thirteen years old at the time. She had started retaining fluid and when we consulted with the veterinarian he agreed to a farm visit. He warned us that it could mean that we either needed a caesarean or we ran a high risk of losing her and her kids. We had been able to provide temperature and respirations along with breeding dates, and before he arrived he knew this was an emergency situation. After testing to rule out pregnancy toxaemia, the vet deemed a caesarean necessary.

Pregnancy toxaemia is the result of the high-energy demand of multiple foetuses in late pregnancy. The kids require an increasing amount of carbohydrates in the last trimester. Does bearing twins have a 180 per cent higher energy requirement than those with just a single foetus. Does carrying triplets have a 240 per cent greater energy requirement. When this demand exceeds the supply, fat is metabolized into glucose.

The metabolic needs of the kids are met at the expense of the dam; this is what causes pregnancy toxemia. To complicate matters, multiple foetuses produce more waste,

which means the doe’s kidneys have to work harder and often results in the dam becoming toxic if she does not flush the waste from her system. This is also the scenario for a cow carrying twins.

Our doe delivered two healthy buck kids but one died shortly after.

The biggest difference between a goat and cow c-section is that goats are much more flexible. The cow was easily restrained with a halter and local anaesthetic whereas the goat kept trying to put her head back and see what the veterinarian was doing, possibly contaminating the field. If we have to do this procedure again we will definitely have a person dedicated to keeping the doe’s head controlled.

MULTIPLE VETERINARIANS There is another reason it is very important for livestock producers to forge a relationship with more than one veterinarian. The government is requiring veterinarians in some provinces to make at least one visit a year in order to prescribe veterinary drugs. In good years producers can have a problem meeting this requirement, so a solid relationship with your veterinarian is crucial for when there is a need.

It’s a

DEBBIE CHIKOUSKY

Last calving season we had a heifer that was not able to calf on its own.

With our first calf due the beginning of March this year and our goats kidding at the same time, we are praying that these situations do not occur again but in case they do we have already touched base with the veterinarian to make sure what his hours will be this year. It is a good idea to enter their phone numbers on speed dial in

case of emergency. It is the little time savers that make it easier to remain calm in times of stress.

Hopefully all will go well this year but if not, at least we know what to do and who to call. † Debbie Chikousky farms with her family at Narcisse, Man. Visitors are always welcome.

Contact Debbie at debbie@chikouskyfarms.com

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23

Columns AGRI-COACH CORNER

Seed Nutrition – Seed Covers Plants need to have good nutrition right from the start — the seed — to reach their full potential

BY ELSTON SOLBERG

E

vidence is accumulating to show that the nutrient reserve within or placed directly on a seed greatly affects a seedling’s ability to withstand various environmental stresses; that seeds containing low reserves of zinc, manganese and copper have lower resistance to root pathogens, water stress, cold temperatures and acidic soil conditions; and, that the most important factor determining the mineral nutrient reserves in a seed is the nutrient availability to the mother plant during reproductive development.

There was a recent question put to out to our network by agricoach Richard Limoges, owner of High Performance Agronomy at McLennan Alta., which should make us all think: “If we measure soil nutrient levels to determine a fertilizer plan, and many of us use a tissue test to check up on our crops, can’t we do the same thing with the seed? What kind of information would that give us? How could we use it?”

From research, we know that several macro and micronutrients play critical roles in the germination and early development of the seedling, particularly when germinating seeds or seedlings are facing abiotic and biotic stress.

Let’s quickly review a few of the commonly recognized important “early” nutrients: Zinc (Zn) is needed to orient the radical (the first root) and stem, it is involved in many enzymatic reactions, there is a high Zn content in all meristematic tissues (areas of growth) and it is required to maintain bio-membranes.

We need some calcium (Ca) to help seedlings build cell structure.

Boron (B) is required for cell differentiation. Boron could go on later, but in cereals, if we want to influence the size of the head, it needs to be in place before the three-leaf stage, so logistically it is easier to apply with the seed. Even on brassicas and legumes, boron is better early.

Manganese (Mn) is involved in activating a large number of enzymatic systems, so any lack slows down plant function. Mn is also involved in lateral root development and the more roots we can produce, the better the health of the plant. Mn is another nutrient that is more effective the earlier it is applied. As senior agri-coach Dr. Ieuan Evans points out, in soils high in manganese, most of it is available in the +4 form while the plant wants +2; so we can get a response with an early Mn application, particularly in high pH soils.

There is lots of research supporting the importance of available phosphorus (P) in early seedling development, especially as P is not very mobile so it is a good idea to have lots of feeding sites close to the seed. More recently, we have learned that some of this early P should be in the phosphite form.

EARLY DEVELOPMENT Here’s an analogy to help hammer this discussion home. In western Canada, most crops have 90-120 days in which they grow from a tiny seed to a mature plant.

A baby born today can expect to live 90+ years. The first few years of a child’s life are critical developmentally. In these first few months and years every child’s physical and mental potential is set. Same for the crops we grow! Imagine providing inadequate nutrition to a child for the first six years of its life. Not enough iron (Fe), protein, magnesium (Mg) or Calcium (Ca), what would that do to the child’s potential? The genetics would be there but the expression of those genetics would not be possible because of the early shortage. A tragic situation, right? Same for the crops we grow.

In my opinion, a seed test for nutrient concentrations, or quan-

tification of seed nutrient density, would provide another important piece of the puzzle from which we can connect more dots that allows better decisions and more consistently high yielding crops.

RAMIFICATIONS OF SEED NUTRIENT DENSITY Seed nutrient density has ramifications in fine-tuning our fertility program. If the seed we are planting has a low nutrient density, then we can adjust our fertility program to offset any early nutrient shortages. We can accomplish this through seedplaced nutrients (beside the covers), seed priming (on the covers), fertilizer impregnation or selecting nutrient dense seed (under the covers).

If nutrients are low in the seed, then nutrients placed close to or on the seed help ensure adequate nutrition for germination and emergence. Plants take up a high percent of their micronutrient requirements during the first third of the growing period. Therefore, it is important to apply these micronutrients before or at planting to get maximum benefit.

If the harvested seed is low in nutrients, protein or oil, then we need to adjust our fertility program and use tissue tests to check on crop uptake and nutrient availability.

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Agri-coach Gerald Anderson, owner of AgAdventure Consulting Services out of Coaldale AB says, “Most of my customers have a liquid kit on their drills so we can dribble liquid P in the seedrow to optimize our feeding sites, and carry at least some zinc and boron.

In fields where we see the need, we are now adding manganese.”

Seed nutrient density also has implications for seed sale transactions. Which seed would you rather plant? A nutrient dense seed that is able to take care of its own needs or one low in the nutrients essential to speeding robust germination? Select seed that is high in P, Zn, B, Ca and Mn. Remember some of P should be in the phosphite form.

With the change in marketing options, there is the potential for markets that will pay for nutrient density/oil content. As sure as I’m sitting here, this will happen for Canadian growers. How do I know this? It’s already happening all around the planet.

WHY THIS IS BECOMING MORE IMPORTANT Increased yields means increased nutrient requirements and nutrient removal from the soil. Enhanced water use efficiency (WUE) and fertilizer use efficiency (FUE) makes for ever bigger crops, but usually with less concentrated nutrients (environmental dilution). In addition, plant breeders striving for increased yields concentrate on increased carbohydrates or oil without a focus on overall nutrient density, resulting in low nutrient concentrations (genetic dilution).

There is historical data that proves this. Between 1938 and 1990, protein in wheat and barley declined by 30 to 50 per cent.

Moreover, since 1873 key minerals in hard red wheat have declined.

Over the 130-year period, genetic gains in the yield of U.S. HRSW wheat have tended to reduce seed iron, zinc and selenium concentrations. Iron content dropped by about 28 per cent, while zinc dropped by about 34 per cent and selenium by about 36 per cent.

Biofortification is a new term bantered about, usually in the context of genetically engineering a crop to produce a product with a higher nutrient content.

However as farmers, we can “biofortify” crops naturally by using a balanced fertility program and connecting a bunch of dots.

Seed nutrient density is important and going forward will become even more important, researchers will develop attention levels similar to what we use with soil and tissue tests.

However, right now if you have the choice between two seed lots, one low in nutrient density and the other high, choose the high.

Recent research shows that soils high in P and Zn — especially those with subsequent tissue tests with high P and Zn levels, tend to grow seeds with higher concentrations of these key nutrients. Start your seed analysis with contrasting soil/ tissue testing fields. Once you have selected your best seed, consider putting additional nutrient on the seed or very near the seed. Use soil analysis, tissue analysis and grain analysis to guide you. Start with a couple of fields and a couple of crops. Learn as you grow forward.

When everything clicks, the results can be staggering! † Elston Solberg is a senior agri-coach and president of Agri-Trend Agrology

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25

Columns SOILS AND CROPS

Needed: watershed maps

MAP 1.

Typical map of Lake Winnipeg watershed.

Experts are working to minimize what farmers spill into surface water bodies. But very little prairie runoff actually gets into the Lake Winnipeg watershed LES HENRY

ration of a true watershed map, so we know where to focus the work.

RUNNOFF AND PHOSPHORUS

T

he first extension meeting I remember was for a Watershed Co-op south of Birch Hills, Sask. The Watershed Co-ops were formed so farmers could work together to reduce runoff and the erosion that went with it. It is great to see work once again being organized on a watershed basis.

This time around, the focus is on farm management practices to minimize what we spill into surface water bodies. But, step one ought to be the preparation of a watershed map so efforts can be focused.

THE LAKE WINNIPEG WATERSHED Lake Winnipeg is much in the news these days. Extra nutrients, particularly phosphorus, lead to algae blooms and agriculture gets too much of the blame. For sure, agriculture does contribute and we need to do our part to minimize our nutrient loss and its unwelcome appearance in water bodies.

The same map is usually used to show the Lake Winnipeg watershed.

That map gives the impression that every acre of farmland in most of the Canadian Prairies can contribute phosphorus to Lake Winnipeg. Not so!

In many parts of the world with geologically old landscapes, there are well developed drainage channels that all hook up to deliver water to the ocean.

In much of Western Canada we have very young landscapes, left behind by a series of glaciations that left myriad potholes — we call them sloughs. In such landscapes the watershed is all the way from the hilltop to the slough. And there it ends.

A very different map has been prepared by the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration (PFRA), now the part of the AgriEnvironment Services Branch of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). The red areas show the non-contributing areas, which is most of Saskatchewan.

In this map the red areas are essentially the pothole country where drainage is all the way to the nearest slough.

Now, this is a bit of an oversimplification. Real wet years like we’ve experienced recently can overspill some sloughs that find a way to a major river or lake. But in much of pothole country, our land must absorb whatever rainfall or snow melt comes along.

The South Saskatchewan River system is about to undergo scrutiny with the new Global Institute for Water Security that has been formed at the University of Saskatchewan. I look forward to helping with that work. The first thing I will be pushing for is the prepa-

On my Dundurn farm, little water leaves any of the quarters.

Most of it ends up in sloughs I have to go around when seeding — or pump up to the hilltops in spring.

And, of the water that does leave, some could end up in Blackstrap Lake — a man-made lake which receives water from Diefenbaker Lake via the Saskatoon South East Water Supply (SSEWS) canal. But, for any water from my quarters to

get to the Saskatchewan River and hence Lake Winnipeg, we would have to put it in a truck and haul it there.

Our situation in Western Canada is much different than warmer areas of the U.S. where most press comes from. Down there, summer rains carry soil and the attached phosphorus with it. But here, it is the dissolved phosphorus that flows along with the spring snow melt that makes the biggest contribution.

In both Alberta and Manitoba it has been shown that phosphorus levels in spring runoff are highly correlated with soil test phospho-

rus. In my experience most very high soil test phosphorus fields are ones that have received lots of manure over the years. And, high soil test phosphorus values can have residual effects for many years. But that is a story for another day. Stay tuned. †

Source: Manitoba Government website

MAP 2.

Map of Lake Winnipeg Watershed, showing actual drainage.

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 second 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, SK, S7H 3H7, and he will dispatch a signed book post-haste

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FEBRUARY 13, 2012

Columns MANAGEMENT MINUTE

Managing growth in the cow/calf business

After some rough years, Sir Loin has plans to expand his cow/calf business. But is his farm financially strong enough to support growth?

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MARK SLOANE

W

e recently enjoyed a meeting with Sir Loin, a gentlemen beef farmer who immigrated from England in the fall of 2002. We know what you’re thinking. English, gentlemen, and beef farmer: is that possible? Okay, we admit, sometimes we embellish the truth for the purpose of a good column.

Sir Loin’s position was this. He has toiled through poor margins since the onset of BSE. His banker, Hans Immapocket, has treated Sir Loin like a leper in recent years, hardly passing a glance his way, even during the Christmas bonspiel. The local Dodge Truck dealer quit phoning four years ago.

But Sir Loin is smiling now.

The yard is full of hay, his pens full of fairly priced calves, and his cow herd is in great shape because he aggressively culled in recent years to generate cash flow. Getting to this point hasn’t been easy. Sir Loin has built up significant accounts payable with local suppliers and his operating line of credit remains close to his limit, as it has for many months now. Sir Loin loves the cattle business and called us out to discuss his plans for expansion. Sir Loin had 200 heifers in the pen, pasture for 150 and wanted to retain 150 this summer for breeding and retention in the herd. After much discussion and analysis, our report and advice centered around the following: First, the business has to be in a position of financial strength to support growth. Upon analysis of his liquidity it was apparent that some of Sir Loin’s accounts payable were high interest bearing accounts. We identified the following options to restore this working capital.

One option is to term out his accounts payable and operating line of credit with his creditor.

This decreases the interest rate and lowers the impact on cash flow as payments are made over time. The reality is that his historical income tax does not demonstrate the very recent positive margins in the beef industry. The bank is in the risk business, not the farm speculation

business and, as such, terming accounts payable out with the support of weak income tax is viewed as risky lending and may not be an option.

It was determined that the sale of 100 heifers would clean up his accounts payable in full. The remaining cash flow projection indicated that the operating loan would not revolve completely and that was the focus of the last discussion he had with Hand Immapocket. For that reason, in addition to the sale of the heifers, Sir Loin would request that the bank term out 50 per cent of the value of the 100 remaining heifers. This restores Sir Loin’s liquidity and allows the operating line to remain within its limit and revolve accordingly.

FINANCIAL PLANNING The following targets were used in this financial planning; Current Ratio: Current Assets/ Current Liabilities. The target: 2.0.

Working Capital Ratio: (Current Assets — Current Liabilities)/Cash Operating Expenses. The target: 65 per cent. A working capital ratio of 65 per cent indicates that roughly 35 per cent of the fiscal year’s operating expenses are financed.

Fixed Charge requirements per cow = (Payments+Land Rent+ Leases+Taxes+ Living Expenses)/ Number of Calving Cows. The target: $300. This target was calculated based on historical expense levels, historical production levels, and a conservative estimate for future market levels, all three of which will be unique to each operation.

The moral of this story is that very few businesses can expand their way out of a problem. In order for expansion to make sense over cleaning up high interest bearing accounts payable, the return on the capital tied up for the expansion must be greater than the carrying cost of the payable. This also carries with it the false assumption that the guy carrying your payable has agreed to be the financer for your expansion. The beef industry has endured tremendous hardship since BSE, floodwaters, and drought. The beneficial change in the markets has illuminated tremendous light at the end of this long tunnel but one has to be careful not to crash into the wall on the way out. † Andrew DeRuyck and Mark Sloane manage two farming operations in southern Manitoba and are partners in Right Choice Management Consulting. With over 25 years of cumulative experience, they offer support in farm management, financial management, strategic planning and mediation services.

They can be reached at andrewd@goinet.ca and sloanefarms@hotmail.com or 204-8257392 and 204-825-8443

FEBRUARY 13, 2012

grainews.ca /

27

Columns FARM FINANCIAL PLANNER

Selling the farm If the time comes to sell your farm, make sure you get the most from the sale

BY ANDREW ALLENTUCK

A

couple we’ll call Jack (55) and Susie (60) have farmed in western Manitoba for most of their lives. They have 640 acres in their own names and farm 2,360 acres their parents owned or that they have rented.

When Jack’s father died 10 years ago, the farm was in jeopardy. Dad had not updated his will for 20 years. The document was basic. His wife would receive everything and the family assets would be divided among surviving siblings and their children when Mom passed away. There was no mention or credit given to Jack’s contributions through his work and dedication to the farm. Jack doesn’t want to create problems like this for his children.

Jack and Susie’s three children, all in their thirties, have careers off the farm. Since they don’t want to farm, Jack and Susie need to find another way to liberate the value of their business. Sale is the obvious route.

Today, Jack would like to sell his 640 acres of land, the part of

It is important to reduce risk and investment volatility as one gets older. the farm that he owns. He has an offer of $2,500 per acre. The farm corporation where Jack has an offfarm job has offered to match this deal, with payments spread over several years. Now the question is: which deal to take?

Don Forbes, a farm financial planner with Don Forbes & Associates/Armstrong & Quaile Associates Inc., worked with Jack and Susie to find the best deal and plan their transition to retirement.

SETTING GOALS Jack and Susie’s goals are 1) to retire in five years when Jack is 60 and Susie is 65; 2) to generate another $1,000 per month to add to their present $3,500 monthly spending for travel and other retirement expenses; 3) to sell four quarters of land over four years, starting in 2013 at $2,500 per acre or $400,000 for each quarter; and 4) buy a condo in town for $300,000 with that cash.

It’s all doable, but optimizing income from the various moves will take careful planning. Forbes’ plan is to get cash as soon as possible from sale of the farm and from application for CPP benefits.

Under revised rules for taking early Canada Pension Plan benefits, payments are cut by 0.6 per cent per month for each month prior to age 65 at which benefits begin. For starting benefits at age 60, the total penalty is 36 per cent of the age 65 benefit. The new

rules, effective as of January 1, 2012, will be fully phased in by the time the couple retires.

Whether to take benefits now or later is a question of financial philosophy, tax rates and life expectancy. Allowing for the phase in, with the reduction growing by .002 per cent per year until they reach 0.6 per cent, the cost of early application is about $200 per year or $17 per month. On the other hand, having the money now, even in a reduced monthly sum could mean a higher lifetime total benefit, depending on how long Susie lives. And, the benefit reduction can be reduced by investment returns.

If Susie were to invest the full amount of the CPP benefit, about $360 per month or $4,320 per year, and obtain a return of four per cent from stock dividends or corporate bond interest, the net cost of early application would be reduced to two per cent or $8 per month. This is the price of a couple of coffees and buns. Common sense should take over, Forbes suggests. The same advice goes for Jack. The CPP benefits are small in each case, so the penalties for early application are also small.

“Take the money, give up a coffee or two if you are concerned, or have a couple of coffees as prizes for making the decision to take the money. Liquidity — in both senses — wins over maximizing CPP income at this point.

In five years, the couple will have CPP benefits totaling $790, Old Age Security benefit of $540, Jack’s RSP/RRIF income of $1,700 per month and Susie’s RSP/RRIF income of $1,166. This amounts to a total retirement income of $4,196 per month in 2012 dollars.

Their monthly expenses are estimated at $4,875, leaving a deficit of $679 that they will have to cover from their investment portfolio, which will be about $1.4 million by then.

MANAGING ASSET SALES AND TAXES Before death triggers a final sale, Jack and Susie will have to sell more farmland in order to raise $300,000 for a condo.

Fortunately, because they have farmed the land, the sale of the land would qualify for up to $750,000 Qualified Farmland Capital Gains Tax Credit for Jack and a similar amount for Susie.

The total credits for two people will be $1.5 million, sufficient to cover all but $100,000 of the estimated sale price of the 640 acre parcel. If the land were all sold before the year in which each turns 65, there would be no effect or trigger for the Old Age Security Clawback which currently begins at $67,688 per year.

In 10 years, when Jack is 65 and Susie is 70, they will have substantial assets. Sale proceeds from the 640 acre parcel of land will be invested in non-registered financial assets which will grow to an estimated $1.8 million. Add in an estimated $286,000 for RRSPs, $124,000 for Tax-Free Savings Accounts, and $400,000 for the condo

with a few years of estimated appreciation and they will have $2.6 million in total assets.

With no liabilities, their net worth will be the same amount.

In preparation for retirement in five years, the couple can take a series of eight steps to build and protect income and assets.

• Sell farmland for $400,000 per quarter each year.

• Jack and Susie should each make a $20,000 RRSP contribution after the sale each year.

• Jack and Susie should each put $20,000 into TFSAs in 2012.

• Reserve $300,000 from land sales for the condo purchase, putting the money into so-called high interest savings accounts or short term GICs. • Jack should apply for CPP in 2017 when he is 60 and both he and Susie are retired and in lower tax brackets.

• Jack and Susie should each apply for OAS when they are 65.

• In 2018, when Susie is 65 and Jack is 60, each should convert the RRSP to an RRIF. • Jack and Susie should update their wills.

In retirement, it will be important for the couple to maintain income. Their present portfolio of mutual funds is 90 per cent equity and 10 per cent fixed income. That should be switched to a 60 per cent fixed income, 40 per cent stock portfolio with adjustments every five

years to bring the ratio of fixed income to Susie’s age. By 2022, when Susie is 70, therefore, the portfolio would be 70 per cent fixed income. In 2032, when she is 80, the portfolio would be 80 per cent fixed income.

“It is important to reduce risk and investment volatility as one gets older,” Forbes says. Raising fixed income — bonds and solid dividend stocks — is a progressive process that needs to be maintained as a discipline to ensure the integrity of the portfolio,” he adds.

“Jack and Susie are in the fortunate position of having the means and the mindset to enjoy

Minimize

their retirement,” Mr. Forbes says. “By taking time five years before retirement to plan a taxefficient and stress-free path to that retirement, they will have a better quality of life than when they were working. The farm will have to be sold to finance that retirement, but the loss is sentimental. Given that their children don’t want to farm, sale is the best and really only choice they have.” † Andrew Allentuck’s latest book, “When Can I Retire? Planning Your Financial Life After Work, was published by Penguin Canada in 2011”. For a free Farm Financial Planner analysis of your retirement plans, succession issues or off-farm investments, contact andrewallentuck@mts.net

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FEBRUARY 13, 2012

Machinery & Shop CLASS PROJECT

Project F-250, part two This time, the F-250 gets a paint-in bed liner SCOTT GARVEY

T

he second step taken to improve the look of the 1996 F-250 project truck involves ripping out the ugly wooden box liner someone spent a lot of time and effort installing years ago. The wood has begun to delaminate and look weathered.

Even at its best, the wooden liner didn’t look that great.

When the wood was removed, it was clear that all the screw holes and trapped debris between the liner and the metal box created starting points for a serious rust problem. Once all the wood was out, the box had to be treated with a rust inhibiting paint product to try and prevent the cancer from spreading. Some of the holes had grown so large they required patches.

Because the box was pretty rusty, I wasn’t going to spend a lot of time trying to create invisible patches. Using some 20 gauge sheet metal pieces cut from an old fender, I made patches to fit the contours by simply placing them on top of the box floor and hammering them into shape. Sheet metal screws were used to hold them in place. The screws also help the metal pieces form to the correct shape over the box floor.

The paint-in liner used for this

project is Dupli-Color Bed Armor.

It’s available in a kit that comes with a gallon pail of product along with the tools required to apply it — in this case, that means a special roller. You can use a spray gun, but you’ll need a

There is nothing too difficult about the process. wide aperture tip for the gun. The company has a YouTube video on the net that provides a step-bystep guide to the process. The instructions that come in the kit are also pretty comprehensive.

There is nothing too difficult about the process. Basically, if you can roll on paint, you can do this.

Getting the box prepared created most of the hard work, just like applying any paint product.

Remember, the better job you do preparing the surface, the better your finished result will be.

Before you begin, clean the box thoroughly. I took the truck to a local car wash and blasted the inside of the box for several minutes, removing all the dirt.

But you’ll also need to apply a wax and grease remover to ensure there are no contaminants remaining that can interfere with adhesion of the liner.

Dupli-Color sells its own brand, so we purchased a can of it and

PHOTOS: SCOTT GARVEY

This F-250 is the subject of a multi-step, makeover project. In this instalment, it gets an improvement to the box interior. applied liberal amounts, wiping the surface clean.

The Bed Armor kit includes a red autobody Scotchbrite pad to scuff the existing paint. The pad works like medium-grit sandpaper and creates fine scratches, which makes it easier for the liner to stick to the surface of the box.

If you skip this step, you’ll likely have problems with the coating

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flaking off, because it can’t stick very well to a polished, smooth surface. Don’t cut corners at this stage. It will take some sweat and elbow grease, but you’ll end up with a better job if you pay attention to detail here.

The truck was originally used to pull a stock trailer, so it had an electrical trailer plug attached to the left-side bed wall. Because the old wooden box liner was several inches in from the metal box, the connector could be flush mounted. But now a bracket had to be made to accommodate the thickness of connector. Another piece of 20 gauge metal was cut from an old fender and formed into a bracket to hold the connector in place. Sheet metal screws were used to attach it to the wall of the box.

The electrical plug wires were beginning to fray from the old installation, because no rubber grommet was used to protect them at the point they went through a hole cut in the metal wall of the box. It was a short circuit waiting to happen. To correct the problem, I wrapped the wires with electrical tape and fitted a new grommet into the opening in the metal box. That will prevent any further chafing.

Stir the bed liner coating, mix-

ing it thoroughly, very thoroughly.

It contains rubber fragments to add texture to the box. You want those pieces to be applied as evenly as possible to give the coating a consistent appearance.

Using the roller, getting the kind of even coating the company advertises was very difficult. The roller tended to create ridges. The end result on this project was more of a random texture pattern rather than an even one. But it still looked good. Spraying the liner on might have resulted in a more consistent texture.

The liner is designed to go on in two coats. The instructions recommend putting a light coat on first. It’s difficult to say why, but the first coat on the F-250 took a very long time to dry.

So long, in fact, I gave up waiting and applied the second coat while leaning over the edges of the box rather than climbing in, which actually worked well.

The end result looks pretty good, don’t you think? The cost of materials for this phase of the project amounted to about $140.

Next time we’ll take a look at a more unusual way to use a protective bed liner product. † Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews.

Contact him at scott.garvey@fbcpublishing.com

BY DAN PIRARO

Bizarro

FEBRUARY 13, 2012

grainews.ca /

29

Machinery & Shop

The previous owner of the F-250 had spent a lot of time and effort building a wooden box liner.

It was ugly and started looking weathered. The screws used to hold it in created a lot of rust A rust-inhibiting coating was applied to problem areas of the box before the Bed Armor problems in the steel box. liner was applied.

The paint-on Dupli-Color Bed Armor product provides a textured coating to help prevent A simple bracket was fabricated out of 20 gauge sheet metal to hold the trailer electrical connection plug. damage.

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FEBRUARY 13, 2012

Machinery & Shop NEW EQUIPMENT

Deere shows new, larger and “smarter” sprayer The 4940 sprayer is designed to appeal to custom applicators, with features that make loading and application faster and more precise

BY SCOTT GARVEY

A

John Deere 4940 sprayer in action.

PHOTOS: JOHN DEERE

John Deere 4940 sprayer.

t its North American dealer convention and new-product launch in Indianapolis, Indiana, John Deere showed off its largest, Class 4, high-clearance sprayer, the 4940. Deere originally announced the addition to its sprayer lineup in early June, but most dealers had their first look at it on stage with the other new products for 2012.

A Deere spokesman says it is targeting custom operators as potential customers for this model, so it has given the 4940 features that “make loading and applying material quicker, easier and more precise.” Those kinds of efficiency improvements are essential for any manufacturer that wants to get the attention of those in the application business. With several brands updating the features available on their North American machines in the last year, competition in the high-clearance sprayer market has become intense.

Under the hood of the 4940, power is supplied by Deere’s 340 horsepower, 9.0 litre PowerTech Plus engine mated to four-wheel hydrostatic drive. It has a maximum transport speed of 35 miles per hour, and it can apply liquids at up to 20 m.p.h. and dry products even faster, at 25 m.p.h.

The 4940 has a 1,200 U.S. gallon tank and is available with 90- to 120-foot booms. It also features a 235 gallon direct injection tank, making it easier to maintain a clean solution tank and change between crops. In addition, the optional LoadCommand system allows an operator to fill the main tank in as little as three minutes.

The spray booms are made up of 11 independent sections that can be turned on and off manually or automatically using Swath Control Pro, which allows an operator to minimize overlaps. The 4940 can also be equipped with a 300 cubic-foot dry spreader box to extend its use. New machines also come with one year free access to JD Link, Deere’s newest telematics feature.

“We’ve made the new 4940 the smartest, most productive, flexible and precise application system available from John Deere,” says Kayla Reynolds, marketing manager, global application equipment. The company is hoping customers think so too. † Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews.

Contact him at scott.garvey@fbcpublishing.com

BY DAN PIRARO

Bizarro

FEBRUARY 13, 2012

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Machinery & Shop NEW EQUIPMENT

Save money with an economy PTO feature Some utility tractors now include a 750 RPM PTO option.

Here’s a look at the value that feature could bring to your farm

BY SCOTT GARVEY

F

or years now, farmers have been hearing the throttle-down-gear-up phrase. It’s how you can save a few dollars on daily tractor fuel consumption rates, simply by changing the way you operate the machine. With PTO jobs, however, you couldn’t do that. Powered implements need to run at their rated speed in order to work properly, and that means running the tractor’s engine at rated PTO speed all the time during those operations, whether you need full power or not.

Now, some manufacturers are giving you that throttle-downgear-up capability for jobs using powered implements. The way to do that is to include an economy PTO feature on their new models. You may see it referred to as a 750 RPM PTO on some spec sheets. When the PTO shaft is running at 540 in the economy mode, the engine speed is significantly slower than when in normal operation. That greatly reduces fuel consumption.

Whether it’s a standard feature or an option depends on the brand, but if you’re buying a tractor that will see a lot of PTO work, selecting one that has the economy feature may significantly reduce operating costs over the life of the tractor.

The 5101E’s maximum PTO horsepower at rated engine speed was about 83, so it’s clear the tractor can put out a significant portion of that, even with the engine running relatively slowly; that’s because most of today’s diesel engines offer pretty good torque in the low RPM range. So, the economy PTO mode can be used for a pretty wide variety of jobs.

I looked through the Nebraska test results for economy PTO performance in other tractor brands, but couldn’t find any. “Not all manufacturers choose to test that,” says Morgan. He couldn’t think of any tests other than on John Deere tractors that included that data. But it’s a pretty good bet tractors from other brands

that include the economy PTO feature offer descent fuel consumption advantages, too.

The other benefit is the lower noise level inside the cab when the engine is running slower.

The NTTL measured the decibel level inside the 5101E’s cab at 82.5. That is on the high side of what many premium tractor cabs offer today. Throttling the engine down would make quite a difference to the operator’s comfort level, which would make you feel even better about saving over $20 per day on fuel.

Every little bit of cost saving helps, right? † Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Graines.

Contact him at scott.garvey@fbcpublishing.com

PHOTO: SCOTT GARVEY

Many utility tractors now offer an economy PTO mode. Nebraska Tractor Test Lab results show that this feature could save you some serious money in reduced fuel consumption costs.

PUT IT TO THE TEST To see exactly how much lower daily operating costs could be, let’s take a look at a test analysis done by the Nebraska Tractor Test Lab (NTTL). The following numbers are based on fuel consumption data taken from a John Deere 5101E Limited tractor (NTTL test 1905A) tested on a dyno at their facility. During the test, it was operated in both the normal and economy PTO modes while the fuel consumption and horsepower output were measured.

Both test runs were made with the tractor putting out exactly the same effort, about 65 horsepower. “We wanted to do that to show comparable data,” says Dave Morgan, assistant director at the NTTL. While on the dyno, the 5101E consumed 14.87 litres of fuel per hour using the economy PTO mode. In the next test, with the same measured output, the lab operated the tractor in the normal PTO mode. That meant throttling the engine up from 1715 RPM to 2400 to keep the standard PTO shaft speed.

Fuel consumption climbed quite a bit — to 17.74 litres per hour, an increase of 2.87 l/hr.

Assuming a cost of about 95 cents per litre for diesel, that’s an extra fuel expense of $2.72 per hour. Work your tractor for eight hours in the economy mode instead of the regular PTO setting and you’ve saved $21.76 over the course of the day. That’s enough to take your wife out to dinner — if she’ll settle for a burger at A&W.

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FEBRUARY 13, 2012

Cattleman’s Corner HERD MANAGEMENT

Manure condition an indicator of feed quality The appearance of fresh manure helps one producer quickly determine if his winter-grazed cattle are getting enough nutrition

BY SCOTT GARVEY

“

I

f you monitor the manure, you can tell whether your cattle are getting what they need or not,” says Duane Thompson, a mixed farmer from Kelliher, Sask.

When a cow leaves a soft flat “pie” behind her, that is an indication the feed she’s eating has ample protein and energy for her needs, says Thompson, who spoke recently to a group of 85 fellow producers at a cattle-nutrition workshop near Langbank, Saskatchewan.

However, if she leaves a tall mound of relatively dry matter, feed quality is probably poor; and she’ll need either better feed or a high-protein supplement.

“If you have manure that has a nice pudding texture, she’s getting lots of nutrition,” he says.

“But if it starts to look like horse manure, you better watch out. If

you find that, you better make some changes.”

Thompson, who winter-grazes cattle on stubble and stockpiled forages, monitors the value of feed available to his cows in grazing areas in part by checking the appearance of their fresh manure. That allows him to react to changes quickly, before cattle start to lose condition.

He winters most of his cows on his own stubble fields and those rented from neighbours, who are grain growers. He even sees value in renting canola stubble for winter grazing.

“Some years canola will grow a couple of leaves at the bottom (after harvest) and cows just love that,” he explained. “It’s very high protein and they do well on it.”

COLD-WEATHER SUPPLEMENTS On days when the maximum temperature is below -20 C,

Thompson supplements grazing with silage delivered out to winter pastures. Grazing cows that don’t get extra energy to make it through very cold periods could have problems. “If you hit cold weather… you’ll take a bunch of weight off them,” he says.

When their manure indicates feed quality on a particular field is no longer adequate, Thompson moves the herd “as necessary through the winter.” But he also keeps an eye on the body condition of individual animals to make sure no one is falling behind. “On an animal welfare basis or a financial basis, I’m not afraid to take a few of them out,” he says.

By building a simple corral with temporary panels in the corner of a fence, he’s able to sort and load animals in remote grazing locations.

“It’s the easiest thing in the world to do, because they’re used to being fed and they’re used to coming to

PHOTO: SCOTT GARVEY

Checking on what comes out the back end of a cow is a reliable indicator of what went in the front. When feed quality begins to deteriorate, manure left by a cow tends to form a high pile like this, rather form a flat “pie.” you,” he said. “In under two hours you can sort through 400 cows.”

For most of the herd, though, they’ll stay on a field until their fresh manure shows signs of starting to mound up. That indicates

to him it’s time to go. “That’s the most important tool I have for wintering cows,” he said. † Scott Garvey is the machinery editor for Grainew — and a beef produce. Contact him at scott.garvey@fbcpublishing.com

BETTER BUNKS AND PASTURES

Most forages fall short of nutrients at calving Cows and heifers need for protein and energy nearly double once the calf hits the ground PETER VITTI

T

his is not a typical Prairie winter for pregnant beef cows ready to calve.

Right after New Year’s, Calgary smashed a 100-year weather record of 12.8 C. The next day, Manitoba shattered 11 temperature records. Saskatchewan wasn’t left out; Maple Creek reported a record of 16 C. What does this mean for beef cows just weeks or a month away from calving?

Although we slipped in to a few days of very cold (more seasonal temperatures) in mid-January, it means most cattle probably began winter in pretty good shape. That means chances are good beef cows, overwintered on a nutritious feeding program, should not be hampered by the typical cold Canadian days and should be in good body condition for a successful calving season. It also means producers should continue to feed a good post-calving diet so there is enough milk for calves, and at

the same time cows can maintain proper body condition for successful re-breeding.

Part of the feeding challenge is to meet the high nutrient needs of the individual nursing cow, which represents the greatest demand for nutrients by the cowherd compared to any other time of the year.

REQUIREMENTS DOUBLE Dietary energy and protein requirements of a beef cow nursing a calf nearly double, compared to the start of the winter season. Similarly, mineral and vitamin requirements grow too.

The demand for calcium (re: milk contains about 0.12 per cent Ca) increases by 80-90 per cent, while related phosphorus and trace mineral usage grows by a conservative 50-60 per cent. Vitamin requirements (Vitamin E is sometimes called the “fertility” vitamin) tend to double or triple. In addition, milk contains about 87 per cent water, and therefore a milking cow can now easily drink 45-50 litres from a waterer per day, up from a normal 25-30 litres before calving.

According to the National Research Council, a 600-kg mature cow maintaining a descent body

condition score of 2.5 (re: 1 = thin to 5 = obese) and producing 10 litres of milk for her calf should consume about 14-15 kg of dry matter feed containing at no less than 58-60 per cent TDN (total digestible nutrients) and about 10-11 per cent crude protein with a full complement of macro- (calcium and phosphorus), trace-minerals (i.e.: copper, zinc, selenium) and vitamins (A,D and E).

Furthermore, although first-calf heifers often do not eat as much or produce as much milk as older cows, their dietary concentrations for the same nutrients are slightly higher because they are still growing to full bodyweight. A compliment of 62-63 per cent TDN for dietary energy and 11-13 per cent protein should be formulated into their diets.

ENERGY THEN PROTEIN Under normal circumstances, it’s not that difficult to develop respective lactation feeding programs as long as we remember energy and then protein are the first and second limiting nutrients for all post-calving cows.

Of the two nutrients, energy is the largest and more dynamic

nutrient to meet, but after the basic body functions of the cow herd are achieved, milk production is given a top priority for this precious nutrient. Any leftover energy is spent on growth, building back loss body condition and finally on reproduction. (As a footnote, it is nearly impossible to put back body condition on thin post-partum cows, and if cold weather is a significant factor, a lot of dietary energy is used by cows just to keep warm!).

Next protein requirements must also be met in order to prevent a loss of milk production for nursing calves, which in turn could directly affect their growth and future weaning weights. A lack of protein can also delay a return to estrus by cows, which is often complicated by a energy deficiency.

In addition, part of any good feeding program for lactating beef cows also should include wellbalanced mineral (and vitamin) levels that tend to maintain or improve good cow mineral status.

Macro-minerals, trace minerals and Vitamins A, D and E play a wide range of metabolic roles in the cow after calving from visible basic body functions and lactation performance to what we cannot see, such as healthy follicular development and commencement of the estrus cycle for rebreeding.

FORAGE QUALITY

Warm, then cold, then back to warm — this has not been a typical Prairie winter for feeding cattle.

PHOTO: FILE

Regardless as to how lactation diets are formulated with minerals or any other nutrients on paper, meeting these requirements on a practical basis really comes down to the type and quality of forages available on the farm. Since forage makes up nearly 90 per cent of the pre- and post-calving diets, it will determine the type and amount of nutrient supplementation required by the lactating beef cows.

For example, with the exception of corn and barley silage (re: highenergy forage), most common dry

forage such as grass, mixed or alfalfa hay have a dietary energy, range from 55-60 per cent TDN and protein ranging from nine to 18 per cent. As a result, nearly all forages don’t meet the energy requirements of post-calving and nursing cows and need to be supplemented with an energy supplement such as feeding high-energy grains or byproducts. And if you have lower-quality forages they will require added protein.

Consequently, the most economical supplementation of encompassing lactation diets are those that need less nutrient supplementation and closely matches the nutrient shortages found in the forages. Consider the following three lactation-feeding programs and average/estimated costs: • 12 kg good quality alfalfamixed grass hay (58 per cent TDN, 15 per cent protein) supplemented with 1.5 kg of barley grain. 100 g of a 2:1 mineral w salt. Estimated cost: $1.48/head/day.

• 12 kg grass hay (52 per cent TDN) supplemented with 3.0 kg of distillers’ grain. 100 g of a 2:1 mineral w salt. Estimated cost: $1.59/head/day.

• 10 kg of barley silage (65 per cent TDN, 9 per cent protein), 8 kg of grass hay with 1.0 kg of distillers grains, 100 g of 2:1 mineral w salt.

Estimated cost: $ 1.25/head/day.

Despite their total feeding costs, most post-calving cow feeding programs are usually a continuation of late-gestation beef cow diets. Only this time, the demand for dietary energy, protein, minerals, vitamins (and water) must be fed in greater quantities. Assuring such feeding challenges are met should generate good milk production for profitable growing calves and good reproductive performance for profitable once-again pregnant beef cows. † 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

FEBRUARY 13, 2012

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Keepers & Culls But at least it is Green LEE HART

T

he Canadian Cattleman’s Association has just released a study conducted by the Ontariobased George Morris Centre that says efforts by the federal government to promote a biofuel industry in Canada takes a $130 million annual toll on the Canadian livestock industry.

The biggest impact: it appears that promoting the use of feedgrains to produce ethanol has driven up the price of feed grains. Tied into that of course in this North American market is the heavily subsidized, U.S. biofuel program, which has a huge appetite for corn for ethanol.

And as the price of corn goes up, so does the price of feed grains.

The study, “Impact of Canadian Ethanol Policy on Canada’s Livestock and Meat Industry 2012,” shows that Canadian ethanol policies have a “direct and important negative influence on the Canadian livestock industry.”

The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) has long advocated for a market-based biofuels industry. “Government policy that favours biofuels production as a purchaser of feed grain favours

that industry at the expense of the livestock and meat sector,” says CCA President Travis Toews. “We aren’t against high grain prices, but we want to compete on a level playing field. The cattle industry fully appreciates how important a vibrant Canadian grain industry is to our sustainability.”

“This research shows the negative effects that government imposed ethanol production mandates have had on the profitability and production of Canada’s livestock and meat industries. Governments need to be aware of these effects,” Toews says. “CCA policy supports the removal of subsidies, tariffs and the mandate. This would let the market decide the best usage of feed grain in Canada.”

The full report can be found on the George Morris Centre website at www.georgemorris.org.

The research was funded by the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, Canadian Pork Council and Canadian Meat Council.

When I read the release I couldn’t help but think two things: there are no free lunches, and all this “green” stuff is good in many respects, but ultimately someone has to pay for it.

Lee Hart

SOUTH KOREAN BEEF I wrote a column/blog a while ago where I made the comment it was nice that the South Koreans had finally agreed to a food safety protocol that would allow Canadian beef imports into the country, but I also wondered why it took nine years of negotiations to convince them Canadian beef was safe.

I received a few comments, including one from a fellow in Texas who suggested there was a great coverup to the fact that North American beef is causing the human form of mad cow disease in people.

And then I also I had note from a Canadian reader known only as “The Old Farmer,” who wrote: “The BSE crisis was never about food safety, it was all about politics. Ten years of giving away your product at a 50 per cent discount is great for the consumer but has been a massive setback to the Canadian beef industry. One that it may not easily recover from.”

NEW FORAGE CEREALS Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Centre has registered and released, respectively, a new two-row forage barley and a new forage oat variety although it will be a couple years before commercial seed of either is available.

CONTACT US

Write, Email or Fax Contact Cattleman’s Corner with comments, ideas or suggestions for and on stories by mail, email, phone or fax.

Phone Lee Hart at 403-592-1964 Fax to 403-288-3162 Email lee@fbcpublishing.com Write to CATTLEMAN’S CORNER, 5111 Northland Dr. NW, Box 67211, Calgary, Alta. T2L 2L2

The plant breeding team headed by Brian Rossnagel along with Aaron Beattie and Bruce Coulman, have just registered CDC Maverick, the two-row barley, and they have just released CDC Haymaker, a forage oat.

(Forage oats don’t have to be registered, just released.)

CDC Maverick is essentially a smooth awned version of CDC Cowboy. Like CDC Cowboy it demonstrates high biomass yield and in co-op testing out-yielded all checks and other entries by more than 10 per cent in terms of forage dry matter. Forage quality is similar to CDC Cowboy with the exception of course that CDC Maverick has smooth awns while CDC Cowboy has rough awns. Pedigreed seed increase and marketing will be handled by SeCan. CDC Haymaker is designed as replacement for CDC Baler and shows some seven per cent higher forage dry matter yield than CDC Baler with similar forage quality. As a forage oat CDC Haymaker is not designed for the milling industry.

The CDC will soon be seeking a seed agency for pedigreed seed increase and marketing of the new oat variety.

COMING EVENTS Feb. 15 to 17 — The Alberta Beef Industry Conference will be held at the Capri Centre in Red Deer, Alta. The annual conference features a trade show on beef industry products and services as well as several speakers on a wide range of production and marketing issues. For more information visit the conference website at www.abiconference.ca.

March 21 to 22 — The Alberta Farm Animal Care conference will be held at the Holiday Inn — 67th Street, in Red Deer, Alta.

The AFAC annual meeting and reception is held the first night starting at 7 p.m., followed March 22 by a number of speakers on animal care and consumer trends. For more information visit the conference website at www.afac.ab.ca/lcc.

THE MARKETS

COOL: Is it good or bad for beef?

Balance is needed on issue of labelling Canadian beef by U.S. retailers JERRY KLASSEN MARKET UPDATE

T

he World Trade Organization ruled a few weeks ago the U.S. broke international trade rules when it implemented countryof-origin labelling (COOL) on food products. The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association was one of the main challengers of COOL on behalf of the cattle industry.

Arguments against the law made by producer groups stated this was a technical trade barrier. For example, additional paperwork and border delays have been noted on fed and feeder cattle exports to the U.S. since the law took effect.

There were also ideas this law lowered demand for Canadian beef in U.S. grocery stores because of added costs of separation and labelling of meat. Fears that the U.S. consumer would back away from Canadian product and chose locally grown beef also reinforced the trade challenge.

I’ve received a few inquiries from producers on this issue, so thought it would be prudent to discuss how this issue is influenc-

ing the beef industry given the current market environment.

We all know beef and cattle prices can be greatly influenced by “non-price” issues. Factors not related to normal supply and demand economics have been known to influence consumer taste or preferences for both U.S. and Canadian beef. The Canadian industry has made considerable progress through the three industry pillars of age verification, premises ID and movement. There is still much work to do to have all provinces on the same page.

Full traceability is the goal so a meat recall can be implemented in case there is a problem. These pillars are needed so Canadian beef can enter into other higherend markets.

A STEP BACK? Is fighting COOL not taking the industry back to the preBSE era? Other products in the U.S. must have be labelled with country-of-origin, and as one U.S. senator stated, “I know where my clothes are made.

Shouldn’t I know where my food comes from?”

This sounds like common sense. I also don’t eat food from certain countries. In most developed countries, there is a psycho-

logical market preference that assumes locally grown is safer than imported product. This is not because of COOL but just a consumer preference. We can ensure our products meet safety standards for certain markets with the Canadian traceability system and origin labelling.

Many cow-calf producers in Western Canada don’t age-verify cattle, never mind keep records for premises ID. Fighting COOL appears to be appealing to these producers who don’t want to comply with modern industry standards. The most common problem with western Canadian farmers is they don’t realize they are the sellers. Many producers have the mindset the world has to adjust to their production practices. Unfortunately the world doesn’t function that way. The cattle market is a pure competitive market which means producers need to push efficiencies, modernize and lower costs.

Canada Beef Inc., which is supported through a national checkoff and government funds, is promoting the “Canadian Beef Advantage.” Fighting COOL is actually saying there is no Canadian advantage. Are we in fear our product is not as good as our U.S. counterparts? A recent

advertisement in a Grainews sister publication, Canadian Cattleman, showed a U.S. restaurant using and promoting Canadian beef largely due to the efforts of this organizations.

Finally, most plants are HACCP certified which means they have full traceability measures in place and they are fully modernized.

These are not plants from the 1800s where an individual has to manually write a label. The extra cost for separation and labelling is minimal. I know there were certain plants that stopped buying Canadian cattle. However, given the market conditions, it is difficult to argue prices were discounted at Canadian-friendly U.S. plants.

ON THE OTHER HAND I’m not totally against industry groups fighting COOL. Under the Bush administration, it appeared that there would be little disruption to U.S. imports of Canadian cattle under COOL. However, when President Obama took over, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Vilsack urged processors to apply stricter rules than the current COOL language otherwise he would impose greater measures through government force. It sounded like, and the fear was, that he was deliber-

ately trying to hinder imports of Canadian cattle.

I believe fighting COOL has tempered this attitude, especially when ground beef prices are at record highs. The U.S. economy has over 30 million people on food stamps. Vilsack would only be hurting his own people causing supply disruptions for a product that is a staple good for many consumers.

I believe there needs to be a balance. Canada is promoting traceability and food safety systems from the farm to processor, which includes labelling. Canadian beef can be an equal or superior product for U.S. consumers. If it is superior, the price will dictate a premium. I believe it is common sense that consumers know the origin of beef and what cattle have been fed.

On the other side, left-wing propaganda to hinder trade has to be halted. Thankfully, the WTO has sided with Canada on COOL and hopefully the Obama administration cools their tone on this issue. Canadian producers can compete on a world scale, but it has to be fair. † 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 jkci@mts.net or 204 287 8268

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FEBRUARY 13, 2012

The Dairy Corner NUTRITION

Dairy reproduction needs nutritional balance More is not necessarily better when trying to get cows to cycle and bred

BY PETER VITTI

T

he lactating dairy cow has an absolute requirement for nutrients, which is normally greater than nutrient requirements for vital body functions. These nutritional requirements are also linear — as she produces more milk, she needs to consume more dry matter feed containing the essential nutrients.

In contrast, the need for the same nutrients for good reproductive performance seems to be a matter of strict nutrient balances — avoiding too little or too much of the same nutrients in the milking dairy diet.

When dietary nutrients are well balanced in a dairy ration, they support the natural process of the estrus cycle of the cow. Every 21 days, the non-pregnant cow has follicles; blister-like structures appear on the ovary. These follicles grow from microscopic cells producing the growing ovum (unfertilized egg) and produce many reproductive hormones. During maturation, the follicle ruptures to release the ovum to be picked up by the oviduct for fertilization by the bull’s sperm.

While the reproductive process concerning the cow’s follicular development is well understood, applied nutrition principles, which are thought to influence ovum production in the cow, remain elusive.

FERTILITY ISSUE Regardless, it is often thought that many delayed post-partum heats, low conception rates and other infertility conditions in milk cows is a result of either low dietary energy intakes or inadequate body condi-

tion (to be mobilized for energy) when the cow really needs it.

Case in point: researchers at the University of Alberta tested this relationship between negative energy balance and the interval to first ovulation in dairy cattle. Their study showed declining physiological energy balance in early-lactation cows delayed the onset of ovulation after calving.

Interestingly, it was also demonstrated that reproductive performance improved in test animals due to an improvement in their body condition, rather than to any specific level of energy supplemented in their diets.

Likewise, studies at other institutions have shown balancing dietary protein in the milking cow diet seems to be just as important as making sure the right amount of energy is being fed at all times.

been linked to lower conception rates in dairy herds that record high BUN values. Barry Harris, a retired professor from the Dairy Science Dept., University of Florida, compared eight well-researched dairy studies on the subject. He reported that lactating dairy cattle fed excessively high- (19-21 per cent) protein diets resulted in raised BUN concentrations and lower conception rate percentages compared to cows consuming more standard (15-16 per cent) protein rations. He concluded although the BUN concentrations are not linear with conception rates, high BUN values do indicate potential reproductive problems. He stresses the importance of feeding the right amount and protein types, as well as balancing non-fibre carbohydrates, effective fibre levels and other nutrients.

TOO MUCH PROTEIN

VITAMINS AND MINERALS

In a normal cow rumen, microscopic bugs digest the soluble portion of feed protein into basic ammonia. A small amount of leftover ammonia that does not get used in microbial protein synthesis is absorbed across the rumen wall and transported to the liver where it is converted into urea. The liver releases this urea back into the bloodstream where it gets transported to different parts of the body, and ultimately much of it is excreted.

Excess dietary protein fed above the dairy cow’s protein requirements with the imbalance being wasted rumen-soluble protein will result in high blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels, which are associated with reproductive problems.

Unused ruminal ammonia has

Other nutrients that generate a lot of interest in the study of dairy cow reproduction are minerals and vitamins. Although, it is believed a variety of macro and trace minerals and vitamins play an essential role in good dairy reproduction, the main interest in good dairy cow fertility often centres around copper, zinc, manganese, and the unique selenium-vitamin E interactive relationship. Breeding dairy cows which do not obtain a sufficient level of these minerals, or are somehow bound by some antagonistic compound, may cause subtle deficiency symptoms such as “silent heats” (aestrus), failure to conceive, infertility, early embryonic death or even late-term fetal abortion.

Similarly, researchers have proven

PHOTO: FILE

The nutritional requirements of dairy cattle vary depending on whether she is just milking or whether she is also being rebred. that trace minerals (including vitamins) play an essential role in follicular development, ovulation, and ovum survival as well as are facilitators in fertilization, uterine health, and embryo survival. Specifically, they have demonstrated feeding elevated levels of nutrients such as vitamin E and selenium in a closeup cow diet is an effective means of preventing many common postcalving problems such as retained placentas, and uterine infections.

It’s not exactly known on how essential trace minerals and vitamins encourage good reproduction, but it is known that trace minerals such as copper, manganese, zinc, and selenium are part of enzyme systems involved with good cell integrity.

For example, selenium is an activator of the enzyme glutathione peroxidase, which destroys “free radicals” naturally produced in the body and if left unchecked will respectively damage healthy repro-

ductive cells. Vitamin E plays a more physical role by guarding the cell membrane surface from the same free radical compounds.

Feeding more trace elements above the dietary requirements does not stimulate significant improvements in dairy cow fertility, however.

Most people agree adequate minerals and vitamins, as well as the other nutrients mentioned earlier, are needed for good reproduction.

However, there is a knowledge gap because the science of good reproduction in dairy cows does not exactly follow the same nutritional laws as those for cow body maintenance and subsequent milk production. It may be time for more research in order to design better reproductive nutrient concepts that can one day be applied to hungry dairy cows on the milkline. † 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

RANCHER’S DIARY

Wolves getting a bit close for comfort Fencing and road projects continue although winter is slowing work down HEATHER SMITH THOMAS

DECEMBER 24

W

e’ve had cold weather, down to -18 C, but Andrea’s kids have been enjoying the icy driveways. Their sleds coast all the way down their lane to the bottom of our field.

Michael helped us build a fence around Andrea’s new house, and got it finished last week. We can now graze the cows in the field and hill pasture.

The carpenters brought stovepipe for Andrea’s chimney so we can finally hook up her wood stove, and save the costs of electricity for the heaters. The power bill was horribly high these last few months while the carpenters finished the house and while Andrea was moving in. Lynn took coals from our stove to give a good base for the fire in her new stove, so it would be easier to start and keep the fire going.

PHOTOS: HEATHER SMITH THOMAS

Now that the wood stove is hooked up, Andrea and Rick split wood to heat the house for the winter.

Michael and Rick took more materials up to our 160-acre mountain pasture to finish building braces in that new fence. Nick and Heather got home from college a week ago, for Christmas vacation. They both helped for several days on

the new fence, enabling us to get it finished a lot quicker — before more snow and colder weather.

Tuesday morning Michael helped me take the shoes off Ed and Breezy and trim their feet.

That afternoon our “fence crew” finished putting in stays and

started working on the top fence (between us and the BLM range) that needed new posts and stays, and rebuilt the part that our neighbour took down a couple of summers ago to bring his cows home from the range — when that part of the fence was on his side, before the survey showed it was part of our property.

It snowed again, but Lynn and Rick were able to drive up there with chains on the four-wheeler, and hiked up the mountain to finish putting in the stays. So the 160-fence project is done, except for rebuilding a small section on the bottom end.

Friday evening one of Andrea’s cats was up on the power pole next to her house, sitting on the transformer, afraid to come down. It was too high to use a ladder to try to rescue him, and also unsafe, right next to the power lines. Emily spent several hours out there in the cold and dark, trying to coax him down, and at one point he came partway down, got scared, and went back up. A short while later, however, he came back down on his own. Yesterday morning Lynn wrapped a sheet of tin around the base of the power

pole so the cats can’t try to climb it.

Last week one of our neighbours caught a wolf in a coyote snare — an 80-pound female.

Tracks nearby showed that a much larger wolf was with her when she got caught. Today Andrea’s dogs barked frantically around 5 a.m. and when she stepped out on the deck and turned on the light there was a huge white/gray wolf just 20 feet away. She didn’t have her gun, and as soon as the wolf realized she was there, he ran off. We hope he doesn’t keep hanging around — that’s too close to kids, cats, dogs and cattle.

JANUARY 6 On Christmas morning after chores, Lynn and I drove up to Andrea’s house to watch the kids opening their gifts, and had Christmas dinner there. It’s nice having them living here on the ranch!

A few days after Christmas the weather warmed up and it rained during the night, but changed to snow within a few hours. Our

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FEBRUARY 13, 2012

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Cattleman’s Corner » CONTINUED FROM Previous PAGE power went off and I had to shut down my computer and write a few cards and letters by candlelight instead of writing articles. We ate breakfast by candlelight.

Lynn, Rick and Andrea spent a couple days taking wire off the old boundary fence on the southwest side of our place and took out the posts — so it won’t be an obstacle for the cows grazing that hill pasture behind Andrea’s house (the extra 20 acres we gained by putting the fence on the actual property line this spring). Rick and Andrea also split a lot of our firewood, using Rick’s motorized wood-splitter.

Michael and Carolyn sold their pregnant heifers to three different buyers, who came on Friday to get them. Our roads were still icy so Michael had a truckload of sand hauled in, to sand the driveway at the upper corral, and sanded the creek road. With chains on their trucks, and sand for traction, Michael and the buyers were able to pull their trailer-loads of heifers up out of the loading area and safely down our road without mishap. It was a good thing they hauled them that day, because it snowed several more inches that night and the roads were much worse.

With more snow covering our fields, we started feeding hay to our heifers. They have been really good about grazing through several inches of snow, but this was too much. So we moved them to the field below the lane, where we could feed them easier and plug in the tank heater.

Having warm water they will drink more (and eat better) on cold days, and I won’t have to keep breaking ice for them.

Michael helped Lynn get the old dump truck fixed (getting power to the second axle) so it will have more traction and stability on our slippery road, and put chains on the tires.

Then they took the backhoe up to our shale hill on the upper place and hauled loads of rock and some dirt down here to finish fixing the ditch heads and install more headgates along one of the ditches. Michael also hauled 10 loads of rock to put along the creek in our lower pasture where the creek was starting to make a new channel down through our field. It’s good to have that fixed before high water next spring.

Our cows have been bedding along the ditch in the field by Andrea’s house. We were afraid one of them might get upside down in the ditch, so Lynn started the tractor and took two big straw bales (the old rotten ones by our haystack) along the willows so the cows will bed there instead.

To d a y H e a t h e r a n d N i c k drove back to Helena, and Nick will fly back to Iowa tomorrow, to start second semester. It was nice having them home for three weeks.

JANUARY 18 Last Monday Michael took the backhoe to the 160-acre mountain pasture to rebuild the road. There is a good deposit of rock and gravel (perfect for road-building and road surface) around the hill. We can haul it out of there for construction

projects if we had a better road to accommodate a dump truck.

That rocky hill may be worth a lot more as a rock quarry than as cow pasture.

Tuesday Lynn and Andrea drove to Idaho Falls for her monthly appointment with the pain management specialist, and Lynn had an appointment too, to try to find a way to deal with his back pain. The doctor gave him some new medication.

Eventually he may need surgery, but doesn’t want to do that until he tries some other options. He had another MRI on Friday, to see if there’s any more deterioration in his back since the last one a few years ago. We’ll know the results later this week. In the meantime, he hurt his back worse and is having a hard time walking.

Wednesday he and Michael repaired a leaky valve on the backhoe; Michael ground off the old weld and Lynn re-welded it, and so far it’s been holding,

without leaking. Michael has been working on the new road and it’s looking good — he’s hoping to get it more functional before the next big snowstorm. Deep snow would make it harder to get up it with the backhoe.

We bought more protein for the cows; at this point they are still grazing on the hill pasture by Andrea’s house and we haven’t started feeding hay.

We hope they can graze a while longer (without more snow), at least until Lynn’s back is doing a little better, before we have to feed hay.

Andrea took Emily to Idaho Falls for her three-day hockey tournament, and had a birthday party for Sam (nine years old) Sunday evening after they got back. We’ll be having another birthday party for Em (14 years old) tomorrow. † Heather Smith Thomas ranches with her husband Lynn near Salmon, Idaho. Contact her at 208-756-2841

The heifers have been wintering well on pasture, but with more snow it was time to start feeding them extra.

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FEBRUARY 13, 2012

Columns Off-farm Investing

Where to find stock information If you’re going to invest in the stock market, the first step is finding quality market information. Find out where Andy Sirski gets his ANDY SIRSKI

R

eaders often ask me where I get my stock market information. The website www.msn.com has a lot of information. There is also a Canadian version (www. msn.ca), but this site has a lot less information. MSN provides a lot of information about companies, what they do, profit margins and so on. MSN also has an option chain for U.S. stocks that have options attached to them.

The Montreal site that shows the option chain for the approximately 125 Canadian stocks that have options is www.m-x.ca. On this site (once you select the option to read the site in English rather than French), you can see a list of “most active options” about halfway down the screen. If you click on one of the stock symbols, you will see what is called an option chain for the stock you’ve chosen.

Websites and newsreleases Before I buy a new stock I look at corporate websites for information about the company and charts to see what shares are doing. However, most corporate websites will try hard to make the company look good. Charts show how the market feels about that same stock.

News releases have two uses.

One is to provide information.

I find good information often is written clearly while poor infor-

mation might be written in words that can have a double meaning or are confusing. Often, information in a news release is much better than the chart. I try to be careful with that combination.

Generally, charts don’t lie. Over the past few years I have noticed that when a chart for a stock is dragging its butt along the bottoms, sooner or later some bad news comes out.

Charts Charts can be a useful tool to help us see what big money is doing with a stock. Some investors scoff at charts and some swear by them. Part of the challenge is to figure out what a chart is saying — sometimes it seems like a reader of a chart can interpret a chart to say what they want it to say.

Generally it’s safer to own a stock with a rising chart after it has bottomed and dangerous to own a stock that has topped and has a falling chart.

I read my charts on a free website: www.stockcharts.com.

As is often the case, when information is rare it is not understood and so it’s often called either dangerous or useless. (By the way, the same goes for selling covered calls.

Most people don’t know how to make the strategy work so they call it dangerous. Most farmers know farming so they feel safe with it.)

Charts show me the psychology of the market or a sector or a stock.

Stocks move with the seasons,

with the mood of the market and as big money rotates from one set of stocks to another.

Usually I set three indicators on a chart: the Moving Average Convergence-Divergence (MACD), Relative Strength Index (RSI) and Full Stochastic. These come from different sources of information so when they are showing more or less the same direction, they have some credibility.

I also set two moving averages on the chart: the 10- and the 30-day moving averages.

When I look at a chart I look for a couple of things. One is the bottoms. Often a good stock will drop to the bottom of its trading range and then systematically form a bottom. That can either be a V, or a W or a drop to the same low a number of times. Then the full stochastic might turn upwards, followed by the RSI and MACD. The hard part is believing a new uptrend has started as the stock goes up with a series of higher and higher lows and higher and higher highs.

At tops, a stock might hit the same high a few times, or hit a high, and the next time the high is lower than the one before and the stock starts to slide with a series of lower and lower lows and lower and lower highs.

From what I have seen and done, by using the 10- and 30- day moving averages we can often sell near the top. However I prefer to use the full stochastic and MACD to help me buy at bottoms.

Of course it helps to be working

with good stocks that we get to know so we can be more or less confident that shares will not drop to some disastrously low price. I can then plan to buy near bottoms with some confidence. How much we let the stock ride up then is a matter of judgment and choice.

Shareholders of Research in Motion, Nortel, Enron, Silver Corp and Sino Forest would have done well to pay attention to the 10- and 30-day moving average charts. In November 2007, as the bear market started to eat equity, most shareholders would have been wise to start selling shares as the 10-day moving average crossed the 30-day moving average going down.

The time to buy would have been when the MACD, RSI and full stochastic bottomed and turned up in March, 2009. Of course in October 2007, stocks had just hit new highs so selling was tough.

And, by March 2009, the world was overflowing with pessimism so buying was just as hard. But charts were telling us something and all we had to do was listen and believe them.

Here are a few choice looking stocks as of the middle of January, 2012: Cisco (CSCO) used the 50-day moving average as a ceiling until August and now has been using it as a floor. Canadian Pacific (CP) used the 50-day moving average as a ceiling as it dropped from $64 to $46. Since it bottomed it has been more or less using the 50-day moving average as a floor.

Silver Wheaton (SLW) just seems to roam around in a trading range with a floor near $29 and a ceiling that has dropped from around $44 to around $34, which is its 200day moving average.

Gold Gold bulls and bears use the 200day moving average as a guide.

Up until about three years ago the price of gold would stay above the 200-day moving average and once in a while the price would drop below. Much of the time if the price got about 28 per cent above the 200-day moving average the price would drop. It would drop until the price was one to eight per cent below the 200-day moving average, form a bottom and go right back up.

Over the past couple of years, the price has stayed above the 200-day moving average for such a long time that many seemed to think that was normal. In September 2011 the price was around $1,925 per ounce while the 200-day moving average was about $1,475 per ounce. The price of gold was 35 per cent above the 200-day moving average. That was not sustainable.

Over the next few months the price dropped to around $1,525 per ounce while the 200-day moving average was around $1,600. The price was $75 below the 200-day moving average or about 4.6 per cent below. That certainly was not as low as it has been in the past. As I write on January 14 the price has come up to about $1,640 per ounce which is right at the 200 dma.

The price of gold is quite volatile. It seems to be influenced by the rising and falling value of the U.S. dollar, how much gold governments are buying, how much gold people are buying, how much money governments are printing and short sellers. I think we can expect the price of gold to go up and down, but more up than down for some years to come. † Andy Sirski publishes a newsletter called StocksTalk where he tells what he does with his investments, win or lose. If you want to read it free for a month go to Google and type in StocksTalk.net and follow the clicks, or email Andy at sirski@mts.net and he will sign you up

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Used under licence. ©2011 Royal Bank of Canada. All rights reserved.

FEBRUARY 13, 2012

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Home Quarter Farm Life SEEDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT

How to love a farmer Everyone wants to be loved and here’re some how-to tips ELAINE FROESE

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laine is a marriage counsellor, even though she says she is a coach!” says the uncomfortable farmer after a coaching call. I tell my clients that “counselling is about recovery, but coaching is about discovery.” I want farm couples to discover what will work for them to be happier in their relationship as a couple, and as farm partners. Sometimes I ask hard questions that irk people, but they know they need to deal with making their marriage foundation stronger.

As you know, I love books, and my current recommendation is John Gottman’s book The 7 principles for making marriage work.

Gottman talks about developing friendship in your marriage and learning to make repair. Buy a copy for wedding gifts, and anniversaries, and one for yourself.

Here’s some of my top-of-head tips on how to love a farmer: 1. Respecthim.AuthorEmmerson Eggerichs (Love and Respect) has suggested that men are looking for respect and women need love in a relationship. I suspect that your man needs to hear words of affirmation from you that you are “proud of him and appreciate his character and decision-making ability.” Filling up the emotional bank account for each person in your family just takes courage to speak truth and love into the other person’s life. Be intentional about doing it, not just on special occasions. Do you currently show respect to your farmer?

2. Cook. “Hot meals” is on the top of my farmer’s caring list. We took the time to explore the 12 ways we each like to be cared for, wrote it down and laughed. Wes feels deeply loved when he walks into the house and can smell something good stewing. Only 21 per cent of Canadians still cook from scratch, so affirm your cooking skills and show them off to your family.

When was the last time you cooked your hubby’s favourite supper? He cares. You can also love your farmer by cooking healthy foods and not stuffing him full of sugary sweets.

Love your physical hearts with smart cooking.

3. Time. Smalley and Trent use the concept of “word pictures” to convey strong meaning in marriage.

When Wes reports that he feels he is getting “leftovers” he is telling me I am spending more energy on my clients, readers and audience than on him. I don’t like to hear about this kind of leftovers, so I need to check in and ask how he is doing regarding the time we are spending together, enjoying each other and being connected. Quality time is one of the five love languages that Gary Chapman writes about.

Are you spending more time with grandchildren and neglecting the time needs of your spouse? Could you block off at least one hour a week as “marriage time” to work on the state of your union? Walk.

Date. Talk.

4. Service. Someone suggested that “clutter is energy constipation.”

Our lives can be cluttered with busy

activities and taking care of too much stuff. If you are ready to simplify things, how about attacking a project together as a couple. I know a wife who was thrilled to see the ugly old barn burn down (on purpose) as it was part of the view from her home she hated. When I mentioned that the patio furniture needed to be parked away for the winter, I felt deeply loved when that same day the guys hauled it away to the shed on the flatbed. Small acts of kindness really mean a lot to a weary heart. How tidy and clean is your home sanctuary? Clean up together. Mending is also a sign of love. Patches anyone?

5. Candy under the pillow. Do you still know your farmer’s favourite treat? Is it licorice, almonds or chocolate? Buy these next week

when the Valentine fervour has passed, and keep some on hand to pop into the lunch kits to the field.

A small treat communicates, “I am thinking of you and I care about you.” (Nuts don’t have sugar, just fat, oh well!)

6. Discuss debt together. Please talk about spending large sums of money and what impact that will have on the family. Women are tired with off-farm jobs subsidizing the farm cash flow only to discover that their opinion was not brought to the loan-negotiating table.

Disaster looms when debt is hidden and not openly discussed to explain the “why we are doing this” factors.

A young hurting farmer confides that he has been separated due to a large dairy debt that was not ratified by his wife. She was deeply

hurt that she was kept in the dark.

Women, are you using too much “retail therapy” to compensate for marriage deficits?

7. Make repairs quickly. Nip conflicts in the bud, and don’t let stresses simmer. Have a 10 o’clock rule that you will commit to resolving conflicts before bedtime, so that you can enjoy intimacy and not let the sun set on your anger. Some days you may not be able to resolve things in a day, and may then work to agree to “park the issue” until the next business meeting or coffee time.

8. Redemptive separation.

Addictions like alcohol may require time apart for therapy and rehabilitation. The intent of redemptive separation is to practise tough love to get the person you love to change

behaviour, and come back to the marriage in a healthy way. If your marriage is carrying issues that need counselling therapy, a doctor’s diagnosis or spiritual care, get help now.

I love my farmer so much I check to see if he is keeping up with his medical care. When is the last time you saw your doctor? Do you even have a doctor? Drugs and alcohol are not good stress relievers. They cause more harm and hurt to farm families than many people know.

9. Kiss often. I don’t need to say more.

Have fun loving your farmer and put the “zest” back into your marriage this year. Resiliency for farming starts with a strong marriage foundation… and for those couples who are cohabiting. We all want to love and be loved. † Elaine Froese appreciates hearing your happy love stories. Make a difference as a reader by sharing your successes with the writer: elaine@elainefroese.com. Buy Do the Tough Things Right…how to prevent communication disasters in family business at www.elainefroese.com/store

If it’s ag we finance it Local office 1-800-387-3232

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FEBRUARY 13, 2012

Home Quarter Farm Life POSTCARDS FROM THE PRAIRIES

New Year’s resolutions…

Making promises for a new year whilst recovering from a wineinduced coma is not a good idea. So instead, I’ve created a list of basic instructions for how I want to live my life. Part Four JANITA VAN DE VELDE

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n case you missed my last few articles, let’s recap. When it comes to following my list of New Year’s resolutions, I have a remarkable lack of focus. That, or I have a terrible memory. New Year’s Day was so long ago I hardly remember what year we’re celebrating. At any rate, I’ve decided to focus on a list of rules, let’s call them charming suggestions, for how I want to live my life.

If you happened to read my last three articles (God bless your cotton socks), you’ll remember they covered the following topics: have faith, be intelligent, be humble, be kind and compassionate, be courageous, earn your keep (and have fun doing it), persevere and follow your dreams, especially the ones you think are impossible. This is it.

Part Four. Hang in there. My pontificating is about to reach its end.

ALWAYS BE THERE FOR THOSE YOU LOVE… ESPECIALLY WHEN IT’S NOT EASY It’s our role as parents to teach our children how to love each other. No option. You don’t have to be the best of friends with all your family members (in my case,

prescription drugs certainly help), but you do have to love them and have their backs when times get tough. Period. Love them for who they are, don’t hate them for who they’re not. DO NOT let your kids off the hook on this one. My parents taught me that you stick it out as a family, for better or for worse.

It’s the first vow you learn to take and not break. If one of your family members lets you down, it’s ridiculous to wallow in self-pity. If you’re in pain, it doesn’t mean you have to be one. Speak your truth. A few years back, I read this great quote and it went something like this: When you need to say something that’s difficult, first ask yourself these three questions: Is it true? Is it kind? And is it necessary? I suspect if you answer all three truthfully, you’ll find yourself with a lot more time on your hands.

FIND SOMEONE TO LAUGH WITH This one could also be called Choose Your Spouse Wisely. I distinctly remember my parents telling me, “Don’t choose a mate based solely on looks. That’ll fade.

Just be sure to find someone who makes you laugh and someone you can talk to about anything.”

And I would mutter back something equally intelligent like, “As if. Whatever.” Thankfully for me, it all worked out. I found someone with whom I had instant chemistry

in all departments. Are there days I want to throw a crescent wrench at his head? Absolutely. But seriously, I would feel that way about anyone I’ve lived with for 15 years.

When times get tough, remember what brought you together in the first place. What do you like about that person? Love is the foundation, but like is the day-today stuff that builds strong relationships. I know I hit the jackpot because I actually like my husband — if given the choice, I would still choose to spend my day with him.

I like hanging out with him. (I hope to hell he’s not reading this…

I’ll need Vaseline to get his head through the door.)

And for gosh sakes, have a sense of humour! I believe angels do weep the day you stop laughing. In the past, people have told me that if I ever want to be taken seriously, then I had better stop fooling around.

What about the hazards of taking yourself so seriously that you forget how to laugh? I’m not sure who ever decided that you can’t be intelligent and have a sense of humour; rather, I think it’s pretty hard to have one without the other.

BE BEAUTIFULLY REAL You’ll have days when you feel on top on the world, and others where you want to mutter, “@#$% this. I’m going back to bed.” And that’s all right — knowing it may not be your day of crowning glory,

just pin on your fifth-place ribbon and head out for the day. As the saying goes, don’t take life too seriously… in case you haven’t heard, no one gets out alive.

We’re only here for a short while — be authentic, be sincere, be real.

I think perhaps Margery Williams penned it best when she wrote The Velveteen Rabbit back in 1922. In case you aren’t familiar with this childhood classic, two toys are having a discussion in the nursery.

Here’s a paraphrased version: “The poor little Rabbit was made to feel very insignificant and commonplace, and the only person who was kind to him at all was the Skin Horse. The Skin Horse had lived longer in the nursery than any of the others. He was so old that his brown coat was bald in patches and showed the seams underneath, and most of the hairs in his tail had been pulled out… and only those playthings that are old and wise and experienced like the Skin Horse understand all about it.

“What is Real?” asked the Rabbit one day, “Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?” “Real isn’t how you are made,” said the Skin Horse. “It’s a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become real.” “Does it hurt?” asked the Rabbit. “Sometimes,” said the Skin Horse, for he was

always truthful. “When you are Real you don’t mind being hurt.”

“Does it happen all at once, like being wound up,” he asked, “or bit by bit?” “It doesn’t happen all at once,” said the Skin Horse.

“You become. It takes a long time.

That’s why it doesn’t often happen to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby.

But these things don’t matter at all because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.”

Above all, this is what I want to teach my children. Beautiful people don’t just happen, they become. It’s only after someone has dealt with life’s hardships and trials that they come out shining.

Flaws are beautiful — they make you raw, real, human. I don’t want my children to ever confuse beauty with what they look like; that’s just genetics. Rather, beauty stems from that inner light that burns brightly.

Beauty comes from being the best part of someone else’s day. Beauty comes from being real. This is what will make you unforgettable.

H a p p y V a l e n t i n e ’ s D a y, friends. Stay real. Stay flawed.

Stay beautiful. † Janita Van de Velde grew up on a farm near Mariapolis, Man. She holds a bachelor of science degree in agricultural economics from the University of Manitoba, and has worked for a financial institution since graduating.

She lives in Regina, Sask., with her husband Roddy and their children Jack, Isla and James.

Her first novel, Postcards Never Written, was the recipient of the Saskatchewan Reader’s Choice Award and also listed by CBC as one of the top funny books in 2009. She donates a portion of proceeds from the sale of her book to World Vision. For more information, or to order her book, visit her website at www.janita.ca.

Follow her blog at www.postcardsneverwritten. blogspot.com. It’s her yet-to-be-rated material.

Consider yourself warned

Making our own ice cream The boys agreed the finished product was well worth the wait DEBBIE CHIKOUSKY

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ur family can be a little bit different so it shouldn’t come as a big surprise that our favourite time of year to make homemade ice cream is January/ February when the weather is the coldest. Over the years we have

found that our machine makes the very best, creamiest of creamy ice cream when it is at least -30 C and we can leave the freezer compartment outside overnight to get a really good chill on it.

We were starting to think the weather would be too warm this year but thankfully we had a cold snap. Doubly exciting was that we had young children to help with the project, which always makes things like ice cream making more fun.

Our machine, a Donviers, (http:// frozentreats.cuisipro.com/en/

Avery Archer (l to r), Gary Chikousky and Miles Archer make the ice cream.

Donvier-Ice-Cream-Maker-plu837409W.html) requires no ice or salt, and we’ve found better results when the mixture has been chilled for at least 12 hours before pouring it into the freezer canister. Since it has been a few years since my children were four and five, I asked our young visitors if they would like to make ice cream the night before they would be able to eat it.

These children are used to going to the store and getting a treat so waiting a whole day for it was hard. It certainly took us all back a few years when we were mixing the ice-cream mixture and the children were getting extremely excited. When they found out they had to wait all the way till suppertime the next evening to be able to make the ice cream, then finally eat it, they weren’t sure they would be able to wait that long, but we assured them it would be worth the wait.

A visit to the farm is busy though for young folks. It snowed so we were able to clear snow and play in it. Then we recruited the extra workforce to spread straw in the soonto-be maternity pen for the goats.

That gave our youngest, Keith, lots more exercise than he had planned on. The children decided the best way to spread straw was for them to be lifted onto the round bale, lying on its side, and try log rolling.

Then after Keith forked a pile of the moving bale for them, they would jump off and run through it. Their methods were unconventional but eventually we got the straw spread, then it was time for chores again.

Since we grow a lot of our own food they were also able to help find ingredients that we needed for our ice cream. It is always an eye-opening experience for a child to go in the henhouse and find a nice warm, freshly laid egg. All the while the promise of ice cream kept them fuelled on.

BASIC VANILLA ICE CREAM WITH CHOCOLATE CHIPS 2 eggs 2/3 c. sugar 1-3/4 c. whole milk 2 c. cream 2 tsp. vanilla 1/4 c. chocolate chips Beat eggs and sugar with an electric mixer until thick and cream coloured. Add milk, cream and vanilla. Mix well. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours before making it.

Add chocolate chips when mixture is slushy. To make ice cream follow manufacturers instructions for your particular ice-cream machine.

The final product met rave reviews and will be a permanent part of these little guys’ visits to

the farm. Apparently this was the very best ice cream they have ever had, which made us very happy too. We were only too happy to oblige them in learning more about how good food can be when it is fresh! † Debbie Chikousky farms at Narcisse, Manitoba.

Email her at debbie@chikouskyfarms.com

SUE ARMSTRONG

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY FROM FARMLIFE Do you have a story about a farm or home-based business? How about some household management tips?

Does someone in the family have a special-diet need?

Share some of your recipes and some meal ideas.

Send them to FarmLife, 1666 Dublin Ave., Winnipeg, Manitoba R3H 0H1. Phone 1-800665-0502 or email susan@ fbcpublishing.com. Please remember we can no longer return photos or material.

— Sue

FEBRUARY 13, 2012

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Home Quarter Farm Life SINGING GARDENER

Just in time for Valentine’s Day — the bleeding heart Plus, some herbs to help you feel better TED MESEYTON

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pring is inching ever so closer and Valentine’s Day may have come and gone by the time you settle down to a cup of tranquil tea while reading this issue of Grainews. More on tranquil tea in just a bit.

If your heart is burning with desire to get into the garden sooner rather than later, there’s a herbaceous perennial you’ll want to buy that turns desire into a show-stopping floral reality.

BURNING HEARTS BLEEDING HEART From my youthful days I still recall common bleeding heart (Dicentra spetabilis) an old standard favourite with heart-shaped rosy-pink flowers. This hardy grandaddy perennial bleeding heart is still seen in many floral gardens.

Now that Burning Hearts bleeding heart (Dicentra formosa) has come on the scene, you’ll be quite taken by this colourful red showstopper.

It flowers atop a compact mound of delicate lacy foliage starting late May right through to September.

Most bleeding hearts tolerate half a day of morning sunshine, but need some shade for the rest of the day.

Loose soil that’s kept gently moist, but not mucky serves them well.

Burning Hearts bleeding heart goes a step further. It fits perfectly within the realm of any classic shade or woodland garden and performs well in evenly moist soil with little or no direct sun. No wonder it’s a boon to gardeners with shade. Being of the fern leaf type, it tends to bloom longer, tolerating heat and drought better and goes dormant much later.

Matter of fact, it’s not unusual to see it still in bloom well into September. The compact, mounding habit of Burning Hearts grows

no higher than a foot or so and foliage remains neat and tidy at about twice that width. Think of it as a perfect edging plant along a pathway shaded by a canopy of deciduous trees.

At this time of year, wouldn’t it be romantic if a guy could go into a florist shop and order some fresh cut bleeding heart blossoms for the love of his life on Valentine’s Day, or any day for that matter?

MAKE YOUR OWN TRANQUIL TEA Usually the main ingredients are a calming blend of sweet fennel seeds, chopped fennel leaves and passion flower. Oft times there may be hints of lavender, lemon balm and even rose petals added, all of which combine to relax the body and promise a good night’s sleep.

The bonus is feeling refreshed with restored energy upon awakening.

There are so many good things to say about sweet fennel, (Foeniculum vulgare dulce) a tender perennial with a long history that’s as easily grown as dill in any garden. Do you have difficulty digesting certain foods?

Fresh chopped fennel leaves, when added to fish, ground beef, stews, soups and salads is up to the challenge at improving digestibility.

In past, a bit of fennel tea was given to infants for its calming and anti-flatulence effect; or when a young child said, “Mommy, I have a tummy ache.” Remember — in Grandma’s day, the pantry had a shelf dedicated to herbs and home remedies. Check the herbal section of seed racks at garden centres for fennel or call Richters at 1-800-668-4372.

AT THE FIRST SIGN OF SNIFFLES … what do you do when a mix of inharmonious combinations flood the body and lead to coughs, colds or the flu? These could be as a result of festive season aftermath, too much food, late nights,

cold weather, lack of sleep and perish the thought… shock from December and January bills and credit card statements. Some or all of these can inflict punishment on the immune system.

Here’s a herbal approach with a solid track record. Boil some water and make a tea using a teaspoonful each of fresh minced or dried parsley leaves and dried red raspberry leaves. Let it steep for 10 minutes, then strain and sip at least four cupfuls during the day. The trick is to sip each cupful slowly… not all at once, or you can put too much pressure on your bladder. One of the best attributes of this combo is its ability to collect mucus from the body’s organs. The diuretic effects of parsley deliver the mucus for expulsion via the kidneys, leaving little for a cold to survive on. When a cold is already established, parsley and raspberry leaf tea is still beneficial and can be reinforced with other added herbs such as golden seal, echinacea, garlic and onions.

POTTED CURLED PARSLEY Besides out in the open garden, almost any parsley will grow in containers. But — there’s a new kid in town that’s ideally suited just for pot plant production. It’s Xenon parsley, a very uniform moss curled type that’s suited for fresh cut home use and market sales. Xenon’s strong parsley aroma, flavour and finely cut leaves has a lot more going for it besides garnishes and adding character to stews, meats and vegetarian dishes.

Next to blueberry and cranberry juices (without sugar) parsley water is often recommended for bladder infections in humans and pets. Parsley has a long history of use for urinary problems and not much wonder, since research shows it’s a diuretic that helps to empty the bladder.

To make parsley water, boil a generous handful of fresh parsley in four cups of water for three minutes. Discard the parsley and add it to your outdoor compost heap. After cooling, remember to sip parsley water… not drink all at once. You can even add 1 teaspoonful of parsley water once daily over pet food. Cats and dogs become quite fond of it and seem to sense the benefit it brings while keeping the kidneys flowing and bladder functioning well. Store leftover parsley water in the fridge or freeze in ice cube trays.

FATHER JOHN KÜNZLE, HERBALIST

PHOTO: COURTESY RICHTERS SEEDS

Xenon parsley is suitable for growing as a pot plant. It readily adapts to container growing outdoors on the patio in season and inside under supplemental lighting during fall and chilly winter days. For information on ordering Xenon parsley seeds go to www.Richters.com.

… said a way back in 1911 that many children’s ailments, especially skin eruptions are due to a deficiency in passing water; i.e. urine retention. He urged mothers to pay particular attention to this because children rarely, if ever say anything about it.

When elimination of urine is insufficient, he pointed out urine residue in a youngster’s bladder can cause swelling of the glands, stomach acidity, eruptions and fever; even eye or ear trouble.

PHOTO: COURTESY JEFFRIES NURSERIES

Burning Hearts is not the title of some fictitious love story nor a new romance novel. Shown is Burning Hearts bleeding heart, (Dicentra formosa) a Prairie-hardy perennial for Zone 3. Pendant heart-shaped blossoms are the deepest red of the Dicentra group and dangle like earrings with white- and red-striped upturned loops at the bottom sides of each heart. The flowers are clustered atop arching stems all summer long and supported by finely cut, blue-grey foliage on mounds that remain neat and tidy. Check for Burning Hearts bleeding heart this spring at your local area nursery.

Back then, he formulated various herbal concoctions for specific health issues, including one called Father Künzle’s Tea for Children that is still available. The priest indicated once diagnosis is confirmed and treated, the child will pass a lot of water and recovery often achieved in just one day. If a renal infection and/or constipation are suspected, have the child examined by a physician.

REMINISCENT OF PAST DAYS AS A DJ As a writer, I am a guy who often feels like he’s still talking into a microphone with words going out over the airwaves and wondering “who’s listening?” Those of you who join me regularly here on this Grainews Singing Gardener page, know by now I was once a DJ. That’s right… in the grand scheme of things; little ol’ me… a disc jockey. A guy who spun 78s, 45s, and LPs on big turntables; cued reel to reel tapes, aired digital cassettes and emceed live studio and remote programming.

Commercials (many of which I wrote) were rarely ever recorded and almost all were read “live” on the air without jingles. If I made a fluff… too bad… my frailty was exposed, but it kept me humble and human in the kindest way.

Listeners back in those days were always forgiving.

East is east and west is west is how the old expression goes and never the twain shall meet. By the way, twain is said to be an archaic word that means “two.”

And yes: I’m grateful a passport is not required to travel between our 10 provinces and three territories.

Let’s be thankful for our domestic greenhouse growers who provide the nation with the likes of fresh, on-the-vine tomatoes and cucumbers during this period of

winter. We’re grateful too, for the abundance of Canadian fieldgrown root crops such as carrots, onions, potatoes and parsnips and orchard fruits including apples and pears. † This is Ted Meseyton the Singing Gardener and Grow-It Poet from Portage la Prairie, Man. Nature and the land have a way of speaking to us. So much of the time some folks are simply not patient nor quiet enough to pay attention to what Mother Earth is saying.

You’re on my team if you enjoy meandering throughout the landscape, appreciating nature without seeking any achievement or destination in mind. Soon we’ll be walking along the outdoor Grainews garden path and later do some barefoot running through the green grass of spring and summer. My email address is singinggardener@mts.net

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