Technologies Available to Improve Water Quality for Cattle

source: Farm and Food Report

The quality of the water used in livestock production can seriously affect the productivity of cowherds.

This is why people like Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food’s Bob Klemmer, a Livestock Specialist in Weyburn, work to increase producers’ awareness of problems and solutions.

“Knowing more about the quality of water in your operation puts you in the driver’s seat. For instance, when it comes to surface water in dugouts and small reservoirs, turbidity or suspended solids like clay, silt, organic matter and algae blooms can be a real issue.”

The phenomenon often results from erosion by rapid spring run-off; too little or a lack of grassed runways; torrential rains; and, cattle impact from mudding, manure and urine because of direct watering.

According to Klemmer, “Research showed that coagulation using aluminium sulphate or alum can reduce dissolved organic carbon, or DOC, by about 60 per cent, reducing colour by over 80 per cent; reducing dissolved phosphate by up to 99 per cent; and also reducing nutrient availability and alkalinity or pH.”

The overall effect of these changes can include reduced algae growth and therefore limited algae blooms. Reduction in DOC also makes the water safer for chlorination, due to a reduction in formation of trihalomethanes, a group of toxic by-products produced when chlorine reacts with organic matter during drinking water treatment processes.

“Turbidity has a very measurable impact,” says Klemmer. “Evidence from animal trials on pasture in Western Canada indicates that weight gain of yearling cattle may be reduced by about 0.3 pounds per day by the effects of turbid water due to direct watering of animals.”

To prevent this, Klemmer recommends fencing surface water supplies as well as the use of remote watering and controlled entry systems.

“Restricting access by constructing a ramp will reduce the severity of turbidity and avoid contamination by feces and urine. The use of continual, high volume aeration is also an essential long-term solution to reducing the severity of turbidity problems. Over-time, it will take care of nutrient loading due to erosion and excrement contamination. Proper sizing of aeration systems is important to getting the results you desire. And grassing or renovating existing grassed waterways and buffer strips will also help limit the extent of nutrient loading and erosion leading to turbidity.”

Quality factors to watch for include blue-green algae blooms, according to Klemmer.

“They not only affecting water palatability and intake, these blooms are also potentially deadly. Certain types of blooms are actually composed of cyanobacteria, which can produce neurotoxins and hepato-toxins that affect nerve and liver tissue.

“When the population reaches a critical size,” explains Klemmer, “nutrient concentrations become depleted and unable to support the bloom, which causes the population to die-off. As the bloom dies off, the toxins may be released in very high concentrations and may be a deadly hazard to cattle and other animals using the water for up to 14 days following the bloom.”

This is a problem that can be largely prevented, by properly designing and using an aeration system. Various licensed commercial preparations which contain copper sulphate as the active ingredient are also available to treat the dugout.

“Treatment with these commercial products, effectively kills off both the algae and cyanobacteria bloom immediately, so cattle movements can be planned to allow a 2-week post treatment isolation period.”

Another common water quality aspect is salinity or total mineralization:

“This is either directly measured by calculating Total Dissolved Solids, or TDS, or indirectly by measuring conductivity. High levels of TDS or conductivity may cause palatability problems and thereby reduce water intake and cattle performance. Various treatment options are technically available today to reduce sulphur and iron levels in water, but most, if not all are presently cost prohibitive,” warns Bob Klemmer.

The starting point for anyone wishing to check the quality of their water is to take a representative sample and have it analyzed by a reputable laboratory. For an adequate assessment, you will need at least a two-litre sample and have it analyzed at leas for TDS or conductivity, sodium, chlorine, sulphur (sulphates), iron, manganese, and magnesium.

For more detailed information on water quality, visit www.agr.gc.ca/prfa/water/quality-e.htm or call Saskatchewan Agriculture Food’s Agricultural Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377

R.G. (Bob) Klemmer
Livestock Specialist
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
(306) 848-2380

Western Beef Development Centre Thinks Ahead with Field Day

source: Farm and Food Report

The beef sector may be facing some challenging times, but that is no reason to stop making plans for the future, believes David Gullacher, Acting Vice-President of the Western Beef Development Centre (WBDC).

“We want to look beyond the current challenges facing the beef and cow∕calf industry. We are in a globally competitive market and we need to provide the means for the industry research that is carried out now to be adapted and adopted by our producers. This is why our field day this year will feature some of the production techniques we have had a hand in that have the potential to maximize profitability for our producers.”

Themed “Thinking Ahead,” this year’s event will showcase some of the ways by which production costs can be minimized in order to maximize profits, according to Gullacher.

“This is usually achieved by working on the costs themselves, but also on revenues and scale factors. For instance, we are bringing in a couple of speakers who will challenge us on the revenue side through marketing.

The keynote morning topic is “Adding Value to Your Calves – Thinking Outside the Box”, featuring both industry and producer perspectives. The afternoon will be devoted to staggered tours and demonstrations.

“We will offer two different types of tours: there are the actual demonstrations and there will also be a tour of the research farm itself. You see, Lanigan’s Termuende Research Farm was established by the Termuende family and willed to the University of Saskatchewan. The Western Beef Development Centre is operating the farm on behalf of the University. We find many of our participants just want to learn more about the farm itself. The Farm Supervisor will be on hand to take them around.”

The farm consists of 12 quarter sections of land, most of which is seeded tame pasture land. The home quarter itself features a unique round barn and original buildings.

“The WBDC has made several improvements to the Termuende Research Farm in the past as a result of its involvement,” says Gullacher. “These include pen facilities for up to 1,200 head feedlot system and a new calving barn, as well as a complete line-up of farm equipment. We also have the use of a herd of 300 head of cattle on site that is the property of the Horned Cattle Purchases Fund, which we use for research purposes.

On the technical side, the field tour will include forage grazing trials, evaluation of winter feeding systems, as well as the topic of precipitation harvesting, Gullacher explains.

The pasture trials will include a look at the grazing performance of new pasture varieties. Evaluation of new and existing grass varieties under grazed conditions is important information for producers.

On the topic of winter feeding systems for beef cows the WBDC has looked at the total costs of wintering animals in different ways and will share its findings on site, says Gullacher.

“Producers typically winter their animals inside drylot pen facilities, bringing in the feed and hauling out the manure in the spring. Or they can winter them out on agricultural land and feed them on specific wintering site , which leaves the manure out there the following spring. The project is evaluating the management of nutrient capture and loss, system costs and feeding system impact on cow performance.

“Precipitation harvesting is about exploring ways to capture more of the summer precipitation, as most dugouts are usually set up to capture spring run-off. We will display a system developed by ourselves and the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration (PFRA). The researchers used laser-guided graders. To create a gradually sloped catch-area. We lined the catch-area, including the dugout, with a special plastic sheeting, held down with rocks laid three to four feet apart. We fenced it to keep cattle out.”

Conclusion: off this 0.5-acre catchment area, 40 head of cattle can be watered. The WBDC is currently putting together the information packages to allow adopting of this technology by producers.

The 7^th Annual WBDC Field Day takes place on June 22 and starts at 9:30 am.

For more information, contact Carol Jackson at (306) 682-3139 or visit: www.wbdc.sk.ca

Carol Jackson
Western Beef Development Centre
(306) 682-3139
www.wbdc.sk.ca

Saskatchewan Fruit Growers Association U-Pick Operations are All the Rage

source: Farm and Food Report

When one looks at the Saskatchewan Fruit Growers Association’s (SFGA) map of members’ location, one gets a sense that there is something special happening here.

Charon Blakley, the SFGA’s Secretary-Treasurer, couldn’t agree more.

“There are 71 listings of different orchards with 15 different fruits available to pick across Saskatchewan. Some people have no idea of how diversified our fruit offerings are. Of course, strawberries and saskatoons are the most popular fruits that are picked.”

Many people are getting into raspberry and cherry production, and apples are also gaining in popularity.

“The pickers can be a family dying to get out of town — into the countryside. They long for the quality, the taste and the juiciness. Freshness is everything to them and they will drive a long way to acquire what they seek.”

Marilynn Lazorko owns LorMar Orchard with her husband Lorne at Bankend, near the Quill Lakes, where they grows mostly strawberries and saskatoons.

“We have folks driving as much as 75 kilometers just to come out here, because we are the closest strawberry grower to them. They seek the fresh fruit, but they also come because they enjoy the whole experience. We have planted grass between our rows of saskatoons and placed straw between the rows of strawberries, for the comfort of the pickers and the efficiency of the growing plants.”

“We have some seniors who like to park their car right between the rows. This makes it more convenient for them and more pleasurable in general. We started this agricultural diversification adventure 10 years ago and we have since added raspberries, Nanking cherries, highbush cranberries, tart cherries, grapes, apples,chokecherries and pincherries.”

“Whether you pick your own or buy at a local market, fresh berries are always a treat. Saskatoon’s are available year-round, fresh or frozen.”

Here is a basic schedule of availability for fresh fruits:

Saskatoon berries are usually ready from mid-July to mid August.

Strawberries can be picked from late-June through to September.

Raspberries are ripe from mid-July to late August.

Apples, which many producers grow organically, are available from late August to late September, depending on the variety.

Chokecherries await pickers from late August to early September.

To help the fruit lovers get the most out of what finds its way into their basket, the SFGA is publishing a fruit recipe book titled “The Fruits of Our Labours.”

You can acquire your copy of this 50-page colour cookbook by calling 1-877-97-FRUIT.

To find out more about the Saskatchewan fruit industry, visit: http://www.saskfruit.com

Charon Blakley
Saskatchewan Fruit Growers Association
(306) 743-5333
http://www.saskfruit.com

Marilynn Lazorko
LorMar Orchard
(306) 576-2336

Success Runs Wild at Southey's Last Mountain Berry Farm

source: Farm and Food Report

Take a 15-acre saskatoon berry orchard, a couple of determined entrepreneurs, and a view to making quality products a priority, and you might just get a sense of Last Mountain Berry Farms’ recipe for success.

Daily, the Southey-based family operation produces 4,000 quarts of jam and spread, which has been sold across Canada since 1991. Thanks to its 10 to 12 full-time employees and a value chain that includes requirements of 250,000 litres of fruit a year, Last Mountain Berry Farms is not only the nation’s largest processor of saskatoon berries, it might even the largest in the world.

Barb and Barry Isaac are the owners and founders of the operation.

“We started out with a bare piece of land where Barry’s grand-father homesteaded in 1905,” explains Barb. “Today we are into volume production that is sold coast to coast, but we never compromise on the quality of our product.”

This is a family tradition, according to Barb. “When I lived in California, we grew all our fruits and vegetables. We now grow saskatoons. These flavours are so authentic to this part of the world. We are just happy to share them with Canadians. And we wanted a natural product. Everything is as homemade as it can possibly be.”

If fact, Barb and Barry also farm four quarters they have converted to organic agriculture. But that is pretty much a hobby compared to their fruit processing activities.

Last Mountain Berry Farms buys saskatoons from Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Alberta. They manage to sell their product without advertising — simply by word of mouth.

Barry Isaac sometimes can’t believe how successful the business has become.

“As market demands our fruit, we just supply it. The product sells itself, and it sells more and more. The challenge then becomes ensuring a constant supply for our clients. We started out producing two pallets a week. We can now produce between 20 and 25 pallets of all kinds of fruit product during that same period. It feels pretty good.”

How did Last Mountain Berry Farms get there?

“We learned from our mistakes,” says Barry. “We have always been cautious, and quality remains our top priority. We may have bought a piece of equipment in the past, only to find out it wasn’t right for the job later on, but we have managed to keep those miscalculations to a minimum. Fortunately, the jam plant has always run smoothly with the help of dedicated employees – it took the entire team to make it work.”

Last Mountain Berry Farms conducts regular taste tests with staff to ensure consumers won’t be disappointed, and it looks as though their numbers are about to leap once more, according to Barry.

“We are on the verge of expanding significantly in Eastern Canada with Sobeys, Loblaws and Costco carrying our products. Our jam type spreads are very popular in the following order of preference: Raspberry, Saskatoon, Blueberry, Strawberry, Blackberry and Red Cherry. We buy the fruits from as far away as British Columbia.”

Compared to the major players in North America, the Last Mountain Berry Farms difference is that there are no chemicals or added preservatives.

Plain, fresh, good old-fashioned fruit is all that goes into their products.

Sometimes, that’s all it takes to make consumers ask for more.

For more information, contact:

Barb and Barry Isaac
Last Mountain Berry Farms
(306) 726-4683

Attention to Weather Helps Reduce Pesticide Spray Drift

source: Farm and Food Report

An important part of using pesticides safely and effectively is ensuring the product goes where it is intended to go.

A little care and attention to factors like spray drift will help ensure pesticide applications on your farm are carried out in the safest, most efficient manner, according to Integrated Cropping Management Systems Specialist Dale Risula at Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food.

“Weather conditions are most important - especially wind speed, atmospheric stability, temperature and relative humidity, with wind speed being the most critical. We would caution people not to spray in significant winds. The threshold wind speed depends on the type of equipment that is being used. Different nozzles, of course, will apply different concentrations of herbicides and carrier volumes. The most common carrier is water.”

For instance, if someone is using a number 8001 tip or nozzle, they will apply 50 litres per hectare. Under the influence of a 10 kilometre an hour wind, the pesticide applicator will lose three per cent of the material sprayed to off-target drift. If the wind increases to 20 kilometres, it doubles the drift to six per cent. And if the wind triples to 30 kilometres an hour, the drift goes up to 11 per cent.

Risula points out that “although high wind speed is an obvious cause of drift, other factors also have an influence. One of these is an inversion.”

Inversions occur when a layer of warm air is trapped beneath cool air and conditions are dead calm, which typically occurs at night. They can also be associated with a change in wind direction, adds Risula.

“The boundary of the inversion traps a concentrated spray cloud or mist which hangs over the treated area. When inversions break, the movement of the trapped air can be unpredictable, and the spray might move over a sensitive crop.”

Applying pesticides under conditions in which they are less effective, such as temperature extremes or prior to a rain, might require the producer to make a second application, thereby increasing the risk of damage and increasing costs significantly.

Risula invites producers to take into consideration all of the fundamentals of the spraying operation when preparing for a pesticide application.

“These include water volume, spray pressure, travel speed and nozzle height. Reduced spray volumes, higher pressures, higher travel speeds and greater distances of the nozzles above the target each produce higher risk of drift. Some people use shrouds to reduce the influence of the wind. Water volume, travel speed and pressure are linked and are influenced by the nozzle that is used. The nozzle and pressure dictate droplet size or coarseness of spray and therefore risk of drift.”

Because nozzles provide such varying levels of spray coarseness, countering the potentially negative effect of spay drift is very much a function of choosing the right nozzle for the job and the intended target.

For more information, visit Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food’s website at www.agr.gov.sk.ca and click on Frequently Asked Questions, then Pesticide Application and Choosing the Right Nozzles, or call the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377.

For more information, contact:

Dale Risula
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
(306) 694-3714

University of Saskatchewan Crop Development Centre on a Roll Since 1971

source: Farm and Food Report

Did you know that the most successful plant-breeding institution in Canada is located right here in Saskatchewan?

Or that, since it was established in 1971 as an applied research unit in the College of Agriculture’s Department of Plant Sciences, the Crop Development Centre (CDC) has developed 226 new crop varieties?

Or that the CDC has achieved this using research land that totals 2,700 acres divided into 141 different fields?

Rick Holm knows. He is the Director of the CDC, and one of the institution’s greatest ambassadors.

“When our researchers embark on a breeding program, they target characteristics they try to improve in a crop — things like quality and agronomic characteristics. Quality, of course, varies with each crop. In the case of red wheat, baking quality and protein content are high on the quality list.”

Similarly, in malting barley, plant breeders will seek to increase enzyme levels, speed of germination and uniformity of kernel size.

In flax, the oil content and the iodine number — the figure that gives an indication of how rapidly the oil will dry — are important, especially the latter if you are making paint, because you want an oil that dries quickly. It is important as a quality consideration.

“For pulse crops,” continues Holm, “quality would mean developing lentils, beans, chickpeas of certain shape, size and colour. This matters when they are destined for human consumption.”

Quality considerations also include developing varieties that don’t bleach or discolour when they are out in the field — this is called bleaching resistance and is important to preserve the grade and value of the product.

“If you grow hard red spring wheat and the harvest is delayed by a month, producers are hoping for varieties that are still red when they are harvested. If you produce green peas, you want them to stay green until the harvest.”

On the other hand, agronomic characteristics are more generic in nature, explains Holm.

“All researchers will seek to develop plants with higher yields. In a parallel way, all plant breeders wish for varieties with early maturity, as Saskatchewan imposes a short growing season on producers. We also want resistance to diseases. This varies from crop to crop because each crop is affected by different diseases, but resistance to the diseases that affect a particular crop is high on the priority list.”

Another agronomic characteristic of significance is the need to develop varieties that stand well, with strong straw that doesn’t to break down when the crop is mature before it is harvested, so the crop can be harvested easily. Shattering resistance is another important factor in increasing harvested yield and minimizing volunteer crop problems in subsequent years.

These are the factors that drive plant breeding activities with sometimes-groundbreaking results, according to Holm.

“Some plant varieties developed at the CDC have set the quality standard for Western Canada — some have become internationally famous. Like Harrington two-row malting barley, which dominated the two-row malting barley class for two decades and is still a popular variety. Laird lentils have achieved a similar status in lentils. These two crop varieties have become stars in the worlds of malting barley and large green lentils.”

Holm adds that the CDC Dolly barley has also become the standard for feed barley in Western Canada.

There is no end in sight to the string of achievements that make the University of Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Centre one of the very bright lights in western Canadian plant breeding endeavours.

Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food is contributing to on-going success at the CDC by providing the funding for six plant breeding positions and an annual operating grant of $1,000,000. This core support helps the CDC attract approximately $3,000,000 annually in additional funding from producers groups and industry to support its plant breeding efforts.

For more information, contact:

Rick Holm, PAg
Crop Development Centre
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-8195
http://www.usask.ca/agriculture/plantsci/cdc.html

2005 SFGA Summer Tour and Field Day a Potentially Tasty Proposition

source: Farm and Food Report

The Saskatchewan Fruit Growers Association (SFGA) Summer Tour and Field Day is always a big hit among participating members and fresh fruit fans.

This year’s edition, which will take place on June 25, promises to be true to form, according to SFGA Secretary-Treasurer Charon Blakley.

“The day’s program includes a tour of the Loon Creek Saskatoon Orchard at Cupar which has an eight year-old saskatoon berry orchard consisting of Smokey, Northline, Honeywood, Martin and Theissen cultivars.”

The orchard also has 75 Carmen Jewel cherries; 25 University of Saskatchewan cherries, 700 sea buckthorn and 600 raspberries. As well, there will be an opportunity to look at the cultivator, the rodweeder, the weed badger, and the sprayer that is used in the operation.

“Our lunch will be catered by Loon Creek Saskatoons. It’ll include bison burgers and smokies, as well as hot dogs, coleslaw, buns, coffee, saskatoon juice and saskatoon strudel with ice cream. So it will be a Saskatchewan-flavoured menu.”

In the afternoon, the group will move to the Last Mountain Berry Farm in Southey. Guests will have a chance to explore the 15-acre saskatoon berry orchard there, says Blakley.

“One on the highlights certainly will be a visit at the fruit processing plant on location. People will also have a chance to familiarize themselves with the local mechanical harvester, the berry cleaning system that is used in the operations, as well as the sprayer and the weed badger.”

For SFGA members like Marilynn Lazorko, a field day like this one is extremely valuable.

“I like to see how other people proceed in their operation. We learn something everywhere we go. There will often be fruit experts with us in the group who will share their knowledge. Plus, as fruit growers, this gives us an opportunity to network, to talk about the challenges we are facing in the industry, like marketing, and how to solve these challenges.”

Field day participants include established growers like Marilynn Lazorko, but also aspiring growers, according to Blakley.

“Growing fruits fits right in with the current shift toward agricultural diversification, and the attendance numbers at our Field Day in the past confirm that growing fruits is increasingly popular. Last year, we had 73 registered participants.”

Although the SFGA is not in the habit of turning people away, it will try to limit the number of participants to 60 this year. Early registration is recommended.

The tour starts at 10:00 a.m. at the Loon Creek Saskatoon Orchard near Cupar. For more information or to register, call (306) 743-5333 or visit: http://www.saskfruit.com

For more information, contact:
Charon Blakley
Saskatchewan Fruit Growers Association
(306) 743-5333
http://www.saskfruit.com

Livestock Predation Program Helps Producers Target Predators

source: Farm and Food Report

When predators strike, the help of predator control experts can be priceless for livestock producers.

Gordon Schroeder of the Sheep Development Board, the organization that administers the Livestock Predation Program, recalls how he received a call from a producer who had lost three calves:

“This person was clearly in distress. We sent in a predation specialist to eliminate two suspect coyotes. The program provides options to affected producers. The problem stopped after this intervention. It is not like the predation specialists take out all the coyotes in the area. They target specifically the problem at hand.”

The Saskatchewan Sheep Development Board will again act as the administrator for the 2005-2006 Livestock Predation Program, for which Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food has provided funding of up to $200,000. Last year, 483 producers took advantage of the services that the Board makes available for them — 60 per cent of them were cattle producers facing a predator crisis.

“We get a lot of positive feedback,” says Schroeder. “We have access to about 70 predation specialists that we call into service when the need arises. We work closely with Saskatchewan Environment, the sheep and cattle industry, and we try to be as environmentally friendly as we can in our interventions.”

Ray Nixed is a Livestock Development Specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food.

“The program was launched six years ago to help producers facing the added pressure of predators - mostly coyotes, wolves and cougars. But sometimes, even ravens will attack newborn calves and pick out their eyes.”

When producers experience these kinds of losses that can lead to death, they call up the Sheep Development Board to access a predation specialist who will sometimes shoot, sometimes trap or relocate the offending animals, depending on the circumstance.

“These experts may also suggest different predator management practices, such as a different type of fencing or pen arrangements. During lambing, for instance, it would make sense to keep the lambing pen closer to home.”

Another recommendation could include the proper disposal of stillborn carcasses, since improper disposal will attract predators.

For sheep producers, predator pressure is a year-round challenge. For cattle producers, the problem occurs mostly during spring. Regardless of the frequency of predator activity, it always results in a frustrating, disruptive and difficult situation. It is good to know that help is just a phone call away.

For more information on the Livestock Predation Program, call (306) 933-5200.

For more information, contact:

Gordon Schroeder
Saskatchewan Sheep Development Board
(306) 933-5582

Ray Nixdorf
Livestock Development Specialist
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
(306) 787-6607

Crop Insurance Reminder: Seed Quality

source: Farm and Food Report

As a result of 2004’s early frosts and wet harvest, there are concerns about the availability of quality seed in 2005. Crop Insurance customers are reminded that poor quality seed is not an insurable cause of loss.

As a Crop Insurance customer, you must have made an effort to obtain seed of reasonable quality, whether from seed growers or common seed from another producer or your own seed source. If you are using seed of a questionable quality, Crop Insurance recommends that you have the seed tested for reasonable germination by an accredited lab.

If the lab tests determine germination is an issue, you are expected to have sought advice regarding the results.

“Home germination tests may be inadequate, particularly when testing seed that is frost damaged and results in some abnormal seedlings,” said Saskatchewan Crop Insurance agrologist Chris Stewart.

If you have used seed based on the results of a home test, please set aside a sample amount of seed in the event that Crop Insurance needs to have the seed tested.

If the seed available to you is poor, consider other cropping options to mitigate establishment problems. Saskatchewan Crop Insurance will not pay establishment benefits because quality seed of a specific crop was not available.

“Warm soil and adequate moisture may reduce establishment problems for poor quality seed,” according to Stewart. “But regardless of conditions, you need to ensure that you have minimized any other stresses on the germinating seed and emerging seedling if you are using less than optimal seed.”

These measures include but are not exclusive to the following:

Seed treatment, which can reduce the incidence of seed rot and seedling disease.

Seed at the optimal seeding depth so that the plants can emerge as quickly and with as little stress as possible.

Good soil-to-seed contact to help with quick germination and emergence.

Avoid over-compaction and practices that may cause soil crusting.

Avoid planting into cold soils.

If you have any question how seed quality may affect your coverage, contact your Saskatchewan Crop Insurance customer service office today.

For more information, contact:

Chris Stewart
Saskatchewan Crop Insurance
(306) 728 - 7216

Golden Grain's Hullness Barley Products Show Promise

source: Farm and Food Report

Dinsmore’s Gord and Marge Thomson and Joe and Arlo Lytle always knew in the back of their minds that success comes to those who know how to tap into the resources at their disposal.

“If we were to crank out value-added wheat product, we would have to take on Robin Hood; if we had chosen oats, we would have had to go up against Quaker Oats,” says Gord Thomson. “We did quite a bit of research around barley, and we figured this was the direction to go back in 1994.”

Their Golden Grains Farm now produces three hulless barley products. Golden Grains Hulless Barley Flour is stone ground, with a flavour which the Thomsons describe as an old-fashioned one.

The products themselves seem richer, with a darker finish than wheat flour. They contain no additives or preservatives.

Hulless Barley Flour is versatile, and can be substituted in wheat flour recipes.

“It is low in gluten and should be used in a 1/3 barley with 2/3 wheat ratio for best results in yeast leavened baked products” says Marge Thomson. “A larger portion of barley can be used in non-leavened baked goods. Hulless barley products keep longer, and do not require refrigeration, because barley contains natural anti-oxidants which prevent staling.”

There is also the Golden Grains Hot Barley Cereal, a thin rolled product which is a quick, easy and nutritious breakfast choice.

“It can also be used in muffins, bread, cakes, cookies and as a meat extender,” Marge points out.

The Golden Grains Thick Rolled Barley is a thicker rolled, slower cooking product that can be used much in the same way as the hot cereal product.

“Except for cleaning the seed, we do all the processing ourselves. We benefited from the knowledge of one of the world’s experts on barley, Dr. Ron Bhatty, as well as Dr. Brian Russnagel, who is a plant breeding specialist at the University of Saskatchewan. We had labels designed and we started to market our product in two-kilogram double-ply glossy white paper bags.”

Marge says they also sell smaller whole grain packages for gift baskets.

“We market at Saskatchewan Made stores, at craft fairs like Sundog in Saskatoon and at locally owned stores, because shelf space at large supermarkets costs so much. We also sell in bulk to hospitals and seniors’ residences.”

According to Marge Thomson, barley has nutritional properties that compare favourably with oats, but it just doesn’t have the brand recognition. It is a heart-smart, high fibre food with cholesterol lowering properties.

There is a growing interest among food processors for hulless barley. Some other examples of food uses include addition to ready-to-eat breakfast cereals, rice like products (after splitting and polishing), thickeners, and in health foods. The Canadian grading system now has a recognized grade for the food market. This helps companies get the quality they need.

For Marge, there is satisfaction in getting to know her product through baking and cooking, which allows some people with wheat allergies the enjoyment of food previously inaccessible.

“Before I go to a show, I will make 10,000 samples, including peanut butter cookies, rolled barley cookies and carrot muffins. When people try the baked goods and like them, they will likely buy the product.”

Incidentally, Marge Thomson is currently compiling a recipe book for hulless barley flour and rolled barley that will be published this summer.

If anyone has a recipe they wish to share or have included in her book, please contact Golden Grains Farms as soon as possible by calling (306) 846-4722, or e-mail your recipe to: gordthomson@sasktel.net.

For more information, contact:

Marge Thomson
Golden Grains Farm
(306) 846-4722
http://www.goldengrainsfarm.ca

Market Locally Farm Finished Beef from Cull Cows

source: Farm and Food Report

Making the best out of a difficult situation can sometimes involve developing local markets.

The diagnosis of a cow with BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy) in May of 2003 has resulted in dramatic changes to the Canadian cattle industry.

One class of cattle that has been greatly affected is cull cows. Due to limited slaughter capacity and demand, most cattle producers are faced with challenges when marketing cull cows.

Cattle are culled for various reasons: reproductive problems (open, difficult calvers, prolapse), udder problems, poor milking and mothering ability, bad disposition, genetic and trait selection, injury, disease and old age.

But at the market, stock growers never know if a cow will fetch $80 or $300 dollars. It becomes hard to budget in this kind of situation, says Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food’s Livestock Agrologist Bryan Doig.

“With no price guarantees in the marketplace, selling these cows at auction can be risky. Rather than dumping culled cows into the market, there may an opportunity to place some of these cattle into a feeding program. The purpose is to increase marbling and tenderness, improve flavour, whiten the fat and increase the body weight.”

Doig recommends that healthy cows younger than nine to 10 years of age be selected.

“Ideally, choose cull cows from three to seven years of age for your finish feeding program. Young cows gain faster and more efficiently than older cows. Rations for cull cows consist of high proportions of barley grain — other grain mixtures can be used.”

Start the cows on a ration consisting of 20 per cent to 25 per cent barley. Gradually increase the amount of grain over a two to three week period until the cows are receiving 60 per cent to 80 per cent barley in the ration.

“The barley should be coarsely ground or rolled to increase the digestibility,” says Doig. “But avoid over-processing the grain to reduce the incidence of bloat.”

Producers are encouraged to limit the amount of good quality hay or silage that is fed to ensure that the cows eat all of the grain. Minerals, limestone and vitamin A can be mixed with the grain.

“The feeding program should range from 60 to 80 days in length. This should provide adequate time for the cows to gain 150 to 250 pounds. There will be an improvement in tenderness, fat colour, marbling, rib eye area and carcass weight as a result.”

Cull cows can produce tender and tasty beef. Specific cutting and aging procedures will further enhance the taste and tenderness of the beef from these cows, explains Doig.

“With large numbers of beef animals being processed locally, abattoirs may only provide seven to 10 days of aging in the cooler. Many have a six-week pre-booking date for slaughter; some require as much as three months’ notice. Most require that the meat be picked up the day after cutting and wrapping. Prices for slaughter and processing generally range from 45 to 50 cents per pound – this includes kill, chill, environmental fees, cut and wrap.”

Develop a market for the cow beef and establish a price that will ensure a profit before placing cull cows into a feeding program. A number of beef producers and some abattoirs have organized Beef Rings. This is where several families are contacted to purchase the meat from a grain-fed cow, and each family shares an equal portion of the meat. They pay the abattoir for the cost of slaughter, chill, cut and wrap, and the beef producer for the cow. The beef producer delivers the live cow to the slaughter facility.

Doig is of the opinion that there are real benefits to being strategic in cull cow management:

“Producers have consistently been getting $300 to $400 or more per animal in this manner. The prospect of locally marketing an animal that has been grain fed can significantly enhance the return on investment for producers.”

There is definitely more than one way to work around the cull cow challenge. To find out more on the topic, read the Cull Cows - On-farm Feeding and Marketing Options Fact Sheet on Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food’s website at www.agr.gov.sk.ca. Click on Livestock, Beef, Feeds and Nutrition, then on the document name.

For more information, contact:

Bryan Doig, PAg
Livestock Development Specialist
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
(306) 446-7477
bdoig@agr.gov.sk.ca

Organic Beef is making Headway with Consumers

source: Farm and Food Report

As consumers demand to know more about how the agricultural products they eat are grown, organic beef producers may see new markets emerge.

Duane Phillippi is with Farmer Direct Co-operative Ltd., a producer-driven business that sells ethically grown and traded foods.

“When our staff go to trade shows around the world to sell organic cereal, oilseeds and pulse crops, they always come back with inquiries about organic beef. This occurred recently in Chicago.”

Farmer Direct has contracts with American buyers for boneless, boxed organic beef.

“Our U.S. buyers are requesting organic boneless subprimals. This is one of the products that the current BSE situation still allows us to send across the border. We do have organic beef grown among our 60 member producers that is of the appropriate weight and grade.”

The challenge at the moment, explains Phillippi, is accessing a federal processing facility with USDA accreditation to get into the United States.

“Interestingly enough, these clients often focus on organic dairy and poultry products. One of them is the largest organic co-operative in the United States, a well-established company that dominates the organic milk market and is starting to offer organic beef.”

Sandy Lowndes is a Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food Organic Livestock Development Specialist in Tisdale. This emerging market does not surprise her:

“The appeal of organic beef is the absence of chemical pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, hormones or antibiotics in the production process. The knowledge that the animals have been raised in an environment where their movement was not restricted plays a role, as well — these are basically free range animals. Once you start medicating their feed and restricting their movement, some consumers claim to start noticing a change in the smell or taste of the meat.”

The Canadian Organic Livestock Association (COLA) has enjoyed good success in developing new markets in Canada for organic beef, according to Executive Director Sam Rhode.

“We have been shipping organic beef to eastern Canada and have developed a relationship with Sobeys and IGA. Our animals are slaughtered at federally-approved plants and distributed across eastern Canada in all cuts.” One of the groups COLA works with is Distribution Bio Fresh Cutz, a Montreal-based distributor, says Rhode.

“The meat is packaged in individual portions with the COLA and Distribution Bio Fresh Cutz labels. We are now developing markets for organic poultry, lamb and pork products. We have a distributor in the U.S. that imports our beef as boxed, deboned beef, which is the only way we can export to the U.S. with the BSE situation as it is.”

As far as overseas markets go, Farmer Direct is considering opportunities for organic bison, as well. But for the time being, Philippi and his colleagues are just trying to keep up with the North American demand for organic beef.

“We have sales in British Columbia; some in Ontario. The biggest push in the United States right now is from the west coast. The key is sustaining the consistency of our supply to current markets.”

The future does look bright for organic beef.

For more information, contact:

Duane Philippi
Farmer Direct Co-operative Ltd.
(306) 352-2444
www.farmerdirect.coop

Sandy Lowndes
Organic Livestock Development Specialist
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
(306) 878-8816

Sam Rhode
Canadian Organic Livestock Association
(306) 845-3119
http://www.colabeef.ca

Forage Technical Update a Sign of Production Trend

source: Farm and Food Report

An upcoming series of training sessions on forage management is indicative of the increased interest in this form of agricultural production in the province.

“The importance of forages in Saskatchewan agriculture is increasing, given that producers are more and more interested in cattle, and in raising livestock as an alternative to cereals and oilseeds production,” says Art Westlund, a contractor with the Saskatchewan Forage Council, the group which is organizing the four June sessions in Swift Current, North Battleford, Yorkton and Redvers.

“As the number of forage acres increases in the province, we need more expertise in the field about forages, as well. The Forage Technical Updates 2005 have been designed for agrologists. The training sessions will provide special emphasis on plant identification, fertility, environmental stresses and agronomic practices for stand establishment.”

Westlund adds that the Updates are intended for professional agrologists working in the field, be they employed by seed suppliers, chemical or fertilizer dealerships, or hired insurance adjusters.

“The Saskatchewan Forage Council accessed funds from the Greencover Canada Technical Assistance Program to put our program together,” says Westlund. “This is a natural fit for them, because of their policy to convert marginal land into forages. Our mornings will be spent in a lecture-type setting, while our afternoons will be focused on disease and fertility challenges at pre-selected field sites.”

Janice Bruynooghe is Executive Director of the Saskatchewan Forage Council.

“One might think that, with the current BSE crisis, there would be less interest in forages, but quite the reverse is true. Producers are more and more aware of the importance of good forage management practices, because they can have a very measurable impact on their bottom line.”

Bruynooghe feels that there is an increased demand for forage information, for a simple reason:

“There are, of course, many producers who are very knowledgeable about forages, but there are also many new producers who are entering the field and require expertise to guide them through. Even among producers who are knowledgeable, there is a recognition that leading edge information is required to maintain and increase yields.”

The organizers expect that the sessions will fill up rapidly. This is the first of a two-year run at these sessions. They are presented at a level that is accessible to agrologists, so that they can pass on the information they will acquire through their client networks.

“The format we have chosen as a forage diagnostic school will give participants the skills they need to apply this new information in their workplaces. We have pre-selected field sites with the help of partners including Ducks Unlimited Canada, the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority, Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation, so there is a very practical dimension to this exercise.”

The 2005 Forage Technical Updates will take place on June 6 and 7 in Swift Current; June 8 and 9 in North Battleford; June 13 and 14 in Yorkton; and June 15 and 16 in Redvers.

Registrations are limited to 25 participants per location. For more information, visit the Saskatchewan Forage council website at www.saskforage.ca.

For more information, contact:

Art Westlund
Saskatchewan Forage Council
(306) 752-5086

Janice Bruynooghe
Saskatchewan Forage Council
(306) 966-2148

Warmer Weather Brings Increased Risk of Spoliage in Grain Bins

source: Farm and Food Report

There is quite a science to keeping moisture accumulation from spoiling grain stored in bins, it appears.

Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food’s Dale Risula believes it can be mastered with a few simple steps.

“Once the temperature warms up outside, there will be different patterns of moisture migration within the bin. With time, moisture zones may develop because of these movements.”

Risula explains how the warming action of the sun in the spring outside the bin will cause a warming action up the sides and through the centre of the bin. Ultimately, it may accumulate in the centre of the bin near the bottom.

“Failing to protect the grain from that sort of movement may encourage the development of insects, mites and mould, which could have an adverse effect on the quality of the grain.”

Ideally, Risula recommends that the grain be conditioned before storage so that it is dry and has a moisture content acceptable to the Canadian Grains Standard.

“Once this is achieved, long-term storage is possible, but there are other factors to consider.”

The idea, according to Risula, is to ensure the temperature of the grain is close to the temperature of the air for the season, because variations in temperature may cause moisture to condense and accumulate in concentrated zones within the grain.

“Since a great number of producers likely lowered storage temperature to below freezing last fall, it would be beneficial to warm the grain up and bring its temperature closer to the outside temperature. This can be accomplished though the use of aeration fans, or through moving the grain from one bin to another.”

Even later on in the summer, if a producer chooses to store the grain for the long-term, he or she may consider manipulating the grain again as the temperature gets hot.

“Basically, one should avoid extremes and bring the temperature of the grain gradually closer to that of the air outside. We suggest that, for the summer, producers should run the aeration fans on their bins on cooler days so the grain doesn’t become overheated.”

After all, grain is a living organism that responds to oxygen, moisture and temperature. Therefore, it needs some form of attention to maintain an acceptable state. “Farmers must ensure they engage in a safe storage response in order to prevent unnecessary losses,” concludes Risula.

For more information, contact:

Dale Risula
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
(306) 787-3714

Resist the Temptation of Off-Label Pesticide Applications

source: Farm and Food Report

In pesticide usage, as in many other realms, yielding to temptation may not result in the desired outcome.

A producer might have on hand a pesticide approved for barley, wheat or oats that he or she is thinking of using for canaryseed.

Canaryseed is, after all, another grass crop.

However, if there has been no research supporting its use on canaryseed, the producer might expose himself or herself to substantial financial loss if the canaryseed was adversely affected, according to Provincial Pesticide Specialist Cameron Wilk at Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food.

“It may seem like a convenient solution. A producer might want to use a pesticide product for a use that is similar to, but different than, that for which it has been approved. People should know that pesticide labels or the information pamphlets that come with insecticides and pesticides are legal documents.”

Wilk explains how people regularly contact him to seek off-label recommendations.

“They are illegal. People might believe they are allowed to apply pesticides they think would be suitable for use, despite not being recommended for use on a particular crop, but they certainly are illegal for commercial applicators to use. Think of this example: a producer might use a product to control broad-leaf weeds in forage stands. However, if alfalfa or clover – also broadleaf plants – is part of that forage mix, the forage mix itself might be affected. This happens all the time.”

Spring is a particularly vulnerable time of the year for pesticide damage to occur, says Wilk, because new growth is so sensitive.

“Custom applicators who would use glyphosate as a pre-seeding burn-off would find themselves in clear violation of label recommendations. Drift is a real danger and could result in significant damage to off-target vegetation. For instance, if you have insurance coverage and you make an off-label application, you might find your coverage nullified, if this came to light.”

In addition, off-label application might result in some detectable residue in the crop. This would mean that the producer might not be able to market that crop, or – in the worst case – an entire market could be jeopardized for all producers.

Wilk suggests to farmers who wonder if they could use a product in an off-label situation that they contact their chemical company representative or an SAF specialist to find out if there is a minor use approval or a supplemental label.

The most current options for pest control products can be found in the Guide to Crop Protection, produced annually by SAF. The publication is available in January, with a Spring Update that contains the newest registrations and corrections.

Both the Guide to Crop Protection and the Spring Update can be found at local chemical retail outlets or on SAF’s website at www.agr.gov.sk.ca. under Crops.

For more information, contact:

Cameron Wilk
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
(306) 787-2195