The western producer august 24, 2017

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2017

VOL. 95 | NO. 34 | $4.25

ETHANOL FROM BARLEY? |

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SERVING WESTERN CANADIAN FARM FAMILIES SINCE 1923

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An isolating illness

Farmers like Trewett Chaplin are finally talking about the importance of good mental health — and that’s a positive step | Page 4 WILLIAM DEKAY PHOTO

To swath or not to swath? Report sheds light on canola harvest techniques BY BRIAN CROSS SASKATOON NEWSROOM

A report that compares the costs and benefits of straightcutting canola versus swathing may answer some lingering questions about the best way to harvest it. But it doesn’t offer a definitive recommendation on how canola should be taken off. It says there are significant gains and costs associated with both straight-cutting and swathing. “Straight cut treatments with

harvest aids (Reglone or Heat and glyphosate) had a higher cost of production, but the benefits of timeliness or ease of harvest may provide sufficient benefit to warrant this cost for certain operations,” the report states. “Similarly, situations where control of timing is less of a concern, swathing or natural ripening harvest may prove to be the most economical.” The canola harvesting study was conducted by the Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute (PAMI). It compared the costs and benefits of harvesting canola using four different harvest strategies: • applying Reglone, then straight cutting • applying Heat and glyphosate, then straight cutting

• allowing the standing crop to ripen naturally, then straight cutting • swathing the crop, then combining the windrows According to the report, canola fields that were treated with prehar vest products, such as Reglone, or Heat and glyphosate before straight-cutting were generally easier to combine and were combined more quickly, more efficiently and with fewer in-field delays. H o w e v e r, h a r v e s t l o s s e s caused by pod shattering were usually higher and overall harvest costs were anywhere from $17 to $22 per acre higher based on chemical costs, application costs and increased fuel consumption. On the other hand, harvest

costs and yield losses associated with swathed canola were generally lower, but ground speeds for combines were slower, delays caused by combine plug-ups were more common and stress levels for combine operators were generally higher. The report, entitled Straight Cutting Canola in Manitoba: Comparison of Pre-Harvest Aids, can be viewed online at bit.ly/2v2Nljg. “The purpose of this project was to understand what benefits may be gained from straight cutting, what risks may be incurred, and what pre-harvest treatments may provide optimal conditions for straight cut harvest,” the report stated. SEE TO SWATH, PAGE 5

SAVING SCROTUMS P.30 | FARMING ON THE ROCK P.36

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u|xhHEEJBy00001pzYv.:% AUGUST 24, 2017 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Box 2500, Stn. Main, Saskatoon, SK. S7K 2C4 The Western Producer is published in Saskatoon by Western Producer Publications, which is owned by GVIC Communications Corp. Publisher: Shaun Jessome Publications Mail Agreement No. 40069240

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