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Agriculture Roundup for Thursday, July 30

Jul 30, 2020 | 10:22 AM

Canadian producers with sow barns are invited to provide information to help identify factors related to sow health, reasons for culling and mortality.

Canadian Centre for Swine Improvement CEO Brian Sullivan said sow culling and mortality figures have increased over the past decade but the reasons are not well understood.

“One big change, for example, is the movement from housing gestating sows individually to housing them in groups,” Sullivan said. “Another big change is the increase in litter size from, genetic selection and environmental improvements on farms.”

Sullivan said survey results will be analysed to determine reasons for variability between farms and identify key management factors in herds with really good outcomes compared to herds that experience high culling or mortality rates.

With the heat warnings in the province, crop development can either benefit or take another hit.

Crops Extension Specialist in Tisdale Kim Stonehouse said that really hot days can cause abortion of pods and seeds which then leads to yield decreases.

The heat can also bring hail or thunderstorms with it.

“When we get these warm temperatures and high humidity, the potential for extreme weather is always there and that can be very detrimental in some cases as we have already seen this year,” Stonehouse said.

In general, crops around the northeast look good if they weren’t hit with strong winds and hail early in the summer.

angie.rolheiser@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @Angie_Rolheiser