Mobile field records help farmers and their agri-advisors document and track field operations when they’re on the ground. Read on for an overview of this digital tool, available in AgConnexion | SmartFarm.

Dairy farmers often face a dilemma when it comes  to increasing productivity or reducing GHG emissions. But there’s one thing you can do to help with both: work on your forage quality. And Sollio Agriculture’s agri-advisors, and livestock and crop production specialists are there to help you make it happen.

Farmers need to adapt to climate change. And to do that, they need a solid game plan. That’s where Sollio Agriculture’s sustainable farming diagnostic tool comes in. The easy‑to‑use, customizable tool gives farmers a clear picture of their situation so they can find viable solutions.

The most complicated forage element to replace isn’t protein or energy, but fibre. This is apparent when precipitation is less frequent and the volumes of forage available to feed specific herds are limited. To have an effective diet, it’s important to understand the concepts of digestible and indigestible fibre effectiveness.

Feed costs are a major expense on a dairy farm, so it’s normal to monitor them closely. However, due to the limitations of certain indicators, care must be taken in their interpretation if feed costs are to be properly measured.

Weather conditions in recent years have made life tough for forage plants. Many farmers have had to completely change the way they do things. Some manage to continually improve their operation year after year, no matter the weather. Winter is a great time to ask questions, get informed and make a plan for more resilient forage systems on your farm. Here are a few ways you can get started.

Heavy and frequent rains come with a fair share of problems for hay farmers and horse owners. With harvests delayed week after week and limited drying time, forage can become less nutritious and less healthful. Below, you’ll find some tips and possible solutions for dealing with this issue.

When your corn silage has been harvested for 90 days, it is a good time to re-evaluate some of the key characteristics of that silage now that it has had time to ferment. At this point in time, a silage analysis will give a better representation of the way the silage will feed for the remainder of the year.

Farmers today have access to a wide range of cover crop and green manure mixes to meet the specific needs of their fields.

Without a cover crop, approximately 70% of rainwater runs off the land. To restore water to the soil and combat drought, farmers need to help water get back into the soil.

One way to do this is to use green manure or cover crops.

Québec’s forage stocks for 2021 are generally healthy, but things are more complicated for some farmers who must innovate to avoid finding themselves with an empty warehouse. Fortunately, some by-products and feeds, including Synchro F-Plus and Totalveau, can be used to substitute part of the forage in your rations.

Assessing forage stocks

Before making any decisions, the first thing that you should do is conduct proper inventory assessments—one of your forage stocks and especially one of the animals to be fed in the coming year.