The Rural Voice, 1981-01, Page 25ADVICE ON FARMING
Birds and animals cause crop damage
A new expert committee has been
formed to study the problem of bird and
animal damage to agricultural crops.
Birds and other vertebrate pests cause
extensive damage to crops and livestock
every year," explains Dick Prentice, a
crop protection specialist and research
co-ordinator with Agriculture Canada's
Research Branch in Ottawa. "But
controlling these birds and animals is
much harder than dealing with insect and
weed pests."
This fact led Agriculture Canada to
organize a national workshop last fall on
vertebrate pests. Included were federal,
provincial and university representatives
from both agriculture and wildlife
services. Unanimous support was given
at that meeting to the formation of this
committee.
"The expert committee will study the
numerous vertebrate pest problems
farmers face across Canada, and look for
effective ways to reduce this damage,"
Mr. Prentice says.
Damage by migratory waterfowl, for
example, has been a serious problem on
the prairies for many years. Although
efforts have been made to minimize this
damage through the creation of wildlife
reserves and the use of lure crops, grain
losses are still extensive in some areas.
"The red -winged blackbird is one of
the most serious vertebrate pests in
central and eastern Canada," Mr.
Prentice adds.
Corn losses of up to 60 per cent have
been recorded in fields near large
roosting sites. In Manitoba, the red -
winged blackbird is one of the main pest
problems facing sunflower growers.
"Along with starlings and robins,
blackbirds also cause a lot of damage to
stone fruit crops in the Niagara Peninsula
and the blueberry crop in the Atlantic
Provinces," Mr. Prentice says.
Birds are not the only such pests facing
farmers. Small animals, predators of
livestock and even bears in bee yards are
all problems for producers across Can-
ada.
"Because the control of these verte-
brate pests is far more complex than that
of other pests, this committee will play a
large role in developing effective pest
control programs," Mr. Prentice says.
"While the problem is still far from
solved, the committee will provide a
regular forum for the review of specific
problems and a national co-ordination
point for ongoing research in the area of
vertebrate pests."
Centralia offers farmers 14 one -day courses
Busy farmers can keep abreast of the
latest developments without committing
more than a day at a time through the
Centralia College of Agricultural
Technology short course program.
It offers free courses from January
until late March on subjects ranging from
livestock management to farmstead
planning. Courses run from 9:30 a.m.
until 4 p.m. and are open to all.
"The short course program, set up in
1968, gives college and agricultural
extension staff a chance to pass the latest
information to farmers," says Don
Cameron, the program's oc-ordinator.
"The slate of courses is modified
annually in response to new interests and
needs of the farm community."
The 14 courses include livestock
sessions and general interest courses
about farm income tax, estate planning
and farmstead planning. A herbicide
update will be oftered over two days.
Five subjects are new this year. A
Farm Alcohol Production course, Jan. 19,
examines the ec• momics and design of
production systems. Farmers can learn
more about weather forecasting at the
Understanding the Weather course, Feb.
3. Changes in the marketplace prompted
the introduction of a course about Leasing
Arrangements, Feb. 5. Another new
course, How to Run a Meeting, is
designed to help members of all types of
organizations. The popularity of sheep
production prompted introduction of
Sheep Flock Management, scheduled
Feb. 3 at Woodstock and March 7 at
Centralia.
All courses are held at the college, but
some repeat sessions are scheduled at
neighboring communities. Pre-
registration is not required.
Light helps pigs breed
More artificial light could solve some
breeding problems swine often develop.
Research conducted by Dr. Roger
Hacker of the University of Guelph shows
that light intensity and duration play an
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411,
MAILBOX
OF THE
MONTH
It's a mystery.
Can you tell us whose it is?
important role in the onset of estrus
(heat) in gilts.
In a series of experiments funded by
the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and
Food and the Pork Producers Marketing
Board, Dr. Hacker found that gilts
receiving 12 hours of light and 12 hours of
darkness daily average 183 days to first
heat. Gilts housed in complete darness
took 222 days to reach first estrus.
However, the same experiment found
that continuous light was detrimental to
normal heat cycles.
Using Dr. Hacker's research, the
ministry recommends moving replace-
ment gilts from the finishing barn to the
dry sow barn when selected at about 90
kilograms (200 pounds). Normally, more
light will speed the onset of first heat.
"Normally„ weaned sows and gilts
should be exposed to about 18 hours of
light daily" says swine specialist Andy
Bunn. "Recommended light intensity is
150 to 200 lux. For example, one row of
flourescent lights directly above the pigs'
heads provides about 150 lux in an area
4.5 metres wide (15 feet) by 2.4 metres (8
feet) high. One clean 100 watt bulb
supplies enough light for 10.8 square
metres (130 square feet) of Floor space."
THE RURAL VOICE/JANUARY 1981 PG. 25