The Citizen, 1996-10-23, Page 18HCFA releases
A Look at Agriculture
Bt corn considerations
Ralph deVries, Crop Consultant
with Howson & Howson Ltd.
Are you considering trying some
of the Bt corn hybrids in 1997?
Because this is the first year that
corn borer resistant hybrids (not to
be confused with root worm) are
going to be available, there may
be some things to consider before
you go about making your seed
purchases for 1997.
The first thing is the actual
hybrid. Did you like the hybrid
before it had the Bt gene; would
you purchase it again? You want
to continue to buy a total genetics
performance package not a variety
"fixed up" with the Bt gene. There
will be a price premium charged
for the seed. This price premium
will have to translate into better
overall performance for you. You
will want extra yield and
standability. If other hybrids
without the Bt gene can still out-
perform the Bt hybrid then it
would still be to your benefit to
buy the non-Bt hybrid.
The second thing to consider
after you have proven to yourself
that you may have a better hybrid
are the improvements in other
hybrid qualities. These would
include improved yields, better
standability, higher test-weight,
improved plant health and
consistency of performance.
It has been documented that the
Bt hybrid will out-perform its non-
Bt parent (or isoline) even under
very light corn borer pressure. The
difference in yield has been
anywhere from five to thirty
bushels per acre. Dr. Art
Schaafsma, an entomologist at
Ridgetown College, says, "Each
first generation corn borer that
tunnels through a stalk will reduce
the yield of that plant up to five
per cent."
I have cut open several plants
this season that were not Bt
hybrids and had up to four corn
bores in the plant; according to
Schaafsma, four corn bores would
result in a twenty per cent
reduction in yield. The Bt hybrid
in rows beside it did not have any
corn bores in the plant. The Bt
gene in the corn plant protects the
potential yield of that variety.
Bt hybrids also have beau
standability than its non-Bt
isoline. Because the hybrid doesn't
allow the corn borer to feed on the
plant it has no entry points for a
disease such as stalk rot. This
allows the plant to maintain better
health through the full growing
season preventing premature die
down.
The test weight from Bt hybrids
is usually a half pound to three
pounds per bushel heavier than its
non-Bt isoline. This is because the
corn bores do not interfere with
the plant's ability to translocate the
sugars when it is filling the corn
ear.
Et hybrids perform more
consistently because the corn
borer can not attack the corn plant.
This eliminates one of the
variables that affects the
performance of the hybrid.
There are several advantages to
Bt corn, but, you still will want to
evaluate the hybrid the same way
you evaluated hybrids in the past.
Compare the Bt hybrids to its
isoline and to other comparable
hybrids.
BRUSSELS IVESTOCK
Division of Gamble & Rogers Ltd.
UPCOMING SALES
TUESDAYS 9 a.m. Finished
Cattle & Cows
THURSDAYS 10:00 a.m. Dropped Calves
Veals followed
by Goats
Sheep & Lambs
FRIDAYS 10:00 a.m. Stocker Cattle
1:00 p.m. Pigs
Saturday, October 26 10:00 a.m. - Local Calf Sale
Saturday, November 2 11:00 a.m. - Bred Cows
Saturday, November 9 10:00 a.m. - Local Calf Sale
BRUSSELS 887-6461
WHYTE BROS. FARMS
Limited
is ready to receive your
1996 CORN CROP
5 Services Offered
• Buying
• Storing
• Custom Drying
• Trucking
• Custom Combining
R.R. #2 Seaforth
527-1143
PAGE 18. THE CMZEN, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1996
Brussels Livestock report
395 steers on offer avg. $84 to $94, top $100
The sales at Brussels Livestock
for the week ending Oct. 8 were:
fed cattle, 537; cows, 257; veal
calves, 510; lambs and goats, 125;
and stockers, 2,999.
Fed steers and heifers sold $1
higher on the top end of the cattle
with the cows selling $1 - $2 lower.
Veal sold steady with lambs selling
stronger to higher trade. On Friday
all weights of stockers sold at
Does the declining number of
farms and direct employment in
agriculture mean a stagnant econo-
my in Huron County?
How important is agriculture to
the economic health and well-being
of county residents?
Does Huron County have an "in
dustrial base" to build a local econ-
omy?
Those and other questions will be
answered when the Huron County
Federation of Agriculture (HCFA)
holds a conference to release a pre-
liminary report on the impact of
agriculture on the economy of
Huron County this Friday, Oct. 25,
at 3 p.m. Everyone is invited to the
steady prices.
There were 395 steers on offer
selling from $84 to $94 to the high
of $100. Eleven steers consigned
by Russel Halliday, Chesley, aver-
aging 1,332 lbs. sold for an average
of $93.81 with sales to $100.
Fourteen steers consigned by
Donald Neal, Mount Forest,
averaging 1,351 lbs. sold for an
average of $91.06 with sales to
meeting which will be held at the
HCFA office in Vanastra.
University of Guelph Professor
Harry Cummings and graduate stu-
dent Dan McLennan have complet-
ed the first phase of a two-year
study of agricultural businesses in
Huron. This study is ground-break-
ing in both its methodology and its
findings. They will be available fol-
lowing the presentation for discus-
sion.
Bill Wallace, HCFA past presi-
dent, who initiated the study, Presi-
dent Stephen Thompson and
members of the HCFA will also be
present.
$98.50. Twenty-one steers con-
signed by Kada Farms, Bluevale,
averaging 1,282 lbs. sold for an
average of $93.07 with sales to
$98.25.
Thirty-nine steers consigned by
Cunningham Farms, Lucan,
averaging 1,382 lbs. sold for an
average of $91.38 with sales to
$95.40. Twenty-six steers consign-
ed by Murray Shiell, Wingham,
averaging 1,331 lbs. sold for an
average of $89.57 with sales to
$94.75. Twenty-six steers con-
signed by Elo M. Martin, Mount
Forest, averaging 1,420 lbs. sold
for an average of $88.99 with sales
to $94.50. Twenty-four steers
consigned by Johnston Farms,
Bluevale, averaging 1,282 lbs. sold
for an average of $88.34 with sales
to $92.50.
Forty steers consigned by Earl
Foster, St. Marys, averaging 1,240
lbs. sold for an average of $89.49
with sales to $91.50. Two steers
consigned by Mark Fisher, Ayton,
averaging 1,353 lbs. sold for an
average of $90.55 with sales to
$91. Six steers consigned by Allan
G. Koch, Gowanstown, averaging
1,239 lbs. sold for an average of
$87.39 with sales to $90.75.
There were 114 heifers on offer
selling from $82 to $85 to the high
of $89.25. Four heifers consigned
by Dow Heritage Farms, Staffa,
averaging 1,266 lbs. sold for an
average of $87.10 with sales to
$89.25. Four heifers consigned by
Harry Bouwman, Harriston,
averaging 1,103 lbs. sold for an
average of $86.80 with sales to
$88.50. Three heifers consigned by
Allen Finkbeiner, Crediton,
averaging 1,103 lbs. sold for an
average of $85.95 with sales to
$88. Ten heifers consigned by Ted
Kernink, Kirkton, averaging 1,025
lbs. sold for an average of $84.54
with sales to $87.75.
Three heifers consigned by Doug
Scott, Lucknow, averaging 1,260
lbs. sold for an average of $87.58
with sales to $87.75. Twenty-one
heifers consigned by Terry Dalton,
Lucknow, averaging 961 lbs. sold
for an average of $82.78 with sales
to $87.50. Two heifers consigned
by Wayne Hugill, Seaforth,
averaging 1,140 lbs. sold for an
average of $87 with sales to
$87.25.
Two heifers consigned by Aaron
Fischer, Ayton, averaging 1,165
lbs. sold for an average of $85.94
with sales to $87. Four heifers
consigned by Woodham Farms,
Woodham, averaging 1,126 lbs.
sold for an average of $82.17 with
sales to $86.25. Six heifers
consigned by Carmen Hastie,
Elmwood, averaging 1,149 lbs.
sold for an average of $73.44 with
sales to $85.75.
' There were 257 cows on offer
selling from $33 to $53 to the high
of $67. Three black cows
consigned by Don Currie, Nottawa,
averaging 1,245 lbs. sold for an
average of $49.31 with sales to
$67. Two cows consigned by
Darryl Morley, Mildmay,
averaging 1,517 lbs. sold for an
average of $52.83 with sales to
$55. One red cow consigned by Jim
L. Taylor, Wingham, weighing
1,440 lbs. sold for $53.50.
There were 27 bulls on offer
selling from $42 to $50 to the high
of $59. One Limousin bull
consigned by Peter Hays, Maxwell,
weighing 2,215 lbs. sold for $59.
One Limousin bull consigned by
Milton Bender, Gowanstown,
weighing 2,040 lbs. sold for $59.
There were 510 veal on offer
Selling from: Plain and Heavy
Holstein, $80 to $102; Holstein,
$60 to $70; and Beef, $85 to $128.
Seven veal consigned by John
Verberg, Londesboro, averaging
681 lbs. sold for an average of
$107.47 with sales to $128. Three
veal consigned by Wayne Dumin,
Auburn, averaging 672 lbs. sold for
an average of $102.19 with sales to
$110. One Holstein veal consigned
by Dale Merrifield, Flesherton,
weighing 635 lbs. sold for $102.
Lambs, 50 to 80 lbs., sold
$132.50 to $205; 80 to 95 lbs.,
$127.50 to $137.50; and over 95
lbs.. $122.50 to $135.
Sheep sold $30 to $49.
Steers, under 400 lbs., sold $64
to $80; 400 - 499 lbs., $58 to $107;
500 - 599 lbs., $66 to $101.50; 600
- 699 lbs., $65 to $102.50; 700 -
799 lbs., $75 to $86.35; 800 - 899
lbs., $70.50 to $100; 900 and over,
$78 to $90.50.
Heifers, 300 - 399 lbs., sold $52
to $81.50; 400 - 499 lbs., $57 to
$102.50; 500 - 599 lbs., $55.50 to
$86; 600 - 699 lbs., $55.50 to $85;
700 - 799 lbs., $64.50 to $82.50;
800 - 899 lbs., $61 to $85.50; 900
lbs. and over, $71.50 to $82.
economic report