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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen-Agriculture 98, 1998-03-18, Page 40The heat generated from corn- posting over an extended period, has the capability to kill harmful pathogens such as some bacteria, cryptosporidium along with weed seeds. Fleming's research over the next three years will determine practical ways to mix the liquid manure and straw, wood chips or corn stalks and the most valuable resulting compost. The study will not only look at the quality of the final product, but the amount of labour required and the lowest level of straw input required while making optimum use of heat-generate evaporation of excess liquid. A three-floor aeration system will be used to test methods of blowing in sufficient air. Composting is to be completed in a three to four weeks period. The first formal tests were to begin in February with initial results due out by summer. Integrating bio-technologies into genetic improvement of livestock RICE'S STORE NEW Rubber Boots with Gelflex Heel & Sole for all your work wear needs gloves, clothing, boots, socks, coveralls Make your appointment for fittings of Orthopedic Supports Mondays or evenings Machine Embroidery - company names, logos, etc. Lot 16 Con. 12 Hullett Township 523-4426 Mon. - Thurs. 9:00 -8:30 Fri. & Sat. 9:00 - 6:00 Chisholm has answer to comfortable heating without electricity If you're worried about El Nino sending an ice storm into the Bruce and leaving you freezing like the Montrealers, then Chisholm Fuels of Lucknow has just the answer. It's an oil fired space heater that looks as charming as an old country fireplace, takes up almost no space and will heat the entire house from almost any corner you care to put it. Recently we visited the beautiful brick rambling ranch home of Frank and Muriel MacKenzie on the second line of Kinloss, just north of Lucknow and saw one of these Dovre Heatilators in operation. It was doing a good job of heating the entire house from a space three feet square in the basement. The electric furnace in another room had been shut down. The Dovre Heatilator, about the size of a 27-inch TV, works quietly, without any need of electric power and at a fuel cost so low that the MacKenzies will probably recover the price and instal-lation in about two years. All you need with this Dovre Heatilator is an oil tank and chimney and it will run For an answer to your heating problems call Grant at... KINCARDINE 519-396-8212 Frank MacKenzie of Kinloss. 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Frank and Muriel built their house 22 years ago after retiring from the surrounding farm. He installed an electric furnace because hydro then was low in cost, but he put in an air-tight wood stove because he had lots of wood from the nearby bush. Besides, they like wood heat; when they moved into the old log farmhouse back in 1946 they even had coal oil lamps. But illness has cost Frank the use of his right hand, so bundling wood into the stove was a problem. They were burning 12 to 14 cords a winter. And leaving a lighted wood stove for more than a day was a concern. With a threatening electric heating bill of $2,000, Frank called Chisholm Fuels. They suggested the Dovre Heatilator. In jig time it was installed, a 250-gallon oil tank in another room. This unit comes in two sizes, a maximum 35,400 btu's an hour or 48,900 (as the MacKenzies have). There are six heat settings. At the heart of the stove is a catalyst creating the efficient fuel-air mixture that explains the bright blue-orange flame you see through the door's glass window. Efficiency is 80 per cent From October to mid-January, the Mackenzies burned $350 in oil. Find out all you want to know about this remarkable unit by calling Chisholm Fuels at 529-7524, 357-2820 or 1-800-799- 3363. There are printed specs too. The Dovre Heatilator F750. enidiarn celeimating 60 ye_ana in fuel Iitizinezta. We now have a 1-800 number 1-800-799-3363 WINGHAM 519-357-2820 CHISHOLM FUELS GODERICH LUCKNOW 519-524-7681 519-529-7524 PAGE A-20. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 1998. 1) Agriculture '98 Ridgetown does study on composting pig manure Studying the genes With continued studies into the genetic makeup of swine, biotechnology is discovering ways to breed for the best animal. J.P. Gibson Centre for Genetic Improvement of Livestock Department of Animal and Poultry Science University of Guelph The basic principle of animal breeding, "to get the best; breed from the best", has not changed since humans first domesticated the wild ancestors of modern livestock species. What has changed are the tools used to identify the best and then to breed from them. Gone are the days when the only information available was the animal's own performance and selection simply meant keeping the better animals longer. Modern livestock improvement utilizes an increasingly complex web of technologies. Extensive recording schemes are used to capture information on many different economically important performance characters of many thousands, sometimes millions of animals. This information is processed using-- complex statistical procedures on high powered computers. Reproductive technologies are used to spread genes from the best animals more widely and to turn CONTINUED ON A-21 In dealing with the ever-present problem of liquid manure disposal and elimination of odour, Ridge- town College has begun a study into efficient waste composting. Under the guidance of Ron Flem- ing, the mixing of liquid swine manure with straw or other carbon- rich material for composting has three expected advantages. By blowing air through the mix- ture, Fleming expects the aerobic breakdown of the organic matter will be less odorous. The decompo- sition of matter under anaerobic conditions leads to the production of gases such as ammonia and hydrogen sulfide. Improved nutrient release is also an anticipated outcome. Conven- tional liquid manure holds 50 to 75 per cent of its nitrogen content in ammonium form, readily accessible to plants though prone to burning leaves of certain crops. The ammonium is also quickly lost to evaporation if not worked into the soil. With composting, the nitrogen levels may be maintained, but in a "slow release" form, said Fleming. A financial advantage to organic nitrogen may also be the possibility of soiling excess product.