The Rural Voice, 1980-01, Page 31Grain varieties: a difficult choice
Grain varieties, like car models, are
traded for newer, more economical ones
when their performance drops. The farm
manager has a difficult job choosing the
variety best suited to his particular
situation.
For this reason, the Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture and Food (OMAF) recom-
mends varieties which promise highest
yield and best disease resistance, says Dr.
Ernie Reinbergs, coordinator of regional
tests on cereal crops.
Recommendations are based on Ontario
regional tests on the performance of the
past growing season, and results from
previous years. Both are compiled by
public and private plant breeders, Agricul-
ture Canada research staff, and OMAF
crop scientists.
"In- general, growing conditions were
variable in 1979, and performance changed
very little from the previous years for
barley, oats, and mixed grain," says Dr.
Reinbergs. "In 1979, barley acreage was
down slightly, but yields increased partly
due to more productive varieties.. The
Ontario average for barley was 3.1 tonnes
per hectare (57 bushels per acre)."
Regional tests showed that a new barley
variety, Mingo, gave the highest yield in
1979, followed closely by Bruce and
Massey. Bruce remains the highest
producer over a four-year test period.
Mingo is recommended for all areas of
the province. It has characteristics similar
to Laurier but is superior in threshability,
and resistance to mildew and lodging.
Ivfingo should not be sprayed with 2, 4-D
for weed control.
The Trent barley variety is no longer
recommended because of its increasing
susceptibility to smut and leaf disease.
Bonanza and Conquest barley varieties
will be contracted in 1980 for malting in
Ontario. Dr. Reinbergs notes that Bonanza
yielded more than Conquest in regional
trials.
Summit, the two -row barley variety,
continued to yield well. However, in some
areas it showed a considerable amount of
loose smut and scale (leaf disease). Dr.
Reinbergs advises that all barley seed for
1980 spring planting should be treated with
Vitoflo-280 to control loose smut.
Oats acreage continued to decline in
Ontario due to the popularity of other
crops. The newest varieties --Elgin, Oxford,
and Sentinel --performed better than the
traditional Garry variety, having better
lodging resistance and higher tolerance to
septoria (fungus disease).
As much as 2 per cent more protein may
be gained by growing these new varieties
rather than Garry. Oat varieties, Garry and
Scott. will probably not be recommended
by 1981.
Acres devoted to mixed grain remained
stable this year. The highest yielding
mixture of the season was Elgin oats and
Perth barley in the ratio of one to one.
Close competitors were Oxford oats and
Massey barley, Garry oats and Herta
barley, and Sentinel oats and Bruce barley.
Solar energy provides a brighter future
At the University of Guelph, agricultural
engineers are already developing solar
collection systems for livestock barns. This
five-year project is funded by the Ontario
Ministry of Agriculture and Food, the
Ontario Ministry of Energy, and the
Ontario Pork Producers' Association.
Researchers have been measuring the
potential of solar energy with a model
collector for the past two years. Active field
testing is scheduled to begin next year.
Prof. Theakston believes solar energy
may have a brighter future in agricultural
operations than in other types of appli-
cations because of the large roof and wall
areas of agricultural buildings. The only
drawt)acK IS . oSt.
"We have 'oeen trying to develop an
inexpensive collector that farmers can
install on existing barns without changing
the structure."
Although most solar experts agree that a
60- to 65 -degree slope is necessary to
collect solar energy, University of Guelph
tests show that a conventional sloping roof
and vertical sidewall will give sufficient
slope if there is good snow cover.
At the Arkell Research Station, near
Guelph, trials will use solar collectors to
provide space heating for pigs. The
collectors will be installed on five convent-
ional Canada Plan Service barns with
different roof slopes and sidewalls.
The collector which will be used in the
experiments is very simple in design. A
black steel plate is used to absorb the sun's
heat. This plate is covered with fiberglass
to trap the heated air. The underside of the
steel plate is well -insulated to prevent heat
loss. The heat collected is drawn away from
the collector and blown over the pigs by a
centrifugal fan. No water is used in the
system.
Cost estimates of the experimental
system range from $3 to $6 per square foot,
compared to the cost of commercial
collectors which now average about $16 per
square foot.
"Farmers may be able to reduce their
heating costs using this system, but they,
will still have to maintain a gas, oil, or
electrical heating system as a back-up," he
says.
Poor ventilation
serious concern
The age of plastic is moving to the farm.
Several Ontario farmers are now using
plastic curtains to improve ventilation in
cold housing for beef and dairy cattle.
"Ensuring good ventilation is a problem
in cold confinement barns," says Frank
Kains, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and
Food engineer. "Conventionally, these
barns have windows or moveable panels to
control air flow. Windows and panels are
difficult to adjust, however. so they aren't
changed regularly to suit daily weather
conditions."
Poor ventilation is a serious concern to
livestock operators. It can contribute to
poor animal health and eventual deterior-
ation of the barn.
The plastic curtain, called turkey curtain
was originally designed for turkey oper-
ations, but is now commercially available
for cold confinement housing for cattle.
"In beef and dairy operations, turkey
curtain is used to replace an entire sidewall
of the barn, eliminating the need for
windows or panels," says Mr. Kains. "It
can be installed to be lowered from the top,
but it is advisable to install it so it can be
raised from the bottom up for cold
confinement housing."
The main advantage of the system is its
ease of operation. The curtain is raised by a
cable and winch system making it easy for
the farmer to adjust the air flow regularly.
Nylon rope stretched from top to bottom in
a zig-zag pattern across the wall opening
prevents the curtain from flapping in the
wind.
The turkey curtain also allows a much
larger sidewall opening than the convent-
ional windows or panels. This is important
in the summer when maximum ventilation
is required. It also provides a continuous
opening which allows for more even air
flow than intermittent openings.
"This system is particularly advan-
tageous in bad weather," says Mr. Kains.
"Producers can maintain a continuous
opening under the eaves of the barn to
provide sufficient air flow without creating
drafts. The alternative tilt -in panels or
doors often create severe drafts on the
animals."
1r1t HUHAL VOICE/JANUARY 1980 PG. 29