Heraclitus of Ephesus is credited with saying “The only constant in life is change”.
Evidence of change surrounds us in the agriculture industry. Thanks to the application of Global Positioning Systems, tractors are capable of steering themselves. Unmanned tractors pulling grain carts can be summoned to come alongside a combine to receive grain on the go. Autonomous tractor prototypes exist where oversight is provided remotely. As technologies are developed for other applications, they are often adapted and adopted by the agricultural community to reduce labour requirements and improve efficiencies.
On the livestock front, genetic and management advancements allow more efficient production of meat and poultry. Improved feed efficiencies allow the same amount of product to be grown using less feed and water resources. Pain medication has proven benefits when administered during management procedures such as castration, dehorning and branding. Biosecurity protocols reduce the risk and incidence of disease outbreaks.
As of December first, currently available over the counter antimicrobials will require a prescription from a veterinarian. (see the link below for further explanation)
The changes being made to how antimicrobials are obtained for use in livestock production will allow the industry to document prudent and responsible antimicrobial use and stewardship. These changes have stimulated thought processes to find ways to adjust management strategies to further improve disease prevention.
Advancements are made due to changes in technology and processes as a result of research and development efforts. The Agriculture Development Fund is used by University researchers to investigate concepts that improve the competitiveness of Saskatchewan’s agriculture industry. One way to find out what is being done is to use the search function at the link http://www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/ADF/search to search a very generic term like “beef” or “canola” or “soil”.
The results provide the titles of various projects being conducted or that have been completed. This provides a flavour of what is being researched in your industry. The opportunity to direct research priorities comes through involvement in various commodity organizations. If you have ideas that you think should be investigated, find the path to bring your idea forward.
“To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.” Winston Churchill
For more articles like this, ‘Like’ the Kindersley Social Facebook page below…
