New Soil Analysis Discount for
Association Members
Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) members will now have access to reduced soil analysis rates at select laboratories in Ontario. Effective as of October 2015, any paid member of OSCIA may request a 10 percent discount on select services from A&L Canada, Exova, SGS Agri-Food Labs, and Stratford Agri-Analysis. Although each lab has restricted the discount to certain analysis packages, all of the labs will honour the discount until December 31, 2016.
Developing rations
One of the most important steps in developing a ration suitable for ruminant animals is feed testing. It is essential to have a starting point in order to formulate a ration to the recommended level of production. Forages are the most variable of all the feedstuffs tested and because of the large inclusion rate in the rations, require the most attention.
Spreadsheet templates
Spreadsheet templates to evaluate break evens, cost of production and financial evaluation are available by contacting me at brian.bell2@ontario.ca. The most recent tool developed is one used to calculate returns from cull cows.
