Protein Levels Paving the Way for the Future
In recent years, we have seen incredible changes to the world of agriculture and growers of wheat crops are now seeing a new reward in the shape of protein levels. In many regions, growers are considering a late application of nitrogen not to boost the final yield but to increase the level of protein found […]
Feed cows dried seaweed to reduce greenhouse gases
Research from north Queensland could massively reduce the negative damage the agricultural industry causes to the global environment. Rocky De Nys, the professor of aquaculture at James Cook University (JCU) in Townsville, is part of the CSIRO study analysing the effect that seaweed has on the amount of methane a cow produces. The researchers discovered […]
S. Kidman and Co cattle empire receives all Australian bid
This week a $386 million dollar offer for the S. Kidman and Co cattle empire has been lodged. The offer is not only higher than Gina Rinehart’s joint bid with a Chinese partner, it is also the first all Australian offer. Why is this sale attracting so much attention? S. Kidman And Co is Australia’s […]
Forecast milk payouts on the rise
Relief for farmers as Fonterra Cooperative Group increases their forecast milk payout. For the second time in four weeks, forecast milk payout values have risen. Increasing 50 NZ cents to NZ $5.25/kg of milk solids – could the milk payout end the 3-year global price rut? Fonterra’s rise runs parallel to the rises seen at […]
Food for thought: feeding our growing population with flies
Bryan Lessard, CSIRO Scientists have predicted that by 2050 there will be 9.6 billion humans living on Earth. With the rise of the middle class, we are expected to increase our consumption of animal products by up to 70% using the same limited resources that we have today. The cost of producing agricultural crops such […]
Drones at the forefront of agriculture technology
Advances in Australian agriculture technology continue with new uses for remote drones. A Pacific Seeds farm in the Kimberley’s Ord Valley has been using a remote-controlled drone to protect its seed crops from the seasonal onslaught of birds. In the area birds such as corellas and black cockatoos swarm farms in the thousands. The drone is modified with […]
How trees communicate via a Wood Wide Web
Stuart Thompson, University of Westminster A new book, The Hidden Life of Trees, claims that trees talk to one another. But is this really the case? The simple answer is that plants certainly exchange information with one another and other organisms such as insects. Think of the scents of newly mowed grass or crushed sage. […]