Jargon Made Simple

Base saturation is tied directly to Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC). Crop production can release acidity into the soil, and on low CEC soil there is less of a buffer to prevent leaching of nutrients, making soil less fertile. Base saturation in simplified terms is the indication of soil’s fertility and ability to retain the Calcium, Magnesium and Potassium necessary for healthy crop production. High CEC is good and means the soil can retain Calcium, Magnesium, and Potassium, thus making it more efficient and fertile.

Positively charged ions, or cations, are essential for plant growth and can affect the pH of soil. Measuring the cation exchange capacity of your soil determines the soil’s fertility and ability to bind and store specific nutrients. High CEC soils are less likely to be affected by nutrient loss from leaching.

Cereal crops are grains that are members of the grass family. This primarily includes wheat, corn, rye, oats, barley and rice. Despite their dry fruiting bodies, these crops can be water intensive and have specific nutritional requirements from their environment. Cereal crops make up a large part of Manitoba’s agricultural industry. We have a testing panel that is tailored to cereal crop production that can be found here.

Chloride is a naturally occurring mineral often found in water. High concentrations are not necessarily harmful but can cause damage and corrode pipes and other plumbing fixtures found in your greenhouse or irrigation system. Further, when very high levels of chloride in spray water is detected, it can cause damage to plant life via root absorption or direct contact with the plant leaves.

Cortisol is a steroid hormone naturally produced in animals as a response to stress. When stressed, higher concentrations of cortisol are released into the bloodstream. Testing cortisol levels in pigs is generally a good marker to determine their stress level. High stress, weakens the immune system, opens the door for illness and underlies adverse gestation episodes in breeding stock. We can test hair for long term stress or saliva for short term stress.

This test determines the amount of general salts in your soil. Proper salt concentration is important for plant health. When EC levels are too low, it indicates low available nutrients in the soil, which can negatively impact crop production.

Testing the electrical conductivity in water helps determine the amount of impurities in the water. Agricultural runoff can increase dissolved solids in the water, increasing electrical conductivity. This test is important to grasp the quality of the water being used as well as determining the impact on the environment.

Endocrinology monitors hormones produced by glands in the body which are carried through bodily fluids. Primarily endocrinology is used to control or influence a pig’s metabolism for optimal meat production. Endocrinology can also be used for assisting with breeding and reproduction as it can be used to monitor reproductive hormones or stress levels during gestation.

ELISA, sometimes referred to as EIA (enzyme immunoassay) is a plate-based assay used for detecting and quantifying antibodies or antigens (peptides, proteins, hormones) in a blood serum sample. This test allows us to identify if the animal has been successfully immunized against a specific pathogen or if the animal needs a booster shot. It can also be used for detecting active infection of a specific pathogen in an animal; but typically qPCR is a better method for this approach.

Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a bacterium which can be found in the lower intestines of warm-blooded animals. There are several strains of E. coli and other coliforms which are not harmful to humans, but some strains can cause nausea, vomiting, fever and diarrhea. These strains are most harmful to young children, the elderly, and certain livestock animals.

Water that tests positive for E. coli and other coliforms is a clear indication that the water has been contaminated by fecal matter either from animals or humans. This can be an indicator that wastewater systems are not being managed properly or livestock have contaminated the local environment. This can be an issue especially if contaminated water is being used for food-crop irrigation, human drinking water, or livestock drinking water.

Heavy metals are elements found in soil and water which can accumulate and become toxic to humans and animals. Heavy metals pollute the environment, cause crop death and contaminate the food chain through absorption into crops and food animals. Knowing the levels of heavy metals in the water and/or soil is essential to ensure the longevity of crops and to intercept contaminated meat and vegetation that could contain dangerous levels of heavy metals destined for the dinner table.

Heterotrophs are microorganisms that can create colonies of bacteria, molds and yeasts by using carbon sources. HPC measures these colonies in water to ensure they are within acceptable limits. They are found in all types of water, and high HPC counts should be corrected to prevent bacterial regrowth, which could lead to adverse quality of water, vegetation, and meat.

Testing the water used to irrigate crops is very important as plants rely on it for essential nutrients. Certain elements in the water can impact pesticide and fertilizer retention and availability. Knowing what’s in your water can also give you a better understanding of what nutrients need to be supplemented and what are normally present in your water.

Testing of lakes, rivers and aquifers for common contaminants. Testing the source water is especially important in rural areas near livestock farms so we can have a better understanding of our impact on the surrounding environment, as well as assess what potential contaminants can be making their way into the water your plants and livestock use every day.

M. hyo is a bacterium which can cause mycoplasmal pneumonia in pigs. It can also cause infections which produce lesions on the lungs of affected pigs. Even in fully recovered pigs the bacterium can persist in the respiratory tract for up to seven (7) months. M. hyo can affect pigs of all ages and most commonly presents itself as a dry cough and reduced weight.

Nitrogen is a non-metal element which makes up approximately 78% of the earth’s atmosphere. It can be found in water, soil and air. It is a major component in chlorophyll, which helps plant life to photosynthesize. Even though it is a vital element, high concentrations in soil can cause nitrogen toxicity to plants (nutrient burn), and cause algae blooms in water (making the water no longer usable for irrigation or drinking). These blooms are detrimental to water quality and decreases the amount of oxygen in the water, affecting fish and other aquatic animals.

Canola, flax, soybeans, sunflower are a few examples of oilseed legumes which are grown in the prairies. These crops have specific fertilizer requirements which may be affected by certain elements in the water. Testing the water used on these crops is a good way to ensure a bountiful harvest with high crop yield.

Phosphorus is a major nutrient for plants, especially seedlings and young plants. It is important to monitor phosphorus levels in soil as too little will not provide sufficient nutrients to crops, and too much can cause deficiencies in plant zinc and iron.

PEDV is a virus which affects pigs, however it can cause severe diarrhea and vomiting in pigs and in serious cases can kill younger pigs without immunity. It can be spread to uninfected pigs through human contact with infected feces or vomit on equipment, boots and clothing. It can be controlled with the help of vaccination, but rapid testing is the most effective way prevent further spread of the virus.

PRRSV is a virus which can cause respiratory disease in young pigs. Symptoms include cough, fever, and reduced weight. It can also cause reproductive failure in pregnant sows (female pigs). It can be transmitted through the bodily fluids of infected pigs and sometimes piglets don’t show symptoms but still shed the virus (causing more infection and the cycle repeats). Humans can unintentionally spread the virus to healthy herds through contact with porcine fluids on their boots, clothing, tires, or equipment. The virus does not appear to adversely affect humans. Vaccination and rapid testing of symptomatic pigs are the best ways to control the spread to healthy pigs.

qPCR, also known as real-time PCR, utilizes PCR (a method to amplify DNA or RNA in a sample) with fluorescent signals. This is ultimately used to determine the presence and abundance of DNA or RNA in the sample. By targeting regions of DNA or RNA that are unique to specific pathogenic organisms (viruses, bacteria, etc), qPCR results can provide qualitative (presence or absence of the target), or semi-quantitative or quantitative (relative or absolute amounts of target DNA/RNA present) results.

SIA is a respiratory virus which routinely spreads through pig populations, typically appearing during the late fall and winter, and presents itself in cough, fever, anorexia, irritation and discharge of the eyes or nose. Although symptoms are a good indicator of infection, they can range in severity and some pigs may not show any symptoms at all but still be infected. It can be spread through surface contamination, but also through airborne droplets. There is a vaccine available, but much like the flu season for humans, the virus can be persistent, and many strains exist.

Trace metals are metallic elements which are necessary in small amounts for animal and plant development. Plants absorb these elements through water and they are then carried through the food chain. In excessive amounts, they can be toxic to people and animals.

Different plants have different trace metal requirements and ensuring these elements are present within a certain range can be beneficial to maximizing yield.

Tubidity is cloudiness in water caused by floating partcles suspended in the water. It is important to test cloudy water. Certain particles suspended in water can create a breeding ground for pathogenic bacteria and microbes. Turbidity can be an indicator of pollution, and cause issues with irrigation equipment and plumbing.