Science based weaning methods for beef calves

 Kirsten Nickles, Graduate Research Associate and Anthony J. Parker, Associate Chair and Associate Professor. Department of Animal Sciences, Ohio State University Weaning strategy should be designed to reduce stress in order to avoid BRD (photo credit: http://www.angusbeefbulletin.com/extra/2014/05may14/0514hn_sm-pneumonia.html#.YP7ekOhKiUk) Weaning is the start of an independent life for the beef calf. Though weaning can be a stressful time for the calf, beef cattle producers can minimize the stress at weaning by using science based weaning…

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Practice food safety to enjoy outdoor, summer cuisine

By Gail Ellis   STILLWATER, Okla. – July is National Grilling Month, and outdoor events are in full swing. As people step outside to cook those favorite summer dishes, smart food safety habits are critical to their health.  “Food safety isn’t just for food manufacturing plants. It’s important for consumers to be mindful of food safety in the home and wherever they prepare meals,” said Ravi Jadeja, a food safety specialist with the Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products…

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OSU, USGS team up to study how wind turbines affect raptor populations

By Gail Ellis   STILLWATER, Okla. – Data compiled by an Oklahoma State University natural resource ecology and management professor is featured in a new study published in the journal Ecosphere on how wind turbines could reduce populations of some raptor species.  Scott Loss, an associate professor in the OSU Ferguson College of Agriculture who specializes in avian ecology, contributed years of research to the paper authored by scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey. Existing collision fatality data leveraged by Loss and collected by…

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Making grade at the NJAS

The carcass steer contest helps Angus juniors see a bigger picture of the beef industry One contest at the National Junior Angus Show (NJAS) reminds youth that, ultimately, they are in the business of producing beef. The carcass steer contest gives National Junior Angus Association (NJAA) members a chance to see how their animals rank for carcass merit, and just what it takes to produce high quality beef. This year the NJAS was…

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Producers may benefit from CRP Grasslands signup

By Donald Stotts  STILLWATER, Okla. – Agricultural producers could benefit from enrollment in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Conservation Reserve Program Grasslands with improved pasture management and operations.  Producers can apply through Aug. 20. This year, the USDA updated signup options to provide greater incentives and increase the program’s conservation and climate benefits, including setting a minimum rental rate and identifying two priority zones. The CRP Grasslands minimum rental rate is $15 per acre, which…

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USDA Announces $500 Million for Expanded Meat & Poultry Processing Capacity as Part of Efforts to Increase Competition, Level the Playing Field for Family Farmers and Ranchers, and Build a Better Food System

USDA is announcing it intends to make significant investments to expand processing capacity and increase competition in meat and poultry processing to make agricultural markets more accessible, fair, competitive, and resilient for American farmers and ranchers. This is one of several key steps that USDA will take to increase competition in agricultural markets, pursuant to President Biden’s Executive Order on promoting competition and as part of USDA efforts to build a more resilient…

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Blanching is important part of vegetable freezing process

By Trisha Gedon  STILLWATER, Okla. – Asparagus, green beans, squash and okra are some favorites among vegetable growers. For many, those well-tended plants produce so much bounty, the family can’t eat it all before it spoils. One way to preserve that summer taste is to freeze the extra fresh vegetables.  This isn’t just a matter of plucking the vegetables from the garden and tossing them in the freezer. Before freezing, many vegetables need…

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Shop Kansas Farms helps connect consumers to Kansas producers

First Friday speaker says more than 148,000 have joined the effort MANHATTAN, Kan. – Rick McNary thought he had a great idea when he started an online group to connect America’s consumers to Kansas farm and ranch families. One year and more than 148,500 members later, it appears he was right. McNary is the founder of Shop Kansas Farms, a Facebook group that is helping to direct consumers across the country to buy locally grown…

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Cattle Chat: Managing feed resources in the summer

K-State experts share tips for adjusting cattle diets to depleting pastures MANHATTAN, Kan. — As summer advances and the grazing pastures begin to mature and dry up, beef producers may need to look at alternative plans for meeting the maintenance requirements of the herd, according to the experts at the Kansas State University Beef Cattle Institute. Speaking on a recent Cattle Chat podcast, nutritionist Phillip Lancaster said that producers first need to calculate the…

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Summer pond maintenance saves on costly repairs

By Gail Ellis   STILLWATER, Okla. – The rainy spring season and hot, dry months of summer are ideal times for close inspection of cattle ponds, streams, creeks and spillways. Routine maintenance of these water sources can prevent costly repairs for landowners.  Marley Beem, an Oklahoma State University Extension specialist in the Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, recommends monitoring pond dams and watersheds after spring overflow events to check for erosion.  “If overflows are clogged with floating debris, consult with…

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