Supplementing to Stretch Pastures

Jeff Lehmkuhler, PhD, PAS Associate Extension Professor, University of Kentucky Drought continues to impact the high plains area stretching down to the pan handle of Texas. The dry conditions will continue to impact pastures potentially lowering beef cattle numbers at year’s end. The recent high temperatures and limited rain will dry out pastures and limit forage regrowth on recently cut hay fields here in the Commonwealth. As forage growth slows, supplementation may be…

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Could early weaning increase your profits?

Dean Kreager, Licking County Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator (originally published in the Ohio Farmer) Early weaning can reduce daily forage consumption between 25 and 40%. Over the last couple of years, making hay in a timely manner has been nearly impossible.  There just were not 3- or 4-day windows of dry weather without water standing in the fields.  The result was a lot of poor-quality hay resulting in poor body condition scores of…

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USDA Meals to You Partnership Delivers Nearly 30 Million Meals

HOUSTON, TX, July 16, 2020 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue lauded the achievement of its Meals to You partnership, which has now delivered more than 28.5 million meals to the doorsteps of low-income kids in rural communities across America during the COVID-19 health crisis. Perdue announced the milestone during a visit today to McLane Global, one of USDA’s partners in the initiative, which has served kids across 41 states and…

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Fall garden planning should start now

By Trisha Gedon STILLWATER, Okla. – With triple digit heat across the state, many Oklahomans are looking forward to fall and cooler weather. Although there will be several more weeks of intense heat, gardening enthusiasts can get a jumpstart on fall by planning their fall gardens now. July through September is the optimal time to begin planting several vegetable varieties in order to have a bountiful fall harvest, said David Hillock, Oklahoma State University…

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K-State experts lay out criteria for evaluating bulls

Summer is a good time to evaluate bulls as they leave the breeding pastures. | Download this photo. K-State experts lay out criteria for evaluating bulls Summertime culling decisions hinge on several factors MANHATTAN, Kan. — As bulls come off the summer breeding pastures, producers have several criteria to consider when making culling decisions, according to experts at the Kansas State University Beef Cattle Institute. In a recent CattleChat podcast, they debated whether fertility…

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Skunked? Home remedies, commercial products can help reduce the stink

Humans have a few options for deodorizing hair, clothes or body if they -- or their pets -- are sprayed by a skunk. K-State wildlife expert offers tips for eliminating the pungent smell MANHATTAN, Kan. – There are two sure-fire ways to avoid the pungent smell of a skunk: don’t get into areas where skunks may live, but if you do, for goodness sakes don’t get sprayed. When those two factors collide, humans…

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USDA Announces More Than 1.2 Million Acres Accepted in Recent Signup for Conservation Reserve Program Grasslands

The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) today announced the acceptance of more than 1.2 million acres in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Grasslands during the recent signup period that began March 16 and ended May 15. The number of acres offered during this signup period was 1.9 million acres, over 3 times the number offered during the last signup period in 2016. Through CRP Grasslands, farmers and ranchers…

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Double-crop weed management made easy

By Donald Stotts STILLWATER, Okla. – Size matters when it comes to many postemergence herbicides and effective weed control in double-cropping systems, Oklahoma State University experts said. “Once weeds become too large or crops reach particular growth stages, many weed control options are no longer viable as they may injure the crop or will not completely control target weeds,” said Misha Manuchehri, OSU Extension small grains and canola weed specialist. For example, when using a…

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K-State ag economist charts risk, benefit of hedging sale of live cattle

Hedging can help cattle producers protect against adverse price changes in markets by locking in futures prices. (File photo) K-State ag economist charts risk, benefit of hedging sale of live cattle Ten-year study analyzes outcomes of hedging via futures markets MANHATTAN, Kan. – A Kansas State University agricultural economist has completed an exhaustive study on hedging cattle prices, which he says could help producers manage their economic risks – perhaps especially so in…

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Taking the heat: K-State leads effort to develop heat stress-resilient soybeans

New USDA-NIFA award provides funding to 2023 MANHATTAN, Kan. – On a recent summer morning, a team of students and scientists worked quietly, row by row in a research field, thinning soybean seedling plants by hand and saving the strongest to establish a uniform plant population for varieties to be grown in a new research project. The team, led by Kansas State University agronomy professor and soybean breeder Bill Schapaugh, is just starting…

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