Grass Cover Crops; Bargain Feed or Bedding?

Jason Hartschuh, OSU Extension Crawford County, AgNR Educator and Stan Smith, OSU Extension PA, Fairfield County (originally published in the Ohio Farmer on-line) With somewhere around 1.5 million acres that were not planted last spring to the intended crops of corn or soybeans due to the extraordinary weather, today, Ohio farmers likely have more acres of cereal rye planted for cover than at any time in previous history. At the same time, cattlemen…

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Immune system tips offered

By Trisha Gedon STILLWATER, Okla. – While medical researchers worldwide race to develop a cure for COVID-19, people can work to strengthen their immune systems and stay as healthy as possible, said Janice Hermann, Oklahoma State University Extension nutrition specialist. A few easy and practical habits might make a big difference in the long run – emotionally as well as physically. “The immune system is actually made up of a network of cells,…

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Ways to minimize death loss in calves

K-State beef experts offer common sense advice MANHATTAN, Kan. – Growing up on a livestock operation teaches agriculturists such life lessons as the value of hard work, the miracle of birth, the joy of caring for animals and, sometimes, the loss of livestock. Recently, experts from the Kansas State University Beef Cattle Institute tackled the topic of calf death loss on a weekly podcast. Leading the discussion was veterinarian Bob Larson with BCI…

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USDA Stands Up New Team to Better Serve Beginning Farmers and Ranchers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is standing up a new team of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) staff that will lead a department-wide effort focused on serving beginning farmers and ranchers. “More than a quarter of producers are beginning farmers,” said USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Censky. “We need to support the next generation of agricultural producers who we will soon rely upon to grow our nation’s food and fiber.” To institutionalize support…

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K-State makes move to developing canola hybrids

Kansas State University canola breeders have begun developing hybrids that will be well suited for conditions in the southern Great Plains. | Download this photo. New varieties will be suited to the southern Great Plains MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State University is hoping to give a boost to growing canola in the southern Great Plains as it embarks on developing hybrid varieties that are specific for the region. “We’ve traditionally developed open pollinated varieties,”…

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Net Wrap Removal Made Easy

Olivia Amundson, SDSU Extension Cow/Calf Field Specialist I was approached by a cattle producer about efficiently removing net wrap. As many of you know, net wrap has its advantages as well as disadvantages, but is largely used as a hay binding material. Current research being conducted at the Cottonwood Field Station is looking at the impact of net wrap accumulation in the rumen when hay is ground with net wrap. The large question…

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Rotational Grazing Improves Stocking Capacity and Ranch Profitability

Tong Wang, SDSU Extension Advanced Production Specialist Livestock stocking rate is considered as one of the most important decisions that ranchers can make, as heavy stocking rate causes grassland degradation and adversely impact the sustainable delivery of ecosystem services. However, only maintaining proper stocking rate is not enough, as inappropriate grazing management strategies will also cause rangeland degradation. Continuous Grazing vs. Rotational Grazing Currently, continuous grazing is the dominant practice in the U.S.…

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FAA Proposal Would Ground Drones for Many Farmers, Ranchers

  Credit: Mauricio Lima / CC BY 2.0    Share This Article The Federal Aviation Administration should revamp its drone proposal to provide flexibility to allow farmers and ranchers who cannot access the internet to continue using drones, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. America’s farmers and ranchers embrace technology that allows them to be more efficient, economical and environmentally aware. Drones are an important precision agriculture tool they use to manage their…

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Using Increased Longevity to Reduce Annual Cow Cost

Julie Walker , Professor & SDSU Extension Beef Specialist When evaluating annual cow cost, feed rises to the top of the list. Feed cost is an important area to consider; however, have you evaluated the cost of incorporating replacement heifers into the cowherd? Cost of developing a pregnant replacement heifer will vary by operation. However, most producers would agree that this cost could be over $1,000. When figuring the specific development costs, here…

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