Kansas Forest Service tree, shrub seedling sale opens Sept. 1

Program offers species suited for Great Plains states  MANHATTAN, Kan. -- The Kansas Forest Service Conservation Tree and Shrub sale opens Sept. 1, providing landowners with a source for low-cost tree and shrub seedlings.  “Large conservation plantings can become very costly when several hundreds or thousands of plants are needed to meet the conservation goals of the landowner,” said Aaron Yoder, conservation trees specialist.  Conservation plantings may function as wildlife habitat, windbreaks, wood…

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Economist reviews shocks to beef industry with implications for cattle, beef prices ahead

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the beef supply chain and consumer beef demand but the industry is working through a backlog of market-ready animals. | Download this photo. K-State’s Tonsor spoke at virtual K-State Risk & Profit Conference MANHATTAN, Kan. – The beef cattle industry has already experienced three big “shocks” this year and the effects are ongoing, but have been blunted to some extent, according to a Kansas State University agricultural economist. The first…

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K-State teams with Canadian university to apply gene editing technology for improving wheat

Kansas State University and the University of Saskatchewan in Canada will be working together to improve the productivity and nutrition of wheat. (File photo) Groups will cooperate on $650K grant from National Institute of Food and Agriculture MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State University officials say a $650,000 grant from the USDA”s National Institute of Food and Agriculture has spurred a partnership with a Canadian university to improve wheat using genome editing technology. Eduard Akhunov, a…

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Kansas Forest Service: Tip dieback on trees may not be permanent

Kermes scale is a small insect that is often mistaken for small bumps on a tree. Tip dieback caused by the insect may not have any lasting impacts on the tree’s overall health. Trees will rebound from environmental stressors that cause tip dieback on trees, official says MANHATTAN, Kan. – Branch tip dieback, a progressive death of twigs and branches, can be worrisome to see on oak trees in summer, as these long-lived…

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Hoof care to prevent foot rot

Experts discuss this common cattle condition and offer tips for prevention MANHATTAN, Kan. — Sores on the feet can sure make a person feel miserable not to mention making it hard to walk. The same can be true of cattle when they develop foot rot in the crevasse between their toes, causing some of them to become lame according to the veterinarians at the Beef Cattle Institute. Speaking on the weekly Cattle Chat podcast, Kansas…

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K-State beef specialist urges safety during silage operations

Keeping safety top of mind is important during fast-paced silage harvest operations. Heavy equipment, speed and long hours can be a dangerous combination GARDEN CITY, Kan. – As silage harvest operations begin ramping up across the state, a K-State Research and Extension beef cattle specialist encourages farmers and feed yards to keep safety top of mind … and to remind others involved to do the same. “As we look at silage operations, that’s…

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K-State unveils Wheat Variety Disease and Insect Ratings 2020

Kansas State University has just unveiled its new Wheat Variety Disease and Insect Ratings 2020 publication Ratings are a tool to help with wheat variety selection MANHATTAN, Kan. — One of the most important decisions wheat growers make each year is deciding what varieties to plant. Some have greater resistance to certain diseases than others. Some yield well despite pressure from some pests and diseases. So gathering information about how different varieties have performed…

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K-State vets: Watch for summer respiratory condition in calves

A close grouping of calves is one of the risk factors for pre-weaning pneumonia. K-State vets: Watch for summer respiratory condition in calves Experts discuss risk factors and treatment options for pre-weaning pneumonia MANHATTAN, Kan. — When talking to ranchers about cattle health concerns in the summer, fly control and pinkeye will often come to mind, but one condition that can lead to calf death is pre-weaning pneumonia. “Research has shown that pre-weaning…

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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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