K-State wheat breeder Allan Fritz says two wheat lines expected to be released this year show promise for leaf resistance and good yields. (File photo) Fritz talks about lines expected out this year during virtual Wheat Field Day MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas farmers participating in the first-ever Virtual Wheat Field Day last week got an early report on two hard red winter wheat lines expected for release later this year by Kansas State…
K-State experts share tips on how to manage the bulls for optimum performance MANHATTAN, Kan. – Just as an athlete can experience an injury in competition, so too can a bull when he is turned out in a breeding pasture where his athleticism is going to be tested. “Bulls will be the busiest in the first month of the breeding season when there are a lot of females coming into heat (estrus),” said…
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Registration is now open for a webinar that will help Kansas beef cattle producers make management decisions in light of the current weather patterns, ranging from flooding to drought, in Kansas and calf market volatility following COVID-19. The webinar will be hosted by the Kansas State University Animal Sciences and Industry Department and K-State Research and Extension via Zoom on Thursday, June 4, 2020 at noon CDT. “This webinar…
KFMA data showed 9% net farm income increase from previous year MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas net farm income rose again in 2019, largely owing to government support payments meant to buffer the effect of trade disputes amid lackluster commodity prices, according to the annual summary by the Kansas Farm Management Association. Net farm income among KFMA members averaged $110,380 in 2019, up from $101,274 a year earlier and well above the five-year average…
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Spring branding and processing day is often a time when community members and families join together to administer vaccinations, castrate, implant calves and apply hide identification before summer pasture turnout. But this spring’s COVID-19 pandemic may require some changes, said experts at Kansas State University’s Beef Cattle Institute. They offered up some advice during a recent Cattle Chat podcast. “It is critical to have the right labor on hand to…
The average return for an extra 100 pounds of cow weight is five to seven pounds of additional weight of the calf at weaning.. K-State beef cattle specialists discuss factors that influence the most efficient cow size MANHATTAN, Kan. – Genetics, feed resources and calf marketing windows are just some of the influencing factors that determine the optimum size for cows to grow, according to the Kansas State University Beef Cattle Institute’s team…
MANHATTAN, Kan. – A Kansas Forest Service official says mid-May is an important time to start scouting for bagworms, a perennial problem that affects many trees common to Kansas landscapes. Ryan Armbrust, the forest health coordinator with KFS, said bagworms negatively affect ornamental landscape conifers, windbreak trees like eastern redcedar and arborvitae, and Scotch pine Christmas tree farms. “While deciduous broadleaf trees can recover from the defoliation that bagworms cause, conifers are often…
K-State beef team outlines feeding options during online workshop MANHATTAN, Kan. – Several members of Kansas State University’s extension beef team hosted an online workshop Thursday to help producers with looming decisions on managing their herds in light of unique challenges in the market. The COVID-19 pandemic has slowed Kansas’ beef supply chain to as much as 40 percent capacity, though the state has rebounded in recent days, according to K-State agricultural economist…
Healthy farm ponds provide fishing, swimming and boating opportunities, as well as a water source for range cattle. K-State’s Lee outlines options for maintaining pond health MANHATTAN, Kan. – In rural Kansas, the farm pond is a central part of family life. Aside from providing a water source for range cattle and other livestock, some ponds provide recreation for family members, including swimming, fishing and even boating. In an emergency, water from the…
K-State beef cattle experts offer advice on ways to manage heifers and cows MANHATTAN, Kan. – Bulls are often the focus when cattle producers are thinking about the breeding season, but experts at Kansas State University’s Beef Cattle Institute said it is important to prepare the females as well. “Achieving a successful breeding season starts long before the cows are turned out with a bull,” said Bob Larson, Kansas State University veterinarian. “What…