Feed aggregator

Choosing a Method for Pregnancy Diagnosis

Latest Updates from beef.unl.edu - Thu, 08/20/2020 - 16:23
Tuesday, September 1, 2020

Previous research has shown the benefit of pregnancy diagnosis and how it adds to a producer’s bottom line. Keeping one cow over winter can cost $100-$200 in feed and supplements so removing open cows can help decrease winter feed costs. Pregnancy diagnosis is a very valuable tool in the beef industry and it is grossly underutilized. Only about 20% of producers employ some sort of a pregnancy diagnosis in their herd. Producers have options for pregnancy determination that vary in price and difficulty- transrectal palpation, transrectal ultrasound, and a blood test.

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Center Pivot End Gun Considerations

Latest Updates from cropwatch.unl.edu - Thu, 08/20/2020 - 14:29
End guns are a very common feature on center pivots in certain areas. (Photo by Steve Melvin) End guns have been on center pivots from almost the beginning and the merits of their use have been debated about as long. Some farmers would not have a pivot without an end gun and others would not have a pivot with one.

Selecting and Developing Replacement Heifers

Latest Updates from beef.unl.edu - Thu, 08/20/2020 - 14:15
Tuesday, September 1, 2020

Fall is the time of year when many cow-calf producers make their replacement heifer selections and begin planning for the development of those heifers into bred females. The following are tips for selecting and developing replacement heifers.

Selection

The following are suggestions for replacement heifer selection from Dr. Jim Gosey, Beef Specialist and Professor Emeritus at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. The first thing Dr. Gosey suggests is removing heifers that are:

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Selecting Replacement Heifers Based on Birth Date and Age of Dam

Latest Updates from beef.unl.edu - Thu, 08/20/2020 - 13:51
Tuesday, September 1, 2020

Two research studies at the University of Nebraska by Dr. Rick Funston, beef reproductive physiologist at the West Central Research and Extension Center, suggest that the key information needed to identify heifers most likely to be successful as replacements is known the day the heifers are born.

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Farm and Ranch Filing Systems

Latest Updates from cropwatch.unl.edu - Thu, 08/20/2020 - 11:28
The goal of record-keeping is to be able to access the information you need quickly. This starts with a filing system that is tailored to the needs of your farm or ranch.

Keep it Tight; Store Hay Right

Latest Updates from beef.unl.edu - Wed, 08/19/2020 - 16:41
Wednesday, August 19, 2020 Setting the Stage 

Even before storing, producers can give hay a better chance to make it from the field to the cow with as little loss as possible. Baling at correct moisture levels will lead to proper curing without additional heat, mold growth, and dry matter loss. Bales should maintain moisture levels below 20% for this to happen. 

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Keeping an Eye on Body Condition in Fall Calving Cows

Latest Updates from beef.unl.edu - Wed, 08/19/2020 - 15:29
Tuesday, September 1, 2020

With much of the eastern and western borders of Nebraska in a drought, producers with fall calving cows need to be especially mindful of body condition on fall calving cows. In Nebraska, most fall calving herds actually start calving sometime in August. This allows producers to take advantage of late summer grass as a forage resource with ample protein and energy for the newly lactating cow. However, the hot dry conditions this year have left many pastures not only short on dry matter tonnage, but also short on the nutrient density required to maintain the lactating cow.

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USDA Crop Progress Report, Aug. 17

Latest Updates from cropwatch.unl.edu - Wed, 08/19/2020 - 15:10
Corn condition is rated 73% good to excellent, 88% dough and 29% dented. Soybean condition is rated 76% good to excellent, 90% setting pods and 2% starting to drop leaves. Dry edible beans are rated 69% good to excellent, 83% setting pods and 7% dropping leaves, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Forage Testing Can Save Dollars

Latest Updates from beef.unl.edu - Wed, 08/19/2020 - 15:07
Tuesday, September 1, 2020

As cow-calf producers strive to reduce feed costs by finding different avenues to increase grazing days, many still have to use harvested forages in their year-round feeding program.  Sampling and testing forages for quality can make designing a feeding program easy and economical.  Nutrient concentration can vary considerably in feeds especially forages.  Protein in alfalfa hay can range from 10-25% on a dry matter basis and grass hay will contain between four and 18 percent protein.  Using book values to balance rations can result in many times over or under feeding ce

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Limit Feeding Cows Corn as an Alternative to Hay

Latest Updates from beef.unl.edu - Tue, 08/18/2020 - 16:37
Tuesday, September 1, 2020

Feed costs make up the largest expense in a cow-calf operation. While hay is often used to feed cows through the winter, current prices make corn a competitive option to feeding hay. Considering corn has a higher energy content than hay, the cost of feeding hay is often higher than corn on a price per pound of energy basis. For example, corn priced at $3.30/bushel ($118/ton) equates to approximately $0.08 per pound of total digestible nutrients (TDN) while hay priced at $100/ton is nearly $0.11 per pound of TDN. 

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Windrow Grazing Annual Forages to Extend the Grazing Season

Latest Updates from beef.unl.edu - Tue, 08/18/2020 - 16:28
Tuesday, September 1, 2020

In many areas of Nebraska, drought conditions have resulted in reduced forage production on rangeland and pasture.  This is resulting in a shortage of feed for many producers and a need for forage between now and when cornstalks are available for grazing.  Windrow grazing annual forages allows producers to cut the crop at an optimum time for quality and increase harvest efficiency through strip grazing the windrows.   

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Evaluating Alfalfa Stands Part II - Renovation Options

Latest Updates from cropwatch.unl.edu - Wed, 08/12/2020 - 16:27
Alfalfa stand previously interseeded with grass and legumes near Columbus, NE. – Megan Taylor Thin stands that need renovated have a few options to consider. Typically, alfalfa’s autotoxicity makes planting into established stands impossible. However, in new stands that are less than 12 months old, there is a chance that reseeding alfalfa in areas that are extremely thin or void of alfalfa may see success.

Towards 4Rs Nutrient Stewardship Concept: An Illustration of N Rate and Timing for Optimizing Corn Yield and Profits

Latest Updates from cropwatch.unl.edu - Tue, 08/11/2020 - 16:06
Dr. Iqbal’s research and extension lab has started a nitrogen rate and timing trial in corn which focuses on the efficient utilization of fertilizer nitrogen with the right rate and right time of fertilizer application.

Nebraska 4-H'ers compete in national 4-H film festival

Latest Updates from Statewide 4-H - Thu, 08/06/2020 - 12:04

Following their dreams in an age of pandemic, 4-H youth from 17 states gathered online for the national 4-H film festival. The 10th annual FilmFest 4-H was held on August 1-2. FilmFest 4-H is a national film festival for youth filmmakers, visual artists, actors, as well as any 4-H'ers interested in learning more about the film industry and meeting other creative people from across the country. FilmFest 4-H helps youth become producers, not just consumers, of digital media. Now in its 10th year, FilmFest 4-H celebrated its decade-long run with the film industry workshops and youth-produced films it has become known for. 

Two Nebraska 4-H members were recognized for their films.

  • Riley Peterson (15) of Lancaster County was awarded 2nd Place Documentary for his video titled Inspiring 4-H Archers.
  • Andrew Donlan (12) of Lancaster County received 2nd Place Animation with his stop-motion film, Journey in July.  

The 2020 FilmFest 4-H was open to youth ages 11-18, and participants hailed from Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, and Texas. Video categories included Animation, Documentary, Narrative, One Minute Movie, Promotional, and Voices of 4-H History.

In addition to submitting their own digital video creations, participants also engaged in educational film industry workshops over the weekend. LA-based actress Linara Washington shared strategies from her career working on tv series like NCIS and Grey's Anatomy, and in films alongside Brad Pitt and James Gandolfini. From New York, Emmy winning producer Matthew C. Mills helped youth understand film industry roles ranging from interns to executive producers, sharing career advice from his work with companies like HBO, MTV, CBS, and Food Network. Producer Chad Freidrichs taught youth how to secure archival footage for documentaries, using methods that are both professional and legal. This year also featured the first FilmFest 4-H Screenplay Challenge, with youth submitting scripts that were evaluated by LA-based writer-producer Mariana Hope (Friday Night Lights, The Kicks). 

2020 FilmFest 4-H Winning Films

2020 Corn Yield Forecasts as of August 4

Latest Updates from cropwatch.unl.edu - Thu, 08/06/2020 - 10:06
Similarly to our previous forecast, there is a high probability of near-average yields for the majority of the irrigated sites. For rainfed corn, the scenario is diverse across regions.

Crop Diseases Spreading and Increasing

Latest Updates from cropwatch.unl.edu - Thu, 08/06/2020 - 08:29
Southern rust continues to spread across eastern Nebraska. To date, southern rust has been reported in 45 Nebraska counties. Gray Leaf Spot, Bacterial Leaf Streak and Frogeye Leaf Spot are increasing as well.