Feed aggregator

Sunday, March 1, 2020

This article is a summary of the 2020 Nebraska Beef Cattle Report, “Economics of Yearling Systems.” 

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Sunday, March 1, 2020

Unit cost of production is a ratio where costs in the numerator are divided by the units produced in the denominator.

 

There are five ways to reduce unit costs of production in a cow-calf enterprise.

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Sunday, March 1, 2020

Although the breeding season for many herds is still a few months away, it is time to be evaluating bull body condition. Body condition is just as important in bulls as it is in cows. Research has shown that bulls in a body condition 5-6 have better semen quality than those in a 4 or 7.

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Conducting on-farm research can help provide the reliable answers you need to make decisions for your operation with confidence.

Monday, February 10, 2020 Colostrum is the "first milk" produced after calving. It has a different composition than milk as it has an important role in being the first meal a calf receives. Colostrum is more nutrient dense than milk and contains antibodies essential for calf health.Spanish: 

Friday, February 7, 2020 Beef feedlot managers, owners, employees and allied industries will learn new information related to feedlot nutrition and health at Nebraska Extension's 2020 Beef Feedlot Roundtables Feb. 18-20 in Bridgeport, Lexington and West Point.Spanish: 

Come and join us from 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Monday, March 2nd, at the Eastern Nebraska Research and Extension Center (1071 County Road G, Ithaca, NE) for the latest information on this newly emerging soybean pest.

Reggie by Mahayla Allred (14), Dawes County

"I got a new puppy for Christmas. His name is Reggie and he is so funny. I think this shows his personality. I took this picture the day after Christmas with a Nikon D850. I did add a poster Edge filter on Adobe Photoshop to make the blacks of his body separate a little more."

Flaunt your photography, and submit your favorite photo for a chance for it to be showcased online by Nebraska 4-H!

The NEW 4-H Photography Showcase offers a project exhibition opportunity beyond traditional print media. 4-H'ers are invited to submit their favorite photos through the online submission form. Through this opportunity, youth are encouraged to practice and apply skills learned in their photography projects throughout the year. Each month, a new photo will be selected from the submissions and showcased online by Nebraska 4-H. 

Submit Your Photo

Figure 1. Farmers examining different fertility treatments during 2019 August Field Day near Grant, NE. Based on surveys conducted during seven teaching sessions in 2019/20, 40% of the attendees representing 137,000 acres of irrigated soybean production in western NE reported to chemigate some level of N fertilizer during the soybean reproductive stages (25-50 lbs N /ac most common rate). Main reasons for adoption of this practice is based on the notion that biological fixation and residual soil N are often not able to meet N demand of high yielding soybean (> ~70 bu/ac).

Land application of manure and other organic materials supplies much N to Nebraska’s crop production. In contrast to most other nutrients applied in organic materials, the availability of manure-N and its fertilizer-N substitution value is not well-predicted.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln will sponsor the first Panhandle Soil Health Workshop in Bridgeport next month. The half-day event will take place on March 3 from 8-11:30 a.m. in the Prairie Winds Community Center.

The NEW 4-H Chick Days offers state 4-H contests and educational opportunities focused on poultry and food science. The event will be held at the Animal Science Complex on the University of Nebraska–Lincoln East Campus on Saturday, March 14th, 2020. 4-H Chick Days offers a variety of contests that don't require live animals, including:

• egg decorating,
• poultry quiz bowl,
• photography,
• omelet cookery, and
• speech contests.

Youth have the opportunity to display their poultry and food science knowledge through these contests both as an individual and as part of a team. The contests are designed to encourage youth to explore what poultry and food science industries have to offer.

Scholarships and cash prizes will be awarded to senior champions of each contest. The senior champion team of the  Poultry Quiz Bowl Contest will win a scholarship of $2000. The team will also qualify to participate at the National Contest. The champion senior in all other contests will win a $50 cash prize. All age divisions champions will win other special awards such as ribbons, rosettes, and medals. 

Entry forms must be submitted by March 1, 2020 to:

• University of Nebraska–Lincoln
  Dept. of Animal Science
  C/O Dr. Sheila Purdum
  PO Box 830908
  Lincoln, NE 68538

In addition to 4-H contests, Jodi Holmes, Nutrena Feed Rep., will be presenting a fun interactive seminar. Jodi will share how to successfully raise a backyard flock. Educational booths and activities will also be available throughout the day. Lunch will be provided free of charge for 4-H participants (and parents/guardians) in the 4-H Chick Days contests.

Learn More about 4-H Chick Days

Photo source

It has been quite a few months since New Year’s Day was here, and by now most of us have already failed at our New Year’s Resolution of eating healthier. However, that does not mean we have to wait all the way until next New Year’s to try again to reach our goals. Your children need a healthy, balanced diet and so does the rest of the family. I know it can be super challenging to change the routine, so here are some things that might make staying on track and reaching your goals easier!

Fresh Produce

Summer is here, and that means there is more local, fresh produce in stores, and the farmers’ markets are open again, supplying your family with great-tasting healthy food! The less preservatives, the better, and let’s be honest, fresh ingredients just taste better!

Pressure Cooker

You can basically cook any meal in less than half the time it would take if you were to make it a different way. There’s only so much time in the day, and I understand that quick, convenient meals are the way to go, especially when you have children. The last thing I want to do is cook and clean for hours at the end of the day, and that is exactly why one of these handy appliances should be a staple in your kitchen!

Blender

A good blender can make a world of difference. From fruit and vegetable smoothies, to various sauces, and everything in between, it can do it all.

Meal Prep

It’s not always possible to cook a meal every night, and sometimes it’s just “one of those days”, so that’s why cooking in bigger batches is so beneficial. Cook once or twice a week, stick it in the fridge/freezer, and warm it up when you want to enjoy a home-cooked meal without all of the hassle.

Who needs a New Year’s Resolution when you can start working toward your goals right now? Hopefully these tips will help you crush your goals this summer!

Source: Zero to Five by Tracy Cutchlow

LA DONNA WERTH, EXTENSION EDUCATOR | THE LEARNING CHILD

Peer Reviewed by Leanne Manning, Extension Educator, The Learning Child, Lisa Poppe, Extension Educator, The Learning Child, and Lynn DeVries, Extension Educator, The Learning Child

Make sure to follow The Learning Child on social media for more research-based early childhood education resources!

  

 

Saturday, February 1, 2020

Nebraska USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) is reminding livestock producers of an approaching deadline for the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP). Producers who filed a LIP Notice of Loss with FSA for livestock losses due to natural disaster in 2019 have until Monday, March 2, to supply appropriate supporting paperwork and complete the application for payment, if they haven’t done so already.

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February is Nebraska 4-H Month! We want to see what 4-H is like from your perspective! Whether you're a 4-H professional, volunteer, member, parent, or even alumni - if you have a 4-H adventure to share, we want to see it! Share your story on social media with a photo or video, and be sure to tag @Nebraska4H and #NE4H. 

Consider hosting a Nebraska 4-H Instagram Takeover during Nebraska 4-H Month! The goal of our Instagram takeovers is to help tell the stories of 4-H. Ideas for takeovers include:

• a day in the life of a 4-H volunteer, parent, professional etc.
• behind-the-scenes of a 4-H project, contest, event, etc.
• 4-H community service projects

Farmers who complete their election and enrollment applications now still have the opportunity to change their program selections until the March 16 deadline.

With a growing list of technology companies partnering with the Testing Ag Performance Solutions (TAPS) program, the 2020 Kick-Off is planned with a focus on the innovative technology and services that can be tested in a no-risk environment in the TAPS program.

The 2020 Nebraska Dry Edible Bean Day will feature an appearance by the Nebraska Secretary of State and Director of Agriculture, as well as updates on research and reports from the Nebraska Dry Bean Commission.

The Nebraska Crops Practicum is a hands-on educational program that highlights research, techniques and technologies used in agricultural research, pest management and sustainable agriculture while encouraging best management practices to improve farm efficiency and profitability.