Nebraska Extension Scotts Bluff County

Local Interest

Chasing the Elusive Second Calf

By Karla Wilke, Nebraska Extension cow-calf and Stocker management specialist, and Kacie McCarthy, cow-calf specialist

Getting first-time mother cows bred for the second time is probably one of the strongest challenges for most beef producers. It can be extremely frustrating at the time of pregnancy diagnosis to find a high percentage of those young cows, the future of the cowherd, to be open. More importantly, it is expensive.

In addition to the loss of income from the potential calf crop, is the depreciation of the cow. If a bred heifer is developed or purchased for a value of $2800 and is sold as a slaughter cow after one calf for $1350 (current market value in Nebraska), then the depreciation cost of that cow is $1450. That is a substantial loss.

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Nebraska Extension to host drone class in Scottsbluff

By Chabella Guzman, UNL PREEC communications

The Nebraska Extension will host an in-person Part 107 Remote Pilot Knowledge Test for drones on Wednesday, March 6, 2024, at the Panhandle Research Extension and Education Center in Scottsbluff. 

“Many farmers don’t know they need a license to use drones to evaluate or take pictures of something to be sold, such as cattle or crops,” said Dirk Charlson, Nebraska Extension, educator of digital agriculture. “With heightened interest in spraying drones, which are practical for spraying chemicals, it's bringing new people to the world of drones.”

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Lego Mini-Play Preps Teams and Robots for State Competition

By Chabella Guzman, UNL PREEC communications

 The Panhandle Research Extension and Education Center in Scottsbluff played host to the Lego White Region - Mini-Play on February  24, 2024. The event offered a trial run for Panhandle area Lego teams to learn more about the rules of competition and work out some kinks in their robots. 

 “Mini-plays are an opportunity to learn from one another and get out a lot of those pre-competition jitters before the big event,” said Nathan Rice, Nebraska Extension 4-H educator. The mini-play had ten teams in trials on Saturday, but not every team was able to make it, and some also had missing members. The team from Bridgeport had only one member make it for the event.

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ServSafe manager food safety training scheduled in May

Nebraska Extension will teach a Food Safety Training and Certification Program, ServSafe, by the National Restaurant Association on Tuesday, May 7, 2024 in Scottsbluff.

 ServSafe is the food service industry’s premier food safety training and certification course. It is recognized by more federal, state, and local health jurisdictions than any other food safety training program in the United States. The class will discuss providing safe food, forms of contamination, the flow of food, preparation, service, food safety management, and more. Participants will also receive the 7th Edition revised ServSafe Manager reference book.

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Students undertake surgery, flight, and more at Incredible STEM Day

By Chabella Guzman, PREEC communications

Fifth graders flooded the halls of the Panhandle Research Extension and Education Center in Scottsbluff on February 7, 2024, when Panhandle Nebraska Extension held its second annual Incredible STEM Day. The day featured hands-on activities incorporating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. 

“We put (activities) together through the Panhandle 4-H team,” said Nathan Rice, Nebraska Extension 4-H educator. “We had a couple last year we didn’t like and replaced them with two new ones, microbits and coding drones.”

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Geoscientist Uses Sensors to Assess Potential Damage in Dams

By Chabella Guzman, PREEC communications

Water can be a life-giving source and a destructive one. With aging water infrastructure in the Panhandle of Nebraska, communities are becoming more aware of the latter.

 Agriculture is an economic driver in the Panhandle, but the land receives comparatively little rainfall. So, early settlers of the area created a system of dams and irrigation canals. A century later, this infrastructure is aging and, in some circumstances, in need of repair. 

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Nebraska Soil and Water Conservation Society to host annual meeting in Scottsbluff

Nebraska Soil and Water Conservation Society to host annual meeting in Scottsbluff

May 15, 2024
The “Engaging Agriculture” articles are written weekly by and for Engagement Zone 1 Nebraska Extension Educators, who cover the 11 counties in the Panhandle.

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Celebrate National Beef Month with good eats: Beef and Tater Tot Casserole

Celebrate National Beef Month with good eats: Beef and Tater Tot Casserole

May 15, 2024
In celebration of Beef Month we will have recipes every Wednesday from our specialists.

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2024 Nebraska Soil Health School has successful launch

2024 Nebraska Soil Health School has successful launch

May 9, 2024
The first installment of a planned 2024 Nebraska Soil Health School series was held on April 24 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln High Plains Ag Lab in Sidney, Neb. The event addressed the semi-arid Panhandle climate and potential management practices for soil health and had over 60 attendees.

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Building Bridges in Conservation: Nebraska hosts inaugural natural resources workshop

Building Bridges in Conservation: Nebraska hosts inaugural natural resources workshop

April 15, 2024
Overlooking the iconic Platte River, over 100 natural resource professionals and students met to build and foster new collaborations at the first Natural Resources Conservation Connecting Points Workshop.

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