Click to view Archived News Articles by Ben Beckman.
Ben Beckman is a beef systems Extension Educator serving the counties of Antelope, Cedar, Knox, Madison and Pierce. He is based out of the Cedar County Extension office in Hartington. You can reach him by phone: (402) 254-6821 or email: ben.beckman@unl.edu.
Nebraska is nationally known as the Beef State. Our team provides research-based information and resources to beef producers to help them provide an economical, safe, quality product to consumers while protecting and preserving Nebraska's vast natural resources.
Active in all 93 counties and at beef.unl.edu
Livestock Systems
While it can bring other problems, abundant rain produces abundant grass. While having more grass than we can graze sounds like a blessing, when it comes time to graze this tall grass much of it often gets trampled rather than eaten. Grazing strategically, stockpiling for winter grazing, or cutting the excess as hay can turn an abundance of early grass into a way stretch your forage supply later in the year.
Animals bunching in the summer months due to fly pressure goes beyond making cattle uncomfortable, it can lead to economic losses due to decreased gains, milk production, and weaning weights. Making control difficult, 3 fly species are the main culprits when it comes to pestering our animals.
Continued rain this year is a blessing to keep pastures and fields growing and green. However, short drying windows may make alfalfa harvest tricky. The timing and amount of rain is important.
Dry conditions the past few years have reduced, natural grasshopper population controls that thrive in warm, humid weather. While recent rains may have helped slow number growth, grasshopper populations may become an issue for pasture and hay crops as the summer continues if dry weather returns. Control begins with scouting to determine if insecticides are economically useful. If applying insecticides, remember to carefully read and follow all label directions and be especially careful to avoid injuring bee and other important pollinating insects.
With first cutting alfalfa down, now is a good time to review some water and pest management guidelines for fields headed into summer. Proper post-harvest management for first cutting alfalfa can put us in a position for success throughout the rest of the growing season, while mismanagement can easily set us back. Make sure your field is in the best position possible for a great year.