Week of September 15, 2025
Cuming County Extension Board Meeting
The Cuming County Extension Board will hold their regular meeting on Monday, September 22. The meeting will be held in the Courthouse Meeting Room beginning at 7:00 p.m. The full agenda for the Extension Board meeting is available for review at the Extension Office.
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SOURCE: Alfredo DiCostanzo, Extension Educator
RELEASE DATE: September 8, 2025
Southern Rust and Silage Quality
Southern rust has been moving quickly across the region this summer under warm, wet conditions, raising grower concerns for corn silage.
Dr. Shelby Gruss, Assistant Professor and Forage Extension Specialist with Iowa State University, noted that while southern rust itself doesn’t produce toxins, it can weaken plants and set the stage for stalk and ear rots like Fusarium and Gibberella. These rots may produce harmful mycotoxins that impact feed safety.
Another issue is rapid dry down. Southern rust pustules rupture the leaf surface, making it hard for the plant to regulate water. As plants mature, that damage accelerates dry down. Putting up silage too dry can limit packing which impacts fermentation, stability, and final quality.
A final concern is overall quality. Research shows southern rust pressure can increase fiber and drop digestibility by more than 10 percent, leaving less energy available for livestock even when yield looks decent. In heavily infected fields, yield losses may also reduce the portion of grain in the silage, lowering starch content and energy in the final product.
If you’re worried about feed quality, testing is a smart step. Pull a sample at harvest for an estimated value and again at feed out for a true feed value. If field scouting raises concerns about mycotoxins, testing is available, but keep in mind not all labs provide mycotoxin tests and the analysis can be expensive.
Southern rust is a concern this year, but careful harvest timing and feed testing can go a long way toward limiting its impact.
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SOURCE: Ben Beckman, Extension Educator
RELEASE DATE: September 15, 2025
Do you know the quality of the hay that you harvested this past season? It is important to know how much protein and energy your cows will get when you start feeding, or how much supplement to feed. This may be especially important if your hay crop was affected by rain, drought, or significant delays in harvest.
Maybe the most important step in sampling hay is deciding which bales and stacks should be included in each sample. Ideally, each sample should include only bales that were produced under similar conditions.
Obviously, the place to start grouping is to separate different types of hay, like alfalfa or CRP or corn stalk or meadow hay. But each cutting of hay probably is different from the other cuttings also, so there is another separation. And no two fields or meadows are ever exactly the same, especially if they were cut more than several days apart, this makes another grouping. And what if part of the field was rained on before it was baled? The hay made without rain damage will likely be different from hay with rain damage.
After you’ve made all these separations, which could result in quite a few groups of similar bales, then and only then are you ready to sample. From each group gather a dozen or more cores from different bales or stacks and combine them into one sample. Be sure to use a good hay probe that can core into at least 12 to 18 inches into the bale.
Finally, send these samples to a certified lab for tests of crude protein and energy content. Testing any annual forages for nitrates is also a good idea.
Then use this information to feed your cattle as profitably as possible.
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SOURCE: Jerry Volesky, Extension Educator
RELEASE DATE: September 15, 2025
In areas of eastern and south-central Nebraska, we have received reports of significant damage to fields from fall armyworm. Currently, infestations have been confirmed in the following Nebraska counties: Adams, Douglas, Gage, Harlan, Lancaster, Sarpy, and Washington. It is likely present in other counties as well and will continue to cause feeding damage as long as warmer weather holds out. For this reason, scouting is highly recommended.
Fall armyworm caterpillars can be identified by markings on the head that resemble an inverted “Y” and four spots on the last abdominal segment that form a square. This insect does not overwinter in Nebraska but rather migrates north from southern states when populations build up in late summer. Once caterpillars are ¾ inch, they can do considerable damage in a few days. It is important to scout fields and pastures in the early morning and late afternoon, when caterpillars are most active, to spot them when they are small.
A reasonable treatment threshold is finding three or more caterpillars per square foot within a field or pasture. There are several insecticides labeled to control this insect including Mustang Maxx, Intrepid, and Prevathon. For forage crops be sure to check the grazing restriction and post-harvest interval. When considering a chemical treatment option, keep in mind that caterpillars ¾ inch or longer are close to maturity and can be harder to control.
Fall armyworm feeding declines with cooler temperatures and the adult moths eventually migrate south. In the meantime, keep a close eye on your pastures and newly seeded fields for any sign of infestation.
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SOURCE: Samantha Daniel, Extension Educator
RELEASE DATE: September 15, 2025
How it Started. How It’s Going.
4-H has always been helping young people become Beyond Ready – for college, career, and life. We want to hear from you! Share a photo at https://4-H.org/ShareYourStory from your early 4-H days alongside a recent one and describe how 4-H made you Beyond Ready for life and career!
Not an alum? No problem! Post your 4-H memories on social media using #4HBeyondReady and #NE4H for a chance to be featured.
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SOURCE: Melissa Hagemeister, Extension Associate
RELEASE DATE: September 8, 2025
The State Make It with Wool Contest will be held November 22, 2025, at Lexington Middle School, in Lexington.
- All entries are due October 15, 2025 (because of the national wool testing requirements)
- The entry form, state brochure and national wool contest guidelines are attached and also posted on the website: https://nebraskasheepandgoat.org/ under the Nebraska Make It With Wool tab.
- The state entry fee is $15, plus the national entry fee is $15
- Narration deadline is November 1, 2025
STATE COMPETITION INFORMATION:
- Age is determined by January 1, 2025 (national rule).
- All contestants must be residents of Nebraska.
- In addition to the National and State entry fees, there is a $7 wool testing fee per each different fabric swatch and/or 36-inch length of each yarn. Fabrics/yarns must test at least 60% wool fiber, a National MIWW requirement.
- The entry form is printed on 8.5 X 11-inch size paper. Contestants will need to print copies of the entry form.
- Send two 5 X 5 inches of each fabric and or two 36-inches length of each yarn. No wool samples will be sent in with the national entry form.
- Costumes or Coplay Garments will compete at the State Level ONLY (national rule).
- The National MIWW website is: www.makeitwithwool.com, Facebook page is: National Make It With Wool, and Instagram is: national.miww.
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SOURCE: Melissa Hagemeister, Extension Associate
RELEASE DATE: September 8, 2025
Nebraska Youth Beef Leadership Symposium
The annual Nebraska Youth Beef Leadership Symposium will be held at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Animal Science Complex on November 21-23, 2025. The symposium is designed to introduce youth to careers opportunities and current issues in the beef industry, as well as offer education and practice in the use of leadership skills.
You can attend NYBLS if you are:
- 10th, 11th or 12th grader (regardless of whether you've attended NYBLS before) and you want to...
- get more in-depth information about the beef industry.
- interact with University faculty, staff, and students as well as industry leaders throughout the weekend covering varying topics important to the beef industry.
- develop and market a beef product and work with a professional chef.
- learn more about career opportunities in the beef industry.
Hurry! Registration closes on October 1.
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SOURCE: Melissa Hagemeister, Extension Associate
RELEASE DATE: September 8, 2025
It’s that time of year again when 4-H’ers are encouraged to record achievements and learning experiences from the past 4-H year so their achievements can be recognized.
All details can be found by clicking here: Achievement Application Details.
- Here, you will find a detailed sheet on how to complete the Achievement Application, the Form 0-11, and specific details. Please read them carefully!
- Applications are due November 14th. Please see our website for detailed instructions on what to complete.
The Cuming County 4-H Council has three levels of awards instead of just one. Please mark the subject matter areas in which you want to be considered for awards on 0-11 Awards Form.
Awards will be given in the age categories of 8-11, 12-14, and 15-18 as of January 1 of the current year. You can only receive the award once in each age division.
Senior applicants ages 15-18 are encouraged to apply and submit their applications for state! (Judging is held in January). These applicants have a good chance of being selected for a trip to National 4-H Congress as well as scholarships!
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SOURCE: Melissa Hagemeister, Extension Associate
RELEASE DATE: September 8, 2025
2026 4-H Special Photography Theme
The 2026 Cuming County 4-H Special Photography Theme has been chosen! The 2026 theme will be … CURVES & BENDS. Photos must be taken in Cuming County and during the current 4-H year. Photos must be taken by the 4-H member.
To exhibit in this class, youth must in Photography in 4-H Online.
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SOURCE: Melissa Hagemeister, Extension Associate
RELEASE DATE: September 8, 2025
Cuming County Extension Board Meeting
The Cuming County Extension Board will hold their regular meeting on Monday, September 22. The meeting will be held in the Courthouse Meeting Room beginning at 7:00 p.m. The full agenda for the Extension Board meeting is available for review at the Extension Office.
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SOURCE: Alfredo DiCostanzo, Extension Educator
RELEASE DATE: September 8, 2025
Common Sense Farming and Ranching
Alfredo DiCostanzo, Beef Systems Extension Educator
University of Nebraska
Week of September 8, 2025
How much milk does a calf really need?
A few weeks ago, I ran into an interesting article online. The article referred to limit-grazing wheat pasture to raise fall cows and their calves through the winter.
It was not the winter wheat grazing by cows and their calves that caught my attention. I believe if the production system is in an area where winter wheat grows, then grazing fall cows and their calves is an excellent option and, as the article wisely stated, it will be difficult to purchase or find enough stockers this fall to use up wheat.
What truly caught my attention was the amount of milk a table in the article listed for these fall cows. Cows were first milked (likely by removing calves and weighing them and then permitting them to suckle for some time and weighing them again) in January and then again in May. Milk production was 25 lb in May and 27 lb in January. At 12% milk solids, these cows were producing 3 to 3.25 lb of nutrients daily. This is a tremendous metabolic output and great testimony to the effects of genetic selection.
Yet, everything costs. Although the article was focused on using a resource: winter wheat, a forage packed with nutrients. My mind wandered from that to what would happen if these cows or their spring-calving contemporaries were in a less than nutritionally ideal situation.
The First Law of Thermodynamics states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed, it can only be transformed from one form into another. If we translate this to nutrient requirements, a 1400-lb cow milking 25 lb of milk would require 20 lb of TDN and 3.5 lb of crude protein daily. If this cow consumes 34 lb of dry matter daily, then her diet must contain 59% TDN and 10% crude protein to meet these needs.
If you review results from the best hay or haylage you may have harvested, achieving 59% TDN concentration is not easy. If that hay or haylage contains legumes, it is not difficult to reach 10% crude protein.
From a cow perspective, the question is: can a 1,400 lb cow consume 34 lb of dry matter? That is 2.4% of the cow’s body weight as intake. I have not seen a cow do that, but we will leave this discussion for another day. The point is that if her intake limit is truly 2.3% then she can only consume 32 lb of dry matter. This drop in intake has the effect of increasing the quality of the feed needed to 62.5% TDN and 11% crude protein. Unless it was alfalfa haylage or small grain silage, it is unlikely we have harvested hay reaching 62.5% TDN.
The other consideration here is what is a 300- to 600-lb calf going to do with 25 lb of milk? The article refers to fast rates of gain (3.5 lb/day) on wheat pastures while suckling these heavy milking cows. Also, cows gained 2 lb daily between January and May. Again, if the system can support it, this is a good use of this resource—sustainable some might say!
The challenge again is what if the cow has the genetic potential to milk 25 lb and her environment cannot sustain it? I would propose that a selected few locations and climatic conditions in this country are favorable to these extremes in productivity by the forage resource. Drought and competition for the resource reduce access by systems that manage cow-calf pairs.
When production conditions are not favorable to sustain this productivity, the producer is left with high-milking capacity genetics and associated costs. Cows will not deliver this production, but the costs associated with maintaining those cows are high as their metabolic machinery is prepared to deliver high milk yield. Likely, the calves will also have greater maintenance requirements and thrive less in stressed environments.
Ultimately the question is, what can the environment where I raise cows handle? Often in this industry, experts focus on cow weight. Cows are too heavy! We must watch the weaning weight-to-cow weight ratio, etc.
The same 1,400 lb cow fed at maintenance (zero milk yield and a fetus growing slowly during her third trimester of gestation) requires 11 lb of TDN and 1.7 lb of crude protein. Do we really need her to be milking 25 lb towards the end of her lactation? Feeding the cow so she can produce 25 lb of milk so she can feed her nearly weaned calf involves complex digestion, absorption and metabolic pathways that inherently duplicate processes (forage vs milk ingestion; forage vs milk digestion; milk synthesis vs lean, bone, and fat growth).
Some smart climate-change guru might suggest that this system does not appear sustainable!
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Week of August 25, 2025
Calves approaching weaning. What next?
For most cow-calf operators, the 2025 calf crop will likely be the most valuable in their production records. The feeder cattle market has been on fire; shattering price records every week.
Hopefully, calf growth and health are normal or better than normal in most operations this year.
What are the expectations for calf prices later this year? The sure answer to that question is feeder prices will be higher than in 2024. Then, the next question would be: what next? Should we hold calves through a backgrounding period, or should we sell?
Up until last spring, when corn grain prices were well above $4.25/bu, one might have said, bring your calves to market after weaning, take the check and run. Particularly when the expectation is that feeder calves will fetch well above $4.00/lb.
Feed prices have changed since then. New crop corn grain futures are slightly below $4.00/bu and March 2026 futures price is at $4.30/bu today. Good rains and growing weather for the summer of 2025 supported abundant forage growth. Hay prices range from $85 to $130/ton. Corn yields are expected to be above normal which should translate to high corn silage yields. Pricing corn silage off corn grain at 11 times the price of corn grain ($/bu) would result in corn silage price between $42 and $46/ton.
Given these feed prices, calculating a backgrounding diet containing around 50% corn grain, including 15% dried distillers grains, all on a dry matter basis, would result in a diet price close to $110/ton. At a feed conversion ratio of 7 lb diet to 1 lb gain (dry basis) or 10-to-1 (as-is basis), cost of gain per pound would be $0.55 to $0.60.
With feed costs expected to be at this level, and feeder calf prices expected to remain above $3.00/lb for most classes of calves, the feeding margin (difference between price received per pound and cost of gain per pound) should be large. However, high feeder calf prices are prevalent. Therefore, an important consideration is what is the value of the weaned calf vs the value expected from a calf retained on the farm or ranch to gain nearly 2 lb daily until a future sale in, say, March of 2026.
Using information from Beef Basis (https://beefbasis.com/), one could anticipate the sale price for calves weaned and sold in 2025 or calves weaned, backgrounded and sold in March of 2026. The information indicates that a feeder calf weighing 500 lb and sold at Bassett Livestock would bring $4.67/lb in mid-November. Retaining that calf for it to gain 2 lb daily for sale in mid-March 2026 would bring $3.77/lb.
The difference in price alone is a bit daunting: $0.90/lb or a loss of $450/head in value. Yet, when carrying this exercise to simulate backgrounding this calf on a $110/ton diet on which this calf converts at a rate of 10 lb feed (as-is) to 1 lb of gain ($0.55/lb gain), and it costs $2 daily for labor, fuel, lubrication to run the tractor and mixer, paying for utilities, facility rentals, and $100 of interest on cattle($1/lb gain), there is still opportunity for a positive margin.
Feeder calf value change: $4.67/lb minus $3.77/lb in 500 lb or $450
Feeder margin: $3.77/lb minus $1.55/lb in 240 lb or $533
Net margin: $533 minus $450 = $83
This activity returns $83 for a total investment of $2,700 or 3%. The annual equivalent of this return would be 9%.
If anyone is attracted to the option of retaining calves beyond weaning because feed costs are attractive or they have direct access to forage or grain, considerations should be made for facilities, the capacity of the operation to provide adequate labor and care for these cattle, and access to a solid health program to prevent losses to illness and death.
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August 11, 2025
What does it take?
The 103rd edition of the Cuming County Fair closed Sunday under a sunny sky with temperatures in the 80’s. If you would ask anyone, fairgoer, exhibit participant, vendor, volunteer, or organizer, how they think the fair went, I believe the answer would be a resounding “darn good” to “extremely well.”
Might there have been glitches, setbacks, failures, etc.? Of course, the answer is yes. There always are.
Yet, despite this, everyone was in a good mood, likely tired but extremely satisfied with their role in it.
From any angle you look at it, the Cuming County Fair is every bit like the most successful state fairs, yet it is scaled to the size and reach of a county of only 9,000 people. Though statistics are not in for 2025, the Cuming County Fair regularly sees 30,000 people come through its entrance. In a short four days, the population of the county increases more than three times.
So, the question is: what does it take to have a successful county fair?
The simple answer is an unimaginable amount of love. Because it is love for many things, including family, neighbors, and the place we call home that drives everything.
The proof is in the dedication, effort, and hard work children and their families have done for nearly a year preparing their 4-H exhibit. It is also evident in the organization and work fair board members and other volunteers do before, during and after the fair.
If anyone wishes to see evidence of this, I ask them to think for a minute how it is possible that a 1,300-lb steer is led by a 75-lb 4-H exhibitor in front of a large and loud crowd, and yet, this young person manages to keep their animal on task and tend to the judge’s evaluation during shows that might extend over hours.
Who is not wowed by watching shows where young people compete by demonstrating skills, they trained their horses or dogs? It does not take much to recognize the time and effort it took these young people to get these animals to respond to their commands.
These children could not have done all of this by themselves. Their parents, siblings and extended family, their club volunteers and even neighbors and friends all have supported this endeavor in one way or another. A minute at the fair watching their support network brings a smile and the satisfaction that life is as it should be.
Beyond the shows, volunteers keep the fair running smoothly and on time. Without their dedication and hard work, concerts, rodeo, tractor pull, turtle races, polka dance, 4-H shows, 4-H Country Kitchen, fair events, vendor sales or parade would not take place.
Volunteers give their time for the whole Cuming County Fair to exist.
So, I am not sure what other response to give to what it takes to run a successful County Fair other than love. For only from love we can draw the dedication and devote time to making the Fair a gem of Cuming County.
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Rural Health
Hannah Guenther, Extension Educator
Week of September 15, 2025
Keep health in mind with Food in the Field
With 18+ hour workdays, the stress of the weather, markets, and limited healthy, one-handed dining options, it's easy to put health on the back burner during the busy seasons of planting and harvest. Here are some tips for making healthy choices during harvest, planting, as well as year-round.
Start with field-friendly fruits and vegetables: Eating a salad while driving a combine is not the easiest or safest choice, so consider more field-friendly options. Sugar snap peas, carrots, cherry tomatoes, sliced bell peppers, radishes and cucumbers are all able to be eaten raw and one-handed, making them great options for the field.
For fruits, choose those that don’t have to be peeled and aren’t overly juicy. Apples, grapes, berries, and pre-sliced oranges fit the bill. Looking for even greater convenience? 100% juices count as a serving of fruits or vegetables and are a great option during harvest. Strive to include fruits or vegetables with each meal.
Small swaps can make all the difference: Sometimes boosting your health is as simple as making a small swap to a meal or snack you already enjoy.
When cooking with ground beef, use a lean 90/10 option most often. Choose whole grains for added fiber and nutrients in every bite.
One easy way to squeeze in half a cup of vegetables is to add lettuce, tomato and peppers to your sandwich, burger, or wrap.
A portable, nutritious take on a classic sandwich is a field friendly BLT wrap. Start with a whole grain tortilla, spread on a thin layer of mayo and load with dark leafy greens and tomato slices. Add two slices of cooked bacon and roll up.
Boost your energy with breakfast: Most farmers are out the door before breakfast, but some thoughtful planning ahead can make a big difference during hectic, early mornings.
Harvest is not the best time to completely overhaul your eating pattern, but it is a great time to get creative and make small swaps towards a healthier you. When you eat better, you feel better, and are more prepared to handle stressful situations.
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Week of September 1, 2025
How to Maximize Nutrition while using GLP-1’s
GLP-1’s are a class of injectable medications which mimic a natural hormone in the body to aid in blood sugar regulation, appetite, and digestion. These drugs were primarily intended to help treat type 2 diabetes. (Type 2 diabetes is characterized by insulin resistance due to lifestyle and genetic factors and is typically managed by diet, exercise and in times medication, while Type 1 is an autoimmune disease where the body actively destroys insulin producing cells.) But today GLP-1’s are more commonly associated with managing weight related conditions and are becoming extremely common. While they have been proven to help individuals to lose weight, it is important to note that the FDA requires labeling that includes that behavior modifications are still necessary. GLP-1’s can be a helpful addition to weight loss, but they are not a magic drug and in fact we are now seeing that GLP-1’s can lead to significant nutritional deficiencies. So today I want to share with you some tips on how to maximize nutrition while using GLP-1’s.
1. Focus on Protein Intake
Muscle loss is a common occurrence with GLP-1 use due to rapid weight loss. It is important to remember that weight loss doesn’t just mean fat loss but can include the loss of lean muscle mass. A recent study found that individuals using GLP-1 saw a reduced caloric intake which in turn led to a 17.1% reduction of protein. Key recommendations to support muscle mass include eating a protein rich diet including lean cuts of beef, pork, chicken as well as nuts, beans, seeds, and eggs. In addition, strength training 2x per week is key to support the maintenance of healthy muscle mass.
2. Focus on Nutrient Dense Food Sources
As mentioned, individuals using GLP-1s are reducing their caloric intake and this makes choosing nutrient-dense foods even more important. Just because you are eating less, doesn’t mean you are eating healthy. A key recommendation is to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables every day to support vitamin and mineral intake and to avoid potential deficiency. Make it a priority to eat 4 servings per day. This could include berries on overnight oats for breakfast, mixed green on your salad for lunch, a fruit and vegetables smoothie for a snack, and finally steamed vegetables with dinner.
3. Focus on Fiber
Common side effects with GLP-1 include constipation, gas, and bloating; this is due to the slowing of the digestive system. To support your digestive system and overall health, fiber should be a key part of the diet. Try to aim at getting 25-30 grams of fiber per day through whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables. This not only helps with satiety and blood sugar stability but also helps support the gut microbiome. The most important thing to remember with adding more fiber is to drink enough water!
GLP1 medications are here to stay, offering proven benefits in weight loss and even improvements in disordered eating patterns. However, they are not a miracle drug - long-term health and muscle preservation rely on intentional nutrition, physical activity, and lifestyle strategies.
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Week of August 18, 2025
How to Talk to Teens about Nutrition
One thing I am extremely mindful of is how much of my work revolves around food, nutrition, and health — and how that impacts my family. You might guess that means we have our fair share of fruits and vegetables around the house and, in Adam and Charlotte’s words, “nothing to eat!” But one thing you may not expect is that I don’t talk about diets, we don’t own a scale, and I avoid using words like fat or skinny to describe bodies.
Charlotte recently turned thirteen, which makes it especially important that she develops both confidence in her body and a healthy relationship with food — despite the constant messaging she sees on social media, Netflix, advertisements, and even from her peers. Today, I want to share a few healthy ways you can talk to your teens about nutrition in a way that supports their well-being and self-image.
- Food is Fuel:If your child has ever been in one of my school enrichment programs, they’ve probably heard me say this a hundred times: Food is Fuel. Just like cars need gas in the tank, our bodies need food to function. Carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, and grains) give us energy, while protein helps build, repair, and maintain muscles. Try linking what they eat to the activities they love—whether that’s sports, dance, or simply hanging out with friends—to show how nutrient-dense foods fuel them best.
- Don’t I Look Strong? : I grew up during the fat-free craze, the Jenny Craig era, and the Atkins diet days—when “thin was in.” My goal has always been to help Charlotte avoid that same societal pressure. In our home, I make a point of asking things like, “Don’t I look strong?” or “Doesn’t this top show off my muscles?” At first, I wondered if it mattered, but recently Charlotte told me, “I want to have strong shoulders someday” and even asked if I noticed her bicep. That small shift—from thin to strong—is powerful.
- Everybody Has a Body: Bodies come in all shapes and sizes, and health isn’t defined by looking a certain way. I go out of my way to compliment and normalize different body types with Charlotte. Our bodies change throughout our lives, and it’s vital to see beauty in those changes instead of chasing a single, rigid standard.
- Food is More Than Nutrition: Yes, I know I just said food fuels our bodies, but it’s so much more than that! It connects us to people, traditions, and joy. Sharing a favorite family recipe, baking cookies with friends, or trying new foods together are just as important as eating your vegetables. Remind your teen that food is not something to fear or obsess over, it’s something that brings connection, enjoyment, and comfort.
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Weekly News
- Cuming County Extension Board Meeting
- How It Started. How It's Going
- Make It with Wool Contest
- Nebraska Youth Beef Leadership Symposium
- 4-H Achievement Applications
- 2026 4-H Special Photography Theme
- Southern Rust and Silage Quality
- Testing Hay Quality
- Fall Armyworm