Holt Boyd News Column for the Week of December 7, 2025

Nebraska Extension Educator - Holt & Boyd Counties - LaDonna Werth
Nebraska Extension Educator - Holt & Boyd Counties - Amy Timmerman
Nebraska Extension Educator - Holt, Boyd, Garfield, Loup, & Wheeler Counties - Bethany Johnston
Nebraska Extension Educator - Brown, Rock, & Keya Paha Counties - Brittany Spieker
Nebraska 4-H Assistant - Holt & Boyd Counties - Debra Walnofer

December 7: Holt County 4-H Shooting Sports Club Kick Off Meeting, 4:00pm, Knights of Columbus Hall, O’Neill, NE

December 8-9: What Did It Cost to Produce: Farm and Ranch Unit Cost of Production, 9:00am-4:00pm, Atkinson Community Center, Atkinson, NE, Pre-register one week in advance by calling Holt County Extension at 402-336-2760 or email Bethany Johnston at bjohnston3@unl.edu

December 9: Cow Clinic, 10:00am-2:00pm, Beatrice 77 Livestock Sales, Beatrice, NE, Contact Barry Weber, 402-335-3669

December 10: Cedar Workshop, 1:00pm-4:00pm, Location TBA, Boyd County. To register: Holt County Extension Office at 402-336-2760 or email Bethany at bjohnston3@unl.edu

December 10: Confronting Cropping Challenges, 1:00pm-5:00pm, Casey’s Building - Fairgrounds, Albion, NE

December 11: Confronting Cropping Challenges, 1:00pm-5:00pm, City Community Center, Bloomfield, NE

December 15: Landlord/Tenant Cash Rent Workshop, 1:00pm-4:00pm, Holt County Courthouse Annex Meeting Room, O’Neill, NE, Register: 402-336-2760 by December 12

December 16: Northeast Ag Conference, 8:00am-5:00pm, Northeast Community College, Norfolk, NE, Register at: bit.ly/NNAC-2025

December 22: Face-to-Face YQCA Training, 9:00am-10:15am, Holt County Annex, O’Neill, NE, Registration is required - https://yqcaprogram.org/

January 14: Beef Production & Private Pesticide Applicator Update, 10:00am-2:00pm, Mid-Plains Community College, Valentine, NE

January 19: Beef Production & Private Pesticide Applicator Update, 10:00am-2:00pm, Southeast Meeting Room Auditorium, Stuart, NE

January 27-28: What Did It Cost to Produce: Farm and Ranch Unit Cost of Production, 9;00am-4:00pm, Burwell Legion Hall, Burwell, NE, Pre-register one week in advance by calling Holt County Extension at 402-336-2760 or email Bethany Johnston at bjohnston3@unl.edu

“Families who have tried this low-cost Christmas have found it was the nicest they’ve ever had. Older children feel they are playing an important part in helping the family through a difficult time. Young children rarely complain about broken toys on the day after Christmas. And adults enjoy the feeling of knowing there won’ be large bills to try to pay in January,” said LaFon.

 No Christmas Debt
 While a ten-dollar Christmas may sound extreme, the idea of setting a limit and sticking to it may be appealing. If your budget is tight, why not try a $10, $25 or $50 Christmas?

“When January and February arrive, you won’t feel so overwhelmed by the bills that appear in your mailbox. Also, you may feel a sense of pride in sticking to your budget and perhaps giving of yourself rather than the bounty found on the stores’ shelves,” said LaFon.

There is also a good chance those inexpensive and thoughtful gifts will bring out the best in everyone and will be more meaningful.

A simple card from a girlfriend with a homemade coupon for free babysitting was one of the best gifts Annette FitzGerald, former family financial education specialist with University of Missouri Extension, ever received.

“We were both single parents at the time and both of us had limited budgets. It was special because she gave of herself and provided a service for me and my son,” said FitzGerald.

Source: Nancy Flood, MU Extension Educator and Brenda Procter, MU Extension State Specialist in Personal Financial Planning (December 2022)

Observed Concerns
Common patterns of concern in the York/Seward and surrounding areas included shrunken, lightweight kernels that appeared “shriveled/pinched” at the base of the kernel, southern rust/tar spot on leaves, and high levels of fusarium crown rot/gibberella stalk rots. Corn ears in many fields began prematurely drooping, cutting off the food supply to kernels.

At harvest, some experienced higher or equal non-irrigated yields in corn and soybean compared to irrigated fields. That is nearly always due to too much irrigation and poor irrigation timing, often occurring right before a significant rain event.

In early September, retired University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) Professor of Practice Tom Hoegemeyer shared reports of seed corn fields yielding 15-20% less than anticipated, with small kernels and kernel depth shallower than expected. He felt this was due to exactly the same factors we were noting in irrigated fields in central Nebraska.

“The kernel/ear symptoms are (I think) what one expects from photosynthetic stress,” Hoegemeyer said. “The fact that they appear ‘pinched’ may have to do with timing of that stress.”

Purdue University Professor Emeritus Bob Nielsen added, “Your description of the kernels makes me think that kernel development was prematurely halted.”

Hoegemeyer, Nielsen and UNL Professor Emeritus Roger Elmore all attributed the kernel symptoms to stress occurring before black layer, meaning the kernels may have prematurely died before completing the normal black layer process.

Photosynthetic Stress
Much of the year we received lower-than-average solar radiation (which includes photosynthetically active radiation or PAR). There were several periods of cloudy/hazy/smoky days. A previous CropWatch article on research utilizing shade cloth revealed 25-30% potential yield loss with shading occurring from R2-R6 stages in corn. That data could explain a potential cause for yield loss.

Dr. Eric Hunt shared solar radiation data for the period between July 4-Aug. 31, 2025, which demonstrated that York, Lincoln and Falls City were running deficits of -21 MJ/m2, -25.2 MJ/m2, and -28.3 MJ/m2, respectively, during the peak of grain fill.

We were hearing reports of above-average yields in portions of northeast Nebraska. The data showed near-normal to above-average solar radiation in that part of the state. Norfolk was below average at -10.7 MJ/m2, West Point was near average at -1.3 MJ/m2 for West Point, and Wayne was above average for solar radiation at +19.7 MJ/m2.

At first glance, the reduced solar radiation during grain fill experienced by several counties seemed to be the major factor impacting yields. Elmore pointed out the 2025 Corn Yield Forecast articles by Dr. Patricio Grassini’s team showed reduced solar radiation, higher nighttime temperatures, and reduced evapotranspiration (ET) for most of Nebraska throughout the growing season.

Yet, despite these factors, in the final article, the Hybrid Maize Model was predicting average to above-average yields at the end of the growing season.

“This then points to all the biotic (living) issues you mentioned (as the main driver of photosynthetic stress),” Elmore said. “As Bob wrote, the things you’ve mentioned would, ‘prematurely shut down kernel development.’ The drooping ears is another sign of that.”

Living factors that can create photosynthetic stress on plants include leaf, root and stalk diseases. We feel that irrigated fields had the potential for greater disease, in spite of fungicides applied. Hunt mentioned the high humidity — particularly in York County — due to the sheer amount of irrigation, which may have led to increased disease pressure, including stalk rots.

“I think many producers irrigated prior to and when we got some significant rains during July,” Hoegemeyer said. “Most of the water eventually soaked in but led to even higher humidities and wet leaf areas for extended periods, especially in July and August.”

The spring of 2025 was dry for the York/Seward area of Nebraska and producers began irrigating early to germinate seeds and activate herbicide. This was coupled with producers experiencing drought the previous two years and sometimes the mindset of needing to irrigate.

“Photosynthetic stress and stalk rot go together like beans and weenies,” Hoegemeyer said. “Each one can cause the other. We MAY have had some early infection with Fusarium/gib due to saturated soils/etc. As you know, high N rates, lower K available and a dozen other stress sources make it worse. I think most of the stalk rot is a result of other PS stress, rather than causing it initially, but I am certain that it helped accelerate death.

“I haven't seen cornfields die as fast as they did this year, at least not for decades. And as they died, they didn't die ‘clean’ — lots of disease, top loss reminiscent of pre-Bt days.”

Nielsen added: “Severe reductions in photosynthetic leaf tissue prior to BL (black layer) due to southern rust etc., or early onset of severe stalk rots would also prematurely shut down kernel development. And, of course, … (large) ears with excellent kernel set create a huge demand for photosynthate during grain fill, which exacerbates the negative effects of severe loss of photosynthetic leaf tissue and predisposes the stalk and root tissue to rapid fungal rot infection and development.”

Hot Nights
High nighttime temperatures burn sugars that should go into ears to fill kernels.

“If you look at where corn came from (Mexican high valleys, ca. 5,000 feet elevation) days during grain filling will typically be 95 degrees, but it will be 50 or 55 degrees at night,” Hoegemeyer said. “It is the same where we get the highest yields (without doing the crazy fertility, etc., of contests) like the west slope of Colorado and Chile's central valley, they get similar temperatures and relatively low humidity. That's what corn wants.”

Summary
Dr. Tom Hoegemeyer summed it up:

“I think we had lots of issues that caused PS (photosynthetic) stress, some of which impacted our irrigated acres worse than our dryland acres. (My home dryland area had lots of 200 to 220 bpa corn and 65 to 70 bpa soybeans. After a dry spring, we had more rain than we’ve had for years). Irrigated corn in the area often wasn’t as good as the dryland, even with more N applied.

“The more stressors - hot nights, light limitations, too high N for the amount of light/PS - exacerbating disease issues, multiple leaf diseases combined with high humidity, continuous corn, etc. - the bigger the yield loss. And, in some instances, I think adding water to these fields hurt more than it helped.”

Final Thoughts
There isn’t one answer but a combination of factors that impacted fields this year. There’s also a lot of farmers hurting with the combination of low yields, low commodity prices and high input costs. If you’re involved in agriculture or working with those who are, please check in on one another. You’re not alone, and if you’re struggling, help is available - call or text 988, Nebraska’s suicide and crisis lifeline.

We’ve also seen several colleagues and producers announce retirements or begin planning for one. Financial pressure, health concerns and the desire to reduce stress can all play a role in that decision. If someone you know is transitioning out of farming, offer support as they navigate that change. Many find it helpful to retire “to something” by staying active and connected in new ways.

References

1. Elmore, Roger, Tom Hoegemeyer, and Todd Whitney. Sept. 20, 2019. How does cool cloudy weather affect corn during grain fill?
   UNL Crop Watch - https://cropwatch.unl.edu/2019/how-does-cloudy-and-cool-weather-affect-corn-during-grain-fill/
2. Grassini, Patricio, Jose Andrade, Aramburu Merlos, Haishun Yang, Jenny Brhel, Jeff Coulter, Mark Licht, Sotirios Archontoulis, Maninder Pal Singh, Osler Ortez, Daniel Quinn, Ana Carcedo.
   https://cropwatch.unl.edu/2025-corn-yield-forecasts-july-15/
   https://cropwatch.unl.edu/2025-corn-yield-forecasts-aug-5/
   https://cropwatch.unl.edu/2025-corn-yield-forecasts-aug-26/
   https://cropwatch.unl.edu/2025-corn-yield-forecasts-cooler-weather-seasons-end-increased-forecasted-yields-region/
3. Nielsen, R.L. (Bob). September 2018. Field dry-down of mature grain corn. Corny News Network: https://www.agry.purdue.edu/ext/corn/news/timeless/graindrying.html

Source: Tom Hoegemeyer - Former Adjunct Professor of Practice; Roger Elmore - Emeritus Extension Cropping Systems Agronomist; Eric Hunt - Agricultural Meteorology and Climate Resilience Extension Educator; Bob Nielsen - Professor Emeritus, Purdue University; Jenny Brhel - Extension Educator (CropWatch – December 3, 2025)

Clinical Signs
Once A. marginale enters the new host animal, animals can remain clinically normal for 7-60 days during the incubation phase of the infection. Animals in early stages of clinical disease show generalized signs of illness (off-feed, feverish, slow/depressed).

As the number of infected red blood cells climbs and removal of infected red blood cells by the immune system increases in attempt to eliminate the infection, animals begin to show signs of oxygen deprivation, including:

• Excitability, nervousness, and in some cases, aggression.
• Signs of jaundice. The yellow discoloration that gives anaplasmosis one of its nicknames, “yellow bag.” Jaundice is difficult to appreciate in black-hided cattle, but a close look at the whites of a cow’s eyes or the wall of the vagina will show yellow discoloration in cattle with advanced anaplasmosis.
• Pregnant cows with severe anaplasmosis can abort their calves due to the oxygen deprivation (hypoxia) experienced by the growing fetus.

Diagnosis
There are several methods available to diagnose A. marginale infections in cattle. 

• Blood examination. The most simple and inexpensive is by examining a sample of blood under a microscope for the presence of organisms within the red blood cells. While this method is cheap and easy, it is not very accurate and is only useful in confirming clinical infections.
• Antibody Detection. Laboratory tests can be conducted to detect antibodies formed against A. marginale, which provides evidence of exposure.
• PCR. Nucleic acid can be detected using PCR on samples of whole blood or spleen that confirm the infection.
• Postmortem examinations of animals that have died from anaplasmosis usually show yellow discoloration throughout the body and an enlarged spleen.

Treatment
Before initiating any treatment plan, be sure to consult your veterinarian to work out the best treatment approach possible.

Injectable oxytetracycline is a useful antibiotic treatment for cases of anaplasmosis. Antibiotics work best when administered early in the course of disease, but detection of clinically ill animals is usually very difficult.

Be aware, in later stages of anaplasmosis, handling excitable or aggressive cattle to administer antibiotics can cause enough stress to kill the animal.

If the cattle affected by advanced anaplasmosis are very valuable, blood transfusions can be considered as part of the therapeutic plan; however, antibiotics are still necessary and life-threatening transfusion reactions are possible.

Traditionally, it was thought that animals can be cleared of the infection with aggressive antibiotic treatments. However, it is now known that most (and likely all) animals with active infections will remain lifelong carriers, regardless of treatment.

Prevention If Your Herd Has Anaplasmosis
As mentioned, cattle that become infected and survive will most often develop a lifelong, low-level infection with A. marginale known as the carrier state. A. marginale in carrier animals goes through cycles of increased numbers parasites followed by removal by the immune system. These cycles constantly stimulate the immune system and which usually prevents severe disease. Unfortunately, it is the carrier animals that then serve as the source of A. marginale for uninfected herd mates.

If an animal in your herd has been diagnosed with anaplasmosis, consider these to prevent other animals from becoming infected:

• Change needles between each animal
• Change sleeves between each animal
• Disinfect equipment between each animal.

Several tools exist to aid in the prevention of clinical anaplasmosis. Biosecurity is critical to preventing clinical anaplasmosis cases and can be further divided into two categories: bioexclusion and biocontainment.

Bioexclusion describes the strategies used to prevent introduction of new diseases into a group of animals; in other words, the process of keeping things out. For anaplasmosis, bioexclusion entails preventing transmission into your herd by making sure new additions are negative for A. marginale and vectors such as flies that could travel from someone else’s infected herd to yours are controlled to the best of your ability.

Biocontainment describes the strategies used to prevent spread of diseases that already exist within your operation. For anaplasmosis, biocontainment entails changing needles frequently, cleaning and disinfecting surgical equipment, and controlling vectors to the best of your ability. Biocontainment may also require selective culling of cattle that are A. marginale carriers to eliminate them as a source of new infections.

Another tool that is useful in controlling anaplasmosis is antimicrobial therapy. Chlortetracycline fed to cattle has been shown to prevent clinical disease when used appropriately. However, chlortetracycline (CTC) is a veterinary feed directive drug, meaning it can only be used with a feed directive issued by your veterinarian. Extra-label use of feed-grade antimicrobials has been illegal for some time, but the veterinary feed directive will certainly increase scrutiny and enforcement pertaining to extra-label use of feed-grade antibiotics.

Finally, passive acclimatization can be used as a tool to manage clinical anaplasmosis. In areas where anaplasmosis is deeply established in both cattle herds and in vector populations, maintaining a negative herd is nearly impossible. By allowing cattle to acclimate by becoming infected early in life (before 6 months of age), clinical disease is limited because young cattle tend to have asymptomatic infections. These cattle go on to become carriers that maintain lifelong infections, but only rarely develop meaningful disease signed attributed to anaplasmosis.

Overall, one of the most important tools in a producer’s toolbox is monitoring. By working with your veterinarian to design a surveillance plan, you can base your management strategy on the status of both your herd and your region.

See the table below for a set of scenarios and possible control options that may be considered for infected or non-infected areas.

Source: Dr. Brian VanDer Ley – UNL Associate Professor of Vet & Biomedical Sciences, Matt Hille – UNL Assistant Professor, Bethany Johnston – UNL Livestock Systems Extension Educator (BeefWatch - November 1, 2025)

NEWS RELEASE

Workshops to Address the Spread of Cedar Trees and Control Options

Cedar trees are rapidly spreading across Nebraska’s grasslands, threatening valuable forage for grazing animals and habitat for wildlife. In some areas, grass production has dropped by as much as 75% over the past three decades due to cedar tree encroachment.  The best time to control your cedar trees is now!

To help landowners and producers tackle this issue, a hands-on workshop will be held from 1:00 to 4:00pm CT on Dec. 10 in Spencer, NE at the Fire Hall Meeting Room.

Gain insight from real-life examples of various cedar control projects, including before/after photos, cost of the projects, cost-share options, and how producers are maintaining cedar-free pastures to maximize grass.  Understanding how cedar trees spread and grow will help producers decide the best control options to use.  Learn how to keep your prescribed burn contained to the unit- as slope, tree height, piles, weather, crew/equipment can be mitigated to ensure a safe and controlled burn.

Walk-ins are welcome, but registrations are appreciated. Call the Holt County Extension Office at 402-336-2760 or email Bethany at bjohnston3@unl.edu to register.

Thanks to these partners: Nebraska Extension, Pheasants Forever, the Nature Conservancy, Sandhills Task Force, Nebraska Game & Parks, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, and NRCS.

NEWS RELEASE

Unit Cost of Production Workshops 

The Nebraska Extension will host Unit Cost of Production workshops in central Nebraska in December and January to provide hands-on learning experiences for producers in calculating the unit cost of production for a cow-calf operation.

Workshops will be held at two locations. Both days will run from 9am-4:00pm CT.

• The first workshop will be held on Dec. 8 and 9 at Community Center (small room) in Atkinson. 
• The second workshop will be on Jan. 27 and 28 at the Legion Hall in Burwell. 

Pre-register one week in advance. Call the Nebraska Extension office in Holt County at 402-336-2760 or email Bethany Johnston at bjohnston3@unl.edu.

Each location is limited to 25 people. The cost is $50 per participant and includes meals and materials for both days. Contact Aaron Berger at 308-235-3122 with questions about the workshops.

“Having information to make effective business decisions is important for ranch success. Enterprise analysis and unit cost of production (UCOP) are tools that can help ranchers identify where value is being created on the ranch, where costs are occurring, and what changes could be made to improve profit,” Berger said.

While it takes time to set up and calculate a UCOP, the benefits are:

• Knowing what present costs are.
• Projecting what unit cost of production will be in 2026.
• Identifying opportunities to improve profitability. 
• Using information to make management and marketing decisions.

Participants in this workshop will work through a sample ranch to determine the economic profitability of four common ranch enterprises: cow-calf, stockers/breeding heifers, hay, and land. They will go through the steps of analyzing costs and calculating what it costs to produce a unit of product for each enterprise. Participants will also learn how to identify how changes could improve ranch profitability.

Again, pre-register one week in advance for both locations. Call the Nebraska Extension office in Holt County at 402-336-2760 or email Bethany Johnston at bjohnston3@unl.edu.

NEWS RELEASE

Nebraska Extension to Host “Cow Clinics”

Prepare herd early for successful calving and breeding season

A successful calving season does not begin at calving, rather it begins much earlier, with the management of the cow herd months prior. University of Nebraska Extension will be hosting “Cow Clinics” during December to review some of the basic management factors that can lead to a successful calving and breeding season.

The cost to register is $20 per person. To register for the “Cow Clinics,” please contact the local Nebraska Extension office:

• December 1, 2025 - Burwell Livestock Market, Burwell, NE
  Contact Bethany Johnston, at 402-336-2760 or bjohnston3@unl.edu
  Starts at 10:00am - Concludes at 2:00pm
  Registration Appreciated by November 24, 2025 for meal count
• December 2, 2025 - Gordon Livestock Market, Gordon, NE
  Contact Brock Ortner, at 308-327-2312 or bortner2@unl.edu
  Starts at 2:00pm - Concludes at 5:00pm
  Registration Appreciated by November 25, 2025 for meal count
• December 9, 2025 - Beatrice 77 Livestock Sales, Beatrice, NE
  Contact Barry Weber, at 402-335-3669 or s-bweber12@unl.edu
  Starts at 10:00am – Concludes at 2:00pm
  Registration Appreciated by December 3, 2025 for meal count

The clinics will cover the how, when, and why of body condition scoring, teat and udder scoring, and forage sampling. Understanding a forage analysis and developing diets for the last trimester will also be a part of the program. A team of Extension Educators and Specialist will lead the discussion and hands-on demonstrations.

A meal count is appreciated one week prior to each event by calling or emailing the local Extension Office. The first ten to pre-register will receive a free NIR forage analysis complements of Ward Lab.

Extension is a Division of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln cooperating with the Counties and the United States Department of Agriculture. University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension educational programs abide with the nondiscrimination policies of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the United States Department of Agriculture.

NEWS RELEASE

Northeast Nebraska Ag Conference

The second annual Northeast Nebraska Ag Conference (NNAC) will be held Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at Northeast Community College in Norfolk. The all-day conference will begin with registration at 8:00 a.m. and closing comments and door prizes wrapping up the event around 4:00 p.m. The NNAC is co-hosted by the Bazile Groundwater Management Area Project (BGMA) and Bow Creek Watershed Project.

All producers are invited to join in this dynamic event which was created for the purpose of exchanging practical farm and ranch ideas that will not only help protect water quality but also improve the bottom line. Learn from others who are increasing their operations financial stability and environmental stewardship.

This conference has something for everyone whether you are interested in new management practices or an innovative farmer who has already been implementing them. Concurrent breakout sessions allow each attendee to choose the sessions that best meet their needs. Industry leading speakers, paired with experienced producers, will discuss hot ag topics from theory to practical application and technology integration. Don’t miss out on this exciting event!

Hear from Keynote Speaker John Kempf - Founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture and host of the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast - about advancements in managing nitrates, exciting new discoveries on how plants get nutrition, and what that means for producers. The ‘Making it Work Here’ producer panel features local producers sharing how they are implementing these ideas on the farm.

Registration for the event is now open! Early Bird Registration tickets can be purchased until December 9th for $20. Late registrations and walk-ins will be $50. A hot lunch will be provided. Nitrogen Certification and CEUs are also available for attendees. Register now at: go.unl.edu/nnac-2025

Gold Level Sponsors for the 2025 Northeast Nebraska Ag Conference include: Papio-Missouri River NRD, Green Cover, Advancing Eco Ag, Ward Lab Inc., J-Tech Construction and Solar, and Corteva.

The Northeast Nebraska Ag Conference is produced by the Lewis & Clark NRD, Lower Elkhorn NRD, Lower Niobrara NRD, Upper Elkhorn NRD, University of Nebraska – Lincoln, and Nebraska Department of Water, Energy and Environment (DWEE).

NEWS RELEASE

Calving College 2026

Following an overwhelmingly positive response last year, Nebraska Extension is pleased to bring back the Calving College series for 2026. The three-part webinar, Fundamental Knowledge for Successful Calving Season, will take place January 19, January 26, and February 2, 2026, from 7:30-8:45pm CT, and will be complemented by hands-on, in-person workshops held across four locations February 9-12, 2026. This program offers practical, research-based guidance for farmers, ranchers, and veterinary professionals working to ensure a successful calving season.

Webinar Series Topics:

• January 19, 2026 - Understanding Normal. Discussion includes stages of labor, what happens to the cow and calf during delivery, recognizing and knowing how to manage abnormal, when and how to assist delivery,
• January 26, 2026 - First 24 hours: post-calving care for cows and calves. Reviewing normal vitals for the cow and neonatal calf and recognizing and managing complications in the first hours of life, including the importance of colostrum management, and calf resuscitation techniques.
• February 2, 2026 - 48 Hours and Beyond: Keeping cow and calf healthy and thriving. Topics include nutritional requirements, common health concerns in calves, managing environmental stress in the first 2 months of life, and how to manage orphan calves.
  • February 9, 2026 - Cherry County Extension, Valentine, NE. 6:00pm CST

Each webinar will be co-led by Dr. Becky Funk, DVM, Animal Health Teaching and NE Extension Specialist and Dr. Lindsay Waechter-Mead, DVM, NE Extension Livestock Educator, allowing participants to engage and ask questions in real-time.

New This Year! Participants will be eligible for BQA continuing education credits.

In-Person Workshop: The series will culminate in a hands-on workshop offered February 9-12, 2026, where participants can practice their skills using a life-sized cow and calf model. This unique opportunity will provide practical experience in a supportive environment, ensuring participants leave with confidence and competence. 

Details of the Series:

• Webinar Dates: January 19, 26, February 2, 2026
• Time: 7:30-8:45pm CST
• Location: Online (link provided upon registration)
• In-Person Workshop opportunities:
• February 10, 2026 - Tripp County 4-H Center, 815 W 12^th St Winner, SD 6:00pm CST
• February 11, 2026 - West Holt FFA Shop, 1000 N. Main St. Atkinson, NE 6:00pm CST
• February 12, 2026 - Northeast Community College, 801 E. Benjamin Ave. Norfolk, NE 6:00pm CST
• Registration Fee: $80 for 3-part webinar series plus one in-person workshop
• Register at: https://cvent.me/GOYAra
• Webinar participants will receive a notebook of Nebraska Extension resources and access to the recorded webinars to view at your convenience. Participants are asked to register by January 12, 2026, to ensure resources are received before the series begins. A computer and internet connection will be needed to participate in the webinar series.

For more information about the Calving College webinar series and workshop, please contact Dr. Lindsay Waechter-Mead at 402-746-3417 or lindsay.waechter-mead@unl.edu

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