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
July 11-15: State 4-H Horse Expo, Fonner Park, Grand Island, NE
July 13: Boyd County Pre-Fair Day, 3:00pm, St. Mary’s Catholic Church Hall, Spencer, NE
July 15: Holt County Pre-Fair Day, 9:00am, Faith Community Solid Rock Building, O’Neill, NE
July 16: Boyd County Bucket Calf, Bottle Lamb, and Bottle Goat Record Books, Boyd County Extension Office before 4:00pm or at Boyd County Fairgrounds, Spencer, NE
July 16: Boyd County Fair Set Up Night, 7:00pm, Boyd County Fairgrounds, Spencer, NE
July 18: Regenerative Ag Field Day, 8:00am-4:00pm, Atkinson, NE
July 20: Making the Most of Your Free-Choice Mineral Webinar, 8pm, go.unl.edu/UNLMineralWebinar
July 21-25: Boyd County Fair, Spencer, NE
July 21: DUE: Holt County Bucket Calf, Bottle Lamb, and Bottle Goat Record Books, Holt County Extension Office, O’Neill, NE
July 21: DUE: Holt County Fair YQCA Certificates and Horse Levels, Holt County Extension Office, O’Neill, NE
July 21: DUE: Holt County Stalls/Pens, Cages Requests go.unl.edu/holt_fair_stall_pen_cage_request
July 21: DUE: Holt County Fair Entries (entries open on July 7), Holt County Fairwire
August 1-8: Holt County Fair, Chambers, NE
August 10: DUE: State Fair Online Entries, https://nedom.fairwire.com/
August 24: DUE: Non-Perishable State Fair 4-H Exhibits in the Office, Holt County Annex, O’Neill NE
August 25: DUE: Perishable State Fair 4-H Exhibits in the Office, Holt County Annex, O’Neill NE
Aug 28 – Sep 7: Nebraska State Fair, Grand Island, NE
Traveling With Children
All of us have heard the familiar phrase “Are we there yet?” from children who are bored from sitting for what they perceive as an endless amount of time in a vehicle, or are so excited about their destination they just can’t wait any longer.
Parents often overlook travel time as an opportunity to interact with their child(ren). What better opportunity to spend some quality time? For most, it is a question of ideas for what to do with their children during drive time. Here are some activities that can be fun for everyone when traveling with children. (Note: These activities should only be done with the adult not responsible for driving.)
- Bubbles: Keep some bubbles in a non-spill container in the car and blow some for baby when someone else is doing the driving. This calms a baby down (and older children will enjoy it too). Tiny bubble containers sold for weddings or party favors are ideal.
- Read a good picture book: Even very young babies will respond to a good book. You don’t have to read the entire story (especially if you yourself are prone to car sickness), simply hearing your voice as you point to pictures in the book will occupy time and keep them entertained.
- Play classical music: Studies have indicated that classical music may boost baby’s intelligence.
- Peek-a-boo: This classic game is perfect for the car.
- This Little Piggy: As long as you’re stuck in the car, might as well kick off your shoes!
- Where is your nose: An older baby can practice learning all the parts of the body. Ask them to show you where they are starting with their nose. Then help them find their head, mouth, cheek, ear, chin, hand, foot, tummy, etc.
- Surprise packages: Prepare ahead with paper bags of items to be given out every 25, 50 or 75 miles as marked on a map with the location. It takes a little bit of prep to do this, but it really helps young children. In each bag put a wrapped item, usually a small toy. Then add various other things to each surprise package, like a juice box or a snack, stickers and a piece of paper, or something pertaining to the trip that you can talk about.
- Aluminum foil modeling: Give everyone a sheet of aluminum foil. Have them mold it into anything they want: animal shapes, balls, jewelry, crowns, etc.
- Pipe cleaners: Pack a bag of multi-colored pipe cleaners and let their imaginations run wild!
- Cookie sheet magnet board: Use an old cookie sheet and a collection of ABC magnets. Children can work on putting the letters in order or identify beginning sounds.
- Name the clouds: What do they look like? Find as many different shapes as you can.
- Tell jokes: Take turns telling silly jokes.
Source: Angie Fletcher, Human Development Specialist, Texas County, University of Missouri Extension
Introduction to Insect Pest Management in Nebraska Organic Crop Production
Key Takeaways
- Organic crop production is a small but vital component of Nebraska agriculture.
- Organic insect pest management relies on well-designed, healthy systems and timely monitoring of pest species.
- Beneficial insects and other arthropods play a key role in insect pest management and supporting these populations is critical.
- Cultural methods, mechanical methods and approved products are available to help manage insect pest issues when needed.
Organic Crop Production in Nebraska
While Nebraska may not be a top producer of organic crops nationally, organic production does play an important role in the state. According to the 2021 USDA Organic Survey, there were 220 certified organic farms in Nebraska representing 140,417 acres. Sales from organically grown commodities totaled over $193 million in 2021. The primary commodities produced organically in Nebraska are corn (mainly field corn and popcorn), soybean, winter wheat, alfalfa hay and vegetables.
Transitioning to a certified organic operation can provide many long-term benefits including increased sustainability and resilience, reduced input costs, access to new markets, and improved soil and environmental health. However, there are challenges to overcome — one of the most significant is insect pest management. Because synthetic pesticides and transgenic hybrids are not permitted, successful insect management depends on prevention and timely intervention.
Insect Pest Management in Organic Cropping Systems
Pest management is a critical component of crop production, and organic operations are no exception. Insect management in organic systems isn’t just focused on the pest and its control but rather on the entire system, including beneficial organisms and how they interact with pest species.
This requires a shift in mindset and accepting that the goal is not to eliminate pest populations but to keep them below economically damaging levels.
To be successful, organic producers must have a monitoring program that involves thorough and timely scouting, as well as a method for accurately identifying both pest and beneficial species. Additionally, USDA organic regulations for pest management highlight the requirements that producers must meet. The requirements are broken down into three levels: Level A — Prevention; Level B — Mechanical and Physical Methods; and Level C — Application of Allowed Materials.
Monitoring and Identification
Monitoring through scouting and trapping is a critical component of any pest management plan. In organic cropping systems, timely scouting and accurate identification of both pest and beneficial insects are essential for evaluating crop health and determining whether management strategies are working. In addition to scouting, producers can use several monitoring tools to keep an eye on insect populations, including sweep nets, pheromone traps, and sticky card traps.
Sweep nets are an important tool for monitoring a variety of insect pests, including wheat stem sawfly, alfalfa weevil, Dectes stem borer, leafhoppers and others. They are often used to determine the presence and abundance of pests, as well as their distribution within a field. Sweep nets can also be used to determine the presence of beneficial insects like lady beetles, lacewings and parasitoids.
Sex pheromone traps are particularly helpful for monitoring the flight of pest moth species such as western bean cutworm, corn earworm and fall armyworm. Generally, these traps involve a small bucket or container to capture the target pest and a pheromone lure that mimics the sex pheromone released by females of the species, which attracts males into the trap.
Finally, sticky card traps can be used to monitor flying insect pests including thrips, fruit flies and aphids. The monitoring tool you use will depend on the crop, what you are trying to monitor, and the size of the area to be monitored.
Management Level A — Prevention
The first and primary focus of pest management in organic systems is prevention. This approach is based on the principle that healthy, well-designed organic systems naturally experience fewer pest problems because they support healthier crops and beneficial organisms, such as predators and parasitoids. Key components of this level include plant diversification, enhancing beneficial populations and prioritizing soil health.
Plant Diversification and Enhancing Beneficial Populations
Diversifying the plants on your operation to provide the necessary habitat for beneficial organisms can be achieved in various ways. Key practices include the integration of cover crops, trap crops and crop rotation. In most cropping systems, several beneficial species help keep pest populations in check. Organic systems often support a greater abundance and diversity of these beneficial organisms when suitable habitat and food sources are available.
Highlighted are common predators and parasitoids (insects — often wasps — which parasitize and kill other insects) in Nebraska cropping systems, the pest insects they prey on, and the habitat and/or food sources needed to support their populations in the field. Many of the food sources required for beneficial insects are also popularly used as cover crops, including clover, vetch, buckwheat, and other flowering species. Proper cover crop integration and termination timing are important because cover crops can sometimes serve as a “green bridge” for insect pests like wireworm and armyworm, allowing them to survive and move into the cash crop.
In some situations, trap cropping can be an effective method for limiting pest insect damage to your cash crop. Mustard is highly attractive to flea beetles, while buckwheat and millet can draw stink bugs and other hemipteran pests from the cash crop.
Finally, one of the most effective management practices available to organic producers is crop rotation. This practice, along with proper timing of planting, effectively breaks the life cycle of many insect pests, builds soil health, and can help with weed suppression. It is also required by USDA organic regulations.
Prioritizing Soil Health
Soil health is the foundation of resilient, sustainable crop production because of its biological, physical and chemical properties. Biologically healthy soils support a diverse microbiome that enhances nutrient availability and stimulates plant growth. These soils also contain a variety of soil-dwelling arthropods that contribute to improved soil tilth (earthworms, ants), prey on pests (ground beetles, spiders), and break down organic matter (springtails, isopods).
A soil’s physical health, or tilth, is determined by the level of compaction, its ability to store water and its drainage capacity. Soils with good tilth have increased water infiltration from rain events or irrigation and support proper root growth.
The chemical health of soil is dependent on pH level, salt content, and the levels of available nutrients. Soil pH that is excessively high or low can alter microbial diversity, thus impacting organic matter breakdown and nutrient availability. High salinity, or salt content, can stress crops and negatively impact beneficial organisms, making plants more susceptible to insect pests. Soils with excessive levels of nutrients, particularly nitrogen, develop plants that are more attractive to insect pests like aphids. Chemically health soils further contribute to the development of healthy and resilient crops.
Enhancing and supporting soil health can be achieved through several practices that focus on the four principles of soil health: 1) Maximize continuous living roots; 2) Maximize biodiversity; 3) Minimize disturbance of the soil; and 4) Maximize soil cover. Effective practices include cover cropping, reduced tillage or no-till, and the use of organic soil inputs (compost, animal manure, etc.). Following these principles is crucial for improving soil health and sustaining it in the long term.
Management Level B — Mechanical and Physical Methods
If Level A is not sufficient to control an insect pest problem, mechanical methods can be employed to reduce or exclude pest insects by killing them outright or by modifying pest habitats. Key methods used in organic crop production include habitat management and release of beneficial organisms to help manage pest insect populations.
Habitat management in organic insect pest management often involves the removal of alternate host sites through sanitation efforts. Management of these alternative hosts along field edges and ditches can mitigate the number of pest insects moving into crop fields.
Generally, supporting existing populations of beneficial arthropods through increased plant diversity and reduced disturbance is often a better option than releasing beneficials to an area. In some cases, released organisms may not remain in the area of release to provide the desired predation or parasitism, wasting time and money. However, there are some situations where this method can be beneficial.
One promising area of research is investigating the biocontrol potential of Bracon parasitoid wasps, which are introduced into wheat fields with significant wheat stem sawfly pressure through the beneficial bug baler project. In this project, researchers have successfully relocated wheat straw containing overwintering Bracon parasitoids from Sidney, Nebraska, to new release sites in Nebraska and Colorado to support biological control of wheat stem sawfly. Results suggest that loose straw produced more emerging Bracon than baled straw, indicating that a less compacted bale may improve survival during transport.
Researchers also recovered parasitoids attacking wheat stem sawfly after release at both sites, suggesting this approach may help establish or boost beneficial populations in wheat stem sawfly-infested areas.
Management Level C — Application of Allowed Products
If an insect pest issue cannot be managed through prevention or by mechanical/physical methods, the application of a product approved for use in organic systems can be carried out. Allowed products typically include biological and botanical compounds with inactive ingredients, spray oils, soaps and minerals. The list of approved products is extensive, and a detailed summary is beyond the scope of this article. To find products for organic insect pest management, please visit OMRI. You can also search for organic product labels using the CDMS label database.
Source: Samantha Daniel - Extension Educator, Silvana Paula-Moraes - Extension Entomologist, Travis J. Prochaska - Extension Educator, Matheus Ribeiro - Assistant Extension Educator, John Thomas - Crops Extension Educator, David Wangila - Extension Educator, Vinicius Zuppa - Assistant Extension Educator (CropWatch – June 25, 2026)
Build Cows that Stay: Smarter Heifer Development for Long-Term Productivity
Setting replacement heifers up for cowherd longevity is more than achieving a first pregnancy. It requires building females that remain productive within the constraints of their production environment (forage resources, climate, and management).
Research across a range of development systems demonstrates that similar pregnancy rates can often be achieved under both traditional and extensive management programs. This suggests producers have flexibility to reduce development inputs while maintaining acceptable reproductive outcomes. However, one factor consistently drives long-term success: early conception during the first breeding season.
Early Conception: The Foundation of Longevity
Heifers that conceive within the first 21 days of their initial breeding season calve earlier, have more time to recover postpartum, and remain in the herd longer. These females also wean more pounds of calf over their lifetime compared to later-conceiving counterparts. As a result, early conception is one of the most important predictors of lifetime productivity and retention.
While early conception is critical, achieving it depends on how well the heifer development program aligns with the production environment.
Fit the Heifer to the Environment
A successful heifer development program must match the resources and constraints of the production system. Factors such as forage availability, climate, and management intensity all influence reproductive performance. Research comparing intensive (drylot) and extensive (range-based) development systems has shown similar pregnancy rates, indicating that high-input systems are not always necessary.
The key is not maximizing inputs but developing heifers in a way that reflects the conditions they will experience as mature cows. Developing heifers under conditions similar to the production environment helps ensure they are capable of maintaining performance when resources are limited. Within the context of environmental fit, nutritional management, particularly protein supplementation, plays a critical role in supporting reproductive success.
Nutrition Strategies and Protein Type
Nutritional strategies during development influence both short-term reproductive success and long-term cow performance. Mulliniks et al. (2013) evaluated spring-born heifers developed under three strategies: range-developed with either low or high rumen undegradable protein (RUP) supplementation and drylot-developed heifers targeting higher rates of gain.
Heifers developed on range with higher RUP supplementation exhibited greater retention in the breeding herd through five years of age compared to both low-RUP and drylot-developed heifers. These results suggest protein type, not just level of nutrition, plays an important role in supporting reproductive success in forage-limited environments.
Even with appropriate development and nutrition, one of the greatest challenges in cowherd productivity occurs after first calving, when young females must balance growth, lactation, and rebreeding.
Birth Date, Age at First Calving, and Sourcing Replacements
Birthdate and age at first calving play an important role in long-term reproductive performance. In a May-calving system, Goodnight et al. (2025) compared March-born heifers (“Convert”) to May-born heifers born either early or late in the calving season.
After five years, a greater proportion of March-born females remained in the herd, with no difference observed between early- and late-born May heifers. These results suggest age at first calving, rather than position within the calving season, has a greater influence on retention. Heifers that are older at first calving are typically better equipped to meet the nutritional demands of lactation and rebreeding, particularly in limited-resource environments.
This advantage becomes especially important in young cows. Two- and three-year-olds often struggle to consume enough energy during early lactation, which can delay return to estrus and reduce pregnancy rates. In contrast, more mature cows can maintain intake more effectively, even when forage crude protein falls below 7%.
From a management perspective, incorporating older replacement heifers from earlier-calving herds or incorporating March-born heifers into May-calving systems can improve rebreeding success, increase retention, and support long-term herd productivity. If you are retaining replacements, this means prioritizing heifers born earlier in the calving season. When purchasing replacements, particularly for summer-calving systems, it may involve sourcing heifers from earlier-calving herds, such as March-calving operations. In both cases, older females are better prepared to meet the demands of lactation and rebreeding, resulting in improved retention and productivity.
Managing the Young Cow Bottleneck
Reduced pregnancy rates in 2- and 3-year-old cows are a concern for beef producers. These young females are still growing while also lactating, which increases their nutrient requirements. In many systems, especially when forage quality declines during the breeding season, young cows are unable to consume enough feed to meet these nutrient requirements.
This limitation often results in delayed return to estrus and lower pregnancy rates. Addressing this challenge requires both nutritional management and strategically selecting females more likely to succeed under these conditions. Evaluate factors that influence a heifer’s readiness at first calving including birthdate and selection criteria that matches your operations’ goals.
Body condition score (BCS) at the start of the breeding season is one of the most influential factors affecting reproductive performance. Cows entering the breeding season at a BCS of 5.0 or greater have improved pregnancy rates, calf survival, and weaning weights (Cooke et al., 2021).
Adequate body condition supports earlier return to estrus and increases the likelihood of maintaining a yearly calving interval. Over time, these advantages translate into greater pounds of calf weaned per cow exposed. Management strategies that maintain body condition, particularly in young cows, are critical for overcoming the challenges associated with rebreeding and sustaining long-term productivity.
A Systems Approach to Cowherd Longevity
Long-term cowherd performance comes from managing heifer development as part of the whole system. Early conception, environment, nutrition, age at first calving, and body condition all work together to influence whether a female stays productive.
Develop heifers under the same conditions they’ll face as cows, prioritize early-born and early-conceiving females, maintain body condition, and use protein supplementation strategically.
Programs built around these principles improve rebreeding success, increase cow longevity, and produce more pounds of calf over time, especially in forage-limited systems.
References
- Cooke, R.F., G.C. Lamb, J.L.M. Vasconcelos, K.G. Pohler. 2021. Effects of body condition score at initiation of the breeding season on reproductive performance and overall productivity of Bos taurus and B. indicus beef cows. Anim Reprod Sci. 232: 106820. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anireprosci.2021.106820
- Goodnight, T., J.A. Musgrave, K.L. McCarthy, and J.T. Mulliniks. 2025. Converting spring-born heifers into summer-calving herds increases subsequent cow longevity and productivity. Trans Anim Sci. 9: 1-8. Doi: txaf077, https://doi.org/10.1093/tas/txaf077
- Mulliniks, J.T., D. E. Hawkins, K. K. Kane, S. H. Cox, L. A. Torell, E. J. Scholljegerdes, and M. K. Petersen. 2013. Metabolizable protein supply while grazing dormant winter forage during heifer development alters pregnancy and subsequent in-herd retention rate. J Anim Sci. 91: 1409–1416, https://doi.org/10.2527/jas.2012-5394
Source: Kacie McCarthy, Nebraska Extension Cow-Calf Specialist, T.L. Meyer, Nebraska Extension Educator