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 20: Making the Most of Your Free-Choice Mineral Webinar, 8:00pm, 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
Discipline: When Children Misbehave
Discipline is always a hot topic with parents. But, when parents separate and/or divorce, the child’s behavior can create great concern.
“How, when and ‘if’ to discipline can become a bone of contention between parents,” according to Kris Jenkins, HES Specialist, University of Missouri Extension. But how much of the misbehavior can be credited to the divorce or separation?
“The bottom line is that ALL children misbehave,” said Jenkins “They are children after all and they are always testing and learning what is acceptable.” If you understand why children misbehave, it can be easier to decide if your children’s misbehavior is related to the changes in their lives or just part of a natural process of growing up.
Why Do Kids Misbehave?
Children misbehave for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it’s simple—they are hungry, tired, ill, or have been cooped up without exercise. Other times, it’s more complicated. Children can misbehave because they need:
- Attention. They feel important when getting the parent’s total attention. More parental attention when children are behaving can help this problem.
- Revenge. When children are sad or hurt, they may act out to get even. This often happens in situations of divorce because children don’t have the emotional maturity to know how to deal with the hurt and pain.
- A feeling of control. When children feel that factors in their lives are out of control (such as parent’s separation), they can act out.
- More confidence. If they feel they are inadequate in some way, they may misbehave to divert attention or to make you expect less of them.
It’s important to remember that all children, not just those involved in parental problems, misbehave. In fact, some children seem unaffected by events whether positive or negative. “A child’s bad behavior after parents split can be tricky to decipher,” adds Jenkins. Is your child biting his sister because he misses his mom or because that is what kids do before they learn how to control their anger? Did your daughter miss curfew because she just didn’t want to leave the fun or was she mad because her dad didn’t show up for visitation that week?
Jenkins reminds, “As a single parent, you have to consider carefully why your child is misbehaving and try to decode the emotions behind that misbehavior.” On the other hand, to use the divorce or separation as a reason for all misbehavior is usually an overreaction. True misbehavior happens when a child CHOOSES to behave inappropriately. Before you discipline, make sure your child knows the behavior is inappropriate.
Source: R. Kris Jenkins, HES Specialist in Bates County, University of Missouri Extension
Soybean is Flowering: Is White Mold a Risk in Your Fields?
Key Takeaways
- Flowering is the critical window. Soybeans are most susceptible to white mold during flowering, making this the time to assess risk and consider management options.
- Warm weather has delayed disease development, but conditions can change. Continue scouting fields with a history of white mold, dense canopies, or irrigation, especially after rainfall and extended canopy moisture.
- Timing matters. Fungicides are most effective when applied during the flowering window before infection occurs; late applications will not protect infected plants.
As soybean across Nebraska begins flowering, now is the time to evaluate white mold risk and determine whether fungicide applications may be needed. Although the 2026 growing season has been warmer than average and no apothecia — the small mushroom-like structures that release white mold spores — have been observed during field scouting to date, rainfall and extended periods of canopy moisture can quickly increase disease risk.
Most soybean fields are currently at the R1 (beginning bloom) growth stage, with canopy closures ranging from approximately 50%-85%. While the recent hot weather has likely delayed apothecia development, growers should continue monitoring fields, especially those with a history of white mold, dense canopies, irrigated production, or cooler and wetter conditions. White mold significantly impacted yields in 2021 and 2023, and proactive management is crucial for this season.
The key factors to keep in mind are:
- Flowering Susceptibility: Soybean plants are most vulnerable to white mold during the flowering stage.
- Protective Measures: Protect flowers during the flowering period. Once infection occurs, fungicides cannot save infected plants.
- Environmental Conditions: Wet, humid environments facilitate the spread of white mold.
- Field History: Fields with a prior history of white mold are at greater risk of occurrence, often beginning in the same hotspots where infection occurred in past seasons due to the persistence of sclerotia in the soil.
For detailed management strategies, including genetic resistance, cultural practices, and chemical/biological control, please refer to the sections below.
Pathogen Overview
Sclerotinia stem rot, commonly known as white mold, is a fungal disease caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. The fungus survives in soil over winter as hard, dark structures called sclerotia. In spring, saturated soils and a dense canopy favor the development of apothecia (Figure 1), which release millions of airborne spores during flowering.
These spores infect soybean primarily through aging blossoms and injured tissue, requiring free moisture for infection. The disease often prevents pods from developing and produces more sclerotia on and in the stems, which are scattered back onto the soil during harvest and can survive for several years.
Disease Symptoms
Symptoms appear during pod development, starting with wilting and discoloration of leaves. Infected stems and pods show white fungal growth (mycelium) and sclerotia. Water-soaked lesions typically begin near infected flowers before spreading through the stem. Stems become tan, bleached, pithy and shred easily (Figure 2). Symptoms typically occur 6 to 14 inches above the soil but can also affect the plant base.
Favorable Environmental Conditions
White mold develops from flowering to pod formation under wet, humid conditions with moderate temperatures (less than 85°F). It is more prevalent in northern counties and irrigated fields with consistent moisture and cooler canopy temperatures.
Management Strategies
Genetic Resistance
Choose varieties rated against white mold, avoiding highly susceptible ones, and select shorter varieties that do not lodge.
Cultural Practices
In fields with a history of significant white mold, use wider row spacing (30-inch over 15-inch) to delay canopy closure and reduce humidity. Avoid irrigation during flowering if possible. Rotate with non-host crops like corn and wheat, and maintain good weed control as some weeds and cover crops can host the fungus. Although tillage has been considered for white mold management, it is generally not recommended because it provides limited control and can increase the risk of soil erosion and moisture loss.
Manganese management is another consideration, as improper soil manganese levels may weaken a plant’s defense against white mold. Soil manganese should be adjusted before the growing season when needed. Foliar manganese applications can be made during the season, although research on their effectiveness is limited. Any foliar feeding should be done before flowering begins.
Chemical/Biological Control
Apply foliar fungicides during flowering when fields have a history of white mold and weather conditions favor disease development. Applications made after the infection window are unlikely to provide effective control. Refer to the Crop Protection Network and the Nebraska Extension NebGuide EC130, “Guide for Weed, Disease, and Insect Management in Nebraska” for fungicide efficacy test results to find products that are effective on the pathogen.
Source: Dylan Mangel - Extension Plant Pathologist, Roshani Baral - Plant Pathologist
Early Weaning Strategies for Challenging Forage Conditions
When grass is limited and/or cow body condition needs to improve, early weaning may be a viable option for cow-calf producers. Weaning removes any grazing pressure from the calf and removes milk production from the cow’s nutritional requirements, reducing her dry matter intake by 20%.
How early can calves be weaned? While calves have been shown to be weaned successfully as early as 45 days, keep in mind the rumen development of young calves will influence the weaning process. Around 85-90 days of age the calf’s rumen is developed enough to be considered a ruminant rather than a pre-ruminant. For this reason, waiting until 100 days of age to wean may provide an easier transition to the weaning diet. At this age, a calf consumes 1.5 to 2.0% of their body weight on a dry matter basis. Once milk consumption is removed, the calf will eat 2.3-2.5% of their BW on a dry matter basis. The diet fed must be highly digestible to promote high passage rate and feed intake to accommodate an early-weaned calf’s small rumen.
Early weaned calves require increased labor, particularly for daily feeding and close monitoring of intake and health to prevent problems early.
Preparing calves for early weaning may include introducing them to new feeds, feed bunks, and/or different watering systems while still with the cow. Fermented feeds such as silage can be unpalatable if unfamiliar prior to weaning. Will the weaning facility allow lighter-weight calves to access feed and water easily? Early weaned calves should have at least 12 inches of bunk space. Work with your veterinarian to determine what pre-conditioning or preparation should be completed prior to weaning as well as developing a plan to manage any outbreaks of illness following weaning.
Separating cows from calves should be done with as little stress as possible. If facilities can manage it, consider variations of fenceline weaning or two-step weaning compared to abrupt weaning.
Early weaned calves are efficient and can gain well (2.5-3.0 lb/d) when provided a consistent, highly digestible diet. Focusing on rumen undegradable protein helps calves gain muscle and bone structure as they grow. Early weaned calves need to be able to eat small amounts frequently due to their small rumen. Deliver feed on a consistent schedule to ensure availability and to maintain intake and performance. Save low quality feeds for more mature members of the cowherd. Keep in mind that a calf growing that rapidly will need an increase frequently in the amount of feed provided to maintain that level of gain. For example, a 350-lb calf gaining 2.5 lb/d is now a 425-lb calf within a month. Many producers who wean calves and hold them for 60-90 days before selling often target 1.5 lb/d gain. However, the early weaned calf is smaller and needs to make up skeletal and muscle growth and therefore, will likely need to gain at least 2.0 lb/d.
While lighter-weight calves often bring premium prices per pound, total revenue may be lower than selling heavier calves. Producers should compare the value of added gain to the costs of feed, labor, yardage, and health management before deciding to grow early weaned calves to heavier weights. Marketing plans will vary depending on each operation’s resources, but the decision often hinges on whether the cost of gain is lower than the market value of added weight.
Early weaning is a drought management strategy that protects cows but requires strong calf management.
Source: T.L. Meyer, Nebraska Extension Educator, Karla Wilke, Nebraska Extension Cow/Calf Systems and Stocker Management Specialist