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
June 15: DUE: All Clover Kid, 4-H and FFA Animal ID Sheets in your local Extension Office - Holt County Extension Office, O’Neill, NE OR Boyd County Extension Office, Butte, NE
June 16-17: Premier Communication Event, University of Nebraska-Lincoln East Campus, Lincoln, NE
June 21-22: 4-H Shooting Sports National Championships, 3:00-6:00pm, Heartland Public Shooting Park, Grand Island, NE
July 6: DUE: 4-H Pre-Fair Day Entries, Holt County Fairwire or Boyd County Fairwire
July 6: DUE: Boyd County Fair Entries, Boyd County Fairwire
July 6: DUE: Boyd County Fair YQCA Certificates and Horse Levels; Email, Fax, Mail, or bring to Boyd County Extension Office, Butte, NE
July 6: DUE: Boyd County Fair Stalls/Pen/Cages Requests
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 Fair Set Up Night, 7:00pm, Boyd County Fairgrounds, Spencer, NE
July 21-25: Boyd County Fair, Spencer, NE
August 1-8: Holt County Fair, Chambers, 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 Fair Set Up Night, 7:00pm, Boyd County Fairgrounds, Spencer, NE
July 21-25: Boyd County Fair, Spencer, NE
August 1-8: Holt County Fair, Chambers, NE Boyd County Fair Set Up Night, 7:00pm, Boyd County Fairgrounds, Spencer, NE
Help Children Learn to Cope with Stress
Stress is a natural response to change, demands or pressures of life such as family changes, job changes, personal loss, illness, changes in lifestyles and more. Stress can be good or bad. Stress can boost our energy to enjoy life more. But too much stress can make us overwhelmed, unhappy, and cranky.
No matter how old we are, everyone experiences stress, and children are not an exception. The sources of stress on children range from going to daycare or school for the first time, being away from home, peer pressure, moving to new living environments or schools, or the birth of a sibling. Even birthday parties and vacations can be stressful. Other stressors include dealing with strangers as an infant, fear of the dark, adjusting to a growing body during the preteen years, parents’ divorce or separation, parents’ deployment/being called to war, parents’ unemployment, family illness or death, family conflicts, violence in their homes and communities, and natural disasters.
Every child reacts to stress differently. Some children seem to be born with easygoing personalities. Other children tend to be upset and are easily disrupted by new situations and challenges. Although we cannot change their personalities, we can teach children ways of managing stress and reducing harmful stress. The following are some tips:
- Spend one-to-one time with your children each day.
- Keep communication lines open with your children.
- Set clear rules and consequences, and have realistic expectations.
- Encourage children to talk about what is bothering them.
- Encourage healthy eating and physical activities.
- Make sure children get enough sleep.
- Identify the cause of the stress.
- Teach children how to relax, make decisions, and solve problems.
- Provide your children with a sense of security.
- Monitor your own stress levels; be a role model for your children.
Source: Nina Chen, Ph.D., CFLE, former Human Development Specialist, Jackson County, University of Missouri Extension (2018)
Controlling Yucca on Rangeland
Yucca plants, which are also called soapweed, can be quite common on rangeland in western and central Nebraska. They are especially noticeable in June when flowering. In some areas, they can be quite thick and significantly reduce grass production. However, there are ways to reclaim those grazing lands.
Once established, yucca plants can increase on drier rangeland sites. They produce a deep taproot that competes aggressively for the limited water in these soils. With sharp leaves protecting the plant, cattle rarely eat it during summer. Grass production decreases while yucca thrives.
Herbicides like Remedy Ultra®, PastureGard HL®, Pathfinder II®, Tordon®, Velpar, or Cimarron Plus® can control yucca, but only when each individual plant is sprayed directly. Hexazinone products like Velpar L®, Pronone Power Pellet, or Velossa® be applied to the soil uphill side of individual yucca plants with exact delivery hand-gun applicator since pasture grass streaking injury downslope can occur with chemical movement. General broadcast spraying to control yucca on rangeland is cost prohibitive, although small patches can and should be controlled before they expand. Herbicides are most effective when applied in spring or summer. When using herbicides, be sure to follow label directions for the best control.
Some people have had some success in reducing yucca through winter grazing. During winter, yucca often is the only green plant around. Sometimes cows will get down on their knees, lay their head sideways on the ground, and chew through the base of the plant to get to the moist, tender parts. Keep in mind that it can take some time for animals to learn to graze yucca, and there may be some animals in the herd that will not graze it, while others can be quite proficient.
After several consecutive winters of grazing, yucca stands can be reduced so grass again thrives during summer.
Whether it is with herbicides or trying some winter grazing, this might be a good year to reclaim some of your pasture back from yucca.
Source: Jerry Volesky - Nebraska Extension Range and Forage Specialist (CropWatch – June 8, 2026)
Alfalfa Weevil Feeding on Regrowth
Since the first cutting of alfalfa has been completed in much of the state, Nebraska producers may be tempted to believe our troubles with alfalfa weevil are over. Unfortunately, this may not be the case. Alfalfa weevil feeding on regrowth has been reported in some fields, so scouting is highly recommended, particularly if you notice that regrowth doesn’t begin within four to five days after cutting.
Alfalfa plants usually suffer the most injury and economic damage before the first cutting; however, feeding on regrowth can have impacts as well. While larvae cause the most damage, adults can also cause damage by feeding along leaf margins and leaving irregular notches. Adult beetles are roughly 5mm in length with a blunt snout and a brown body covered in golden hairs. Larvae are 1.5mm to 8.5mm long with a black head, wrinkled green body, and white stripe along the back and will curl into a C-shape when disturbed.
Scouting for alfalfa weevil is simple and can help mitigate economic losses. Randomly select five sites across the field and collect six stems at each site, cutting the stems at ground level. Beat the stems into a deep-sided white bucket and count the number of larvae to determine the average number per stem. Economic thresholds for alfalfa weevil can vary greatly from an average of one to seven larvae per stem, depending on a variety of factors.
While there are several insecticides labeled for alfalfa weevil management, some Nebraska weevil populations may be losing susceptibility to the pyrethroid lambda cyhalothrin. Therefore, if you believe you have an infestation above threshold, contact your county extension office for further guidance.
Source: Samantha Daniel - Extension Educator (CropWatch – June 8, 2026)
People
New World Screwworm Returns to North America: Implications for Nebraska Livestock Producers
The New World Screwworm (NWS), Cochliomyia hominivorax, is among the most destructive livestock pests ever encountered in the Western Hemisphere.
Unlike most fly species whose larvae develop in decaying organic matter, New World Screwworm larvae feed exclusively on live tissue of warm-blooded animals.
This feeding behavior causes severe localized tissue destruction, promotes secondary bacterial infections, reduced productivity, animal welfare concerns, and frequently death if infestations are not detected and treated promptly.
Re-emergence and Northward Expansion
The current outbreak began in 2023 when Panama and Costa Rica reported increasing numbers of Screwworm cases north of the traditional containment zone at the border of Panama and Columbia. Since then, the pest has expanded throughout Central America and into Mexico.
By June 2026, more than 171,700 animal cases and over 2,000 human cases had been reported across Mexico and Central America. Infestations have been documented in livestock, companion animals, wildlife, and humans.
Detection of New World Screwworm in Texas
A major development occurred on June 3, 2026, when USDA-APHIS confirmed New World Screwworm in a three-week-old calf in Zavala County, Texas. The infestation was identified in the calf's umbilical region. This represented the first confirmed case in the United States in decades and demonstrated that the pest had successfully crossed the international border.
Within days, USDA confirmed two additional cases, including another calf in La Salle County, Texas, and a dog in Andrews County, Texas. Investigations suggested that the dog had recently traveled from Mexico. These detections triggered an aggressive federal and state response designed to contain and eradicate the infestations before establishment of a reproducing population could occur.
Biology and Economic Importance
Adult female Screwworm flies are attracted to fresh wounds on warm-blooded animals.
Common sites of infestation include branding wounds, dehorning sites, castration wounds, ear tag injuries, tick bites, surgical incisions, and the navels of newborn animals.
Females deposit eggs around wound margins, and larvae hatch within hours.
Unlike secondary myiasis-producing flies that consume dead tissue, Screwworm larvae aggressively invade healthy living tissue. As the larvae feed, wounds become progressively more severe.
The odor associated with the infestation attracts additional female flies, often resulting in multiple generations of larvae within a single wound.
Left untreated, infestations can lead to severe tissue damage, bacterial infections, toxemia, debilitation, and death.
The broad host range of New World Screwworm contributes significantly to its economic importance. The pest attacks:
- Beef and dairy cattle
- Sheep and goats
- Horses
- Swine
- Companion animals
- Mammalian and avian wildlife species.
Because wildlife can serve as reservoirs, eradication and containment efforts are substantially more challenging than those for many other livestock pests.
USDA APHIS Response and Management
The progressive spread of NWS cases northward through Central America over the past 3-4 years has allowed regulatory officials to develop appropriate management strategies in the event of a detection in the United States. Given the increase in cases over this time period and the progressive geographic spread, the recent cases in Texas are not surprising and more cases should be expected.
The previous NWS eradication efforts by the US of the 1960s were extremely successful in eventually pushing the pest down to southern Panama. Thankfully, these efforts have provided a proven blueprint for regulatory officials to follow relative to the current outbreak.
In April of 2026, the USDA published an updated version (V2) of what they call their NWS Response Playbook which incorporates many of the same strategies proven successful in the 1960s. The NWS Response Playbook lays out 8 primary activities which include:
- Effectively manage a coordinated response and communications with stakeholders and the public
- Reduce the spread of NWS and prevent established populations in new areas
- Manage NWS on infected premises
- Implement NWS surveillance and management strategies in wildlife
- Implement NWS fly surveillance and management strategies
- Maintain continuity of business
- Ensure information flow and management
- Identify and maintain resource requirements.
One of the most important techniques for NWS management includes implementing sterile insect technique (SIT).
A unique behavior of female NWS flies is that they only mate once in their life.
Sterile insect technique (SIT) involves rearing sterile flies and releasing them into areas with established adult fly populations to promote matings involving sterile males and wild-type females. The result is a female fly that will lay non-viable eggs for the remainder of her life (about 3 weeks), effectively removing her from the reproductive population. Over time, the continual release of sterile flies results in fewer and fewer reproductively viable adults leading to eradication.
Unfortunately, the current availability and capacity to produce sterile flies is much lower than what is needed to effectively eradicate the fly again. The USDA has made efforts prior to the official US detections to dramatically increase production. While SIT is currently in use along the US-Mexico border, it will likely be fall of 2027 before the sterile fly production and dispersion facilities in the works are fully functional. This means that while the long-term prospect of successful eradication is very promising, we will need to be diligent in our management practices in the meantime to minimize the geographic spread until an adequate number of sterile flies are available.
Implications for Nebraska Livestock Producers
NWS populations of larvae and pupae do not survive sustained soil temperatures below about 46 °F which means the likelihood of an established population in Nebraska is very unlikely. However, given the time required to ramp up sterile fly production, Nebraska remains susceptible to NWS during the warmer months.
The most significant risk for the state of Nebraska currently is the introduction of NWS larvae via animal transport into the state.
Although only a small number of U.S. cases have been confirmed to date, livestock producers should remain vigilant as new detections are likely to occur in southern states. Producers should routinely inspect livestock and monitor for:
- Foul-smelling wounds
- Visible maggots in wounds of living animals
- Enlarging or non-healing lesions
- Excessive licking or irritation
- Unusual restlessness or discomfort
- Infestations associated with navels, branding sites, dehorning wounds, or castration sites.
Veterinarians should be consulted immediately whenever screwworm infestation is suspected. Rapid reporting and response are essential components of containment efforts.
NWS is officially designated as a Category 1 Foreign Animal Disease requiring immediate reporting in all 50 states. Anyone who suspects NWS adults or larvae on their operation should contact their local veterinarian, the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, and/or the USDA immediately. Early detection remains the most effective defense against widespread establishment.
Website and contact information for additional NWS information:
Nebraska Department of Agriculture: 402-471-2351
USDA: 402-434-2300
Source: Dave Boxler, Nebraska Extension Educator, Matt Hille, DVM, MS, PhD Diagnostic Veterinary Pathologist and Nebraska Extension Specialist