Nebraska Extension Educator - Holt/Boyd Counties - LaDonna Werth
Nebraska Extension Educator - Holt/Boyd Counties - Amy Timmerman
Nebraska Extension Educator - Brown/Rock/Keya Paha Counties - Brittany Spieker
Nebraska Extension Educator - Holt/Boyd/Garfield/Loup/Wheeler Counties - Bethany Johnston
Nebraska 4-H Assistant - Holt/Boyd Counties - Debra Walnofer
January 21: Leaving a Lasting Legacy for Midwestern Farm Women, 5pm-8:00pm, Holt County Annex, https://wia.unl.edu/succession25.
January 23: ServSafe - Food Managers Training, 8:30am, Holt County Courthouse Annex, O’Neill
January 23: Face-to-Face Private Pesticide Training/Beef Update, 10:30am, Stuart Auditorium, Stuart, NE, pested.unl.edu
January 23: Face-to-Face Private Pesticide Training/Beef Update, 1pm, Antelope County Fairgrounds, Neligh, NE, pested.unl.edu
January 23: Face-to-Face Private Pesticide Training/Beef Update, 6pm, Antelope County Fairgrounds, Neligh, NE, pested.unl.edu
January 28: Prescribed Fire Workshop, 9am-3pm, Holt County Extension Office, Register at: https://nebraskapf.com/prescribed-fire. Contact Ashley Yost: 402-637-6829
January 29: Commercial and Noncommercial Recertification Applicator Training, Holt County Courthouse Annex, O’Neill, NE, pested.unl.edu
January 31: Face-to-Face Private Pesticide Training/Beef Update, 1pm, Bloomfield Community Center, Bloomfield, NE, pested.unl.edu
February 3: Face-to-Face Private Pesticide Training/Beef Update, 9:30am, Holt County Courthouse Annex, O’Neill, NE, pested.unl.edu
February 3: DUE by Noon: 2025 4-H Special Garden Project Seed Order, https://go.unl.edu/holtboydspecialgardenseeds
February 3: DUE by Noon: 2025 4-H Special Agronomy Project Seed Order, https://go.unl.edu/2025holtboydspecialagronomy
February 12: Commercial and Noncommercial Recertification Applicator Training, Holt County Courthouse Annex, O’Neill, NE, pested.unl.edu
Physical Development: Infancy Through Preschool
Physical development takes place quickly in the lives of children. The infant who was once immobile turns into the toddler who seems to be always on the move. Children differ in how quickly they develop large motor skills. This development occurs in stages, each one building upon the previous ones. The rate of this development is less important than the sequence. An environment that encourages physical development through exploration is important for children of all ages.
Children need to visit a doctor regularly because the doctor will monitor their growth and development. Parents who have concerns about their children's development should consult with a doctor.
1. What are some developmental milestones in physical growth during the first five years of a child's life?
- First year:
- Birth-2 months: babies focus on your face when you talk; arm and leg movements appear to be uncoordinated; weak neck muscles mean that babies cannot control their head movements.
- 3-4 months: babies begin to develop head control and can lift their chests when placed on their stomachs. While you should let your baby have some supervised play time on her stomach, ALWAYS place your child on her back to sleep.
- 4-5 months: babies roll from side to back and/or from back to side.
- 6-7 months: babies can turn completely over (front to back and/or back to front).
- 7 months: babies can pull themselves up to stand but have trouble sitting down again.
- 7-8 months: babies can sit up steadily with the support of their arms.
- 8-10 months: babies can creep on their stomachs or begin to crawl on their hands and knees. (Some babies do not learn to crawl until after they learn to stand.)
- 9-11 months: babies can walk when led by the hands or "cruise" holding onto furniture.
- 12-15 months: babies can stand without holding on to anything and begin walking.
- Birth-2 months: babies focus on your face when you talk; arm and leg movements appear to be uncoordinated; weak neck muscles mean that babies cannot control their head movements.
LaDonna Werth
Extension Educator
Phone: 402-336-2760
E-mail: LWerth2@unl.edu
- 1-3 years:
- 18 months: toddlers are walking well, both forward and backwards; they can creep downstairs and get on and off a low chair; they can throw a ball without losing balance.
- 24 months: children are able to run and climb.
- 36 months: children are refining large motor skills; they can alternate feet while climbing stairs, ride a tricycle, jump and balance on one foot. They can throw a ball overhand.
- 36-48 months: children can run and skip well, play simple ball games, and are skilled tricycle riders.
- 48-60 months: children can hop, skip, run, play with a ball, and climb.
2. What are some activities I can do to encourage my child's physical development?
- Birth to 12 months:
- Allow your baby plenty of safe space for rolling, scooting and crawling.
- Make sure your baby's clothing is loose enough so arms and legs can move freely.
- Play gentle exercise games.
- To encourage your baby to crawl, place a favorite toy just out of reach.
- Provide firm, stable objects on which your baby can pull up to a standing position.
- One to 3 years old:
- Provide pull toys that make noise. Encourage your child to walk forward and backward while pulling the toy.
- Help your child walk up and down stairs.
- Help your child jump off the first or second step and over a small object.
- Provide opportunities for your child to climb up and through things.
- Provide both large and small balls for throwing and kicking.
- Provide a wagon for pulling and carrying objects from place to place.
- Four to 5 years old:
- Have your child walk along a line drawn on the floor to learn balance.
- Provide a mat for tumbling play such as rolls and somersaults.
- Play catch with your child, starting with a large ball and gradually changing to smaller sized balls.
Source: ParentLink, 4-H/Youth Development, University of Missouri-Columbia
Are you considering establishing a new alfalfa stand this coming spring? Site selection, proper weed management, good fertilization and seedbed preparation are all crucial steps for a successful stand. Whether it’s Roundup Ready or conventional alfalfa, selecting the right variety will dictate yield, quality, potential, degree of insect and disease resistance, as well as longevity of the stand.
Remember several important factors when choosing an alfalfa variety for a specific site. These include winter survival, fall dormancy, disease resistance, persistence and yield potential.
Winter survival and fall dormancy ratings are typically based on a numerical scale. For Nebraska, a winter survival score of 3 or 4 is desired, but a score of 2 may be suited for the northern most areas of the state. For fall dormancy, a score of 3 or 4 is desired for Nebraska.
For disease and insect pest management, a good strategy is to select varieties resistant to the most recurring pests and diseases specific to your location, especially those that have been problematic the last several years. Resistant varieties will save money and time by eliminating or drastically reducing the need for chemical control.
An alfalfa variety that can keep consistent yields up to its fourth and fifth year is considered a persistent variety. Persistence is
Amy Timmerman
Extension Educator
Phone: 402-336-2760
E-mail: atimmerman2@unl.edu
closely related to winter hardiness, specific weather conditions, past management as well disease and insect pressure. Similarly, yield potential of alfalfa varieties is dictated by its genetics, but actual forage yield that each variety can achieve is limited by field conditions and management practices.
Source: Jerry Volesky – UNL Agronomy and Horticulture Professor (January 14, 2025)
Corn residue is a tremendous feed resource for cattle in Nebraska. With Nebraska’s 9 million corn acres and 1.8 million beef cows, there is more than twice the number of corn stalk acres needed for grazing all of Nebraska’s beef cows! The Nebraska Extension Circular Grazing Crop Residues with Beef Cattle is an excellent resource on grazing corn stalks. The following are keys from that resource when planning for grazing cornstalks.
Keys to Consider
- Scout fields prior to grazing to determine the amount of corn present and to look for piles that could cause grain overload which can result in bloat or death in cattle. If there is more than 8-10 bushels of ears of corn per acre on the ground, a grazing strategy to control corn intake will need to be used.
- Stocking rate should be determined based on corn bushel yield per acre and the average weight of cattle that will be grazing. The Corn Stalk Grazing Calculator is an Excel® spreadsheet that can be used to calculate this.
- A quick way to estimate grazing days per acre available for a 1200 pound non-lactating cow is to take corn bushel yield and divide by 3.5. For example, 180 bushel yield / 3.5 = 51 grazing days per acre.
Bethany Johnston
Extension Educator
Phone: 402-336-2760
E-mail: bjohnston3@unl.edu
- Quality of grazing starts high at approximately 70% total digestible nutrients (TDN) and then decrease to a low of 45% TDN at the end of the grazing period. The rate of quality decline is dependent on stocking rate and environmental factors such as moisture and field conditions.
- Mature non-lactating, spring calving cows in a body condition score 5 or better will not need protein supplement when grazed at recommended stocking rates according to University of Nebraska–Lincoln research.
- First-calf heifers in the 90 days prior to calving will need protein and energy supplementation to meet nutrient requirements. Feeding 3.5 lbs per head per day of dried distillers grains would meet this need.
- Fall-calving cows will need additional protein and energy to meet nutrient requirements. Cows less than three months after calving will need 4.5 lbs per head per day of a supplement that is at least 30% protein and 90% total digestible nutrients (TDN) on a dry matter basis. Feeding 5 lbs per head per day of dried distillers grains would meet this need.
- Weaned calves grazing corn stalks with a targeted gain of 1.0 lb per day will need to be feed an energy and protein supplement. Research has demonstrated that dried distillers grains fed at 2 lbs per head per day when calves are grazing corn stalks will usually meet this targeted gain.
- Deep snow and ice can severely limit the ability of cattle to graze corn stalks. Have a backup plan and other feed resources available to meet cattle needs when this occurs.
Corn stalks can be an excellent, economical resource for late fall and winter grazing in many parts of the state.
Source: Aaron Berger – Nebraska Extension Beef Educator (BeefWatch – February 2, 2020)
One Day – Both Pesticide And BQA Certified
Beef producers in north-central Nebraska have an opportunity to get both their private pesticide certification and Beef Quality Assurance certification in January 2025.
These are the only private pesticide trainings in the state that focuses on the information beef producers need. Anyone can attend the training, which can be strictly informational, or used for pesticide certification or recertification, or Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) certification or continuing education hours.
“In one day, beef producers can complete the certification process to purchase restricted use pesticides, combined with a BQA training,” Bethany Johnston, livestock systems educator with Nebraska Extension, said. “Everything is up-to-date for both your pesticide training and BQA in one day.”
Beside the private pesticide training, beef topics covered will include: Feeding in a Drought and Alternatives when Grass is Short, Wildfire Readiness for the Ranch, and Fly Control Options for cattle.
Trainings are scheduled for: January 15 at Valentine Midplains Community College from 10 am- 2 pm CT; January 23 at the Stuart Auditorium from 10:30 am - 2:30 pm, and January 30 at Uncle Buck’s Lodge in Brewster from 11 am – 3 pm.
Registration is appreciated for lunch count and materials, but walk-ins are welcome. Cost is $60 for pesticide certification.
To register go to go.unl.edu/2025beefwpest or call the local Extension Office. Call 402-376-1850 for Valentine. Call 402-336-2760 for Stuart. Call 308-645-2267 for Brewster.
More information about pesticide applicator training is available at pested.unl.edu/certification-and-training.