University of Nebraska Extension - Holt/Boyd News Column for the Week of January 7, 2024

LaDonna Werth, Extension Educator Phone: 402-336-2760 E-mail: LWerth2@unl.edu

Using, Not Abusing, Timeouts for Kids

Many parents and grandparents use timeouts to remove a misbehaving child to a quiet setting before a no-win situation escalates out of hand. Although a timeout may seem trivial to an adult, it’s remarkably powerful for a child - if managed properly, said a University of Missouri Extension human development specialist.

“The child is learning that there are consequences of his misbehavior, without giving him the negative attention that comes with being yelled at or spanked,” said Saralee Jamieson.

Here are some guidelines:

• Use timeouts sparingly, not for everything a child does wrong.
• The rule of thumb for length of the timeout is one minute per year of the child’s age. For example, a 4-year-old would have a four-minute timeout, extending to five minutes when the child turns 5.
• Because a young child’s attention span is so short, the timeout should begin as soon as the behavior occurs. Be willing to follow through on your warnings, even if you’re inconvenienced.
• Be kind but firm. Tell the child briefly what he or she did wrong and what the preferred behavior is, but save further discussion until after the timeout. Have the child sit in a quiet place away from the center of activity.
• Consider using a timer, so when a child asks “How much longer?” you can say that the buzzer will go off in whatever time is left.
• When the timeout is finished, give your child a hug.

Source: Saralee Jamieson, Human Development Specialist, St. Clair County, University of Missouri Extension

African Violet Care

African violets are one of America’s most popular houseplants. They belong to the Saintpaulia genus and are one of the most commonly grown members of the gesneriad (Gesneriaceae) family. They are not related to the hardy violets (Viola) we enjoy in outdoor gardens. Under the proper growing conditions, they will bloom almost continuously indoors.

While African violets are relatively easy to grow, they do require consistent care and attention to light, temperature, watering, and fertilization.

Light
Proper light is essential for good bloom. African violets require more light than most gardeners first realize. Thin, dark, blue-green leaves with long petioles indicate insufficient light. However, direct light for long periods can be damaging. Too much light produces stunted plants with leaves that are small, crinkled, leathery, and yellow. Generally, windows with north and eastern exposures are best for African violets. Plants also grow well under fluorescent or LED lights. Place lights 4-8 inches (yes, that close!) above the plants for 12-16 hours per day to provide sufficient light to initiate blooms.

Temperature
African violets require air temperatures between 65 and 80°F. Typically, temperatures below 50°F will cause leaves to darken, wither, and become watersoaked. Temperatures above 85°F will slow growth and flowering.

Watering

Watering African violets is often the most difficult part of their care. The plants require a moist, well-drained soil. If the soils are too wet, the plants may rot. If plants are too dry, growth will be stunted and flowering will be limited. Water temperature becomes especially important during the winter months, as cold water directly on the leaves will damage them quickly. African violets are often sub-irrigated by placing the plant in a saucer of water and allowing the plant to soak up water from the bottom of the pot. This prevents injury from cold water on the leaves and insures moisture throughout the soil. However, plants should not remain submerged in saucers of water for long periods as they may rot. Allow the top inch of the soil to dry before sub irrigating again.

African violets also can be watered from the top of the soil if room-temperature water is used and the foliage remains dry. In fact, occasional top watering is recommended to prevent salt accumulation. Specially designed African violet pots allow continuous watering. A water reservoir at the base of the plant and an absorbent wick, or porous surface connects the soil and the water reservoir. This method is effective in maintaining an even moisture level of the soil.

However, periodic leaching of the soil profile with water from the top might be necessary to prevent the accumulation of salts.

Soils
A loose, porous, fertile soilless mix is recommended for growing African violets. Many commercial soilless mixes are available and suitable for African violets.

Source: Cynthia Haynes – Iowa State University Professor and Aaron Steil – Iowa State University Consumer Horticulture Extension Specialist (Iowa State University Horticulture and Home Pest News – January 2023)

Steve Niemeyer, Extension Educator Phone: 308-346-4200 E-mail: sniemeyer1@unl.edu

Testing and Feeding Tobacco-Brown Hay and Silage

Did difficult weather this year cause your hay to be baled too wet or silage chopped too dry? Now that hay and silage has heated and turned brown, how should you feed these forages?

Hay baled too wet or silage chopped to dry can get excessively hot and cause certain chemical reactions to occur. These chemical reactions and the heat that produces them will darken your forage and make it smell sweet like caramel.

Livestock often find such hay or silage very palatable. But the chemical reaction that caused this heat-damaged forage reduces its energy value and also makes some of the protein become indigestible. Unfortunately, tests for crude protein do not distinguish between regular crude protein and this heat-damaged protein. As a result, your forage test can mislead you into thinking you have more usable protein in your forage than actually is there.

If your forage test is done using NIR, heat-damaged protein may be one of the analyses reported. If the heat-damaged protein is high enough, the test also will report an adjusted crude protein that is different from the regular crude protein. However, the NIR test for heat-damage may not be accurate enough for you if your ration contains a lot of this forage. In these cases where a large amount of heat-damaged protein is suspected, request from your lab a chemical analysis for heat-damaged protein.

This will ensure the amount of head damage is measured correctly and allow you to adjust the amount of crude protein your forage actually will provide to your animals.

Forage tests can tell us a lot about the nutrient supplying ability of our forages. But we need to make sure we conduct the right tests and then use the results wisely.

Source: Ben Beckman - Extension Educator (Pasture and Forage Minute – December 19, 2023)

Steve Niemeyer, Extension Educator Phone: 308-346-4200 E-mail: sniemeyer1@unl.edu

Using Bad Hay and Silage

Low supply and high costs mean some less-than-ideal feedstuffs may be used this winter. Low quality, mold and even mycotoxins can all be a risk for poor quality feeds. Can we still make use of these forage options?

Silage put up too wet has likely had a clostridial fermentation resulting in poor quality and high levels of butyric acid. Not only is feed quality reduced, but the stability of the pile once opened drops as well and mold growth on the feeding face is more likely.

In both hay and silage stored too dry, mold growth is a primary concern. Mold reduces feed quality and can limit intake in high quantities. In some circumstances, molds can produce mycotoxins, even with low mold counts. Impacts of mycotoxins are wide-ranging and depend on the specific toxin or toxins present and concentrations. Impacts can range from reduced intake to liver and rumen damage to infertility and abortions.

Whether too wet or too dry, these feed options are less than ideal but can still be used if we take precautions. First, test. Knowing the levels of mold, butyric acid or mycotoxin in a feed can help with the next step — dilution. Keeping poor feed to a low percentage of the overall diet can allow for use while minimizing risk to livestock. Finally, don’t feed to high-risk animals. Young calves, stressed animals and those in late gestation are all at higher risk of impact.

Low quality silage and hay comes with risks. Knowing the impact mold, mycotoxins and butyric acid can have on quality, intake and animal health is important and can help us plan the best way to use these imperfect feed resources.

Source: Ben Beckman - Extension Educator (Pasture and Forage Minute – December 26, 2023)