News Update
July 1, 2013
Beef Producers Looking for Double Crop Planting to Increase Forage Harvest
Many beef producers across the Midwest have had difficulties harvesting high-quality hay due to inclement weather. High-quality forages are in short supply and difficult to purchase. Beef producers who are short of high-quality forage have an opportunity to double crop behind wheat grain harvest. There are opportunities to double crop forage plantings behind winter wheat grain harvest this summer. According to Michigan State University Extension, several options are available to plant after wheat. Oats, peas, and forage soybeans are some of the options available for late season planting.
Oats can be planted to be harvested as hay or silage. Oats can also be planted in combination with peas to produce high quality feed. Other small grains such as spring wheat, triticale and barley have also been successfully planted with peas for high-quality forage production. Like many of the annual feeds, drying to make dry hay can be difficult. These crops are best suited for silage or balage production.
Another option is to plant a forage-type soybean. Research utilizing soybeans as forage is very limited. Forage soybean feed analysis indicates protein and fiber values to be nearly comparable to alfalfa: protein 18% to 20%, NDF 38% to 46%, and ADF 28% to 34%.
Soybean forage with these feed values was planted with an objective to harvest as high-quality forage. Soybeans that are weather damaged or frozen before reaching maturity can be useful feed for beef cows, but will not produce forage similar in quality to alfalfa. Another concern is the limited list of pesticides approved for use on soybeans destined to be harvested for livestock feed. As with all cropping options, pesticide application must be approved to be used on crops destined for livestock feed.
For more information, please view the full release here.
Cattle Producers Should Pay Attention to Fly Control
External parasites can be costly for cattle producers, and getting a handle on problems early can lead to more prosperous and better-performing cows.
Jason Cleere, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service beef cattle specialist, College Station, told producers at the Independent Cattlemen’s Association meeting in Bastrop that examples of external parasites are bloodsucking flies, which include the horn fly, stable fly, horse fly and deer fly.
Horn flies are a common problem battled by cow-calf producers, Cleere said. Negative effects are decreased weight gain and the consistent irritation caused by flies lying and feeding on the backs of cattle.
“Sometimes you will see cattle just run across the pasture. They are using up energy,” he said. “Ultimately, it leads to reduced profitability.”
For ranchers, first they must identify the external parasite.
“How big of an external parasite problem do you have?” he asked. “Does it have economic implications? What method or methods can I use to control them?”
Activity varies among the different flies. Cleere said while the horn flies rest on the back of the cows, stable flies remain on the cow only while feeding and feed mainly on the legs.
“The horn fly is our most damaging because they do suck blood and reduce the performance of the cow,” Cleere said. “Adult flies live for about three weeks and feed up to 30 times a day.”
They lay eggs profusely, especially around manure piles. Within nine to 12 days, reproduction can occur, he said.
“When we see a big flush of flies come in, there is usually moderate temperatures and recent moisture,” he said.
Peak populations for the horn fly are late spring and early fall. He said the economic treatment level is for approximately 250 flies per animal. Treatments include pour-on, sprays, ear tags, feed additives, dusts and rubs.
Cleere said when it comes to fly control, there are biological controls such as parasitic wasps. Cultural remedies can include removing fresh manure from barns and stalls and preventing buildup of wet, decomposing vegetation such as hay.
“Keep your barns clean and manure away,” he said. “That’s going to be your biggest ally in controlling flies in those areas. Keep things clean and sanitary.”
For more information, please view the full release here.
Purchasing Options Exist to get the Most Out of Beef Buys
Consumers who have appropriate freezer space can shave dollars off their food bills by buying beef in quantity.
Deborah VanOverbeke, an associate professor of meat science with Oklahoma State University’s Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, reminds people there are more ways to purchase meat besides the cuts typically seen in supermarkets.
“Buying family packs that usually provide a lower cost per pound or beef that is on sale and then repackaging extra product for use at a later date are easy ways to stretch food dollars,” she said. “Another option is to buy a whole carcass or side from a meat processor and have the processor cut the beef to specifications based on what the family likes to eat.”
Meat can be purchased as a whole carcass, a side carcass that includes both forequarters and hindquarters or a wholesale cut, in addition to retail cuts. When a consumer buys a whole or side carcass, a variety of cuts are obtained, such as short ribs, brisket and shank.
VanOverbeke reminds consumers every cut must be used for a whole carcass to be a good buy. Cuts that a family does not favor should be processed into ground beef.
“When purchasing a quarter, the consumer can be more selective,” she said. “Hindquarters include the round, loin and flank cuts, and as such provide more steaks and roasts; however, this will cost more per pound than a side carcass.”
Wholesale cuts require less total cost and less freezer space. Buying wholesale allows the consumer to select retail cuts that he or she prefers, but often at a reduced price per cut.
For more information, please view the full release here.
Agriculture Workshop for Military Veterans
to be Hosted July 25
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, in cooperation with the Texas AgrAbility Project and the USDA, will present an agriculture workshop for military veterans July 25 in San Antonio.
The no-cost workshop will take place from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The workshop, called “From Battleground to Breaking Ground: A Transformational Journey,” gives military veterans interested in farming or ranching the opportunity to get information on aspects of starting, developing and funding an agriculture-based business, said program coordinators.
“The Texas AgrAbility Program’s focus is on connecting, assisting and empowering agricultural producers, their family members and employees with disabilities and chronic health conditions to stay engaged in production agriculture,” said Cheryl Grenwelge, AgriLife Extension specialist in disability transition with the Texas AgrAbility Project.
“About 45% of returning veterans are from rural areas, and we want to enable veterans with or without disabilities to return to the area of production agriculture if they choose.”
The program begins with registration and a continental breakfast from 8-9 a.m., followed by a short welcome. Presentations start at 8:45 a.m. and include a presentation by a veteran currently involved in production agriculture. Additional presentations include an overview of the AgrAbility program, panel discussion on resources available for funding options, business-plan development and resource networking.
“The workshop also addresses the possibilities for ranching or farming for veterans with disabilities,” Grenwelge said. “We’re hoping military veterans will take advantage of this program, which has been designed with input from AgriLife Extension, AgrAbility, the USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service, the National Farmer Veteran Coalition, Farm Service Agency and Texas Department of Agriculture.”
For more information, please view the full release here.
Prescribed Burn Workshop Set for Aug. 8-10
The Academy for Ranch Management will host a Prescribed Burning School Aug. 8-10 at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research–Sonora Station.
The workshop will provide information on the history of fire, weather, planning a burn, fuels and fuel moisture, and equipment, according to Ray Hinnant, a Texas A&M AgriLife Research senior research associate in College Station and a workshop presenter.
The fee for this workshop is $395, payable upon registration, plus a $45 facilities-use fee that will be payable to the AgriLife Research station upon arrival, Hinnant said.
The academy’s primary goal is training ranchers for effective rangeland management, and the focus now is on prescribed burning for rangelands, he said. Prescribed burning is a tool that can be used to manage rangeland vegetation for livestock and wildlife, and also reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires by removing hazardous fuel loads.
“These courses offer hands-on experience for ranch owners, as well as new landowners and absentee landowners who may be several generations removed from the ranch,” Hinnant said.
Hinnant and Charles “Butch” Taylor, superintendent of the research station at Sonora, are prescribed-burning board instructors. Other speakers during the two courses include Mort Kothmann, department of ecosystems science and management professor, and Nick Garza, an AgriLife Research associate at Sonora.
The basic course is a prerequisite for the Advanced Prescribed Burning School, which provides more information on fire behavior, fire effects, and planning and conducting a prescribed burn, he said.
Successful completion of both courses and a passing grade on the exam will provide the educational component to begin application for either a private or commercial certified prescribed burn manager through the Texas Department of Agriculture, Hinnant said.
For more information, please visit the Angus Journal’s Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events here.
USDA Invites Applications for Educational and Health Care Rural Community Grants
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA is accepting applications for grants to provide access to education, training and healthcare resources in rural areas. Funding is authorized through the department’s Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) Grant Program. The USDA remains focused on carrying out its mission, despite a time of significant budget uncertainty. The announcement is one part of the department’s efforts to strengthen the rural economy.
“With access to the latest technology, America’s rural citizens can compete in today’s global economy,” Vilsack said. “These Distance Learning and Telemedicine grants will modernize equipment and improve healthcare services and educational opportunities for residents in remote areas. They will help generate jobs in small towns and revitalize rural economies.”
Under this notice, USDA may provide up to $17.5 million in grants. Funds can be used to buy equipment and provide technical assistance. To be eligible, applicants must serve a rural area, demonstrate economic need and provide at least 15% in matching funds.
Awards range up to $500,000. In 2012, USDA Rural Development provided 58 DLT grants for projects in 36 states. Since the program began, 1,400 projects have been funded.
For example, in 2011, USDA Rural Development awarded the Kennett School District in extreme southeast Missouri funds for a results-oriented distance-learning project. Using the connectivity that interactive video affords, their distance-learning initiative offers community college programs during after-school hours. Also, in 2010, the Saint Alexius Medical Center in Bismarck, N.D., received a grant to expand access to state-of-the-art EKG (electrocardiogram) and ECG (echocardiogram) services. More than 24,000 rural residents in 25 communities have benefited by not having to drive great distances for their heart-care services. Completed applications must be received by Aug. 12, 2013.
For more information, please view the full release here.
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