TREES, TREES, TREES… The Series
In last month’s Newsletter I let you know about a series of Tree meetings that the SCD and the Extension office would be co-hosting, here is a little more information for you. The first meeting will be held on November 14th, 2007 at the Bijou Theater in Beach. Joel Nichols, Community Forester with the Forest Service, will be our featured speaker. His program is entitled “The Good, The Bad and the Ugly of Trees”. Joel was recently in Beach and conducted an inventory of the Boulevard trees in town. During the meeting he will discuss his findings, many of which should carry over to other parts of the county. Joel will also discuss some tips for tree care and some species that can be used to begin replanting where needed. Due to a generous sponsorship by the Golden Valley SCD this workshop is free of charge to the public. For more information contact the Extension office at 872-4332 or Marty Campbell with the SCD at 872-4551 ext 112. Keep looking for more information on upcoming meetings as we continue with the Trees, Trees, Trees series.
Tax Program for Ag Producers Scheduled
On November 27th at 11 interactive video sites across the state, a program on Income Tax Management for Ag producers and tax preparers will be held. This program will give Ag Producers a chance to ask questions while there is still time to implement the things they learn into this year’s tax plan. Program topics include: Tax update, work opportunity credits, health savings accounts, and many more. There will be a video site at Dickinson State for those who are interested in the area. For more information contact the Extension office.
Central Dakota Bull Day
Mark your calendars for the 5th annual Central Dakota Bull Day. The event will be held on January 26th beginning at 10:00am CST, at Farmer’s Livestock Exchange in Bismarck.
Opportunities available to Graze corn residue.
With more corn acres in the area this summer, there are more opportunities to use the corn residue as a cost effective feed source this winter. Corn residue includes the stalk, leaves, husks, cobs and downed ears. In most cases there is about 50 lbs of residue per bushel of corn harvested. While a cow is not able to access or use all of the residue, they are able to graze about 50% of the residue available. In most cases an acre of residue will support a cow for 1.5 to 2 months. By strip grazing (dividing the field and limiting access with electric fence) you can in increase utilization of the residue and increase your stocking rates.
The portions of the residue with the greatest nutritional value are the husk and leaf, while the cob is highly digestible, it is low in protein. The longer that cattle graze on a particular corn field the lower the nutrient content of their diet becomes. This occurs because the cattle will select the higher quality feeds first, as well as loss of nutrients due to weathering. If long term grazing is desired a protein supplement may be needed. Corn residue also is low in most minerals and vitamin A. Therefore, producers should follow a good-quality vitamin and mineral supplementation program when grazing corn residue.
Corn residue can be grazed long into the winter, as long as snow does not limit the cows ability to selectively graze, therefore grazing length will vary from year to year. Other factors that limit grazing of residue include fields that are not fenced and lack of available water. Other drawbacks include a higher risk or founder or acidosis in fields with high numbers of downed ears. If this is the case cattle should be slowly adapted to a grain diet. Soil compaction is another issue commonly cited for not grazing corn stalks, however research in Nebraska and Iowa has shown that soil compaction is generally not a major issue and does not negatively affect future yields.
Calving Preparation Course Set
On December 5th in Hettinger there will be a course for cow-calf producers that focuses on the 2008 calving season. “Calving ’08- Fast Out of the Gate” will begin at 10am at the Hettinger Research Extension Center.
Topics for the day include:
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· Preparing heifers and cows nutritionally for the calving and rebreeding seasons
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· Recognizing dystocia (difficult calving) and determining if involving a veterinarian is necessary
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· Understanding how trichomoniasis can affect herds in the upcoming breeding season
Registration fee is $25 and is due by November 26th. To register contact Holly Erdmann @ 701-231-7513 or for more information contact Julie Kramlich, Adams County Extension Agent, at 701-567-2735.
North Dakota Lamb and Wool Producers Convention
The 2007 North Dakota Lamb and Wool Producers Convention is Scheduled for November 30th and December 1st at the Best Western Seven Seas in Mandan. Featured speakers for the convention include: Burdell Johnson, American Sheep Industry Association president, Burton Pfliger, ASI regional director, Kasey Carlin, NDSU Animal Science Department, and Rob Maddock, NDSU Animal Science Department, as well as others. Topics during the convention include: cooking and handling lamb, feeding ethanol byproducts to sheep and international travel experiences from our industry’s leaders. Other events include:
· 11:30 a.m. – grilled lamb sirloin dinner with a welcome from Johnson and a session titled “Make It With Wool”
· 1 p.m. – presentation of the Master Sheep Producer Award
· 1:30 p.m. – report on state wildlife services from Phil Mastrangelo, U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services
· 1:45 p.m. – update from Susan Keller, state veterinarian
· 2 p.m. – a presentation on the new livestock risk protection insurance program for lambs from Tim Petry, NDSU Extension livestock marketing economist
· 2:45 p.m. – a presentation on including dried distillers grains in lamb feeding rations from Schauer
· 3:15 p.m. North Dakota Lamb and Wool Producers Association annual meeting
The convention registration fee is $35 per person or $50 for couples. The cost to attend just the noon meal is $15. Event organizers recommend reserving lodging as soon as possible. For more information about the convention, contact Lyle Warner, NDLAWP President, at (701) 255-1183.
Crop Outlook and International Durum Forum
Wheat producers and others involved in the wheat industry are encouraged to attend the Crop Outlook and International Durum Forum, Tuesday, Nov. 6 at the Holiday Inn, Minot. The program, which is a cooperative effort of the North Dakota Wheat Commission and U.S. Durum Growers Association, starts at 8 a.m. and closes with an optional banquet that evening.
Topics include everything from Farm Budgets to the Minneapolis Grain Exchange index contracting. 2007 variety data will also be discussed along with Wheat stem maggot management.
The program is free to the public, with the exception of the optional banquet. Advanced registration is required for meal planning. To register call the ND Wheat Commission at 701-328-5111 by November 1st. For more information please refer to the ND wheat commission website at www.ndwheat.com
