Ramsey County Ag Column

By Bill Hodous

May 26, 2008

Howdy!!!

As I write this prepare this article for the Ag page I am thinking how cold the wind was this morning.  I am writing this on Monday morning as the wind is blowing mach ten from the north.  We really are do, for some warmer temperatures.  In our immediate area we are also sitting o.k. for moisture but it does bother me a bit that the rains chances have been quite high and no rain.  Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying we are desperate for rain or anything of the such, but warm temperatures and a shot of rain, in the normality range, of ½ to 1 inch would not be all bad.  We did get some rain over night but have not heard of any amounts as I write this.  It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out we have been really cold as well as we have corn that has been planted more than 3 weeks ago just emerging. 

I also look across many pastures, in the last couple of days with cattle out grazing.  I want to remind everyone that the sooner we put our cattle out to pasture the shorter the grazing season we will have.  I know that some lots are not good and cattle need to be moved but we try very hard to keep from grazing for another couple of weeks if possible.  With the cool weather, the grasses have not been pushed yet so grazing early will only set back the amount of production available for the growing season.  Another reminder to everyone is to get your bulls checked before you put them out with the cows.  The process is quite easy and gives you more confidence going into the breeding season.  I would also suggest feeding a good mineral package.  If you have a cow herd that is still calving after a 3 month calving period, we need to be looking for reasons of why this has happened.  There many reasons why a dragged out calving season happens but a good vaccination program, for the mother cows, and a good mineral package can go a long way towards keeping those cows cycling and tighten up the calving period. 

Calendar

June 17            North Dakota Stockmans Assoc. feedlot tour (Carrington and New Rockford)     
June 22            Tolna Garden Tour (Only room for 25 people)
June 30-          Canola Day, Minot North Central Research Extension Center
July 8-             North Central Research Extension Center Pulse Day,
July 17-           Langdon field days
July 15-           Carrington field day
July 16             Minot field day
July ????          Ramsey County Crop Tour

524 4th Ave #5, 2nd Floor Ramsey County Courthouse
Devils Lake  ND  58301
701-662-7027
email - ramsey@ndsuext.nodak.edu