Ramsey County Ag Column

By Bill Hodous

June 15, 2009

Howdy!!!!!

Finally some warm weather.  Crops in the area are very sporadic to say the least, some small grains look very good where the corn crop looks like help is needed.  The warm weather will surely help.

Cow Calf: How To Convert From Year-Round Calving To A Controlled Breeding Season
Maintaining a controlled breeding and calving season can be one of the most important management tools for cow-calf producers.  A uniform, heavier, and valuable calf crop is one key reason for keeping the breeding season short.  Plus, more efficient cow supplementation and cow herd health programs are products of a short breeding season.  However, converting from a year-long breeding season to a shortened 2 to 3 month breeding season should not be done haphazardly. 

A system for converting from year-round to a 90-day controlled calving season over a period of three years would present less loss and fewer problems than to try to convert in one year. The following steps are suggested for getting on a controlled breeding system:

1.    Build a good strong bull pen or well-fenced bull pasture. An electric fence in addition to the regular fence may be needed.

2.    Remove bull from herd. Select removal date to coincide with the latest date you want calves born.

3.    Sixty days after removing the bulls from the herd (or at a convenient time near this date), pregnancy check all cows and cull all non-pregnant dry, breeding-age females that have been running with the bull and all non-pregnant cows with calves 5 months of age or older.

4.    Put bulls back with herd the first year so that calving season will be six months long.

5.    Start breeding replacement heifers 20 to 30 days ahead of the final long-range planned breeding date for your herd.

6.    The second year, follow the same system as outlined about except start breeding so that calving season will be about four and a half months long.

7.    The third year follow the same system as outlined above, except start breeding season so that calving season will be 75 to 90 days. Also, cull all open cows this year when pregnancy checking regardless of the age of their calves. The breeding season may be reduced even further in the following years.

Source: Kent Barnes, Northeast Oklahoma OSU Extension Area Livestock Specialist and Glenn Selk, OSU Extension Cattle Reproduction Specialist

http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/plantsci/pests/e1143w1.htm

2009 Project Safe Send Dates Set
Project Safe Send was started in 1992 to help farmers safely and legally get rid of unusable pesticides. Since then, more than 6,400 people have brought in over 2.3 million pounds of pesticides. With the support of pesticide manufacturers, the North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA) has funds to help get rid of more.

Any pesticides (herbicides, insecticides, rodenticides and fungicides) that are old, unusable or banned--like DDT, arsenic, dieldrin, chlordane or mercury seed treatments. A healthy environment is something we take for granted. Now there's a way to get rid of these old pesticides for good. It's called Project Safe Send. IT'S...SAFE, SIMPLE, NON-REGULATORY, FREE!

Please check your storage areas for any unusable pesticides. If you find some, bring them to Project Safe Send. Pre-registration is not required. If you need more information or want to arrange for large quantity deliveries, call the NDDA toll-free at

1-800-242-7535. In the meantime, keep pesticides safely locked up. If you have deteriorating or leaking containers, over pack them in larger containers and add absorbent materials. Free heavy-duty plastic bags are available from the NDDA. For more information please contact the Extension Office at 968-4361.

Unfortunately, there will be no Safe Send in Towner County this year. The closest will be in Devils Lake July 13th at 1905 Schwan Ave NW; 2½ miles west of Devils Lake Industrial Park, south side of US Hwy. 2.

Cold Weather Affecting Phosphorus
Along with a possible sulfur deficiency, phosphorus is also proving to be not deficient, but difficult for the plants to absorb. To determine if your crop is being affected, there will be purple striping on the leaves and or stems of the plant. In our joint variety plot, the corn is being affected by this. No cure, unless you can make the sunshine happen!

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