NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665

June 24, 1999

[EDITORS: NDSU President Joseph Chapman will attend the NDSU Dickinson Research Extension Center field day and will be available for media interviews. More information at the end of this news release.]

Field Peas, Fly Ash and Ultrasound are Livestock Highlights of Carrington Field Day

Field peas as cattle feed, fly ash for firmer cattle pens and ultrasound to determine carcass value will be highlights of a livestock tour at North Dakota State University's Carrington Research Extension Center on Tuesday, July 13.

Registration and coffee begin at 9:00 a.m. with tours beginning at 9:30 a.m. NDSU animal scientist Vern Anderson will discuss the value of using field peas in creep feeds and in backgrounding and finishing rations. "NDSU research shows field peas are an excellent source of energy and protein and are very palatable," says Anderson. He will also discuss the value of barley in livestock rations.

In addition, Anderson will provide an update on the facilities for feeding bison for research at the center. "Environmental considerations for pen design in any cattle facility are important and are now required by North Dakota law," he notes. The bison facility is designed to demonstrate key concepts of feedlot waste management. A tour of the pens and an overview of their design will be featured on the tour.

Fly ash, a byproduct of coal burning, can be used to make pens and roads firmer. That's important to improving livestock production and waste management, says Scott Birchall, NDSU Extension waste management specialist. He will discuss the use of fly ash in feedlots.

Flooding has reduced the amount of low land hay available, and producers are considering planting annual crops specifically for forage. Which crop to plant, based on yield and feeding value, will be discussed by Steve Zwinger, research specialist at the center. Steve Metzger, farm business management instructor, will discuss the cost of developing heifers for a breeding herd. Using costs averaged from local producers, Metzger finds $150 is needed to grow a heifer from mid-February to December.

As potato production expands across the state, potato processing by products are becoming a cost-effective source of energy for cattle, according to Kurt Froelich, Foster County Extension agent. Froelich will discuss potato products and where they best fit into cattle rations.

Finally, Karl Hoppe, NDSU Extension livestock specialist, will discuss how ultrasound can be used to sort cattle into market groups. "Most cattle producers have a good eye for sorting cattle, but there are some instances where ultrasound can improve how we sort cattle and boost profitability."

Additional morning tours will highlight cereal grain and broadleaf crop varieties crop production, and crop pest management. Afternoon tours, running from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., will feature similar crop topics and presentations on crop fertility and production systems management.

Refreshments and lunch will be sponsored by Carrington and New Rockford area businesses. For more information, contact the Carrington Research Extension Center at (701) 652-2951 or the center's Web site, www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/carringt/.

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Note to editors: Joseph Chapman took office as NDSU's 13th president on June 2. He also will be attending field days in Hettinger, Dickinson, Williston, Minot, Oakes and Sidney, Mont. "I want to get to know the people of this region. I want to learn their aspirations and what their concerns are. It's critically important to meet the people," he says. Prior to becoming president of North Dakota State University, Chapman served as senior vice president and provost at Montana State University, Bozeman. In addition to administrative duties, Chapman served as a professor of biology. Before joining Montana State in 1996, he was dean of the College of Natural Resources at Utah State University. From 1969 to 1983, he worked at the University of Maryland, College Park, rising to head the Appalachian Environmental Laboratory. Joseph and Gale Chapman have two daughters, Valerie, 14 , and Jennifer, 11.

For more information on Chapman's visit to Carrington or to make advance arrangements for an interview, contact David Wahlberg at (701) 231-8325.

Source: Karl Hoppe (701) 652-2951

Editor: Tom Jirik (701) 231-9629