F. INTEGRATED RESEARCH AND EXTENSION ACTIVITIES

Renewable Resources

* Twelve-month grazing and forage planning workshop (2- and 3-day): Four intensive grazing and forage sessions were held in North Dakota for livestock producers. Ranchers learned to improve their rangeland management skills and develop year-long forage use strategies. There were 84 ranchers participating in this program. Roughly 47 % of the ranchers were beginners in developing new grazing strategies while the remaining individuals looked to further improve their current grazing and forage programs. These four workshops impacted almost 116,000 acres of native rangeland, pastureland, and hayland. Over 75 % of the participants were planning to add new range improvement practices, and over 90 % planned to implement the training strategies learned in the workshops. Two employees of the US Forest Service and the Commissioner of the North Dakota Game and Fish Department participated in the program. These three individuals response to the workshop included trying to incorporate new strategies on a potential 1 to 2 million acres of public lands.

* Trace and macro mineral management workshops: Four workshops were conducted in western North Dakota for livestock producers. Ranchers learned mineral needs for livestock, mineral status on rangeland and pastureland, and balancing mineral needs to improve management skills of the grazing livestock animal and became proactive in maintaining and understanding a well-balanced mineral program. These workshops were designed to teach livestock producers potential problems in mineral deficiencies and how to balance a supplement program to improve livestock health. Over 150 ranchers participated in these workshops, having a direct impact on the health and production potential of an estimated 30,000 head of livestock.

*Educating youth on the importance of the range resource: A 4-day range youth camp was conducted in western North Dakota for youth interested in the range resource and range judging. Youth learned the importance of range to livestock producers, the environment community, and wildlife enthusiasts. They learned basic fundamental range management practices and how to judge the resource for health and value for forage and wildlife habitat. Over 40 youth ages 13-18 participated in the 4-day camp and over 140 participated in the State Range Judging Contest. We believe any involvement of youth in the importance of the range resource and fundamental needs for managing these lands will create a more well-rounded adult.

RESEARCH:

*Nutritional composition and mineral status on native rangeland and introduced grass plants: The NDSU Extension Service in cooperation with the Animal and Range Sciences Department and Hettinger Extension and Research Center has conducted three nutritional studies in western and south central North Dakota. This research has recognized nutritional composition and mineral status of 36 different grass varieties (20 cool-season and 16 warm-season grasses). These results will allow forage growers, livestock producers, and wildlife managers to select one or more grasses that fit their needs and goals to provide a more economically efficient operation. They can select a grass that fits a specific program and problem area. Example: if a livestock producers need to add spring and fall pastures and a summer haying field, they can select a grass that fits each specific need while providing nutrients and forage at optimal levels (meadow brome 'Regar' for spring, switchgrass 'Forestburg' for summer hay ground, Russian wildrye 'Mankota' for fall use while complementing the native pasture for summer grazing). Mineral status was also determined for native prairie with overwhelming results showing copper deficiencies during the entire growing season, zinc deficiencies in many years after mid July, phosphorus deficiencies by early July on all rangelands except lowlands associated with adjacent uplands, and potassium deficiencies after mid September. We also know calcium and iron are adequate during the entire growing season, and potassium high until mid September.

*Effects of sheep grazing using a multi-species and single-species grazing approach on leafy spurge infested rangeland: NDSU Extension Service, in cooperation with the Animal and Range Sciences Department and Hettinger Extension and Research Center, has conducted grazing trials on leafy spurge infested rangeland throughout North Dakota. Sheep effectively controlled leafy spurge after one year using a single species grazing approach and after three years using a multi-species grazing approach. Leafy spurge stem densities were reduced by 94 % and 82 % on single-species and multi-species grazing treatments, respectively, after five years. Seasonlong grazing using a multi-species approach provided a quicker, more efficient grazing of leafy spurge than rotational grazing. However, both reduced leafy spurge stem densities by 92 % and 32%, respectively, after five years.

Entomology Research & Education

Small Grains - Field studies were completed that investigated orange wheat blossom midge and its impact on durum wheats. Though no natural resistance was detected in current varieties, the information provides a benchmark for future evaluation of resistant durum wheats for the state and region. Educational efforts continue on wheat midge management. The sixth statewide survey for assessing overwintering populations of midge was conducted. The results help identify risk potential for midge infestations in the upcoming season. This information is made available through the state survey, grower meetings, newsletters, and news releases. Meetings conducted during the year addressed a broad scope of topics. One emphasis area was aphid management in small grains due to their abundance in 1999 and prevalence of barley yellow dwarf virus.

Pesticide Impact Assessment / Regional Pest Management Centers - A three year proposal was submitted and funded. Cooperative surveys with neighboring states to acquire information on pesticide use and pest management programs are being developed. In addition, a proposal was submitted and funded for conducting a statewide pesticide use survey for the state of North Dakota. The scope of the survey will cover the 2000 production year. A Web page is maintained for this program. Pesticide use surveys for North Dakota crops are currently available at the Web site. Crop profiles, which are overviews of a states crop production and pesticide use, were completed for dry edible beans, wheat, barley, and potato. These are submitted for inclusion in a OPMP/PIA national profile database. Additional profiles completed are sunflower and dairy. Others that are being developed are canola, sugar beets, and corn.

North Dakota Crop and Pest Report - The newsletter is coordinated through the entomology office. Responsibilities include subscriber database, final editing, distribution, and web page publishing. There was an extensive reformatting of the web page for the newsletter to improve access of the information in a timely and more appealing fashion (http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/aginfo/entomology/ndsucpr/index.htm). Published information is regional in scope and distributed to clientele in neighboring states.

Entomology Updates for North Dakota - An extension entomology web site has been developed to provide current information on insect pest management issues being faced within the region. The site provides links to relevant information that often is in more detail than newsletters, extension circulars, and other outlets may provide (http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/aginfo/entomology/entupdates/index.htm).

Integrated Beef Research Extension Activities

North Dakota beef producers have access to a number of grain processing byproducts. About 1000 tons of wheat middlings are produced in the state every day. Wheat middlings are used by the feed industry as base ingredients for supplements, creep feeds, and other products. While many ranch operators would prefer to use these types of byproducts, many are hesitant to switch from traditional feedstuffs until more research data is available. Another factor which influences their decisions is labor concerns. Average age of ranchers in the state is increasing and average number of cows per ranch is increasing as well. This has increased the need for labor saving methods of production. Typically in beef backgrounding operations, rations are either hand fed (labor intensive) or fed with tractors and mixer wagons (capital intensive). Our integrated beef research extension program has investigated the use of wheat middlings as a self fed ration for backgrounding cattle and reported the results back to producers. Based on our research data, wheat middlings can be placed in a self feeder and cattle allowed to "self feed." Similar levels of performance are achieved compared to mixed rations. This saves labor and capital investment for the producer. Producers are very interested in this type of information, which has immediate

application to their operation. Research is ongoing to determine further methods of reducing labor and capital investment inputs into the beef backgrounding operation.

U.S. Department of Agriculture
Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service
Supplement to the Annual Report of Accomplishments and Results
Multistate Extension Activities and Integrated Activities

Institution:  NDSU

State:         North Dakota

Check one:

__ Multistate Extension Activities
__ Integrated Activities (Hatch Act Funds)
X Integrated Activities (Smith-Lever Act Funds)                                                                                                

Check one: 

__ Multistate Extension Activities
 X Integrated Activities (Hatch Act Funds)
 __ Integrated Activities (Smith-Lever Act Funds)