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He will present the methods he uses to support soil health, grazing management and an ecosystems approach to land management. Grass Valley Farms integrates fungal communities into its soils, uses virtual fencing systems to manage cattle and other strategies to improve land and soil health. [Extracted from the article]

Look for beef prices to rise in 2023 and 2024 - in part because drought in Texas is forcing ranchers to send more cows to slaughter. Today, Texas has about 14% of the nation's beef cow herd but as the climate changes, ranchers will face growing challenges. A recent report published by the University of Wyoming Extension presents the latest research and management options for cattle ranchers faced with horn fly infestations. Staiger said that participating cattle producers would also have the benefit of marketing their more-sustainable herds to consumers interested in environmentally-conscious food. [Extracted from the article]

Timing uncertain This USFWS ruling also comes four to six months before cattle producers need to make their controlled burn management plans, and five to six months before cattle producers turn out their herds for spring grazing. Environmental groups continued pressure on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list the Lesser Prairie Chicken as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act is one issue that just won't seem to expire. [Extracted from the article]

Timing uncertain This USFWS ruling also comes four to six months before cattle producers need to make their controlled burn management plans, and five to six months before cattle producers turn out their herds for spring grazing. Environmental groups continued pressure on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list the Lesser Prairie Chicken as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act is one issue that just won't seem to expire. [Extracted from the article]

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Nov. 17 it will list two distinct population segments (DPS) of the lesser prairie chicken under the Endangered Species Act. USFWS is also finalizing a section 4(d) rule designed to conserve the northern DPS of the lesser prairie chicken while allowing greater flexibility for landowners and land managers. Ranchers and environmentalists are about to face off, yet again, over the lesser prairie chicken. [Extracted from the article]

The University of Nevada, Reno is offering a new line of Nevada Wolf Pack wool products made from Rafter 7 sheep raised by the University'sCollege of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources. A herd of Rafter 7 Merino and Merino/Rambouillet sheep are now produced at the University's Great Basin Research & Extension Center in Eureka. [Extracted from the article]

Since 2010 USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service has worked with nearly 900 landowners to implement conservation actions on about 1.6 million acres through the Lesser Prairie-Chicken Initiative, and landowners have enrolled more than 1.8 million acres across the range of the birds into the Conservation Reserve Program. The lesser prairie-chicken is getting a lot of attention these days. [Extracted from the article]

Grazing was limited to disturbed native prairie with significant amounts of non-native, cool-season grasses to benefit the native flowers and grasses. Native flowers and grasses are growing again in degraded prairie areas in Glacial Lakes State Park in Minnesota, thanks to intensely grazed cattle. [Extracted from the article]

CPAMS focuses on four different conservation categories: crop practices, grazing practices, confined livestock practices and forestry practices. The Conservation Practice Adoption Motivations Survey is a joint project between two USDA agencies - the National Agricultural Statistics Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service. [Extracted from the article]

They also are studying the potential to mitigate wildfire risk by identifying high fuel load areas on rangelands through remote sensing and then strategically employing virtual fencing and grazing to meet fuel management objectives. The use of virtual fencing to manage cattle grazing on sagebrush rangelands has the potential to create fuel breaks needed to help fight wildfires, a recent Oregon State University and U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service study found. The cows consumed 48.5% of the grass fuels inside the fuel break and only 5.5% of the grass fuels outside the fuel break. [Extracted from the article]

The effects of drought are devastating, but agricultural data collected during such challenging times is a valuable teaching tool. The 2011-2014 drought resulted in record-high breeding animal and feeder cattle prices followed by a dramatic price crash. [Extracted from the article]

Watkins says she acquired her culinary skills through Extension's 4-H youth development programs, and she will be using produce and meat from the Experiment Station's Desert Farming Initiative and Wolf Pack Meats. At Nevada Field Day on Sept. 17, visitors will be treated to a variety of hands-on activities, winetasting, demonstrations and giveaways, including a Farm-to-Fork Cooking Demonstration and samples at noon on the Main Stage from the University of Nevada, Reno's own Elisabeth Watkins. She earned her undergraduate degree and is working on her graduate degree from the university's College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources, which is hosting the event, with its Experiment Station and Extension units. [Extracted from the article]

Climate change has brought much scrutiny on the beef industry. Rowntree is co-leading more than 40 members of a $19 million project to take soil samples, assemble on-site ecosystem monitoring towers that measure carbon flow, and discuss parameters of the six-year effort. Best for all Beef production is often cited as a driver of climate change, but Rowntree wants everyone -- from beef producers to the public -- to learn how it can operate in tandem with nature. [Extracted from the article]

If we do a better job grazing, we will have a better pasture with more grass growing which is the better solar panel. In my marketing schools I talk about multiple sources of income because it implies every enterprise will be a profit producer In my schools I talk very briefly about grazing and pasture management. [Extracted from the article]

The conference will confront topics challenging production agriculture today, including pesticide and fertilizer costs, weather and food security. TPPA will also recognize association members for their contributions to agriculture and TPPA at the annual awards luncheon, Dec. 7, including presenting the Norman Borlaug Lifetime Achievement Award, the association's most prestigious award. Other topics to be covered include carbon credit contracts, stink bug control in sorghum and the use of gossypol-free cottonseed to help solve world hunger. [Extracted from the article]

"Privately owned grazing lands cover nearly 30% of the national landscape, which means we have a tremendous opportunity to address climate change and conserve natural resources through voluntary, private lands conservation", says Cosby. USDA is investing up to $12 million in partnerships that expand access to conservation technical assistance for livestock producers and increase the use of conservation practices on grazing lands through its Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative and $15 million for the Conservation Innovation Grants Classic program. [Extracted from the article]

Political finger pointing is again surging on Capitol Hill as Senate Democrats and the White House scramble to approve the recently brokered Inflation Reduction Act between Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and West Virginia Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin. If passed, the current Senate proposal would inject many of those new dollars into proven USDA programs over the next four years - most notably, $3.25 billion annually for the federal Conservation Stewardship Program and $1.3 billion annually for climate-focused technical assistance. U.S. Senate Finance Committee Republicans, led by Ranking Member Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, held a news conference Wednesday to emphasize why the latest "tax-and-spend bill will do nothing to help Americans who are already experiencing the consequences of Democrats' reckless economic policies", according to a statement from the committee. [Extracted from the article]

The package also includes $25 million for the Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives, which support dairy entrepreneurs and are helping dairy businesses to develop new markets, reduce costs and support the local farm economy. On July 20, the House passed H.R. 8294, a package of six fiscal year 2023 federal funding bills, on a 220 to 207 vote, which included the ag funding. "Our bipartisan funding legislation respects the hard work of farmers and ranchers and bolsters economic growth for our Made in America agriculture economy. [Extracted from the article]

The workshop will be facilitated by Ashley Machado, a mental health consultant who works primarily with agricultural professionals and their families. A two-part virtual workshop hosted by Nebraska Extension's Women in Agriculture program in September will focus on managing and working through anxiety. [Extracted from the article]

Considering your feed program Here is an extremely important question to answer: Are we devaluing our feed by feeding it? A view from the markets Looking at market reports from the week in the plains states it is clear the VOG is covering the Cost of Gain (COG) up to 700- to 900-pounds depending on the auction. Which brings us back to that adding value to our feed or devaluing our feed by feeding it to them. [Extracted from the article]

Creep feeding calves for a few weeks prior to weaning will ease the transition and get calves accustomed to concentrate feed. Best management practices for early weaning The first two weeks post weaning are a critical time for calves to overcome weaning stress, maintain health and become nutritionally independent by learning to consume feed. Early weaning calves has the primary benefit of improving cow condition for rebreeding, especially when forage is limited. [Extracted from the article]

Krieg says the system isn't identifying the disease, but rather the potential for disease presence in a field when those temperature indicators rise. Illinois and Indiana farmers will be on the cutting edge of a new technology from Intelinair that can help spot crop diseases early. [Extracted from the article]

For decades, farmers and ranchers who have followed soil health principles have improved the overall health of their land. In addition to taking ecological measurements, researchers at Michigan State and Oregon State University will seek to understand socio-economic barriers to adoption of soil-health-related management in cow-calf operations. Ground has broken - quite literally - on a $19 million research initiative aimed at understanding how a farmer or rancher's grazing management decisions impact soil health and, in turn, how soil health can positively impact land and producer well-being. [Extracted from the article]

Avoid overstocking as forage conditions decline Paschal said hay production and grazing conditions were spotty and mirror scattered rainfall in south Central Texas from Del Rio to Kerrville and east of Corpus Christi back to the Rio Grande River. Plan for tight supplies, test hay Both Corriher-Olson and Paschal expect hay supplies to be tight and low quality going into winter if conditions do not reverse soon. The 2022 Texas hay production outlook appears in doubt due to high fertilizer prices and widespread drought.. Joe Paschal, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service livestock specialist, Corpus Christi, and Vanessa Corriher-Olson, AgriLife Extension forage specialist, Overton, said dry weather, high temperatures and reduced inputs like fertilizer have inhibited warm-season grass production across much of Texas. [Extracted from the article]

This leaves more useable forage for cattle, while producing additional products such as sheep/goat meat and/or wool/goat hair. Farmers and ranchers 100 years ago (and for centuries before that) usually had cattle and sheep, and sometimes goats or horses, all in the same pastures. "In this region of North Dakota, ranchers can add one sheep or 1.5 goats to most pastures without reducing cattle numbers. [Extracted from the article]

The non-native cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.) is the most problematic invasive annual grass at regional spatial scales. Cheatgrass, an invasive annual grass that has invaded Nevada rangelands, is responsible for much of the increasing wildfire danger in the Intermountain West. [Extracted from the article]

This causes my cattle feeder mind to kick in and think thoughts like; if these guys are struggling to get the crop planted, and that comes out in a report, that's all it'll take to drive feed prices up. We all know cattle are the best up-cyclers there is, by utilizing forage off marginal land and converting it into valuable pounds. One is improving grazing management and pasture conditions. [Extracted from the article]

The live discussion will cover planning for drought, marketing cattle during drought, managing grass through drought, and more. Ranchers Stewardship Alliance (RSA) Conservation Coordinator Martin Townsend will add perspective on best management practices for range conservation and further explain the 15-step drought plan RSA member Dale Veseth of Malta, Montana, created and recently implemented during last summer's drought. Just over 60 percent of the U.S. was in some degree of drought as of May 24, 2022,according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. [Extracted from the article]

Critical tool A grazing management plan is a critical tool every livestock or pasture manager should have. The questions I have are, why is forage height much shorter this growing season, how can I manage shorter forage heights or lower yields, what should I be doing now to stay ahead of forage maturing and quality degradation, and finally, what should my stocking density be?. [Extracted from the article]

April threw North Dakota cattle producers an aggressive one-two punch, with the blows coming at the most inopportune time of calving season. "Grazing readiness is the developmental stage where the plant is able to recover from the stress of grazing", says James Rogers, Extension forage crops production specialist at the NDSU North Central Research Extension Center near Minot. [Extracted from the article]

Agricultural producers and industry professionals met with Mississippi State University personnel in the coastal region to discuss research and education priorities at the 2022 Producer Advisory Council meeting in late February. Commodity representatives said they would also like more insect pest management educational programs. [Extracted from the article]

To get fairly even grazing and yet not allow overgrazing, the grazing event should be very short. How can you manage pastures to get the most productivity this year?. [Extracted from the article]

"Adaptive grazing management leads to improved soil health and ranch sustainability", Aljoe says. Graph Aljoe spoke at the 2022 Cattlemen's College on the relationship of livestock grazing and soil health. Adaptive grazing The goal of adaptive grazing for soil health is to integrate livestock in a way that will help the grass regrow quickly - thus keeping a living root in the soil - and encourage water infiltration, Aljoe says. [Extracted from the article]

Clark Roberts is the Coffey Ranch manager at Noble Research Foundation in Oklahoma, and for three years he's been working with different technology tools to improve grazing management. Roberts likes the app's ability to subdivide pastures and store data for each. [Extracted from the article]

Although spring herbicide treatments may be effective for controlling Canada thistle, alternative strategies could be considered, including both spring and fall herbicide treatments, targeted grazing, or mechanical control. Livestock producers can stay flexible by using adaptive management for their rangelands. If 70% of the thistle was controlled by a spring-only herbicide treatment, the producer may decide that only one more year of this management action is needed. [Extracted from the article]

"The Y Cross Ranch Endowment is not only the largest endowment in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, but also one of the largest for the University of Wyoming", says Barbara Rasco, dean of UW's College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. The Y Cross Ranch Endowment is providing significant support to University of Wyoming Y Cross Scholars in the 2021-22 academic year while also helping to ensure the future of agriculture and ranching in Wyoming and beyond. The Y Cross Ranch Endowment supports undergraduate scholarships to attract the best and brightest to disciplines within the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources; internships in animal science, meat science, and farm and ranch management; and stipends for graduate students conducting applied research on real-world issues of ranching, farming and natural resource management. [Extracted from the article]

Looking out over green pastures to see a herd of grazing beef cows can be a pleasant experience for the casual observer. Annual forage crops Planting annual forage crops can extend the growing season and be incorporated into a cash-crop rotation. [Extracted from the article]

Gary Adams, Montana's state plant health director with APHIS in Billings who oversees Montana grasshopper control programs, will discuss rangeland grasshopper management options, available treatments and limitations, existing federal spraying programs, and private cost share options. Montana State University Extension and USDA Agricultural Research Service will host a free, two-hour workshop, "Grasshopper Outbreaks and Management Options in 2022", at 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 29. [Extracted from the article]

Wheat and other small grain pastures have been short due to lack of rain this winter, but recent rains have really given them a boost. The rapid onset of wheat pasture bloat and the short time window from the occurrence of initial symptoms and death may be the scariest part of this disease. Bloat can be an issue on wheat pasture and other small grain pastures, but also legume pastures such as white and Persian clover or alfalfa and can impact both calves or mature cows. [Extracted from the article]

Rotate pastures. b The more livestock are rotated and managed to get even distribution of manure and urine across the entire pasture, the better redistribution of nutrients back into the soil will be. Banking fertility is easier to do on pastures than hayfields. [Extracted from the article]

Eligible producers will receive financial and technical watershed assistance for implementing and planning conservation practices that make a difference in water quality downstream. State water quality agency partners report that 27% of NWQI monitoring watersheds show an improvement in water quality in at least one of the NWQI-monitored pollutants (based on 2016 data). Funding opportunities for farmers, ranchers and landowners with property in two Texas high-priority watersheds are available through the National Water Quality Initiative(NWQI), according to a USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) press release. [Extracted from the article]

The March 12 program includes determining bull fertility: past, present and future with George Perry, Texas A&M AgriLife Research cattle physiologist and associate professor; the paternal influence on pregnancy loss in the female by Pohler; heterosis - as valuable as ever by Craig Gifford, NMSU Extension beef cattle specialist; and generations with the Tucumcari Bull Test by Houston McKenzie from McKenzie Land and Livestock. The New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service and Texas A&M University AgriLife Extension will co-host the annual Southwest Beef Symposium Friday, March 11, and Saturday, March 12, at the Quay County Fairgrounds, 1500 W. Route 66 Blvd., in Tucumcari, New Mexico. [Extracted from the article]

This year up, to 10 scholarships will be awarded to eligible graduating high school seniors who plan to enroll, or are enrolled in, an agriculture program of study at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, with a commitment to engage in the family farm operation after their college graduation. The scholarship fund will award one $1,000 scholarship per year to a college or university-bound incoming freshman from Kansas pursuing a career in the field of agriculture. [Extracted from the article]

Re-seeding offers the possibility to increase pasture productivity and to bring a new mix of forages into the pasture paddock. A sacrifice paddock that has suffered from trampling and reduced stands may be an opportunity to bring some new and improved forage genetics into the pasture mix. That said, a key decision many face regards whether or not reseeding these pasture paddocks that suffered from Mother Nature's abuse this winter is the most efficient option to get these areas back into productive forage?. [Extracted from the article]

This spring, cattle producers may see cows get a swagger about them as they graze new grass, but it is not a sign of confidence. Cattle producers may also want to consider providing hay while cattle are grazing spring pastures. Davis urges cattle producers to visit with their veterinarian and plan treatment protocols in case cattle exhibit these symptoms, because swift action may lead to saving the animal. [Extracted from the article]

While herds were culled and cattle sold, Anderson and other ranchers affected by drought are looking forward to better times to rebuild their herds. Drought conditions last year forced some ranchers, like Anderson, to make tough decisions, including selling off cattle due to potential lessened forage, pastures and rangeland. The drought in 2021 reached disastrous levels for central North Dakota, wreaking havoc on farmers, ranchers and their land. [Extracted from the article]

Of the 9% of greenhouse gas emissions attributed to agriculture, 60% is attributed to animal agriculture (5.4% of total emissions) and 60% of that is methane from all ruminant animal agriculture (3.2% of total US emissions). Common strategies to reduce methane production are supplementation to increase animal performance and providing supplements that directly alter ruminal fiber digestion or methane producing ruminal bacteria. [Extracted from the article]

While each operation is different, Meehan recommends considering a few management practices: B Stocking rate. b This should not be greater than the carry capacity of the pasture to ensure resource management and optimal forage production. Livestock being on a pasture too early causes reduced plant leaf area for photosynthesis, reducing the ability of pasture grasses to replace carbohydrates. With pastures and producers recovering from extensive drought in 2021, there may be changes to when cattle should be turned out this spring. [Extracted from the article]

Grazing public lands - a win-win for farmers, hunters Both federal- and state-owned land can use livestock for management, says Kelley Anderson, livestock and grazing specialist with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. The drought of 2021 challenged livestock farmers with producing and finding enough pasture for their grazing animals. [Extracted from the article]