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Drought brings many nutritional and animal health-related challenges. Cow performance issues during the grazing season may result from reduced forage quality and quantity. It is possible that cows will enter the fall and winter in lower than desired body condition score and with other potential nutrient deficiencies that may not be noticeable. Vitamin A deficiency is one potential challenge that may arise when feeding drought-affected forages, according to North Dakota State University (NDSU)...
Farmers in the western Dakotas and eastern Montana will have the opportunity to hear nationally-known speakers address topics affecting agriculture in the region during North Dakota University (NDSU) Extension's Diversity, Direction and Dollars agricultural forum. It will be held Tuesday, Jan. 11 at the Roosevelt Grand Dakota Hotel, Dickinson. The forum will provide ideas for improving productivity and decreasing costs while providing high quality food produced in a sustainable manner....
Agricultural producers should do tax planning before the end of the year. “It is that time of the year again to think about year-end tax planning,” says Ron Haugen, North Dakota State University (NDSU) Extension farm management specialist. “Generally, all or most of the government payments that farmers and ranchers received during the year must be reported as income in the year it is received,” says Haugen. “When tax planning, it is best to start with year-to-date income and expenses and estimate them for the remainder of the year,” says Haugen...
Farmers in the western Dakotas and eastern Montana will have the opportunity to hear nationally-known speakers address topics affecting agriculture in the region during North Dakota University (NDSU) Extension's Diversity, Direction and Dollars agricultural forum. It will be held Tuesday, Jan. 11 at the Roosevelt Grand Dakota Hotel, Dickinson. The forum will provide ideas for improving productivity and decreasing costs while providing high quality food produced in a sustainable manner....
The weather this year has presented many challenges. A drought that started in 2020, a frost in late May and hot, dry weather during the summer had a huge effect on crop production. "Having the ability to irrigate during droughty weather conditions makes a difference in crop production," says Tom Scherer, North Dakota State University (NDSU) Extension agricultural engineer. To help farmers with their irrigation management, NDSU Extension is holding an irrigation workshop in conjunction with the...
The weather this year has presented many challenges. A drought that started in 2020, a frost in late May and hot, dry weather during the summer had a huge effect on crop production. “Having the ability to irrigate during droughty weather conditions makes a difference in crop production,” says Tom Scherer, North Dakota State University (NDSU) Extension agricultural engineer. To help farmers with their irrigation management, NDSU Extension is holding an irrigation workshop in conjunction with the North Dakota Irrigation Association on Thu...
Producers who have relocated their cattle out of state for winter feeding this year should consider having a weed management protocol in place when the cattle return, say North Dakota State University Extension specialists. "If you have sent your cattle to areas where there are known Palmer amaranth, waterhemp or other noxious or troublesome weed issues, it will be important to allow a 'cleanout period' upon return," says Joe Ikley, NDSU Extension weed specialist. "Crop fields are not the...
Late August and September rains have left drought stressed pasture and rangeland in some areas of North Dakota looking green and lush. Leading ranchers to wonder if they should take advantage of this forage, and how grazing will influence forage production in 2022? “The answer to this question is going to depend largely on the grass species in the pasture,” says Miranda Meehan, North Dakota State University Extension livestock environmental stewardship specialist. “If the pasture is comprised of tame grass species such as brome grass or Kentu...
Due to increasing natural gas prices, nitrogen fertilizer prices are relatively high compared to recent years and are expected to remain high and possibly increase through next spring, says Dave Franzen, NDSU Extension soil science specialist. "China has supplied about a third of the world's phosphate, and it has essentially banned exports through 2022," Franzen continues. "That puts the burden of supply on other countries, including the United States." According to Franzen, the U.S. is not in...
Insect vector transmitted diseases can cause severe disease in wildlife and in some instances domestic livestock. "Two notable infectious diseases transmitted by biting and or sucking insects are Bluetongue and Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease or EHD," says Gerald Stokka, NDSU Extension veterinarian and livestock stewardship specialist. "The virus that causes EHD is closely related to the Bluetongue virus and is transmitted via insects belonging to the Culicoides species of midges, also known as...
Due to the impacts of widespread drought on forage and hay production in North Dakota, most livestock producers are seeking feed resources to get animals through the upcoming winter. The United States Department of Agriculture recently announced that the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees and Farm-raised Fish (ELAP) program will be expanding to cover feed transportation costs for those impacted by drought. Livestock producers in all North Dakota counties will be eligible. Additional...
North Dakota State University (NDSU) Agricultural Affairs is seeking the public's input on a new strategic plan. The plan will provide vision and direction for the NDSU College of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Natural Resources, the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station and NDSU Extension for the next five years. "We value the needs and priorities of our stakeholders," says Greg Lardy, NDSU vice president for agricultural affairs. "Their input will help us to create the strategies and ta...
The drought in North Dakota is impacting the yield of small-grain crops such as barley, oats, rye, triticale and wheat, leading some producers to harvest the small grains as hay. The severe lack of moisture also has impacted this year's hay production and many producers are seeking alternative, possibly nontraditional, sources of forage such as cattails, flax, kochia, millet varieties and soybeans. "With limited forage on the market and high prices, it may be a better option to evaluate local...
Following years of field research on soybean planting rates and/or row spacing, North Dakota State University Extension agronomists are updating their recommendations for establishing soybean stands. Their long-term recommendation has been 150,000 plants per acre across row spacings. In 2020, Greg Endres and Hans Kandel, NDSU Extension agronomists, compiled and evaluated data from 37 NDSU trials conducted during 2008 - 2019 across the state. "The objective was to provide a more precise guide for...
Weather forecasts predict worsening drought conditions in the northern Great Plains for the 2021 growing season, which is bad news for cattle producers. Many cattle operations will find themselves without enough forage and feedstuffs to maintain their current herd size. "Unfortunately, often decisions are made more with emotion than logic during stressful times," says Lisa Pederson, Extension livestock specialist at North Dakota State University's Central Grasslands Research Extension Center...
Using manure as fertilizer can lead to the spread of noxious and troublesome weeds. "It is a known fact that weed seeds pass unharmed through the digestive tracts of ruminant animals (cattle, sheep)," says Mary Keena, livestock environmental management specialist based at North Dakota State University's Carrington Research Extension Center. "This means that whatever weed seeds are in the feed or bedding you're using are still viable when they exit the animal as manure. "There is also a line of...
Calf abortions can be a major concern for cattle producers. An abortion is the discharge of the fetus prior to the end of the normal gestation period, according to Gerald Stokka, North Dakota State University Extension veterinarian and livestock stewardship specialist. Many abortions occur within the first 45 days of conception (called early embryonic death), and the embryos or fetuses are so small that they may not be seen. Other abortions may occur near normal calving time, and determining...
A statewide citizen science network is looking for volunteers for rain and snow reporting in North Dakota. These observers will measure rainfall, snowfall and snow depth as part of the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow (CoCoRaHS) Network. Observers also are encouraged to measure the water equivalent of the snow after it melts, although that is optional. "This is your chance to become part of the state's climatological history and contribute to an accurate flood potential forecast in...
Producers and others will have an opportunity to learn more about tile drainage during an online tile drainage design and management webinar North Dakota State University Extension is holding from 8:30 a.m. to noon March 25. "This tile design educational event is intended for agricultural producers and those interested in understanding basic design principles and agronomic practices for tile drainage, including utilizing subirrigation and managing the water table with control boxes," says Hans...
North Dakota growers continue to be the No. 1 producers of sunflowers in the U.S., harvesting 715,000 acres of the crop in 2020. Sunflowers are harvested for oil, confection uses and bird food. Each sunflower variety has distinctive agronomic characteristics that producers should consider when selecting a hybrid to grow. "Choosing a hybrid and using proper agronomic practices are important decisions a producer makes in raising a successful crop," says Hans Kandel, a North Dakota State...
Winter and early spring calving can lead to health risks for the newborns, North Dakota State University Extension livestock specialists caution. This winter's mild weather has created calving conditions that are favorable to the producer and the livestock. However, colder temperatures and wind are still a risk to newborn calves. Hypothermia can result, which leads to delayed nursing, frozen ears, frozen feet and an increased risk of infectious disease. Calving indoors can alleviate some of...
Producers and crop advisers will have an opportunity to learn more about canola production during the Getting it Right in Canola Production online conference that North Dakota State University Extension, with support from the Northern Canola Growers Association, is holding from 8:30 a.m. - noon Tuesday, March 16. Canola is a major oil crop in the northern Great Plains, particularly in North Dakota. In 2020, North Dakota accounted for nearly 1.5 million harvested acres, approximately 83% of all a...
Soybean producers and crop advisers will have an opportunity to learn about soybean production management issues during the 2021 Getting it Right in Soybean Production online conference that North Dakota State University Extension, with support from the North Dakota Soybean Council, is holding from 8:30 to 11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 17. “Crop production depends on many decisions, and new research-based production information is generated annually,” says Hans Kandel, Extension agronomist for broadleaf crops. “Therefore, it is important for produ...
The North Dakota State University Extension projected crop budgets for 2021 are available for the state’s producers, says Ron Haugen, NDSU Extension farm management specialist. The 2021 projected profits vary by region and crop. “The budgets are guides for large multicounty regions,” says Haugen. “Returns and costs can vary considerably between producers within a region. Also, the budgets estimate returns to labor and management with no consideration of price and yield variability or risk. A perfect comparison of crops is not achieved because...
On Feb. 11, the North Dakota 4-H Foundation will participate in the Dakota Medical Foundation's annual Giving Hearts Day, a 24-hour online fundraising event for charities in North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota. The North Dakota 4-H Foundation is a nonprofit organization that secures and manages financial resources to support and expand North Dakota's 4-H programs and educational opportunities in areas such as healthful living, engineering and technology, animal and plant sciences,...
