Southern Colorado Ag and Range Newsletter
ISSUE
09
Ja n u a r y 2011 Page 1
Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and a happy new year! The new year has brought some precipitation, but Message from Emily ............ 1 not enough to get us out of a drought. As you start planning Nutrition Labeling ................ 1-2 grazing or plantings for spring, keep our lack of precipitation in mind and check http://drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html for Controlling Cheatgrass with updates. grazing .............................. 2-3 Enjoy this edition of the Southern Colorado Ag and Range Newsletter and I hope you like the new look. Animal Health Network ........ 4 Don’t forget to check out all the great classes, workshops and Know a Native .................... 4 symposiums coming up. If you have a topic of interest or USDA TIP NET online tool ..... 5 question please let me know!
Inside this Issue
Bull Management Before the Breeding Season ................. 6
Best wishes,
Event Announcements ......... 7-9 Calendar of events .............. 10
Office Hours: Monday—Friday 8 a.m.—5 p.m. (excluding holidays) CSU Extension Pueblo County 701 Court St.,Suite C Pueblo, CO 81003 Phone: (719) 583-6566 Fax: (719) 583-6582 http://pueblo.colostate.edu
Emily Lockard Extension Agent
Nutrition Labeling A final rule was made December 29, 2010 by the USDA titled ―Nutrition Labeling of Single-Ingredient Products and Ground or Chopped Meat and Poultry Products.‖ While this rule change may not affect the day to day workings of most producers, it is good to keep in mind what changes will affect the sale of your final product. For consumers this rule change will affect what you see in your grocery store. There are many exemptions and fuzzy areas to this rule, as time passes and this rule is implemented things should become clearer. As of January 1, 2012, major cuts of meat will need to have a nutrition label on the package or at point of purchase. Major cuts of meat are the common cuts we think of for beef, hog, lamb or poultry.
The following are the exemptions to this rule, but the package or label must ―bear no nutrition claim All articles written by Emily Lockard unless or nutrition information‖ to be exempt from this rule. otherwise indicated. For major cuts of single ingredient raw meat nutrition labeling is not required if: Continued page 2 Emily Lockard is the Extension Agent for Range and Natural Resources Management in the Colorado State University Extension Pueblo County office. She can be reached at (719) 583-6566 or Emily.Lockard@colostate.edu. Colorado State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Pueblo County cooperating. Extension programs are available to all without discrimination.
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Nutrition Labeling Cont.
Southern Colorado Ag and Range Newsletter
Product is intended for further processing Not for sale to consumers (ex: beef produced by you for your consumption) Individually wrapped packages of less than 1/2 oz weight Custom slaughtered or prepared (ex: if you ordered a side, quarter or half of beef directly from a producer)
Intended for export For ground or chopped products the following exemptions apply as long as products ―bear no nutrition claim or nutrition information‖: Product is ground or chopped at an individual customer’s request Products in packages that have a total surface area of less than 12 square inches… provided that an address or telephone number that a customer can use to obtain the required information is included on the label. If the producer qualifies for the small business exemption It is not perfectly clear what a small business exemption is, but it appears to be ―any single-plant facility or multi-plant company/firm that employs 500 or fewer people and produces no more than the following amounts of pounds of the product qualifying the firm for exemption….‖ First year of implementation ―250,000 pounds or less,‖ second year of implementation ―175,000 pounds or less,‖ and third year and all years to follow ―100,000 pounds or less.‖ Pounds produced will be estimated from the past two years of business activity. If a business hasn’t operated for 2 years, ―reasonable‖ estimates will be made to determine if the small business exemption applies or not. While the actual document may seem daunting, if you wish to read it the final rule can be found at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-32485.pdf or you can visit the office and we can get you a copy. If you do need to comply with this regulation, you do not need to do your own nutrient analysis or create your own labels. The USDA’s website will have nutrition labels for common cuts of meat http://www.fsis.usda.gov. Also organizations such as the Nutrition Labeling Coalition for Meat and Poultry http://www.meatnutritionlabeling.org/ will be offering labeling assistance in complying with new regulations. If you have specific labeling questions, you can contact Rosalyn Murphy-Jenkins, Director, Labeling and Program Delivery Division, Office of Policy and Program Development, Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD 20705, or by phone at (301) 504-0878.
Control Cheatgrass with Grazing Cheatgrass aka Downy Brome, scientific name Bromus tectorum is a list C Noxious Weed common on range sites, dryland agriculture, forests, pasture and rights-of-way. Cheatgrass seeds mostly germinate in late fall or winter with moisture, but some emergence can occur in spring. This early germination as a cool season grass gives it a head start compared to other grasses. Grazing pressure at the wrong time can lead to a decrease in desirable grasses that mature later and an undesirable increase in Cheatgrass. The goal with controlling Cheatgrass with grazing is to keep it from going to seed, inhibit its ability to establish a strong root system, and store energy. Why would you want to control Cheatgrass on rangelands? For starters it is a fire hazard (CSU Factsheet 6.310 ―Cheatgrass and Wildfire‖). It grows in early spring, but goes dormant quickly. This leaves dry grass waiting for a spark to set it off. The concern for most Continued page 3 Colorado State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Pueblo County cooperating. Extension programs are available to all without discrimination.
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Southern Colorado Ag and Range Newsletter
Controlling Cheatgrass cont.
Continued from page 3 ranchers is that when Cheatgrass is green it has ok forage quality (table 1), but when it goes dormant, it is worthless to livestock and wildlife. You are losing productivity by allowing Cheatgrass to grow instead of other grasses with better forage quality. Table 1. Nutrient and Energy Content of Cheatgrass, fresh immature Grass
Dry Matter
Crude Protein
Total Digestible Nutrients
Digestible Energy
Cheatgrass
21%
16%
68%
1.36 Mcal/lb
What are strategies with grazing to control Cheatgrass? Apply grazing pressure when Cheatgrass is young. At this time the grass is still palatable and relatively nutritious to livestock. This also hits the plant when it is very vulnerable as it has not had time to store much energy in its root system to recover from defoliation. Grazing strategies should be targeted and intensely managed. It is recommended that you graze the targeted area for two years before moving onto a new target area. This means to target an area early in the growing season for two consecutive years. This does not mean to overgraze or continuously graze a problem area as that will only increase the number of undesirable plants and bare ground. To start a targeted grazing program you should find out how many pounds per acre the Bromus tectorum. USDA-NRCS PLANTS area produces (see Newsletter Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated flora of the northern from January 2010 page 2-3). United States, Canada and the British PosFrom this you can calculate sessions. 3 vols. Charles Scribner's Sons, how long you can leave New York. Vol. 1: 274. livestock in the area and you can also track if you are increasing or decreasing lbs per acre with your grazing management. You can send a sample in for nutrient analysis to see if your livestock need supplementation to maintain their condition and performance. Basic monitoring should be done so you can gauge progress. Simply taking pictures before you move cattle into an area and when they leave can help you monitor progress. If you can also identify the grasses you have and estimate what percentages of desirable grasses and forbs are in the area, that will also help. If you would like assistance setting up a targeted grazing plan, deciding what monitoring tools are best for you, or to identify desirable vs. undesirable grasses, please call the Extension office and I will be happy to help. You may also be interested in the weed management workshop April 13th and the grazing planning workshop April 27th. More information about those workshops are on page 9.
Bromus tectorum. USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Hitchcock, A.S. (rev. A. Chase). 1950. Manual of the grasses of the United States. USDA Miscellaneous Publication No. 200. Washington, DC.
Colorado State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Pueblo County cooperating. Extension programs are available to all without discrimination.
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Animal Health Network
Southern Colorado Ag and Range Newsletter
Soon, there will be a new way for producers large and small to find out about animal health alerts from the Colorado Department of Agriculture’s State Veterinarian. I will be contacting local feed stores; and if they agree to post alerts at their store, they will become a source of information to the public. Most veterinarians should already receive the same information from the state veterinarian’s office. This is just another way CSU Extension is trying to coordinate with other local resources to get important information to those who may not be getting animal health information. While this program is aimed at smaller scale livestock and poultry owners who may not regularly communicate with a veterinarian, this program can help notify livestock and poultry owners no matter the size of their enterprise. How will this work? The state veterinarian’s office will send an alert via e-mail to the CSU Extension Animal Health Network Director in Ft. Collins, who will send that information to me and other Extension Agents throughout Colorado who are participating in this pilot program. We will then send this alert via e-mail or fax to feed stores that we have previously coordinated with to post the alert in their store. As I make contacts with local feed stores, I will let you know what stores are cooperators. I hope this program proves to be an easy and effective way to share important information.
Know a Native– Delicious Winter Forage Fourwing saltbush, Atriplex canescens Native– Occurred in N. America before European settlements Perennial– Lives more than two years Evergreen shrub with deep roots (20 to 40 ft deep), make it great for erosion control.
Dioecious (plant population has different male and female
plants, no one plant has both male and female reproductive units) or monoecious (male and female reproductive units on same plant) shrub Flowers May to September, reproduces from seed Considered good forage for cattle, sheep, goats, pronghorn, and deer. Valuable browse in winter. Fruits also good source of food for wildlife. Historical use: Native Americans used ground seeds for flour or to mix with water and sugar for a drink. Navajos used leaves and stems to make a yellow dye. Pollen can cause hay fever. Nutritional Value: Browse, fresh, stem cured Dry matter 55% and Protein 4% Energy values for sheep (unavailable for cattle): Total digestible nutrients (TDN) 20%, Digestible energy (DE) 0.82 Mcal/kg
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. 3 vols. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York. Vol. 2: 19.
Sources: Jurgens, Marshall H. Animal Feeding and Nutrition. Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, 2002. Stubbendieck, James, Stephan L. Hatch, and L.M. Landholt. North American Wildland Plants. Lincoln and London: University of Nebraska Press, 2003.
Colorado State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Pueblo County cooperating. Extension programs are available to all without discrimination.
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USDA Introduces an Online Tool to Assist Beginning and Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers
Southern Colorado Ag and Range Newsletter
USDA-Release No. 0648.10 WASHINGTON, Dec. 13, 2010 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that the Department has established an online tool that can link retiring farmers who have expiring Conservation Reserve Program contracts with beginning farmers or ranchers who are interested in bringing the land into production. The new online resource, TIP Net, is a website provided by the Farm Service Agency (FSA). Through the Transition Incentives Program (TIP), producers with land for sale or lease are introduced to qualified beginning or socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers who want to buy or rent land for their operations. The interest in TIP during the first six months of implementation has far exceeded our expectations," said Vilsack. "This tool should make TIP even more effective in facilitating the transition of land to our next generation of farmers." TIP provides up to two additional Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) annual rental payments to a retired or retiring owner or operator with an expiring CRP contract. To qualify, the landowner must sell or lease the CRP land to a beginning or socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher so the new operator can convert some or all of the land to production using sustainable grazing or crop production methods. As of Nov. 30, 2010,TIP participation included 372 contracts on more than 52,000 acres, with nearly $5 million obligated for TIP annual rental payments. For beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers who cannot qualify for conventional credit, FSA offers financing as well. FSA makes direct loans and guaranteed loans made by conventional farm lenders to finance the purchase and operation of a farm. Each fiscal year, the agency targets a significant portion of its direct and guaranteed farm ownership and operating loan funds to beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers. In the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2010, FSA made or guaranteed 18,700 loans totaling $1.975 billion to beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers. In addition to the funding reserves, FSA operates a special "down payment" loan program to assist socially disadvantaged and beginning farmers in purchasing a farm. Like TIP, this program can help retiring farmers transfer their land to future generations. Additional information on FSA farm loan programs is available online at www.fsa.usda.gov or from any FSA office. TIP Net can be found online at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/tipnet. Contact: Isabel Benemelis (202) 720-7809 isabel.benemelis@wdc.usda.gov Pueblo Service Center is located at 200 S. Santa Fe Ave. in Pueblo. Phone (719) 543-8386
NOXIOUS WEED CONTROL PLAN
50% Cost Share is available to property owners who apply and are afflicted with a species of weed listed on the Colorado Noxious Weed A or B List.
Turkey Creek Conservation District highlights their role in Pueblo County’s Noxious Weed Control Program.
User friendly method of making this cost share an easy reality for landowners.
Contact Turkey Creek Conservation District at 719-543-8386 ext. 116 or email: info@puebloweeds.com
website: www.puebloweeds.com Colorado State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Pueblo County cooperating. Extension programs are available to all without discrimination.
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Bull Management Before the Breeding Season–
Southern Colorado Ag and Range Newsletter
Marvin Reynolds, County Director, CSU Extension/Pueblo County Bulls are a large commitment to a beef cattle operation. They are the future genetic stock of a herd. They can influence several generations in a herd. The bull battery should be determined well before the start of the breeding season. The bulls should be on the ranch where they can acclimate to the feed and environmental conditions before the breeding season starts, which can take 60 to 90 days. Bull management can be divided into three seasons; 1. pre-breeding season, 2. breeding season, and 3. post-breeding season. The pre-breeding season is important as this is the time taken to insure the bulls are ready for the 90 days or so when they will be expected to do most of their work for the year. The first step to evaluating your bulls can be a breeding soundness exam. This exam, performed by your Veterinarian, can help guide you on which bulls need help or replaced before the breeding season. By acquiring bulls 60 to 90 days before the turnout date the bulls can acclimate to the ranch. Bulls need time for their fertility to meet minimum standards and they need time to reach their optimum weight and growth. There are several factors that are important in managing bulls. One of the most critical factors is exercise. Bulls that are in good physical condition are less likely to get injured and can work longer and harder. Placing water and supplemental feed at a distance apart will help the bulls get exercise. Care of the feet of bulls is often overlooked. If the hoofs have gotten long over the post-season, then they need to be trimmed. Trim them in time for them to grow back a little. This provides a cushion for the bulls during the breeding season. Insect control, especially of lice and flies, is important. Before turnout, bulls should be on a higher nutritional level. Young bulls will lose weight during the breeding season. During the pre-breeding period yearling bulls should be gaining at least 2.0 pounds per day. This will require high protein and energy content in the feed. They should also receive about 80 percent of their diet in roughage. Two year old bulls should have reached their mature size so feeding is less critical. However, they should gain about 1.0 pounds per day which may require feeding some grain. Fitted bulls may need to be watched for over conditioning. If they are too fat, they won’t work as well and fat in the testes can reduce fertility. If necessary, feed bulky feeds like oats or beet pulp in place of corn or barley. It should take some time to get them into working condition. They do need to be there before the start of the breeding season. Dramatic changes in nutrition can cause reduced semen production so make changes gradually. Older bulls need vitamin A. Green growing forages and green hay can provide vitamin A. Injections can be given several months before the breeding season begins if they are needed. For more information contact the Extension Office.
Colorado State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Pueblo County cooperating. Extension programs are available to all without discrimination.
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Pueblo County Stockmen’s Association– Annual Meeting
Southern Colorado Ag and Range Newsletter
Saturday, February 5, 2011 Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites 4530 Dillon Drive, Pueblo, CO 1:00 p.m. Educational Programs Speaker: Joe Barker, DVM Topic: Hot Topics in Animal Health Speaker: CCA Representative Topic: Update Speakers: Marvin Reynolds & Jean Justice Topic: Managing Tough Times in Agriculture Speaker: John Salazar, Colorado Commissioner of Ag. (invited)
3:30 p.m. Business Meeting Election of Officers Ag in the Classroom By-law Review Pueblo County Fair Youth Scholarships 5:00 p.m. Social Hour 6:00 p.m. Dinner
Cost $40.00/per person PLEASE NOTE: Dinner tickets must be purchased in advance. Tickets can be purchased at Mesa Vet Clinic or through John Levar, 250-3864, 485-3304; Doug Thacker 568-3699; Eddie Anglovich, 676-3608, 569-1715 or Dan Henrichs, 251-7891 or at CSU Extension/Pueblo County, 701 Court
Tickets must be purchased no later than Sunday, January 30, 2011
AgrAbility– Solutions for Tractor Access and Comfortable Operation A unique government-funded program to ensure farmers and ranchers with disabilities can stay on their farms and ranches is holding a series of workshops across the state. An AgrAbility workshop, Solutions for Tractor Access and Comfortable Operation, will be conducted in Pueblo, Thursday, January 27, 2010 at the Pueblo Zoo, 3455 Nuckolls Ave. The morning workshop will review what AgrAbility is and who it is for; what can ranch/farm families get from Agrability; review the Toolbox with over 500 equipment modifications; ways to modify tools you already have; informal discussion about work participants’ situations and scheduling free on-site visits are just a few of the topics that will be discussed. This workshop is from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. with a free lunch served from 12–1 p.m. for those who pre-register by January 21st. Please call 719-583-6566 for more information and to register so that a lunch can be provided for you. If fewer than 5 people pre-register, it may be cancelled. If so, we will attempt to call you. Workshops will also be offered in Trinidad on Tuesday, January 25th and Lamar on Wednesday, January 26th if you are unable to attend the one in Pueblo. Please contact our office for contact information (719) 583-6566.
Colorado State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Pueblo County cooperating. Extension programs are available to all without discrimination.
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Event Announcements
Southern Colorado Ag and Range Newsletter
Colorado State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Pueblo County cooperating. Extension programs are available to all without discrimination.
Page 9
Event Announcements
Southern Colorado Ag and Range Newsletter
CSU Extension– Pueblo County Spring Workshop Schedule 2011 Noxious Weed Identification and Control Workshop – Wednesday, April 13 Time: 6-8 p.m. (Register by April 6th, $10 per person/ $15 couple/ $5 late charge) •For everyone from large landowners to city dwellers •Best Practices to Control Noxious Weeds
•Identification of Noxious Weeds •Pueblo County Noxious Weed Regulations
Create a Grazing Plan for Ranch or Pasture Workshop – Wednesday, April 27 Time: 6-8 p.m.(Register by April 20th, $10 per person/ $15 couple/ $5 late charge) •Learn to calculate pounds per acre plant production •Help designing pastures and sacrifice areas
•Calculate carrying capacity of your land •Create a long term grazing plan for your operation
Raising Poultry on a Small Scale – Saturday, May 14 Time: 9-12 noon (Register by May 7th, $10 per person/ $15 couple/ $5 late charge) •Poultry breeds (meat vs. layer) •Feeding and supplements
•Vaccinations and diseases •General care and housing
Raising Hogs on a Small Scale—Saturday, May 14 Time: 1-4p.m. (Register by May 7th, $10 per person/ $15 couple/ $5 late charge) •Hog breeds •Feeding and supplements
•Vaccinations and diseases •General care and housing
Range Monitoring– Saturday, May 21 (Location and time TBD) (Register by May 13th, $10 per person/ $15 couple/ $5 late charge) •How to use Colorado Rangeland Monitoring Guide •Simple rangeland monitoring skills •Photo transect, paced transect, clip hoop, Calculate lbs per acre and carrying capacity. All workshops except Range Monitoring will be held at Pueblo County Conference Room 1001 North Santa Fe Ave. Pueblo, CO 81003 Pricing: Each workshop is $10 per person/ $15 couple. Exception: Poultry and Hog workshop combined is $20 per person/$30 per couple lunch included. Registration: Registration and payment is due one week prior to each workshop and an additional $5 charge will be applied to late registration/payment. You can bring payment to the CSU Extension Pueblo County office or mail payment. If less than 10 people sign up for a workshop it may be cancelled. If you need any special accommodation(s) to participate in this event, please contact Colorado State University Extension at 719-583-6566. Your request must be submitted at least five (5) business days in advance of the event. Colorado State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Pueblo County cooperating. Extension programs are available to all without discrimination. Colorado State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Pueblo County cooperating. Extension programs are available to all without discrimination.
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Calendar of Events
Southern Colorado Ag and Range Newsletter
January January 27—AgrAbility 9 a.m. to Noon with free lunch served from 12-1 p.m., Pueblo Zoo, Pre-registration required by calling (719)583-6566 by January 26th. No charge for workshop.
February
February 3—Arkansas Valley Farm/Ranch/Water Symposium in Rocky Ford, CO. New PA system! $20/ person, $30/couple, $5/student, and after Jan 28 late registration $5 more. $200/booth, $100/financial sponsor. Call CSUE—Otero County (719) 254-7608 for more information or go to www.farmranchwater.org February 5—Pueblo County Stockmen’s Association Annual Meeting Holiday Inn, Pueblo, CO, $40/person in advance. Deadline—January 30. Call (719) 583-6566 for ticket information. February 6-10—Society for Range Management Annual Meeting Billings, MT. Members $335/ non-members $420 February 14-19—Holistic Management in Practice Classes at Pueblo Community College in Pueblo, CO, facilitated by Kirk Gadzia Option A Days 1-3 $495, Option B 4-6 $495, and Option C Days 1-6 $895. For more information about this class and Kirk Gadzia go to www.rmsgadzia.com or call (505) 867-4685 or cell (505) 263-8677.
April
Wednesday, April 13—Noxious Weed Identification and Management Workshop 6-8pm, $10 per person/ $15 couple/ $5 late fee, Pueblo County Conference Room, 1001 North Santa Fe Ave. Call (719) 583-6566 for more information. Wednesday, April 27—Create a Grazing Plan for Ranch or Pastures Workshop 6-8pm, $10 per person/ $15 couple/ $5 late fee, Pueblo County Conference Room, 1001 North Santa Fe Ave. Call (719) 583-6566 for more information.
May
Saturday, May 14—Raising Poultry 9am-12 noon, $10 per person/ $15 couple/ $5 late fee, Pueblo County Conference Room, 1001 North Santa Fe Ave. Call (719) 583-6566 for more information. Saturday, May 14—Raising Hogs 1-4 pm, $10 per person/ $15 couple/ $5 late fee, Pueblo County Conference Room, 1001 North Santa Fe Ave. Call (719) 583-6566 for more information. Saturday, May 21—Range Monitoring 10-2pm, $10 per person/ $15 couple/ $5 late fee Location: Pueblo County Conference Room, 1001 North Santa Fe Ave. Call (719) 583-6566 for more information.
Monthly meetings: Pueblo County Stockmen’s Association Meets the first Thursday of each month at Mesa Vet Clinic at 7:30 p.m. Turkey Creek Conservation District meets the 2nd Tuesday of every month, Time: 2:30 p.m. Location: 200 S. Santa Fe Ave., 4th floor, Call: (719) 543-8386 Ext. 116 for details South Pueblo Conservation District meets the 3rd Thursday of every month, Time: 7:30 p.m. Location: 200 S. Santa Fe Ave., 4th floor, Call: (719) 543-8386 Ext. 3 for details Colorado State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Pueblo County cooperating. Extension programs are available to all without discrimination.