JULY 2013
Vol. XIV No. 6 P.O. Box 306 Valier, MT 59486-0306
Phone 406-279-3291 Fax 406-279-3249 website: tradersdispatch.com E-MAIL: trader@3rivers.net
Resource describing hantavirus, prevention methods
In light of recent hantavirus cases in Gallatin and Carbon counties, Montana State University Extension has updated and redistributed a MontGuide about the potentially deadly infection, which is typically spread to humans by deer mice. The guide, “Hantavirus: What is it? What can be done about it?” describes symptoms, risk factors, treatment and prevention of this serious infection, which is fatal in more than 30 percent of reported cases, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Don’t assume that hantavirus only happens to unhealthy or older people,” said Extension housing and environmental health specialist Mike Vogel. “Anyone who is exposed can be infected. Cleaning or working in old or unoccupied buildings or crawl spaces is a potential risk for all people.” The guide relays suggestions from the CDC for eliminating deer mice and other rodents who may carry the virus and offers tips for lessening contact with them. Learn how to prevent rodents from entering a home, reduce rodent shelter and food sources around a home, how to use spring-loaded traps if necessary and how to correctly clean contaminated areas. The publication is available online from the MSU Extension home page at msuextension.org, by calling the MSU Extension Distribution Center, (406) 994-3273, and through your local county Extension office, or download it here: http://msuextension.org/publications/homehealthandfamily/mt199404hr.pdf
UPCOMING AUCTIONS
July 13, Buckey Auction, Baumann Real Estate & Auction, Brady................A35 July 13, Montana Auction Company, Inc, Richland County Road Department, Sidney.................................................................................................................A4 July 17, Big Iron, Online.....................................................................................A37 July 19-20, RK Statewide Auctions, Joy’s Glendive Service, Glendive............... ............................................................................................................. A12 & A13 July 20, Kinsey Auctioneers, Summertime Auction Event, Baker..................A43 July 19, 20, 21, Mills Auction Service, Antiques, Collectables, Machinery Auction & Reunion, Broadus..........................................................................................A6 July 21, Brownell Auctions, Benefit Auction, Conrad......................................A14 July 24, Barnes Auction Service, Mangels Estate, Dillon...............................A11 July 27, Bo Carpenter Auction, Inc, Black Magic Wash Services, Kalispell...A19
United States Targhee Association show and sale
The U.S. Targhee Sheep Association 2013 National Show and Sale will be held July 18th – 20th at the Arlington Agricultural Research Station in Arlington, Wisconsin. After a well-attended and successful event in Columbus, Montana, we are excited to be heading to cheese country for another great show and sale. There will be a tour of the Arlington Agricultural Research Station on Thursday at 3 pm, shows starting at 8 am on Friday and the National Sale at Noon on Saturday. The Arlington Producers 4-H Club will be providing concessions throughout the event. Please visit our website for more details, www.ustargheesheep.org, or contact Mardy Rutledge at (702) 292-5715, ustargheesheep@gmail.com.
Another potential pest in Montana? By Gadi V.P. Reddy, Western Triangle Ag Research Center
Introduction: We already have been confronted with the wheat stem sawfly and wireworms on wheat and barley, and flea beetles on canola. Now there is another insect causing foliage damage on field peas this year: the pea leaf weevil. Damage is more severe throughout Flathead County and the Golden Triangle areas of Montana. Pea leaf weevil larvae (Sitona lineatus) feed on the root nodules of field peas, but the adults will feed on leaves of a wide range of cultivated and wild legume species. This year we are seeing 90% seedling damage (on clam leaf) in some fields. Damage: Adult beetles feed on leaf margins and growing points of legume seedlings. Feeding on the leaf margins produces a characteristic scalloped (notched) appearance (Figure 2). Larvae feed on the nitrogenfixing nodules of legume species thereby reducing nitrogen fixation by the plant.
PRIVATE TREATY
Elk Park Angus, Columbia Falls..................................A10 Ehlke Herefords, Townsend...........................................A7 Feddes Herefords, Manhattan.......................................A7 McMurry Cattle, Billings.................................................A7
PRODUCTION SALE
Sept. 1, Montana Breeders Group, Great Falls...........A57
Advertiser Index Page B1 Recipe Patch A44
Deadline for Aug. issue is Aug. 2.
Nominal economic thresholds in the Pacific Northwest suggest that a value of 0.3 to 1 weevil per seedling (also 30 % seedlings with terminal leaf damage) is considered optimum time to initiate control methods. Control Measures: Fields with high levels of residual nitrogen in the soil are less likely to suffer yield losses from PLW larvae and should not require control measures because the pea plant can rely on soil nitrogen instead of its own nitrogen fixation for adequate growth. Foliar applications of insecticide are recommended if one (or more) feeding marks occur per three clam-leaf pairs (the most recently emerged leaves). According to Dr. Hector A. Cárcamo, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, the foliar applications do not seem to work on this pest because of re-invasion by new waves of the insect. However, they have seen that despite heavy feeding sometimes yield losses are not bad especially if the soil had enough nitrogen. They have recommended seed treatments over foliar insecticide applications despite mixed results with them. He suggested that trap crops of winter peas have potential because they concentrate the weevils and they can be sprayed repeatedly there in 10% of the field. Earlier planted peas may also work. Dr. Gadi V.P. Reddy suggests that pheromone baited traps will help in monitoring and mass trapping the weevil population. The aggregation pheromone has been identified as 4-methyl-3,5heptanedione but requires studies on the optimization of the trapping technique for the field use. Dr. Maya Evenden at the University of Alberta has been researching the pheromone lures in southern Alberta. Drs. Reddy and Dr. Stougaard and their team in collaboration with Dr. Cárcamo are planning on developing a research project dealing with integrating control tactics for tacking this pest.