Trader's Dispatch - July 2023

JULY 2023

Vol. XXIV No. 6 P.O. Box 997 Conrad, MT 59425-0997

Phone 406-271-5533 Fax 406-271-5727

website: tradersdispatch.com

E-MAIL: advertising @ tradersdispatch.com

NDSU Beef Production Field Day

Cattle profitability, antibiotic use for cattle and composting for disease control are a few topics scheduled for the beef production field tour July 18 at North Dakota State University’s Carrington Research Extension Center (CREC).

The beef production tour is one of several tours offered during the field day. Other tours are agronomy, northern hardy fruit and organic/sustainable agriculture. The afternoon session will focus on agriculture technology, farm safety, and sustainable fruits and local foods.

The center’s 64th annual field day begins at 9 a.m. with registration, coffee and a welcome. The beef tour will depart at 9:30 and continue until noon with lunch provided.

Topics and speakers for this year’s beef production program are:

Feeding your calves to finish, results of the 2022 North Dakota Angus University and the 2022-23 Dakota Feeder Calf Show Feedouts – Karl Hoppe, Extension livestock systems specialist, CREC

CONTINUED ON PAGE

UPCOMING AUCTIONS

June 28 - July 12, Booker Auction Co., Cascade Farms Inc Retirement, Online ............................................................................................................... A2

June 30 - July 20, Smeltzer Auctions & Real Estate, Blue Sky Farms Equipment Reduction, Online ........................................................................................ A4

July 12 - 27, Musser Bros Auctions & Real Estate, Johnson Livestock, Gary & Dennis Johnson, Online .............................................................................. A3

July 22, RK Statewide Auctions, Quick Ranch LLC Farm & Ranch, CIrcle, MT A5

July 26 - Aug 2, Big Mountain Auction, August Farm, Construction & Dairy Auction, Online A12

Aug 5, Flying D Auction, Jim Hawkins Inventory Reduction, Cut Bank MT....A25

Aug 5, Yoder Auction, Yoder Consignment, Roundup MT A26

Aug 12, Burow’s Auction Service, Russ Vergael Estate, Great Falls MT A26

Aug 26, Weaver Auctions, Fall Farm & Ranch Consignment, Drummond MT A28

Sept 16, Weaver Auctions, Billy Willis & Guest Consignor, Potomac MT B4

OTHER DATED

July 29, Carbon County 4-H/FFA Sale, Red Lodge MT A2

August 18, Lone Tree Gun Shop, Sidney, MT A24

PRIVATE TREATY

McMurry Cattle, Herefords, Billings MT ...................................................... A28

NARC field day

The Northwestern Ag Research Center hosts its annual Field Day on July 13, 2023 from 11 am to 3 pm at 4570 MT Hwy 35 in Creston, MT. The event features field tours of the following topics:

Seeding spring wheat by population: Dr. Jessica Torrion - MSU Northwestern Ag. Research Center

Downy brome and fusarium competitive interactions with winter wheat: Dr. Fabian Menalled/Laura Berrios-OrtizMSU Land Resources and Environmental Sciences

Perennial forages and nitrogen management: Dr. Hayes Goosey/Amanda Grube - MSU Dept. of Animal and Range Sciences

Winter canola planting date: Dr. Jessica Torrion - MSU Northwestern Ag Research Center

Winter barley forages and new releases: Joseph JensenMSU Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology

Seeding pea by population: Dr. Pat Carr - MSU Central Ag Research Center

RSVP is required by July 6, 2023 but call to see if you can attend. Contact NWARC at (406) 755-4303 or email charlene.kazmier@montana.edu.

MSU Extension and MDA join new USDA regional food business center partnership

Montana State University Extension and the Montana Department of Agriculture were recently announced as partners in a $30 million U.S. Department of Agriculture effort to establish a regional center to create opportunities for food producers and increase food security.

Co-led by Colorado State University and Oregon State University, the new Northwest and Rocky Mountain Food Business Center is part of a larger effort nationwide, for which the USDA announced $400 million in funding last September.

“This funding represents a great opportunity to both identify and fill gaps that need attention while leveraging the strengths that exist within Montana’s food supply chains,” said Andy Fjeseth, bureau chief of the state of Montana’s Agricultural Finance, Trade and Development Bureau.

In total, the USDA will establish 12 regional food business centers to serve all areas of the country.

“Montana is lucky to have a robust technical assistance network within this space. I am excited to see how this funding can establish new partnerships and help move our food and ag industries forward,” Fjeseth said.

The Northwest and Rocky Mountain Food Business Center will support farm, ranch and food businesses, as well as broader food supply chain enterprises, through: Technical assistance programs, curricula and one-on-one business support.

Direct investments in projects and professional development for regional food system leaders and innovators.

Coordination via strategic sharing of resources and coordinated action across the region, and between USDA and regional stakeholders.

“We are incredibly excited for this project to get underway,” said Tommy Bass, MSU Extension livestock environment associate specialist. “Working with the Montana Department of Agriculture, USDA, local food NGOs (non-governmental organizations) and regional land-grant colleagues, I know we can make a significant impact to food supply chains across the region.”

The Northwest and Rocky Mountain Regional Food Business Center will work with partners to target investments in communities across the region. It will focus on four areas: resilient animal protein supply chains; food entrepreneurs seeking to scale

CONTINUED ON PAGE A2

www.tradersdispatch.com

Valier Elementary students had lots of questions for the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks personnel about the stocking of walleye fingerlings into Lake Frances near Valier, Montana. Photo courtesy of Thedis Crowe.

Butte, Montana

I-BEAMS FOR SALE

8 total pieces of used MDOT bridge beams/structural steel I-beams. Each piece is 48-ft. 6” long, 12” wide, 24” tall, 7/8” thick top and bottom, 1/2” web. Good shape. Call for price

For pricing contact: Chris Hafer 406-490-4418

USDA regional food business center partnership

CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE

up; farms leveraging opportunities aligned with emerging climate-resilient markets; and right-sized infrastructure and investment.

CATERPILLAR EXCAVATOR FOR SALE

2015 Caterpillar 320ELRR excavator, Hours: 5,728 on meter, Hours: 1,434 on second meter, Serial: CAT0320ELTFX01483, Engine: Caterpillar C6.6 Acert, Cylinders: 6, Fuel type: Diesel, Transmission: Hydrostatic, Two speed travel, Operators station, Enclosed cab, AC, Heat, Pattern changer Features boom, Standard, Stick, Stick length: 10-ft. bucket, Caterpillar, Width: 32”, cutting edge: Weld-on Tracks, Width: 31”, Steel, Grouser pads: Triple. Price Is $49,000

Shipment is also available. Do not hesitate to ask for pictures. Phone (920) 307-6727 Email: danbieberequipments@gmail.com

We’ve Been Scammed!!!! Do not call on this!!!!

Carbon County 4-H / FFA Sale

LIVE: Saturday, July 29 - 1:00 pm Lunch: 11:00 am Red Lodge Fairgrounds

See our Facebook page for updates “Carbon County Montana Fair”

If a buyer can’t make it we have proxy bidding availableJust contact the extension office at 406-962-3522 to set it up.

Indoor (craft) projects will also be for sale

Support our local kids and all their hard work and fill you freezer with locally raised and processed meat.

Guaranteed processing

The center will also serve as the hub for regional smalland mid-tier food and farm business development initiatives, supporting resilience across multiple industry sectors and creating a regional collaborative network. The center will also provide timely and relevant data and analysis for market access and development and serve as a gateway and navigator for USDA programs and funding as well as other third-party funding sources.

More information about the Northwest and Rocky Mountain Food Business Development Center can be found at NWRockyMountainRegionalFoodBusiness.com

NDSU Beef

Production Field Day

CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE

Drugs to use in cattle: No OTC antibiotics – Gerald Stokka, Extension veterinarian and livestock stewardship specialist, NDSU Department of Animal Science, Fargo Cow-calf profitability in North Dakota – Jason Fewell, instructor, North Dakota Farm Business Management, Lake Region State College

Integrated crops and livestock project – Miranda Meehan, Extension livestock environmental stewardship specialist, and Josh Wianecki, graduate student, NDSU Department of Animal Sciences, Fargo

Composting for disease control and highly pathogenic avian influenza – Mary Keena, livestock environmental management specialist, CREC

Is corn silage expensive? – James Rogers, Extension forage specialist, North Central Research Extension Center, Minot

All-terrain vehicles and cattle: Be careful! – Angie Johnson, farm and ranch safety coordinator, NDSU Extension, Fargo

The CREC is 3.5 miles north of Carrington on U.S. Highway 281.

Cowboy Wisdom

You can cover it with sugar and bake it in the overn, but a cowpie is still manure. – Texas Bix Bender

If you get to thinking you’re a person of some influence, try ordering somebody else’s dog around. – Will Rogers

Never fry bacon in the nude. – H. Peter Miner

A cowboy is a man who requires the help of a horse to outsmart a cow. – Peter Darbo

Deadline for August issue

Wednesday, August 2.

Seeding forage into stubble

By Todd Whitney, UNL

Wheat

and

rye

stubble

can be an excellent seedbed to plant forages using NoTill if moisture is available. Despite drought lowering small grain yields, recent rains may provide opportunity for those needing additional forage this year with summer annuals seeding.

Moisture will be the key to successfully seed forages into stubble. Remember that bright wheat straw can reflect heat and increase surface evaporation. Therefore, drill the forage seeds while surface moisture is available; and establish forage canopy as soon as possible following grain harvest to lower soil surface temperatures and transfer moisture into the new plants.

Spotty stands often result from topsoil drying out rapidly after wheat has been combined. Surface soil drying may not be as critical if irrigation is available; but dry soils can wreak havoc on rainfed stand establishment. Where adequate rainfall has occurred, seed germinating moisture may still be present near the soil surface during the combine harvest.

Again, planting without delay following field harvest; increases probability for summer annual forage establishment success. The most popular summer annual forages used in Nebraska include: Forage Sorghums like Mega Green & Pacesetter; Sorghum-Sudangrass like 1st Choice BMR; Sudangrass; and Hybrid Sudangrass. Pearl millet and Foxtail millet offer good drought tolerance and reduced prussic acid; but these forages also have less tonnage production potential. Overall, NoTill planting of forage cover crops and summer annual forages can conserve soil moisture; reduce erosion; suppress weed growth; and lower tillage expenses.

Tora Bora

A cave complex situated at nearly 13,000 feet in the Safed Koh mountain range on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Tora bora is the local Iranian dialect’s term for “black dust.” After the 2001 U.S.-led invasion against the Taliban, Tora Bora was the suspected hideout of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

CLEAR30 offers longer term options for CRP

Agricultural producers and landowners with certain expiring Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) contracts can receive additional rental incentives and extend that land’s role in conservation for another 30 years. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has opened the signup period for its Clean Lakes, Estuaries, And Rivers enrollment (CLEAR30) now through July 31, 2023. CLEAR30 is a part of the CLEAR initiative, which prioritizes water quality practices as a part of Continuous CRP enrollment, and is one of several CRP enrollment opportunities. CLEAR30 allows producers and landowners enrolling certain water quality practices to enroll in 30-year contracts, extending the lifespan and strengthening the benefits of important water quality practices on their land. Like other CRP enrollments, CLEAR30 is a voluntary, incentive-based conservation opportunity offered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA).

“The foundational value of CLEAR30 enrollment is right there in its name: Clean Lakes, Estuaries, And Rivers—there is nothing more essential to all things on the planet, including agriculture, than clean water,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “CRP is one of the world’s largest voluntary conservation programs, and our CLEAR initiative and CLEAR30 enrollment gives our producers and landowners a great option to continue their conservation practices well into the future.”

Cropland and certain pastureland that is currently enrolled in Continuous CRP or the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) and is also dedicated to an eligible water quality practice, such as the establishment of riparian buffers, contour strips, or grass waterways, may be eligible for CLEAR30 if their contracts are expiring by September 30, 2023.

CLEAR30 contracts will be effective beginning October 1, 2023. These long-term contracts ensure that conservation practices remain in place for 30 years, which improves water quality by reducing sediment and nutrient runoff and helping prevent algal blooms. Conservation in riparian areas also provides important carbon sequestration benefits. Traditional CRP contracts run from 10 to 15 years.

About CLEAR30

CLEAR30 enrollment was established in the 2018 Farm Bill to better address water quality concerns. Originally, CLEAR30 was only available in the Great Lakes and Chesapeake Bay watersheds; in 2021, FSA made CLEAR30 available to agricultural producers and landowners nationwide, and participation grew nearly seven-fold from 2020 to 2021. Annual rental payments for landowners who enroll in CLEAR30 will be equal to the current Continuous CRP annual payment rate plus a 20 percent water quality incentive payment and an annual rental rate adjustment of 27.5 percent.

How to Sign Up

To sign up for CLEAR30, landowners and producers should contact their local USDA Service Center by July 31, 2023. Contact information can be found at farmers.gov/ service-locator. Additionally, fact sheets and other resources are available at fsa.usda.gov/crp.

About Continuous CRP

CLEAR30 is one of several enrollment opportunities with Continuous CRP, giving producers and landowners the opportunity to enroll in CRP throughout the year without specific signup periods. Through the overall CLEAR initiative in Continuous CRP, USDA prioritizes water quality practices to reduce sediment and nutrient loadings and to foster clean lakes, estuaries, and rivers.

Offers are automatically accepted provided the producer and land meet the eligibility requirements and the enrollment levels do not exceed the statutory cap.

Continuous CRP offers conservation benefits similar to others, like General and Grassland CRP, but also offers unique flexibility and several program choices, which in addition to CLEAR30, include:

State Acres For Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE): The initiative restores vital habitat in order to meet high-priority state wildlife conservation goals.

Highly Erodible Lands Initiative (HELI): Producers and landowners can enroll in CRP to establish long-term cover on highly erodible cropland.

Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP): Working with conservation partners, CREP leverages federal and non-federal funds to target specific State, regional, or nationally significant conservation concerns.

Farmable Wetlands Program: Producers and landowners can enroll land in CRP to restore previously farmed wetlands

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1991

Study reviews farmer irrigation scheduling tendencies in dry years

By Steve Melvin - Extension Educator Irrigated Cropping Systems,

A review of soil water data logs from farmers in the Upper Big Blue Natural Resources District indicates irrigators tend to overwater more in wetter years than dry ones. On very dry years like 2022, many farmers apply about the right amount of water. However, some still over irrigate, and some tend to under-irrigate.

UNL six to 12 inches, one at 18-24 inches, and one at 30-36 inches. The categories are as follows:

Good — At least one sensor out of the three depths drier than 70 cb early and one sensor drier than 70 cb on 9/15.

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1998 Freightliner FL70 4x4 lube service truck, 126K miles, 26K GVW, Reman 275 hp 3126 Cat diesel, MD3060 Allison AT, AC, PS, AB, cruise, 14-ft. enclosed body, 4 product tanks, hydraulic compressor, workbench, air greaser, 6 hose reels, 90% brakes, runs and drive great $39,500

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1995 Ford F800 Compressor Truck 89K Miles, 5.9 Cummins, 5 spd. manual, AC, PS, PB, 24K gvw, hyd. reel handler, 375 cm JD diesel compressor, new 245/19.5 tires. $16,500

1997 Ford F800 Water Truck Reman 210 hp 5.9 Cummins, 6 spd., AB, AC, PS, 26K gvw, 2000 gallon tank, PTO pump, front, side and rear spray, 75% 22.5’s on aluminum wheels. $29,500

1997 Gradall 534c-10 Telehandler 4x4, 40’ lift height, 4BT Cummins, 7100 hrs, outriggers, 10K capacity, 60% 14.00x24 tires, runs and works great $41,500

1980 International Service Truck 210 hp DT466, 5&2 spd., AB, PS, IMT 425AT knuckle boom with remote, hydraulic outriggers, 13 hp Curtis 25CFM compressor, 70% 11r22.5 tires, 12-ft. service body. $19,500

1998 Caterpillar TH103 Telehandler 10,000 lb capacity, 44-ft lift height, outriggers, 4x4, 3 way steering, 48” forks, 75% 14.00x24 tires, 9100 hrs, runs and works excellent. $43,500

2001 Chevrolet C6500 210 hp 3126 Cat diesel, 6 spd manual AC, PS, PB, 95K miles, 90% 245/75-19.5 tires, 15-ft. flatbed, PTO hydraulic winch, 26K GVW $19,500

The tendency should not be a surprise, because humans are creatures of habit. We get out of bed every day on the same side, we sit at the same place at the table for breakfast, etc. Farmers are no different — they tend to plant about the same number of seeds per acre each year, they apply about the same amounts of fertilizer each year, they plant the rows the same direction, etc. Well, you get the point, and without any compelling reasons, why make changes, right? However, irrigation scheduling should be an exception to this approach because the rainfall amounts and their timings are different each year.

The amount of irrigation applied last year or the year before may have very little to do with the amount needed this year. The long-term average of irrigation application depth and timing is relatively meaningless for the decisions producers need to make on any given day in the current growing season. However, without any additional data, all an irrigator can do is put on about the same amount of water as in the past and make slight adjustments if the weather is dry or wet.

To illustrate this, let’s look at some data from the Upper Big Blue NRD. The NRD requires growers in six areas that have an increased median nitrate-nitrogen level in the groundwater, to use soil water monitoring equipment in one irrigated field and report the data collected annually. Most of the producers impacted by this rule use Watermark sensors that measure soil matric potential; thus, this study has largely focused on Watermark data for easy comparison. The soils in the NRD are mostly a silt loam or similar soil texture, making the field-to-field data comparable as well. The assumption was made that the farmers using Watermark sensors would represent all irrigators in the area.

To protect privacy, the NRD removes names from the information prior to group analysis; therefore, the location for each field is an unspecified area in the Upper Big Blue NRD.

The Analysis

The analysis focused on dividing the fields into one of six categories based on the soil water levels in the heart of the season (July and August) and on Sept. 15. The six categories were developed based on the readings from the Watermark sensors. The sensors generate data reported in centibars and have a range from 0 (wet) to 240 (dryer) centibars (cb). Centibar is a unit of measure that refers to the force required by the plant to pull the water out of the soil and into the plant. Typically, installations use a set of three sensors, with one sensor installed at

Fair — At least one sensor drier than 70 cb early and one sensor drier than 30 cb on 9/15.

Wet Late — At least one sensor drier than 70 cb early but no sensor drier than 30 cb on 9/15.

Wet Early — No sensor drier than 70 cb early, but one sensor drier than 30 cb on 9/15.

Wet All Season — Both sensors measuring the second and third foot not drier than 70 cb all year, but one sensor between 30 to 70 cb on Sept. 15.

Very Wet All Season — Both sensors measuring second and third foot not drier than 70 cb all year and no sensor drier than 30 cb on Sept. 15.

These six categories were determined because the soil water level where deep percolation losses of water and nutrients slows to a low rate in a silt loam soil is about 70 cb; thus, it is recommended to keep at least one of the sensors in the second or third foot in this range or dryer. Yield losses would not be expected until all the sensors were approaching 140 cb, making the 70 cb level very achievable without any chance of causing yield loss. Field capacity in a silt loam is about 30 cb, so the goal is not to refill the soil above this level with irrigation in the second or third foot.

The top foot will go above field capacity (30cb) after every irrigation or heavy rain. However, if the second foot gets above 30 cb, it would indicate that over-irrigation is occurring. The data in the chart indicated that the field was this dry on a given day and not how many days the soil was drier than 70 cb. The 70 cb level is equal to about 70% of plant available water (PAW) and stress should not start until below 50% of PAW during the summer and 40% in late August and September. Soil types such as those with high sand or clay content would require different levels other than 30 and 70 cb.

The analysis found that all the fields in 2017, ‘18 and ‘19 were irrigated to a level preventing water stress all season, however 15% to 20% of the fields may have been underwatered late into the season just a little bit (it may or may not have affected the yield) late in the season in the dry years of 2020, ’21 and ‘22.

In general, about one-third of the irrigators in the study on the normal to wet years are doing a good job of applying the correct amount of water to minimize deep percolation of water and nutrients and save pumping costs while producing top yields. The other two-thirds could have saved money and water without lowering yield. In fact, about one-third could have saved a lot! On the other hand, about 60% to 80% are doing a good job during the dry years as shown in Table 1. CONT. ON PAGE A28

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Stock Photo

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Help to organic dairy producers to cover increased costs

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), announces assistance for dairy producers with the new Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program (ODMAP). ODMAP is established to help mitigate market volatility, higher input and transportation costs, and unstable feed supply and prices that have created unique hardships in the organic dairy industry. Specifically, under the ODMAP, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is making $104 million available to organic dairy operations to assist with projected marketing costs in 2023, calculated using their marketing costs in 2022.

“Montana organic dairy producers have faced significant and unique increases in their marketing costs, compounded by increases in feed and transportation costs and the limited availability of organic grain and forage commodities,” said Maureen Wicks, FSA Montana State Executive Director. “Without assistance, many organic dairies, particularly small organic dairies, will cease production, which not only impacts the domestic supply and consumption of organic milk but also the well-being of many rural communities across the country. This program will keep Montana small organic dairies in operation as they continue to weather a combination of challenges outside of their control.”

Montana FSA offices began accepting applications for ODMAP on May 24, 2023. Eligible producers include certified organic dairy operations that produce milk from cows, goats and sheep.

How ODMAP Works

FSA is providing financial assistance for a producer’s projected marketing costs in 2023 based on their 2022 costs. ODMAP provides a one-time cost-share payment based on marketing costs on pounds of organic milk marketed in the 2022 calendar year.

ODMAP provides financial assistance that will immediately support certified organic dairy operations during 2023 keeping organic dairy operations sustainable until markets return to more normal conditions.

How to Apply

Montana FSA offices are accepting applications from May 24 to July 24, 2023. To apply, producers should contact FSA at their local USDA Service Center. To complete the ODMAP application, producers must certify to pounds of 2022 milk production, how documentation of their organic certification, and submit a completed application form.

Organic dairy operations are required to provide their USDA certification of organic status confirming operation as an organic dairy in 2023 and 2022 along with the certification of 2022 milk production in hundredweight.

ODMAP complements other assistance available to dairy producers, including Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) and Supplemental DMC, with more than $300 million in benefits paid for the 2023 program year to date. Learn more on the FSA Dairy Programs webpage.

More Information

To learn more about USDA programs, producers can contact their local USDA Service Center. Producers can also prepare maps for acreage reporting as well as manage farm loans and other programs by logging into their farmers.gov account. If you don’t have an account, sign up today.

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CLEAR30 offers longer term options for CRP

CONTINUED FROM PAGE A4

and wetland buffers, improving both vegetation and water flow.

Clean Lakes, Estuaries And Rivers (CLEAR): Prioritizes water quality practices to reduce sediment, nutrient loadings, and help prevent algal blooms to foster Clean Lakes, Estuaries, and Rivers

CLEAR30 is an enrollment option available through CRP, one of the largest voluntary private-lands conservation programs in the United States. CRP was originally intended to primarily control soil erosion and stabilize commodity prices by taking environmentally sensitive lands out of production. The program has evolved over the years, providing numerous conservation and economic benefits. In addition to CLEAR30, signups are also open for Continuous CRP and Grassland CRP.

Big Timber, MT 406-860-8510

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• Increased early season vigor

• Phosphorus and Zinc to drive rooting & cold start the crop.

• Zinc to help with early season hormone production, ie. Auxin for root and shoot growth.

• Convey Technology to help with early season stresses, such as cool soils and excess moisture. It also improves nutrient use efficiency.

• Other essential nutrients target at each specific crop, ie. Boron for cell wall strength; Manganese for efficient photosynthesis.

• Second chance for a starter fertilizer

• Formulations are targeted at early season root growth (more root = more efficient moisture and nutrient uptake).

• Proactive way of managing the crops nutritional requirement.

• Convey Technology helps with early season stresses such as cool soils, excess moisture, and drought. Also improves nutrient use efficiency.

• Speeds up recovery from herbicide hangover - the correct supply of nutrients helps the crop metabolize the herbicide more quickly.

• Contains novel Phosphorus nutrition, providing increased nutrient uptake and movement within the plant.

• Targeted at the reproductive phse of the plant.

• Proactive way of managing the crops utritional requirement

• Contains other essential nutrients targeted for each specific crop, ie. Boron to aid pollen tube growth, Zinc to help produce Auxin, to ensure healthy pollen tube growth.

Summer temperatures will warm grain, which could lead to insect infestations and mold growth.

“The goal for summer storage should be to keep the grain as cool as possible to extend the storage life and limit insect activity,” says Ken Hellevang, North Dakota State University Extension agricultural engineer.

Insect reproduction is reduced at temperatures below about 60 F.

Hellevang recommends ventilating the top of the bin to remove the solar heat gain which will warm the grain. Hot air under the bin roof will heat several feet of grain at the top of the bin to temperatures conducive to mold growth and insect infestations. Provide air inlets near the bin roof eave and an outlet near the peak to exhaust the hot air at the top of the bin. It’s much like venting an attic; the heated air rises and is exhausted at the peak. A ventilation fan to exhaust the hot air is another option. Provide air inlets because the fan cannot exhaust air if an air inlet does not exist.

Hellevang recommends periodically running grain aeration fans to keep the grain temperature cool as possible. Night air temperatures on average are near or below 60 degrees during the summer. Running the aeration fan for a few hours to push air up through the cool stored grain will cool grain near the top. Pick a cool early morning about every three weeks when temperatures are below 60 degree to run the aeration fan, and only run the fan a few hours to minimize heating grain at the bottom of the bin.

Cover the fan when it is not operating to prevent warm air from blowing into the bin and heating the stored grain. If the wind blows primarily during the daytime, the grain will be warmed to the daily maximum temperature. Also, warm air is drawn into the bin due to a chimney effect if the fan opening is not covered. The chimney effect occurs when heated air exits the top of the bin pulling air into the bin through the fan opening.

Hellevang encourages producers to monitor the grain temperature. “Temperature sensors on cables are an excellent tool, but they only measure the temperature of the grain next to the sensor,” he says. “Because grain is an excellent insulator, the grain temperature may be much different just a few feet from the sensor and not affect the measured temperature.”

Common locations to place a temperature cable are near the middle and a few feet from the south wall of a bin.

Grain Summer Storage Moisture Content

Having grain at an appropriate warm-season storage moisture content is very important to store grain safely during the summer. The maximum moisture content for warm-season storage is 13% to 14% for corn, 11% to 12% for soybeans, 13.5% for wheat, 12% for barley and 7% to 8% for oil sunflowers.

Mold growth will occur at summer temperatures if the grain exceeds the recommended moisture content. The allowable storage time for 15% moisture corn, for example, is only about four months at 70 degrees and two months at 80 degrees.

Checking the grain moisture content is important because moisture measurements at harvest may have been in error due to moisture gradients in the kernel, grain temperature and other factors. In addition, the moisture may have changed while the grain was in storage due to moisture migration or moisture entering the bin.

Check Stored Grain

Stored grain should be monitored closely to detect any storage problems early. Check stored grain at least every two weeks. While checking on the grain, measure and record the grain temperature and moisture content.

Rising grain temperatures may indicate insect or mold problems. Insect infestations can increase from being barely noticeable to major infestations in three to four weeks when the grain is warm.

“Grain temperature cables are a wonderful tool, but do not rely on them to replace inspecting for insects or crusting and detecting odors or other indicators of storage problems,” Hellevang says.

Another option for monitoring grain that is beginning to be used is to measure the carbon dioxide level. Mold growth and insect activity produce carbon dioxide.

Work Safely

Make sure everyone, including family and employees, working around stored grain understand the hazards and proper safety procedures.

“Too many people ignore safety practices and suffer severe injury or death while working around grain,” Hellevang says.

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Summer grain storage tips

CONTINUED FROM PAGE A10

ing grain will pull you into the grain mass, burying you within seconds. Use “lock-out/tag-out” procedures to assure equipment will not start before entering the bin.

Bridging occurs when grain is moldy or in poor condition. The kernels stick together and form a crust. A cavity will form under the crust when grain is removed from the bin. The crust isn’t strong enough to support a person’s weight, so anyone who walks on it will fall into the cavity and be buried under several feet of grain.

Determine if the grain has a crust before any grain has been removed. If work needs to be done with a crust, it must be done before any grain is removed.

To determine if the grain is bridged after unloading has started, look for a funnel shape on the surface of the grain mass. If the grain surface appears undisturbed, the grain has bridged and a cavity has formed under the surface. Stay outside the bin and use a pole or other object to break the bridge loose.

If the grain flow stops when you’re removing it from the bin, a chunk of spoiled grain probably is blocking the flow. Entering the bin to break up the blockage will expose you to being buried in grain and tangled in the auger.

If grain has formed a vertical wall, try to break it up from the top of the bin with a long pole on a rope or through a door with a long pole. A wall of grain can collapse, or avalanche, without warning, knocking you over and burying you.

Never enter a grain bin alone. Have at least two people at the bin to assist in case of problems. Use a safety harness and rope that prevents you from descending rapidly more than a couple of feet when entering a bin.

“Take time to think of all options before entering a bin,” Hellevang advises.

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A priest was out enjoying a nice round of golf when out of nowhere, he heard someone yell, “Fore!” Before he could react the ball hit him right on top of the head. The golfer who hit the shot rushed to the scene and gushed his apology. The priest assured him that he was fine. The man then smiled and said, “Well at least now I can tell all of my friends that I’ve finally hit my first holy one.”

Where does a sheep go to get a haircut? The baa baa shop!

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What do you call two monkeys that share an Amazon account? Prime mates.

‘22 & ‘23 HAY FOR SALE

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Stable flies on pastured cattle

By Dave Boxler, Nebraska Extension Educator

Stable flies aren’t just an annoyance. They cause reduced average daily gain, and it may take as few as four flies per leg to cause economic injury. Animals bunching to fight stable flies damage forage, and on fragile soils, may create blow outs.

How do you know when you’re dealing with stable flies?

Animals fighting stable flies may display a variety of behaviors, including:

Tail flicking

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Skin twitching

Leg stamping

Lying with their legs tucked underneath Standing in water

Bunching in corners of pastures

Controlling Stable Flies

Animal sprays are the most common option for controlling stable flies on range cattle. Control products include:

Coumaphos (Co-Ral)

Permethrin (many brand names)

Natural pyrethrins (many brand names)

Phosmet (Prolate).

These products can be applied using a low-pressure sprayer or mist blower sprayer. Weekly applications are required to reduce fly numbers.

Another option is to target stable fly resting sites. On warm days, especially in the afternoon, these resting sites could be sprayed with a low-pressure or mist blower sprayer targeting the foliage, using permethrin or natural pyrethrins. Avoid spraying water tanks and water sources, and follow label recommendations.

Another option is to reduce stable fly larval development by cleaning up spillage and waste around hay rings. If sanitation is not possible, a larvicide, such as Neporex®, could be applied to the larval development site.

Stable Fly Studies

Stable flies impact weight gain on both pastured and confined cattle. Research conducted at the University of Nebraska, West Central Research, Extension, and Education Center saw a reduced average daily gain of 0.44 lb. in three, 84-day trials with cattle not receiving an insecticide treatment compared with cattle that did. An economic injury level (EIL) of five flies per leg has been suggested and is often exceeded in normal pasture conditions. The EIL may be less based on the results from the above study, where stable fly numbers averaged 3.6 flies per leg.

Stable Fly Anatomy and Behavior

Both sexes of stable flies require a blood meal, usually twice a day, depending upon the weather. They prefer to feed on all four legs and the belly area of pastured animals. After feeding, the stable fly will seek a shaded resting site to digest the bloodmeal. In pastures, this could be windbreaks (coniferous or deciduous), walls of structures, windmill towers, and water tanks.

The stable fly is similar in size to the house fly but is dark gray and has dark irregular spots on its abdomen. The proboscis (mouthpart) protrudes bayonet-like in front of the head (Fig 2). The larvae are typically whitish in color. The pupae are chestnut brown and about 1/4 inch long. The complete life cycle from egg to adult is 14-24 days in Nebraska depending upon weather. While the source of early season flies is not well understood, some develop from native overwintering larvae. Other early season flies may migrate from southern locations, but definitive evidence is lacking. However, we do know stable flies can move 10 miles or more. The female deposits eggs in spoiled or fermenting organic matter sometimes mixed with animal manure, moisture, and dirt. The most common developing sites are in feedlots or dairy lots, usually around feed bunks, along the edges of feeding aprons, under fences and along stacks of hay, alfalfa, and straw. Grass clippings and poorly managed compost piles also provide ideal larval developing sites. In pasture settings, winter hay feeding sites where hay rings are used can often be a source to develop stable flies through the summer if moisture is present.

The information given in this article is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names is made with an understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is implied.

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What do Alexander the Great and Winnie the Pooh have in common? Same middle name.

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I’m good friends with 25 letters of the alphabet. I don’t know Y.

Stable fly resting on a board, piecing/sucking mouthpart protruding in front of the head. (Photo by David J. Boxler)

The Blueprint® team has put together the most transparent animal nutrition program on today’s market. Blueprint® products contain 100% organic trace minerals made from the highest quality, most research-proven trace mineral available.

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University research and on-ranch demonstrations combined have shown feeding Blueprint® can deliver positive results across many ares of production.

Start scouting for potato leafhoppers in alfalfa

By Robert Wright - Extension Entomologist, UNL

Potato leafhoppers have the potential to injure alfalfa in Nebraska every year and have been reported recently in southeast Nebraska. They don’t overwinter in Nebraska but rather are brought in on southerly winds. Generally they are a second and third cutting pest.

If you have not yet started to scout for potato leafhopper, now would be a good time to begin.

These small (1/8 inch long), bright green, wedge-shaped insects may cause severe damage to alfalfa. This feeding results in a distinctive yellow or purple triangle shape at the leaf tip. First year, spring planted alfalfa fields are particularly attractive to and vulnerable to potato leafhoppers, as are fields planted last year. In older fields, these insects are usually a problem on second and third cuttings.

Resistant varieties provide fairly good protection from potato leafhoppers, but alfalfa in the seedling stage may still be damaged. All fields should still be scouted, as large numbers of leafhoppers may still cause a problem, even in resistant variety fields.

Treatment Thresholds and Insecticides

Treatment decisions are based on numbers captured by a sweep net. (A sweep net is the only reliable way to scout for potato leafhoppers.) See Tables 1-3 for decisionmaking help. Note that there do not have to be many to cause a problem.

Many insecticides are registered for control, and all will provide good results when applied properly. Commonly used insecticides include Mustang, Warrior, Baythroid, or products with the same active ingredients.

Refer to the UNL Extension Circular 130 for a list of suggested insecticides.

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Whipped cream on baked potato? Something new around here. And probably not the last weird thing I’ll eat given my record lately. Well, at least I noticed my error before putting sour cream on baked apples. Thanks for checking on me, Lord. I love that about you

CONTINUED ON PAGE A15

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If you kept growing as fast as you did when you were a baby...you’d weight 413,300 pounds by the time you were 10.

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Customer: “Why is this coffee so muddy?” Waitress: “It was ground yesterday.”

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Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.

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The beautiful thing about learning is nobody can take it away from you.

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It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.

Table 1. Dynamic treatment thresholds for potato leafhoppers (average number per sweep) on alfalfa that is 1 to 4 inches tall.

Table 2. Dynamic treatment thresholds for potato leafhoppers (average number per sweep) on alfalfa that is 4 to 8 inches tall.

Start scouting for potato leafhoppers in alfalfa

CONTINUED FROM PAGE A14

treatment thresholds for potato leafhoppers (average number per sweep) on alfalfa that is

Thank you, Lord, for helping me snatch my toddler grandson out of the street and then giving me a hand when I fell at the curb.

Mints, oregano/ marjoram and parsley

Mints such as peppermint and spearmint are hardy perennials used to make herbal tea, flavor drinks and liqueurs, and to make mint sauce. Mints are the easiest to grow perennial herbs. They grow profusely in sun or shade. Plant in moist soil in sunken pots in the garden to stop spreading. Use the leaves and flowering tops both fresh and dried.

Oregano/Marjoram can be grown from seed sown in the spring or propagated by cuttings. They are lowgrowing, clump-forming, slightly woody perennials. Shoot cuttings can be taken in late summer and the plant should be replaced very two to three years. Cut the tender tops of both herbs just as flowers begin. Add oregano to Italian-type sauces, pizza and meats. Marjoram can be used in stuffing or for flavoring meats, and it enhances mushroom soup.

Parsley is a very popular mild-flavored herb. It is a densely leafy biennial but is best grown annually from seed. There are curly and flat-leafed varieties. The curly is popular for its appearance, but the flat leafed have a stronger flavor. It can be slow to germinate, but watering with hot water after planting the seeds can speed up the process. Once the leaves appear, it grows rapidly. It’s regularly used as a garnish and for flavoring a wide variety of meat and vegetable dishes.

TRUCK FOR SALE

Once the smoke clears

Periods of wildfire fill the air with smoke that can impact your horses long after the skies clear. Even when the smoke lifts and you itch to ride again, it’s better to be smart about reintroducing horses to work.

Horses that have been exposed to smoke and ash can suffer long-term effects. Even in barns, they are breathing air of the same quality as outside (unless you have an enclosed barn with an HVAC or closed air circulation).

Deep breathing during exercise or playing at turnout can draw foreign particulates deeper into the lungs.

During this exposure, horses breathe in ash and small particles (called particulates) that lodge in their upper airway and their lungs. Deep breathing during exercise or playing at turnout can draw the foreign particulates deeper into the lungs. The more particulate that is drawn deep into the lung, the longer recovery may take.

This is why you should keep horses as quiet as possible while still keeping them comfortable in a turnout or pasture.

What counts as clean air?

Monitor the air quality index (AQI) to determine if the air is becoming clean and we can start our countdown to riding once again. The AQI needs to be consistently below 100 throughout a 24-hour period to be counted as a “clean air day.” The number of clean air days are what we will use to establish the horse’s recovery schedule.

Clean air

Once clean air is consistently below 100, horses should be allowed to rest in a turnout or pasture for a minimum of seven days. Discourage work or running, and let the animals relax.

The length of this rest-only period will depend on the time span and the severity of exposure to smoke and ash. The other major factor to consider is whether the horse has a pre-existing respiratory condition such as heaves or EIPH (bleeders), as this will likely increase the length of the restonly phase. Talk with your veterinarian about when to safely bring a horse back to work. During this time their body is working to clear the lungs of particulates, especially those that have lodged deep in the lungs.

After seven days of clean air, there are several options for bringing your horse back in to work. The option you choose will depend upon several factors:

The health of the horse prior to the poor air quality caused by smoke and ash.

The length of time the horse is exposed to the smoke and ash.

The severity of the air quality.

Pre-existing respiratory conditions.

The fitness of the horse prior to the poor air quality. If at any time your horse develops signs of respiratory distress, stop working and contact your veterinarian. Signs of distress include:

Coughing.

Nasal discharge.

Increased respiratory rate not affiliated with the work or gait.

Excessive reluctance to work.

Thoroughly wash horses prior to riding to avoid skin irritation from the ash residue.

The attached graphs provide three different timing options, depending on the health status of your horse. If you’re not sure which option to choose, consult your veterinarian.

HAY PRODUCTS

Check out our large selection of round balers, square balers, mower conditioners, and windrowers to meet your haying needs for the upcoming haying season.

#68970

Controlling yucca on rangeland

By Jerry Volesky, UNL

Yucca plants, which are also called soapweed, can be quite common on rangeland in western and central Nebraska. They are especially noticeable here in June when flowering. In some areas, they can be quite thick and significantly reduce grass production. There are ways, though, to reclaim those grazinglands.

Once established, yucca plants can increase on drier rangeland sites. They produce a deep taproot that competes aggressively for the limited water in these soils. With sharp leaves protecting the plant, cattle rarely eat it during summer. Grass production decreases while yucca thrives.

Herbicides like Remedy Ultra®; PastureGard HL®; Pathfinder II®, Tordon®, Velpar, or Cimarron Plus® can control yucca, but only when each individual plant is sprayed directly. Hexazinone products like Velpar L®; Pronone Power Pellet, or Velossa® can be applied to the soil uphill side of individual yucca plants with exact delivery hand-gun applicator; since pasture grass streaking injury downslope can occur with chemical movement. General broadcast spraying to control yucca on rangeland is cost prohibitive, although small patches can and should be controlled before they expand. Herbicides are most effective when applied in spring or summer. When using herbicides, be sure to follow label directions for the best control.

Some people have had some success in reducing yucca through winter grazing. During winter, yucca often is the only green plant around. Sometimes cows actually will get down on their knees, lay their head sideways on the ground, and chew through the base of the plant to get to the moist, tender parts. It has been observed though, that it can take some time for animals to learn to graze yucca and there may be some animals in the herd that will not graze it while others can be quite proficient. After several consecutive winters of grazing, yucca stands can be reduced so grass again thrives during summer.

Whether it is with herbicides or trying some winter grazing, this might be a good year to reclaim some of your pasture back from yucca.

4WD, ROW CROP AND UTILITY TRACTORS

Spring is here. Take a look at our selection of 4WD, loader, utility and row crop tractors that we have available! Anything to match your operation and budget!

1999 John Deere 6410 utility tractor with standard cab, 16 speed PowerQuad transmission, MFWD, rear PTO540/1000, loader. Stock #85533 $39,000 (12)

2014 John Deere 6715 with standard cab, MFWD, PowrQuad 16/16 with LH reverser, 18.4x38 rear, 14.9x24 front tires, 3 SCVs, rear PTO 540/1000, loader with bucket, 129 hp. Stock #82997.$59,900 (4)

2016 John Deere 569 round baler with 1000 PTO, net and twine, MegaWidePlus pickup, push bar, hydraulic pickup, 21.5L-16.1 tires, includes monitor. Stock #76034 $31,750 (15)

2013 John Deere 569 round baler with 1000 PTO, twine and wrap, wide pickup, big tires, push bar, 40,551 bales. Stock #76311 $19,250 (16)

2012 John Deere 568 round baler with 15,520 bales, 1000 PTO, net and twine, MegaWide Plus pickup, push bar, hydraulic pickup, 21.5L-16.1 tires, monitor. Stock #81546 $20,500 (3)

2008 John Deere 568 round baler with MegaWide pickup with gauge wheels, twine only, 1000 PTO, push bar, 5-ft. bale size. Stock #81674 $12,000 (12)

2018 John Deere 560M round baler with precutter and accumulator, 1000 PTO, net and twine, MegaWidePlus pickup, hydraulic pickup, 21.5L-16.1 tires, 14,500 bales, bale push bar. Stock #68970. $50,000 (11)

2016 Vermeer 6650 Rancher baler, twine only, regular pickup, 540 PTO, 5 foot bale width, no precut knives, Vermeer bale monitor. Stock #77012..$21,500 (2)

2010 John Deere 7130 standard series tractor with MFWD, 18.4R38 rears, 13.6R28 fronts, 16 speed Power Quad with LH reverser, steel rear wheels, flanged axle vertical exhaust, air seat, rear worklight, rear wiper/washer, 3 SCVs, telescoping draft links, includes JD 640R loader Serial #1P0640RXCKC010458 self leveling with bucket and grapple and joystick control. Stock #84695 $59,500 (16)

2022 John Deere 6145R with 640R with grapple and loader, lights, 20 speed AutoQuad transmission, MFWD, no suspension, premium cab with suspension, premium seat and radio, heated rear window, fuel heater, Cold Start II, fuel tank bottom guard, no receiver, 4200 Display, 3 E-SCV with 450 couplers, premium lighting with glass roof, 480/80R42 rear tires with rear fender extension, 420/85R28 front tire with turnable fender, 1800 lbs. of rear wheel weight. Stock #85036 $205,000 (14)

2018 John Deere 6155M 20 speed AutoQuad transmission, AutoTrac ready, standard cab, 114 L/Min hydraulic pump, 540/1000 PTO, 3 SCVs, 480/80R42 rear tires, 420/85R28 front tires, Cold Star package, JD 640R loader with bucket and grapple with 3 function control. Stock #84777 $145,000 (4)

2022 John Deere 6155M PowerQuad Plus 20F/20R transmission, AutoTrak ready, standard cab with RH console, 3 SCVs, 540/1000 PTO, 480/80R42 single rear tires, 420/85R28 front tires, rear fender extensions, cold start package, loader ready with JD640R loaderbucket and grapple. Stock #86190 $188,000 (4)

2012 Case IH RB564 round baler with both twine and net wrap, 1000 PTO, hydraulic pickup lift, wide pickup, hi flotation tires. Stock #83682 $14,500 (3)

2017 Vermeer 605N Select baler, 5-ft. wide by 6-ft. tall bales, wide pickup, pickup gauge wheels, 1000 PTO, twine and net wrap, bale ejection ramp. Stock #82472 $24,000 (16)

2022 John Deere 6155R AQ Plus 20 speed transmission, triple link front suspension, 640R loader (MSL) with 5 tine grapple, AutoTrac ready, no receiver, 4200 display/ processor with AutoTrac unlock, premium cab with suspension, Panorama glass roof with deluxe light package, 3 ESCV remotes, 480/80R42 rear with fender extensions, 420/85R28 fronts with turnable front fenders, Cold Start II, heated rear window, 1800 lb. rear weights inside rear tire. Stock #84571 $235,000 (14)

#76034

2018 John Deere 560M round baler with precutter, 1000 PTO, 21.5L-16.1 tires, twine/net, MegaWide pickup, pickup gauge wheels, bale accumulator. Stock #81836 $54,000 (4)

Did your harvest not go as planned with unexpected break downs & expensive service bills? We still have several affordable units to choose from.

2019 John Deere S790 473 hp, 2WD, 671 engine hours, 496 separator hours, Pro Drive transmission with Harvest Smart, advanced PowerCast tailboard, TriStream rotor, fixed speed feederhouse, power folding GT extensions, small wire concaves, 28.5-ft. unloading auger, 1100/45R46 front tires, 710/60R30 rear tires, GPS monitor, display, Premium Activation. Stock #72735...$405,000 (1)

2018 John Deere S790 857 engine/647 separator hours, Combine Advisor, Active Yield, dual tilt fixed speed feederhouse, leather seat, Premium cab, LED lights, complete GPS system with Premium Activation, regular wear TriStream rotor, advanced PowerCast tailboard, 28.5-ft. unload auger, axle spacers, extended warranty until 12/2023 or 1750 hours. Stock #79419 $407,000 (1)

2019 John Deere S790 with Pro Drive transmission with Harvest Smart, Hi torque fixed speed drive with dual tilt cylinders, Combine Advisor pkg, Active Yield Plus, LSW1100 drive tires, LSW 710/60 rear tires, TriStream rotor, regular wear grain handling, advanced PowerCast tailboard, power folding grain covers, 28.5-ft. unload auger, leather seat, LED lights, complete GPS package. Stock #86049 $355,000 (1)

2020 John Deere S780 473 hp, 2WD, Pro Drive transmission, advanced PowerCast tailboard, TriStream rotor, 28.5-ft. unloading auger, Combine Advisor, Premium Activation with Gen 4 monitor and SF6000 receiver, 520-85R 42 tires with duals, and 750/65R26 rear tires. Stock #81411 $450,000 (12)

2020 John Deere S780 no receiver or extended monitor, 4600 display with AutoTrac Activation, Contour Master with fore & aft, 580/85R42 duals, Combine Advisor, Active Yield, power folding grain tank, 28.5-ft. unloading auger, advanced tailboard, TriStream rotor (standard wear), LED lights, cloth seat, premium radio, sidehill performance kit, small grain cleaning shoe. Stock #80883 $427,500 (14)

2019 John Deere S780 with 580 duals, Active Yield, Combine Advisor, dual display with Preview Activation, manual folding tops, Premium residue, 28.5-ft. unloading auger, Contour Master with fore & aft, LED lights, small grain wind board, side hill performance vane kit. Stock #73427 $417,500 (14)

2014 John Deere S670 premium cab, suspension seat, heavy duty drive, Pro Drive with HarvestSmart, variable stream rotor, 26-ft. unloading auger, fine cut chopper, 520/85R42 front tires, side hill performance package, Power Cast tailboard. Stock #84056 $197,500 (14)

2010 John Deere 9670 STS 2WD, 800/70R38 singles, Contour Master, fixed speed, small wire concaves, chopper/spreader, 26-ft. auger, deluxe header controls. Stock #82916 $92,500 (12)

2008 John Deere 9770STS 2WD, 3 speed, no CM, fixed speed feederhouse, 800/70R38 singles, premium cab, 22.5-ft. unloading auger, deluxe header controls, Power Cast tailboard, adjustable rear axle, heady duty final drive, no GPS. Stock #83409 $90,000 (1)

2005 John Deere 9660STS small grain combine, singles, chopper, Yield Monitor, FH level land, fixed speed feederhouse, no CM, Harvest Smart header control, Touch Set unloading system, high capacity. Stock #83544 $55,000 (12)

2019 John Deere S780 with Contour Master with fore & aft, TriStream rotor, Active Yield, Combine Advisor, premium cab, with leather, heat, LED lights with extremity, 4600 display (no extended monitor), no receiver, small wire concaves, fine cut Advanced PowerCast tailboard, power folding grain tank, 28.5ft. unloading auger, IF520/85R42 duals, 750/65R26 rear, grain tank mirror, side hill performance kit. Stock #85153 $395,000 (14)

2019 John Deere S780 Premium cab with leather, LED lights, Guidance, Combine Advisor, Active Yield, Pro Drive transmission with Harvest Smart, Tri Stream rotor, power folding covers, 28.5 ft. unloading auger, fine cut chopper, 520/85R42 tires with duals, side hill performance package $337,500 (3)

2019 John Deere S780 with extended wear package, premium cab, Combine Advisor, Active Yield, Pro Drive transmission with Harvest Smart, TriStream rotor with extended wear package, power folding covers, 28.5-ft. unloading auger, fine cut chopper, side hill performance package, VF520/85R42 front duals. Stock #79041 $339,000 (1)

2018 John Deere S780 small grain combine with Active Yield, Combine Advisor, 28.5-ft. auger, advanced PowerCast tailboard, power folding grain tank, full GPS. Stock #82627 $325,000 (1)

2015 John Deere S690 with Advanced Tailboard, Contour Master with fore & aft, fixed speed FH, HID lights, premium cab and radio, IF900/60R32 singles, 750/65R26 rear, 26-ft. unloading auger, TriStream rotor, inlcudes a 2630 on the armrest with AutoTrac and A 3000 receiver. Stock #82920 $260,000 (14)

2012 John Deere S680 small grain with 2WD, duals, Yield Monitor, Contour Master (lateral tilt feeder house), power folding bin extension, premium cab with premium radio, HID lighting package and header extremity light, AutoTrac ready with Harvest Monitor, touchscreen GS3 Command Center, 7 inch color display, Pro Drive transmission with Harvest Smart feed rate control. Stock #82961 $136,000 (12)

2006 John Deere 9760STS 936D with batt reel, 2WD, 30.5x32 singles, level land, fixed speed, small wire concaves, Power Cast tailboard, 22.5-ft. auger, normal concave adjustment, deluxe header controls. Stock #83119.........$72,000 (1)

2012 John Deere S680 2WD, 520/85R42 duals, lateral tilt, fixed speed feederhouse (without fore & aft), pro drive, Power Cast tailboard, TriStream Rotor (extended wear), small wire concaves, power fold grain tank covers, 26-ft. auger, basic radio, air seat, standard lighting and extremity lights, SF3000 7” Command Arm, Active Terrain activation. Stock #82461 $147,500 (1)

2012 John Deere S680 with Yield Monitor, Contour Master, (lateral tilt feederhouse), premium cab with premium radio, AutoTrac, complete with Harvest Monitor, GreenStar 3, 2630 display (mounted on armrest) ProDrive transmission with Harvest Smart feedrate control, heavy duty tilt cylinder, general purpose chaffer and sieve, regular wear (thick skin) 26-ft. (7.9M) unloading auger, fine cut chopper, Advanced PowerCast powered tailboard. Stock #82437 $148,000 (12)

2015 John Deere S670 with Pro Drive transmission, Command Touch multi speed drive, Tri Stream rotor, dual adjust chaffer, manual tailboard, 26-ft. unload auger, coarse grain package, premium cab, leather seat, 750/65R26 rear tires and 650/85R38 front with duals. Stock #85223 $185,000 (14)

2012 John Deere S670 with premium cab, Pro Drive with Harvest Smart, variable stream rotor, 26-ft. unloading auger, fine cut chopper, 520/85R42 front tires, side hill performance package, Power Cast tailboard. Stock #84057 $182,500 (14)

2=Cut

3=Choteau:

2015 John Deere S680 small grain combine, 2WD, singles, chopper, yield monitor, Contour Master, (lateral tilt feederhouse), PowerCast tailboard, power folding bin extension. Stock #85001 $207,500 (12)

2017 John Deere S680, ProDrive transmission, fixed speed drive, heavy duty dual tilt cylinders, premium cab and radio, premium LED light package, Active Terrain adjust, TriStream Rotor, power folding grain tank covers, 26-ft. unload auger, advanced PowerCast tailboard, IF900/60R32 drive tires, 750/65R26

rear tires. Stock #82387 $282,500 (2)

2017 John Deere S670 combine with regular wear package, premium cab, guidance ready with GreenStar display, ProDrive transmission with HarvestSmart, TriStream rotor, power folding tank covers, fine cut chopper, 26-ft. unloading auger, side hill performance package, 12 inch axle spacers. Stock #82722 $287,500 (1)

2015 John Deere S670 with Advanced tailboard, Contour Master without fore & aft, Tri Stream Rotor, Pro Drive transmission, HID lights, premium cab and radio, 26-ft. unloading auger, IF900/60R32 and 600/70R28 tires, small wire concaves, includes a 2630 on the armrest, Auto Trac and A3000 receiver. Stock #82922 $225,000 (14)

2015 John Deere 670 small grain combine, 2WD, singles, chopper, Yield Monitor, Contour Master (lateral tilt feederhouse), side hill, Power Cast tailboard, power folding bin extension, general purpose extended wear package, premium cab, enhanced air suspension seat, HID lighting package and header extremity lights, premium radio package with XM radio, Auto Trac, Harvest Monitor, (SF!) GreenStar 3 2630 display (mounted on armrest), Pro Drive transmission, Harvest Smart feedrate control. Stock #83460 $177,000 (12)

2015 John Deere S670 with Pro Drive, 26-ft. unloading auger, 520/85R42 duals, chopper with Power Cast tailboard, premium cab/radio, HID lights, 2WD, variable speed feederhouse, Tri Stream rotor. Stock #84831 $170,000 (14)

2008 John Deere 9770STS level land combine, hi-torque variable speed feederhouse, deluxed header control with header height sensing, general purpose chaffer, 22-ft. unloading auger, 900/60R32 drive tires, 28L-26 rear tires. Stock #81779 $78,000 (3)

#81914

www.frontlineagsolutions.com

16=Livingston: 800-824-3932

#79419

#85001

#85223

#85153

2010 Case IH 7120 small grain combine, 2WD, 900/30R-32 singles, spreader, yield monitor, rock trap. Stock #81914 $85,000 (12)

PICKUP HEADER FOR SALE

2023 Montana Make It With Wool Program

From Amanda Powell, Montana MIWW Director

The Montana Make It With Wool program is gearing up for another fantastic year of creativity through our traditional garment making contest, and the Quilt, Appliqué Project, and Afghan contest. There has been some new and renewed interest in the MIWW program over the past few weeks which is always exciting.

It is never too early to start preparing for the District Make It With Wool contests to be held this Fall. We encourage all sewists to grab your favorite pattern and start searching for that perfect wool fabric or yarn.

District MIWW contests will be held in October 2023. Specific dates can be found in the 2023 Montana MIWW brochure which is available on the Montana Woolgrowers Association website at mtsheep.org/make-it-with-wool/, the Montana Make It With Wool Facebook page, at your local MSU Extension office, and from our Montana MIWW Director Amanda Powell (aspowell11@hotmail.com).

Please note: All MIWW garment entries and quilt, appliqué project, and afghan entries are due by October 1, 2023. No late entries being accepted.

The Montana Entry Form has specific instructions on what size samples and fees need to be sent to the appropriate directors. The MIWW Entry Form can be found on the Montana Woolgrowers Association website at mtsheep. org/make-it-with-wool/, the Montana Make It With Wool Facebook page, at your local MSU Extension office, and from our Montana MIWW Director and District Directors.

To compete in the Montana MIWW program, the fabric and/or yarn needs to be a minimum of 60% wool to qualify for the MIWW contest. There is a $7 testing fee for each piece of fabric or yarn used in your entry. We encourage sewists to send in their samples early, to assure the testing results are received before the District contest. All samples are to be sent to the Montana MIWW Director (4187 Old Post Road, Havre MT 59501) for testing.

The MIWW competition is open to all who sew, knit or crochet garments with wool fabric or wool yarn. The categories are Preteen (12 and under); Junior (13-16); Senior (17-24); Adult (age 25 and older); and Made for Others. Ages are determined as of January 1, 2023.

Keyhole Steel Brace SyStem

With over 40 years of experience, We specialize in large ranch projects and offer competitive pricing available exclusively through gateWay arch & fence, our Keyhole Brace SyStem alleviates 100% of the torching, plasma cutting, and Welding typically done While building running h braces and corners

While safety is a huge issue, time is of the essence When building fence the Keyhole Brace SyStem alloWs one person to drive and assemble a full corner in under thirty minutes a tWo person team can fully set posts, cut rails, and Wire a corner in close to 10-15 minutes. a simple h brace can be done in five minutes

All participants compete at the District contests. Winners at the District level in the Junior, Senior, and Adult categories advance to the Montana State MIWW competition held in conjunction with the Montana Woolgrowers Convention on December 1st and 2nd, 2023, in Billings. Made for Other category winners move onto the State MIWW competition if the entry meets the category requirements.

The Montana MIWW Quilt / Appliqué Project / Afghan contest continues this year, so get your creative juices flowing and complete your one-of-a-kind creation. We want to see it!! Specific entry information can be found in the 2023 Montana Make It With Wool Quilt / Appliqué Project / Afghan Contest brochure which can be found on the Montana Woolgrowers Association website at mtsheep. org/make-it-with-wool/, the Montana Make It With Wool Facebook page, and at your local MSU Extension office. Our quilt competition is directed by Jean Harrison who can be reached at 406-799-1331 or jeanharrison45@charter.net for questions.

I am looking forward to seeing the creations that our contestants will bring to the program this year. It is always exciting to see the younger sewists get involved in the MIWW program, and so inspiring as we view the outstanding outfits of some of our more accomplished contestants.

If you have not liked our Facebook page, we ask that you go and like it – Montana Make It With Wool. Happy Sewing!!

Important dates July 3-4

July 3

1998 Rolls Royce sold to Volkswagen.

July 4

1776 United States Declaration of Independence signed.

1946 The Philippines became a self-governing nation after 48 years of U.S. sovereignty.

1954 Rationing of meat and bacon through the use of ration books ends bringing to an end rationing in Great Britain after 14 years.

1959 A 49th star is added to the American flag to represent the new state of Alaska.

1960 A 50th star is added to the American flag to represent the new state of Hawaii.

Poisonous pasture plants

By Jerry Volesky, UNL

While poisonous plants are generally not as problematic in Nebraska compared to other western states, they can exact their toll on livestock enterprises, and many times the losses are unrecognized.

There are 17 species listed as primary toxic plants that can be found in Nebraska. Toxic plants contain or produce substances injurious or lethal to animals. The amount of plant material consumed by the grazing animal before death or poisoning symptoms appear, does vary by species. Poisoning symptoms will vary depending on the toxic compound in the plant, but may include difficulty breathing, excess salivation, nervousness, or staggering. Many poisonous plants are avoided by the animal, but a scarcity of forage, such as under drought conditions may lead to a situation where they are consumed.

There are some species, such as prairie larkspur, where grazing animals may select for them when they are flowering (mid-June to early July). Other relatively common poisonous plants in central and western Nebraska include Riddell groundsel, Lambert crazyweed, wooly locoweed, and chokecherry.

Poison hemlock and spotted water hemlock are common statewide. These two species prefer moist areas in pastures, creek banks, ditches, and disturbed sites.

If you suspect a poisonous plant problem in your pastures, be sure to get a positive identification of the plant. When control or removal of the plants is not possible, it may be best to move livestock to a different pasture.

Nebraska Extension does have a great resource called Nebraska Plants Toxic to Livestock (EC3037) https:// extensionpublications.unl. edu/assets/pdf/ec3037.pdf that can be found online or obtained through your local Extension office.

Pretty simple. Farmers depend on what’s dependable. That’s Valley®, the #1 brand in pivot irrigation. Our machines are engineered to be the strongest and last the longest. As ever-increasing demands are put on growers' shoulders, let Valley lighten the load—and increase yields—with rock-solid reliability.

Experience our dependability. Contact us today!

Pretty simple. Farmers depend on what’s dependable. That’s Valley®, the #1 brand in pivot irrigation. Our machines are engineered to be the strongest and last the longest. As ever-increasing demands are put on growers' shoulders, let Valley lighten the load—and increase yields—with rock-solid reliability.

Experience our dependability. Contact us today!

valleyirrigation.com

Versatile RT490

RENTAL: Monthly: USD $14,000 - $20,000 Engine Hourly: USD $140

Yearly: USD $28,000/66 month Lease $28,000 down

RENTAL:

RENTAL: Daily: USD $900

Monthly: USD $30,000 Acre: USD $8

Yearly: USD $19,000/72 month Lease $24,000 down

2018 Versatile 320 32’ disc, 8” spacing, all NEW 22” wavy discs, rolling basket, 3-section folding.

RENTAL: Daily: USD $800 Acre: USD $8

1997 Case IH 9380 Cummins N14, syncro transmission, 4WD, 4 hydraulics, duals, air/heat/radio.

RENTAL: Monthly: USD $25,000 - $30,000 Engine Hourly: USD $130

1985 Versatile 856 Cummins L10, 240 hp, 4WD, 4 standard hydraulics, duals. RENTAL: Engine Hourly: USD $100

2013 Farm King 4490 28-ft., 9” spacing, 24” smooth front & rear, 8mm (5/16”) width, stone flex hangers, 410WSS bearings.

RENTAL: Monthly: USD $25,000 Acre: USD $8

1981 Versatile 835 Cummins NTA855, 230 hp, 4WD, 4 standard hydraulics, duals, nice clean one owner tractor.

RENTAL: Daily: USD $100 Weekly: USD $6000 Monthly: USD $15,000

Engine Hourly: USD $100

1983 Versatile 835 lll 4WD, 250 hp, 4 high flow hydraulics, duals, air/heat/radio.

RENTAL: Daily: USD

$1000 Engine Hourly: USD $100

1982 Versatile 1150 Cummins KTA1150A, 470 hp., 4WD, 4 hydraulics, Synchro transmission, good tractor, have the triples, just not on in picture, runs great

Daily: USD $900 Weekly: USD $7500 Monthly: USD $25,000 Engine Hourly: USD $150

1982 Steiger Bearcat lll ST225 4WD, 225 hp., 4 standard hydraulics, duals. RENTAL: Engine Hourly: USD $100

1978 Versatile 875 Cummins, 280 hp, 4WD, 4 hydraulics, duals. Call For Availability

Massey Ferguson 9895 diesel 2WD combine, with straw chopper/ spreader combo RENTAL: 1995 Case IH 2188 2WD combine, Cummins diesel, reverser, chopper, field ready. RENTAL:

1996 Case IH 2188 2WD combine, with straw/chaff spreader RENTAL: Engine Hourly: USD $120 2012 Versatile RT490 4WD combine, Cummins, 490 hp, straw chopper/spreader combo RENTAL:

1993 New Holland TR96 2WD conventional combine with straw choper/ spreader combo RENTAL:

Lone Tree Gun Show

Richland

Recipe Patch By Geri

Cottage Cheese

Scrambled Eggs

1 Tbsp butter

4 large eggs, beaten

¼ cup cottage cheese

1 tsp chopped fresh chives, or to taste

ground black pepper to taste

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Pour beaten eggs into the skillet; let cook undisturbed until the bottom of the eggs begins to firm, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir cottage cheese and chives into eggs and season with black pepper. Cook and stir until eggs are nearly set, 3 to 4 minutes more.

Simply Salmon

1 Tbsp garlic powder

1 Tbsp dried basil

½ tsp salt

4 (6 ounce) fillets salmon

2 Tbsp butter

4 lemon wedges

Stir garlic powder, basil, and salt together in a small bowl. Rub the mixture evenly over salmon. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add salmon and cook until browned and flaky, about 5 minutes per side. Serve salmon with lemon wedges.

Quick Beef Stir-Fry

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 pound beef sirloin, cut into 2-inch strips

1 ½ cups fresh broccoli florets

1 red bell pepper, cut into matchsticks

2 carrots, thinly sliced

1 green onion, chopped

1 tsp minced garlic

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

Heat vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over mediumhigh heat; cook and stir beef until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Move beef to the side of the wok and add broccoli, bell pepper, carrots, green onion, and garlic to the center of the wok. Cook and stir vegetables for 2 minutes. Stir beef into vegetables and season with soy sauce and sesame seeds. Continue to cook and stir until vegetables are tender, about 2 more minutes. Serve hot and enjoy!

Grilled Lobster Tails

4 (4 ounce) frozen lobster tails

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into chunks

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup dry white wine

2 Tbsp chives, chopped

2 Tbsp parsley, chopped

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

Lemon wedges, for serving

Place the frozen tails in the refrigerator overnight. To thaw on the same day, place the tails in a sealed plastic bag and submerge in cold water until completely thawed, 30 to 45 minutes. Preheat a gas grill (direct heat) to 350°F to 400°F. For a charcoal grill, let the coals burn for about 10 minutes, and keep a cooler zone of indirect heat if the fire becomes too hot and it looks like the tails might burn. In a small saucepan set over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the wine, chives, and parsley. Remove from the heat and set aside 1/4 cup of the herb butter to drizzle over the cooked lobsters once you are ready to serve. With kitchen shears or a sharp knife, cut a slit down the center of the hard shell to the tail. Use a knife to cut the meat along the same path as the shell cut line, being careful not to slice all the way through the lobster. Gently open the shell like a book, keeping the back of the meat connected to the under-shell. Coat the flesh side of the tails with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. With tongs, set the tails on the grill with the flesh side down, close the lid, and grill for approximately 5 minutes. Open the lid and using a pair of tongs flip the tails over. Use a pastry brush to baste the lobster meat with the herb butter from the saucepan, close the lid, and continue to cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the center of the tail registers 135°F to 140°F. Transfer the lobster tails to a serving platter or individual plates, and drizzle with the reserved 1/4 cup garlic herb butter. Serve with lemon wedges.

Jim & Charlotte Hawkins

GUNS

• Semi-auto Army rifle w/ sling, unk. caliber

• Winchester 30M-1 Army rifle w/ sling

• Thompson Center Arms .50 caliber Black Powder Rifle, new, w/ box

• Weatherby .300 mag

• Ruger .270 Model 6902

• Savage Model 99, .308 caliber rifle

• Japanese bolt-action rifle, unk. caliber

• M-1 Grand .30 caliber semi-auto rifle, new

• Howa Model 1500, .270 rifle Nikko Stirling Gameking 3.5x10 scope

• Browning Bar II .270 semi-auto rifle w/ muzzle break and Leupold 3x9 scope

• Browning .300 Win Mag semi-auto rifle w/ Redfield 4 power scope

• Sears Model 31 .22 LR semi-auto rifle

• Ruger Model Max 9 .9mm semi-auto pistol, new in the box

• Hi-Standard .22 LR semi-auto pistol

4-WHEELER

• 2006 Honda Rubicon 4-Wheeler, with QuadBoss Snow Plow / winch, 534 miles, very nice condition

AUTO / VEHICLES

• 1967 Corvette, 3rd owner. Body off restoration completed in Orland Park, Ill., in 2006. 1962 factory 327/300 HP engine, factory 360 fulie camshaft with solid lifters, competition head work, including cut rocker stands, replaced with Jesel Roller Rocker arms with polly locks. Stock 10.25:1 pistons, double pull timing chain as to run on pump gas of 93 octane. High volume oil pump, electronic ignition, 11” racing clutch, factory wheels, side exhaust and car cover. Clear title, VIN #194677S116736, approx. 95,000 original miles. New black leather soft top, red fiberglass hard top. Extra 327 block, heads and 4-spd. trans. 10”x13” envelope full of body, engine and interior work receipts.

• 1965 Ford Fairlane 500, 4-door, all original, 2nd owner, 289 engine, auto trans, new brakes / tires, approx. 50,000 original miles.

• 1934 Ford Coupe, 3-window, 351M from a 1980 Bronco, Ford OD auto trans, Ford Rack and Pinion power steering, 9” Ford rear end, A/C and heat, electric fuel pump / windows, suicide doors, 4,120 miles. Very well done pro-built car. Drive anywhere. One of the last Ravon Street Rods body.

• 1986 Iroc Camaro, 305 engine, rare 5-spd. manual trans, approx. 59,000 miles, smoked T-tops, extremely rare Yellow in color, 3rd owner, survivor car out of California and from an estate in Columbus, Mt.

• 1969 Austin Healey Sprite, 4-cyl. gas engine, 4-spd. manual transmission, 65,500 miles.

• 1979 Mercedes, removable hard top, 90,000 miles, auto trans, gas engine.

Consignment Items

RONALD MUNSON

• Power Washer, like new Tire Machine

• Tables Drill Press

• Bandsaw

Prevent parasites through grazing management

By Penn State Extension

Parasites continue to plague many sheep and goat producers throughout the grazing season. Internal parasites decrease growth rates and in high levels can even cause death. However, sheep and goat producers can follow several practices to minimize the impacts to their flock or herd. These practices center on grazing management, but can also include genetic selection principles.

Russ Verbael Estate

AUCTION

Saturday, August 12, 2023 - 10 am

2409 37th Ave. SW, Great Falls, MT Take I15 Exit 277 then east to 37th St. SW (between Crystal Inn and Flying J) 1/2 mile to site.

VEHICLES AND RELATED: 1953 Ford convertible customized w/V8 & auto trans * 2002 PT Cruiser 86,933 miles * 1957 Chevy 2 door sedan, V8, auto (stored inside) * 1948 Plymouth convertible w/V8 engine, & auto trans * 1948 Ford convertible w/V8 flathead, 3 spd, been through a fire * 1984 Chevy Custom Deluxe 30 V8, 4x4, 4spd, w/Holmes 480 wrecker & boom * 1950 Customized Ford 2 door sedan w/V8, 4spd, reduced 4” in height –running * Avid 1 seat airplane Disassembled for transport * 24’ Enclosed trailer * Lots of car parts * (3) Sets of 4 wheel dollies

TOOLS/EQUIP: CRAFTSMAN- Bench top

* Wagon wheel coffee table * Mission oak rocker * Oak dresser w/mirror * White treadle sewing machine cabinet * Rocking bassinette * (2) Glass door cabinets * Dorm Refrigerator * Many model airplane’s & parts * Patio set w/6 chairs* COINS/CURRENCY-SILVER

25+dollars in cc & Canada - halves- quarters & dimes *V & Buffalo nickles* Indian head & wheat pennies

YARD ART: Wagon * (2) plows * Model T body * Anvil * RR cart

band saw – 7” Bench Grinder – (2) 10” table saws – Drill press – Power hacksawSelf-propelled 21” mower – 4” Jointer * AIR

TOOLS- ½” impact – 3/8” ratchet - sanders – brad nailers * Milwaukee Saws all & compound miter saw * Roll around tool box * 10” Bench grinder * 6 & 10’ Fiberglass step ladders * 6’ Aluminum step ladder * (2) Sets scaffolding * Bolt bin w/bolts * A Frame w/ chain hoist on wheels * Smithy CB-1220XL lathe & mill combo * Dewalt 10” radial arm saw * Champion 1 ½ T engine hoist * Ammco hydraulic press * Thermal Dynamics PAK Master 38XL Plasma cutter * O C Bucklin air compressor * Portable air compressor

* Retractable air hose reel w/50’ hose * (7) Lilhonia lights * Centering punch set * Pipe wrenches * C-Clamps * Vice grips * Power cords * Drill bits * Drill press vice * Oxy-acc torch w/acc tank & cart * Metal Shelving * Paint sprayer * Mr Heater 75-125,000 BTU propane heater * Port-a-power * (2) Battery testers * 4’ Metal brake * Bolt cutters * Auto Rotisserie * Drywall jack * Graco paint sprayer * Lots of screws, nails. Bolts, & Fasteners

* Echo chain saw * Senco Framer Pro1 XP * Stinger Uni spotter stud welder * 5th Wheel and Gooseneck hitches * Hilti TE 17 Hammer drill * 10” buffer-polisher * Evolution mag drill

* Dayton 4” belt sander on stand * Makita 4” angle grinder * Bauer 4.5 & 7” angel grinders

NIB * Ryobi gas string trimmer NIB * Extra Large Vice ( Columbia #205) * Transmission

jack * 4’ Bull float HOUSEHOLD/MISC

(2) Bernina 1090 sewing machines

For more listing & pictures – www. burowsauction.com

Livestock pass internal parasite eggs in their manure. These eggs then hatch and go through several larval stages until they reach an infective stage. This can take as little as six days to go from egg to infective stage. Therefore, producers can use grazing rotations to stay ahead of this cycle. A key is to subdivide fields so that the animals have enough to eat for four to five days. Fields can be subdivided using temporary fencing such as poly-wire or electric net fence. These smaller areas allow sheep or goats to graze the forages present in the field more evenly. Rotate animals into a new field within five days in order to stay ahead of the parasite life cycle. In other words, the parasite larva reach the infective stage after the sheep or goats have moved out of that field. Larva can survive for long periods, even as long as 120 days, when weather conditions are cool and moist. However, when the weather is hot and dry, those parasites can die very quickly. Therefore, the challenge comes when producers balance between these weather patterns to ensure that infective parasite larva are no longer present in the pastures. This can be much easier to write about than accomplish because the goal is to keep fields lush and growing, which creates a more ideal environment for the parasites. Harvesting fields for hay is one way to open up those areas to heat and sunlight in order to kill parasite larva. Another option is to have long rest periods so that the parasites die before the sheep return to that field to graze.

Parasites can also go into a hypobiotic or dormant state inside sheep or goats. Parasites can remain in this state until environmental conditions improve. Sheep and goat producers often see problems when this occurs during the summer. Animals graze pastures short during extended hot and dry weather conditions. Then, when weather conditions improve following a rain, a sudden parasite “bloom” occurs. Parasites that remained inside animals as well as parasites that remained in the egg stage develop very quickly to an infective state. This leads to very large numbers of infective parasites. Therefore, adequate rest periods of 65 days or more between grazings can be critical during the summer! Multi-species grazing also contributes to breaking the parasite life cycle. While sheep and goats share many of the same parasites, cattle and horses do not. Cattle and horses grazed with sheep and goats help to break parasite life cycles because the sheep and goat parasites cannot survive in those other species. Sheep and goats can graze fields at the same time as cattle or horses, or they can graze in a leader-follower system. The leader-follower system allows one species to graze and then after an adequate rest period and forage regrowth, the other species grazes the field.

Another option to prevent parasite infections is to leave at least four inches of forage in the fields when animals move to the next field. Some producers will rotate sheep or goats at taller heights. Most parasite larva are found in the first two inches of forage growth, so the goal is to move the sheep and goats out of a field before they graze down to levels where parasite larva will be ingested.

A final option is to consider the genetics of the sheep and goats. Producers should keep records that identify when they treat animals for parasites. This information should include who was treated, date treated, and product used. Producers should also track withdrawal dates to ensure that no medication residues are present when sheep or goats go to market. Producers should cull animals that they consistently treat more often than most animals in the flock or herd. This allows producers to develop genetics that are more resistant to parasite infections. The parasites will still be present, but the animal’s immune system can better withstand the infection.

The National Sheep Improvement Program (NSIP) can take this selection practice a step further by identifying parasite resistant sheep and meat goats through Estimated Breeding Values. Producers develop these breeding values through fecal egg counts from each lamb or kid in the flock. Those individuals with higher resistance produce lower fecal egg counts. Producers enrolled in the program enter fecal egg count

data along with other performance data and submit to NSIP. For more information on NSIP, check out their website or call their office at 515-708-8850.

August 5th, 2023 @ 10am 509 Highway 87 N in Roundup

Casey & Amanda Weaver 406-544-8696 weaverauctions24@gmail.com www.weaverauctions24.com

Expecting another great line up of equipment, vehicles tools antiques guns and more Hoping to make this auction an annual event!

WANTED

Local Montana retiree looking for a clean old vintage 4x4 truck or Jeep/Scout/Bronco/Blazer to putt around in. 1950’s60’s-70s, any brand or make. Serious buyer with funds. The more original the better, not looking for a huge project. If you’ve got one sitting up on the ranch or in the garage, and are thinking about selling, but don’t want a parade of tire kickers, give me a call or text on 4O6-465-71O2. Thanks.

McMURRY CATTLE

Added Genetic Balance

Trait And Carcass Value ONLY THE BEST SELL Private Treaty Bull Sales

Fred & Doreen McMurry

2027 Iris Lane Billings, MT 59102

Study reviews farmer irrigation scheduling tendencies in dry years

HP 406 254 1247 Cell 406 697 4040 mcmurrycattle@gmail.com www.mcmurrycattle.com

Montana Hereford Breeders

Anchor Polled Herefords 406-467-2880, Vaughn, MT

Beery’s Land & Livestock Co 406-979-5720, Vida, MT www.beeryherefords.com

Feddes Herefords

Dan 406-570-1602, Manhattan, MT www.feddes.com

J Bar E Ranch

406-765-7068, Plentywood, MT

K & C Herefords

406-240-9301, Deer Lodge, MT

K.L. Slagsvold Herefords 406-584-7571, Lindsay, MT

L Bar W Cattle Company 406-425-2484, Absarokee, MT www.lbarw.com

McMurry Cattle 406-254-1247, Billings, MT www.mcmurrycattle.com

Sparks Herefords 406-778-2320, Plevna, MT www.sparksherefords.com

Thomas Herefords 406-544-1536, Gold Creek, MT

Wichman Herefords 406-350-3123, Moore, MT www.wichmanherefords.com

University of Nebraska Extension irrigation scheduling recommendations encourage irrigators to allow the crop to continue using more and more of the stored soil water starting in August and continuing into September when the crop matures. The recommendation is to lower the soil water level from the usual summer water condition of a minimum of 50% plant available water in the top three feet of soil to 40% in the top four feet after the dough stage (R4) is reached. Thus, the stored soil water content should be significantly lower when the crop matures in September than earlier in August. Using the 40% recommendation, the data shows many irrigators are applying more

water late in the season than is needed. Some years, a significant rain can cause the soil to be wetter in September, but it is usually due to applying more irrigation water than needed. The data shows that in 2017, 72% of fields were over-irrigated late in the season, and even in the drought year of 2022, 36% of fields were over-irrigated late in the year.

However, the data shows that in the dry years, 2020, ’21 and ‘22, 15-20% of the irrigators let their fields get dry late in the season, maybe even dry enough to have resulted in small yield losses. So, in dry years, data driven decisions could lead some irrigators to apply more water.

The data does not give any insight into why so many farmers over-irrigate late in the year, but it could be because the irrigation routine is set in July when the plants are transpiring at their peak, the days are long and the temperatures are high. Then, as the daylight hours shorten and the temperatures get cooler in late summer, many keep irrigating at July levels even though crop water use for corn has gone from an average of two inches/week at silking to 1.25 inches/ week at full dent. Again, as creatures of habit, without good soil water monitoring data to direct our irrigation scheduling, we just keep on doing what we have been doing. Other crops, including soybeans, have a similar dramatic drop in crop water use moving through August and into September.

The Extremely Dry Winter/Spring 2022-23

Leaving the soil as dry as possible without lowering yields saves money on pumping costs and leaves room to store offseason precipitation. Most years, adequate precipitation will be received from October through May to refill the soil profile on fields that were fully irrigated the previous year in the entire state. A lot of years, even in the Panhandle, the two to four inches of recharge that fully irrigated fields can hold will be received from rainfall or snowfall. In addition to financial savings, leaving the soil drier will help reduce harvest delays due to mud if rain is received in the fall.

However, the winter and spring of 202223 has been an exception for most of Nebraska, with off-season precipitation well below normal. This has highlighted the only

downside to leaving the soil dry at the end of the irrigation season: In years when we have a very dry off-season, we will need to pump some water in June to refill the profile before the high water demand days of July arrive. The data showed that some fields were at field capacity at the end of the irrigation season in 2022, but many of the silt loam soil fields would require four to five inches of water to refill the profile. The problem is, without soil water monitoring equipment, one will not know if their field is already refilled to field capacity or not. Other lighter soil texture fields will take less water to refill them.

Carefully Consider Decisions to Apply Water in May and June

Decisions to irrigate in May and June need to be considered very carefully. Longterm averages show May and June to be two of the highest rainfall months in Nebraska. The rainfall is usually more than needed to refill the soil profile for fields that were irrigated the previous year.

Additionally, we need to factor in the cost to pump the irrigation water and the danger of leaching nitrogen and sulfur below the root zone, so irrigation can get expensive very quickly. One inch of water that moves below the root zone, whether from rain or irrigation, will take at least five to 10 lbs. of nitrogen with it. This illustrates that putting nitrogen fertilizer on closer to when the plant will use it with a sidedress application or through chemigation should be considered a best management practice.

The conclusion is that many irrigators

Table 1. Average percent of fields by year fitting into the six categories. The dry years 2020, ‘21 and ‘22 are different than the other years.

Table 2. Percent of fields that became wetter moving from August to Sept. 15. The dry years 2020, ’21 and ‘22 fields are much drier than the other years in the fall.

KIOTI TRACTORS

Kioti DK5320SEHC with KL5521 loader, cab, heat, AC, 4WD, HST transmisson, 540 PTO, Cat I 3-pt.1 In Stock

Kioti DK4720H with KL5521 loader, open station, 4WD, 47 hp, 3-pt, PTO, HST transmission. 1 In Stock

Kioti DK4510 tractor with KL5520 loader, manual transmission, 4WD, 3-pt, PTO. 1 In Stock

Kioti CK4020H with KL4030 loader, 40 hp, 3-pt, PTO, 4WD. 1 In Stock

Kioti CS2210H tractor with SL2410 loader, SM2454 mower. 2 in Stock

Kioti CS2210H-S with SL2410 loader with SB2410 backhoe. 1 In Stock

Do heifers have more potential value than steers?

By Aaron Berger, Nebraska Extension Beef Educator

When going out to tag calves, most cow-calf producers would prefer to find a new bull calf rather than a heifer. This is logical given that the bull calf, which in most cases will become a steer, will weigh more, and bring more money per pound when selling at weaning than his heifer herd mates born at the same time. In the feedyard, steer calves grow faster, are more efficient and finish at heavier weights, providing greater pounds to sell at harvest. Steer performance justifies the premiums paid for steers over heifers.

For the cow-calf producer though, could heifers have more potential value than a steer? Heifer calves provide more options and opportunities than a bull calf. To produce calves, you need heifers and relatively few bulls. While the bull is important genetically, he doesn’t contribute much to the environmental factors that influence success in the production of calves. The cow provides and delivers the vast majority of what a calf needs from conception to weaning.

Heifer calves give a cow-calf producer several marketing options:

They can be sold at weaning.

They can be retained and exposed for breeding.

Non-pregnant heifers can be sold as feeders

Pregnant heifers can be retained in the herd or sold as bred heifers.

Retained bred heifers enter the herd and generate income from the calves they produce.

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They can then also be sold as young to middle-aged bred cows when they are often at their peak value.

Tax Breaks of Raised Heifers

When raised heifers retained more than 24 months for breeding purposes are sold as bred females or as cull cows, they provide additional tax advantages, as their sale is taxed at a capital gains rate rather than as ordinary income. This is a significant benefit due to these dollars being taxed at a lower rate than ordinary income and capital gains income not being subject to self-employment tax.

The Big Picture of Heifer Profitability

Obviously, the cattle market and the long-term cattle cycle comes into play in this discussion when looking at the value of a bull calf versus a heifer calf. The retained heifer calves that will generate the most value are the ones that produce calves when prices are high and then are sold themselves as a bred cow or for harvest when prices are near their cyclical peak. Market conditions and the long-term cattle cycle significantly impact the potential lifetime value that will be generated by a heifer calf.

So, which is preferable, a bull calf or a heifer calf? It really depends on if the cow-calf operation is structured to benefit from the value prospects that heifers provide. There can be tremendous opportunities to capture value from heifers when working with market conditions and capitalizing on the tax advantages. For cow-calf producers who understand and leverage a heifer’s value potential, steers are great for providing income, but heifers can be used to generate wealth.

Study reviews farmer irrigation

CONTINUED FROM PAGE A28 could save money, water and nitrogen by using data from irrigation scheduling systems to make data-driven decisions to help them feel confident they are getting optimal yields without putting on extra water just for insurance purposes. Otherwise, irrigators follow their natural tendencies to put on about the same amount of water as in the past and just slightly adjust it for dry or wet years. For more information on yield losses, take time to read the following NebGuide: Plant Growth and Yield as Affected by Wet Soil Conditions Due to Flooding or Over-Irrigation.

First Steps

Many irrigators already use soil water monitoring equipment or ET data to make good data-driven decisions. The only thing they need to do is continue what is working and hone their analysis skills.

Now is the time to get the probes in the ground. While other tasks may seem more pressing, early installation of sensors is important to ensure proper operation during the later critical growth phases. Early installation helps to minimize root and leaf damage and makes it easy to get around the field with the pickup or ATV to install the equipment.

Keep in mind that the plants next to the probes are an integral part of the sensor and must be protected so they can represent all the other plants in the field. Do not install sensors when the soil is too wet and make as few footprints as possible to prevent soil compaction.

Irrigators wanting to purchase equipment should keep in mind that many NRDs across the state offer incentives to purchase irrigation scheduling equipment.

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Proper tank mixing procedures

By Penn State Extension

Why tank mix in the first place?

Combining several products into one spray greatly increases efficiency, which saves valuable time and diesel fuel. Fewer trips across the field also reduces the likelihood of causing soil compaction, which can have a wide array of negative impacts on a crop. Additionally, combining multiple modes of action in the tank can slow the evolution of resistant weeds, pathogens, and insects.

Another great benefit of tank mixing is the improved performance afforded by including the proper adjuvants. Whether it’s a sticker, spreader, drift reducing agent, or something else entirely, many pesticides would not perform optimally without being combined with the right tank mix partners. Check out this useful Penn State Extension article if you want to learn more about spray adjuvants.

Consult the Literature, Utilize Technology

The obligatory statement that always arises when discussing pesticides certainly applies to tank mix compatibility as well: Read the label! The pesticide label will have key information on which adjuvants should and should not be mixed with a certain product, whether or not it requires agitation, and which products it should Not be mixed with.

The Penn State Agronomy Guide also contains valuable information on the do’s and don’ts of tank mixing pesticides.

The MixTank App is a valuable tool for pesticide applicators that can be downloaded on a smartphone or tablet for free or used online.

Always Take a Water Sample

Before even getting into whether certain pesticides mix well together, it’s a great idea to test the quality of your water. “Hard” water contains positively charged cations which can bind to negatively charged anions in the pesticide formulation, which will decrease the efficacy of the product. Commonly observed cations include calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+), and sodium (Na+). If you take a water sample and find that you do have hard water, adding Ammonium sulfate (AMS) to the spray tank solution is a common remedy. For most applications, adding 17 lbs of dry AMS per 100 gal of water should do the trick. The table below provides a basic scale of reference for what constitutes hard or soft water.

Soft

Water pH can have a tremendous impact on how a pesticide will perform. Due to the wide range of variability of pesticides, the optimal pH for the spray tank formulation is somewhat of a moving target. For example, a fungicide such as Captan will last the longest at a pH of 5, which is fairly acidic. Conversely, the insecticide Sevin (carbaryl) lasts the longest at a neutral pH of 7. Be sure to read your pesticide label to determine what spray tank pH you should be aiming for. pH buffers can always be added to the tank to achieve the desired pH level.

If you aren’t sure about the quality of the water you use in your pesticide spray tank, then consider having your water tested by the kind folks at the Penn State Ag Analytical Services Laboratory.

Proper Mixing Order is Crucial

Make sure to add the components of your desired tank mix in the order listed below:

Fill the tank halfway full with clean water, do not pour concentrated pesticide directly into an empty tank

If the pesticide calls for the use of AMS, then add that after the water.

Water dispersible products such as wettable powders (WP) and dry flowables (DF) go next. It’s a good idea to pre-slurry these products before adding them to the tank.

Agitate the tank until all products have formed a solution.

Microcapsule suspension products go in next.

Liquids and emulsifiable concentrates

The final thing that goes into the tank are the surfactants. Any necessary non-ionic surfactants, crop oil concentrates, or methylated seed oils will go in here at the end.

Physical Incompatibility

Everyone knows that oil and water don’t mix, and unfortunately some pesticides don’t mix well either. In situations where two products are physically incompatible, applicators may observe: layer separation (settling), gel formation, failure to disperse, or clumping of solids. For example, if a dry product such as a wettable powder is added to the tank immediately after an oil-based product, the powder may bind to the oil and fail to hydrate. Conducting a basic jar test can be a simple and effective way to determine if a unique mixture of products will play well in the spray tank.

Important dates July 22

July 22

1934 John Dillinger Public Enemy number ONE career was finally ended during a shootout with FBI agents who had been waiting outside a local Cinema following a tip off.

1991 Jeffrey Dahmer is caught.

2009 The longest total solar eclipse of the 21st century, (when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby totally or partially obscuring Earth’s view of the Sun) lasting up to 6 minutes and 38.8 seconds, occurs off the coast of Southeast Asia.

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UM research chronicles forest recovery

after Montana’s 2017 fire season

By Raequel Roberts, UM News Service

For a researcher who studies wildfire, University of Montana graduate student Kyra Clark-Wolf couldn’t have had better timing.

Clark-Wolf arrived in Missoula to start her graduate studies on the impacts of wildfires on forests at the W.A. Franke College of Forestry & Conservation on July 4, 2017. Eleven days later, a lightning strike sparked the Lolo Peak Fire just south of the city, burning nearly 54,000 acres and leaving lasting and indelible images among Missoulians of dense smoke and flames visible from town.

The impacts of that fire on the forest, as well as the Sunrise Fire burning at the same time west of Missoula, would go on to be central to Clark-Wolf’s doctoral work. Her findings are shared in two papers, the second recently published in Forest Ecology and Management, a leading journal in her field.

Rockwell Scales

where plants get moisture and nutrients like nitrogen.”

Her studies found thousands of seedlings growing after the fires, especially at sites with cooler, damper conditions – often found in the shade of the dead trees and upper canopy, as well as on the north side of mountains with higher elevations and more undergrowth. She found fewer seedlings at sites with less shade and drier, hotter conditions.

In the case of the Lolo Peak and Sunrise fires, moderate temperatures and ample rain in the years since the fires helped seedlings get started and survive in the burned areas, but as climate change continues, Clark-Wolf said, weather conditions might not be so favorable for young seedlings in the future.

“I was curious once the smoke cleared up what was going on in the forest and what the fires left behind,” she said, “and how the effects of ongoing climate change could change forest recovery.”

With support from her adviser, Philip Higuera, professor and director of UM’s PaleoEcology and Fire Ecology Lab, and Kim Davis, a UM research scientist, Clark-Wolf applied for $25,000 in research funding from the federal Joint Fire Science Program and proposed to study how burned landscapes find life again.

She chose the Lolo Peak and Sunrise fires for the very practical reason that both were close by, and for the next three years her research would require endless road trips, arduous hikes and hours spent counting tiny tree seedlings and measuring their growth.

Her laboratories were 69 field plots staked out at mountain locations far from roads and recreational sites. Her subjects were the thousands of tiny tree seedlings she marked and followed over the years. She also tracked the “micro-site” conditions where those seedlings grew.

“We wanted to see how warm and dry it gets right at the ground surface, and what was happening with the soils,” she said of her research, which included help from a number of undergraduate students. “Soil conditions are important because that’s

“This study offers a bit of good news,” said Higuera. “It wasn’t a given to find so many seedlings after these wildfires. Across the West, there is a trend toward fewer seedlings growing after wildfires, in part because of warmer and drier summers. Fortunately, these forests seem to be regenerating much like they have in the past, at least for now.”

The results from Clark-Wolf’s study suggest steps forest managers might take to promote regrowth, such as leaving burned trees standing. Her findings can also help replanting efforts to focus on areas where its most needed, including those locations far from potential seed sources.

“Burnt trees all over the place look ugly to many people,” she said, “but they serve important functions. One is providing shading; another is attracting wood boring beetles, which bring in birds like woodpeckers.”

Burnt trees can also be a source for seeds.

“Lodgepole pine cones stay up in the canopy, sealed up with resin, and when fire comes through it melts that resin and releases seeds. So even if the tree dies, its seeds are released for the next generation,” she said. “It’s just a sea of seedlings up there now.”

“It’s a nice reminder that while severe fires are impactful for people,” Clark-Wolf said, “these forests have been experiencing fires for thousands of years and at least for now they are pretty good at coming back.”

With the help of a parent, two Valier Elementary students pour a bucket full of walleye fingerlings into Lake Frances near Valier, Montana. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks stocked several thousand fingerlings into the lake. Photo courtesy of Thedis Crowe.

Natural, washable

antimicrobial cleaning wipes

By Jessica Ryan

Most antimicrobial wipes, which are predominantly made of synthetic fibers like polyester and polypropylene, are discarded after a single use and end up in landfills where they can stay for hundreds of years and become a source of environmental microplastic fiber pollution. But, researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) recently developed sustainable machine-washable antimicrobial wipes that can be used at least 30 times for cleaning hard and nonporous surfaces.

There has been a remarkable increase in the use of antimicrobial wipes due to the growing awareness of personal health protection. According to the Antimicrobial Wipes Market Outlook report, the worldwide antimicrobial wipes market is estimated to reach $21.6 billion by 2030.

ARS researchers developed antimicrobial wipes by using raw cotton fiber that naturally produced silver nanoparticles inside the fiber in the presence of a silver precursor. These embedded silver nanoparticles can then release silver ions that act as antibacterial agents and kill harmful bacteria.

“Silver nanoparticles are one of the popular antimicrobial agents used for producing odor-inhibiting, anti-infective textile products and other personal health products,” said Sunghyun Nam, research engineer at ARS’s Cotton Chemistry and Utilization Research Unit in New Orleans.

According to Nam, people will be able to clean surfaces by wetting the antimicrobial cloths with tap water and then wiping surfaces. In their research, scientists found that the wipes killed 99.9% of harmful bacteria S. aureus and P. aeruginosa on surfaces.

The technology behind this research is advantageous in several aspects. It omits the conventional pretreatments of raw cotton fibers (such as scouring and bleaching), which consume a large number of chemicals and energy. It does not require any chemical agents except for a silver precursor.

It also transforms cotton fibers themselves into antimicrobial agents rather than serving as a carrier of antimicrobial agents, which is what makes them reusable. The antimicrobial wipes are made from natural cotton fibers, rather than conventional petroleum-based synthetic fibers.

To reuse the wipes, people can simply wash them in the laundry.

“We also found that the wipes still successfully killed pathogens — even after being washed 30 times in the laundry,” said Nam. “The wipes regenerate their antimicrobial surface every time they are wet or washed because the embedded nanoparticles act as a reservoir of silver ions.”

Nam said that another important benefit of the embedding technology is to minimize the negative environmental impacts related to the leaching of nanoparticles.

“These wipes are designed to gradually give off low levels of silver ions from the nanoparticles embedded inside the cotton fiber over the full course of the time of use and deplete nanoparticles,” said Nam.

By developing reusable and washable antimicrobial wipes, Nam and her colleagues are aiming to find sustainable alternatives to reduce environmental waste from the disposal of singleuse antimicrobial wipes.

#####

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Planning for low hay stocks

By Shannon Sand, UNL

With the lowest level of hay stocks since 1974 and continued drought in many parts of Nebraska. Many producers have been planning for a potential continuation of low hay stocks and high prices.

According to USDA’s Ag Marketing Service (AMS) for Nebraska, when comparing the last week of January 2023 to 2022 there has been a decrease in the tons of hay stored by approximately 30% and when comparing the last week of February 2023 to February 2022 there is a 77% decrease. With these low hay store numbers in mind, now is a good time to take inventory of your feed and hay resources and plan for next year’s needs.

This inventory and planning is important as the greatest expense producers face each year are feed costs. With that in mind, here are a few tips when planning for feed.

1) Determine on average how much hay you need per head.

2)Determine whether you are paying on a per ton or per bale basis.

3) Know the hay quality you are purchasing to spend your feeding dollars more effectively.

4) Plan an optimal ration in terms of cost. Tools like the UNL feed cost cow-q-lator can help in determining this. Checking prices and availability and creating a plan can a go a long way in reducing anxiety of what we will feed our cows this fall and winter.

Important dates July 11

July 11

1955 President Eisenhower signed a bill requiring use of the inscription ‘In God We Trust’ on all paper money.

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2008 Oil hits an all time high of $147 a barrel following further missile testing by Iran in the middle east and concerns over oil supplies should tensions increase further between Iran and Israel over Iran’s Nuclear program.

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Montana State alumna publishes research into wheat stem sawfly biocontrols

By Reagan Colyer, MSU News Service

Research from a Montana State University alumna published recently in the journal Physiological Entomology could have tangible impact for Montana agricultural producers who deal with perennial damage from wheat stem sawflies.

Laissa Cavallini, who completed her master’s degree in entomology in spring 2022, worked alongside professor David Weaver and department head Bob Peterson in the Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences in MSU’s College of Agriculture. The project examined two species of parasitic wasps that act as biocontrols for wheat stem sawfly. Cavallini explored the nutritional needs of those wasps to explore ways of boosting their effectiveness as biocontrols — a pest management tactic that involves using one organism to manage another.

The insects, called Bracon cephi and Bracon lissogaster, are small orange wasps that can detect the presence of wheat stem sawfly larvae inside a wheat stem. They then inject a paralyzing toxin into the sawfly larvae before laying their own eggs. When the wasp eggs hatch, the immature wasps kill and consume the immobilized sawfly.

“Something interesting about these parasitoids and about wheat stem sawfly itself is that the organisms are all native,” said Cavallini, who completed her undergraduate work in her home country of Brazil before joining Weaver’s lab in 2018 as a graduate student. “What’s more, these two species are the only ones known to parasitize the wheat stem sawfly.”

That unique relationship means that B. cephi and B. lissogaster are naturally suited to act as biocontrols for wheat stem sawflies but are limited by a short lifespan in wheat fields. Cavallini’s work examined the nutritional needs of the parasitic wasps to see if their diet could increase their lifespan and potentially make them more effective management tools.

“I thought it was a nice opportunity to work with parasitoids and look into controlling insect pests in a way that’s less harmful to the environment,” said Cavallini. “We already knew that some parasitoids were able to feed on nectar, but we didn’t have a lot of information in the beginning. We saw an opportunity to see if that was the same here in Montana.”

Because Montana has a dry, arid climate, Cavallini said, it was necessary to identify whether the wasps could readily access plant nectar as a food and water source. Depending on the type of plant, a lack of water could mean the nectar forms crystals that are difficult to consume or, most often, the nectar is stored in a part of the plant that the small insects can’t easily reach. Cavallini built on research done by a previous

graduate student, Dayane Reis, to determine whether ingesting sugar had an impact on the wasps’ lifespan. The insects were fed sucrose, the same type of sugar that they would get from plant nectar.

“We noticed that sugars helped them a lot,” Cavallini said. “They need this resource. Feeding on water, they would live for two to five days, and feeding on sugar, some of them lived for 60 days or longer.”

It was an important finding, Cavallini said, and it confirmed the hypothesis that nectar could make a large difference in the effectiveness of the parasitoids as biocontrols. But the team still had to gauge whether the wasps could access plant nectar on or near agricultural fields, so they next investigated whether the lab findings could be replicated in an agricultural setting and explored crops that could serve as a source of nectar.

Ultimately, the team identified cowpea as a potential partner crop to serve as a food source for the two parasitoid species. A type of pulse crop, cowpea was appealing for several reasons. It produces extrafloral nectar, meaning its nectar is more easily accessible for insects like B. cephi and B. lissogaster, providing an ideal food source to help them live longer and work more effectively in wheat stem sawfly management. Additionally, heat and drought tolerant cowpea also provides many of the same benefits as other pulse crops, like peas and lentils. It fixes nitrogen in soil, reducing the need for nitrogen fertilizer, and it helps to prevent erosion and maintain soil moisture, making it a good candidate as a rotational crop in years when a field may otherwise be left fallow, said Cavallini.

“Another important part of this research is that we don’t have cowpea being widely grown in Montana,” she said. “We didn’t know if the parasitoids, which are native, would be attracted to it. But we found that they were able to perceive odors from cowpea plants and move to feed on the extrafloral nectar.”

Because the experiments with cowpea were done in a lab, Cavallini said field tests are needed to determine if those results can be replicated on a farm. She added that incorporating this biocontrol could be effective alongside the development of solid-stemmed wheat varieties that are more difficult for sawflies to burrow into. As Cavallini moves on to a doctoral program at North Carolina State University, she hopes future graduate students at MSU will continue those explorations.

“Altogether, this research has the potential to have important impacts on how wheat stem sawfly is managed in Montana,” Cavallini said.

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For details about these properties please call Agent Eric Easterly at 406621-0161, Agent Dennis Franz at 406-788-1163 or Broker Mark Pyrak at 406-788-9280.

These Valier Elementary students await the flushing of the tank of walleye that Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks were stocking into Lake Frances. Photo courtesy of Thedis Crowe.

Great eagle circling above me, I feel you are

Through my eyes, I see many things but

With your guidance, I see so much more

Around me I have feelings of being protected

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There’s a truth in the stories told around our lodge

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They watch over me and protect me til I find with whom I’ll share my heart

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Unintended consequences

Sometimes when a plan is put into action, the result can be something that no one could have predicted. But, hey–that’s what makes life interesting.

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Unintended: A sharp rise in the divorce rate among the elderly. Reports released between 2001 and 2003 dubbed the problem the “Viagra divorce.” USA Today reported that “husbands previously unable to perform now confront ‘Viagra wives not excited to be asked once again for sex.” This according to the reports, often led the men to have affairs, which often resulted in divorce.

What happened: The Roman army’s victories in Asia Minor between 161 and 166 A.D.

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Intended: Armenia, Syria, and Mesopotamia were annexed to the Roman Empire.

Unintended: The plague. Returning soldiers brought it back with them, and so much as half the entire population of Rome was decimated by the disease.

What happened: The use of salicylic acid as early as the fifth century B.C. and its modern form, acetylsalicylic acid–better known as aspirin.

Intended: Pain relief

Unintended: The prevention of countless heart attacks and strokes. British scientist John Vane showed in 1971 that aspirin suppresses not only inflammation, fever, and the transmission of pain signals to the brain, it also affects the blood’s ability to clot. Blood clots are a major factor in heart attacks and strokes–the leading cause of death in Western world. Vane’s research, which showed that small regular doses of aspirin could prevent their occurrence, won him a Nobel Prize.

What happened: The U.S. government’s $1.3 billion “War on Cocaine” in Colombia.

Intended: A decrease in cocaine use in the United States.

Unintended: An increase in heroin use in the U.S. In 2001 the Chicago Sun-Times reported that under the U.S. plan Colombian planes and helicopters were being used to go after coca plantations–the same aircraft that had previously been used to search for poppy plantations. Poppy growers took advantage and started making record amounts of heroin… and shipping it to the U.S.

What happened: The creation of the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) between North and South Korea at the end of the Korean War in 1953.

Intended: The barbed wire-enclosed 2.5-by-150-mile strip of land would help preserve peace between two nations that are still officially “at war.”

Unintended: The DMZ is an environmental paradise. It’s been virtually human-free for more than 50 years. Result: According to scientists, nearly 3,000 species of plants and animals thrive in the zone today–many that no longer exist in either country. That includes several severely endangered animals, such as Asiatic black bears, Siberian tiger, and two of the most endangered birds in the world: the white-naped crane and the red-crowned crane. In 1999 environmental leaders created a group call the DMZ Forum, which is still working to convince the two countries to turn the strip into a permanent nature reserve.

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Master Garden Tips

By Leann Sato, Nebraska Extension Master Gardener

Know your zone. Landscape the yard by hydrozones for water efficiency. Design landscape areas by water needs based on the plant bed’s sun or shade exposure, soil, types of plants, and watering system. Then adjust the irrigation system and watering schedule for the area’s specific needs. This helps irrigate effectively and efficiently without wasting water. Know your zoneshydrozones for water efficiency.

Gotta spring in your step? Use the step test to check if the lawn needs watering. First, step on the lawn. If grass returns upright or springs back, then wait to water. Grass that stays flat can be sprinkled with one to one and a half inches of water early in the morning or late afternoon. Dry grass may also appear grayish instead of green or have curled blades. Avoid overwatering the lawn with the spring-back test.

Slow it down, spread it out, and soak it in. Use the three S’s of stormwater for landscape drainage. First, slow water down by directing flows to flatter slopes or roughened areas. Second, spread it out over more surface area like wide open channels, through a vegetated strip, or over rocky ground. Third, soak, or infiltrate water into the ground in a plant bed or lawn area. Slow it down, spread it out, soak it in - the three S’s of stormwater management.

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Bag and toss pet waste. Contrary to popular belief, pet waste should not be used as fertilizer. Since cats and dogs are omnivores, their waste carries harmful bacteria and pathogens that can spread into soils and plant produce. Only commercial-grade composting employs the high temperatures required to destroy these organisms. Pet waste is best flushed in the toilet or bagged and tossed into the garbage. Prevent the spread of harmful microbes with proper pet waste disposal.

Water wisely. Employ efficient and effective watering techniques to avoid water waste. Irrigate early in the morning using a sprinkler that throws big drops of water close to the ground, applying only as fast as the ground can absorb to prevent evaporation and runoff. Traveling sprinklers are among the most efficient. Landscaping with native and regional plants can reduce water use even further. Conserve with water-wise irrigation.

By Anita Gall, Nebraska Extension Master Gardener

COLORS

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Do you have spring blooming bushes that are looking a little weary? Prune spring blooming lilacs, spirea, and viburnums immediately after they are done blooming, even though you might not see the buds they are forming on the branches for next year. Trim out larger branches from the middle of the shrub to allow for ventilation and leave the strong, healthy new stalks. By pruning a little each year, you will maintain the shape, size, and vigor of the shrub.

Rain, rain, rain, and we are still in a drought. How can this be? It’s much the same as a single dose of medicine, it helps symptoms of an illness, but it takes a sustained amount to cure it. The same applies to rain storms. In a severe drought, static tension causes the initial rain to run off instead of being absorbed. After a few soaking rains, the soil absorbs the moisture and recharges the groundwater. For lasting relief, we need multiple rains over several months. After your bulbs are done blooming do you want to cut off the stem and floppy leaves? I’m telling you don’t do it! The plant needs its leaves to collect energy from the sun and feed it back into the bulb. Clearing away the foliage may cause less vigor in the blossoms for next year. After the leaves

have yellowed, it is ok to shear them down. Plant a perennial next to the bulbs that can grow up and mask the dying foliage until it is ready to be removed.

We have enjoyed the additional rain that we have received this spring, and so have the weeds! It seems like you pull weeds one day, and the next day you go back and there are more. It appears like you will never win the battle but don’t get discouraged, keep weeding. Look at the positive side. Moist soil makes pulling the weeds much easier, and know that for every weed you pull, you are eliminating the competition for water and nutrients for your plants. So off with their heads!

Is your tree pushing new growth at the base? These vigorous growing stems are called suckers. They can reduce flowering, fruiting and alter the form of the tree. Suckers form for many reasons. It can be an indication of stress, and damage to the base of the tree can promote growth. With hand pruners, pull the soil back to find the base of the sucker and clip it off while still less than 6”-12”. Regular pruning of the suckers throughout the growing season is the best way to keep them managed.

By Katie Markheim, Nebraska Extension

Master Gardener

Seed selection and sources. Ready to plant from seed, plant a succession crop or replace your seedlings after a hailstorm? You should know the consumer has lots of choices in picking a seed company for vegetable or other seeds. Many general or specialty seed companies also sell herbs, flowers, and other plants. Upon request, most seed companies will send you a free catalog. Search the web or check out our NebGuide for a starter’s list of great sources. Happy seed shopping!

Understanding the seed packet. Growing veggies and flowers from seed can be economical and fun. Seed packets and seed catalogues provide information to help you have a successful garden. Here are the helpful parts of the packet back:

Seed count

Plant height

Light

When to sow

Planting depth

Plant spacing

Days to maturity

Both home and commercial growers can understand the information provided with the seed packet and how to use it when planning a garden.

Vegetable cultivars for Nebraska. You know, there is a great way to ensure a hearty, healthy and active garden, just select the right cultivars of your favorite plant stock or seed.

Cultivars are plant varieties that have been produced in cultivation by selective breeding. Vegetable cultivars for home gardens should be adapted to local growing conditions, depending on what region of Nebraska you’re planting in. Your garden location, experience, likes or dislikes, and intended use of your produce are factors in selecting veggie cultivars for your garden. Choosing which vegetable cultivar can be bewildering because there are so many varieties. For great suggestions, check out our online NebGuide G1896!

When to plant? When not to plant? Those are the questions. I suggest using guides developed by your Nebraska Extension which highlight certain vegetable crops and their growing seasons. Vegetable planting guides can be used to determine the best planting date and average growing season in your

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Stewarding the Rangeland Analysis Platform

By Maribel Alonso

United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) will now manage the scientific and technological advancements of the Rangeland Analysis Platform (RAP), a dataset with an interactive online mapping tool that allows users to access more than three decades of vegetation and production trends across the United States.

Developed by the University of Montana in partnership with Working Lands for Wildlife of the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and ARS, RAP provides landowners, resource managers, conservationists, and scientists access to data that can inform land management planning, decision making, and the evaluation of outcomes.

ARS Research Ecologist Sarah McCord, a member of the ARS team leading RAP at the Range Management Research Unit in Las Cruces, NM, says, “RAP tracks how rangeland vegetation is changing over time that provides vital information regarding the risk of wildfire, tree encroachment, and forage production, helping ranchers and managers adjust their management practices in more efficient and effective ways.”

RAP users can assess trends in rangeland resources through time and space by using maps of rangeland vegetation cover and production, such as annual and perennial forbs and grasses, shrubs, and trees, dating back to the mid-1980s.

“ARS has been a long-standing partner on RAP, and we look forward to taking on this new role. ARS will keep the dataset updated and accessible to users and develop innovative applications for the technology to monitor changes, advance research, and bring a deeper understanding of the many ways rangelands are both resilient and at risk,” added McCord.

RAP uses satellite imagery and advanced algorithms in Google Earth Engine to produce long-term datasets across the continental U.S. that are updated every 16 days

ELEVATING THE SCIENCE OF SEED TREATMENT.

(AND

for vegetation production that are used for annual estimation of vegetation cover.

Producers and scientists can use RAP to examine vegetation patterns across space and through time. (Image by University of Montana)

Researchers from ARS and the University of Montana recently used RAP technology to help land managers assess vegetation trends on public lands and to assist private ranchers in maximizing their grass production. Other recent ARS and collaborator improvements to RAP have resulted in new vegetation models that allow land managers to forecast location-specific wildfire risk across the Great Basin.

“University of Montana and USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service are ecstatic that ARS will continue giving RAP to the world for the betterment of conservation,” said David Naugle, a University of Montana professor who contributed to RAP development on behalf of the Natural Resources Conservation Service. “The University of Montana and the Working Lands for Wildlife incubated this application, and the platform has reached a point where it is ready to expand to a broader audience. ARS is the ideal vehicle to do that as the agency works to strengthen the connection between RAP and rangeland conservation across the country.”

ARS is excited to advance RAP in coordination with new and existing partners, including the USDA-ARS Partnerships for Data Innovation, the University of Montana, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Working Lands for Wildlife, the Bureau of Land Management, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

#####

The Boston police department purchased America’s first cop car in 1903.

#####

NASA slang for floating space poop: “escapees.”

He slud into third

Verbal gems actually uttered on the air by sports announcers.

“If only faces could talk.” –Pat Summerall, NFL announcer

“Hector Torres, how can you communicate with Enzo Hernandez when he speaks Spanish and you speak Mexican?” – Jerry Coleman, San Diego Padres announcer

“A lot of good ballgames on tomorrow, but we’re going to be right here with the Cubs and the Mets.” –Thom Brennaman, Chicago Cubs announcer

“Lance Armstrong is about to join a list which includes only himself.” –Mark Brown, ESPN sports analyst

“I don’t think anywhere is there a symbiotic relationship between caddie and player like there is in golf.” –Johnny Miller, golf analyst

“Referee Richie Powers called the loose bowel foul on Johnson.” –Frank Herzog, Washington Bullets basketball announcer

“It’s a great advantage to be able to hurdle with both legs.” –David Coleman, British sports announcer

“The Minutemen are not tall in terms of height.” –Dan Bonner, college basketball analyst

“Jose Canseco leads off the 3rd inning with a grand slam.” –John Gordon, Minnesota Twins announcer

“The offensive linemen are the biggest guys on the field, they’re bigger than everybody else, and that’s what makes them the biggest guys on the field.” –John Madden, NFL announcer

“Watch the expression on his mask.” –Harry Neale, hockey analyst

“The games in the refrigerator, folks. The door’s closed, the light’s out, the eggs are cooling, the butter’s getting’ hard, and the Jell-O’s a jigglin’.” –Chick Hearn, L.A. Lakers announcer

Trusted in mulitple crops across millions of acres coast-to-coast, you can rely on Albaugh to dial in the right formulation — from single actives to custom blends — that’ll deliver the right control for your specific needs.

GIVING YOUR BOTTOM LINE A LIFT WHILE WE’RE AT IT.)

Methods of drying herbs

Tender-leafed herbs such as basil, lemon balm, tarragon, and mint have a high moisture content and must be dried rapidly in a dark place to keep their deep-green leaf shade.

Woodier herbs such as sage, rosemary, and thyme can be partially dried in the sun.

Drying herbs

Rinse herbs in clean water and tie in bunches with string or elastic bands.

Hang upside down outside in the sunshine, in an airing cupboard, the kitchen, or in an oven at a low temperature.

Bag drying

To prepare plants for drying, remove blossoms from the herb plant and rinse the leaves on the stem in cold water to remove soil.

Allow plants to drain on absorbent towels until dry. Then place the herbs in a paper bag and tie the stems. Leave 1”-2” of the stems exposed. This allows the plant oil to flow from the stems to the leaves.

Place the bag in a warm, dry location. In about one to two weeks, when the leaves become brittle, tap them free of the stems and the leaves will fall into the bag. Store leaves in an airtight container away from the light.

Tray drying

Clean herbs as for bag drying, but the heavy stalks can be discarded.

Put the leafed stems one layer deep on a tray in a dark, ventilated room.

Turn over the herbs occasionally for uniform drying.

The leaves are ready for storage when they are dry and the stems are tough.

Microwave drying

Use a microwave oven to dry herbs.

Place the herbs between paper towels and set them on the rack.

Close the door and turn the microwave on for about two to three minutes. Then check for dryness; the leaves should feel brittle and should crumble easily. If they are not done, leave them in the oven for thirty seconds longer. Although this process actually cooks the herbs, the end product is the same as air-drying. Store the dried herbs in closed containers.

Master Garden Tips

CONTINUED FROM PAGE B4 area as based on average dates between the last spring frost and the first fall frost. Guides can be used to tell the approximate earliest and latest opportunities to plant as well as estimated harvest times. This is particularly important if you want to plant succession crops or have tomatoes ready to harvest before the fall chill sets in!

Where to put your vegetable garden? A question you may be asking. A well-planned garden can make planting go quickly and efficiently. Organizing a garden in advance also can save steps and time later in the season, increase garden productivity, and allow the gardener more leisure time. Begin planning your garden in January or February, putting it on paper. Make a sketch, put it to scale and add detail. Considerations include location, size, plant spacing, water sources, convenience, soil type and sunlight. For the best results and improvements over time, keep records from season to season. This will remind you what worked and what didn’t as you continue to experiment in your garden.

IRRIGATION EQUIPMENT FOR

SALE

Used WadeRain wheelline, 5” 40-ft. pipe with attached 5-ft wheel, well maintained. In yard, as is, you dismantle wheel and haul. Qty 32 pipes $210/ea pipe 2-Nelson P200 Big Guns on carts for 6” ringlock pipe. Includes cart $1500 ea. A&M 6” ringlock Series 55 aluminum pipe. 6” x 30-ft. pipe. Selling as is, pipe stacked $135 ea pipe Phone (406) 600-4146, Bozeman, Montana

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Addressing Montana’s veterinary shortage

By Emme Demmendaal, Montana State University

Montana WIMU Regional Program in Veterinary Medicine students have many opportunities to work with veterinarians around Gallatin County, including opportunities with local clinics, conservation centers and more. MSU photo by Kelly Gorham.

Two years ago, when Hamilton resident Jessica London noticed her pregnant horse, DJ, was agitated, kicking at her own belly and exhibiting poor eating and drinking behavior, she tried to treat what she suspected to be colic by herself.

Colic is a common problem in the winter especially for pregnant horses but the medication London tried wasn’t working. Not wanting to risk the life of her horse and its foal, she knew it was time to reach out to a veterinarian.

The on-call vet at a local practice recommended that London bring her horse into town for an exam, and when London and DJ arrived in Corvallis the next day, the horse was cared for by veterinarian Dr. Anne Hutton. Originally from Wisdom, Hutton is a graduate of the first class of the WIMU Regional Program in Veterinary Medicine, of which Montana State University is a partner. WIMU enrolls students from Washington, Idaho, Montana and Utah.

Hutton believed DJ had something more serious than colic and eventually discovered that the horse had a uterine torsion a twist in the uterus and that the fetus had an elevated heart rate.

“There are typically two types of treatment a nonsurgical or surgical option,” Hutton explained.

With either approach, outcomes of a uterine torsion are most often grim for the fetus, she added. The highest concern is the twist cutting off the blood supply to the fetus. “It’s high risk because (the fetus will) go with reduced blood supply until it’s fixed,” she said.

Hutton and the team at the clinic set out to correct the uterine torsion. They anesthetized the horse, laid her on her side and then rolled her while trying to stabilize the uterus to correct the torsion, Hutton said. Fortunately, after four rolls, the uterus was back to normal. Two months later, DJ gave birth to Annie, a filly named after Hutton.

In this instance, the happy ending was due to London’s ability to access a veterinarian, but in many Montana communities, it is still difficult to obtain professional help without delays due to lack of availability and significant distances to travel.

Veterinary medicine student Morgan Ridley, right, works on her surgery skills in an MSU laboratory while MSU animal operations manager Steve Jones provides instruction. MSU photo by Erin Brush.

Two years ago, Dr. Anne Hutton, right, a veterinarian and alumna of the WIMU veterinary medicine program, cared for Jessica London’s horse Annie, left, and Annie’s mother, DJ. MSU photo by Kelly Gorham.

Important dates July 29

July 29

1945 I-58 Japanese submarine sinks the American cruiser Indianapolis, killing 883 seamen in the worst loss in the history of the U.S. navy.

1976 The so called “Son of Sam” pulls a gun from a paper bag and fires five shots at Donna Lauria and Jody Valenti of the Bronx while they are sitting in a car. Lauria died and Valenti was seriously wounded in the first in a series of shootings by the serial killer, who terrorized New York City over the course of the next year.

1981 Prince Charles marries Lady Diana at a royal ceremony at St. Paul’s Cathedral.

#####

The dogs are rebelling the new food. Oh, no wonder! I’ve been giving them rabbit pellets. How did that happen? Lord, help me be more careful.

#####

Yuck, Lord. White vinegar may look like water, but it sure doesn’t smell like it. Good thing I filled only one glass before realizing my mistake.

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National Hot Dog Day

This holiday is celebrated on the third Wednesday in July. Hot diggety dog! On this date, we celebrate one of America’s favorite summer sandwiches. It is only fitting that every dog has its’ day.

Its summertime. Hot dogs are center stage on the grill, and at picnics all across America. They are at the ballpark. They are sold from carts on street corners in every city. It’s not hard to find them. We consume hundreds of millions of hot dogs on the Fourth of July alone.

Enjoy National Hot Dog Day to the fullest. Have a couple of hot dogs for lunch or dinner.

Smoke exposure linked to smaller, misshapen potatoes

Potato plants exposed to extreme smoke produced lower marketable yields than smoke-free plants, according to preliminary data from a joint University of Idaho and Boise State University study.

And, don’t forget to cook a few on a stick at the evening campfire. What’s in a hot dog? Don’t ask, and we won’t tell. It’s a sausage, and that’s all we will say. Sometimes, it’s better if you don’t know.

Results differed based on variety, with heavy wildfire smoke exposure being linked to smaller Clearwater Russets and causing more unusable and misshapen Russet Burbanks. The project involved pumping artificially emulated wildfire smoke onto potato plots covered by plastic.

The two-year study seeks to understand how prolonged exposure to wildfire smoke affects yields, crop quality and the chemical composition of potatoes. Project leaders Mike Thornton, a professor in U of I’s Department of Plant Sciences, and Boise State University Chemistry Department Chair Owen McDougal hope the research helps identify smoke-resistant potato varieties.

“As we look at these varieties, if we see some that are less responsive to smoke, growers and processors can start looking at using those long term,” Thornton said.

The preliminary data suggests growers who raise Russet Burbanks stand to suffer a greater economic hit due to smoke than growers who raise Clearwater Russets.

In Clearwater Russet, smoke exposure reduced the yield of potatoes greater than 6 ounces by 12%, with no change in the percentage of misshapen tubers. Smoke exposure did not shrink the size profile of Russet Burbank crops, but there was a 3% increase in tubers greater than 10 ounces becoming misshapen. McDougal’s laboratory analyzed the spuds, as well as fries processed by the U of I Food Technology Center in Caldwell from the experimental tubers, immediately after harvest and will conduct another chemical analysis this spring following six months of storage.

McDougal’s chemical analysis found no difference in levels of asparagine — an amino acid crucial in the production of acrylamide, which is found in fried foods and may be linked to cancer — between smoke-exposed and untreated potatoes. He will also evaluate how storage of smoke exposure may affect potato reducing sugars, which contribute to darker and less desirable fry color.

“We’re also looking at storage and whether smoke exposure negatively impacts potatoes’ storage resilience,” McDougal said.

Thornton and his colleagues at the UI Parma Research and Extension Center burned a blend of hard and soft woods in a smoker and piped the smoke into potato plots under plastic covers for three hours each morning from July 11 to Aug. 18, removing the covers following the treatments.

Smoke levels in the experiment were far greater than levels that occur in nature, even during bad wildfire seasons, Thornton said. Plastic covers raised humidity by up to 20% -- enough to interfere with evaporative cooling of leaves -- and increased temperature by up to 9 degrees during late morning, which likely stunted the potato crops. When the team repeats the experiment this summer, Thornton plans to use shade covers to keep the temperature down and fans to circulate air, in part to control humidity.

Thornton also believes the study’s data could eventually provide evidence that smoke lowers potato yields and should be covered by crop insurance plans.

McCain Foods provided assistance and guidance with the project and assembled its research team.

Silage sorghum irrigation and water use

By Dr. Brent Bean, United Sorghum Checkoff Program agronomy Director

Silage production plays a critical role in the feedyard and dairy feed supply. Over the last few years there has been a steady increase in the acres planted to silage sorghum on the High Plains. The driving force behind this increase is the decrease in available irrigation water, along with increased daily temperatures and inconsistent rainfall. The amount of water required by silage sorghum will be dependent on the climatic conditions present that drive water demand (evapotranspiration) and the length of maturity of the hybrid.

The maturity length of the silage sorghum is critical in determining total water used during its growing season. The number of days it takes hybrids to reach harvest can vary by 20 days or more. In the 2022, Texas A&M AgriLife Bushland Forage Sorghum Silage Trial, 76 hybrids were compared ranging from 106 to 126 days to harvest. Using a conservative 0.25 inches of daily water use, this equals a difference of 5 inches of water used by the hybrids!

Earlier maturing hybrids do sacrifice some yield, but not as much as might be expected. In the 2022 trial, hybrids that were harvested after 106 days, yielded an average of 26.1 ton per acre compared to the hybrids harvested after 126 days that yielded 30.6 ton per acre of silage.

One of silage sorghum’s strengths is its ability to withstand an extended period of drought. This was evident during the drought of 2022 when, in late July, there were fields of silage sorghum in the Texas Panhandle that appeared almost dead but fortunately, rainfall began to occur and by midSeptember the sorghum had made a remarkable recovery.

An often asked question is how much water is needed to produce one ton of silage sorghum? Although more research is needed to answer this question under different environments, a good rule of thumb is to expect one ton of silage (65% moisture) for every inch of water available to the sorghum. When irrigation water is limited and must be rationed, it is better to stress the sorghum late in the season rather than during establishment or midseason when it is rapidly growing and adding biomass.

Considering the increasing concerns about water scarcity, sorghum silage is a favorable option for regions with limited water resources.

The deadline for advertising in the August 2023 issue of the Trader's Dispatch will be August 2nd. Phone (406) 271-5533 or email: advertising @tradersdispatch.com

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##### Why was the coach yelling at the vending machine? He wanted his quarter back.

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Addressing Montana’s veterinary shortage

CONTINUED FROM PAGE B14

The WIMU program at MSU complements the pre-vet advising program offered to undergraduates in the MSU College of Agriculture, and it is supported by state-of-theart animal facilities, including multiple laboratories, the Health Sciences Building and the Johnson Family Livestock Facility.

At MSU, first-year WIMU students learn basic animal anatomy, immunology, neurology, nutrition, physiology, surgery fundamentals and animal handling. Over the course of the program, students are prepared for all facets of the profession, including caring for pets, horses or livestock. They are readied to engage in private practice, industry or academia, and the program prepares graduates to enter any dimension of veterinary medicine.

The small class size during the first year of training at MSU provides advantages to students when it comes to hands-on coursework and training, said Dr. Alan Goldhahn, a veterinarian who teaches in the WIMU program.

“We can smother them with attention, and they get more instructor-student contact time,” he said.

For example, the 2022–23 group of WIMU students worked with bison at a nearby ranch and worked with birds of prey at the Montana Raptor Conservation Center.

“They get a lot of exposure to stuff that they never would get at a large university,” Goldhahn said. “The hands-on (experience) and exposure to different elements is huge for their success.”

“It’s a great opportunity with hands-on opportunities in a small class size that you’re just not able to have at Washington State or Colorado State based on sheer numbers,” Schmitt said. He grew up on a cattle operation just outside Chinook and said he always knew he wanted to become a veterinarian.

Quinn said first-year WIMU students also travel throughout Gallatin County, and in summer months, they can seek work or internships in Montana veterinary practices. They can also return to Montana practices for clinical rotations, which are required in their final year at WSU.

Hutton said that the exposure to vets in the Gallatin Valley prepared her not only for her next three years of veterinary school but also for returning to practice in the state.

“It nice to have local vets’ guidance tap into their knowledge to ask them questions about their practice,” she said. “For those of us (who) want to come back to rural Montana and practice, having the perspective of local vets added a level of experience I don’t think other programs have.”

Goldhahn said the students who come from Bozeman and go to Pullman “have not missed a beat. They feel like they’re ahead of the curve when they get there.”

Quinn noted that in addition to addressing the need for more rural veterinarians in the state, WIMU allows students to keep their tuition costs lower by qualifying for Montana resident tuition rates for the first year and Washington resident tuition rates for the second, third and fourth years. Students also are eligible for additional scholarships.

“Our goal is to have veterinarians return and serve rural Montana,” he said. “The best way to do that is to provide a good education and reduce the cost involved (with becoming a veterinarian).”

Veterinarians provide a range of important services beyond caring for animals, Schmitt added, including verifying meat safety for local producers and serving as the first line of defense for foreign animal diseases or outbreaks.

“We’re very important in helping with the production of the animals in the area and disease prevention and disease diagnosis and control,” he said. “The first person to see the first case of something is going to be a rural veterinarian on the ground at the producer’s place looking at the animals.”

Today, 90% of the first class of WIMU at MSU graduates have come back to work in Montana, mostly in rural counties. The majority of each WIMU class returns to Montana each year, Goldhahn noted. From 2018 to 2021, more than 35 students have graduated, and about 75% have returned to the state.

“At the end of the day, we work the long hours and travel the long distances because (of) the animals and their people,” Hutton said. “It’s the relationships we build in our community that keep us a little warmer and keep us coming back (to work in rural communities).”

Dr. Lane Schmitt, a large and small animal veterinarian in Chinook who graduated from WIMU in 2018, said he appreciated the hands-on experiences and one-on-one training with instructors during his first year in the program at MSU.

Monitor livestock water quality throughout the grazing season

Having access to good-quality water is one of the limiting factors for cattle in most grazing systems.

“Across the region, many livestock producers depend on surface water sources, such as ponds and dugouts to provide livestock water,” says Miranda Meehan, North Dakota State University Extension livestock environmental stewardship specialist. “Unfortunately, the quantity and quality of surface waters can fluctuate greatly throughout the grazing season, depending on weather.”

The quality of water impacts cattle intake and weight gain. Studies have reported improved gains by as much as 0.24 pound per day in yearlings and 0.33 pound per day in calves drinking good-quality water.

Thanks to high levels of runoff, recent water quality screenings conducted by NDSU Extension have found sources acceptable for livestock use. However, the outlook for June shows a high probability for drier and hotter-than-average conditions across the state, which could lead to declines in water quantity and quality. These conditions create greater challenges for producers. As water quantity decreases, the potential for toxicity increases.

Many water sources in the state naturally contain salts, which are dissolved minerals or solids. When surface waters become low, the mineral component of the water becomes more concentrated because minerals do not evaporate with the water. Of particular concern are increased concentrations of total dissolved solids (TDS) and sulfates.

Elevated concentrations of TDS and sulfates can be toxic to livestock, resulting in decreased performance, abortions, blindness, central nervous system disorders and death, says Meehan.

For most classes of grazing livestock, the TDS in the water should be less than 5,000 parts per million (ppm). Sulfate is part of the TDS. The recommended concentration should be less than 500 ppm for calves and less than 1,000 ppm for adult cattle.

Ranchers should monitor TDS and sulfate levels throughout the grazing season because weather and other factors can influence water quality. NDSU Extension specialists recommend a couple tools to aid in monitoring water quality, a hand-held TDS meter and sulfate test strips. Both these tools are affordable and easy to use. If the screening indicates the TDS is greater than 4,500 ppm and/or sulfates are greater than 800 ppm, submit a sample to a lab for additional analysis.

Hot, dry conditions also increase the risk for cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) blooms that can produce toxins that are harmful to livestock, wildlife and people. Toxicity is dependent on the species consuming the water, the concentration of

the toxin or toxins and the amount of water ingested.

The best method for monitoring cyanobacteria is visually, says Meehan. However, this can be difficult due to how rapidly a bloom can develop and ranchers’ ability to check water frequently. One potential solution is to use a camera to monitor water locations.

If a bloom is observed, ranchers should remove livestock immediately and submit a water sample for testing. The sample can be evaluated microscopically for potentially toxic species of cyanobacteria, or the water can be analyzed for several of the toxins at commercial labs at a higher cost.

As the grazing season progresses, continue to monitor water to ensure livestock have adequate, good-quality water, Meehan advises.

Contact your local NDSU Extension agent for assistance screening livestock water sources for quality or submitting samples for laboratory analysis. For more information on livestock water quality, visit: ndsu.ag/livestockwater.

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Now is the time to scout for alfalfa weevil

Alfalfa weevil is the first pest to hit alfalfa fields and is an annual occurrence as they overwinter as adults. Fortunately, the alfalfa weevil only produces one generation per year and once first harvest passes, little damage from alfalfa weevil will occur the remainder of the year.

“It is amazing how insect pests can zero in on a field and seem to come out of nowhere,” says James Rogers, NDSU Extension forage crops production specialist at the North Central Research Extension Center in Minot. “Several years ago, I planted a field to alfalfa that had not been in alfalfa production for several years, and it was the only field of alfalfa for several miles. Sure enough, alfalfa weevils found it and control measures were called for.”

Alfalfa weevil requires heat units for egg hatch to begin and growth development to occur. The heaviest damage to alfalfa is due to larvae feeding at the third and fourth instar stages of development when the larvae have reached maturity. Heavy damage to alfalfa will result in the leaves of plants having a frosted appearance with numerous holes from larvae feeding

The best practice for alfalfa weevil management is scouting, says Rogers. Scouting should take place now through the first cutting.

To scout an alfalfa field:

Walk the field in an “M” pattern and stop at five locations along the route.

At each stop, collect six alfalfa stems and shake the stems into a bucket.

Measure the height of the alfalfa and notice any flowering or bud development.

Cover the entire field over the course of your route. At the end of the route, you will have collected thirty stems. Record the average plant height and count the total number of larvae found and average number per stem.

To determine the economic threshold for control using a pesticide, it is best to determine the market value of the hay and the cost of control. Alfalfa crop market value is the major driver in determining the economic threshold for control.

In general, as crop value increases, the number of larvae it takes to justify control decreases. This is modified by plant height (maturity) and control ($/acre) costs

The NDSU Extension publication “Integrated Pest Management of Alfalfa Weevil in North Dakota” contains tables on economic thresholds for alfalfa weevil based on plant height, crop value and control costs. Find the publication at ndsu.ag/alfalfaweevil.

If scouting reveals the presence of the alfalfa weevil, an insecticide application is not the only option. There are at least three approaches that can be taken to deal with the problem, two of which avoid insecticide use.

The first is cultural; harvest early. If alfalfa has reached the 50% bud stage and alfalfa weevil numbers have reached the economic threshold, then harvesting can be very effective and avoid a pesticide application. Try to bale as soon as possible following harvest, as weevils can shelter under windrows, recommends Rogers.

Second, while scouting, look for larvae that are off colored from a lime green color. This could be an indication of biological control from a fungal pathogen or parasitic wasp. This activity may be enough to keep alfalfa weevils below economic threshold. If this type of activity is noted, keep scouting to determine if alfalfa numbers are continuing to rise or are declining.

Third is a foliar insecticide. Think of this as being a last resort if an early harvest is not an option. There are many options for insecticide control, but caution is advised due to potential alfalfa weevil resistance, pre-harvest and pregrazing intervals, and pollinator safety. Alfalfa is a huge attractant to bees and other pollinators. If an insecticide must be used, follow pollinator safety.

Do not spray plants in bloom and only apply insecticides early in the morning or late in the evening when bees are not active, cautions Rogers. North Dakota is the number one honey-producing state in the U.S. If hives are located close to an area where an insecticide application will be made, work with the beekeeper to avoid potential damage. Always read and follow label directions when using all pesticides.

#####

A clearly arrogant golfer was at his club’s annual dance when he started boasting to the prettiest woman there. “I’m a really terrific golfer,” the man said. “What do you think my handcap is?” The woman, clearly not impressed, responded with, “Where would you like me to start?

July, 2023 will be Ice Cream Month

I Scream, You Scream, We All

Scream for Ice Cream! Butternut

Crunch and Rocky Road, Napoleon and Caramel Swirl, there are hundreds of flavors of Ice Cream to sample and flavor, and the hot months of the summer are perfect for indulging in this fantastic dairy delight.

History of Ice Cream Month

Ice Cream Month was established by the American Dairy association in conjunction with President Ronald Reagan and Walter Dee Huddleston, a Senator from Kentucky. On the backs of this incredibly official declaration, the Ice Cream companies began publicizing the day, encouraging people to go out and enjoy this cold delight as often as possible during the month of July. Ice Cream was first said to be created in Ancient Greece, before the idea of a refrigerator ever came to pass. The so-called “Ice Cream” was incredibly rudimentary, being a mixture of snow honey and fruit, but it was still the beginnings of a great tradition.

The first true Ice Cream was said to be introduced by Catherine de’ Medici in the 16th century. So impressed was Charles I of England (one hundred years after this introduction) that he paid to keep the formula secret, making ice cream a royal prerogative, utterly unobtainable by the common man. The first recorded recipes didn’t exist until the 18th century.

How to Celebrate Ice Cream Month

Ice Cream Month has only one appropriate celebration, gorge yourself on Ice Cream at every opportunity! It goes great with a warm apple pie, and nothing compliments a brownie better than vanilla ice cream. Maybe you prefer a nice scoop of strawberry doused in caramel topping, or that most amazing of all ice cream treats, the Ice Cream Taco! You can even take the time to make your own ice cream during Ice Cream Month and enjoy the fruits of your labor on a hot summer evening!

If life is a comedy to him who thinks, and a tragedy to him who feels, it is a victory to him who believes.

For honey bees, 2023 is potentially a bad year

By Scott Weybright, College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences

A massively destructive hurricane in Florida last year, a very stormy winter in California, and higher than average colony losses mean that 2023 is positioned to be a bad year for honey bees.

“I talked with a beekeeper recently who hadn’t lost more than 20% of his colonies in several years but lost 90% of his bees this year,” said Tim Lawrence, a recently retired Washington State University Extension associate professor who worked with the insects. “And he’s far from alone. I’ve heard from many beekeepers suffering high losses this year.”

Lawrence wrote about the potentially bad year for WSU Tree Fruit Extension’s website.

The decrease is likely due to viruses exacerbated by varroa destructor mites, the main cause for honey bee decline, Lawrence said. The mites kill honey bee brood (pupae and larvae), introduce numerous viruses, and severely weaken adult bees and their immune systems, making them more prone to disease.

WSU scientists have several research projects involving varroa mites, honey bee reproduction and mating, plus beekeeping workshops and other supports to help the industry pollinate crops around Washington.

In most years, beekeepers who experienced significant losses would resupply by purchasing the insects from beekeepers in Florida. Unfortunately, the bee population in the Sunshine State took a massive hit from Hurricane Ian last year, limiting the supply.

Generally, the pollinator season starts in late February in California almond groves. Beekeepers from around the country bring their bees west to pollinate these early-blooming trees. But the steady series of atmospheric rivers dumping significant rain on California has limited the number of flying days bees have had to pollinate.

Bees generally fly when temperatures are above 54 degrees and winds aren’t too strong. The limited flying days also impact honey bee queens because they mate in the air. Less flight time means less mating, which means fewer and delayed bees and queens for sale that beekeepers rely upon.

“It’s been brutal,” Lawrence said. “Beekeepers are used to adapting, but getting hit from so many angles is a huge challenge.”

And all that could impact Washington crops that depend on hiring the domesticated pollinators.

“If I had an apple, pear, or cherry orchard, I wouldn’t wait to contact your beekeeper this year,” Lawrence said. “A lot can happen between now and when those crops bloom, but early crops could really be impacted. For growers back east, it’s likely there may not be any bees for the blueberry season.”

On the flip side, the unusually wet winter in California could lead to a phenomenal honey crop.

“Seeing the mountains and hills down there, the snow melt will probably lead to a tremendous flower bloom,” Lawrence said. “There may be fewer bees, but those present will have plenty of food to collect.”

Honey bees can have a big impact on wallets. For consumers, fewer bees for pollinating could lead to fewer apples or cherries in stores. That leads to higher prices for the fruit that does make it to market.

“Bees have had a tough time this year,” Lawrence said. “Beekeepers are good at keeping them going, but it’s the biggest challenge I’ve seen since at least 2005, when we started to witness major losses of honey bee colonies.”

Important dates July 17

July 17

1954 “Operation Wetback” is launched by the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) to remove about four million illegal immigrants from the southwestern United States, with a focus on Mexican nationals. The operation began in California and Arizona sweeping northward through agricultural areas with a goal of 1,000 apprehensions a day.

1955 Disneyland in Anaheim, California opens to invited guests only. More than 30,000 guests showed up to participate in one of the largest theme parks in the world at the time.

1981 Hyatt Regency Hotel Bridge collapse Kansas City.

1997 F.W. Woolworth’s, the original five-and-dime store that started in 1879, announced today that its last 400 stores would close.

Deadline for advertising in the August 2023 issue is WEDNESDAY, August 2nd.

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Protect your pigs from verminous pneumonia

By Madonna Benjamin, Elizabeth Ferry and David Thompson, Michigan State University Extension

Verminous pneumonia is a serious condition that can occur in mammals when parasitic roundworms, including some species that infect pigs, invade the lungs. This can lead to frequent episodes of coughing and discomfort of the animal and sometimes cause death. In pigs, the cough caused by verminous pneumonia is often severe and associated with rapid, shallow breathing often referred to as thumping.

In pigs, verminous pneumonia is most frequently caused by the roundworm Ascaris. Eggs ingested from soil hatch in the intestine as larvae and penetrate through the intestinal mucosa entering the bloodstream. After arriving first in the liver and then in the lungs (Fig. 1), larvae cause inflammation and destruction of tissue due to eosinophilia and other immune reactions they evoke. In the liver, these reactions typically appear as white or “milk” spots on the surface. Ascaris larvae do not mature in the lungs but can cause destruction there both directly by inflammation or by way of secondary bacterial or viral infections that respiratorycompromised pigs are susceptible to.

virus (SIV). Adding further complexity, as noted above, respiratory infection by Ascaris or lungworm can predispose an animal to secondary infection by one or more of the above bacteria and viruses. These secondary infections are more likely to occur in pigs exposed to challenging weather or other conditions that cause stress, including poor nutrition, lack of fresh water, over-crowding and being transported.

On presentation, an animal suffering from verminous pneumonia may be offfeed, appear gaunt and low on energy, and cough frequently, which may include thumping. These clinical signs may also appear early-on for PRRSv, SIV and each of the bacterial respiratory infections listed above. Fecal sampling for Ascaris eggs is easy to do and may be useful in older pigs but could easily yield a false negative in younger animals. Typically, laboratory testing of serum samples, nasal swabs or oral fluid samples are used to establish a preliminary diagnosis. Final diagnosis of verminous pneumonia in young animals due to infection by Ascaris, for example, usually requires a necropsy that reveals liver lesions which appear as white or “milk” spots and distinct multifocal hemorrhages coupled with firm, gray areas in the lungs, according to research conducted in 1932 by Schwartz and Alicata.

Deworming strategies to prevent verminous pneumonia

Verminous pneumonia may also be caused by lungworms (Metastrongylus) that pigs can contract by ingesting infected earthworms or rodents. Once ingested, infectious stages of lungworms migrate directly to the lungs (Fig. 1) where they cause hemorrhaging. They may also complete their development to adult stage in the bronchioles and cause airway obstruction and severe coughing, resembling that caused by Ascaris larvae.

Verminous pneumonia can resemble other respiratory diseases

Farmers and show pig enthusiasts should know the clinical signs of verminous pneumonia and understand that this parasiterooted disease can be challenging to differentiate from other respiratory infections caused by bacteria or viruses. Examples of the latter include Actinobacillus pleuripneumonia, Bordetella bronchioseptica, Haemophilus parasuis, Mycoplasma

What steps can producers take to prevent verminous pneumonia? Unfortunately, effective and preventative vaccines for Ascaris and metastrongylus are not available, so prophylactic use of dewormers (anthelmintics) is the best treatment option available for preventing this condition. Although prophylactic or preventative use of dewormers may not be warranted in regions where Ascaris and lungworm exposure are low and may not be needed at all on intensive operations that raise pigs entirely on slatted floors, most farmers who raise pigs outdoors, on pasture or inside on non-slatted floors in Michigan would benefit from a routine deworming program. Prophylactic treatment can be timed to ensure that it will usually be the only control measure necessary, aside from practicing sound husbandry that includes providing proper nutrition and pasture rotation, to prevent serious infections. Several deworming products (anthelmintics) are highly effective against the adult stage of both Ascaris and lungworm. Key features of these products, which include fenbendazole (Safe-Guard) and avermectins (Ivomec, Dectomax), are summarized in Table 1. Michigan State University Extension provides this data for informational purposes only and does not endorse any single product listed.

When considering a deworming strategy for your farm it is useful to keep two important points in mind: first, pigs raised outdoors or on pasture or inside on non-slatted floors may become reinfected continuously.

Adult Ascaris can produce and shed up to a million eggs per day, and these eggs can survive in soil for as long as 15 years. Second, because the immune system in young pigs is not fully developed, they are less able to withstand infection than adults. With these points in mind, dose scheduling should be based on reproduction cycle and age of pigs. Sows are typically treated shortly before farrowing, before moving to clean farrowing units. Eliminating or reducing the number of worms in the sow prevents contamination of the farrowing area for piglets. This treat-

hyopneumonia, Pasteurella multocida or Streptococcus suis; respiratory viruses include Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSv) and Swine influenza

Figure 1. Larvae pointed out by an arrow of nematodes that cause verminous pneumonia in pigs including Ascaris. Micrographs courtesy of American Society Trop Med and Hygiene and National Center for Veterinary Parasitology.

Figure 2. Larvae pointed out by an arrow of nematodes that cause verminous pneumonia in pigs including lungworm. Micrographs courtesy of American Society Trop Med and Hygiene and National Center for Veterinary Parasitology.

#####

Aerosmith has made more money from Guitar Hero than from the sales on any of their albums.

Buffalo Soldiers Day

This holiday is always celebrated on July 28

This holiday honors black Americans who fought for the Union Army against the South in the Civil War.

In 1862, the U.S. Congress passed the “Union Army and Military Act of 1862”. The Act allowed black Americans for the first time to fight during the Civil War. They fought for the Union Army. And, they did so admirably.

In 1866, the U.S. Congress passed the Army Organization Act. This law allowed black Americans to enlist in the military and fight for our country. The army formed a military unit comprised of Black Americans. It included black soldiers who fought for the Union army in the Civil War, ex-slaves, and freemen. They served with pride and distinguished themselves for their bravery and fearlessness. These ferocious warriors served in the 9th and 10th Cavalry, as well as in other units. They fought in the Indian Wars and distinguished themselves. Native Americans feared them and nicknamed them Buffalo Soldiers. It is believed that either the Cheyenne or Comanche gave them this nickname for their fierce and fearless performance in the wars. While their performance on the battlefield was remarkable, they suffered from racism.

Did You Know? Buffalo Soldiers went on to fight side by side with Teddy Roosevelt and his Roughriders in Cuba during the Spanish-American war.

They had two notable mottoes. They are: “We Can, We Will”, and “Ready and Forward”. Buffalo soldiers lived up to these mottoes.

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Protect your pigs from verminous pneumonia

CONTINUED FROM PAGE

Table 1. Dewormers that show consistent efficacy against nematodes that cause verminous pneumonia in pigs. Parasite species Fenbendazole Avermectin Levamisole Piperazine Pyrantel (common name) (Safe-Guard®) (Ivomec®) (Tramisol®) (Wazine®) (Banminth®)

Ascaris + + + + + (roundworm)

Metastrongylus + + + -(lungworm)

Formulations Feed Injectable Water Water Feed available pre-mix or feed pre-mix for pigs

Withdrawal 0 18 for 3 21 1 period injected (days) 5 for pre-mix

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2014 Bobcat E35, 2940 +/- hours, enclosed cab with heat and AC, coupler, hydraulic thumb, 24” bucket, leveling blade, 2 speed travel, has been through the shop, all repairs done, fresh service. Located in Victor, MT. $43,900

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2015 Case 621F, 5125 hours, EROPS with heat and AC, ride control, reversing fan, JRB hydraulic coupler, 3CY bucket, very nice radial tires, has been through our shop, just serviced, the loader is in excellent condition. Located in Spearfish, SD $97,500

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ment should be supplemented by another treatment of the sows as well as gilts and boars at breeding. To further reduce risk of infection in piglets, your veterinarian may also recommend treating piglets at weaning and depending on pressure from worms in the environment, once or twice again during growing and finishing phases, as evidenced in research by Roepstorff and Nansen in 1998.

Other treatments for pigs with verminous pneumonia

An appropriate treatment strategy for a suspected or confirmed case of verminous pneumonia will depend on several factors including stage of disease, type(s) of secondary infection, for example, bacterial, viral or both, and number of animals affected. For infections involving one or a few animals, it is usually best to treat pigs as soon as possible using an injectable antimicrobial when bacterial infection of the respiratory tract occurs concurrently with suspected or confirmed roundworm infection. Using an injectable product allows the active agent to reach the lungs faster than a product given in-feed or water. It also provides greater certainty that the sick animal receives the full recommended dose of the antimicrobial used.

Show pigs can become infected

The threat verminous pneumonia can pose to show pigs is considerable, especially when pigs are housed outdoors. In some areas, show pigs are frequently purchased from out-of-area vendors who are unknown by the purchasing family. These pigs may already be infected. It is always wise to purchase your show pig from a reputable vendor, ideally a farmer in your area. Whether this is possible or not, be sure to ask vendors, especially those who raise pigs on pasture or non-slatted barns, to certify that the pig you purchase was dewormed at weaning, or that the sow was treated at farrowing; ideally, both preventive treatments would have been given.

After purchasing your pig, it is a good idea to administer a deworming product such as fenbendazole or avermectin shortly after arrival, before mixing with other pigs. This helps ensure both the health of your pig and its performance. Coupled with a three-week quarantine period, it also helps protect other pigs on your farm. If you are raising your pig outdoors or on non-slatted floors, it is also useful to deworm again at two-month intervals including a couple weeks before fair. Moving your pig from one pasture to another each month or so will reduce the level of egg contamination in the soil, and thereby reduce your pig’s exposure to infection. These simple steps will also help protect other pigs from infection who

may come in contact with your pig, or a stool left by your pig at fair or shows. It will also protect you from the embarrassment of showing a pig that passes stool containing large white worms during fair week, reflecting poorly on your husbandry skills.

Recommendations for preventing and treating verminous pneumonia in pigs raised outdoors or on non-slatted floors

Your veterinarian is the best source of advice when it comes to preventing or treating parasite infections. Local conditions such as feeding/husbandry practices, weather and farm disease history coupled with evidence of drug-resistant strains of parasites can influence prevention measures recommended for your herd. The following tips should be viewed as suggestive or preliminary pending the advice of your local veterinarian.

The most cost-effective and efficient way to prevent verminous pneumonia in your pigs is by practicing sound animal husbandry. This consists of ensuring the availability of plenty of fresh water and appropriate nutrition, and making sure animals are protected from extreme weather conditions. It also includes practicing sound biosecurity measures to minimize exposure to rodents and other wildlife known to spread parasitic and other diseases.

Quarantine new arrivals for at least three weeks. If possible, rotate pastures every month or so to minimize exposure to eggs and larvae of Ascaris and lungworms that contaminate grass and soil.

When recommended by your vet, vaccinate animals against the bacterial and viral diseases that are commonly associated with respiratory infection in your area.

Implement a strategic deworming strategy that includes, when warranted, prophylactic use of a broad-spectrum anthelmintic that possess solid efficacy against Ascaris and lungworm. Pigs raised outdoors should be tested for worms or treated with an anthelmintic at two-month intervals. It is a good idea to rotate anthelmintics.

On breeding operations, it may be useful to deworm sows about one week before farrowing. Wash sows thoroughly before moving to cleaned and sanitized farrowing crates.

Treat a suspected or confirmed case of verminous pneumonia that is associated with a bacterial infection of the respiratory tract using an injectable antimicrobial agent that possesses confirmed activity against bacteria that cause respiratory disease in pigs. In some cases, your veterinarian may also prescribe a steroid to prevent further tissue damage of the infected/inflamed tissue.

Your local veterinarian is the best source of information and advice for preventing or treating verminous pneumonia.

Pesticide container recycling program

The Nebraska Pesticide Container Recycling Program is in its 32nd year of operation as it focuses on reducing pesticide container waste across the state. This program provides an opportunity for producers and applicators to responsibly and safely dispose of used and properly cleaned pesticide containers. The program accepts containers that contained pesticides (i.e., herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, etc.) that were used for crop, ornamental/turf, forestry, aquatic, and public health pest control in addition to containers that held crop oils, surfactants, and other adjuvants.

Make sure all containers, regardless of the size, are properly cleaned by triple rinsing or pressure rinsing according to

label directions and any labels are removed from the container before recycling. Dropoff sites around Nebraska will be updated throughout the year and more information can be found at this website: https://pested. unl.edu/recycling

While household pesticides are also commonly used in both rural and urban communities, these pesticide containers (i.e., home and garden products, etc.) are NOT accepted through this program. Various local communities and cities across the state do collect these containers, and that information (including specific times, dates, or drop-off sites) can be found at the following resource: https://nda.nebraska.gov/ pesticide/hhw_directory.pdf.

*Rebates & Financing Incentives may be available. Restrictions may apply. *Dealer’s Doc Fee of $195 is not included in price listed. See store for details.

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Researchers enlist sturdy yeast to help make cost-effective ethanol

Jan Suszkiw, ARS

Yeasts play a key role in converting (“fermenting”) sugars from plants into ethanol fuel. But not all yeasts are created equal. Some are better fermenters than others because they can tolerate the harsh conditions of the bioreactors in which they’re used.

Clavispora NRRL Y-50464 is just such a yeast.

A team of Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists at the agency’s National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research in Peoria, Illinois, used a standard microbiology procedure called “adaptive laboratory evolution” to generate the hardy yeast strain, which in tests outperformed the industry standard, Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Cornstarch has long been a leading source of simple sugars that can be fermented into ethanol fuel as a cleaner-burning alternative to gasoline. However, there are many competing uses for the versatile commodity, prompting researchers and fuel makers to focus on alternative sources—perennial grasses, forestry byproducts and crop residues like rice straw and corn stover, among them.

To get to these sugars, the “brick and mortar” of plant cells—cellulose and lignin (a.k.a., lignocellulose)—must first be broken down using enzymes or diluted acids. However, this produces furfural and other chemical byproducts that are harmful to the yeasts, hobbling their ability to ferment sugars released from lignocellulose.

Fortunately, Clavispora NRRL Y-50464 is no ordinary yeast.

that ARS patented the yeast strain for use in lignocellulose-based ethanol production systems, whose enzyme costs are typically 10 times those of starch-based ones.

Laboratory trials conducted by Liu, ARS chemical engineer Bruce Dien and their collaborators bare out the yeast strain’s super-star status as a fermenter of sugars from lignocellulose-rich sources like rice straw and corn stover (which refers to the corn plant’s unharvested stalk, leaves, husks and cob).

In flask, beaker and bioreactor trials using a two-in-one step called “simultaneous saccharification and fermentation,” Clavispora NRRL Y-50464 outperformed genetically engineered Saccharomyces yeast strains.

Highlights of results recently published in the International Journal of Microbiology include:

an ethanol concentration (or, “titer”) of 47 grams per liter (g/L) of purified cellulose within 72 hours—over the minimum required standard of 40 g/L for industrial use. What’s more, Clavispora NRRL Y-50464 supplied its own beta-glucosidase, so none had to be added.

an ethanol titer of 32 g/L of pre-treated corn stover and 25 g/L of rice straw within 48 and 36 hours, respectively. That’s also a plus, given this represents the shortest time needed to complete cellulosic ethanol production from agricultural residues (leftover).

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The strain is the toughest of the tough selected by the researchers from a natural population of Clavispora yeasts originally found growing on sweet sorghum. This toughness includes heat tolerance, fast growth and an ability to detoxify harmful byproducts like furfural while producing ethanol. The yeast strain also makes its own beta-glucosidase, an enzyme which catalyzes the breakdown of simple sugars like glucose from lignocellulose so they can be fermented into ethanol. This eliminates the need to add beta-glucosidase “and lowers the enzyme cost of cellulosic ethanol production,” explained Z. Lewis Liu, a molecular biologist (retired), formerly with the ARS center’s Bioenergy Research Unit in Peoria.

That’s kind of a big deal—so much so

better resistance to acetic acid (used in pre-treatments to liberate sugars from lignocellulose) and tolerance to temperatures of up to 102 degrees Fahrenheit (39 degrees Celsius).

Liu said that although the Clavispora yeast doesn’t ferment all types of simple sugars available from lignocellulose sources, it still has the potential to reduce the cost of producing ethanol. Additionally, the genetic makeup behind the yeast’s unique combination of traits could yield important clues to improving the use of other microbial strains in lignocellulose-based ethanol production systems. The key, Liu added, will be making critical process engineering improvements to the bioreactors now being used, including their ability to stir the cellulosic mix with high loads of fermentable solids.

Several parents and grandparents of Valier Elementary students had the opportunity to watch as Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks stocked walleye into Lake Frances near Valier, Montana. Photo courtesy of Thedis Crowe.

USED TRACTORS

USED CONSTRUCTION

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Quick Attach Sledge Pounder skid steer mount. stk# 29228. (G)

USED SWATHERS

Hesston 6450 swather with 14-ft. sickle header. stk #30700. (G)

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Tool Cat 5600 stk# 21420. (G)

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New Holland TM150 tractor. stk# 29559. (G)

2009 Bobcat 325G compact excavator, 2800 hours. stk# 15179. (G)

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Haybuster 256 stk# 29172. $2495 (G)

Haybuster BB256 left-hand discharge. stk# 29173. $2495 (G)

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Importance of good communications for generational ag business transfers

Provided by Allan Vyhnalek, UNL Extension Educator, Farm and Ranch Succession

Farming and ranching are difficult. Such businesses are filled with many risks, but also with great personal fulfillment. The associated joys are especially plentiful when the assets and business management successfully pass to the next (and future) generations. Communication is extra challenging in agriculture, in part, because when family members work together, they often relate to each other as family members rather than business associates. It can be difficult to differentiate when a brother is relating as a brother, and when he is interacting as a business colleague.

According to several studies and conversations with members of farm and ranch families, communication – or lack thereof – is the number one issue and cause of stress. For mothers and fathers, the most frequently reported stressor as taking responsibility for risks and disagreements over spending. Daughters-in-law and mothers often indicate that “not being a part of the operation” is a major problem. Weigel and Weigel (1990) write: “... neither generation is happy with the communication in their two-generation farm family. Items such as handling arguments, fair criticism and family problem solving were ranked low by both groups.”

Coping strategies for successfully managing the transfer of the family farm include open communication among family members about transfer plans, allowing feelings to be expressed and acknowledged, and planning early. Researchers found that “... the families who were able to communicate about needs, desires, and future possibilities were able to make the smooth transition of the farm operation from the parents to the children over a period of years (Weigel and Weigel, 1990).” Communication, common goals, and limited conflict of loyalties all help preserve the sense of unity in twogeneration farm families.

The reason some intergenerational ranching and farming families have trouble reaching their economic goals is due to undeveloped foundational skills. Sometimes a family’s effort to decide on shared financial goals fails. They may be stuck like one woman’s family: “we hash over issues for hours and hours and they never get resolved. We don’t agree on a direction or a plan, so we just go on doing what we did before and

stay mad at each other.”

Some practical strategies intergenerational farming and ranching families use to communicate effectively include:

Individuals should write down personal, family, and work goals for three months, six months, and a lifetime. They should make time to sit and think, to know what they want and need for their own well-being.

Individuals and families should practice healthy stress management strategies.

Family members should be able to handle unfinished business with other family members.

Individuals should enhance his or her communication and negotiation skills. Use fewer ‘you’ statements and more “I” statements – e.g., “when you’re late for a meal, I feel disrespected” as opposed to “you never come to meals on time.” People can experiment with the following strategy: When you __________ (describe the behavior), I feel __________ (irritated, angry, sad, depressed, etc.). What I want from you is __________ (describe the behavior). What I’m willing to do is __________ (and negotiate mutually satisfying solutions).

Also, check out what the other person heard you say: “Would you tell me what you heard me say?”

The family should reflect on the process used to solve or not solve past problems. What worked? What didn’t work? How can the process be improved.

The family should seek outside help when a problem is very complex, if fresh ideas are desired, and/or if a facilitator is needed. Although farm and ranch families need to drive several miles to a larger city to find qualified professional resources, the help they receive may save them much pain and cost down the road.

Effective communication within a farm or ranch family, especially when multiple generations are operating and managing the business, is the underpinning of all other decisions made in a family business. It is critical that farm and ranch families identify areas of contention and develop communication skills that will allow them to negotiate satisfying outcomes. This may involve basic skills training, including communication, problem solving, and decision making.

The outdoor garden

A soil test is the most efficient and money-saving step toward better gardening. A soil test measures levels of nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) that are available for plants, as well as what your soil lacks.

The test also indicates our soil’s pH level–the relative acidity or alkalinity–that affects how plants take up nutrients and thrive. Soil pH ranges from 1.0 (acid) to 14.0 (highly alkaline), with 7 being neutral. In certain areas, soil is typically more acid (in rainy areas) or more alkaline (in dry areas) and needs to be amended accordingly for plants to thrive there. To raise too-low pH (acidic) soil: add lime, dolomite limestone, or wood ashes. To lower too-high pH (alkaline) soil: add horticultural sulphur, composed oak leaves, or pine needles.

Check the pH of garden soil before planting expensive or unusual shrubs and perennials. Many plants thrive in any soil, but there are some that dislike acidic soil. Use

a simple pH testing kit to determine what plants are suitable in your garden.

Never add lime to soil without first checking its pH to ascertain if it is required.

Never apply manure and lime to soil at the same time. They will react together and produce harmful ammonia. Allow at least two months between application of lime and manure.

To determine the texture of soil rub some soil between moistened fingers. A sandy soil feels rough, a clay soil feels greasy, and a loam soil somewhere in between.

When digging soil in the autumn, don’t break down the clods as the winter rain will make them compacted. Leave the clods rough and they will disintegrate slowly. Improve clay soil by double digging and incorporating plenty of organic matter as you work it.

Use manure within a year, as a large proportion of the nutrients will be leached out after that.

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Chicken tractor coop vs. chicken coop: Which is best?

When it comes to raising chickens, one of the first decisions you’ll need to make is whether to use a chicken tractor or a chicken coop. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. The final decision will depend on your specific requirements and situation.

Understanding the Debate

Chicken keepers are divided on whether a chicken tractor or a chicken coop is a better housing option for their chickens. Some argue that a chicken tractor is best because it allows the chickens to forage and fertilize the ground without causing damage or overcrowding. Others believe a chicken coop protects better against predators and inclement weather.

Understanding the pros and cons of each option is important because it will help you decide what type of housing is best for your chickens. You’ll need to consider factors such as the size of your flock, the space you have available, and your budget.

What Are Chicken Tractors?

FARM EQUIPMENT FOR SALE

A chicken tractor is a movable coop designed for raising chickens on fresh grass or other vegetation. It typically consists of a bottomless enclosure made of lightweight materials such as wood or PVC pipe, with a wire mesh or poultry netting top to keep the chickens inside and predators out.

The chicken tractor can be moved to fresh pasture periodically, allowing the chickens to forage and fertilize the ground without causing damage or becoming too concentrated in one area. Small-scale farmers and backyard chicken keepers often use chicken tractors to provide a mobile and lowmaintenance living space that allows for regular movement of the birds to fresh pasture.

Benefits of a Chicken Tractor

There are several advantages to using a chicken tractor over a stationary coop:

Greater mobility: One advantage of chicken tractors is their mobility. They can be moved to different locations on your property, allowing you to relocate your chicken to various areas on your property.

Decreases the need for space: Chicken tractors require less space than chicken coops because they are movable and do not need a large permanent area.

Easy access: Chicken tractors have features that make accessing chickens and their eggs easier, simplifying tasks such as egg collection and feeding. Some of these tractors have nesting boxes or feeders that can be accessed from outside, eliminating the need to enter and upset the chickens. And since chicken tractors are easy to move, it is convenient to provide regular fresh water and food to the chickens.

Ability to keep the chickens safe from predators: Although not as secure as a chicken coop, chicken tractors offer protection for your chickens due to their wire mesh construction, which can deter predators. If a predator digs underneath the tractor, your chickens may be at risk because the unit has no flooring.

Drawbacks of a Chicken Tractor

Risk of too much exposure to weather elements: Because chicken tractors are designed to be lightweight and movable, they may not provide as much protection from the weather as a stationary coop would.

Difficulty in monitoring: It can be challenging to monitor the health and behavior of free-ranging chickens kept in a chicken tractor due to their constant movement.

CONTINUED ON PAGE C16

Important dates

2019 New Holland 560 baler, ISOBUS, Specialty Crop Plus, endless belts, in cab density, 6150 bales, fully loaded baler $35,000

2014 Case IH DH363, 35-ft. draper header for Case IH swathers, like new $33,500

Case IH 35-ft. draper header for Case IH and New Holland swathers, factory transport, double knife drive. Two available $19,500

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Grazing through the shift

By Ben Beckman, UNL

As we move through the month of June, grazers will notice big changes occurring in their pastures. How these shifts impact our grazing management as we continue through the summer depend largely on the forage species present. Are you prepared for the summer forage shift?

Cool season species like bluegrass, brome, and wheatgrasses are great at taking advantage of cooler and hopefully wetter conditions earlier in the spring, but struggle to keep up in the heat. Right now, they are fully mature and declining in quality. Pastures with predominantly cool season grasses may present a challenge nutritionally moving forward and if grazed short, will not produce much more forage unless there is significant rainfall or they are irrigated. This doesn’t mean we can’t use them, but animal condition may need to be monitored closely.

On the other hand, warm season species like many of our native grasses (bluestems, switchgrass, sandreed), do well with high temperatures and limited moisture. Their growth is just beginning and offers a great complement to maturing cool season pastures, providing higher quality new growth from vegetative plants. However, forage yield may be a bit limited until growth really kicks off.

While warm season species are a great resource right now, we need to be careful in how we take advantage of the opportunity. Grazing warm season species as they begin growth year after year puts stress on the plant. After a while, plant vigor decreases and we can lose productive species from our pasture mix. To prevent this a grazing plan that rotates the timing of grazing from year to year can spread out stress and allow for recovery of pastures previously grazed.

Grazing during the shift from spring to summer can be tricky, but understanding the response plants have to the changing weather can help guide management. Maturing cool season pastures may be lacking in quality, while new growth from warm season plants can be limited in quantity. To prevent harming warm season plants, rotate grazing at this critical time between pastures to spread out grazing stress and provide ample recovery.

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Chicken tractor coop vs. chicken coop: Which is best?

Due to the Coronavirus we are unsure of business hours. So if you have questions, or want to schedule an appointment, please call or text Brian on his cell phone: 406-868-4309 between 9 am - 6 pm. Thanks!

A chicken coop is an enclosure where chickens can reside at night or during inclement weather. Yet, the chickens still having outdoor access during daylight hours, where they can roam within fenced areas or be shut into a small outside run attached to the coop.

They feature enough room for multiple birds inside with nesting boxes as well as roosting bars on which they can reside without exposure to outdoor elements such as rain or extreme temperatures. Small-scale farmers and hobbyists commonly use chicken coops to provide their birds with a safe and secure living space.

Benefits of a Chicken Coop

There are several advantages to using a chicken coop over a chicken tractor:

Protection from weather elements and animals: One of the main benefits of having a chicken coop is protection from weather elements and predators. Coops are typically made of sturdy materials such as wood, metal, or plastic, which help protect chickens from harsh weather conditions like rain, snow, or extreme heat. They also provide a secure space for chickens to roost at night, protecting them from predators such as foxes, raccoons, or birds of prey like hawks that may try entering their enclosures while sleeping.

Easier to maintain and clean than a chicken tractor: Another advantage of chicken coops is that they are easier to maintain and clean than chicken tractors. All fecal matter stays on top of bedding material inside an enclosed area, so cleaning them is much simpler when compared with chicken tractors.

More bang for your buck: Because stationary coops don’t need movable components that come along with portable housing designs (such as wheels), construction costs tend to be lower than mobile chicken coop designs – meaning most people who use chicken coops will get more bang for their buck build-wise over time!

Drawbacks of a Chicken Coop

Some of the disadvantages of a chicken coop include: Limited mobility: Chickens are naturally active birds that enjoy foraging, scratching, and exploring their environment. When confined to a small space, such as a chicken coop, they may become bored or stressed due to the lack of stimulation and opportunities to engage in these natural behaviors. Lack of access to natural food sources: Housing of this type can present additional challenges, such as difficulty accessing natural sources of food like insects and grass. Although not impossible, this could reduce the opportunities for getting the necessary nutrition from nature and require additional resources to keep your birds healthy, like meal worms and kitchen scraps.

Susceptible to poultry diseases if not cleaned regularly: It is important to be cautious when keeping chickens in a limited space, as this increases their risk of getting sick. Diseases such as avian influenza, Marek’s disease, and coccidiosis can easily spread among the flock, resulting in negative consequences such as reduced egg production, stunted growth, and death. To prevent such diseases, regularly cleaning the chicken coop is crucial to avoid the accumulation of harmful pathogens and parasites.

Choosing the Right Chicken Housing: Factors to Consider for Your Flock

Using a chicken tractor vs. a chicken coop depends on factors like space, climate, and personal preferences. Each option has advantages and disadvantages, so it’s important to consider these factors carefully before choosing.

Chicken tractors provide more flexibility and allow chickens to move around and fertilize new areas of fresh grass

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Hammock Day

This holiday is always observed on July 22

Summer is in full swing. It’s time to slow down and relax. During the Dog Days of summer (and all of the other summer days, too), there is no better place to slow down and relax, than on a hammock under a shady tree. Therefore Hammock Day, a July 22 holiday, is celebrated at the perfect time of year.

This holiday is appropriately celebrated right in the middle of the Dog Days of summer (July 3 through August 11th).

Chicken tractor coop vs. chicken coop: Which is best?

CONTINUED FROM PAGE C16

Hammock Day exists to celebrate and enjoy summer as it should be enjoyed. People celebrate this day by spending as much time relaxing on it as possible. There’s a wide variety of hammocks. Most notably, single and double hammocks. The doubles exist so you can lounge today with someone special. Getting out of your hammock to get a snack, or your favorite summer beverage is okay. But, it is not a day for work. Cutting the lawn is forbidden on this day. without causing harm, but they require more supervision. On the other hand, chicken coops provide outdoor access for chickens during daylight hours while also offering protection from weather and predators. They are easier to maintain and cost less than chicken tractors.

Choosing between a chicken tractor and a chicken coop depends on your circumstances and needs. Consider the amount of space you have, how often you want to move your chickens, and the size of your flock when making your decision. Both options have pros and cons, so it’s important to weigh them carefully and choose the best for you and your chickens.

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Ben Taylor Farm Store Valier, 279-3365

Big Equipment. Havre, 265-9432

Churchill Equipment. Manhattan, 282-7252

Frontline Ag Solutions Conrad, 1-877-278-5531

Frontline Ag Solutions Choteau, 1-866-466-5741

Frontline Ag Solutions Cut Bank, 1-800-273-5530

Gerbers of Montana Inc.. Great Falls, 727-2203

Hoven Equipment Co.. Great Falls, 727-7153

Joyce Fuel & Feeds. Geraldine, 1-800-479-4561

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Taylor’s True Value Farm Store. Shelby, 1-888-220-5547 Tiber Tractor, Chester Chester, 759-5188

Torgerson, LLC. Lewistown, 1-800-677-8795 Torgerson, LLC Hysham, (406) 342-5571

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More than 1 million acres in CRP general signup

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is accepting more than 1 million acres in this year’s Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) General signup. This is one of several signups that USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is holding for the program. The results for CRP General signup reflect the continued importance of CRP as a tool to help producers invest in the long-term health, sustainability, and profitability of their land and resources. The signup’s results include 94833 acres in Montana.

“This year’s General CRP signup demonstrates the value and continued strength of this voluntary conservation program, which plays an important role in helping mitigate climate change and conserve our natural resources,” said Maureen Wicks, FSA State Executive Director in Montana. “Today’s announcement is one of many enrollment and partnership opportunities within CRP, including opportunities through our working lands Grassland CRP, Continuous CRP, and Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). USDA will continue working to ensure producers and landowners have the information they need to take advantage of the options that work best for their operations.”

Offers for new land in this General CRP signup totaled about 295,000 acres nationwide. Producers submitted reenrollment offers for 891,000 expiring acres, reflecting the successes of participating in CRP longer term. The total number of CRP acres will continue to climb in the coming weeks once FSA accepts acres from the Grassland CRP signup, which closed May 26. Additionally, so far this year, FSA has received 761,000 offered acres for the Continuous CRP signup, for which FSA accepts applications year-round.

The number of accepted acres that are enrolled in General CRP will be confirmed later this year. Participating producers and landowners should also remember that submitting and accepting a CRP offer is the first step, and producers still need to develop a conservation plan before contracts become effective on October 1, 2023. Each year, during the window between offer acceptance and land enrollment, some producers ultimately decide not to enroll some accepted acres, without penalty.

General CRP Signup

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The General CRP Signup 60 ran from February 27 through April 7, 2023.

Through CRP, producers and landowners establish longterm, resource-conserving plant species, such as approved grasses or trees, to control soil erosion, improve soil health and water quality, and enhance wildlife habitat on agricultural land. In addition to the other well-documented benefits, lands enrolled in CRP are playing a key role in climate change mitigation efforts across the country.

In 2021, FSA introduced improvements to the program, which included a new Climate-Smart Practice Incentive to increase carbon sequestration and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This incentive provides an annual 3, 5, or 10 percent incentive payment based on the predominant vegetation type for the practices enrolled – from grasses to trees to wetland restoration.

Other CRP Signups

Grassland CRP is a working lands program that helps producers and landowners protect grassland from conversion while enabling haying and grazing activities to continue. Lands enrolled support haying and grazing operations and promotes plant and animal biodiversity. Lands are also protected from being converted to uses other than grassland. This year’s signup for Grassland CRP ran from April 17 through May 26.

Continuous CRP, in which producers and landowners can enroll throughout the year. Offers are automatically accepted provided the producer and land meet the eligibility requirements and the enrollment levels do not exceed the statutory cap. Continuous CRP includes the State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) Initiative, the Farmable Wetlands Program (FWP), and the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). In CREP, which is available in certain geographies, partnerships with States, Tribes, and other entities are leveraged for participants to receive a variety of added incentives and flexibilities. Also available

is the Clean Lakes Estuaries and Rivers (CLEAR) initiative. CLEAR30, a signup opportunity under that initiative available nationwide, gives producers and landowners across the country the opportunity to enroll in 30-year CRP contracts for water quality practices.

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2016 Kobelco SK35SR-6E, 863 hours, ROPS, front blade, hydraulic thumb, 50% tracks, 8500 lbs. Call

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2015 Cat 303.5E mini excavator, open ROPS, front blade, hydraulic thumb to be installed, auxiliary hydraulics, pin grabber coupler, 3600 hours Call

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A year later, effects of wildfire still felt on rangelands

By Chabella Guzman, communications specialist

Almost a year after the Carter Canyon fire burned 15,630 acres of range, heavily timbered areas, and several buildings. Only the charred skeletons of trees remain as a reminder of the fire. Below the trees, abundant rain throughout May in Scottsbluff and the surrounding area has created a lush green landscape.

On June 9, producers and landowners received information on how the fire may still affect their ranges from the Nebraska Extension, Platte River Basin Environments, North Platte NRD, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and ENVU.

“The Western Great Plains grasslands typically responds quickly and positively to recovery following a wildfire,” said Mitch Stephenson, Nebraska Extension range and forage management specialist.

While the ranges look green from the road, livestock producers know only some of the green is good as cheatgrass, an annual invasive grass which was actively growing at the time of the event, was prevalent at the locations.

Cheatgrass seeds can be viable for up to two to three years, and the seed’s germination rate is 99 percent, according to an NRCS/USDA cheatgrass handbook. Cheatgrass is present in a number of areas in western Nebraska and has become common in even strong stands of perennial grasses, but Stephenson said livestock producers have some tools to combat the invasive species.

“There is no silver bullet. We’ve had cheatgrass for a long time,” he said. “Grazing is one (tool), getting out early and using it as a forage. But you’ll still have some seed come up every year and compete with perennials.”

Cheatgrass grows early and rapidly and can be a good forage option for cattle, but cattle will avoid areas with cheatgrass later in the growing season.

“This year, especially in the Panhandle, we’ve had a lot of good moisture,” said Aaron Berger, Nebraska Extension educator in the southern Panhandle. “So, even with the moisture and a lot of grass growing, be cautious about how much you graze this year.”

While grazing can occur on western Nebraska grasslands the year after a fire, deferring until later in the growing season is often suggested to help plants reach full maturity before grazing.

“If forage is your economic driver, having the ability to use that (pasture) is important. There’s no recipe, it really depends on the resource, what’s happened, what are the grass species present, there’s just a lot of things that are part of the whole decision-making process,” Berger said.

For pasture or range sections overrun with cheatgrass, there are herbicide options. Some have been around for a while, and some are brand new.

“There are a number of herbicide options, like imazapic, and the product (by ENVU) where indaziflam is the active chemical,” Stephenson said.

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Indaziflam and Imazapic have undergone extensive research throughout the western United States and the western Great Plains, looking at its effectiveness. The indaziflam herbicide tends to last longer in the soil, which is a good thing when combating cheatgrass, which is relatively robust.

National Blueberry Muffins Day

This holiday is always celebrated on July 11 here is a special day you can sink your teeth into. Blueberry Muffins are one of America’s favorite muffins. And, the blueberry harvest is occurring right now!

• Buckets

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Henke snow plow off Cat 621B loader, ACS coupler, hyd angle snowblade with float, hyd snowgate. $7500

European settlers brought with them a recipe for “Bilberry Muffins”. Bilberries were not to be found in the New World. Wild blueberries, native to the Americas, were both plentiful and delicious. The wild blueberries were substituted for Bilberries, and the Blueberry Muffin recipe was born. Did You Know? Native Americans called blueberries “star berries”.

In addition to tasting delicious, blueberries are very healthy for you. They are one of the best foods you can eat. Blueberries can help fight or avoid many ailments, including cancer, and dementia, promote heart health, and much, much more.

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Expanding opportunities for Climate-Smart Commodities

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the official kick-off of the implementation phase for projects funded through the $3.1 billion Partnerships for ClimateSmart Commodities effort. Project partners are beginning work on formal implementation of the climate-smart production practices, marketing, and quantification, monitoring, reporting and verification of greenhouse gas benefits that are funded through the effort as agreements are finalized on a rolling basis. As projects get underway, USDA is launching the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Learning Network (Partnerships Network), a collaboration of all the project partners, which will generate key lessons-learned as projects are implemented.

“Farmers, ranchers and forest landowners are on the front lines of climate change. At the same time, they are uniquely positioned to deliver climate solutions through climate-smart production that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and sequesters carbon,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Through these projects, our partners are working to create new markets for climate-smart commodities, while developing the tools needed to quantify impacts and help producers implement climate-smart practices on their land. We’re excited these projects are getting underway and look forward to achieving meaningful results for producers, agriculture and forestry economies and our climate.”

In the coming weeks and months, partners will be opening signup under their projects for producer participation. Producers interested in participating in projects are invited to visit the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Active Projects Dashboard to find projects in their areas. This dashboard will be updated periodically with newly active projects and links to their project websites when available. The announcement was highlighted in a virtual kick-off event for the public, producers and stakeholders with USDA leaders and project partners.

Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities

USDA is investing more than $3.1 billion for 141 projects through the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities effort, which seeks to build and expand market opportunities for American commodities produced using climate-smart practices through pilot projects, positioning American producers as global leaders in climate-smart agricultural production.

The selected projects – spanning up to five years – will: Provide technical and financial assistance to producers to implement climate-smart production practices on a voluntary basis on working lands.

Pilot innovative and cost-effective methods for quantification, monitoring, reporting and verification of greenhouse gas benefits.

Develop markets and promote the resulting climate-smart commodities.

All selected projects require meaningful involvement of small and underserved producers.

This effort builds on ongoing Biden-Harris Administration initiatives to increase the competitive advantage of U.S. agriculture both domestically and internationally, build wealth that stays in rural communities, and support a diverse range of producers and operation types.

Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Learning Network

The Partnerships Network, consisting of all the project partners, will generate key lessons-learned from Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities projects. These lessons will inform what makes markets for climate-smart commodities successful, and meaningful, for farmers, forest landowners, and rural communities. As projects get underway, learnings and summary data will be shared publicly on a periodic basis.

For more information about the Partnerships for ClimateSmart Commodities, visit the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities website.

Important dates July 5

July 5

1946 The Bikini swimsuit (a daring 2 piece swimming costume for ladies) was introduced by French designer Louis Reard at a popular swimming pool in Paris.

1981 Riots in Toxteth, Liverpool.

1996 The first cloning of an animal by scientists was revealed by the Roslin Institute in Scotland when DOLLY THE SHEEP was cloned from tissue taken from a 6 year old ewe’s udder.

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Dawson County 4-H Livestock Judging Contest

On June 2nd thirteen youth competed in the 2023 Dawson County 4-H Livestock Judging Contest at the Fairgrounds in Lexington. There were three divisions (Clover Kid, Junior, and Senior) that were broken up by age. The contest consisted of hog, sheep, and cattle classes and oral reasons on those classes.

Paige Walahoski of Overton won the senior division receiving a gold medal. Samual Winter of Cozad placed second receiving a silver medal. All the medals were provided by Monsanto. Senior Division ribbon awards included: Purple – Paige Walahoski, Overton; and Samual Winter, Cozad.

Haying Equipment

Tractor

Miscellaneous Equipment

Levi Martin of Lexington won the junior division receiving a purple ribbon and a gold medal. Owen Fairley of Brady placed second receiving a purple ribbon and a silver medal. Mollie Spradlin of Cozad placed third receiving a purple ribbon and a bronze medal. Bristol McConville, Lexington; also won a purple ribbon in the Junior Division. Blue ribbons were awarded to Hailey

Jensen, Cozad; Cadey Wolf, Cozad; Gabby Caraway, Lexington; Megan Walahoski, Overton; and Grant Walahoski, Overton. Parker Caraway, Lexington; and Riggs McConville, Lexington; received participation ribbons for competing in the Clover Kid Division.

Tail Twisters 4-H Club won the junior team honors receiving a purple ribbon and their name on a plaque. There was no senior team.

Livestock for this event consisted of breeding gilts furnished by Pat Peterson of Gothenburg and market barrows from Paul and Shannon Peterson also of Gothenburg; sheep from the Walahoski Family of Overton; and heifers from Todd Ibach of Sumner. The fairgrounds facilities were provided by the Dawson County Agricultural Society. Dawson County Cattlemen Executive Director Shannon Peterson of Gothenburg organized the contest. Serving as contest officials were Paul Peterson of Gothenburg; Spencer Walahoski, Overton; and Parker Walahoski, Overton.

Managing seeding year alfalfa

By Ben Beckman, UNL

Alfalfa seeded this spring is ready, or soon will be ready, to cut. Proper care and management now could have big impacts on cuttings later this year. Use the following harvest guidelines to get the most from your first-year alfalfa.

Seeding year alfalfa is different from established stands. Stems are spindly, roots are small and shorter, and growth is a little slower.

You can harvest seeding year alfalfa as early as 40 days after seedlings emerge. Again, this is 40 days after emergence, not planting. Alfalfa takes about 40 days to develop the ability to regrow from the crown after cutting. Plants cut before this point need at least one set of leaves remaining to regrow. So, if you need to cut early for something like weed or insect control, cut high.

Although alfalfa seedlings can be harvested 40 days after emerging, I think it’s better to wait until around 60 days after emergence, at late bud to early bloom stage, before the first cutting. Yield will be a little

higher and plants will withstand weather stress easier with a little extra growth. This extra time also allows increased root development, helping avoid problems from soil compaction or surface soil dryness.

After the first cutting, regrowth of seedling alfalfa will become more similar to established alfalfa, giving you the opportunity for two or three cuts the first year.

One last point – while it may seem like a long way off, never cut seeding year alfalfa during the four-week period before a killing freeze. Winter injury can be severe due to reduced winterhardiness of new plants. Look ahead at the calendar now to plan when future cuts might be taken to avoid cutting during this sensitive time.

First year alfalfa can be productive, just manage it right. #####

To make one pound of honey, honey bees must gather nectar from nearly 2 million flowers.

These Dawson County 4-H’ers attended the 2023 4-H Livestock Judging Contest: (front row, left to right) Samual Winter, Cozad; Paige Walahoski, Overton; (second row, left to right) Levi Martin, Lexington; Owen Fairley, Brady; Mollie Spradlin, Cozad; Bristol McConville, Lexington; (third row, left to right) Hailey Jensen, Cozad; Cadey Wolf, Cozad; Gabrielle Caraway, Lexington; Megan Walahoski, Overton; Grant Walahoski, Overton; (back row, left to right) Parker Caraway, Lexington; and Riggs McConville, Lexington.

Raising guinea fowl: A guide to care and meat processing

If you’re already raising other birds on your homestead or farm, such as chickens or ducks, you may have considered adding guinea fowl to your flock. Their lean, tender dark meat is in high demand, and you feel it would help round out your poultry offerings. Additionally, they are more alert to predators and can control pest populations well. But you must understand how to construct a conducive habitat to be successful at raising guinea fowl.

Guinea fowl generally require more space than an average chicken and, often, more of your time tending to their needs. Additionally, they need to pick fights with more birds more frequently than chickens or ducks, requiring that you create a safe habitat for your current flock and new birds. There’s also the added stress of caring for another animal on your homestead or farm. Are you up for the challenge?

With all that being said, we don’t want to discourage you from choosing to add guinea fowl to your homestead or farm. Rather, we want you to be prepared to give them the right atmosphere necessary to grow strong and prosperous. By following the guidelines in this post, you’ll understand how to create the right environment for your guinea hens, such as supplying clean drinking water, nutritious food sources, and secured living quarters.

Getting Started on Raising Guinea Fowl

Choosing the right baby guinea fowl, also known as guinea keets, is important. There are several varieties to choose from, including:

Pearl guinea with its distinctively purplish-gray colored feathers with dots of white

Lavender guinea whose personality is more laid back than other breeds

White guinea have pure-white plumage and lighter skin than the Pearl variety

French guinea fowls are known for their vivid coloring and distinctive call that sounds like “chink-chink.”

Whichever one catches your eye, remember that each has its own unique characteristics, so pick carefully when you want to raise guinea fowl. To begin your flock of birds, it’s best to raise them from day-old keets to acclimate them to your homestead or farm and integrate them with your other birds. This way can be more practical and economical for those just starting out.

After you’ve made the decision on which breed to raise, buy from a reputable breeder. Be sure to ask questions about their health and diet and any other information you need to know about their care. Our family of hatcheries sells French guinea keets that you can be sure are healthy and full of personality, making them the perfect addition to your fowl family.

Overall Care of French Guinea Fowl

Having chosen your breed, there are several things to keep in mind. Guinea fowl are hearty birds, however, they require attentive care if you want them to stay healthy. Routine medical checkups can assist with the early detection of any potential issues. To maintain the well-being of your guinea fowls, it is also important to provide a clean and hygienic environment. Neglecting to provide a safe and clean habitat could lead to further health complications down the line.

Housing & Fencing

First, you need to have appropriate housing for your birds. You will need a safe and airy shelter that is both sealed from predators and big enough to successfully house

the number of birds you have to care for your guinea fowl. Additionally, it is essential to give them space outdoors where they can roam during daylight hours — such as an enclosed run or closed-off area.

A sturdy fence is essential for the well-being of your guinea fowl. It will provide them with safety and security from predators. However, even if they’re not free-ranging, the birds still need proper sheltering, sufficient ventilation, and ample roosting space.

Feed & Water

To maintain a healthy, balanced diet for guinea fowls, you should provide them with high-quality chicken feed and supplement it with mealworms and other insects. Additionally, ensure that your feathered friends always have access to fresh water. Learn more about what to feed your chickens.

Health Issues

Early intervention is paramount for common guinea fowl health issues such as mites, lice, respiratory infections, and coccidiosis. Fortunately, numerous remedies are available for these conditions, and your vet can help you decide on the best one tailored specifically for your feathered friends. Taking swift action will stop the spread of any ailment across the rest of your flock.

Benefits of Raising Guineas on Your Homestead or Farm

Raising guinea fowl on your homestead or farm can offer several advantages. These robust birds can adapt to various climates and don’t need much attention after training to return to their home and their keeper. In addition, guinea fowl are exceptional foragers and can consume insects, seeds, and grass, thus reducing your expenses on feed.

Tick Control

Guinea fowl are invaluable to homesteaders and farmers, primarily due to their natural predation of ticks. Guinea fowl will instinctively search for and consume any ticks present in these regions; you can also give them quality feed as a reinforcement to keep them focused on their job!

For those living in tick-prone areas, guinea fowl are a must-have for successful land management. Not only can they destroy already present pests, but their consumption of both adult and larval stages protects your family, pets, and livestock from the diseases that ticks may carry. Incorporating them into your land plan is necessary to safeguard yourself against these pesky critters.

Eggs

Guinea fowl lay eggs at around 12 weeks old. You can expect an average of 100 eggs per year from each guinea hen. Gathering the guinea eggs each day is essential to maintain freshness; you should store them in a cool, dry area for optimal preservation. When compared to chicken eggs, guinea fowl eggs are much smaller. When you are raising guineas, you should know that two guinea eggs are equal to about one chicken egg.

On June 23 Fish, Wildlife and Parks sponsored an event at Lake Frances near Valier, MT. Fisheries Biologist Katie Vivian provided an educational presentation on fisheries management for the youngsters. Here a couple of the young boys release walleye fingerlings into the bay. Photo courtesy of Thedis Crowe.

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##### Laughter synchronizes the brains of both speaker and listener so that they become emotionally attuned.

Raising guinea fowl: A guide to care

A guinea hen may not be considered a typical broody hen. However, they still exhibit certain protective behaviors, such as staying close to the guinea fowl eggs until they hatch and being aggressive toward other birds that come close to their nests. This behavior makes them excellent mothers once the baby keets have hatched.

Guinea eggs are often considered a real delicacy. From omelets to frittatas, guinea eggs bring a unique and desirable flavor to any dish. With their savory taste and nutritional benefit of high protein, calcium, iron, and other essential nutrients, you’ll never want your meal without them! Guinea fowl eggs are the perfect way to make any cook look like a master chef!

Meat Processing

There are several essential factors to remember when processing guinea fowl for meat. First, you must prepare your birds by withholding food and water for at least 12 hours before processing. This will ensure that their digestive system is empty and reduce the risk of contamination during processing.

Several processing methods are available, including using a commercial processor, processing your birds at home, or using a mobile processing unit. It’s important to choose the method that is best for your needs

If you’re raising guinea fowl for meat, they are ready to harvest at around 14 to 16 weeks of age for small, young, and tender meat or about 20 to 16 weeks for full-grown birds. Processing poultry is a relatively simple process that involves plucking the feathers, removing the head and feet, and gutting the carcass.

Sexing Guinea Fowl

Sexing guinea fowl is essential for breeding purposes and flock management while raising guinea fowl. While the differences between male guinea and female guinea can be hard to detect, there are numerous techniques available that you can use to sex your birds. Distinguishing between male and female helmeted guinea fowl can be achieved by observing the size and form of their bony protrusion on top of the head – typically larger in males than in females. Observe their legs, tail feathers, and wattles for further distinction between male and female birds. Male birds tend to possess larger wattles, longer tail feathers, and thicker legs than the females of the species. Suppose you remain uncertain as to your bird’s sex even after comparison with these indicators. In that case, it is advised that you seek out a professional opinion from either a veterinarian or poultry specialist for clarification.

Paper or plastic?

How about neither?

Despite the fact that we can get our news in various ways, including television, radio, or online, many Americans still have a daily newspaper habit: Each day, more than 44 million newspapers are tossed! Although we now have more acres of forest then we did in 1920, it’s still wise to keep in mind that more than 25 million trees a year are used to create these newspapers–valuable trees that eliminate carbon dioxide. By dispensing with a single run of just one major metropolitan Sunday paper, more than 75,000 trees could be saved. If all else, recycling the newspapers is the next best thing.

Junk mail is a pain to receive, but it’s also a massive waste: The average U.S. household discards more than 13,000 pieces of junk mail per year–44 percent of which goes into the trash without ever being opened.

2011 Kenworth T800

Another source of trash is the supermarket. Before we’ve wheeled our grocery cart to the car, we’ve loaded up with dozens of paper and plastic bags that are destined for landfills. Even with the shift to plastic bags, each supermarket could go through more than 700 paper bags an hour–more than 60 million bags across the United States. Unrecycled plastic bags often end up in the ocean where they kill as many as one million creatures a year. Bringing your own grocery bags is clearly the way to go. And those plastic rings the come with a six-pack of soda? They certainly don’t make good necklaces for curious otters and other water-dwelling creatures, yet many birds and animals die from strangulation or drowning as a result of those plastic rings. Simply cut up the rings before throwing them away–look at that, you just saved an otter!

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A plant disease changes

sugar beet production in NE

By Robert M. Harveson, Extension Plant Pathologist, University of Nebraska, Panhandle REEC, Scottsbluff Introduction

Cercospora leaf spot (CLS) has long been problematic to sugar beet production throughout the eastern and Great lakes production areas of the United States and is considered to be the most important and destructive foliar disease for this crop. Its presence has additionally played a critical role in Nebraska’s agricultural history, particularly influencing the locations of cultivation and processing of sugar beets within the state. The story of this disease and its impact on sugar beet production in Nebraska is the rest of the story.

Cercospora Leaf Spot

CLS is caused by the airborne, foliar fungal pathogen, Cercospora beticola, and disease development is strongly dependent upon several very specific environmental conditions. These include periods of high humidity or extended leaf wetness for more than 11 hours and warm temperatures (higher than 60° F at night and 80-90° F during the day). Without all of these conditions working simultaneously, infection, disease spread, and damage to beet crops are greatly reduced.

Sugar Beet Production Begins

Sugar production in Nebraska began in 1890 after the first processing factory was established in Grand Island by the Oxnard Beet Sugar Company. Other factories in Nebraska were started further east in Norfolk (1891) and Ames (1899), but sugar beet acreage began to drop when growers in eastern Nebraska discovered it was more profitable to raise corn and livestock.

Interest in sugar beet production began to shift westward at the turn of the 20th century. This was due partially to the development of irrigation and the expansion of railroads westward through Nebraska. Although much of the production moved to the far western side of the state (Panhandle) after 1910 with the construction of the factory in Scottsbluff, sugar beet production and processing was still focused in central Nebraska near the already well-established Grand Island factory.

Another emerging factor encouraging westward migration of sugar beet production was the increasingly severe problems with Cercospora leaf spot in the more humid areas of eastern Nebraska. Humidity and annual precipitation decrease gradually from east to west across Nebraska, averaging 32-35 inches in the east to less than 15 inches in the west.

Production moves West

Although the disease was well known and commonly found in central Nebraska, it was of minor importance until the late 1950s and early 1960s. The 1950s were characterized by a series of dry years. These conditions forced farmers to dig thousands of new irrigation wells. This resulted in large increases of new center pivot irrigation systems throughout central Nebraska in an effort to improve yields and attain profitability more consistently with controlled irrigation. Furthermore, the usage of fungicides became routine in an effort to reduce disease losses, but this system became unsustainable. Sugar beet production ceased in central Nebraska after the factory in Grand Island closed in 1964 and completely shifted again further west. Production now is unique to western Nebraska and concentrated in the Panhandle, where approximately 90 percent of the sugar beets are grown. Although Nebraska currently ranks only sixth in the U.S., the production and processing of beets are incredibly important locally, contributing an estimated $150 million to the economy through payrolls, property taxes, retail marketing and merchandising, and other impacts.

The dry, semi-desert climate of the Panhandle often dis-

Chicken Cannibalism: Why are my chickens picking each other?

Freedom Ranger Hatchery

Did you know that chickens can sometimes eat each other? This gruesome behavior is called chicken cannibalism and can cause serious problems for poultry farmers and hobbyists alike. Chicken cannibalism can harm your flock in many ways. It can lower their egg production and make them more vulnerable to diseases and death. This article will teach you about chicken cannibalism and how to handle it. You will find out what it is, what causes it, how to treat it, and how to prevent it from happening again.

What Causes Chicken Cannibalism?

Chicken cannibalism can begin as a form of feather pecking, which is when chickens peck at each other’s feathers. Feather pecking can be normal and harmless, but it can also escalate into cannibalism when chickens start to peck at each other’s skin, blood, and organs. Cannibalism in poultry can happen because of various reasons, such as:

Lighting: Chickens can get stressed and bored if they have too much or too little light, making them peck at each other’s feathers and flesh. It is important to provide adequate lighting to prevent this behavior. For brooding, avoid white bulbs larger than 40 watts and opt for red or infra-red bulbs if

higher heat is needed. Once your birds are 12 weeks or older, use 15- or 25-watt bulbs above their feeding and watering areas. Remember not to subject your fowl to more than 16 hours of light per day as constant lighting can cause undue stress to the birds.

Diet/Nutritional Deficiencies: Chickens need a balanced diet that provides them with enough protein, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, and other nutrients. Lack of these nutrients can make them behave abnormally, such as pecking and eating each other’s feathers and skin. For example, lacking protein can make chickens crave animal protein sources such as feathers and flesh.

Boredom: Chickens are social and curious animals that need stimulation and enrichment. If kept in barren and overcrowded environments, they may become bored and frustrated, leading to severe feather pecking and cannibalism.

Stress: Chickens can experience stress from various sources, such as predators, parasites, diseases, temperature changes, noise, etc. Stress can lower their immune system and make them more prone to chicken cannibalism.

CONTINUED ON PAGE C32

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Chicken Cannibalism: Why are my chickens picking each other?

CONTINUED FROM PAGE C31

Overcrowding: Chickens need enough space to move around freely and express their natural foraging behavior. If they are crammed together, they can struggle for resources like feed, water, nesting boxes, perches, etc. This overcrowding can cause aggression and dominance hierarchies among chickens resulting in feather pecking.

Genetic Stock: Some breeds of chickens are more prone to aggressive pecking than others. For example, laying hens tend to be more aggressive than meat breeds. Refrain from brooding different species of fowl together in the same pen to help prevent this behavior.

Introducing New Chickens to the Flock: The established pecking order is disrupted whenever you add or remove birds from the flock. When adding new birds, consider dividing the pen with a wire wall for at least a week to allow the chickens to get to know one another. You can also place the new birds on the perch at night but always monitor the initial interactions to ensure the safety of your birds.

Prolapse Pecking: Prolapse, characterized by the uterus stretching, tearing, and taking longer to return to the body cavity after laying an egg, can occur in very young or overweight laying flocks. When the uterus is exposed, other birds may peck at it out of curiosity, causing bleeding and potentially leading to cannibalism. If you notice blood streaks on eggshells, your flock may be prone to prolapse. Implementing proper management strategies for bringing your birds into production and ensuring appropriate feeding practices can help prevent this issue.

How to Treat Chicken Cannibalism?

equipment and techniques.

How to Avoid Chicken Cannibalism in the Future?

After you have dealt with chicken cannibalism in your flock, you need to take steps to stop it from occurring again. Here are some tips and best practices for preventing chicken cannibalism in the future:

Provide Adequate Space: Chickens need enough space to move around freely and express their normal foraging behavior. Depending on the housing system, the space you need for each chicken may vary. For details, check out our blog post on how many square feet you need per chicken.

Provide Enough Feed and Water: Your chickens’ health depends on getting enough nutrients. You should provide them with high-quality feed that includes protein, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, and other nutrients and meets their nutritional needs and preferences. You should always provide them with fresh and clean water and avoid feeding them animal by-products or scraps that may contain feathers or flesh.

Provide Adequate Lighting: Chickens need adequate lighting to regulate their circadian rhythms and egg production. You should provide them with natural or artificial light that mimics the day-night cycle. Avoid exposing them to bright or continuous light that can cause stress and boredom in chickens. You should also avoid sudden light intensity or duration changes that can disrupt their normal behavior.

swing

You need to take quick and decisive action if you notice any signs of chicken cannibalism in your flock. You can take these steps to treat chicken cannibalism: Identify and Separate the Injured Birds and the Aggressors: You first need to identify the injured birds and the aggressors. Injured birds may have wounds on their backs, vents (cloacas), necks, heads, or wings. Those who start or join in cannibalistic behavior are considered aggressors. You need to move both the mutilated birds and the aggressors out of the rest of the flock immediately. This separation will prevent further damage and infection to the injured birds and reduce the spread of the behavior to other birds. Also, removing the dead birds as quickly as possible will prevent the spread of bacteria that can cause food poisoning, such as Salmonella and other common diseases.

Treat the Injured Birds: The next thing you need to do is to care for the harmed birds. Their wounds should be cleaned using warm water and an antiseptic solution. You may also need to administer antibiotics or painkillers if the wounds are severe or infected. Closely monitoring the wounded birds until they have fully healed is important. Do not reintroduce them to the flock until their wounds are healed.

Trim the Beaks of the Aggressors: The last thing you need to do is clip the aggressors’ beaks. Beak trimming should only be done when there is no other option, or other methods are impossible. Trimming the beaks reduces their ability to peck effectively and causes them pain and discomfort.

Beak trimming should only be done as a last resort when other methods have failed or are not feasible. Beak trimming should only be done by a trained professional using proper

Provide Enrichment: Chickens are social and curious animals that need stimulation and enrichment. Providing them with various items and activities will keep them occupied and entertained. For example, you can provide them with toys, mirrors, pecking blocks, dust baths, fresh greens, etc. You can also scatter small grains in deep litter or allow them to free range to encourage foraging behavior.

Choose a Suitable Genetic Stock: Some breeds of chickens are more prone to aggressive pecking and cannibalism than others. For example, laying hens tend to be more aggressive than meat breeds. You should choose a genetic stock that is not prone to these behaviors or has been selectively bred for reduced feather pecking and cannibalism.

The health, welfare, and productivity of your chickens can be hurt by cannibalism. This serious issue can affect your flock. By understanding the causes, treatments, and prevention methods for chicken cannibalism, you can protect your birds from this behavior and promote flock harmony. If you need more information about managing your flock or dealing with chicken cannibalism, please contact Freedom Ranger Hatchery today. We are pleased to support you with any poultry-related issues or queries.

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##### Marco was a poor golfer but had a good attitude. One day, while playing with his friend, he continued to send the turf further than the ball. “Oh my,” Marco exclaimed, “the worms are going to think there is a earthquake today.” To which his quickwitted friend responded, “Not to worry. The worms on this course are pretty smart. They’re all probably just hiding under your golf ball for safety.”

A plant disease changes sugar beet production in NE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE C30

courages numerous disease problems. Thus, appearances of CLS initially were sporadic, inconsistent, and not considered economically problematic. However, a pattern similar to that of central Nebraska eventually developed in the Panhandle. In the mid-1980s, the disease began causing significant yield and sugar losses. This also coincided closely with the reduction of furrow irrigation and the rapid increase in sprinkler irrigation systems in the west.

Cercospora Alert System

Growers in the Panhandle then adopted spray programs similar to those used earlier in central Nebraska. Fungicide applications were made based on the assumption that disease would increase over the growing season. In western Nebraska, it was noted that the disease did not always progress and increase in severity. Thus fungicidal treatment was not necessary every year. This observation spurred the development of the Cercospora alert system by extension plant pathologist Eric Kerr and extension climatologist Albert Weiss in the late 1980s. It predicted the likelihood of CLS outbreaks based on daily measurements of local environmental conditions (temperature and relative humidity) that might favor the disease. This forecasting technique is still viable and in use today.

Conclusions

Today we are uncertain as to the specific reasons for the dramatic increase in disease pressure in the 1950s and 1980s in central and western Nebraska, respectively. However, it is interesting to note the escalation of CLS disease outbreaks in both these regions was accompanied by simultaneous increases in the utilization of sprinkler irrigation systems. Even with the more arid weather of western Nebraska, overhead irrigation can still create a humid microclimate within crop canopies that enhance environmental conditions favored by the pathogen and disease. Perhaps this explains how and why CLS became troublesome within two distinct areas of Nebraska sugar beet production after the introduction of irrigation. Nevertheless, it appears that the history of the sugar beet industry in Nebraska has been strongly guided and influenced by this single plant disease. Now you know the rest of the story.

National

Milk Chocolate Day

This holiday is always celebrated on July 28

Today is National Milk Chocolate Day. This July 28 holiday is a special day for a special treat. Are you a “Chocaholic”? If you are, you look forward to each and every chocolate related holidays. There’s milk chocolate everywhere. So, this holiday is an easy one to enjoy.

There are lots of flavors of chocolate. Milk chocolate is enjoyed in candies and in baking. Milk chocolate is the favorite of millions of people. So, its only fitting that it gets its very own special national day.

Important Note: Don’t be dyslexic about this special day. Today is a day for Milk Chocolate, not Chocolate Milk Day. But, why not wash down a milk chocolate candy, with a glass of chocolate milk!?

Lest there be any doubt about celebrating this day…….. it should be spent consuming and savoring generous amounts of your favorite milk chocolate treats.

Cercospora leaf spot can devastate a sugar beet, destroying the leaves, which deliver nutrients to the beet.

What dreams mean

Psychologists say dreams reflect our waking lives. Although translations will vary with each individual, researchers say everybody’s dreams share some common themes.

• If you’re naked, you’re dreading an upcoming event because you feel unprepared, ashamed, or vulnerable.

• If you’re falling, it’s a subconscious response to real-life stress. However, some experts say the “stress” could be something as simple as a mid-sleep leg or arm spasm.

• If you die, it doesn’t portend death (yours or anybody else’s)–it suggests insecurity or anxiety.

• If you dream about a dead relative, you’ve come to terms with the loss. Dream psychologists say we only dream about deceased loved ones when the grief process is complete.

• If you see a car wreck, a big undertaking in your life may feel bound for failure.

• If you’re being chased, you’re probably running away from something in real life. Being unable to run in a dream indicates feeling overwhelmed by daily pressure.

• If your teeth fall out or crumble, you’re unhappy with your physical appearance. It may also mean you’re excessively concerned about how others perceive you.

• If you’re giving birth, great change is unfolding. Dreaming about babies indicates a desire to behave more maturely.

• If you can fly, you’ve just conquered a stressful situation. If you dream that you’re able to control where you fly, it’s a sign of confidence. Flying aimlessly suggest you’re cautiously optimistic about your success.

• If you dream about water, it represents a general sense of your emotional state. Clear water means satisfaction with work and home. Muddy water is a sign of skepticism and discontent.

• If you’re urinating, you may be expressing desire for relief from a difficult situation. Or you may really have to pee. Or you may be doing so already. #####

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1997 Ford F450 mechanics truck, 7.3 Powerstroke diesel, automatic, 3200 lb. auto crane, service body/flatbed, air/heat, 126,000 miles Call

IHC 2574 Truck Tractor, C10 Caterpillar (305 hp), 4560P Allison transmission, 5th wheel, ex government truck with only 36,000 original miles Call

2009 Vermeer BC100 wood chipper, 12” self feed, 4 cylinder diesel, ex municipal machine with only 571 hours Call

1992 Sullair 185 CFM towable air compressor, John Deere diesel, dual hose reels, 120 volt generator, 2900 hours, one owner Call 1990 Clark GPS15 shop forklift, 3000# capacity, 122” lift, dual stage, propane motor. 3300 hours Call

2004 Belshe DT235-2AP flatbed tandem dual equipment trailer, 25-ft. long, 23,500 lb. GVWR, air brakes, flip over ramps Call

2008 International 7500 boom truck, diesel, Allison automatic, Terex Commander 7000 boom, remote control, outriggers, 18-ft. flatbed with stake racks, 102,000 miles, abso

2011 Ford F550 crew cab, 4x4, gas motor, automatic, 12-ft. flatbed with toolboxes and lumber rack, one owner, ex-municipal truck, very clean

2008 Ford F550 4x4 service truck, crew cab, diesel, hydraulic wet kit with tool circuit, high end service body, west coast clean, very nice

1986 Case W11B mini front end loader, 3.9 Cummins diesel, Powershift transmission, GP bucket, 629 hours, one owner, (full factory cab available), clean

2002 John Deere 744H front end wheel loader, Quick Attach, general purpose bucket, ride control, 280 hp, one owner, exmunicipal machine, 9600 hours

Fruehauf PSD-T-2-40W

Sullivan D185Q towable

1993 International 4800 digger derrick, 4x4, DT466 diesel, Allison automatic, Altec boom, rust free, (will separate chassis) Call

Cat IT18B Front

loader,

2002 Ford F450 4x4 service truck, V10 gas, automatic, Miller Bobcat welder and air compressor, utility body with tip ups,102,000 miles, one owner, clean Call

1997 Multi Quip/Whisperwatt diesel generator, single or 3 phase, 120/240/480 volt, multi-switch controls, John Deere diesel, extra quiet enclosure, only 800 hours, absolutely like new condition Call

1996 Ford F800 flatbed dump truck, 5.9 Cummins diesel, automatic, 16-ft. dump body, air brakes, receiver hitch Call

1984 Case W24C front end loader, 4 & 1 bucket, auxilliary 3rd valve, new Grab Tech grapple fork with quick attach, only 565 hours, very clean, ex government machine Call

1988 International 4x4 brush fire truck, DT466 diesel, 5 speed transmission, Champion pump and body, only 38,000 miles, pristine condition Call

2011 Case SR200 skidsteer, auxilliary hydraulics, quick attach, only 450 total original hours, ex-utility company machine, extra clean Call

1986 Ford F700 4x4 flatbed, V8 gas, 5 speed manual, 24,000 lb. GVWR, hydraulic brakes, only 15,000 original miles Call

2000 Keifer IRH 300 carousel/ pipe spool trailer, self-loading, elect over hydraulic, 7000 lb. GVWR Call

1981 Cat 910 front end wheel loader, full cab, heat, general purpose bucket, nice tight ex municipal one owner machine, only 8600 hours Call

1994 John Deere 624G front end loader, auxillary 3rd valve hydraulics, 4&1 multi purpose bucket, one owner ex government machine, only 4900 hours, clean Call 1999 Vermeer V3550A trencher, 6-way blade, front backhoe, shark tooth chain and boom. 1600 hours. Call

2002 T&N Service body with 5000 lb. 5005 EH auto crane, 13-ft. bed, rear work bench Call

2004 GMC service truck, 3000 lb. auto crane, PTO driven, high volume air compressor, full service body, Cat diesel, Allison automatic, under CDL, 106,000 miles Call

1994 Ford 5030 farm/utility tractor, 62 hp, 540 PTO, 3 point, full cab/heat/air, new tires, 5500 hours Call

1988 Chevy C70 fuel truck, dual 750 gallon tanks, pumps/hoses/reels, diesel, 5 speed, only 3700 miles, complete Call

1995 Ingersoll Rand E50XWCU Generator, 50 KW, 120/240/480 volt, multi-switch, 3.9 Cummins diesel, 6300 hours Call

Doosan/Ingersoll

hours Call

2002 Freightliner FL112 digger derrick, C10 Cat diesel, 365 hp, 10 speed manual, air ride suspension, Altec D947 derrick. Complete Call

2003 Great Dane 45-ft. step-deck trailer, air ride suspension, steel composition, 102” wide, rust free, very clean Call

2006 International 7400 dump truck, DT570 diesel, 285 hp, (not a Max Force), 10 speed manual, 11-ft. dump body, pintle hitch Call 2007 Freightliner M2 utility/mechanics truck, cat diesel, Allison automatic, Miller trailblazer welder, generator, PTO driven large volume air compressor, service body, hose reels, complete, 65,000 miles Call

2004 Ingersoll Rand P185 towable air compressor, John Deere 4045 diesel, 185 CFM, 125 PSI, new tires, only 39 hours, brand new like condition Call

2018 Sweepster TBH8 towable sweeper, self-contained, Kubota motor, remote cab controls, dual direction, only 180 hours, like new condition Call

FIREUNIT

Slide-inFireFightingUnit: 325or225-galtank|HeavyDutyskidframe|100-ftof¾” hoseonCoxreel|Honda pump-94psi&135gpm| 15-ftdrafthose

406.390.1110

Savehay,savetime,andsave moneywiththis HangingBale Feeder. Thebaleissuspended from3/16"chaincreatingminimal waste.Thesefeedersfeaturea HayChixslowfeedinghaynetto providelongtermhealthbenefits foryourhorses. Plus,thetombstonehorse hayfeederisinstock.

Cattleguardkits available

Shipping Containers 40-ftHighCubeUsed

BATTERIES

StockingHeavy Equipmentto1/2TonPickupBatteries

Semiload

pipeavailable. Nowserving asyour Fiberglass WaterTank supplier!

Feedbunks 20-ftx38-inx12-in (constructedwith10ga&heavytube legs)othersizes&bottomless available

PortablePanels Allpanelsareconstructedwith12&14ga1.66”ODtubing10-ftheavy portablepanels,12-ftstandardportablepanels (WilllatchtoWinkelpanels)

quantitiesofused

PortablePanel Trailer: $2,780

PortableWindbreaks

FENCING

GATES

Allgatesareconstructedwith 12&14ga1.66”ODtubing

10-ftbowgates$360

12-ftbowgates$417

POSTS

2-7/8”x6-ft 2-7/8”x8-ft 2-7/8”x10-ft

5-ingalvanized octagon9’9” posts

Pipepostscan becuttolength.

ContinuousFence 6-rail1-1/4”14ga. 20-ftlong 6-rail1.66”14ga 20-ftlong

PipeCapsin varioussizes

NEWPortable

PanelDesign

Portable Loading Chute

Bolttogetherfence brace |9.5-ftBrace railwithhardware$42 |Wiregatelatchesfor 2-7/8posts$23.00

SuperSteel/SteelDecking 36”x24’22gaPrimegalvanized SuperSteel Useforwindbreaks, corrals,etc.

UNIVERSAL BOLT-ONGATE HINGE

ZEEPURLIN is usedas structural frameworkin buildingsdueto itslightweight andeconomical properties.

ZEEPURLIN

MISCELLANEOUS

NewHDPEPipe: 20”OD/ 16”ID|2”thick|50-ftlength

Steel Work Benches

SkidsteerPlates:$178

BaleSpears:$85

5”Galvanized Octagon Tubing(39-ft lengths)

FreeStanding Panels

Usedguardrail 2rail&3-rail Plus,guardrail galvanizedI-Beam Posts9-ft

Balespears

GopherBait&

CALLUSFORALLYOURSTEELNEEDS! STEEL Pipe,Tubing(Round&Square)&AngleIron

Secondary SquareTubing Varioussizes available

Alotmoresteel...too muchtolist-Callus fordetails!

BOLTS Grade5& Grade8|Metricbolt assortmentwith72-hole bin$750

DiabloMetal& WoodCutting SawBlades

2”x27’RatchetStrap:$14 5/16”Grade70TransportChain: 20’@$47 3/8”Grade70TransportChain:20’@$63

LeverChainBinders5/16-3/8”:$28.50 RatchetChainBinders5/16-3/8”:$35

Used2-3/8,2-7/8&3.5”pipe

Semiloadquantitiesofused 2-3/8,2-7/8&3.5”pipe available-Callfordelivered prices!

SurplusAngleIron 2x2x.120&2x3x.250 20-ftlengths

BoxScraper

PalletForks

ESABWireFlux Core.045$5.90/lb

Heavy-DutyHay

Designedto

406.390.1110

HorseBaleFeeders