Trader's Dispatch - April 2024

Free website to post pasture needs or wants

The Mountain West Grazing Connection has a new home! This free platform is for landowners to advertise leasing opportunities or for livestock owners to post leasing wants in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, and Utah.

After several months of being offline, the platform’s founders, Montana State University and NCAT, approached Western Sustainability Exchange (WSE), a nonprofit based in Livingston, Montana, to take the reins. WSE agreed the site was too important to let go, and they are now the owners of this wonderful FREE resource!

“We were grateful for the opportunity to add this to our various program offerings,” Chris Mehus, Executive Director of WSE, said. “This platform aligns well with our mission of providing resources to ranchers for creating greater opportunities and flexibility for improved stewardship and sustainability.”

After some minor updates, the site is up and running again - just in time for the summer grazing season! Check it out at www.mountainwestgrazing.com

Apr 20, GSI Auction Service, Don Hagan Estate, Redstone MT A6

Apr 20, Burow’s Auction Service, The Confectionery Antique, Fort Benton MT

Apr 20, Shobe Auction, Robert “Bob” Kougl Native American, Lewistown MT A39

Apr 23, Pifer’s Auctioneers, Central Dakota Equipment, Steele, ND A6

May 2, Shobe Auction, Dr. Dale Schott Estate, Belt MT A39

May 11, RK Statewide Auction, Jack Witcher Farm Liquidation, Miles City MT A11

May 18, Weaver Auctions, 11th Annual Spring Consignment, Drummond MT A10

May 18, Shobe Auction, Cabin Fever, Lewistown MT A38

May 23, Rk Statewide Auction, Dawson & McCone County Land Auction, Circle MT A13

June 1, Barnes Auction Service, 24th Annual Farm & Ranch Equipment, Dillon MT A10

June 1, GSI Auction Service, Pearl Nickels Estate, Fort Peck MT A25

Ram test field day

The University of Wyoming’s annual ram test will conclude with a public field day Saturday, April 13, at the Laramie Research and Extension Center.

The event, which begins at 11 a.m., will present results from the 140-day performance test and discuss how test results can be used to make selection decisions. Lunch, provided by Wyoming Wool Initiative, will be served at noon. Starting at 1 p.m., attendees will have the opportunity to view the tested rams and participate in a silent auction.

“We’ve conducted this central performance test since 1961 and improvement in ram quality over this time has been remarkable,” says Whit Stewart, UW Extension sheep specialist. “There are only two of these central performance ram tests left in the nation and we’re proud it’s endured.” Ram performance is evaluated based on growth performance, feed conversion efficiency and muscling as well as wool traits, including weight, fineness, length and clean

Montana Nutrition Conference and Livestock Forum

From the MSU News Service

Montana State University Extension and the Montana Feed Association will co-host the annual Montana Nutrition Conference and Livestock Forum on Tuesday and Wednesday, April 16 and 17, at the Best Western Plus GranTree Inn in Bozeman, 1325 N. Seventh Ave.

The theme for this year’s conference is “Owning the Outcome: Proactive Management in Challenging Environments.” Experts from MSU and other institutions will share their expertise on the market dynamics shaping the cattle outlook, parasite effects on profitability, diseases affecting Montana cattle and the long-term effects of drought, among other topics. Graduate students in the MSU Department of Animal and Range Sciences will also be on hand to share their livestock research and other agriculture-

related research during a networking social and poster contest.

“This is a great opportunity for beef cattle producers and industry professionals, as well as MSU students and researchers, to come together to discuss current issues facing Montana beef production and learn about potential management strategies to combat them,” said Sam Wyffels, MSU Extension beef cattle specialist and co-host of the event.

New this year is an expanded trade show for top-tier conference sponsors and a live auction hosted by the Montana Feed Association that will offer attendees the chance to bid on donated items to benefit the association’s scholarship fund. The keynote dinner will feature several past scholarship recipients who will share how receiving an MFA scholarship helped pave the path toward their education and careers.

“We are excited to feature a live auction this year, with proceeds going to MFA’s scholarship fund for Montana students pursuing a degree in agriculture,” said Dawn Schooley, MFA board president and event

May

May

May

Ram test field day

yield. Rams that perform in the top 30 percent of the test are eligible for the Certified Rambouillet Index and Wyoming Certified Index.

This year, a total of 90 rams from 21 ranches in three U.S. states and Canada were entered in the test. “Aside from the decision-making tool it provides to producers, it’s an important partnership with the Wyoming Wool Growers Association and individual producers in our region,” says Stewart.

The test also provides key learning opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students in UW’s sheep program, Stewart notes. In addition to gaining hands-on experience in production agriculture, students help gather performance data throughout the test and conduct genomic research.

To RSVP for the upcoming field day, email whit.stewart@ uwyo.edu or call (307) 766-5374.

MT Nutrition Conference

co-host. “It’s a fantastic way to support our next generation of cattle producers and industry professionals while enjoying a great lineup of knowledgeable speakers.”

Register online at ecommerce.montana.edu/abio/. For more information and a detailed conference schedule, visit animalrangeextension.montana.edu/beef/nutritionconference.html.

Purina Animal Nutrition is offering scholarships

Purina Animal Nutrition, along with the Land O’Lakes Foundation, has opened its scholarship program designed to assist students with experience in agriculture and livestock production in pursuing their passions and furthering their educations.

Now, along with undergraduate students, current high school seniors who have experience raising and caring for small or large livestock, equine and/or poultry, are eligible to apply for one of four $5,000 scholarships. Along with the impact animal agriculture has had on their lives, desired applicants will be able to demonstrate academic excellence, leadership skills, community involvement and have a clear vision for their future.

Scholarship applications will be accepted March 18 through April 17. Awardees will receive their scholarship funds for the Fall 2024 semester at their current or anticipated educational institution. The scholarship is open to all high school seniors who plan to enroll in full-time undergraduate study at an accredited two- or four-year college, university, or vocational-technical school for the entire upcoming academic semester/term and undergraduate students enrolled in an accredited two- or fouryear college, university or vocational-technical school.

To learn more about the Purina Animal Nutrition Scholarship and apply today, visit https://www.purinamills.com/ scholarship.

Roundtable discusses technology on the ranch

By Aaron Berger, Nebraska Extension educator

The Nebraska Extension will host a roundtable discussion on technology and ranching on April 16 in Kimball.

Technology is increasingly being incorporated into the tradition of ranching. However, producers need to consider the cost and whether it adds value to their operation. The roundtable discussion will involve area producers and researchers to discuss the technology available and how it can be effectively applied to ranching.

“There are a lot of options out there for producers to spend money on that claim to increase efficiency or enhance ranch management,” said Aaron Berger, Nebraska Extension educator. “Our goal with this program is to provide some information about what’s available, but also to hear from producers who have on-the-ground experience and have seen the perks and pitfalls. We want to balance what’s possible with what’s real.”

The discussion will include:

Drones - Use with pasture and cattle management and understanding regulations.

Remote Water Monitoring Systems and Cameras - How well do they work? What is the cost?

Calming Pheromone Treatment for Cattle - What it is and observations of its effectiveness.

Virtual Fencing - How well does the technology currently work? What has been learned?

The round table program will be held on Thursday, April 16, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the 4-H Building, located off South High School Street in Kimball. Attendance is free, and registration is not required.

For questions about the program, contact Aaron Berger, Nebraska Extension Educator, at 308-235-3122 or aberger2@unl.edu.

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The most expensive pizza in the world costs $12,000 dollars. That’s because it takes 72 hours to make, and it can only be made in your home by 3 Italian chefs. The pizza is topped with 3 types of caviar, bufala mozzarella, lobster from Norway and Cilento, and pink Australian sea salt.

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McDonald’s worldwide daily customer traffic (sixtytwo million) surpasses the population of Great Britain.

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Your nose is always visible to you, but your brain ignores it through a process called Unconscious Selective Attention.

Wagyu/Akaushi BULLS FOR SALE

Yearling and 2-year olds

Phone (406) 860-7085, Broadus, MT

Annual Farm/Ranch Consignment

One of the most significant human accomplishments was setting foot on the lunar surface over 50 years ago.

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Water still exists on the Moon, but primarily as ice. It’s more abundant around the poles, where sunlight is scarce.

Saturday, May 11, 2024

Clyde Park, Montana

4-Wheelers, Trailers, Tools, Saddles, Tack, Fencing Materials

Still taking consignments so please call JimBo AUCTION City of Livingston

Friday, June 7, 2024

Livingston, Montana

Impounded Vehicles - Bicycles - Surplus Items - Lost/Found Items

Bob & Gladys Taylor Estates

AUCTION

Saturday, June 29, 2024

Clyde Park, Montana

Chevy Pickup, Boat, Woodworking Tools, Antique Furniture, Household

For more info and updates visit our website at loganauction.com

WSDA local food system infrastructure grant applications open

The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) is offering $2 million in grants to support local food supply chains and market access for farms, ranches, food processors, and food distributors. The grants are designed to expand and strengthen collaboration across linkages in Washington’s regional food supply chain.

Applications are now open for the WSDA Local Food System Infrastructure grants and are due April 17, 2024.

The Washington State Legislature approved on-going state funding to provide local food system infrastructure and market access grants and one-time Federal Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery funds for meat processing capacity grants and technical assistance.

Derek Sandison, Director of the Washington State Department of Agriculture, stated, “Small farms, ranches, and food business entrepreneurs play an important role in maintaining Washington’s vibrant and robust local food system.”

The grant is available to farmers, ranchers, food businesses, and non-profit/tribal/government organizations that aggregate, process, manufacture, transport, store, or sell foods that have been grown, caught, or raised in Washington state.

Grant amounts range from $10,000 to 75,000. Grants awards will be based on the proposed project’s alignment with the purpose of the grant and achievability within the grant period. Grant funds can be used for planning, equipment, and facilities that support on-farm post-harvest handling, aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, distribution, and sale of locally and regionally produced food products.

For complete details on the grant guidelines and to apply, visit agr.wa.gov/grants or email localfoodinfrastructure@ agr.wa.gov. The grant program is part of WSDA’s Focus on Food Initiative, ensuring safe, nutritious food is effectively produced and distributed throughout Washington.

USDA plant hardiness zones

By Catherine Wissner, retired University of Wyoming Laramie County Extension Horticulturist.

The USDA plant zones are based solely on mean average low temperature. What is left out is very important.

The average low temperature is important to know. This information makes sure you are buying a plant that can take the cold. But,there is much more to a plant’s hardiness.

Starting with water, here in the west we are almost always in a drought of some level. The average yearly moisture for Laramie County, Wyoming is 8 to 15 inches. Some places in Natrona County, Wyoming gets as little as 3 inches and up to 12 inches. These numbers include the moisture in snow. Back east the average annual moisture starts at 21 inches and goes up to 45 inches, with an average of 38 inches. This is a world of difference for a plant that tolerates wet soils, but dies in dry soils, but has a USDA Zone for the area.

Soil pH another important component to plant growth. Some plants need an acid soil where other plants tolerate a more alkaline soil. In the west we deal with an alkaline soil or pH of 7 or higher. This is not information on the USDA plant zones.

The best example where soil is critical for plant survival are Blueberries. For some reason the big box stores like to sell them to us here in the west. While blueberries are very cold hardy and zone appropriate for the west. They are not tolerant of alkaline high pH soils, they are acid low pH soil lovers. Trying to change the soil pH is extremely difficult if not impossible. A fertilizer for acid loving plants is not the answer, it only causes problems in the long run. Blueberries will not tolerate dry windy locations especially during the winter. Like all fruit bearing plants and trees, they need a lot more water than the average shrub or lawn.

If you must grow blueberries, plant them directly into a bag/container of peat moss, never let it dry out. For winter bring the plant and bag into a shelter out of the wind and never let it dry out. Use a low nitrogen fertilizer, but one with micro nutrients.

It is much easier to grow a plant or tree that is already adapted to our growing conditions. It is nearly impossible to change the soil for a plant that doesn’t want to grow here. It’s better to buy a plant that is more cold tolerant than the zone listed for your area. #####

AUCTION REMINDER

DON HAGAN ESTATE AUCTION

Saturday, April 20, 2024 • 10:00 am 605 S. Redstone Road, Redstone, MT 59257

GSI Auctions will be partnering with Ophus Auctions of Big Sandy on the bigger items. Ophus Auctions will supply live internet bidding during this sale starting at 12 noon (mtn) Go to: www.ophusauctions.com to pre-register, pre-bid and simulcast sale day bidding See Auction poster at: www.glasgowstockyards.com

GSI AUCTION SERVICE

P.O. Box 1170 • Glasgow, MT 59230 • 406-228-9306 gsi@nemont.net • www.glasgowstockyards.com

Ed Hinton 406-783-7285 • Jake Newton 406-390-5109

Iva Murch 406-263-7529

MSU Extension specialists offers phosphorus fertilizer recommendations

As spring approaches and Montana farmers make final cropping and fertilizing decisions for 2024 — including how and how much phosphorus fertilizer to apply — Montana State University Extension specialists have recommendations to help growers make informed decisions when it comes to application timing and strategy.

Phosphorus is one of the three major plant nutrients. It’s essential for plant growth, energy and sugar synthesis, and, accordingly, crop yield, said Clain Jones, MSU Extension soil fertility specialist and a professor in MSU’s Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences.

Global supply chain issues and high natural gas prices have caused fluctuating fertilizer prices in recent years, Jones said. While nitrogen is sourced from the atmosphere and is inexhaustible, phosphorus is mined from more limited phosphate rock and guano deposits. As a result, phosphorus fertilizer costs are expected to continue to fluctuate with supply and demand.

manure, compost and phosphate rock than from treated or commercial fertilizers and provides a longer-term supply. Manure is an excellent organic phosphorus source.

Jed Eberly, associate professor in soil microbiology at MSU’s Central Agricultural Research Center near Moccasin, studies the role of bacteria that help phosphorous move in soil, referred to as phosphorussolubilizing bacteria.

“These soil organisms make phosphorus soluble for themselves and crops by producing chemicals that release plant-available phosphorus from soil,” said Eberly.

Bacteria make phosphorus available at slower rates than commercial fertilizers, so it can be challenging to ensure sufficient phosphorus is available when plants need it. There is some evidence that addition of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria to soils can increase crop yield, and Eberly is studying their effectiveness in Montana soils.

Testing and fertilizer rates

Tuesday, April 23, 2024 – 10:00 a.m. (CT)

www.centrol-llc.com

Jeff Farkell

CPAg/CCA

406-788-4875

Joel Farkell CCA

406-581-6243 centrol_llc@outlook.com

Jones said growers should consider the “4Rs” — right source, right place, right time and right rate — for phosphorus fertilization that maximizes efficiency and economic yield.

According to Jones, runoff from phosphorus over-fertilization is the main cause of toxic algae blooms in lakes and rivers, so determining a proper fertilization rate can protect water quality and community and family health while also saving money.

Phosphorus immobility

Immobility is a trait that affects how phosphorus is managed. Phosphorus binds to soil particles, so it doesn’t move to roots easily. Jones said phosphorus “might only move about a quarter inch in a growing season, far too slow to get to the root zone in one season if improperly placed.” Phosphorus levels can be highly variable across a field and even within a row because phosphorus does not move from where it is placed in narrow seeding bands.

“Over time, if rows are oriented at different angles, phosphorus levels across a field will likely somewhat even out,” said Jones. Monoammonium phosphate is the most common form of phosphorus used in Montana. According to numerous studies, Jones said, there is not much evidence that liquid forms of phosphorus work better than granular products, because once soil moisture dissolves granular fertilizer, both forms behave similarly with the phosphorus binding to soil – especially in soils with high pH. Soil pH levels between 6 and 7 help make phosphorus more available to plants.

“Phosphorus sources that include elemental sulfur might lower pH and make phosphorus fertilizer granules somewhat more available, though this requires soil to be warm and moist, and Montana soils may be too cold early in the growing season for the combination to work well,” Jones said.

Fertilization timing and placement must also take immobility into account, with the best option being in-furrow fertilization while seeding to keep fertilizer close to where it is needed. If in-furrow fertilization is not an option, Jones said that fertilizing in the fall is better than in the spring to allow more time for phosphorus to dissolve and move into the root zone. If phosphorus is applied on the surface, Jones recommends doubling the in-furrow application rate to achieve similar results.

Phosphorus releases more slowly from

Crop type and soil test results determine the recommended rates for phosphorus fertilizer. The Olsen P test works well for most Montana soils except those that are very acidic. In those soils, the test overestimates true availability, said Jones.

If the Olsen P test shows 12 parts per million (ppm), MSU guidelines recommend applying 30 pounds of phosphorous (P2O5) per acre for both spring wheat and canola, and 20 pounds P2O5 per acre for pulse crops like peas and lentils.

The “critical level” is the soil test level above which little or no fertilizer is recommended because the soil is not deficient in plant-available phosphorus. The Olsen P critical level is 16 ppm in Montana, said Jones.

“Keep in mind an average Olsen P result of 16 ppm could still mean a sizeable portion of the field is phosphorus deficient,” he said. “Mixing several soil samples together from a field with high phosphorus spatial variability can skew results if there are a few areas high in phosphorus.” He added that grid sampling allows producers to determine which areas need more or less phosphorus, and only needs to be done occasionally.

If Olsen P soil concentrations are sufficient to optimize yield, meaning near 16 ppm, producers can also estimate fertilizer rates from the amount of phosphorus removed from fields during harvest, which is called a ‘maintenance approach’. Recommended phosphorus fertilization rates based on both Olsen P test results and removal rates can be estimated using MSU’s Fertilizer Guidelines for Montana Crops, which can be found at landresources.montana.edu/ soilfertility/fertilizers.html.

These are general Montana guidelines, and rates should be adjusted based on growing conditions and past responses to phosphorus fertilizer, Jones said. Applying different phosphorus rates in test strips and observing differences in color, plant height, maturity date and yield can help identify a deficiency and find how much phosphorus is needed on a specific farm or field. Visual signs of phosphorus deficiency include delayed plant growth, a spindly appearance and leaves turning dark green or purplish.

For questions about phosphorus or soil nutrients, contact Jones at clainj@montana. edu or 406-994-6076, or find MSU Extension resources at landresources.montana. edu/soilfertility/.

Fertility tested and ready to go Enjoy

QUALITY BLACK ANGUS BULLS FOR SALE

Freeman Ranch

Contact Dan Freeman (406) 799-2757

JUNE 11

JUNE 26

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•

Call for info: 406-432-2845

• Taking limited consignments, contact us by May 15

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On July 4, 2023, Earth experienced its hottest day since at least 1979, with a global average temperature of 62.92°F (17.18°C).

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In old Roman calendars, one year used to be ten months long, starting in March and ending in December.

Cattle AI Workshop and Breeding Days offered

For youth interested in breeding their cattle, the University of Wyoming Extension will offer artificial insemination (AI) workshops in Campbell and Fremont Counties Thursday, May 9, followed by breeding days later that month.

The May 9 workshops, led by UW Extension educator Chance Marshall and UW Extension beef specialist Shelby Rosasco, will take place from 4-7 p.m. at extension offices in Campbell and Fremont Counties. Topics to be discussed include nutrition, breeding selection, AI protocol and pregnancy testing.

To sign up for a workshop, visit http://tiny. cc/24cattleaibreeding. Registration, which reserves dinner and supplies, closes Wednesday, May 1.

Breeding days, in which participants artificially inseminate cattle under Marshall’s guidance, are scheduled for Tuesday, May 28, in Campbell County and Wednesday, May 29, in Fremont County. For those who attend the May 9 workshop, the cost is $25 per head for up to four females and $50 per head for each additional animal.

SEPTEMBER 21

• VERSATILE 9030 bi-directional tractor

• CHEVROLET 427 tandem

• Multiple single-axle trucks

• Pickups, Suburban and Chrysler Aspen

• Haying equipment

• Laturno 21 yard can

• Motorhome and 5th wheel camper

• Taking limited consignments, contact us by August 15

Now in its third year, the AI program has attracted participants from across Wyoming and even from surrounding states.

“AI is an involved process where you have to make decisions on breeding combinations and think about what your goals are,” says Marshall. “It’s not just getting animals bred—it’s also about encouraging young people to think about the future.”

While the AI program is geared toward 4-H’ers and other youth raising cattle, community members of all ages are welcome to attend. The workshop and breeding days are not a substitute for an AI school, however, and participants do not receive a certification for attending the events.

“We teach about the process, but the point is to provide ways for young people to actually breed their animals and further their involvement in the industry,” Marshall explains. “Even if they’ve just got a few animals, we want to provide them that opportunity.”

For youth raising sheep and goats, UW Extension will offer AI workshops and breeding days this summer.

All 2024 AI educational workshops and breeding days are funded by a grant from the John P. Ellbogen Foundation. The program is organized by Marshall and Campbell County 4-H educator Kim Fry.

Contact Marshall at (307) 332-1018 or cmarsha1@uwyo. edu for more information on Fremont County programming. Contact Kim Fry at (307) 682-7281 or Kim.Fry@campbellcountywy.gov for questions about Campbell County programming.

Fertilizing cool-season grass

By Jerry Volesky UNL

Fertilizing cool-season grass pastures or hayfields is something producers do each year while accounting for forage needs, moisture, the value of the forage, and fertilizer costs.

Fertilization of smooth bromegrass pastures should occur late March through April. If the nitrogen is a single application, usually between 80 to 100 lbs. of actual N per acre is suggested for eastern Nebraska. The recommended application rate declines westward across the state with about 30 to 40 lbs. N per acre suggested for the Panhandle.

If doing split applications, usually it’s 2/3 in the spring and 1/3 in the fall when growth resumes on the cool season grasses. With fertilized pasture, be sure to include a rotational grazing plan that will effectively harvest the extra forage and provide the greatest return on the fertilizer investment. Also remember that adequate moisture is needed with fertilizer applications.

Soil tests could also be conducted to determine more exact amounts needed, particularly for any phosphorus, potassium or sulfur that could be applied.

Research conducted in Eastern Nebraska has shown a 30% increase in forage yield with fertilization and the economic optimum rate is between 80 to 120 lbs. per acre. A crude protein increase from 16 to 20% was seen with fertilizer applications up to 160 lbs. That is a lot of fertilizer, but it did increase crude protein and organic matter digestibility while decreasing NDF or neutral detergent fiber. Always be aware when applying fertilizer, especially in pastures and fields near water sources such as ponds.

Brome pastures are hardy, and we can and do graze them hard in Nebraska. Haying or grazing operations can benefit if managed correctly with fertilizer.

Fred Burow

Tammy Mortag

Serving Northern Montana

GLACIERS EDGE EQUIPMENT REPAIR

Ben Reno

406-314-0211

Repairs for: Heavy Equipment/Trucks, Engine/Emissions Systems, Hydraulic, Electrical Phone

24th Annual Farm & Ranch Equipment Auction

Saturday, June 1st, 2024

Beaverhead County Fairgrounds Dillon, MT 59725

To get your items listed and advertised our deadline is Aptil 19th

Consignment deadline May 22

Tom & Cindy Barnes

406-660-2792 or 406-660-2374

Rob McDowell III 406-490-8279

Montana State veterinary student eyes goal of serving her home state

By Reagan Cotton, MSU News Service

Morgan Radtke thought she wanted to be a doctor who treated humans, but the COVID-19 pandemic reduced the number of spaces for clinical shadowing in hospitals, leading her instead to intern in a veterinary clinic. The experience changed her life, reorienting her career ambitions, and now Radtke is a first-year student in the WIMU Regional Program in Veterinary Medicine at Montana State University.

Radtke was working toward a bachelor’s degree in exercise science at the University of Montana, where she also competed on the track and field team, when the pandemic began in 2020. Without an opportunity for hospital experience, she found herself back home in Drummond, working and learning in a veterinarian’s office.

“I really loved it. The practitioners there were super welcoming to me and made it a good experience. I realized I could see myself doing this,” said Radtke. “So, I applied to seven vet schools and was lucky enough to get into the WIMU program.”

Radtke completed her exercise science degree and began a master’s in business administration in the years that followed, all while taking advantage of an additional year of athletic eligibility awarded by the NCAA to make up for seasons canceled by COVID. This fall, she formally began her veterinary studies at MSU.

WIMU, housed in MSU’s College of Agriculture, gets its acronym from the four states it serves: Washington, Idaho, Montana and Utah. The cooperative program accepts students from each state every year – including a guaranteed 10 from Montana. The students complete their first year of studies in their respective states before completing their following three years of veterinary school together at Washington State University in Pullman.

Established in 2014, the WIMU program is relatively new but is already showing critical impact for its member states, said director Mark Quinn.

“This program provides a unique opportunity to train Montana students like Morgan in their first year of veterinary school and is helping to address the need for rural veterinarians,” said Quinn. “Many of these students return to practice in Montana after earning their DVM degrees and, in some cases, specialty training.”

Radtke grew up on a cattle ranch in Drummond and has spent much of her life around livestock. When she arrived at MSU to begin her veterinary studies, she became involved in many ways beyond her course work. She is a member of MSU’s student chapter of the American Veterinary Medicine Association and in January earned a

prestigious scholarship to attend that association’s Veterinary Leadership Conference in Chicago. Outside of her studies, she continues to apply her athletic prowess, having taken up trail running in Bozeman.

“There’s a lot of pride associated with this program. It’s really special to be a Montana student and get to stay and do a year of vet school in my home state,” Radtke said. “A lot of us want to return to Montana, too, so making it a full circle is a really special experience that not a lot of people get.”

Radtke said the conference she attended in January taught her about topics that aren’t traditionally thought of in a veterinary medicine context. Sessions highlighted topics such as emotional intelligence, leading effective meetings, legislative involvement and policy implementation. She said the leadership training is something she hopes to pass on to the other members of her WIMU cohort. One of the most striking things she noticed was the importance of being an effective communicator as a veterinary practitioner.

“Being more confident in my leadership abilities and what that can look like, even as a student, was a big takeaway for me,” she said.

From Alan Goldhahn’s point of view, Radtke is well on her way already. Goldhahn teaches first-year WIMU students at MSU, something he calls particularly rewarding due to the small and tight-knit student cohort.

“She’s really impressive academically, but her presence and maturity go beyond that,” he said. “You know that when she speaks, it’s usually something to listen to.”

The year WIMU students spend at MSU means they will carry a built-in community with them when they transition to Pullman. Though they’ll end up in different places and careers, Radtke said going through the program together creates an important bond.

She hopes to apply her business knowledge someday in owning her own practice, which she foresees as a mixed large-animal operation. Many rural communities are in deep need of local veterinarians, and she wants to be a part of filling that need. A breadth of skills will help, she said.

“I think the role of the veterinarian is changing, in the rural space especially,” she said. “Recognizing how a rural veterinarian can add value to people’s operations and even the relationships people have with their animals is something that’s exciting.”

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

Health screening can save your life

By Julie Garden-Robinson, NDSU

“Put your feet on the marks and lift your hands over your head like the picture. Don’t move.”

Many of us have heard those instructions, or something like it, when being screened at the airport prior to a flight.

The screening attendants always used to check my wristwatch. It’s a plain old metal watch, nothing fancy. I now put it in the bin with my shoes to avoid getting stopped in the line and searched.

Screening protects passengers from potentially dangerous travelers.

Most of us regularly walk through department store exits that screen our bags when we leave. Sometimes, the alarms may go off even if the store clerks have removed the antitheft devices.

Screening can protect the stores from theft. This screening may help protect our wallets from the price increases that can happen from merchandise losses.

Chances are, your blood has been analyzed for sugar or cholesterol levels to monitor the risk for diabetes and heart disease. Health screening can save your life.

March is not only National Nutrition Month, but it also is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. If you are 45 or older,

you should be screened for colorectal cancer according to current recommendations. If you have a family history of this disease, you may be screened at a younger age. Discuss with your healthcare provider the options, including colonoscopies.

Most of us know someone who has lost their battle with cancer. Maybe you have lost a family member or friend. Perhaps you have fought cancer or had a health scare after a positive cancer screening test.

Screening for cancer allows your healthcare provider to detect health issues. Many types of cancer are treatable if caught early.

We all can make positive lifestyle choices to reduce our risk for cancer.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, these are some things you can do to lower your risk. Which of these do you do?

Avoid tobacco. Tobacco use is linked with cancer almost anywhere in the body but is especially linked with lung cancer.

Avoid secondhand smoke. Breathing someone’s secondhand smoke also can cause lung cancer.

Protect your skin. Spring is in the air in our cold climates, so we might be heading outside in the sun more often to work or play. Be sure to wear sunscreen, wear sun-protective clothing, a hat and sunglasses, and avoid exposure to the midday sun whenever possible.

Limit alcohol intake. Drinking alcohol increases the risk of six kinds of cancer, including cancer of the mouth and throat, larynx

(voice box), esophagus, colon, liver and breast.

Maintain a healthy weight. Obesity is linked with greater risk of 13 kinds of cancer, including cancer of the breast, colon and rectum, stomach, ovaries, pancreas and several others.

What steps are you taking to safeguard your health?

We are launching the spring session of our free online nutrition program called “Nourish” in April, and registration is open now. Some North Dakota counties are offering the program face to face. I invite you to join dozens of people who have taken the challenge to improve their health.

We especially want to reach adults 50 and older, but adults of any age are welcome. Sign up at the same time as a friend or family member, and nurture each other’s progress as you learn about nourishing your body. See www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/extension/programs/nourish to sign up.

Each class will focus on one topic, such as how to keep your eyes healthy. Other topics include how to keep your heart, brain, digestive system, skin, bones and joints healthy – and strategies for getting more sleep.

GUNS & SHOP

Henry lever action 17 HMR Rifle w/3x9 Scope

Remington 17 REM, model 700, bolt action w/3x9 Weaver Scope

Mossberg 17HMR, bolt action w/clip & Tasco 3x9 Scope

Predator 8750 watt generator with gas engine

Hobart Stick-mate, model 205C

Propane Cutting Torch

Craftsman Floor Drill Press

Milwaukee Hammer Drill

Makita Sabre Saw Electric Grinders

Water Pumps w/engines

Antique Stationary Engine

Roll of Electric Wire

Cut off saw

Floor Jack - Steel Bench

Electric Drill - Homak Toolbox

Pickup Toolbox - Car Ramps

Chain Boomers - Misc. Tools Anvil

Trailer w/sleeping quarters, fully equipped, AC

2017 Vermeer Bale Processor w/Scale

Cattle AC Hydraulic Cattle Chute w/electric motor

Hale 16’ Car Trailer ATV Trailer

Powder River Calf Chute w/trailer Bumper-pull Calf Catcher

Heavy Duty Maternity Pen w/self-catch Headgate

Old Cattle Chute (2) Double-Bale heavy duty Bale Feeders

3 pt. Double-Bale Hauler Pickup Cake Feeder

4-wheeler

Aluminum Cake Feeder

AUCTIONEER’S NOTE

Jack has sold his ranch and will be liquidating his full line of ranch equipment at auction. There is lots of livestock equipment. This will not be an all-day auction. We hope to see you on May 11th! Rick

V aquero

V aquero

Forage Barley

Forage Barley

Highland Specialty Grains

Announces

Announces

Announces Forage Barley

the release and availability of ‘Vaquero’ forage barley. ‘Vaquero’ is a hooded, spring-planted barley developed specifically to produce forage for livestock.

the release and availability of ‘Vaquero’ forage barley. ‘Vaquero’ is a hooded, spring-planted barley developed specifically to produce forage for livestock.

Vaquero is a nutritious, palatable, and economical forage that can be grown alone or in blends with other species. It is generally harvested as hay or silage.

Vaquero is a nutritious, palatable, and economical forage that can be grown alone or in blends with other species. It is generally harvested as hay or silage.

‘Vaquero’ yields more forage, stands better, and is taller than Stockford.

also produces well when compared to other forage barley varieties.

‘Vaquero’ yields more forage, stands better, and is taller than Stockford. ‘Vaquero’ also produces well when compared to other forage barley varieties.

First March Madness Research Review

Highland Specialty Grains, Inc., is the premier breeder of proprietary barley varieties in the western UnitedStates.

Highland Specialty Grains, Inc., is the premier breeder of proprietary barley varieties in the western UnitedStates.

HIGHLAND SPECIALTY

For more information see the Highland Specialty Grains website: highlandspecialtygrains.com

Grains website: highlandspecialtygrains.com

PRIVATE TREATY

250 Registered Yearling and Two-Year-Old Black Angus Range Bulls

• Good selection for heifers and cows.

• From popular sires and industry leaders including Casino Bomber, Encore and others.

• Semen tested and ready to go.

95 Black Angus Replacement Heifers

With Montana State’s men’s basketball team qualifying for The Dance, Monday’s March Madness: Research Review rhymed with a sweet irony of the NCAA berth. Held in Bozeman, the first annual competition between MSU plant sciences students featured 19 competitors, vying for $3900 in scholarships. Brandon Tillett took home first-place honors with his project focused on the effects of climate change on pollination timing in spring wheat. The Montana Wheat & Barley Committee (MWBC) hosted the event.

“MWBC invested $2.3 million in research-related projects in our most recent grant cycle,” said Kent Kupfner, MWBC executive director. “Traditionally in the spring, we ask faculty to brief our board on their project progress. Sam Anderson, our research and market development director, came up with the idea to instead involve the students who are behind the scenes.” The lively competition mimicked Shark Tank with students pitching their projects in less than five minutes. MWBC board members and sponsors made up the judging panel.

Winners of March Madness are as follows:

First: Brandon Tillett, $2000, Climate change effects to pollination

Second: Jared Lile, $1000, Creating a model to predict end use quality traits

Third: Chloe Hinson, $500, Identifying key genes for heat stress protection

Honorable Mentions:

Caleb Hale, $100 , Effects of TB1 on tillering Lochlin Ermatinger, $100, Satellite imagery to identify exact WSS infestation dates

Akshara Bathini, $100, Enhancing stem pith production of solid stem

Jessica Williams, $100, Relationships between stay-green and root traits

Kupfner said that the board and staff were pleased with the first year’s attendance, but even more important, it was a good experience for students. “When they hit the ground running in professional life, they will need to be able to communicate their work to others who don’t necessarily understand all of the complicated science. They had the opportunity to strengthen their communication skills while learning more about what producers are looking for.” That link was noted by many – connecting Montana farmers to students doing the lab work is critical to solutions in the field.

March Madness was moderated by Colter Brown of Northern Ag Network, including updates by Dr. Sreekala Bajwa, vice president, dean and director for MSU’s College of Agriculture; Boyd Heilig, president of Montana Grain Growers Association (MGGA); and Terry Angvick, board chairman, MWBC. MGGA and Montana Grains Foundation provided matching dollars for scholarship awards. For more information regarding the event or the 2024 grant cycle, email wbc@mt.gov or call 406-761-7732.

‘Vaquero’

Soil Health Gap project setting up baselines and schools for ag producers

By Chabella Guzman, UNL PREEC communications

Agriculturists, from growers to livestock producers, rely heavily on the soil and its health to make their operations thrive. In a collaborative effort, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) is supporting Nebraska Extension, specifically Bijesh Maharjan, soil nutrient and management specialist’s Soil Health Gap project and Soil Health School outreach.

“We are creating an interactive map for the state (Nebraska), where any grower can put in coordinates of cropland, and the map will show them where they belong

in terms of agroecological zone,” Maharjan said. The map will be based on benchmarks Maharjan and his team created by gathering data from native lands with no cultivation. So, producers will be able to compare their land with native land. In managed land, the sod has been cultivated, losing topsoil and carbon over time, resulting in a lower health score than undisturbed land.

“In obtaining baselines, the idea is to know where the ceiling is and how far can we go,” he said. “And looking at native land and other variables like climate and time.” In Scotts Bluff County, they found native land with four percent organic matter, which is a staggering amount, as most decent cropland has two percent organic matter.

Native land has a natural equilibrium. By giving farmers benchmark data, they can determine the gap in soil health in their lands compared to native land and plan practices to manage and reduce that soil health gap. The project aims to cover two extensive land mass areas, one each in the state’s east and west, with support from NRCS. Maharjan and his group use the NRCS land classification system, Major Land Resource Area (MLRA), to identify the native land and get data for the map. Over time, the entire state will have reference data a grower can use.

Another aspect of the program has been the Nebraska Soil Health School. “We have organically stepped into the outreach portion of soil health activities with growers, feedlots, and other agriculture outfits,” Maharjan said.

The Soil Health School will hit western Nebraska this year with classes addressing healthy soils from different angles, like dryland, irrigated, rangeland,

What do you call the soft tissue between a shark’s teeth? A slow swimmer.

integration, and economics. This year, classes will be held in Crawford, Sidney, and North Platte.

In February, USDA NRCS and the University of Nebraska had a joint meeting to foster and expand collaboration, and out of many collaborators working on projects, NRCS invited Maharjan to present on his Soil Health efforts.

Assisting Maharjan with the Soil Health Gap project is Saurav Das, research assistant professor in soil health & biogeochemistry, and with the Soil Health School Nicole Heldt, research project coordinator.

Breakfast is NOT the most important meal of the day. In 1944, General Foods coined the phrase to sell more cereal Grape Nuts.

SD Master Pork Producers awards scholarships

From

Four South Dakota State University students have received $1,000 scholarships from the South Dakota Master Pork Producers Association.

Corbin Fuoss, of Armour; Revin Bruck, of Persia, Iowa; Autumn Kramer, of Kindred, North Dakota; and Brynn Lozinski, of Clara City, Minnesota, each received $1,000. The scholarships are awarded to students with an interest in pursuing a career in some aspect of the swine industry.

The South Dakota Master Pork Producers Association, which is made up of industry partners and SDSU Extension, presented the scholarships on Jan. 10, 2024, during the annual South Dakota Pork Producers Convention in Sioux Falls.

Proceeds from the council’s annual Pork Chop Open golf tournament fund the group’s activities, including the scholarship awards.

“The South Dakota Master Pork Producers’ goal is to recognize outstanding pork producers, help future pork producers in their educational pursuits and make a positive difference throughout South Dakota,” said Bob Thaler, Farm Credit Services of America Endowed Chair in Swine Production, distinguished professor and SDSU Extension Swine Specialist.

Additional information on the scholarship recipients:

Corbin Fuoss

Fuoss is a junior majoring in agronomy. After graduation, he plans to return to the family farm near Armour. He has been involved in all aspects of running finishing barns for the last 8 to 9 years, which includes daily chores, emptying barns and preparing them for the next round of pigs.

Revin Bruck

Bruck grew up on his family’s farm in southwestern Iowa, operating a cow-calf herd and farming row crops. One of the reasons he chose SDSU is its strong animal science program, and he has been working at the SDSU swine research facility since September. He plans to travel the country working at livestock production facilities after graduation, with an eye toward one day running his own farm.

Autumn Kramer

Originally from North Dakota, Kramer came to SDSU to study animal science in the pre-veterinary medicine track and plans to pursue a career as a small animal veterinarian. Kramer had no experience with swine production prior to attending SDSU, but has conducted research with Eric Weaver, an assistant professor in the Department of Animal Science, for the last year and has enjoyed her new experiences.

Brynn Lozinski

Lozinski grew up showing pigs in 4-H in her home state of Minnesota, and has worked for the swine operation Country Pork LLP since she was 15. At SDSU she is majoring in animal science, with a minor in meat science and a certificate in swine science. Lozinski has an eye toward graduate school, ultimately planning to join the swine industry.

Kit Kat

What’s inside a Kit Kat? Broken Kit Kats that are damaged during production—they get ground up and go between the wafers inside, along with cocoa and sugar. That’s a way to not let anything go to waste!

Dumb prediction

“Television won’t be able to hold on to any market it captures after the first six months. People will soon get tired of staring at a plywood box every night.” –Film producer

Darryl Zanuck, 1946

left, South Dakota Master Pork Producers Association President Mark Vanderwerf and scholarship recipients Corbin Fuoss, Brynn Lozinski, Autumn Kramer and Revin Bruck. (Photo courtesy of South Dakota Master Pork Producers Association)

SPRING AUCTION CALENDAR

MONTANA STATEWIDE EQUIPMENT AUCTION

Multiple Locations Across Montana

Online Auction Ends: Wednesday, April 24th

Sell your equipment and transportation assets from your location!

BOOK YOUR 2024 AUCTION TODAY!

Are you considering having an auction of your own in 2024? Let us know! We look forward to visiting with you.

DR. DALE SCHOTT FARM & RANCH ESTATE

Belt, Montana

Live Auction: Thursday, May 2nd

Offering a nice selection of farm & ranch equipment and firearms in excellent condition.

BELGRADE, MT EQUIPMENT & VEHICLE AUCTION

Belgrade, Montana

Online Auction Ends: Wednesday, May 15th

Capitalize on this HUGE opportunity to market your equipment and vehicle assets to Montana and beyond!

ROBERT “BOB” KOUGL NATIVE AMERICAN ARTIFACT COLLECTION

Lewistown, Montana

Live Auction: Saturday, April 20th

This is a tremendous collection of Native American artifacts and a lifetime of memories and adventures.

2024 CABIN FEVER WESTERN ART & MEMORABILIA

Lewistown, Montana

Live Auction: Saturday, May 18th

Featuring Western Art, Memorabilia & Guns

We’d appreciate it if you tell an advertiser you read his ad in the Trader’s Dispatch.

2016 Dodge Ram 5500 cab and chassis, 140,000 miles, new front and back tires, rear end needs work. New Air to Air cooler, new fan hub, new left front hub bearing assembly. Would like to trade for a 3500 dually, crew cab, Chevy or Dodge. Bought a new 2023 Dodge Ram 4500 is reason for getting rid of pickup, and the bale bed off my older Chevy won’t fit on my 4500. Looking to trade for something similar in value. Call for more information.

Call Colin 406-951-2851 • Cohagen, MT

• NON BLOAT

NATURALLY GLYPHOSATE TOLERANT APHID & WEEVIL RESISTANT

montanaseeds.com

montanaseeds@gmail.com

Study reveals unintended consequences of fire suppression

The escalation of extreme wildfires globally has prompted a critical examination of wildfire management strategies. A new study from the University of Montana reveals how fire suppression ensures that wildfires will burn under extreme conditions at high severity, exacerbating the impacts of climate change and fuel accumulation.

The study used computer simulations to show that attempting to suppress all wildfires results in fires burning with more severe ecological impacts, with accelerated increases in burned area beyond those expected from fuel accumulation or climate change.

“Fire suppression has unintended consequences,” said lead author Mark Kreider, a Ph.D. candidate in the forest and conservation sciences program at UM. “We’ve known for a long time that suppressing fires leads to fuel accumulation. Here, we show a separate counter-intuitive outcome.”

Though fire suppression reduces the overall area burned, it mainly eliminates low- and moderate-intensity fires. As a result, the remaining fires are biased to be more extreme, Kreider said. The new study published March 25 in Nature Communications, shows how this “suppression bias” causes average fire severity to increase substantially.

“Over a human lifespan, the modeled impacts of the suppression bias outweigh those from fuel accumulation or climate change alone,” he said. “This suggests that suppression may exert a significant and underappreciated influence on patterns of fire globally.”

Kreider led the research as part of his Ph.D. dissertation work with the support of a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship.

Fire suppression exacerbated the trends already caused by climate change and fuel accumulation, the study found, causing areas burned to increase three to five times faster over time relative to a world with no suppression.

Suppression, through preferentially removing low- and moderate-severity fire, also raised average fire severity by an amount equivalent to a century of fuel accumulation or climate change.

Go Green And Pink “Healthy, Wholesome Fodder”(Webster’s

Rocky Mountain Remon t - $1.50/lb

Livestock, wildlife, and even honey bees prefer Sainfoin over other forages. Alfalfa dealers are despartely trying to get the condensed tannins in their Alfalfa and use high pressure sales to convince you to grow Alfalfa.

• Legume

• No Bloat

Delaney - $2.00/lb

• Alfalfa Weevil Resistant

Sainfoin leaves naturally contain tannins, allowing the protein to be digested instead of excreted.

Shoshone - Price on reques t

• No Loss Protein

Reasons:

• Little Fertilizer Expense

• Cheap Weed Control

Livestock, wildlife, and even honey bees prefer Sainfoin over other forages. Highly digestible and a higher sugar content gives Sainfoin the edge over Alfalfa.

Sanfoin’s palability and digestibility provides more return per ton compared to Alfalfa. Sanfoin’s ability to be grazed or hayed gives producers options to best utilize it’s benefits in your operation.

• Highly Digestible

• Ease of Production

Growing best practices:

• Low Seed Cost

& Aphid Resistant

• Hay/graze when near full bloom. G

“By attempting to suppress all fires, we are bringing a more severe future to the present,” said Kreider.

Andrew Larson, Kreider’s Ph.D. adviser and a professor of forest ecology at UM, said this has significant impacts on ecosystems.

Livestock, wildlife, and even honey bees prefer Sainfoin Alfalfa dealers are despartely trying to get the condensed Alfalfa and use high pressure sales to convince you

•

•

• Easy Stand Enhancement

• Sainfoin establishes itself without a cover crop.

•

• Highest Palatabilty

•

• Good Pollen Production

•

“Traditional suppression removes the low-severity fires that help perpetuate healthy forests by consuming fuels and preferentially killing thin-barked tree species,” Larson said. “I wonder how much we are altering natural selection with fire suppression by exposing plants and animals to relatively less low-severity fire and relatively more high-severity fire.”

Sainfoin leaves naturally contain tannins, allowing ed instead of excreted.

Sainfoin leaves naturally contain condensed tannins, allowing the protein to be digested instead of excreted.

• Best if not mixed with other plants such as barley or wheat. 30 pounds per acre for dryland or 1 cutting, 40 pounds per acre for irrigated or multi-cuts.

Growing best practices:

• Seed in fall or spring when moisture will be held to the seed.

•

• # 1 Honey Producer

• Seed 3/4 of an inch deep or less.

•

• Flexible Harvest Dates Growing best practices:

• Hay/graze when near full bloom.

•

•

•

MONTANA SEEDS

•

•

•

Sainfoin is worth 25 to 50 percent more per ton than Alfalfa as graze or hay. Without condensed tannins, 1/4 to 1/3 of Alfalfa protein will pass through the animal undigested.

• Sainfoin establishes itself without a cover crop.

• Combine with cover crops under highter moisture areas and irrigation.

For more information, call

Rollie Schlepp

406-788-9556

• Seeding rate: 30 pounds per acre for dryland or 1 cutting, 40 pounds per acre for irrigated or multi-cuts.

or Montana Seeds Inc. office

• Seed in fall or spring when moisture will be held to the seed.

• Short Harvest Window

406-278-9951

•

• Seed 3/4 of an inch deep or less

• Hay when near full bloom, graze anytime.

For more information, call Rollie Schlepp

406-788-9556

Sanfoin’s palability and digestibility provides more to Alfalfa. Sanfoin’s ability to be grazed or hayed to best utilize it’s benefits in your operation.

However, the new findings also show that allowing more low- and moderate-intensity fire can reduce or reverse the impacts of the suppression bias. Suppression strategies that allow fire to burn under moderate weather conditions – while still suppressing fires during more dangerous fire weather – reduced average fire severity and moderated the rate of burned area increase, the team found.

“It may seem counterintuitive, but our work clearly highlights that part of addressing our nation’s fire crisis is learning how to accept more fires burning when safely possible,” said Philip Higuera, a co-author and UM professor of fire ecology. “That’s as important as fuels reduction and addressing global warming.”

• Sainfoin establishes itself without a cover

• Best if not mixed with other plants such as 30 pounds per acre for dryland or 1 cutting, for irrigated or multi-cuts.

• Seed in fall or spring when moisture will

• Seed 3/4 of an inch deep or less.

Developing and implementing technologies and strategies to safely manage wildfires during moderate burning conditions is essential, Kreider said. This approach may be just as effective as other necessary interventions, like mitigating climate change and decreasing unintentional human-related ignitions.

The article, “Fire suppression makes wildfires more severe and accentuates impacts of climate change and fuel accumulation,” was co-authored by Kreider, Larson, Higuera, William Rice, and Nadia White from UM, as well as Sean Parks, an ecologist with the Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute.

For more

Rollie 406-788-955

Kreider also published an article in the Conversation on this topic titled “Fighting every wildfire ensures the big fires are more extreme and maybe harm forests’ ability to adapt to climate change.”

or Montana

406-278-995

By drinking water regularly, it can help keep your skin moisturized and avoid that unwanted dry skin.

Registration open for UW Extension’s 2024 Ranch Camp Program

The University of Wyoming Extension is now accepting applications for the fourth annual Wyoming Ranch Camp, to be held at the Padlock Ranch Monday, June 10, through Friday, June 14.

Open to applicants ages 18 and older, Ranch Camp combines hands-on learning opportunities with team problemsolving and practical lessons in ranching economics, diversification, soil and range science, livestock genetics and more. Workshops and activities are led by UW Extension educators, university faculty and local producers.

While the program is open to individuals of all backgrounds, it’s not just for those who are new to ranching. Past participants range from recent high school graduates who grew up on family ranches to UW students and mid-career professionals looking to start their own business. Current ag professionals, including ag teachers, are also encouraged to attend.

Ranch Camp graduates have gone on to launch their own businesses, diversify their family operations, and pursue careers in the ag industry, including as extension educators.

“In March of 2022, I started my own LLC and began my own farming business, mainly focused on quality hay production,” a 2021 participant reports. “I know it [Ranch Camp] for sure helped me prepare for all I am doing now.”

The program balances seminar-based learning and discussion with hands-on activities like cattle branding, sheep docking and ranch tours. Throughout the week, teams of participants collaborate to create business plans for their host ranch. On the last day of the program, each team presents their plan to ranch managers and educators.

“As an educational team, we feel like we have knocked this class and curriculum out of the park,” says Hudson Hill, UW Extension educator and co-founder of Ranch Camp. “The producer partners that we have worked with have been spectacular.”

The program’s success is also a testament to participants’ engagement and willingness to learn, he notes. “They have simply been ready to work at such a high level with educators, specialists and ranch contacts for the things they want to do in their lives and businesses.”

To learn more and register for this year’s event, visit https://bit.ly/wrc-2024. The cost is $200 per participant, meals and lodging included. Scholarships are available.

Contact Hill at hrhill@ uwyo.edu or (307) 885-3132 with questions. Inquiries about sponsoring a scholarship or hosting future Ranch Camp events can also be directed to Hill.

Fried chicken originated in Scotland. It was a Scottish tradition from the Middle Ages to deep fry chicken. The Scots bought this dish over to the Americas with them when immigrating to the Southern United States, where it became a staple of American cuisine.

Red & Black Simmental & Sim/Angus BULL

SALE

May 2nd • Glasgow Stockyards

Lunch starts at noon

• Sale starts at 1 p.m.

50 Head Black

Outlook for the 2024 grazing and haying season

Regardless of spring conditions, have a drought plan in place.

of 2024.”

Impacts of winter snow and spring rain

15 Head Solid Red Composite

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This herd has produced the top rate-of-gain steer 10 of the last 15 years at the NE Montana Fair.

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Nelson Ranch

Don Nelson

Mrs. Floyd Nelson, Jr. (406) 367-5261 • cell 263-5261 (406) 228-2024 173F Nelson Rd. • Glasgow, MT 59230 PO Box 254 • Glasgow, MT 59230

211 N Montana St. Dillon, MT (406) 683-5197 110 Mill St. Hamilton, MT (406) 363-2334 www.lakelandfeeds.com

Lakeland Feed and Supply is a full-line feed manufacturer, fertilizer blender and supplier of agriculture goods and services. We also blend lawn, pasture, reclamation and wildlife seed mixes on site and we stock a wide selection of pet foods & animal health products. Utilizing local grains and supporting area growers allows us to create a circle of sustainable agriculture, while providing the highest quality products. We welcome you to stop at either store location for more information.

Lakeland Feed & Supply is pleased to be sponsors of youth organizations such as FFA, 4H, and High School Rodeo, among others. We offer FFA & 4H discounts, awards programs, and MUCH MORE!

All of our feed is proudly made Montana Fresh at our Hamilton, MT location. Custom Mixes are available. Just give us a call!

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This winter has provided warmer than average temperatures, which are much appreciated after last winter. However, these mild temperatures have been accompanied by slightly below normal moisture through early March and the expansion of drought conditions.

Factors that will influence forage production in 2024 are last year’s fall moisture, last year’s grazing management and this year’s April through June precipitation.

“In 2023, the timing of rain in each region is what drove forage production, with the western regions of North Dakota having an outstanding forage year and the northern and northeastern regions having a poor year,” says Kevin Sedivec, NDSU rangeland management specialist.

The 2024 forage outlook starts with 2023 fall moisture. Cool-season grasses, which make up over 95% of grass hay and 70% to 80% of pasture forage in North Dakota, develop new tillers in September and October that become the first growth in the spring. The absence of fall tillers can delay spring green-up by up to two weeks and can impact overall forage production by over 50%, adds Sedivec.

Tillers that develop in the spring come from buds that broke dormancy in the spring, usually when soil temperatures stay about 40 degrees Fahrenheit for three or more days. The tillers established in the fall will grow as soon as temperatures reach 32 degrees for five consecutive days.

Impacts of fall moisture

With the exception of the northcentral, northeastern and southeastern regions of North Dakota, most of the state received 80% to 150% of normal precipitation in September through October. This fall moisture would have created new fall growth, setting up much of the state to have a normal forage production year.

However, the northern regions of the state – especially the northeastern section – were in a drought for much of 2023 that continued into the fall. These areas of the state will more than likely have a below normal outlook for both hay and grazing forage this year.

Impacts of fall grazing management

Although much of the state should have had good fall tiller production, fall and winter grazing management can override this benefit. If these tillers are eaten or die due to drought, then spring growth must occur from new tillers developed in April and May.

Heavy grazing during the fall and/or winter that resulted in the removal of the growing point (between the bottom two leaves) from tillers will cause additional stress and tiller mortality. In the event of high fall tiller mortality, grasses will need to develop a new tiller in the spring, delaying growth two to three weeks.

Heavy grazing use in the fall not only delays growth but causes reductions in overall plant growth and forage production. Data collected by NDSU Extension found that severe grazing use, greater than 80% removal of available forage, reduces growth of cool-season grasses and forage production. Forage production was reduced by as much as 57% on sites evaluated as having severe grazing use the previous fall.

“So, if you grazed your tillers short last fall or during the winter months, expect a delay in green-up and forage production in 2024,” says Sedivec. “Plan to defer these pastures from grazing in the spring

As of February 27, 87% of the state is experiencing some level of drought. Although snow is important for refreshing water sources, most years snow only adds about 25% of the total moisture for plant growth. Because the ground is usually still frozen when snow melts, most of the moisture flows overland into water bodies.

“Spring rain is still the most important moisture for overall forage production,” says Miranda Meehan, NDSU Extension livestock environmental stewardship specialist. “April through June precipitation drives forage production in North Dakota. Due to the dominance of cool-season grasses, rains during this period are responsible for 80% to 90% of forage production in the state.”

Plan for the 2024 grazing season

NDSU Extension developed the following scenarios based on spring precipitation and management:

If spring precipitation is normal, the region received near normal fall moisture, and no overgrazing occurred in the fall, expect a normal turn-out date for grazing with normal pasture and hay production.

If spring precipitation is normal, but the plants didn’t produce many fall tillers (such as in northeastern and northcentral North Dakota and northern regions of Minnesota), expect a delay in plant development and lower production due to a loss in tiller development following a dry growing season and fall. Further reductions will occur if pastures were grazed heavily in the fall.

If spring precipitation is 130% or more above normal, expect normal to above normal forage production in most of the state. However, the areas impacted by severe drought will more than likely still experience below normal production in 2024 unless moisture is above 150% of normal.

If spring precipitation is below normal, expect reduced forage production and a decline in forage quality earlier in the season.

Regardless of spring precipitation, to prevent reductions in plant health and production, pasture turnout should occur when the dominant forage species in a pasture reach grazing readiness, says Meehan. Grazing readiness for most domesticated pastures, such as smooth brome, crested wheatgrass and orchardgrass, is at the threeleaf stage, whereas grazing readiness for most native range grasses is the three-anda-half-leaf stage. For more information on evaluating grazing readiness contact your local NDSU Extension agent or refer to ndsu.ag/grazing2024.

“When production is low due to delayed tiller development, it becomes easy to run out of forage quickly if you go to full stock too early, leading to overuse,” says Sedivec. “This overuse during early green-up leads to reduced plant vigor and reduced leaf area, impacting photosynthesis and reducing food (carbohydrate) stored in roots. In the end, you may sacrifice 45% to 60% of forage production for the year by grazing too early.”

Timely precipitation is critical to forage growth and production, the specialists say. Equally critical is the use of management practices that maintain healthy, vigorous plant communities that can withstand disturbances.

“Regardless of what spring brings, we encourage you to have a drought plan in place with well-defined trigger dates to reduce risk on your ranch,” Meehan says.

(WI) Winner, SD 605-842-2040

(SU) Sundance, WY 307-283-2971

(PI) Pierre, SD 605-224-1631

(BL) Bloomfield, NE

402-373-4449

(PH) Philip, SD 605-859-2636

(HA) Hartington, NE

402-254-3908

(BF) Belle Fourche, SD 605-892-2621

(BE) Beresford, SD 605-763-5020

(WA) Wayne, NE

402-375-3325

2018 Kubota M7-171 (BF), Stk #84081, 1,561 Hours, Loader with Grapple, Rear Duals, 4 Remotes, Command Arm, MFWD, Suspension Seat, Single Point Loader Hydraulic Connection $98,900

2023 John

VRD, Row Command, CCS, SeedStar XP, Screw Adjust Row Cleaners, Like New Unit $279,000 $269,500

2023 John Deere 1775NT (WA), Stk #83910, 24R30, 2,676 Acres, ME5 Electric Drive, John Deere Air Row Cleaners, Schlagel Closing Wheels, PTO Generation, 130 CCS Tanks, NO Markers $324,000

2022

John Deere 1775NT (WA), Stk #83092, 16R30, 3,122 Acres, ME5, Markers,

WANTED

John Deere 2420 with 14-ft. auger head, and hay conditioner.

(Needed for parts - does not need to be running).

Call 406-780-1305 or 406-326-2184

When written down, the word ‘almost’ is the longest word in the English language to have all of its letters in alphabetical order.

~ ~ Private Treaty ~ ~

Black and Red Angus Bulls - Yearling and 2-year-olds

These cattle are bred for long lasting maternal traits and moderate birth weights since 1981.

Fertility tested and delivered.

Contact Browning Angus (406) 486-5040 or (406) 429-7371, Fallon, MT

LIMOUSIN BULLS FOR SALE

Purebred, Registered, Fall Born

Polled bulls & females available private treaty

Range raised, athletic, great disposition, efficient and economical

Let’s visit about how a Limousin continental cross can give you that “HETEROSIS” Free Lunch” that you may need.

Increase calving ease, vigor, weaning weight, milking ability, and longevity.

Real world honest cattle. Backed with customer service.

Semen tested and guaranteed. Delivery, semen, and leasing options available.

Ferrat Ranch Limousin - John & Samantha Ferrat

Please call (406) 949-7911 for more information

Nebraska Ag Literacy Festivals connect kids to agriculture

By Abigayle Warm & Deloris Pittman, ENREEC Marketing & Communications

For over 25 years, fourth graders from the Saunders County and Omaha areas have learned about agriculture and its importance in their daily lives at the Saunders County Ag Literacy Festival. With continued growth in urban areas, many youth don’t have a connection with or the opportunity to visit a farm. This limited exposure to agriculture often means many aren’t aware of the vital role ag plays in Nebraska and everyday life.

The Ag Literacy Festivals that focus on more predominantly urban areas of Nebraska are sponsored by the Agricultural Literacy Coalition of Nebraska.

The coalition is led by Nebraska Extension. Extension organizes the festivals and partners with commodity groups, businesses and organizations for program content, presentations, and funding. This primarily urban-focused group of festivals includes: Saunders County, Cooper Farm, Gifford Farm, Lancaster County and Sarpy-Cass County Festivals.

Nebraska Extension educator Cole Meador coordinates the Saunders County Festival and says the festivals provide an excellent way for students to learn about a wide range of agricultural concepts, from production to products, in a fun and interactive environment.

“This year’s festival focused on beef, ag careers, ag technology, poultry, dairy, corn and soybeans, swine, water, and ‘on the farm,’ “ said Meador. “Our goal with the ag festival is to connect these kids to agriculture. Each generation has become further removed from agriculture and where their food comes from, so we try and provide them with a handson learning experience.”

Hands-On Experience

The festival provided students a unique and hands-on experience to learn about various aspects of farming and technology. Students got to see dairy and beef cattle, poultry, tractors, technology, and crops up close, as well as take in some impressive modern-day technology.

Activities like the corn relay race not only added a fun element to the festival, but also helped students understand practical concepts, such as what a bushel of corn weighs and looks like. And in Nebraska, it was fitting to tie Husker football into the mix, learning an acre of soybeans is about the same size as a football field.

They also tried out technology that farmers and crop scouts use to determine plant health. Students were eager to use a handheld measuring device to find chlorophyll content of corn leaves. Taking part in making and watching an aquifer in a jar demonstration provided a visual understanding of where water comes from for irrigating crops and the importance of protecting it.

Students sampled various ag products to make the connection to where food comes from. They participated in an ag careers game as a way to explore different career paths in agriculture. The festival provided a dynamic environment with immersive activities that made learning about ag fun.

“The lessons tied directly to our curriculum,” said Jody Carhart, Ackerman Elementary 4th grade teacher. “We love all the new activities implemented through the years. Parents have told us that the kids are transferring all their learning to daily life and sharing with them at home, as well!”

Cultivating Awareness

By incorporating hands-on agriculture education into the festival, organizers aim to cultivate a realistic, positive awareness of agriculture and agricultural products. Students gain a deeper understanding of the benefits of agricultural products, recognizing them not just as healthy and nutritious, but also safe, convenient, versatile, consumer-friendly, and environmentally sustainable. The atmosphere of the festival allows youth to engage directly with various aspects of the agricultural industry, fostering recognition of and appreciation of those involved in agriculture and for the work involved.

Teacher/Instructor Perspectives

The festival is an annual field trip for many teachers as they feel it is a great fit for 4th grade Nebraska studies and teaches students about science and technology in agriculture. Students and teachers consistently give the festivals excellent reviews.

“Most kids are just surprised to learn that everything in or on a burger comes from a farm. It’s important that they can make those connections from farm to fork. My goal is to

Nebraska Ag Literacy Festivals connect kids to agriculture

CONTINUED FROM PAGE A20

help them make those connections between ag careers and their daily life,” said Brooke Tempel, Nebraska Farm Bureau educator.

“It’s really important for our group of city kids to get that country ‘feel,’” said Jayme Fauble, Blumfield Elementary School 4th grade teacher. “They don’t get to see livestock or see about all the ways we utilize agriculture here in Nebraska. This festival gives them a great hands-on learning experience and that’s why I’ve brought my class here for years.”

Festival History

The first fall festival was held in 1996 at UNL’s Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension and Education Center near Mead, Nebraska - serving as a one-day pilot project for 200 Omaha Public School sixth graders. In recent years (initially to accommodate Covid restrictions), the festival moved to the Saunders County fairgrounds in Wahoo. This year 630 fourth grade students attended the 4-day festival. More than 19,200 students have attended the Saunders County festival from 1996-2023.

The 4-Day Saunders County Festival is only one of the ag literacy festivals conducted across Nebraska.

In 2023 over 6,070 second, third, fourth and fifth grade students from 153 schools attended Nebraska Extension Ag Literacy Festivals in March, April, May, September and October.

Experiential Learning = Student Impact

Students attending the festivals were surprised to find out how much technology is involved in agriculture, how many products are made from ag byproducts, and the many tasks and costs involved for ag producers. They learned about the many steps it takes from ag production to product, the people involved and also gained insights into how innovation continues to shape the future of agriculture.

Ketchup originated in China as a boiled-down brine of pickled fish and spices called “ke-chiap.”

Because I have to pay for land selling calves, I have to be a low input, least cost producer focused on profit. That means smaller cows, more of them, producing more pounds per acre, sold at a higher price per pound. Smaller pastures, grazing longer, feeding less. Calving later with more live calves, fewer cull cows, fewer replacements And it means using my own bulls. Raising Line Bred, Low Input, No Maintenance, Hands Free, Grass Cattle

gear ratio, 268”wheelbase $35,500

drops, new turbo, injectors have been resealed overhead has been ran new diamond seal, 60% rubber, all aluminum wheels, aluminum cab. Nice clean older truck $34,500

We can now get steel hoppers for any bin and coated steel fertilizer bins

We are NEW dealer for Scafco bins and grain systems.

Snooze your way to better health

By Julie Garden-Robinson, NDSU Extension food and nutrition specialist

I pushed “snooze” on my alarm clock.

Eight minutes later, I pushed “snooze” again.

On the first day after the spring time change, I was struggling to awaken. In my fogginess, I wondered how many times you can push “snooze” before your alarm clock stops working.

When the alarm went off for the third time, I figured I had better get moving.

Time changes get me every time. Traveling to other states in other time zones and then returning home for another round of time change is an ongoing adjustment for me.

According to the National Institutes of Health, about one out of three adults do not get the recommended amount of sleep they need.

Sleep is about as important as food in maintaining our physical health. During sleep, our bodies are restoring themselves. Getting adequate sleep helps our immune system function, so we can ward off illnesses. It helps our hormones stay balanced.

Getting too little sleep can increase our risk for high blood pressure and obesity.

Sleep also helps safeguard our mental health and certainly our safety.

We all know what it feels like when we do not get the sleep our bodies need. Your friends may steer clear of you if you are suffering the ill effects of too little sleep. If you are sleepdeprived, you might make more mistakes at home or work.

We might feel “foggy” or even fall asleep at unexpected times. Do you fall asleep while attending a meeting or sitting in your car while waiting for someone? Does turning on the TV result in an instant nap in your easy chair?

Falling asleep while driving can become a tragic situation. In fact, too little sleep is at least partly responsible for 100,000 vehicle accidents every year.

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We all have sleep rhythms that vary with our age. Teens tend to prefer staying up later and sleeping longer in the morning compared with children and adults, and this is natural due to melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate sleep.

For adults, seven or eight hours of sleep is considered an adequate amount of sleep. Children need more sleep.

Be cautious not to confuse being tired with being hungry. We have two hormones, ghrelin and leptin, that help us discern if we are hungry or full. If these hormones are not working as a team, we can experience changes in our appetite and satiety.

If you have an ongoing issue with sleep, see a health professional about testing for underlying issues.

Here are a few tips to help you “sleep like a baby”: Avoid large meals, tobacco, alcohol, chocolate and caffeinated beverages before going to sleep.

Relax before bedtime by reading a book. Avoid using screens, such as your computer or cell phone. Even flickering lights from a TV may trick your brain into waking up.

Keep a cool, quiet, dark room for sleeping.

Be sure to go to sleep and get up at the same time, even on weekends. Adults need a bedtime as much as kids do.

We are launching the spring session of our free online nutrition program called “Nourish” in April, and registration is open now. Getting adequate sleep is one of the modules. Some North Dakota counties are offering the program face to face. I invite you to join dozens of people who have taken the challenge to improve their health.

We especially want to reach adults 50 and older, but adults of any age are welcome. Sign up at the same time as a friend or family member and nurture each other’s progress as you learn about nourishing your body. See www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/extension/programs/nourish to sign up.

Each class will focus on one topic, such as how to keep your eyes healthy. Besides sleep, other topics include how to keep your heart, brain, digestive system, skin, bones and joints healthy.

#####

A fellow was walking along a country road when he came upon a farmer working in his field. The man called out to the farmer, “How long will it take me to get to the next town?”

The farmer didn’t answer. The guy waited a bit and then started walking again. After the man had gone about a hundred yards, the farmer yelled out “About 20 minutes!”

“Thank you. But why didn’t you tell me that when I asked you?”

“Didn’t know how fast you could walk”.

National Prime Rib Day

This holiday is always celebrated on April 27th

Dontcha just love food holidays? This holiday is a real culinary treat. National Prime Rib Day gets your mouth watering and starts you drooling. Many of us look to this day on the calendar to enjoy one of America’s favorite roasts.

For just a day, forget about the diet. For just today, don’t fret over the high fat and cholesterol content.

There’s only one way to celebrate Prime Rib Day...with a big, thick, juicy cut of prime rib, cooked perfectly to your liking. Don’t forget the au jus and the fully loaded baked potato!

K.L. Slagsvold Herefords

Since 1922 Performance tested bulls and heifers

For sale private treaty at the ranch

Kenny Lars (406) 584-7571

cell (406) 939-0252

671 Fas 470 • Lindsay, MT 59339

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

Phone 406-254-1247

Cell 406-697-4040

See: www.mcmurrycattle.com for videos and information about bulls available for 2024 mcmurrycattle@gmail.com

Virtual Design Your Succession Plan for Small Business workshop

North Dakota State University Extension will offer the Design Your Succession Plan program for small businesses in an upcoming virtual workshop. The program helps business owners begin the process of creating a succession plan. Attendees will learn about the process, tools and terms used in succession, transition, and estate and retirement planning.

“Preparing the next generation to weather uncertain environments is an important part of these potential retirements and local legacies,” says Andrea Bowman, NDSU Extension program coordinator for leadership and civic engagement.

Those who begin the succession planning process during the workshops and continue it at home can cut costs because they are well-prepared to meet and work efficiently and effectively with legal and financial professionals. Attendees will have the chance to think about what they want, explore options and consider consequences before making decisions.

“The program provides owners and the identified successor generation an opportunity to begin shaping future ownership,”

Bowman adds. “Good communication is key to a successful succession plan.”

“The Design Your Succession Plan Small Business program was a valuable tool for many businesses in our community,” says Jenny Dusek, community development director for the City of Grafton. “The most challenging part to succession planning is knowing where to start. This three-session program was foundational in helping a variety of small businesses navigate preliminary planning, so that ultimately, they will be able to retire and transition their businesses confidently.”

Discussions about the future can be difficult conversations. Design Your Succession Plan workshop participants learn how to start and sustain those discussions and begin developing a succession plan. They also learn about choosing and preparing to work with legal and financial professionals who will help make sure the plan is workable.

The three-part virtual workshop will occur from 6 to 8 p.m. CDT on April 24, May 1 and May 8.

For more information or to register visit ndsu.ag/succession2024.

Double Bit Herefords

406-293-8185, Libby, MT

www.doublebitherefords.com

Beery’s

Brownell Polled Herefords 406-788-3242, Pendroy, MT dave.brownell51@gmail.com

Ehlke Herefords

406-439-4311, Townsend, MT

www.ehlkeherefords.com

K & C Herefords 406-240-9301, Deer Lodge, MT Sparks Herefords 406-778-2320,

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

Concern about drought, water shortages

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. ✔

UM News Service Snowpack this winter continues to be at an all-time low across several river basins in western Montana, indicating that this year could see water shortages, according to recent projections from the Montana Climate Office.

The MCO is based at the University of Montana in the W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation. MCO produces daily summaries of drought conditions for the Upper Missouri River Basin (UMRB), Washington, Oregon and Idaho to help state and local governments make timely and informed decisions about drought.

“At this point in the season, we don’t anticipate a recovery in many locations,” said Kyle Bocinsky, MCO director of climate extension. “The public should know that it really is not looking good for our water supply going into the spring and summer.”

He said this is especially true in basins experiencing the most significant snowpack deficits, including the Blackfoot, Middle and South Forks of the Flathead, and Sun and Smith River basins.

Based on the current projections, Bocinsky said, there will be less water for agriculture and recreation, with bad news as well for fisheries. He anticipates that there will be earlier closures for rafting and fishing and limitations for anglers such as hoot-owl restrictions.

Data on snowpack conditions are included as part of the UMRB Drought Indicators interactive dashboard, available at https://drought.climate.umt.edu/. The dashboard presents data from the SNOTEL snowpack monitoring network, which is composed of over 900 automated monitoring sites located in high-elevation mountain watersheds across the western U.S.

For each SNOTEL station in the Upper Missouri River Basin the climate office derived the likely trajectory of future snowpack changes through the end of the season in order to provide information on water supply going into the spring and summer. Several SNOTEL stations in the northern Rockies continue to show near or below record-low snowpack.

Water held in snowpack is a crucial resource for hydrological systems like streams and rivers, and this year’s deficits could lead to water shortages for various users at lower elevations. According to MCO Assistant State Climatologist Zachary Hoylman, streamflow and soil moisture are extremely important for Montana’s ecosystem and economy, and snowpack is the biggest source for both.

The MCO drought indicators dashboard was created to help inform the Montana Drought and Water Supply Monitoring Committee on what to expect in the coming warmer months. Hoylman said among scientists who study snow there tends to be a sentiment that “there’s always a chance,” suggesting that things can recover. Oftentimes, forecasts won’t be taken seriously until closer to the end of the winter season, which in Montana is roughly April 15. But he said this wait-and-see approach can be harmful, particularly in low snow years.

He said tools such as the MCO dashboard can help estimate how much water conservation is needed to sustain water throughout the year. Providing real-time data to drought monitoring committees can help give early warnings to communities so that they can adapt accordingly. With a more proactive approach, agricultural producers, land managers and watershed alliances can start preparing for potential drought scenarios.

“The snow story is complicated, and there are a lot of pieces to it,” Hoylman said. “We’re trying to effectively tie everything together to provide accurate assessments of how much moisture there is in the snowpack across all elevations.”

Both Hoylman and Bocinsky said that at this point it’s fairly certain 2024 will be the lowest or near lowest snowpack seen to date for some critical Montana watersheds. With three major American river headwaters here in Montana, this year’s dismal winter and subsequent low snowpack also could send ripple effects to communities downstream.

Bocinsky said now is the time to start making a plan of action. Using the dashboard, policymakers and water managers can start to look at other low snowpack years, what the impacts were and how they might strategize for mitigating those impacts. For individuals who would like to monitor the situation themselves, the drought dashboard is available for the most up-to-date conditions.

MCO researchers plan to write a paper codifying their work with the data. The paper will explain the methods, the

CONTINUED FROM PAGE A24

utility of those methods in snow forecasting and how the model can also forecast streamflow in different watersheds come warmer months. They anticipate publication by next winter and hope the paper will help provide more accurate predictions for environmental conditions linked to snowpack in Montana.

WATER TENDER TRAILER FOR SALE

48-ft. utility spread axle, 6700 gallon capacity, 3” handler, 3” John Deere transfer pump, 3” plumbing, 2 under-deck tool boxes. $40,000 Call Dave (406) 788-3505

Directions: US Highway 24 South of Glasgow. Going south, 3 miles past the spillway, turn left on to 901 Nickels Road at big round sign and 2 mail boxes. Coming north from US Highway 200, go past 49 mile marker and turn right on to 901 Nickels Road at big round sign and 2 mail boxes.

Sprayers Steel wheels and tractor tires

Old trencher with motor & blade (not running)

Several old Dodge pickups (1998 Dodge ¾ ton (bad tranny but has replacement to put in)

10—235-80R 17 nearly new tires

Steel & wooden fence posts & rolls of wire

Riding mowers-push

Lots

FOR SALE

JOHN DEERE AIR DRILL FOR SALE

Compost

Compost is organic matter that has broken down. Grass clippings, potato peeling, onion tops, and other vegetative waste material can be made into a valuable soil conditioner and used as plant food for garden beds in the autumn by remaining in a compost heap during the summer.

Compost can be used in several ways. It provides a good usable soil amendment for the garden and is less expensive than peat. Incorporated into the soil or around plants, it is beneficial in improving soil texture, water-holding capacity, and nutrient retention. Compost can be used on the soil surface as mulch to control weeds and conserve moisture. Or mix compost with sterilized soil and use it for potting plants.

Other materials such as leaves, waste from fresh summer vegetables, shredded paper, or sawdust can be layered in to make excellent compost.

Old weeds can be added but we only use weeds that haven’t flowered otherwise you could add weed seed to the compost.

Do not add dog or cat manure, as their working treatment can also kill off composting worms.

Avoid adding meat and bones as they attract flies, rats, and other vermin.

Do not include citrus peels, as they are too acidic for worms.

Choose an out-of-the-way location for the compost area, since the heap may appear untidy. Choose a location that is convenient to the gardening area and to the kitchen door.

Decomposition of the plant matter will require heat and moisture for quick breakdown. The summer sun will provide the heat, but the heap must be soaked occasionally to give it moisture.

Animal manure is a rich, valuable garden soil additive and may be used between the layers of compost. The heat generated by the manure will induce quick decomposition of raw compost.

The compost should be turned with a garden fork from time to time to aerate and to promote even decomposition.

Cover the heap to keep excess rain from leaching out nutrients, keep stray wildlife away, and to “heat up” the pile.

Save old tea bags and put one or two in the bottom of plant pots to help retain moisture. Also use tea bags in the bottom of runner bean trenches.

Paper from an office shredder will rot well in a compost heap.

Make a 3-ft. cube with four posts and chicken wire as a leaf mold cage. Leaves rot more slowly than garden debris, so it’s best to rot them separately. Press the leaves down firmly to compress them. It takes about eighteen months to have a rich mulch.

Always cover old potato tubers with other debris when they are put in the compost. This prevents any with blight fugus from sprouting and spreading spores that could infect a new season’s crop.

Do not reuse old seedling compost as disease organisms may be present and the nutrients have been mostly used up.

Coffee grounds make an excellent mulch for plants that require acidic soil like blueberries, rhododendrons, and roses.

Banana skins placed around rose bushes will rot down and provide nutrients.

Getting water into peat-based potting mixes isn’t easy. For small amounts, put the mix into a plastic bag, add water, and then knead the bag. For larger amounts, use a container such as a wheelbarrow, add the mix then scoop out a center hole and add warm (not cold) water, continually blending. Never add the mix to water; instead, always add water to the mix.

A light sprinkling of fertilizer between layers of added compost will aid in decomposition and replace the nitrogen used in breaking down raw materials into compost.

Types of mulch

Fallen leaves are a good mulch for bare soil in a garden. Shred or chop leaves to stop them matting, which will block water from the soil.

Gravel is an appropriate mulch for arid landscapes and beds with plants that need good drainage, such as rock gardens.

Pine needles give a brown covering for the soil. Use them around acid-loving plants such as conifers, rhododendrons, and holly bushes.

Wood chips are long-lasting and inexpensive. Allow them to age for a few weeks, then spread them on paths and under trees and woody plants.

Leaf mold (partially decomposed leaves) contributes valuable organic matter to the soil as it decomposes. Use it for plants in woodland settings and informal gardens.

60-ft. John Deere 1895/C850 no till drill with mid row banders. New disks on JD openers. 850 bushels air cart, section control, double shoot, scales, Active Cal, high flotation tires.............................

www.hovenequipment.com

Great Falls Sales:

James – 868-2570; Adam – 403-5987; Will – 590-0372; Tyler – 868-4194

Lewistown Sales: Anna – 231-4251

406-727-7153

406-538-3919

May-Bridge Pasture Harrows

Formally (Aerway) Harrows

• 5/8” diameter high carbon steel

• 50 lbs./ft.

• 6-ft. deep mat

• 45° & 15° angle teeth

• Width (bar included)

CONSTRUCTION

New Holland LM7.42 Elite Telehandler. stk# 22833. (L)

Bobcat 773 skidsteer. stk#31453. $16,500 (G)

JCB 3TS-8T Compact Track Loader. stk# 31427 (L)

TILLAGE

Gates 84-ft. Magnum 5 bar harrow, 26x9/16 teeth with carbides, hydraulic tine adjust., excellent condition. stk# 31435. (G)

Gysler 46-ft. plow with roller harrow. stk# 28579. $10,950 (L) 9-ft. V-plow. stk# 26357. $700 (G)

SWATHERS

Vermeer TM1410 swing tongue with floats, 2 remotes, electric, hydraulic kits, 1000 PTO. stk# 29072. (G)

MISCELLANEOUS

Morris 9650 air cart with Loup Elite monitors, 17” dual fan, 10” hydraulic assist auger with extension hopper, full bin, LED lights, 4 course, 4 medium, 1 fine seed plates. stk# 30154. (L)

Morris 900 Hayhiker. stk# 31434 (G)

Brandt 4000 grain vac. stk#30848. $6500 (G)

Land Pride FDR1548 mower, 3-pt. finish, 48” mower. stk#25354. $1050 (G)

Bobcat 80 dozer blade. stk# 31340.$5965 (G)

Manitou 96” grapple bucket. Mount for New Holland/Gehl/Manitou. stk# 22839. $5888 (G) 72” bucket. stk#26358. $700 (G)

Massey Ferguson 30-ft. bat reel. stk# 11079. $799 (G)

MacDon CA25 combine adapter. stk# 26661. $3500 (G)

MacDon 871 combine adapter. stk# 11818. $2500 (G)

MacDon adapter. Not complete. stk# 21743. Make an Offer (G)

Danuser F8 heavy duty digger with 12” bit. stk# 18366. $1200 (G)

Woods BS3044E balespear. stk# 23716. $600 (G)

Quick Attach spears. One 4-ft. spear and two 1-ft. spears. stk# 24229. $500 ea. (G)

Danuser 1200WS walk through palletforks. stk# 29525. $1400 (G)

Toro 34225 stand on spreader. stk# 25200. $5000 (G)

Dandy-Lion 60” pull type weed killer. stk# 30186. $200 (G)

Case front weights. stk# 25307. $600 (G)

AUGER

Westfield MK13LP hopper. stk# 14046. $4500 (G)

HLA 8-ft. skid steer V-plow. stk# 31487. $5700 (L)

Quick Attach Sledge Pounder skidsteer mount. stk# 29228 $4250 (G)

JCB 48” pallet fork. stk# 31522. $850 (G) Bobcat 55” utility grapple. stk# 31397. (G)

Bobcat 80” HD bucket with cutting edge. stk# 28303. (G)

High Volume 66” bucket, skid steer attachment. stk# 29035. $850 (G)

BALE PROCESSORS

Haybuster 2650 processor. stk# 30759. $18,000 (G)

Haybuster S2000 square bale processor. stk# 31321. $9900 (G)

Vermeer

LAWNMOWERS

Grasshopper 928D riding mower. stk# 30874. $9900 (G)

Grasshopper 725G2 riding mower, 48” powerfold deck, liquid cooled gas engine, front mount. stk# 7186. $5900 (G)

Grasshopper 352 vacuum for 52” grasshopper, lightly used. stk# 29069 $500 (G) John Deere Z345M riding mower, 42” deck. stk# 31174. (G)

Toro 74730 riding mower with Kawasaki twin engine. stk# 23442. (G)

Toro 74720 riding mower with 42” deck. stk#

ROCKPICKERS

TRACTORS

(G)

New Holland TN95

New Holland RB560 net only. stk# 22242. (G)

New Holland RB560 laced belts, ISO, net only, 1000 PTO with cut out clutch. stk# 22244.(L)

New Holland RB560 ISO with monitor, endless belts, net/twine, 1000 PTO. stk# 22245. (L)

New Holland BR7090 baler, net/twine. stk# 30659. $18,000 (L)

Case IH RB565 net/twine, 1000 PTO, x-wide pickup, ISO with monitor, endless belts. stk# 29795. (L)

Case IH RB565 baler, ISO, laced belts, x-wide pickup, casters, roller windguard, large flotation tires, net/twine. stk# 22476. (L)

Case IH RB564 round baler, wide pickup, laced belts, non ISO, moisture monitor, net/twine, 1000 PTO. stk#23763. $25,000 (G)

Case IH RB564 net/twine, x-wide pickup, 1000 PTO, laced belts. stk# 30758. $19,000 (L)

Case RBX563 baler, net/twine, 1000 PTO, narrow pickup. stk# 31437. $8500 (L)

Vermeer 605L baler. stk# 31351. $5000 (L)

NEW Haybuster 3106 rockpicker. stk# 30518 (L) Crown 400 rockpicker. stk#30664. $2750 (G) HEADERS

SNOW REMOVAL

MTD 31A-611D000 22”, 2 stage snowblower. stk# 26304. $400 (G)

Toro 38473 snowblower. stk# 30234. $299 (G) Toro 38170 snowblower. stk# 5810. $225 (G)

Buhler YC1080D snowblower. stk# 6771. $8900 (G)

Bobcat 10-ft. snowpush. stk# 29653. $4100 (L)

New Holland 16HS header. stk# 26836. $13,750 (G)

New Holland 971 header. stk# 19691. $3900 (G)

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MacDon FD75DK header. stk#29023. $45,000 (L)

MacDon D65D header. stk# 25890. $27,900 (G)

MacDon PW8 pickup header, 16-ft. wide. stk# 31025. (G)

Gleaner 24-ft. header. stk# 10119. $1500 (G)

Vermeer 605L round baler, twine only, 540 PTO, bale kicker, hay saver wheels. stk# 21490. $8000 (G)

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John Deere 9520 tractor, new tires, 4 remotes, buddy seat, Trimble GPS, hydraulic steering. stk# 31467. $174,500 (L)

Quick and Easy Pancit

This quick pancit recipe with chicken, vegetables, and rice noodles is easy and delicious. It will remind you of island fiestas!

1 (12 ounce) package dried rice noodles

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1 onion, finely diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups diced cooked chicken breast meat

1 small head cabbage, thinly sliced

4 carrot, thinly sliced

¼ cup soy sauce

2 lemons - cut into wedges, for garnish

Place rice noodles in a large bowl; cover with warm water and let soften for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a wok or large skillet over mediumlow heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until onion is tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in chicken, cabbage, carrots, and soy sauce. Cook until cabbage begins to soften. Toss in noodles and cook, stirring constantly, until heated through.

Transfer pancit to a serving dish and garnish with lemon wedges.

Speedy One-Pot Chicken Couscous

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

4 skin-on chicken breasts

1 small yellow onion

1 green chili

1 red chili

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

½ teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon ground coriander

¼ teaspoon paprika

pinch of saffron (optional)

1 1/4 cups (216g) couscous

1 3/4 cups (420ml) hot (almost boiling) chicken or vegetable stock

2 lemons

seeds of half a pomegranate

small bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

Peel the onion, then chop into small pieces. De-seed and chop the chiles into small pieces too.

Heat the oil in a large skillet and sprinkle the salt and pepper onto the skin side of the chicken breasts. Place in the pan skin-side down and cook on medium-high heat for five minutes. Turn the chicken over and cook for a further five minutes. Add the onion, green and red chiles, garlic, cumin, coriander, paprika and saffron to the pan and stir until the onions are coated in the spices. Cook for three minutes, stirring occasionally until the onion starts to soften.

While the onion mixture is cooking, remove the seeds from the pomegranate. Take a medium-sized bowl and hold the cut side of the pomegranate in your hand. Create a cup with your hand and hold it over the bowl. Whack the back of the pomegranate with a wooden spoon and the seeds will fall into your hand. Then you can tip them into the bowl. Any stubborn seeds can be removed by pulling the skin of the pomegranate outward a little, then repeating the spoon whacking until all seeds are removed. Put the seeds to one side.

Peel the zest from the lemons and squeeze the juice into a small bowl. Put to one side.

Add the stock and bring to a boil, place the lid on and simmer for ten minutes.

Take the lid off and pour in half the lemon juice, then carefully add in the couscous to the sides of the chicken, making sure not to leave any couscous on top of the chicken (as it won’t get cooked). You can move the chicken breasts to the side of the pan if it makes it easier. Stir everything, ensuring all of the couscous is covered, then place a lid on the skillet and turn the heat down to very low. Cook for five minutes, then turn off the heat.

Take off the lid and fluff up the couscous with a fork. Add the zest from one of the lemons and all but one tablespoon of the cilantro. Stir into the couscous.

Top with the remaining lemon zest, the pomegranate seeds and the chopped parsley. Serve with the remaining lemon juice.

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2015 Case IH Titan 4530 Dry Floater, Flex-Air 810 - VRT dry flow system, 70-ft. boom, Raven Viper Pro, 2922 hours $148,000

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2015 TerraGator 8400B, 3222 hours, Raven Viper Pro, New Leader L4000G4 MultApplier dry box. $151,000

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2014 TerraGator TG8400 Airmax Precision 2, 70-ft. stainless steel booms, granular coap bins, electric roll-tarp, Raven Viper Pro Controller, auto steer, air ride cab, 3345 hours. $129,500

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Hyundai HL730-9A wheel loader, EROPS, Cummins, heat/air conditioning, AM/FM radio, 8-ft. bucket, 2.5 cubic yard capacity, 17.5R25 tires, operating weight 23,500 lbs, rear view camera, 5684 hours. $86,000

2011 Merritt Quickveyor tender trailer, 4 compartment, belly belt and rear discharge belt, hydraulic drives, electric roll tarp. $32,000 Farming is Fun!!

2017 John Deere 4038 sprayer, 120-ft. booms, 3244 hours. $189,000

2019 TerraGator TG8400C, 3446 hours, diesel engine, Viper 4 monitor, Airmax Precision 2 bed. 70-ft. stainless steel booms, Micro bin with yellow & white rollers, electric roll tarp. $178,500

2004 Willmar 24 ton sideshooter, B-B dry tender trailer, side discharge auger, all hydraulic, roll over tarp, tandem axle, cheater axle, Ridewell suspension.$34,000

1969 Lubbock NH3 transport trailer, 10,400 gallons, Blackmer pump. 5 to choose from $45,000 each

2020 RBR Venturi 400, 1890 hours, Case IH Flex Air 810 triple bin, 70-ft. boom, Raven Viper 4, adjustable axles, 4 wheel steer, 4 wheel drive, electric roll tarp. $249,500

2018 Timpte dry trailer, 40-ft. aluminum hopper, hydraulic dry tender belt can

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2014 RBR Vector 300, Cummins 8.9 diesel engine, Allison automatic transmission, New Leader L4000 G4 MultApplier dry spread box, twin spinner, all hydraulic, New Leader stainless steel insert, roll over tarp, Raven Viper 4 monitor, 4196 hours $84,500

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$31,000 2007 Willmar 16-ton tender pup mounted on 2007 Wilray tandem axle pup, air brakes, Honda powered hydraulic system, roll tarp $21,000

2018 Case 4540, 2260 hours, Case FLX 810 triple bin air bed, spray bars and tank, 70-ft. boom, variable rate capability, Raven Viper 4 controller, Auto Steer, electric roll over tarp $218,000

Proper spring grain drying and storage critical

The warmer winter and early spring have increased the potential for grain storage problems and the need for grain monitoring and management, says Ken Hellevang, North Dakota State University Extension agricultural engineer and grain drying expert. Stored grain temperature increases in parts of a bin in the spring, which is not only due to an increase in outdoor temperatures but also due to solar heat gain on the bin

Solar energy produces more than twice as much heat gain on the south wall of a bin in spring as it does during the summer. That, in addition to the solar heat gain on a bin roof, can create an environment conducive to grain spoilage. A ten degree increase in temperature reduces the allowable storage time of grain by about one-half. For example, the allowable storage time of corn at 17% moisture is reduced from about 130 days at 50 degrees Fahrenheit to about 75 days at 60 degrees and 45 days at 70 degrees.

Hellevang recommends periodically running aeration fans during the spring to keep the grain temperature near or below 30 degrees if it exceeds recommended storage moisture contents and below 40 degrees as long as possible during spring and early summer if the grain is dry. In northern states, night air temperatures are normally near or below 30 degrees in April and 40 degrees in May.

Bin vents can become blocked with frost and ice when the fan is operated at temperatures near or below freezing, which may lead to damage to the roof. Leave the fill and access door open as a pressure relief valve when operating the fan at temperatures near or below freezing.

Cover the fan when it is not operating to prevent warm air from blowing into the bin and heating the stored grain. Warm grain is more prone to spoilage and insect infestations. Hellevang also recommends ventilating the top of the bin to remove the solar heat gain that warms the grain. Provide air inlets near the eaves and exhausts near the peak so the top of the bin can ventilate due to warm air rising, similar to what occurs in an attic, or use a roof exhaust fan.

Stored grain should be monitored closely to detect any storage problems early, Hellevang advises. Grain temperature should be checked every two weeks during the spring and summer. A temperature increase may indicate a storage problem. The goal is to keep the grain cool. Grain also should be examined for insect infestations.

Check the moisture content of stored grain to determine if it needs to be dried. Remember to verify that the moisture content measured by the meter has been adjusted for grain temperature.

In addition, remember that moisture measurements of grain at temperatures below about 40 degrees may not be accurate. Verify the accuracy of the measurement by warming the grain sample to room temperature in a sealed plastic bag before measuring the moisture content.

Some in-bin cables measure grain moisture content by measuring the temperature and air relative humidity then calculating the grain moisture content based on grain equilibrium moisture content equations. The measured moisture may be 1.0 to 1.5 percentage point different than the true moisture content, so it is a tool that should be verified with another moisture content measurement method.

Corn needs to be dried to 13% to 14% moisture for summer storage to prevent spoilage. Soybeans should be dried to 11% to 12%, wheat to 13%, barley to 12% and oil sunflowers to 8%. The allowable storage time for 13% moisture soybeans is less than 100 days at 70 degrees.

Corn at moisture contents exceeding 21% and soybeans exceeding 15% should be dried in a high-temperature dryer because deterioration is rapid at warmer temperatures. For example, the allowable storage time of 22% moisture corn is about 190 days at 30 degrees but only 8 days at 70 degrees. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendation for high-temperature drying soybeans. Monitor the soybean quality and reduce the drying temperature if excessive cracking or splitting occurs. Reduce the fire hazard by keeping the soybeans flowing in the dryer. Pods and trash can become lodged and combustible. Frequently clean the dryer to remove anything that may impede flow. Constantly monitor the dryer when drying soybeans.

Recommended Airflow Rates and Maximum AirDrying Moisture Contents

Corn – For natural air-drying, assure that the fan’s airflow rate is at least 1 cubic foot per minute per bushel (cfm/bu) and the initial corn moisture does not exceed 21%. Start the fan when the outdoor temperature averages about 40 degrees.

Sorghum Checkoff launches search for Class VII of leadership program participants

The United Sorghum Checkoff Program is now accepting applications for Leadership Sorghum Class VII, a program designed to cultivate the next generation of sorghum leaders.

The Sorghum Leadership Program is a 14-month journey designed for industry professionals and farmers eager to make a lasting impact on this dynamic industry. Through a blend of hands-on experiences, classroom learning and valuable networking opportunities, gaining a deep understanding of every aspect of sorghum, from seed to market and beyond.

“The design of the program is centered around farmers who are passionate and are looking for opportunities to grow in this industry,” Sorghum Checkoff Executive Director Norma Ritz Johnson said. “This investment in the program is not just an investment into individual class members, but the U.S. sorghum industry as a whole. Those who choose to participate will walk away armed with the skills, knowledge and understanding to be the next generation that takes the sorghum industry to new heights.”

USDA-approved criteria state eligible applicants must be actively engaged in sorghum production within the U.S. and U.S. citizens. Fifteen growers will be accepted into the program’s seventh class.

More information on the class schedule and program criteria can be found at Leadership Sorghum.

“Watching each class member grow, learn and experience new things has been so fulfilling,” Director of Emerging Markets & Grower Leader Development Shelee Padgett said. “We are equipping each Leadership Sorghum class with the tools to advocate for sorghum, take new-found knowledge back to their communities and further the industry by becoming involved in leadership positions across the industry.”

Full consideration will be given to all applicants regardless of age, gender, race, or occupation. Every effort will be made to select a class, based on the applicant pool, which is representative of the entire sorghum industry, its diversity and rural community interests.

Applications for the program are available at Leadership Sorghum Class VII Application and are due by 5:00 pm CST on September 13, 2024. The accompanying reference forms must be submitted by the 5:00 pm CST September 13 deadline, as well. Following the application deadline, all applications and references will be reviewed by a selection committee. Finalists may be contacted via phone to arrange an interview.

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2023 Annual Report Rocky Mountain Front Grizzly Bear Management Program

Prepared by Chad White, Grizzly Bear Management Specialist; Ali Marschner, Bear Management Technician; Choteau Office- Region 4 Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks agricultural production.

During the 2023 field season, the Choteau Bear Management Team, with new Bear Management Technician, Ali Marschner, accomplished a plethora of objectives that would not have been possible without the help of a variety of contributors. The Choteau bear management team would like to acknowledge the following:

The MFWP bear management team out of Conrad, Wesley Sarmento, Jack Austin, and Erin Fenger; MFWP Supervisory staff Jason Rhoten and Cory Loecker; MFWP game wardens Rod Duty, Adam Gearing, and Mike Tucker, and the entire Region 4 enforcement division; Teton County Sheriff office, MFWP regional wildlife biologists Brent Lonner, Ryan Rauscher, Sonja Anderson, Shane Petch and Alex Kunkel; MFWP Communication and Education staff including Lauren Karnopp and Nicholas Danielson, The regional USDA Wildlife Services (Wildlife Services) team including Kraig Glazier, John and Kurt Miedtke, Skippy Simms, Glen Hall, Chrissy Lambert, and Charlie Tailfeathers; MFWP helicopter pilot Joe Rahn; the Blackfeet Tribe; Forest Service Biologist Dave Kemp, and supporting staff of the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, Flathead National Forest, Montana Department of Natural Resources, and BNSF railway; MFWP Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem (NCDE) Trend Monitoring team Lori Roberts, Milan Vinks, Kyle Yorke, and Cecily Costello; Hilary Cooley, Ben Jimenez, Amber Kornak, and Rory Trimbo with US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Grizzly Bear Recovery Program.

Introduction

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Grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) have a long history of occupancy on the prairies east of the continental divide. Though the grizzly is a native species that historically ranged throughout Montana and much of the West, its distribution and abundance when it was federally listed in 1975 was significantly diminished compared to historical and modern levels. While Region 4 is home to a large portion of the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem (NCDE) and its associated Grizzly Bear Recovery Zone, grizzly bears have expanded eastward onto private land outside of the recovery zone. In 2023, grizzlies were confirmed as far East as ~140 miles from the NCDE recovery zone at the PN Ranch located at the mouth of the Judith River near Winifred, MT. A large majority (>95%) of the grizzly bear conflicts/ complaints the Choteau Bear Management Team (CBMT) responded to took place on private land. Thus, the primary responsibility of the CBMT is to balance the needs of a threatened species and private landowners encountering them amidst their operation.

The Choteau Bear Management Team (CBMT) is responsible for the area South of Muddy Creek/Teton River to the Missouri River (Figure 1). Calls East of the Missouri River are shared with the Conrad office and completed by whichever team can respond most efficiently.

Staff consistency was vital to the continued growth of regional relationships with the public, land and wildlife management agencies servicing the area, NGOs, and MFWP regional staff. For clarity and consistency, the bear management team out of Conrad, MT is responsible for all bear management needs north of Muddy Creek/Teton River to the Canadian border. A majority of MFWP’s Region 4 is private land. Much of that private land is utilized for livestock and

2023 provided great vegetative spring growth with green fields persisting well into summer. This contributed to a great berry production and a decrease in both livestock depredation and fruit-based conflict. Like prior seasons, the peaks in call volume and responses by the CBMT were in mid to late spring and late summer/early fall. Elevated complaints for the CBMT this season involved grain conflicts and honeybee conflicts. Reported grizzly bear mortalities followed the downward trend seen in 2022. Technicians

The Choteau bear management team received full time base funding from the state for a bear management technician this season. Ending in March, Daniel McHugh moved on from his position to become the Bear Management Specialist for MFWP in Red lodge. Beginning in May,

Ali Marschner joined the team as the area Bear Management Technician. Ali is a Choteau resident and contributes greatly to the CBMT’s effective management program. Ali has been instrumental in aspects of our work by bringing her community mindedness to her position.

Ali has taken primary responsibility for the inception of the Choteau Bear Smart Community. Ali has a diverse background with many skillsets that will help her thrive in this position and improve the CBMTs efforts and reach in MFWP Region 4.

Erin Fenger is the Conflict Prevention Technician whose work is shared among both bear management teams. Erin’s primary responsibility is to work with the entire region to strengthen conflict prevention efforts through livestock carcass pickup, electric fence construction, grain bin fortification, conflict prevention education, and general attractant security and cleanup. Erin’s carcass disposal program continues to grow with more livestock producers benefiting from her efforts to remove and secure deadstock in the region. Erin assisted the CBMT and Choteau Bear Smart Community by providing the Choteau FFA instructor with build plans for effective bear resistant grain bin doors as well as providing education at many events across the region.

Goals and Objectives

The goals set for the 2023 season closely reflect that of prior seasons while remaining adaptive to changes and responsive to needs. Foremost goals for the 2023 season were to further build landowner relations especially as it relates to bear expansion areas and elevated conflict areas. We continue to strive for improvement of the three tenants of bear conflict management: education, conflict prevention, and conflict response. We outlined clear objectives for how to meet this overarching goal: Identify areas of highest priority for education events; utilize public knowledge, interagency intel, and GPS collar information to implement conflict prevention techniques; use all available tools as needed to respond to landowner complaints or conflicts including bear hazing and aversive conditioning techniques, attractant removal and security, capturing, relocating, or euthanizing bears.

Information, education, and outreach (I, E&O) is critical in the process because it provides a pay-it-foreword approach to bear management by improving the public’s safety, knowledge of bear biology, behavior, and ecology, and understanding of conflict prevention tools that are available to them.

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2023 Annual Report Rocky Mountain Front Grizzly Bear Management Program

CONTINUED FROM PAGE A32

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Implementation of this process was accomplished by organizing individual landowner meetings, large public engagements, local working groups, and media relations; providing brochures, bear spray, and other materials; participating in city hall meetings, community bear smart meetings, school and public safety trainings, neighborhood gatherings and search and rescue trainings. Additionally, Region 4 bear management specialists live in the communities they serve. Every interaction in the small Rocky Mountain Front communities is an opportunity to grow public knowledge and trust in the agency.

In 2023, the CBMT participated in or lead 16 educational talks to over 720 individuals. Over the course of the season, the team also gave out over 50 cans of bear spray through safety trainings, field contacts, hunter game check stations, and site visits.

While the state employs a full-time bear education and information employee, Region 4 specialists provide that service to the local community because of the great need for community safety, information sharing, agency transparency, and grizzly bear expansion. The CBMT prioritized education in communities by the following criteria: having grizzly bears recently reestablished on the landscape; having had grizzlies on the landscape for a period but received minimal agency attention; or receiving repetitive educations but having evolving management needs due to increased bear activity. A few examples, respectively, are Lewistown, Denton, Stanford, Cascade, Wolf Creek, Augusta, and Choteau.

Prevention

Conflict prevention is the effort that MFWP, the public, and other agency or nongovernmental organizations (NGO) focus on as a primary strategy to reduce bear/human conflict.

Prevention is the action of identifying and removing attractants or securing them in a

bear resistant container, structure, or fence. The CBMT constructed 22 electric fences or other electric projects such as electrified dumpsters or electric mats. We placed ~50 bear signs targeting hunters at public access sites and high priority hunter use areas. We hauled over 24,000 lbs. of spilled grain, deployed ~10 scare devices, assisted in numerous carcass-hauling events, and gave out 1 bear resistant trash can.

Conflict

Conflict response is fundamentally necessary to elevate public safety and to build or maintain tolerance for grizzly bears on the Front. The CBMT operates as an on-call response unit. We make a concerted effort to maintain available personnel, throughout the year, that have the training necessary to respond promptly to a call and take necessary actions to mitigate the issue at hand. We respond to every call requiring such, though we prioritize calls that need immediate response in order to maintain a safe environment and to minimize or prevent bear/human conflict. Applying tools and techniques such as electric fencing or mats, bear resistant containment or attractant removal, use of scare devices and other hazing and aversive conditioning techniques is generally the first action necessary to address a conflict that is already present. If the conflict is such that the issue is not resolved or not likely to be resolved with application of these tools, bear trapping and either hard release, relocation, or euthanasia is a necessary alternative.

During the 2023 management year (01/01/2023- 12/31/2023), the Choteau bear management team responded to a total of 58 grizzly bear related calls, a decrease from 2022 (114) and from 2021 (76). Our team saw a steady flow of calls warranting a response from March through October, with increased response needs in late spring and early fall (See Table 1).

The CBMT makes a concerted effort to accurately draw a distinction between confirmed conflict and complaint, in large part because state legislation dictates how to proceed with management action based

on specifics of the incident. However, both confirmed conflicts and complaints often require a physical response and some level of management action. Because of this, con

Ali Marschner gave bear education to students of Choteau.

Table 1. Total bear calls against calls warranting physical management response. In 2023 we received 166 new calls about a grizzle bear including conflicts and complaints, 80 calls conserning a situation which we were already aware of and 58 of those requied a physical response. We received another 27 calls seeking information.

Proper spring grain drying and storage critical

CONTINUED FROM PAGE A30

The grain will reach a moisture content based the average air temperature and relative humidity during the fan operation. Nighttime higher humidity air is generally needed to balance the lower daytime relative humidities.

Soybeans – Use an airflow rate of at least 1 cfm/bu to natural air-dry up to 15% to 16% moisture soybeans. Start the fan when the outdoor temperature averages about 40 degrees.

Sunflowers – Natural air-drying for oil sunflowers requires an airflow rate of 0.75 cfm/bu for up to 15% moisture. The drying should start when outdoor temperatures average about 40 degrees.

Wheat – Use an airflow rate of at least 0.75 cfm/bu to natural air-dry up to 17% moisture wheat. Start drying when the outside air temperature averages about 50 degrees.

Barley – Use an airflow rate of at least 0.75 cfm/bu to natural air-dry up to 16% moisture barley.

“Remember that some of the allowable storage life was used during the fall before the grain was cooled to near or below freezing, so there is less time for spring drying before deterioration occurs,” Hellevang says. “This is particularly important for malting barley, where germination can be lost, so using a higher airflow rate to reduce the drying time is encouraged.”

Grain storage molds will grow and grain spoilage will occur in grain bags unless the grain is dry. Grain in the bags will be at average outdoor temperatures, so grain will deteriorate rapidly as outdoor temperatures increase unless it is at recommended summer storage moisture contents.

Grain bags that run east-west will have solar heating on the south side, which creates a temperature variation across the bag that will move moisture to the north side of the bag. Continue to monitor grain stored in bags frequently.

“Also, everyone needs to become aware of safety hazards associated with handling grain and to apply recommended safety practices,” Hellevang stresses. “More grain deaths occur during years with challenging conditions when there is more potential for chunks of grain to block unloading sumps or when grain columns occur.”

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2023 Annual Report Rocky Mountain Front

Grizzly Bear Management Program

CONTINUED FROM PAGE A34

flicts and complaints are pooled together in Figure 5 to give accurate representation of human-bear interactions in region 4. In an effort to draw a distinction between a complaint and a conflict, calls were only considered conflicts if bears were determined to have obtained reasonably secured unnatural foods (human food, pet & livestock feed, etc.), were responsible for property or agricultural damage (fences, buildings & structures, vehicles, etc.), had killed or injured livestock, or were involved in negative human interactions, namely aggressive encounters (bluff charges, attacks causing human injury or fatality). Instances involving abituation to businesses, workspaces, or

dwellings where proximity posed a potential threat to people and warranted management action were considered complaints. All definitions utilized by our team remains consistent with the 1986 IGBC definitions for nuisance status.

In 2023 we had 46 confirmed conflicts (37 in 2022) and 65 total conflicts/complaints. Each of the confirmed conflicts and complaints were categorized by type of conflict/complaint: beehives, near people, grain, property damage, cattle depredation, hunter carcass loss, goat depredation, livestock feed, encounter, poultry, birdseed, fruit trees, and gardens (see Figure 5).

Additionally, a single conflict record often populates more than one conflict category. If the bear involved was responsible for multiple conflicts in a single instance (i.e., a bear broke into a building to eat unnatural foods), this record would be categorized as a single conflict and two conflict types: property damage and unnatural foods.

Table 1. Total bear calls against calls warranting physical management response. In 2023 we received 166 new calls about a grizzly bear including conflicts and complaints, 80 calls concerning a situation which we were already aware of and 58 of those required a physical response. We received another 27 calls seeking information. This field season, we had higher conflicts/ complaints than in prior years, though it felt as though conflict level was less than prior years. This is likely due to several factors including early spring green-up persisting into summer with abundant natural foods decreasing spring and summer conflicts/ complaints, growing distribution and localized densities of bears in the region, and most of our conflicts/complaints being beehive and grain bin damage and proximity to people. Proximity alone does not warrant conflict labeling though it necessitates a physical response. The majority of bee yard conflict was experienced in September and around the Sun River by 3 producers who had a portion of their yards electrified but not all. Collectively, they reported approximately 20 affected yards. FWP worked with Wildlife Services and USFWS to assist these producers with electric fencing materials and installation labor on a portion of the affected yards. The grain bin conflict experienced this year was primarily localized to an area between Choteau and Dutton. Approximately 13 sites were damaged by bears in September and October. While few individual bears may have been responsible for damaging bin doors to access grain, the spills generated attracted dozens of other

bears willing to feed on the spills. This made for a challenging management situation to resolve. Electric fencing projects and scare devices were used to resolve most affected sites. Capture attempts were made for both the bee conflicts as well as the grain conflicts though attempts were not successful. Not all reported conflict sites received a visit. Some were handled solely by the producer, and some were resolved by the producer with provided materials and guidance.

Due to the nature of land ownership in MFWP’s Region 4 being largely private agriculture operations, the number of depredations season to season is of primary interest to our management team, the public, and the conservation of grizzly bears. The number of depredations presented for the purpose of this report does not necessarily represent the totality of depredations attributed to grizzly bears in the region as Wildlife Services, the primary agency responsible for depredation response, may have been present at depredations not reported to MFWP. Of conflict or complaint types responded to by MFWP personnel, 8% (7 animals) were instances of killed or injured cattle, 3% (3 animals) goat depredation, 2% (12 animals) poultry. With 23% of our conflict/complaint response involving proximity concerns of bears to humans, it is important to discuss this interaction. These calls are most often a result of food or habitat attraction. The majority of region 4 is open space without cover and widely dispersed natural foods. Because human establishments often have potential food sources as well as vegetative shelter and water, they are attractive to bears resulting in proximity concerns to humans. This is of utmost importance to note because human establishments that have these attractions are at an elevated risk of conflict with bears. This concern is especially true if the potential attractions are not

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Cooked meat color

By Jeannine Schweihofer, Michigan State University

The form of myoglobin and other factors contribute to cooked meat color and make color a poor indicator of if meat is safe to eat.

Have you ever eaten a hamburger that is brown in color and actually undercooked? What about one that is still pinkish in color and safe to eat? If you are scratching your head thinking this is not possible, purchase and use a meat thermometer and see what happens. Michigan State University Extension indicates that using a meat thermometer is the only safe way to determine doneness of meat. Color is not an indicator of doneness, especially in ground meats. Ground meat needs to be cooked to 160 degrees Fahrenheit, whole muscle meats to at least 145 F, and poultry to 165 F. Myoglobin breaks down during cooking and causes meat to be brownish in color when cooked to well done (170+ F). Meat at lower degrees of doneness such as rare (140 F) and medium rare (145 F) has not fully denatured and still provides some red or pinkish red color to the cooked meat. For the most part, this holds true for whole muscle fresh meat purchased at retail, however this is not always the case. The presence of oxygen and the state that the iron attached to the myoglobin protein can determine what cooked color actually appears.

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Premature browning is what happens when the inside of a ground beef patty is completely brown but not cooked to a high degree of doneness (around 130-135 F). This can pose a significant food safety problem, especially for consumers who rely on color as an indicator of doneness in ground beef. Ground beef that has a higher amount of oxidized myoglobin in the metmyoglobin form is more apt to result in premature browning. Other factors that can contribute to premature browning include exposure to oxygen during packaging, pH, freeze-thaw dynamics of patties, the length and temperature meat was stored at, type of muscles that were used in grinding and the addition of salt to the meat. Since metmyoglobin is brown in color, it is not surprising that hamburger containing metmyoglobin will be brown in patties regardless of the endpoint temperature. The important part to remember is that cooked ground beef must be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 F for one second, regardless of its internal color.

Persistent pink is when portions of fully cooked meat have red or pink appearance to them. Persistent pinking is found on the inside of a ground beef patty and when not all of the myoglobin breaks down during cooking. This occurs more when the iron on the myoglobin protein is in the reduced state and is purplish (deoxymyoglobin) or red (oxymyoglobin) in color, if the meat has high myoglobin content (from cows or bulls), and if muscle pH is higher. Increasing the endpoint temperature of this kind of meat may decrease the pinkness, but it may never turn completely brown. Persistent pink also can occur in the first few millimeters of the surface of a meat product. This is most common in meat grilled on charcoal or gas and shows up as a pink ring. The gas nitrogen dioxide may be present during the cooking as the fuel combusts. This creates a pigment from myoglobin called nitrosylhemochrome. The pink ring that forms near the surface of the cooked meat often fades or disappears after it is exposed to air or light. The bottom line regarding persistent pinking in cooked meat is that it is safe to consume providing the endpoint temperature is confirmed with a thermometer.

National Librarian Day

This holiday is always celebrated on April 16th

National Librarian Day celebrates and honors librarians. They are among the most knowledgeable people you know. When you visit your cavernous library in search of a particular book, or a specific research topic, they always quickly point you in the right direction. And, they do so with a smile.

Experts of the Dewey Decimal System, your Librarian aids and assists you in identifying and retrieving a myriad of books, periodicals, and reference materials. Librarians hold a wealth of knowledge in their heads. Got a subject you are researching? Chances are, the Librarian will point you right to the book you need.

Did You Know? As of 2020, there are 17,454 libraries in the U.S. This number includes main and branches, as well as bookmobiles.

and rolls out fine.

Bobcat 743 skid steer, 2558 hrs., 60” bucket, runs good, needs hyd. adj

TRAILERS

1998 Dressen 22’ flatbed trailer, GN, 4’ beaver tail, fold down ramps,

1994 4 Star stock trailer, 20’,

BC Trucking & Livestock, Milt Hartman, Highwood MT C8

Beartooth Mahindra, Billings MT B32

Ben Taylor, Valier & Shelby MT C5

Big Fat Seed, Shonkin, MT B29

Big Horn Sainfoin Seed Co., Powell WY B17

Big Sky Equipment, Conrad MT C9

Big Sky Mahindra, Great Falls MT A35, C1

Big Sky Pipe, Great Falls MT C31

Big Sky Sawmill & Wood Products, Vaughn MT B25

Big Sky Wholesale Seeds, Shelby MT A22, A31

Billings Farm & Ranch Supply, Billings MT B34

Bjorn Johnson Construction, Missoula MT......C30

BTI Feeds, Cut Bank MT C5

C & B Operations, LLC, Billings, Culbertson & Plentywood, MT, Sheridan, WY, Powell, WY B26, B27

Cascade Machine & Supply, Great Falls MT.....C2

Centrol Crop Consulting LLC, Brady & Conrad MT A6

Circle S Seeds of Montana, Three Forks MT A36

Clearview Seed, Denton MT B13

CoAXium, Aggressor, Ft. Collins CO C25

Cut Bank Tire, Cut Bank MT C21

Dakota Truck & Farm, Minot ND B34

DBL Sales & Service, Coffee Creek MT C10, C35

Doane Western of Montana, Bozeman MT C32

Double D Land Services, Billings MT B11

Double Diamond Truck & Equipment Sales, Missoula MT A21

Dry Fork Ag, Ledger MT C38

Escrow Montana LLC, Whitefish MT B25

Evergreen Wood Products, Moore MT B6

Fire Pro Extinguishers, Pavillion WY C31

First State Bank, Shelby, MT A28

Fisher Metal Products, Fort Benton, MT C10

Flaman Rentals, Power MT A22, B23

Fort Benton Realty, Fort Benton MT B10

Fox Ford, Wolf Point MT A30

Frank Merchant Roofing, Great Falls MT A17

Fraser’s Oil Inc., Inverness MT A24

Frieling’s Agricultural Equipment, Great Falls MT A5, B15, C7, C17

Fritz Auction Co, Chester A8

Frontier Precision (formally Triangle Ag), Fort Benton MT C29

Frontline Ag Solutions Dillon, Dillon MT C39

Frontline Ag Solutions, Choteau, Conrad, Cut Bank, Dillon, Lewistown, Havre, Chester, Great Falls, Belgrade, Livingston MT C32, C33

Glacier’s Edge Equipment Repair, Browning MT A10

Glasgow Rental, Glasgow MT B3

Glass Trucking, Denton MT C29

Golden Harvest Seeds, Big Sandy MT B8

Golden Triangle Rental, Great Falls MT B3

Golden Triangle Seeds, Rudyard MT B5

Gordon Repair, LLC, Miles City MT C26

Greenway Seeds, Caldwell ID B17, C2, C3, C31

Greyn Fertilizer, Choteau, Dutton, Valier MT A29

Grossenburg Equipment, Winner, Pierre, Philip, Belle Fourche, Beresford SD, Wayne, Bloomfield, Hartington NE, Sundance WY A19

Hamilton Systems, Inc. Hamilton ND C8

Heartland Cabin Co., Moore MT B2

Heartland Seed Company, Moccasin MT A30

Hedman, Inc, Grass Range MT A37

Helfert’s Helena Farm Supply, East Helena MT C34

Henke Enterprises, SprayFlex & Big Dog Mowers, Chester MT B24

Heritage Timber, Bonner MT C35

Hi-Line Rental, Havre MT B3

Highland Specialty Grain, Inc. (McKay Seed Co.), Moses Lake WA A12

Highline Communications, Cut Bank MT B28

Hotsy Wy-Mont, Great Falls & Billings MT C6

Hoven Equipment Co., Great Falls & Lewistown MT A27

Hwy 12 Equipment & Repair, Baker MT C26

ITB (Intercontinental Truck Body), Butte MT.....B7

J & T Equipment Sales, Stevensville MT B4

J Bar T Bins & Steel Buildings, Chester MT B28

Jamieson Motors, Inc., Chinook MT A14, C28

Jim Nielsen Trucks & Parts, Butte MT B29

Johnsen Trailer Sales, Inc., Bismarck & Fargo ND C8

Johnson Distributing, Great Falls MT A28

Krogmann Mfg. B16

Lakeland Feed & Supply, Dillon & Hamilton MT A18

Lattin & Sons, Power MT A22, B23

Laurel Trading Post, Laurel MT C22

Lee’s Trapworks, LTD, Swift Currant Canada C36

Lewistown Polaris, Lewistown MT C38

Lewistown Rental, Lewistown MT B3

Logan Auction Service, Clyde Park MT A4

M & M Auto, Trailers, & Welding, Stevensville MT B35

M & W Machine, Three Forks MT B2

Mahindra, Beartooth Harley Davidson, Billings MT B32

Mahindra, Big Sky Harley, Great Falls MT A35, C1

Marks Lumber, Clancy MT B36

Milk River Ag, Chinook, MT C22

Missouri River Realty, Glasgow, Malta, MT B35

Montana Ag Safety Program B31

Montana Farrier Supply, Livingston MT B17

Montana Holster & Shoulder Rig, Great Falls MT B14

Montana Metal Fabrications, Great Falls MT C6

Montana Seeds, Conrad MT A16

Montech Seed Group, MT B14

Mountain View Metalworks, Wilsall MT C15

MQS, Montana Quality Structures, Stevensville MT C27

MT Tractors, Matt Pendergast, Stevensville MT B30

Musselshell Valley Equipment, Roundup MT B13, B33, C37

New Homes of the Future, Billings MT C25

North Star Equipment, Simms MT C11

Northern Ford, Cut Bank MT A7

Northern Prairie Auto Sales, Wolf Point MT......A26

Nutrien Ag Solutions, Inc, Conrad, Great Falls, Billings, Fort Benton, Belgrade, Hardin, Chester, Shelby, MT A34

Pete’s Auto Sales, Great Falls MT C40

Post Creek Supply, Co., St. Ignatius, MT B12

Powerhouse Equipment, Floweree MT B31

Precision Truck & Trailer, Havre MT A40

Premier Contracting, LLC, Fort Shaw MT B24

Price Truck & Equipment Sales, Missoula MT C20

Quality

T

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2023 Annual Report Rocky Mountain Front Grizzly Bear Management Program

CONTINUED FROM PAGE A36

secured, therefore contributing to increased bear habituation and food conditioning, as well as an artificially high density of bear presence. The CBMT prioritizes working in such areas where human safety is an elevated concern.

5% of the conflict/complaint type was hunters losing part of their hunted game to bears. These instances all involved a carcass or parts of a carcass left at ground level overnight. No hunters were injured but in response to this concern, the CBMT posted ~50 signs alerting hunters and instructing them on proper game management in bear country. In addition to posting signs, we worked with our Video Content Creator Lauren Karnopp and New Media Specialist Nicholas Danielson, to create a video targeting hunter safety and game management.

We responded to one instance this year of a bird hunter who shot and wounded a

bear in self-defense. The lone hunter was hunting upland game birds with two dogs in a shelterbelt on private land near Freezeout lake. A grizzly bear was bedded in the small shelter belt and the unknowing hunter spurred a defensive charge from this bear. The hunter fired 2 shotshells at the bear within 10-15 feet stopping the charge. A 2-day search for the wounded bear using personnel on the ground, 2 thermal drones, and a helicopter flight yielded no detection of a carcass or live bear.

In addition to the type of conflict/complaint responded to by the Choteau bear management team, time of year played a major role. Spring months (March- June) yielded consistent, yet lower reporting than in previous years and summer (AugustSeptember), saw the highest numbers of call responses and confirmed conflicts/ complaints (Table 2).

The CBMT worked closely with city and community leaders across the East Front to give the most updated conflict prevention information, work together to best meet the needs of the respective communities, and identify proactive measures to keep bears from finding trouble.

We initiated neighborhood call trees on multiple occasions, used Teton County’s Code Red system 3 times, used the city of Choteau call multiplier alert system 1 time, and worked closely with local and statewide media outlets to provide information in conjunction with MFWP Director’s office in Helena. We are working to find the best way possible to share vital information with the public while also prioritizing safety, privacy, and efficacy.

Finally, the CBMT responded to calls broadly across our area. Like 2021 and 2022, we saw an uptick in confirmed grizzly bear detections east of Great Falls. However, the bulk of the conflicts/complaints took place west of I-15. Most calls from the eastern portion of the region came from the Judith River watershed. This area has received more calls about grizzly bears this year than in previous years. Though we did not document any conflicts from this area, the increase in bear detection suggests more work by the department should be done in this area to increase education outreach and

conflict prevention efforts.

Captures

The CBMT captured and handled 1 grizzly bear (see figure 1) for management though other trapping attempts were made to resolve active conflict.

On July 11th, a mature male (approximately 12 years old) weighing 500lbs was captured near Augusta for damaging a structure to access horse pellets. The bear was collared and released on-site with a hard release. The structure was electrified, and though the bear lived in the area for the remainder of the season, the bear has not returned to the site of the conflict.

Mortalities

Grizzly bear mortality rate was lower in the 2022 season than 2021. We documented 5 confirmed or plausible grizzly bear mortalities.

May 9- A yearling female was killed in a vehicle collision on Teton Canyon Road near Eureka Reservoir. No sign of family members was found, and the motorist remains unidentified.

May 11- An unknown, presumed adult, was struck by a motorist on Teton Canyon Road. The bear ran off indicating an unknown mortality. This strike initiated a county Code Red alert because of the possibility of a wounded bear being dangerous.

Table 2. Call volume by month with calls physically responded to against confirmed grizzly bear conflicts/ complaints in 2023.

Figure 1. A mature grizzly captured in livestock feed conflict near Augusta, Montana.

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2023 Annual Report Rocky Mountain Front

Grizzly Bear Management Program

CONTINUED FROM PAGE B2

July 26- a yearling male was found dead on private land near Augusta. No cause of death was specifically identified.

1995 Ford F800 Dump Truck Crew cab, 22K gvw, 210hp 5.9 Cummins, 5 spd & 2spd, locker, AC, PS, PB, 4yd box, hitch & brake control, 98K miles, new 10r22.5 tires. $26,500

1992 International Crane Truck 10 ton lift capacity, 45-ft. reach, upper bucket controls, 18” auger, 240hp DTA466, 8II trans., 14-ft. service body, 90% 11r22.5’s, aux. hydraulics, runs and drives great. $16,500

1998 International Dump Truck 10 yd, 370 hp M11 Cummins, Jake, 18spd., 18K front 40K rears on Hendrickson, 90% 22.5 tires, live hydraulics, dbl frame, pintle, 250K miles, runs and drives great, plumbed for plow and sander. $34,500

1988 Kenworth T800 Tractor 350hp BC IV Cummins, Jake, 18spd., AC, PS, 50% 29522.5’s on aluminum, air ride, air slide 5th, maintenance records, 180” w.b., runs and drive good. $19,500

1991 Autocar 12-yard Dump 425 hp Cat 3406B, 18 spd., Jake, lift axle, full lockers, 15.5ft. box, 60% 11R24.5’s, 700K miles, pintle hitch, air gate, runs and drives great $36,500

1998 Gehl DL6h40

Telehandler 4x4, 7,000 lb lift capacity, 40ft. lift height, enclosed cab w/ heat, 3 way steering, 5200 hrs, 4.5 John Deere diesel, 80% 13.00x24 tires, 60” forks, runs and works great $38,500

1998 Freightliner FL70 4x4 lube service truck, 126K miles, 26K GVW, Reman 275hp 3126 Cat diesel, MD3060 Allison AT, AC, PS, AB, cruise, 14’ enclosed body, 4 product tanks, hydraulic compressor, workbench, air greaser, 6 hose reels, 90% brakes, runs and drive great $37,500

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. $26,500

1997 Gradall 534C-10

Telehandler 4x4, 40’ lift height, 4BT Cummins, 7100 hrs, outriggers, 10K capacity, 60% 14.00x24 tires, runs and works great $36,500

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. $17,500

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. $38,500

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 $15,500

September 12- A bird hunter wounded a bear, likely a mature male indicated by tracks, in a self defense encounter outside of Fairfield. Mortality remains uncertain and the hunter was not harmed.

October 14- A mature female was poached near Fairfield. This take is under investigation. Although DNA sampling has not confirmed relatedness, 3 unaccompanied cubs of the year were documented in the area for several weeks after the event.

Monitoring

To adequately monitor grizzly bear vital rates, cub production and survival, and collar fit, we strive to fly once in spring after bears emerge from dens, once in midsummer to monitor cubs, and once before denning for a final look before denning. This information helps us monitor grizzly bear habitat use, population demographics, and animal welfare. In addition to the research benefits of regular aerial monitoring, these flights give us a very good perspective of the landscape which helps us learn how to prioritize management activities based on habitat quality, anthropogenic food sources, and proximity of bear presence to human development. These monitoring flights were conducted in an MFWP owned Astar helicopter flown by chief pilot Joe Rahn.

All grizzly bear collars on the Front range currently in use this season were GPS collars. This gives us fantastic monitoring information for both research interests as well as management interests to prevent conflict with humans. These collars can be programmed to send location information at varying intervals, document bear activity information, give rapid mortality notice, and can be turned off during the denning period to save battery life. We strive to observe collar data of all marked bears in the area at least once per week and as often as daily. This great level of detail allows us to remain available to the public for preventative efforts and conflict response as well as remaining well informed of collared grizzly bear activity.

These radio collars allow us to monitor bear location in the field in real time giving us the ability to inform landowners of bear presence, actively haze bears from areas we do not want them to be comfortable in and allow us to get in front of potential management concerns involving a radio collared bear. If the bear ends up in conflict, we can then target the collared bear more effectively if it is to be captured or removed.

Additional Duties and Responsibilities

Outside of primary responsibilities and when time allows, the CBMT assists our fellow agency personnel in every way we can. For 2023, this included grouse, bat, and elk captures, mountain goat surveys, testing effectiveness of hazing elk using drones on conflict sites, providing equipment for hazing elk in private fields, and production of educational videos on collaborative agency work and hunter safety and game management. In addition, we collaborated with area Wildlife Biologists and Game Wardens on various black bear conflicts in order to find long lasting solutions.

Bat

We were able to assist Non-Game Biologist (currently Statewide Bat Biologist) Shannon Hilty in a mist netting capture and echolocation monitoring devices on private land along the Rocky Mountain Front. This included one evening of setting up of 3 large

mist nets, capture of about 30 bats, collecting various biological data and samples from each bat, release, and removal of mist nets. These captures are part of a larger trend monitoring project across the state for many reasons but largely to test samples for White Nose Syndrome.

Sharp-tailed Grouse

These grouse captures were part of larger project to capture and translocate grouse to West-Central Montana. We assisted with capture, sample and data collection, leg banding as well as lek monitoring and set up/ removal of traps on leks.

Elk

During the winter, we helped MFWP research personnel and contracted employees aerial-capture and radio collar elk on the Blackfoot Reservation. This effort concludes a multiyear capture effort that will help with documentation of migratory routes, vital rates, and herd demographics, and management of elk on the Blackfoot Reservation.

With the Area Biologist, Alex Kunkel, we tested effectiveness of drone-hazing approximately 1,000 elk off private fields due to crop damage conflict. This was done over several days of monitoring and talking to the landowners and their staff to find out how the elk use this land. We then spent most of two nights flying the drone and hazing/monitoring elk and their reaction to the drone stimulus. This is important data not only for consideration of landowner permitting to drone-haze wildlife but for management biologists’ use in further conflict prevention.

We loaned 10 scare alarm devices to region 4 area Wildlife Biologist, Sonja Anderson, for use and testing in another area of private land crop damage complaint due to elk forage use.

Mountain Goat

We participated in two Mountain Goat survey assignments in different locations along the Rocky Mountain Front for area Wildlife Biologists’ Brent Lonner and Ryan Rauscher. In both cases we thoroughly surveyed the areas assigned, during the designated time to get a sampling of Mountain Goat presence in the management unit. If goats are seen it likely includes use of a spotting scope to determine the specific location, sex, and age-class estimate as well as a total count. These surveys are critical to biologists for decision making related to population status in relation to hunting season setting and population trend monitoring, as well as monitoring sensitivity to habitat condition changes over time.

Fisheries

During the summer months while calls were slow, we assisted Katie Vivian (Fisheries Biologist) and Dan Frazer (Fisheries Technician) with seining work on Tiber Reservoir as well as electrofishing Greenfield Irrigation Districts Main Canal. The seining work is part of annual fisheries monitoring work that uses water body sampling methods to monitor fisheries health.

The canal electrofishing is done to rescue and relocate fishes captured in the canal after water is drawn down seasonally.

Video Production

With the media and videography expertise of Lauren Karnopp and Nicholas Danielson we produced an 8-minute film, with accompanying social media posts, on game animal carcass care and hunter safety in bear country. We covered a wide array of topics including preparedness, always

Mulching

A layer of organic material several inches thick buffers the soil against compaction from harsh effects of heavy rain and baking sun, and helps the soil retain oxygen so it can support vigorous plant roots. It improves any soil by blending valuable organic material, or humus, into its top layer as the mulch gradually decomposes.

A mulch helps conserve water by absorbing rainfall and preventing runoff. Soil covered by a layer of organic mulch stays damp much longer between rains or watering because the mulch blocks evaporation.

A good layer or organic mulch between newly planted ground cover plants discourage weeds during the time the plants need to grow larger, knit together, and cover the soil on their own.

Trees and shrubs thrive on mulch, too. Circles of organic material under them not only condition the soil and improve its fertility, but they also create a barrier to prevent injury on their trunks and stems from lawn mowers and string trimmers.

A layer of organic mulch on the bare soil in a garden shelters many kinds of beneficial organisms. Ground spider and ants nest in rich organic material along the edges of lawns. There insects prey on pest insect larvae and eggs in the soil under the lawn and garden beds.

Avoid spreading mulch too thickly. A layer over 2”3” can become a suffocating blanket blocking air and moisture from the soil. This causes plant roots to gravitate toward the soil surface in search of these essential. In cases where surface tree roots are a problem, mulch lightly to improve the appearance of the yard, but don’t try to bury the roots.

Organic mulch inevitably breaks down over time, and the mulch layer becomes thinner. Add mulch periodically, usually in the autumn.

Shredded paper is a suitable mulch for protecting soil and discouraging weeds. If it becomes unsightly when it rains wet it down, cover it with a thin layer of leaves or bark nuggets.

During the winter, fluctuating temperatures alternately freeze and thaw the soil. This often disturbs plant roots and may leave bulbs or plants out of the soil. A winter mulch will not prevent soil from freezing, but it gives insulation to maintain more even low temperatures.

Add a mound of mulch to roses to prepare them for winter.

Seeds and transplanting tips

Prepare the proper environment before planting seedings. Good soil preparation is the single most important thing you can do for your plants. Loosen soil to at least 6” (15 cm), add organic matter (such as peat moss, compost, or manure), and mix well. Rake to level.

Plant when the soil is moist; if the weather is dry, then water the soil the day before transplanting.

2023 Annual Report Rocky Mountain Front

Grizzly Bear Management Program

CONTINUED FROM PAGE B4

having protection with you, best practices for handling a carcass, hanging your meat, and the safest methods of camping in bear country.

Also, with the help of Lauren, we filmed a collaborative fencing project showcasing a multi-agency effort to complete a large-scale private land electric fence designed to contain cattle and dissuade bear entry. This cost share project involved the financing, planning, and labor of MFWP, USFWS, Wildlife Services, and Defenders of Wildlife.

Black Bear Management

Lots of truck tires with wheels.

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Lots of bumper pull trailers.

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Phone cell

(406) 490-3795 Anaconda, MT

In addition to preventative and active grizzly bear conflict management, the CBMT responded to a small variety of black bear calls and conflicts in the 2023 season. Black bear management in Montana’s Region 4 is a joint effort between local specialists, biologists, and wardens. While the CBMT must prioritize grizzly bear response, the team also responds to black bear conflicts and complaints as needed. Black bear conflict calls were lower this field season than in 2022. This is largely attributed to a productive growing season with ample natural food sources. Our team spent time and resources on black bear management in 2023 for a variety of reasons: areas where conflicts occurred were occupied by both species, landowners experiencing conflict needed resolution advice, materials, or assistance beyond the capability of other staff, and area conflicts were reflective of reoccurring conflicts not resolved in prior years. While our team responds if available, we are unable to provide adequate response to black bear calls if they conflict with grizzly bear calls. However, we recognize a need in our region for more succinct and repeatable black bear management as grizzly bears expand their range. Because a proper response to black bear conflicts meets grizzly bear management demands, we encourage forward thinking management strategies and funding to meet regional needs.

Over the course of the 2023 season, the Choteau management team fielded 7 black bear complaint calls and responded to and resolved 3 conflicts with black bears. In addition to response efforts, the CBMT held several education events in black bear dominant areas prone to conflict to help landowners learn how to be proactive in preventing conflicts.

A significant amount of time and resources were spent on black bear management across the region by the CBMT. We assisted in black bear conflict reduction by receiving and responding to calls, performing preventative measures such as electric fencing and site visits, providing education and outreach events, and supplying area wardens and biologists with management materials and advice to prevent or resolve conflict with black bears. While MFWP wardens and biologist largely have the skillset and tools to respond to bear conflicts, they are often not sufficiently equipped to provide preventative measures. As grizzly bears expand their range in our region, we

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A cruise ship passes by a remote island, and all the passengers see a bearded man running around and waving his arms wildly. “Captain,” one passenger asks, “who is that man over there?”

“I have no idea,” the captain says, “but he goes nuts every year when we pass him.”

believe it is paramount that our state and region consider bolstering staff and funding for black bear management across the region to provide for the resource as well as the needs of the community and other stakeholders.

Conclusion

To conclude, the prioritized 3 objectives in the 2023 season: Identify areas of highest priority for education events; utilize public knowledge, interagency intel, and GPS collar information to implement conflict prevention techniques; use all available tools as needed to respond to conflicts including hazing, aversive techniques, attractant removal and security, capturing, relocating, or euthanizing bears. While there is room for improvement to be had, our team was successful in initiating the efforts to meet these milestones. The CBMT continues to see improvement in landowner and community trust and relations, knowledge of area and bear use across the region, interest and involvement in bear management, and proficient conflict resolution. This is an indication that the efforts of bear management staff in region 4 are having a positive imprint and helping landowners manage living and working alongside grizzly bears.

Our team was solely responsible for, or significantly aided in, education events ranging from west to east in region 4. While these were successful, well-attended events, we acknowledge the need to broaden our efforts and continue to re-initiate contact with the communities we have already spent time in. We hope to continue our growth of outreach, and information dissemination, and timely response to complaints.

The efforts made by our team to implement region wide preventative practices were a major building block for humanbear conflict mitigation in the region. From working with wardens to provide lasting solutions on black bear conflicts, to working with landowners to identify attractants of high concern requiring immediate attention, our team spent a large portion of our time thoroughly entrenched in providing prevention techniques across the board. Electric fencing, attractant removal and security, and attractant aversive conditioning efforts with bears showing signs of habituation are at the core of our program. However, the CBMT can improve on preemptive collaring efforts, as it is among the most useful tools at a bear managers disposal.

Having an improved understanding of how bears in our region use the landscape will help us get ahead of range expansion and the inevitable conflicts that follow if not monitored.

Finally, conflicts across our region remain lower than more developed areas across the state. This can largely be attributed to low bear densities through range expansion, low human distribution, and ample food sources. However, our region is not immune to the coinciding factors of human development and bear range expansion, with which conflicts occur. The CBMT is consistently working to remain at the cutting edge of conflict management.

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According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a third of what we eat comes from plants that are pollinated by bees. Since 2006, honeybees have been dying off by the millions and experts don’t know why. Without honeybees to help propagate our crops, there will be a critical shortage to global food supplies.

Managing cow body condition is critical for profitability

Body condition of cows during calving impacts open rates in the upcoming breeding season.

“That’s how this business works,” says James Rogers, North Dakota State University Extension forage crops production specialist. “We market the offspring from our herds. No offspring, no profit.”

Rogers references a measure of reproductive performance used in the swine industry called “non-productive days,” or days that a gilt or sow is neither gestating or lactating. Each non-productive day comes at a cost and serves as a benchmark measure of reproductive and economic performance in a swine herd.

“A sow has a huge reproductive advantage over a beef cow, as a sow will have two or slightly over two litters per year with multiple piglets,” Rogers says. “A beef cow should have zero non-productive days. Each day of the year, she should be lactating, gestating or preparing to rebreed. A beef cow gets one day a year to calve and only 80 days from calving to rebreed in order to stay within a 365-day calving interval. Cows with longer calving intervals cost more to maintain and produce less weaned calf than earlier calving cows.”

Rogers adds that a 100% pregnancy and calving rate is not realistic, but ranchers should expect an open rate of around 8% in mature cows and 12% in heifers. Numbers higher than benchmark averages indicate that there may be an underlying cause. Reports across North Dakota indicate a wide range in open rates from the benchmark averages to as high as 30%.

According to Rogers, the single most important factor in keeping a cow at zero non-productive days is body condition, the amount of fat cover a cow is carrying through the various stages of the production cycle. Body condition has a direct impact on calving interval, conception rate and percentage of open cows. To access body condition, ranchers and researchers use a scoring scale of 1 (emaciated) to 9 (very obese).

Research has shown that cows that calve at a body condition score of 5 to 6 will return to estrus in 50 to 60 days. A cow calving at a body condition score of 4 will take 70 days.

CONTINUED ON PAGE B8

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hay barley, 1/3 forage peas, and 1/3 oats

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Q: What do you say to a lollipop when you throw it away?

A: “So long sucker!”

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Q: What is green and fuzzy and if it fell out of a tree it would kill you?

A: A pool table.

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With only 80 days available from calving to rebreeding to stay on a 365-day calving cycle, this does not allow much time. For spring calving herds, Rogers recommends ranchers take body condition scores now while there is still time to economically add condition prior to calving if needed.

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A: “What time is it?”

Spring Wheat: Sy Longmire, Vida, Dagmar, AC Concord

Barley: Lavinia, Hockett, Buzz, AC Metcalf, ACC Synergy

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Lentils: Avondale

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“Realize that it takes around 100 pounds of weight gain to change 1 unit on the body condition scale,” says Karl Hoppe, NDSU Extension livestock systems specialist. “If a cow requires such a gain, consider whether you have quality feed supplies on hand to accomplish it. A forage test can help you know what you are working with. Forage tests cost about $20 per sample. An open cow could cost you about $1,200 in lost calf revenue plus cow maintenance costs for a year. The return on investment for a forage test is hard to beat.”

It’s slow progress to change the body condition score of a cow. When balancing a ration for a one pound per day gain, it will take three months to increase one body condition score, Hoppe says. Extreme cold weather can decrease one body condition score quickly if the ration is not changed to include more energy. Prolonged winters like 2022-2023 can reduce body condition score without the owner recognizing the change.

Describing how a body condition score of 5 to 6 should look can be difficult because one person’s 5 is another’s 6. Online images of cows in the various body condition scores can be a guide, and NDSU Extension livestock specialists and county agents are available to help determine body condition score in cowherds. Consistency in scoring is important when evaluating the herd.

Rogers uses an analogy to help others to visualize the body condition scale based on the condition of a cat.

If the cat is round, with no defined shape or waistline, and you can’t feel the ribs, then this cat probably has a body condition score of 7 to 9 (on the fat side).

If you can see the cat’s waist and feel its ribs, but it has a covering of fat down the back with some cover over the ribcage, it is a 5 to 6 (considered ideal).

If ribs and hip bones are clearly visible on your cat, and there is a lack of cover down the back and ribs, this cat is a 1-4 and needs to gain weight. The same is true for cows.

“When open cow numbers are higher than average, many ranchers assume something happened during the breeding season, and it probably did,” Rogers says. “Cows may not have been cycling or cycled late. The cause may have occurred before the breeding season with less than adequate cow body condition in late gestation and calving. Access cowherd body condition now to minimize open cows in the fall.”

In addition to body condition score, NDSU Extension specialists recommend ranchers consider other parts of the production system this winter. Some questions to consider are:

Is the stocking rate for the cowherd adequate for the amount of range and pasture biomass produced?

Do the genetics of the cowherd match ranch resources?

Are production records in place to track calving interval?

What is the marketing plan for open cows?

Giving these matters attention now keeps the cowherd in optimal condition year-round, Rogers says.

The Perfect Firestorm

A fire tornado is a rare occurrence that results when a fire is whipped into a burning frenzy by intense winds. Here’s how this phenomenon works: First, a strong updraft of hot air hits a wildfire. As the hot air rises, it makes room for outside air to flow in. As the air whips in, it can form a whirlwind that picks up the flames and becomes a swirling column of fire nicknamed a “fire devil” or a “whirl.” Fire devils often range from 30 to 200 feet high and usually last a few minutes. Like regular tornadoes, though, they can reach more than half a mile high with winds of 100 miles per hour…and they can be just as deadly. The worst fire devil occurred after the 1923 Great Kanto earthquake in Tokyo, when 38,000 people were killed in 15 minutes.

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Reaching Belize’s remote cave Actun Tunichil Muknal requires travelers to walk for an hour through the jungle before swimming and wading another kilometer up the cave river. Inside the cave are skeletons of ritual sacrifices made by the Maya to their gods more than a thousand years ago. Some of those sacrifices in the cave were children including the skeleton of a teenage girl known as the Crystal Maiden because her calcified bones sparkle in the light.

Old history, new theory

The event: The Black Death, which wiped out about a third of the populations of Europe in the mid1300s.

What the history books say: The Black Death was caused by an outbreak of bubonic plague, spread by rats.

New theory: Dr. James Wood, professor of anthropology at Penn State University, used computer analysis of church records and other documents to map out how the plague spread across Europe. If the epidemic really had been caused by bubonic plague, it would have spread differently than this one did.

Rat-borne bubonic plague has to reach epidemic levels in the rat population before it can cause an epidemic in humans, Wood says. The Black Death seems to have spread faster among humans than it could possibly have spread among rats. And there’s little evidence of a rat epidemic in the historical record. “There are no reports of dead rats in the streets in the 1300s,” he says.

Also, symptoms of bubonic plague are stark and unmistakable: high fever, bad breath, body odor, coughing, and vomiting of blood, followed by swollen lymph nodes and red bruising on the skin that turns purple and then black. Yet, Wood says, 14 th -century descriptions of the Black Death are vague. They’re “usually too non-specific to be a reliable basis for diagnosis” he says.

In conclusion: So what really caused the Black Death? Climate change, according to Wood and coresearcher Sharon DeWitt. A global warming period ended about 1300, followed by a cooling period called the Little Ice Age. During that time, rain and bad winters prevailed, and crops began to die in 1315. As people started to starve, malnutrition caused their immunities to drop. DeWitt said, “The pattern we observed, of the Black Death targeting the weak but also killing people who were otherwise healthy, is consistent with an emerging disease striking a population with no immunity.” Lack of immunity to disease combined with poor sanitation led to the fast spread of disease and the huge number of deaths.

I asked my wife what she wanted for Christmas. She said, “Nothing would make me happier than a diamond necklace!”

So I gave her nothing.

2000 Keifer IRH 300 carousel/ pipe spool trailer, self-loading, electric over hydraulic, 7000 lb. GVWR Call

1997 International 2674 single axle truck tractor, N14 Cummins diesel, 13 speed, transmission, locking rear differential, spring suspension, west coast clean, rust free with 158,000 miles Call

2001 John Deere 444H loader, quick attach, auxillary 3rd valve hydraulics, full cab, new Grabtec grapple Call

1995 Bobcat 763 Skid steer, auxillary hydraulics, 1550 lb. capacity, Kubota diesel, clean, nice, exmunicipal machine, only 1700 hours Call

2012 Ford F550 super cab, 4x4, service/utility truck, 6.7L diesel Power Stroke diesel, automatic, 9-ft. service body, hydraulic wet kit, very nice Call

2000 Freightliner Fl80 cab & chassis, 275 hp., Cat diesel, Allison automatic, heavy specs, long frame, only 12,000 actual miles, pristine condition, perfect feed truck chassis Call

2017 Doosan/Ingersoll Rand P425 air compressor dual pressure, 425 PSI, Cummins diesel, 2200 hours Call

1995 International 8100 single axle truck tractor, Cat 3176 diesel, 4560 Allison automatic, 5th wheel, clean rust free, automatic tractor Call

2009 Ford F750 4x4 cab and chassis with enclosed utility body, pre-emissions Cat C7 diesel, 6 speed manual transmission, locking rear differential, only 3,500 actual miles, absolutely like new perfect condition Call

1996 GMC tow truck Century body, rear wheel lift, dual winches, Cat diesel, Allison automatic, under CDL, ex-municipal truck Call

1996 International tandem dump truck, 15-ft. rock box, high lift tailgate, Cat diesel, 13 speed, one owner ex-municipal, low miles Call

1985 Case W24C frontend loader, new 6 tine grapple fork, 3rd valve hydraulics, full cab, only 459 hours, low hour ex-government machine Call

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2008 John Deere 310SJ backhoe, extend-a-hoe, 4x4, full cab, 4 & 1 bucket, auxiliary hydraulics, only 2900 hours, very nice Call

2001 Freightliner FL70 garbage truck, Cat diesel, Allison automatic, rear load, complete, clean Call

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2002 Grove A60J articulated/telescopic boomlift, 60-ft. reach, Cummins diesel, 4x4, dual steer, ac generator, only 700 hours, very nice. Call

2005 Freightliner M2 16-ft. flatbed, Cat diesel, 10 speed manual transmission, 37,000 lb. GVWR, 109,000 miles, beautiful condition, Very nice Call New 2023 Grabtec GA grapple fork with 2.5 yard general purpose bucket, JRB 416 quick attach, (GC & GA grapples on hand). Call

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2008 Yale GDP100VX forklift, 9500 lb. capacity, 158” reach, diesel, dual wheels, side shift, hydraulic fork positioner Call

2004 JCB 210S backhoe loader, full cab, 4x4 extend-a-hoe, front quick attach, auxillary 3rd valve hydraulics, 4&1 bucket, 13,000 lb. machine weight, very versatile machine Call

2000 Case 688G/Ingersoll Rand V843 telehandler, 8,000 lb. capacity, 43-ft. reach, Cummins diesel, clean, original paint, 5,500 hours Call

1997 International truck tractor, N14 Cummins diesel, 13 speed transmission, sliding 5th wheel, rear pintle hitch, only 175,000 miles, very nice Call

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2008 JLG 600AJN articulated/telescopic boomlift, 60-ft. reach, dual fuel gas/propane, extra clean sharp unit, 836 hours Call

1995 GMC Bucket Truck, 73-ft. reach, double elevator/telescopic boom, cab guard, double man basket, Cat diesel, automatic, only 38,000 miles, clean Call

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2006 Case 721D front end loader, high lift quick attach, auxillary 3rd valve hydraulics, 4&1 multipurpose bucket, ride control, 7,100 hours. One owner Call

2008 International 4300 bucket truck, 4x4 (under CDL), Hiranger 45-ft. reach elbow boom, material handler, diesel, auto, good clean affordable bucket truck Call

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Heavy duty grasses could replace artificial turf

By Seth Truscott, College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences, Washington State University

Researchers at Washington State University are stomping, poking, and gouging fields of experimental grasses to find the toughest living turf for future athletic fields.

Working at parks and schools around the state, crop scientist Michael Neff and stormwater ecologist Kate Kraszewski launched a two-year effort this fall to identify and breed hardy blends of grasses that can stand up to heavy, constant wear.

“We’ve got to figure out a way to make real turf resilient enough to deal with the impact that comes with sports,” said Neff, professor and head of WSU’s grass breeding program.

Backed by the Washington State Turfgrass Seed Association and supported by $695,000 in funding from the State of Washington, Neff and colleagues will plant sod fields next spring at Puyallup, Mount Vernon, Wenatchee, Othello, Prosser, and Pullman, Wash., with grass blends selected for their ability to survive and self-repair under punishment.

With some U.S. cities limiting use of artificial turf, Neff and Kraszewski want to improve and promote living fields.

“As communities become more urban and we use our public spaces more frequently, we need grass to keep up with the demands we put on it,” Kraszewski said. “Grass can help our parks playfields work harder for recreation and for our environment.”

Scientists Kate Kraszewski and Michael Neff work at WSU’s Perennial Grass Breeding and Ecology Farm. The two lead a new research effort to select hardy breeds of grasses that can replace artificial turf and serve on bust playfields and plazas.

Scientists Kate Kraszewski and Michael Neff work at WSU’s Perennial Grass Breeding and Ecology Farm. The two lead a new research effort to select hardy breeds of grasses that can replace artificial turf and serve on bust playfields and plazas.

Putting grass to the test

Heavy use damages grass fields, as many cleated feet rip up the sod and destroy the roots. That damage is compounded by environmental stresses that differ on either side of the Cascades.

To solve challenges, Neff plants blends of grass with different strengths. Kentucky bluegrass, for instance, grows well in the inland west and can repair itself from the rhizome, its network of roots and underground stems.

The research team will examine how well and quickly grass grows back after simulated wear, as well as its playability: how firm, thick, and safe it is to play on. The most resilient varieties will be incorporated in the WSU grass breeding program.

To test the blends, scientists at WSU’s Perennial Grass Breeding and Ecology Farm at Pullman roll out a menagerie of specialized equipment that simulates heavy use: among them, an “earth cannon” that drops a metal probe to measure soil compaction, a cleated device that gauges torque needed to tear up sod, and a tractor-towed cylinder studded with hundreds of metal bolts.

“You drag it across the field at a certain speed a certain number of times, and it mimics the wear on the 50-yard line after a football game,” Neff said.

An assistant professor in the School of Design and Construction, Kraszewski studies how hardy grass pavers can protect water quality in plazas and parking lot. At the turfgrass farm, she places heavy weights on grasses and gauges how well they filter an analogue of stormwater runoff.

“We’re still don’t know the full capabilities of grass in working landscapes,” she said. “I’m interested in grass as a friend to water. I gather data that helps planners and designers know what grasses can meet their needs.”

Nearly all Kentucky bluegrass seed sown in the world is grown in the Inland Northwest. This new project establishes research plots west of the Cascades, helping WSU scientists gain new insights into western Washington grasses.

“Washington is one of the largest producers of grass seed in the world,” Kraszweski said. “We’re working closely with the growers to better serve our state and the nation at large, so we can keep our public spaces green and grassy.”

The researchers plan to partner with parks departments, schools, and colleges across the state, helping organizations get more use out of their playfields and testing their ideas on a larger scale.

“Grass is everywhere, yet people rarely notice it,” Neff said. “I love working with grasses, trying to solve society’s problems associated with grasses and lawns, and elevating its importance in people’s minds.”

get your fence quotes in now for spring and summer openings!

Based out of Billings, Montana, but there’s no place we won’t go, and there’s no project we won’t do!

EQUIPMENT FOR SALE

1997 Valmar fertilizer spreader, 36-ft. stainless boom.

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1998 STI Clodhog 18-ft. cultipacker, 18” rings.

2019 John Deere 16-ft. chisel plow, 16 heavy duty shanks.

1991 John Deere 4200 4-bottom roll over moldboard plow.

1978 Hough H65 loader, 3-yard bucket plus forks.

1985 International 6200 grain drill, 14-ft. double disc.

1995 Spray Air field sprayer, 3-point, 90-ft. boom.

1972 Krause 15-ft. disc, 18” blades.

1982 International 16-ft. cultipacker.

1983 Jeoffroy 36-ft. chisel plow.

1986 Howard 10-ft. rotovator.

1989 Vicon 10-ft. pull type rotary swather.

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32 aluminum mainline, 10” x 30-ft. with 4” risers. 20 aluminum mainline, 10” x 40-ft. with 4 risers. 14 aluminum mainline, 8” x 40-ft. with 4 risers.

1984 Gleaner N6 grain combine, 24-ft. header.

1986 International 1482 grain combine, 16-ft. header, 12ft. pickup belt.

1984 Versatile 22-ft. grain swather, reversible belts. Phone cell (406) 490-3795, Anaconda, Montana

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Q: What’s a race car’s favorite thing to eat for lunch?

A: Fast food!

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Q: What did the zombie girl say to the zombie boy?

A: “Are you going to kiss me or rot?”

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What’s the one thing snipers can’t tell their wives? I missed you this morning.

Ideas for estate and transition planning:

Monetary compensation

By Jessica Groskopf, Nebraska Extension Agricultural Economist

For many farm and ranch families, bringing children or grandchildren into the operation is the ultimate goal. Successfully bringing additional family members into the operation may require some creativity, as all parties need to maintain a viable standard of living. This series of articles will highlight ideas and tactics for bringing another family member into the operation.

One tactic is to provide new family members with monetary compensation, such as an hourly wage or salary. The total compensation should be comparable to the market value of wages to hire a non-family member to do the same work.

Here are things to consider when employing this strategy.

Start anytime – This strategy can begin early in life. Children under 18 can earn monetary compensation from the farm or ranch. This can give family members a sense of responsibility and allow them to learn how to manage money at an early age. Furthermore, this can jump-start their savings for education, retirement, or business assets. Work with a financial advisor to explore tax-advantaged ways to save and invest on a child’s behalf such as Roth IRAs or 529 Accounts.

It’s tax-deductible – Wages or salaries paid to family members may be tax deductible. The downside is that it may require additional paperwork. Work with your accountant to make sure you have the correct documentation and reporting.

Financial Freedom – Providing monetary compensation can provide financial autonomy. A competitive compensation package shows that you value their contributions to the business. Additionally, being able to make their own spending and investment decisions can be empowering for them.

Setting Expectations – One of the biggest challenges for farm and ranch families is setting expectations for work. Different generations often have different views on this matter. When setting a monetary compensation rate, also consider writing position descriptions that clearly define working hours and responsibilities.

Maintain control – By monetarily compensating family members, ownership of the entity and capital assets are not being transferred. In the early stages of the transition process, paying wages or a salary may be a way to test the waters and see if working together in the operation is feasible. If it is not, the owner still maintains control of the capital assets. The family member also now has cash to start their own operation or choose a new career path.

Not all compensation has to come from an hourly wage or salary. Often, owners will compensate family members in various forms, such as housing, vehicles, insurance, etc. Non-monetary compensation should be valued and factored into the total compensation package. The total compensation package should allow both owners and other family members to maintain a viable standard of living. The monetary and non-monetary compensation package should be discussed and in writing before someone becomes involved in the operation.

One strategy to help transition someone onto your farm or ranch operation is providing monetary compensation. Look for future articles outlining other strategies on the Center for Ag Profitability website at cap.unl.edu.

Heart to Heart

In 1996 renowned English heart surgeon Sir Magdi Yacoub operated on two-year-old Hannah Clark of Mountain Ash, Wales. She had cardiomyopathy, which had caused her heart to become badly inflamed, so Yacoub put in a new one. Hannah and her new heart were doing well…until the heart started showing signs of rejection 10 years later. In 2006 Yacoub came out of retirement and operated on Hannah, now 12, again. He reconnected her original heart…which had been left inside her body (surprisingly, not an unusual practice). It had apparently healed itself while it wasn’t being used and began working immediately when it was reattached. Hannah was back home within five days. It was the first time that such an operation had ever been performed.

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I told my friend not to get too excited about turning 32, since her birthday party would be so short. “Why would it be short?” she asked. I said, “Because it’s your thirty-second birthday.”

John Deere 240 mower conditioner, center pivot, rubber rolls $4500

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2013 Kuhn EL282-400 15-ft. tiller, 1000 PTO 1-3/4”, clean unit. $25,500

WSU Extension resources support ag workers’ mental health

By Joe Roberts, College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences

In Washington state, agricultural worker suicide rates are significantly higher than the national average. To address this concerning trend, Washington State University Extension is supporting the mental health of thousands of agricultural workers statewide through services, programming, and oneon-one financial counseling.

Ag sector anxieties often stem from rising prices, fluctuating markets, extreme weather events, and a nonstop farming schedule. Financial hardship causes the most stress for Washington farmers.

“Whether you own a couple of sheep or are farming more than 1,000 acres, the reality is that every farmer has financial struggles,” said Jon Paul Driver, a WSU Extension specialist with the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network, whose work is grant-funded through the Washington State Department of Agriculture.

Driver, who grew up farming — first dairy cows and now timothy and alfalfa hay — said he understands the challenges. His WSU degrees in agribusiness and economics and his industry experience working with Farm Credit Services and the Western Center for Risk Management have enabled him to effectively help farmers address financial stress head on.

Just this year, Driver has given dozens of presentations during industry events in production systems as varied as tree fruit, cattle, and wheat. More than 1,500 farmers have attended his presentations on topics including high interest rates, inflation, acquiring bank loans, creating enterprise budgets, and macroeconomic updates.

“The most important part of my presentation is letting farmers know that I’m available to help further,” he said.

Driver calculates that of every 100 people he presents to, about four will reach out for follow-up assistance. He has met with more than 150 farmers via one-on-one consultations so far this year.

“Extension is a recognized, high-quality brand in agriculture that allows me to be effective at these different levels,” he said. “When someone is overwhelmed with stress or anxiety that extends beyond finances, I’m able to refer them to other Extension programs or personnel. That’s part of Extension’s broad safety net approach.

“Have you got anything to drink?” “Water.” “I meant something harder?” “Ice.”

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A smoothie. The miracle of selling somebody a peach and a banana for $5.

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What do you call a dog who can do magic? A Labracadabrador.

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What do you call an alligator in a vest? An Investigator.

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Chlorpyrifos insecticide products legal for insect control

According to the North Dakota Department of Agriculture there are currently two products with the active ingredient chlorpyrifos that are registered for agricultural crop use in North Dakota as of February 2024.

Chlorpyrifos is an important and valued tool for insect and mite control in many crops including alfalfa, field corn, soybeans, sugarbeets, sunflower, and spring and winter wheat.

In November 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eight Circuit issued a ruling overturning the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s final rule of August 2021, which revoked all food crop tolerances for chlorpyrifos.

The Eighth Circuit Court’s decision was based in part on the fact that the EPA had issued a Proposed Interim Decision (PID) in 2020, which included 11 chlorpyrifos crop uses that the EPA determined met safety tolerances. Before the PID could be finalized, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued a ruling ordering the EPA to either amend or revoke chlorpyrifos food tolerances and gave the EPA 60 days to comply.

The EPA revoked all chlorpyrifos food tolerances in its final rule in August 2021 (effective February 28, 2022). The Eighth Circuit Court held that the EPA could have issued a PID amending tolerances despite the short turnaround time and therefore vacated the order to revoke all food crop tolerances.

“Because of the Eighth Circuit Court’s ruling, food crop tolerances are restored and producers can now use currently registered chlorpyrifos products on all crops with reinstated tolerances, consistent with directions for use on those product labels,” says Janet Knodel, North Dakota State University Extension entomologist.

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According to the North Dakota Department of Agriculture Pesticide Product Search site, located at https://www.kellysolutions.com/nd/searchbychem.asp, there are currently two products with the active ingredient chlorpyrifos that are registered for agricultural crop use in North Dakota as of February 2024.

“Those products are Pilot 4E, a liquid formulation used primarily as a foliar insecticide in several crops, and Pilot 15G, a granular formulation used as an at-plant band treatment for control of soil dwelling insects, notably sugarbeet root maggot in sugarbeets,” says Mark Boetel, NDSU School of Natural Resource Sciences professor of entomology.

“Be sure to check with your state’s department of agriculture for registered chlorpyrifos products,” advises Knodel. “Even for registered products, availability may be limited in 2024.”

“Chlorpyrifos is an important and valued tool for insect and mite control in many crops including alfalfa, field corn, soybeans, sugarbeets, sunflower, and spring and winter wheat,” says Adam Varenhorst, South Dakota State University Extension entomologist. “This has the potential to be beneficial for producers, especially with the management of certain insecticide resistant insect pests, including pyrethroid resistant soybean aphids, pyrethroid resistant red sunflower seed weevils in South Dakota, and insect pests for which there is no other effective option.”

“As a reminder, read, understand and follow the label directions for these products regarding registered crops, application methods, application rates, preharvest intervals and the total seasonal limits for active ingredient per acre. Also, be sure to follow personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements on the product labels, as well as environmental hazard, spray drift mitigation, and agricultural use language,” cautions Andrew Thostenson, NDSU Extension pesticide program coordinator.

Chlorpyrifos is highly toxic to bees that are directly exposed to the treatment or to remaining residuals on blooming crops and weeds. Per the Environmental Hazards section on the label,do not apply this product or allow it to drift to blooming crops or weeds if bees are visiting the treatment area.

“This means that application timing must occur when pollinators are not actively foraging on the crop and will not be exposed to residuals during foraging activities,” says Patrick Beauzay, NDSU Extension entomology research specialist. “Application of chlorpyrifos insecticides should occur in the evening after 6 p.m. Do not apply chlorpyrifos or any other pesticide during temperature inversions, as severe off-target drift is likely to occur under these conditions.”

“The future of chlorpyrifos is still uncertain. While registered product and crop uses are again legal, the EPA will continue to evaluate chlorpyrifos food tolerance and envi-

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Dates set for NDSU Extension youth farm safety camps

According to the National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Safety and Health, young workers were 7.8 times more likely to be fatally injured in agriculture when compared to all other industries combined in 2016. Tractors and all-terrain vehicles are the leading sources of fatal events. When it comes to youth fatalities on the farm, 47% involved transportation, which includes tractors, 20% involved contact with machinery, and 13% involved violent contact with animals on a farm. In 2021, the annual cost of childhood agriculture-related deaths was $605 million with non-fatal agriculture-related injuries at $1.4 billion.

“These sobering statistics highlight the need for more training and education when it comes to having youth work on farms,” says Angie Johnson, North Dakota State University Extension farm and ranch safety coordinator. “NDSU Extension provides youth farm worker certification training that meets the U.S. Department of Labor Hazardous Occupations Order in Agriculture (HOOA) requirements for 14-to-15-yearolds to be able to legally work on a farm other than their own family’s operation.

Youth will be able to learn about safe farm and ranch practices and earn their certifications during three statewide farm safety camps that NDSU Extension is hosting this year. Camp dates and locations are:

May 21-23, Minot State University Campus, Minot

May 29-31, Lake Region State College Campus, Devils Lake

June 25-27, Bismarck State College Campus, Bismarck

The three-day, two-night camps cover the basics of safe tractor and machinery operation, general farm hazards, livestock handling, use of personal protective equipment, and basic first-aid and first-response procedures.

“These camps help teens become familiar with the most serious hazards associated with operating tractors and agricultural machinery, along with the fundamentals of safe operation and maintenance,” says Johnson, who is collaborating with NDSU Extension agents to conduct the camps.

Farm stress management skills

Farm hazard identification

Youth will have opportunities for handson learning, including utilizing farm equipment on obstacle courses to simulate actual farm situations. Livestock handling sessions will allow participants to interact with animals and learn more about animal behaviors and safety when working with animals. ATV certification and Stop the Bleed certification are also included.

Federal law under the HOOA requires that youth under the age of 16 receive certification of training prior to employment on farms operated by anyone other than a parent or guardian. The program is for youth 14 and 15 years old. Youth who are 13 can participate, and the certification they receive will become valid when they turn 14.

By successfully passing this program, which includes a final exam, participants will receive official certification to operate tractors over 20 horsepower, and some pieces of farm machinery when working for a farmer or rancher outside of the family’s operation.

“While this certification is not required for youth to work on their own family farm, we encourage all teens who plan to work on a farm to participate in this program,” says Johnson. “These camps are designed to strengthen communication skills between parents, employers and teen workers on the farm. Farm safety training prepares the next generation of the workforce with the safety skills needed to prevent injuries and fatalities on the job.”

Thomas Jewett, a teenager from Barnes County, has attended the NDSU Extension farm safety camp for two years. Because of his participation, he says his family’s operation has changed for the better.

“Our organization has improved as we discussed farm safety issues, addressed safety items needing to be fixed, and reviewed our farm safety plan,” Jewett says. “I want to make sure that when my family farms, we are safe. Farm safety camp helps with this.”

Camps are open to youth from all counties in North Dakota. Youth do not need to be enrolled in 4-H to participate.

Participants will receive hands-on experience and learning opportunities, including:

Safe tractor operation, including a tractor driving obstacle course

Livestock handling

All-terrain vehicle safety, including ATV certification

Skid steer operation

Roadway safety using rules of the road

Farm first-aid and emergency preparedness

Laws related to youth working in agriculture

Equipment operation and maintenance

Registration opened March 15 and the deadline to register is April 15. The cost of each camp is $300. Registration for all three camps can be found online at ndsu. ag/youthfarmsafety.

Sponsorships from businesses and organizations provide personal protective equipment and farm safety supplies for camp participants. Contact Johnson at angela.b.johnson@ndsu.edu to learn more about current sponsorship opportunities.

For more information regarding farm safety camp, please contact your local NDSU Extension agent.

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Chlorpyrifos insecticide products legal for insect control

CONTINUED FROM PAGE B14

ronmental safety as required by law during the registration review process,” says Thostenson.

The EPA likely will issue a new PID for the 11 identified crops from the 2020 PID, including alfalfa, soybean, sugarbeet, and wheat (spring and winter), which could include amended tolerances and new use restrictions, says Knodel. Crop uses that were not identified in

the 11 uses specified in the PID are especially uncertain and could have their tolerances revoked entirely. Sunflower and corn were not included in the 11 crop uses. Producers, crop consultants, pesticide applicators, commodity groups and other stakeholders can and should provide comments to the EPA when they publish decisions, recommends Knodel.

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Grants advance MSU cybersecurity research

By Skip Anderson, MSU News Service

Two grants from the Idaho National Laboratory are advancing the work of researchers at Montana State University’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Gianforte School of Computing to make the country’s critical infrastructure safer from cyberattacks.

“Cybersecurity impacts us all whether we know it or not,” said Todd Kaiser, head of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering. “It protects our personal data, fiscal transactions, energy delivery and eventually all aspects of our life.”

In January, INL awarded a $255,000, three-year grant to electrical and computer engineering professor Brock LaMeres and Clemente Izurieta, professor of computer science and co-director of the Software Engineering and Cybersecurity Lab, to fund a project called “Programmable Hardware Authenticity Self Evaluation.”

Also in January, INL awarded $210,000 to Bradley Whitaker, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, for a project “Artificial Neural Network Enabled Decode of Gigabit Ethernet.”

“This isn’t like protecting documents on a network in the cloud,” said LaMeres, who also directs MSU’s Montana Engineering Education Research Center. “We’re concerned with things like the electrical power grid, water treatment plants and hospital treatment networks.”

Those areas are especially attractive targets to hackers, he said.

“There are foreign adversaries that would like to cause chaos by potentially weakening our defense,” LaMeres said. “There are also domestic attackers who wish to make money off ransomware attacks and bad actors who simply want to see whether they can bring something down.”

The malicious activities that concern LaMeres and Izurieta are called “sidechannel attacks,” which attackers use to passively monitor a computer system’s power consumption. Sophisticated attackers can use that information to determine when the computer might be performing particular tasks, suggesting when the system is most vulnerable to attack.

“What [Izurieta] and I are doing is trying to confuse the attacker by obfuscating the power signature of the computer,” LaMeres said.

Previous countermeasures relied on software to forestall attackers, but that approach can create a signature decipherable by high-tech hackers.

To eliminate these telltale signatures, the two scientists are building on technology LaMeres developed for computers used in space. In space, radiation can damage sensitive computer hardware such as microchips and processors. LaMeres and Izurieta use a related technology

called a field programmable gate array that allows the computer to create random signals to help defend against would-be attackers.

“Think of it as randomizing a sentence’s letters by scrambling them,” said Izurieta. “And only we – not the hackers – know how to unscramble that. So, an attacker won’t be able to do nefarious things with these computers. We can borrow from these scrambling technologies to create random signatures that hackers will not understand when performing side-channel attacks.”

Whitaker’s research involves the other side of this equation: identifying and monitoring potentially malicious incoming instructions from bad actors.

“My aim is to automatically detect and interpret how computers talk to each other,” Whitaker said. “From a security perspective, you can insert yourself into a communication pipeline without disturbing the incoming message in a way that neither the sender nor the receiver would know that the communication was intercepted. As some people say, the best cyber defense is a good cyber offense.”

Two graduate students and two undergraduates work on these projects.

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Young farmers and ranchers excel at national conference

The American Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers Conference brought together more than 900 young farmers and ranchers from across the country to learn, share and grow together to build a stronger Farm Bureau. Eighteen Montana Farm Bureau YF&R Committee and Collegiate Young Farmers & Ranchers members attended the conference March 8-11 in Omaha, NE. The event offered excellent speakers, breakout sessions, evening activities and tours that provided opportunities for young farmers and ranchers to grow and network with members from across the country.

The group had the amazing experience seeing colleague Matthew Slivka not only participate in the College Discussion Meet but make the Final Four of the competition.

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Slivka, who hails from a cow-calf ranch in Winifred, set his target to make the Sweet Sixteen round, but said he was “over the moon” to make the Final Four. “I remember sitting at the table when they announced Montana had made the finals. Not only did I get a chance to compete, but it was great that our state got its name up there, too.”

conference for Montana’s YF&R Committee Chair Nick Courville who praised the agenda.

“We heard from the American Farm Bureau staff in Washington who addressed current events like the farm bill and why it’s important to understand and work on these issues,” said Courville. “Our keynote speakers were excellent. Hearing AFBF President Zippy Duvall is always inspiring and we enjoyed Rick Rigsby, an award-winning journalist who spent two decades as a college professor. He said to be comfortable being uncomfortable and ‘good enough is not good enough if it can be better.’ He added that you can learn life’s lessons from your grandparents.”

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The student explained that competing in the Collegiate Discussion Meet provides many opportunities to expand your knowledge, meet new people and gain fresh perspectives.

“The Collegiate Discussion Meet is a great way to hone your skills on how to more effectively advocate for Montana Farm Bureau and agriculture in general,” Slivka noted. “If you want to be a future leader in the next generation of agriculture, attend events like this one.”

Courville joined a tour that visited the University of Nebraska meat science lab where they demonstrated meat cutting. The group also toured a new $7.2 million dollar feedlot which mimics a modern-day hog barn with slatted floors where the manure drops through and can be used as fertilizer.

“The conference was great for the collegiate members to attend,” said Collegiate Farm Bureau Chair Cody Johannes. “They discover there is support and networking. It was beneficial for them to realize subjects like mental health are discussed at the national level.”

This was the second national YF&R

Johannes said the conference held abundant learning for students. “Meeting new people provides a unique opportunity. Whether you are visiting with a cattle farmer from Florida or a rancher from Montana, you find out that we all have the same goals. College gives you schooling, but this conference gives you education.”

Babe Ruth Day

Date When Celebrated: April 27th

Babe Ruth Day honors the “Great Bambino”, one of Baseball’s greatest players ever.

On April 27, 1947, Babe Ruth attended Yankee Stadium for Babe Ruth Day. It was to be the second last time he was at the stadium. In 1946, he was diagnosed with throat cancer. Back then, there was not as much treatment as there is today.

On this day in 1947, baseball’s “The Bambino” returned to “The House that Ruth Built” to be honored.

Babe Ruth Trivia

• He first gained fame as a left-handed pitcher. Later in his career, he switched to outfielder.

• Bambino means “baby boy” in Italian.

• His first nickname was “Babe”. He was also called the “Sultan of Swat”.

• He ended his career in a Boston Brave uniform.

• Babe hit 714 home runs.

• Amazingly, he was not a unanimous selection for the Baseball Hall of Fame.

• Babe’s lifetime hitting percentage was .690.

Albert Chandler, commissioner of Baseball from 1945 to 1951, started this holiday. The first celebration was on April 27, 1947.

Montana Farm Bureau was well represented at the American Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Conference in Nebraska.

FWP gearing up for a new Watercraft Inspection Station Season

Several watercraft inspection stations begin operation in early March to check snowbird boat traffic returning from musselpositive areas such as Lakes Mead and Havasu. Boat owners coming to Montana must have their vessel inspected for aquatic invasive species (AIS) at a Montana watercraft inspection station prior to launch.

FWP works closely with partners for station operation and contracts with the Beaverhead Conservation District for operation of the Dillon station and Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes for operation of the Ravalli station. Inspections will also be available at the FWP Region 1 office in Kalispell in March to help accommodate requirements for Mac Days.

Watercraft inspection stations are Montana’s first line of defense to prevent the

movement of AIS which can have devastating impacts on Montana waterways.

Boat owners should ensure their watercraft, trailers and gear are clean, drained and dry before transporting and need to be aware of Montana’s inspection rules:

• All watercraft coming into Montana from out of state must be inspected prior to launching.

• All watercraft traveling west across the Continental Divide into the Columbia River Basin must be inspected prior to launching.

• Anyone transporting watercraft must stop at all open watercraft inspection stations they encounter.

• And all boaters are reminded to always clean drain and dry their boat, live wells, anchors, boots and gear when leaving the water.

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UNL releases preliminary farm real estate market survey results

By Jim Jansen, Jeff Stokes, and Jessica Groskopf

According to the preliminary results of the 2024 Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Survey, the market value of agricultural land in Nebraska increased by five percent over the prior year to an average of $4,015 per acre. This marks the third consecutive year of increases in the market value of agricultural land in Nebraska, setting another high in the non-inflation-adjusted statewide land value in the survey’s 46-year history.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Department of Agricultural Economics annually surveys land industry professionals across Nebraska, including appraisers, farm and ranch managers, agricultural bankers, and related industry professionals. Results from the survey are divided by land class and summarized by the eight Agricultural Statistic Districts of Nebraska.

The 2024 preliminary results revealed that most of Northwest Nebraska’s agricultural land values were higher for the February 1, 2024, reporting year. The northwest region includes Banner, Box Butte, Cheyenne, Dawes, Deuel, Garden, Kimball, Morrill, Scotts Bluff, Sheridan, and Sioux counties. The average farmland value in the region is estimated to be $960 per acre, which is three percent higher than the previous year.

Table 1 reports the eight major types of land reported in the survey and the average value of each type for the Northwest region. Table 2 shows the reported cash rental rates for various types of land. Val-

ues are reported in dollars per acre unless otherwise noted. Actual agricultural land values or rental rates for an individual parcel will vary from reported figures depending on the area’s quality attributes and local market forces.

Land industry professionals responding to the annual survey attributed the rise in Nebraska agricultural real estate values to purchases for farm expansion, current livestock prices, 1031 tax exchanges, the amount of land offerings for sale, and as a hedge against inflation.

Cropland rental rates moderated across Nebraska in 2024. Survey responses indicated lower crop prices have led to the reported changes and moderation in cropland cash rental rates. Favorable crop yields across the United States in 2023 have increased grain stocks and brought grain prices down from near-record levels. Input prices for seed, fertilizer, and chemicals have leveled off but remain elevated for specific key inputs.

Pasture and cow-calf pair rental rates trended higher across Nebraska in 2024. Rising grazing land cash rental rates follow higher cattle prices with the decline in national inventories. Cash rental negotiations should include early removal provisions when accounting for drought considerations for the upcoming growing season.

To view the complete report visit: https:// cap.unl.edu/realestate or contact Jessica Groskopf, 308-632-1247, jgroskopf2@ unl.edu

National Peach Cobbler Day

This holiday is always celebrated on April 13th

You may not have known it when you awoke this morning, but today is National Peach Cobbler Day. How sweet it is! Peaches are one of America’s favorite fruits. When you put it into a cobbler recipe, you’ve got a real treat. Undoubtedly, people will be asking for seconds.

Peach Cobbler is a deep-dish fruit pie, made with peaches and biscuits (or its equivalent). While it is best to be served hot, it is still delicious when consumed cold, too. Back in the 1800s, American settlers traveling to the west did not have the ingredients to make a then-popular suet pudding. They used peaches and dough to cobble together this tasty fruit pie. We are sure glad they did!

For the record! The largest Peach Cobbler ever made was baked at the Georgia Peach Festival in 2007. It measured 11-ft. X 5-ft. and 8″ deep.

History and Origin of National Peach Cobbler Day

Peach Cobbler Day was created by the Georgia Peach Council in the 1950s to promote the consumption of canned peaches. Canned peaches can be enjoyed any month of the year. This helps to answer the placement of this special day in April, when fresh peaches are not available.

Table 1. Average Value of Agricultural Land, Northwest Region, 2024 UNL Farm Real Estate Market Survey Preliminary Results

Table 2. Average Cash Rental Rate, Northwest Region, 2024 UNL Farm Real Estate Market Survey Preliminary Results

Controlling grass in sorghum

By Brent Bean, Sorghum Checkoff Director of Agronomy

For years, growers struggled to control grass in sorghum, and it was often cited as a reason to plant other crops. There was a significant change in 2021 when iGrowth® sorghum from Advanta was introduced to U.S. farmers. This was quickly followed in 2022 with Double Team™ Sorghum from S&W Seed. A third option, although seed is still somewhat limited, is Inzen™ Sorghum from Pioneer®. Many sorghum growers are now using one of these technologies to successfully control grass.

As with any new technologies, there have been a few bumps in the road as these products have been introduced. The release of these technologies in 2021 coincided with widespread dry conditions across many parts of the sorghum belt, exacerbating challenges faced by farmers. Since then, seed companies have learned which hybrids have the best fit in different regions and environments.

I am often asked if there is a yield drag associated with these technologies and my answer is, it depends on the particular environment and the specific hybrid that is being grown. In independent trials, the yield results with these hybrids have been mixed. In these trials, some technologytraited hybrids have yielded in the top 25 percent of all entries, while others have lagged below the average yield of the trial. Although many of these technology-traited hybrids are competitive now, they will only get better as seed companies develop new hybrids.

Growers interested in planting any of these technologytraited hybrids should contact their seed company immediately. Companies tell me that the supply of iGrowth and Double Team seed should be adequate to meet the demand, but some of the more popular hybrids are getting tight. The supply of Inzen sorghum seed may be especially unavailable in some regions.

The second question that is often asked is how much does it cost to use these technologies? A good rule of thumb is to expect an additional cost of approximately $20 an acre. The actual cost will vary depending on the technology being used, as well as the seeding and herbicide rates. Although not cheap, the control of yield robbing grass makes the expense well worth it.

The herbicides being used in these technologies, ImiFlex, FirstAct and Zest, are all proven grass control products. Over the last four years, I have had the opportunity to review many grass trials with these products and can confidently say they all do a good job of controlling annual grasses. Almost all growers that I have talked to have been pleased with the performance of the herbicides.

As with any herbicide traited seed for any crop, stewardship of these technologies will be critical to prevent the development of resistant weeds. Now that we can control grass in sorghum, we all want these technologies to remain viable for many years to come. Observe all stewardship guidelines provided by the seed and herbicide companies. In addition, sorghumcheckoff.com has information that details stewardship of these technologies. Search ‘stewardship’ to find this information.

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Nano-Gold

How tiny is a nanometer? It’s one billionth of a meter. Nanometers are the units of measurement for the world’s smallest particles–atoms and molecules. Amazingly, scientists are now finding practical uses for particles of gold that measure in mere nanometers.

How To Catch Goldfinger

Despite advances in DNA evidence, forensic investigators still favor an old-fashioned method of crime-scene detection: fingerprints. These are obtained by applying chemicals that react with the amino acids in sweat that was left behind in the print. But prints last for only about three hours on nonporous surfaces, and people with very dry skin don’t always leave clear fingerprints. Modern science has a solution: nano-gold. Researchers in Sydney, Australia have found that mixing gold nanoparticles into those chemicals gives much sharper detail, no matter how old the prints are or what surface they’re on. This is an important step toward the “holy grail” of forensic science: recovering prints from a crime victim’s skin–even from corpses.

Waste Not

Thanks to nano-gold, sewage treatment plants could go from consuming energy to producing it. How? By using the microbial fuel cell, a device that converts chemical energy to electrical energy. Bacteria from sewage are placed in the anode chamber of the cell, where they consume nutrients and grow, releasing electrons in the process. Result: electricity! Engineers at Oregon State University have discovered that coating the anodes with nano-gold increases the amount of energy released twentyfold. Sewage treatment plants might produce their own operating power, and even become “brown energy” generators.

Divide and conquer

More than a third of all Americans–about 120 million people–will be diagnosed with cancer sometime during their lives. When the wife of Dr. Mostafa El-Sayed, a Georgia Tech professor, was fighting breast cancer, he began looking into cancer research. “In cancer, a cell’s nucleus divides much faster than normal.” Says El-Sayed. “If we can stop a cell from dividing, we can stop the cancer.” El-Sayed felt that the properties of gold might be useful in killing cancer cell, and he designed nanometer-sized spheres of gold to test his theory. He and his team harvested cells from cancers of the ear, nose, and throat and coated them with a peptide that would carry the nano-gold into the cancer cells, but not into healthy cells. Results: The cancer cells started dividing, then collapsed and died. Though the discovery came too late to save El-Sayed’s wife, nano-gold may save many lives in the future.

Garden hints

Bats are useful in a garden as they eat approximately half their weight in insects each night. Bats are also very instrumental in plant pollination.

Plant nasturtiums, dill, lavender, thyme, hyssop, or sage around the base of apple trees or other plants to control aphids.

If you are having problems getting your runner beans to set, either try spraying them with sugar water or planting sweet peas in the same row. Both methods will attract pollinators.

To store and ripen green tomatoes, harvest tomatoes free of blemishes, then wash and dry them. Place in a box with four ripe apples. Keep in a cool place around 50-60 degree F. The ethylene gas produced will help ripen the fruit.

Don’t throw out that old carpet; turn it upside down on a newly dug patch of soil or between vegetable beds to use it as an inexpensive weed blanket. Slit through when planting and then cover entirely with bark or gravel.

Ladybugs are a great gardener’s friend. Always put them on plants suffering from aphids as they just love to eat them. To attract ladybugs to your garden, plant Jerusalem artichokes.

Although we may not like spiders, they do eat a lot of insects and without them the garden would soon be overrun with pests.

Encourage the birds to come into your garden, particularly with a birdbath. Birds eat a lot of garden pests and they are lovely to watch.

When filling plant pots with compost, only fill to within 1” of the rim to allow room for watering.

When you’ve boiled eggs use the leftover water to pour between the cracks in the sidewalks or stone path to prevent weeds growing.

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Bat Appreciation Day

This holiday is always celebrated on April 17th No, we are not going batty. We just think that bats deserve a little respect. There are many varieties of bats, some as small as your thumb. Counter to what horror movies lead us to believe, these night flyers won’t bother you, if you don’t bother them. However, if you’ve got bats in your belfry, that’s a different matter altogether. So, head on outdoors after dark on this holiday, and enjoy Bat Appreciation Day.

Bats can be your friend. Bats are nocturnal flyers, emerging after dark, from caves, steeples, and the attics of old buildings. These flying mammals are attracted to areas where there are plenty of nighttime insects, along with a good source of water. They use a form of radar to seek their favorite food source of mosquitos and other insects. A single bat can consume up to 1,000 mosquitoes a day (or night). Gardeners certainly appreciate bats. Bat guano is among the best manures you can use in your home garden.

When we think about bats, we often think of them as scary Halloween Bats, a symbol of the Halloween holiday. But these nocturnal mammals aren’t really scary to most people once they get used to them flying around at night in search of an insect meal.

So, let’s use today to better

understand, and appreciate our fine feathered friend, the Bat.

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Practice mindful eating in March, National Nutrition Month

By Julie Garden-Robinson, NDSU Extension food and nutrition specialist

We are now four years past the start of the 2020 pandemic. I kept some good habits and at least one bad habit.

Like everyone else, I embraced the idea of good handwashing lasting at least 20 seconds. Like so many others, I became much more adept at technology for conducting meetings and implementing educational programs. Those were positive outcomes.

Unfortunately, I also became quite isolated in my office during pandemic workdays. Most of my coworkers moved home to do their work. I used to eat with colleagues for a chance to socialize. Instead, I dined solo at my desk and read email or watched videos during lunchtime.

These days, I continue to eat lunch at my desk while reading email or attending online meetings.

I am fairly similar to other workers. According to the results of a recent survey by “Opinium” for a Massachusetts-based company, more than three out of four workers eat at their desks several days a week.

Unfortunately, when we eat while doing work, we probably are not enjoying our food and being mindful of what we are eating.

Sometimes I do not even realize that I have finished my sandwich or whatever I am eating. When I reach over to grab the rest of my food, it is gone.

What happened to my food? Obviously, I ate it without awareness of what I was doing. I do not think anyone is sneaking into my office when I am focusing on my screen. I certainly hope not.

Our brains really do not multitask very well according to neuropsychologists. The majority of people can focus on one thing at a time. In fact, less than 3% of people can multitask, according to researchers.

Most people’s brains flip back and forth rapidly between tasks. When our brains are attempting to juggle tasks, mistakes are more likely.

eat can affect your food selection.

March is National Nutrition Month, and that’s a good time to think about what we eat and how we approach our hunger and eating. Eating mindfully can help people manage their weight and help prevent health conditions that might arise from carrying excess weight. Diabetes, high blood pressure, joint issues and other health conditions often are linked with excess weight.

Try this activity that I adapted from a few different sources.

Assign your hunger a level. According to a 10-point “hunger scale,” 1 is extremely hungry (“ravenous”), 3 is very hungry, 5 is neutral, 8 is very full and 10 is painfully full (sometimes described as “Thanksgiving Dinner full”). Most of the time, being in the 4 to 6 range between being a little hungry and satisfied is a good place to be.

If you are a bit hungry, choose a snack you might have nearby. It might be a small piece of candy, a snack-sized bag of popcorn, a granola bar or a piece of fruit.

Enjoy your snack mindfully. What does it look like? Does it have a pleasant smell?

Now explore the taste and texture of the food. Is it sweet, salty, juicy, crunchy or not worth eating? If you have a piece of chocolate, let it melt in your mouth.

Slow down and really taste the food. How much of the food does it take to satisfy your hunger? Stop when you are done, and put away the rest of the food for another time.

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If you find that you sometimes eat without really tasting the food, you might find some of these tips helpful.

Sit at a table and turn off distractions such as cell phones and other media. Eating with friends and family is a good idea to slow down and enjoy your meal. Soft background music may be calming and can enhance the dining experience.

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Have you ever eaten snacks while watching TV? Have you ever been surprised by how much you have eaten?

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Being mindful means we are aware of our hunger and our satiety cues. What promotes your desire to eat or snack? For many, time of day and the amount of time you have to

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Put your snack on a plate or in a bowl when possible. That may help prevent overeating that could happen if you are enjoying a snack from a bag or box.

Eat more slowly. Remember your brain takes about 20 minutes to send a signal to your stomach that you are full.

Put down your fork between bites and chew more.

Enjoy the food. Savor the flavor and texture.

Here’s a tasty recipe to practice mindful eating. Pair the dip with your favorite fruit and explore the texture, aroma and flavor of your healthful snack.

Honey Fruit Dip

1 cup nonfat or low-fat plain yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons honey (or to taste)

Red and green apple slices (or fruit of choice)

Mix yogurt with vanilla and cinnamon. Add honey to taste until desired sweetness is reached. Rinse and slice apples right before serving or dip them in a lemon-water mixture to deter browning.

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FAQ for wildfire damage to crops and range/pastureland

As farmers and ranchers in west-central Nebraska begin recovery efforts following the devastating wildfires in late February, Nebraska Extension educators have fielded numerous concerns on how to proceed with the 2024 growing season. This article reviews answers to the questions received so far. If you have a concern about wildfire recovery that is not addressed in the following Q&A, please contact us.

Q: Should I plant now?

A: In croplands, we recommend to plant something as soon as possible. Some are planting oats to get a cover to grow quickly and hold the soil in place. The oats can be used for forage or they can be burned off after planting corn or soybean into them.

In rangelands, reseeding is not recommended. Fires were a common occurrence in grasslands historically and herbaceous plants quickly recover after fire. A team at UNL analyzed all wildfires that burned across the Great Plains between 2000 and 2012 (over 1,300 wildfires) and found that vegetation rapidly recovers after wildfire, even when fires burn under extreme drought conditions. Regions expected to be particularly vulnerable to wildfire, like the Sandhills, have been found to fully recover above-ground biomass within two years of wildfire and extreme drought.

Q: What should I plant?

A: In croplands, if you typically plant corn, sorghum and soybean and are most comfortable with them, we’d recommend sticking to that. If you need forages and are comfortable with planting them, that could be a very wise option this year. We share additional considerations in this article regarding planting into dry conditions.

Corn: For irrigated fields in which pivots have been impacted and you’re unsure if a pivot will be in place this growing season, consider reducing seeding rate to around 18,000 seeds/ac and use a hybrid with greater flex if available. We recommend each person talk with your pivot dealer to determine the potential opportunity for pivot replacement before making your final seeding rate decision.

Soybean: Planting soybean as soon as possible can aid in yields. There really should be no changes to seeding rates. UNL research has consistently shown no reduced yields when planting 120,000 seeds/ac in 30-inch rows in silt-loam soils vs. 180,000 seeds/ac. UNL research has also shown best yields at 1.75-inch depth. Considerations are to plant into moisture. If there’s moisture at one inch after recent rains to get beans germinated before PRE plant herbicides are applied, that could be an option, too. The concern is when soybean is planted shallow into dry soil and rain or irrigation moves PPO-inhibiting herbicide into the seed zone where soybean are imbibing water containing the herbicide.

Sorghum: While a little early to seed sorghum, it can be seeded by mid- to late May. If one is unsure if a pivot will be available, a non-irrigated seeding rate could be planted for this year (around 55,000 seeds/ac, double that for irrigated sorghum.) Figure 1 includes suggestions on sorghum seeding rates from K-State.

Figure 1. Sorghum seeding rates.

Forages: Annual forage systems are also an option, particularly for those with livestock where forage resources were lost to the fire. The quickest thing to plant right now would be oats. The oats could be grazed, hayed or green-chopped. Once the oats are completed, putting in a warm-season annual like pearl millet, sorghum sudan/forage sorghums or a warm-season annual mix in July can be beneficial. Pearl millet has the smallest stems for allowing a hay crop and also regrowth for grazing. It won’t provide the biomass of some of the forage sorghums that are harder to hay. The regrowth could be grazed through the winter, or if hayed off, a coolseason mix could be planted by Sept. 1 of a small grain like cereal rye, wheat, triticale and/or oats with the addition of brassicas like turnips, collards, radishes or rape. This would provide forage through the winter and early spring.

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FAQ for wildfire damage to crops and range/pastureland

Should it be a dry season, you may wish to consider forage insurance, which can be purchased based on average rainfall for your area. Learn more in this article.

In rangelands, reseeding is not recommended. Research from the Great Plains shows that dormant-season fires do not reduce forage regrowth and that grassland vegetation quickly recovers following fire.

Should it be a dry season, drought impacts to forage production are more important than the wildfire. The UNL Drought Management Planning page provides a variety of helpful resources for developing a drought management plan.

Q: What happened to the nutrients in my field?

A: In croplands, if dry fertilizer was spread and lying on the surface of fields, it was most likely lost due to fire or wind. If dry fertilizer was incorporated, it will depend on how deep the incorporation and how much topsoil was lost to wind. If fertilizer was injected/knifed in, it most likely is still present. Soil samples either pre-plant or during the growing season will give an indication of how much nitrogen is available to the growing crop.

Nutrients from the residue (whether one year or multiple years from continuous no-till) were most likely lost due to the fire and wind. The nitrogen and sulfur in the residue would have been lost to the atmosphere. The phosphorus and potassium in the residue would remain in the ash if the ash is still present on the field and not removed by wind. In general, research has found that the nutrient content within the residue would not need to be replaced for this year, particularly regarding nitrogen, as the C:N ratio has changed and more mineralization can occur. What we don’t know is the impacts on microbes due to the fire. Our recommendation is not to worry about figuring out nitrogen needs now, but to get something planted if at all possible.

In rangelands, fertilization is not recommended after a fire. Dormant-season fires do not reduce herbaceous production and vegetation quickly recovers after fire. In fact, one effect of fire is increased forage quality of regrowth after the fire. This is one reason why prescribed fire is often integrated with livestock production systems.

Q: Is prevented planting coverage payable on crops that could not be planted due to severe drought conditions?

A: From the Risk Management Agency (RMA): Prevented Planting coverage is provided for drought, failure of the irrigation water supply, failure or breakdown of irrigation equipment or facilities, or the inability to prepare the land for irrigation using the policyholders established irrigation method, due to an insured cause of loss, as provided by the policy. Prevented planting will be provided only if, by the Final Planting Date (or within the Late Planted Period if the insured elected to plant the crop), the policyholder provides verifiable documentation demonstrating the drought conditions that are acceptable to the AIP. AIPs are to take into consideration if the area that is prevented from being planted has insufficient soil moisture for germination of seed or would make insufficient progress toward crop maturity due to a prolonged period of dry weather to achieve the per-acre guarantee on the acreage. In regard to the phrase, “insufficient soil moisture for germination of seed or progress toward crop maturity,” there rarely is enough soil moisture at the time a crop is planted to carry the crop to full maturity. Normally, a non-irrigated crop depends on expected seasonal rains throughout the growing season to mature. “Insufficient soil moisture for progress toward maturity” means the crop may germinate but there is insufficient moisture to sustain the germinated plants.

For more information, visit USDA RMA Drought FAQ.

Q: Does RMA have any information regarding wildfires?

A: Please see the RMA Wildfire FAQ resource.

Q: Where can I go for more information on fire and wildfires in rangelands?

A: Please see resources provided by the Great Plains Fire Science Exchange.

Q: How do I determine where soil moisture is in my field or pasture/rangeland?

A: One way is to use a long steel rod with a ball at the top that can be pushed into the soil. A change in the resistance to pushing the rod into the soil will usually indicate the depth of soil water recharge. Soil water recharge to only 1.5 ft by the end April is very low and soil moisture to six ft is very good.

Note: Fields that were irrigated last year will likely be closer to field capacity this spring.

Q: What should I do about invasive and problematic woody plants after the fire?

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Seeds and transplanting tips

It is important not to start seeds indoors too early. If they outgrow trays or small pots, try thinning them and transplanting the largest to bigger pots, but it is easier to plant them outside just as they become large enough to survive transplanting. This is generally four to six weeks after sowing, when they have at least two sets of true leaves. If aiming to plant in the first week

of May, start the seeds around mid-March. Toward the end of this period, you may want to provide your seedlings a little food in the form of a weak, water-soluble fertilizer.

As soon as the first true leaf appears from between the seed leaves, the seedlings are ready to be transplanted.

To prevent seedlings from drying out, it is important to water carefully. If using total artificial lighting it is quite easy to predict how often watering is required. When using a sunny windowsill, it will help if the containers are placed on a raised bed of gravel spread across the bottom of a large pan with a small amount of water. Make sure the water level is below that of the gravel so that the plant containers rest on the gravel and not on the water.

Seeds can take from five days to three weeks to germinate. Most seedlings show a pair of small round or oval leaves.

Put trays and pots in a warm, shady place.

Label the containers and cover with glass, polyethylene, or a clear heavy plastic bag. Individual pots can be placed inside plastic bags closed with a rubber band. This keeps the planting medium both warm and moist.

If moisture forms inside the bag or on the glass, wipe it off.

When seedlings sprout, remove the covering. Otherwise, you risk suffocating the young seedlings. Place the tray or pot into a position where there is more light but out of direct sunshine.

Sow seeds thinly and evenly. Cover large seeds with ¼” (6mm) sieved compost, while smaller seeds just need a light dusting of compost. An old coarse flour sieve is ideal for sieving the compost.

Once you’ve added potting soil to your pots, firm the mixture down to ½” (1.2 cm) from the top to the container using a flat piece of wood or the base of another pot.

The medium should be kept moist, but not wet or soggy. Water from the base, allowing the medium to soak up the water like a sponge.

When planting seeds indoors, it is important to use a sterile medium. Garden soil can be used but it should be sterilized. Since this is a tedious procedure, it is probably better to use a commercially available mix.

When using pots or trays that have been used previously, disinfect them by scrubbing them in warm soapy water, then rinse well.

Grow varieties of plants that require little or no staking and plant closely so they support each other.

During the Revolutionary War, the Americans would avoid sandwiches due to their association and origin in Britain. Clearly, that has changed today, after a 2014 study found that 49% of Americans over 20 eat one sandwich every day.

April 2024 is National Garden Month

The changing weather promises good growing seasons to come very soon and National Garden Month encourages people in the northern hemisphere to get out and start preparing that soil. Those who haven’t quite been able to find the motivation should take a moment to let the smell and taste of freshly grown tomatoes tempt, or the sweet taste that can’t be found from anything other than home grown cucumbers and strawberries.

History of National Garden Month

Gardens have always played an important role in the history of human culture, from sources of food and sustenance to locations for leisure and entertainment. They have even been used to produce natural medicinals used in the home and by holistic medical practitioners.

The word garden traces its roots to Middle English, French, and German languages. In the United Kingdom, this word specifically describes a small enclosed piece of land that is placed next to a building, which might only contain grass. However, in the United States, the term garden has more to do with a place where someone would plant and grow things such as flowers, fruits or vegetables.

Multiple types of garden exist in the world, all of which are dependent on the primary purpose and the list of things that are contained in the garden. For instance, in arid regions some people may choose to have Cactus Gardens. In other places, gardeners may aim for a particular style of aesthetic, such as a Bonsai garden or a Dutch Garden rife with tulips with an eye to efficiency and a density of foliage.

Gardens have also been used to create new habitats and resting places for bees, butterflies, seasonal birds, and other delightful creatures of nature, making them both beautiful and able to aid these creatures whose natural habitats may be diminishing in some places in the wild.

While most home gardens tend to be incredibly informal and relaxed, there are also far more formal gardens that adhere tightly to a given style. French Formal and Italian Renaissance gardens adhere to a particular style, and Knot Gardens are extremely formal with specific guidelines that govern their designs. National Garden Month is a great time to research gardens and learn more about them.

National Garden Month itself is a fairly recent observance. It started with National Garden Week when, in 1986, US President Ronald Reagan signed a declaration to make the observance official the following year in 1987.

Realizing that only seven days simply could never be long enough, National Garden Month was born in 2003– and people have been celebrating this important occasion during each springtime ever since.

National Garden Month Timeline

1792 - First Farmer’s Almanac is published. Though, according to the name, the book is meant for farmers, it is certainly also an important reference and resource for gardeners as well.

1843 - Gertrude Jekyll is born. A famous and prolific gardener, Gertrude Jekyll creates more than 400 gardens throughout her lifetime, in the US, UK and Europe.

1986 - National Garden Week becomes official. Created in cooperation with the National Gar-den Bureau, US President Ronald Reagan signs the proclamation to make National Garden Week official for April 12-16, 1987.

2003 - National Garden Month is first celebrated. Realizing that a week simply is not enough, National Garden Week grows into National Garden Month, encompassing all of the month of April.

Dream discovery: Insulin

On occasion, scientific discoveries and inventions have resulted directly from a dream. Here is one.

Frederick Banting, a Canadian doctor, has been doing research into the cause of diabetes, but had not come close to a cure. One night in 1920, he had a strange dream. When he awoke, he quickly wrote down a few words that he remembered: “Tie up the duck of the pancreas of a dog…wait for the glands to shrivel up…then cut it out, wash it…and filter the precipitation.” This new approach to extracting the substance led to the isolation of the hormone now known as insulin, which has saved the lives of millions of diabetics (sadly, at the cost of some dog’s lives). Banting was knighted for his discovery.

Poultry and bird owners encouraged to ramp up biosecurity plans now

NDSU Extension specialists have developed tips for reducing transmission of HPAI.

Millions of birds are set to begin migrating this spring and may carry disease that puts domestic birds at risk.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is a disease carried by wild birds that can affect domestic birds. Avian influenza is caused by the influenza Type A virus (influenza A). The virus is shed in the feces and respiratory secretions of infected birds and is able to survive for weeks in cool, damp environments.

Despite the recent snow and cold, millions of birds are set to begin migrating this spring. Positive cases of HPAI in backyard and commercial flocks are currently occurring across the U.S. Now is the time for poultry and bird owners to ramp up biosecurity efforts.

“One of the first clinical signs of HPAI is sudden, unexplained death,” says Dr. Gerald Stokka, North Dakota State University Extension veterinarian and livestock stewardship specialist. “Most HPAI cases are reporting a decline in water and feed consumption prior to the unexplained death.”

Decreased egg production and depression in layers may be another sign that birds

are not feeling well. Purple or dry combs, being quieter than normal, frequent laying down and swelling around eyes are other symptoms birds may experience.

“The best way to reduce the potential for transmission of HPAI is to reduce interaction between wildlife and domestic flocks,” says Dr. Stokka. “Wild birds and mammals, such as foxes, coyotes and raccoons, are transmission vectors to your domestic flocks.”

NDSU Extension specialists have developed tips for reducing transmission of HPAI.

To reduce transmission between wildlife and domestic birds:

If possible, keep poultry housed until the risk for transmission has decreased. Nonlethal methods to deter wildlife are available on the U.S. Department of Agriculture wildlife damage webpage: https://bit.ly/ deter-wild-birds.

Reduce the attractiveness for wildlife to stop at your place by cleaning up litter and spilled feed around your domestic flock housing.

If you come in contact with or handle wildlife, change into clean clothes, wash your hands and disinfect your footwear prior

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FAQ for wildfire damage to crops and range/pastureland

A: Woody plant encroachment is one of the greatest threats facing grasslands in the Great Plains, and wildfires can result in major reductions in the abundance of invasive and problematic woody plants like eastern redcedar. Best practices after the fire are to quickly remove invasive and problematic trees that remain alive and to manage reestablishing seedlings over the next several years to prevent them from becoming new seed-bearing trees. These practices minimize your rangeland’s exposure to seed dispersal and reduce encroachment problems in future years. In the southern Great Plains, these practices are used after wildfires to reduce woody encroachment in areas that would have otherwise been extremely expensive to restore using mechanical methods alone.

In addition, managing eastern redcedar after wildfire prevents the accumulation of highly volatile woody fuels in rangelands and thereby reduces the risk of damaging wildfires in future years. A team at UNL analyzed spot-fire distance, a critical metric for wildfire danger, as grasslands become encroached by eastern redcedar and found up to a 10-fold increase in spot-fire distance as grasslands transition to redcedar woodlands. Prescribed fires carry a much lower potential for spot-fire distances compared to wildfires and can be used to prevent and reduce the build-up of volatile woody fuels in rangelands.

Additional information can be found in a new extension guide developed by UNL scientists for reducing woody encroachment. For information on programs that support tree removal, contact your local NRCS office.

Q: Should I adjust stocking rates for my burned pasture/ rangeland?

A: Rainfall in May and June will be most critical and should be the guiding factor affecting stocking rate decisions. With adequate rainfall, adjustments to stocking rate are not necessary. Research from the Great Plains shows that dormant-season fires do not reduce above-ground herbaceous production. In fact, plant regrowth following fire is considerably higher in quality which could lead to increased animal performance.

If the entire pasture was burned and drought conditions persist, stocking rate should be reduced. In this case, drought impacts are more important than the wildfire. The UNL Drought Management Planning page provides a variety of helpful resources for drought management in rangelands.

If only a portion of the pasture/rangeland was burned, it’s not necessary to fence off the area and graze it as a separate pasture. After fire, livestock will preferentially graze burned areas due to the higher quality of forage regrowth. With heavy grazing pressure in burned portions of a pasture, an abundance of forbs (broadleaf herbaceous plants) can be expected for several years following the fire. These forbs contribute to wildlife habitat and have some forage value as well.

Q: What should I do with the pasture areas that were disked to create a fire break?

A: Ideally, these areas should be reseeded using the same grass species found in the rest of the pasture. If this cannot be done by the end of May, a summer annual forage crop could be planted as a cover, and then plan for reseeding the perennial grasses next spring. These should be the only areas where reseeding is considered. Monitoring for noxious weeds and non-native plants in these areas will also help reduce problems in future years.

Q: Will there be an increase in weeds in the pasture that burned?

A: It is not uncommon to see a greater number of annual weeds show up in a pasture after a fire. While this may look concerning, these weeds benefit wildlife and have some forage value or will turn into residue and cover at the end of the season. Their numbers will decline the following year.

Q: How do I remove the smoke in my home?

A: Restoration companies use ozone to do this. Free guides on how to restore homes after disaster are available from the Extension Disaster Education Network.

Q: How do I know what food is safe after having to evacuate my home after a wildfire?

A: One of most important areas needing to be cleaned after a wildfire evacuation is your kitchen, since many foods may have spoiled without refrigeration and/or been damaged from exposure to heat or smoke. Learn what to keep and what needs to go.

Q: How do I talk to my kids who have been impacted?

FAQ for wildfire damage to crops and range/pastureland

A: Helping children affected by the wildfire is an important part of parents’ and caregivers’ roles. Some key ways to help children feel safe and in control is by listening to them and providing reassurance that many caring adults, parents, teachers and community members are working together to keep them safe. Children may become upset or withdrawn, while others can’t stop talking about the experience. Use simple, age appropriate explanations about what happening during the disaster. For older children, ask them what they know and what questions they may have. Learn more at Nebraska Extension Early Childhood Development.

Parents and caregivers can help children by giving a moment of your time, a gentle hug, or a reassuring word to help children feel safer. Involve children in the family’s efforts to prepare for or recover from a disaster. Keep assigned tasks safe and age appropriate. Let them know you appreciate their efforts to help the family. Learn more at The Learning Child Blog.

Adults can also help by keeping children informed by explaining what is happening. You can explain how a fire happens, and how these are unusual but natural patterns of weather. Children will feel safer if they have some answers. It is helpful to limit media coverage and graphic details. This helps children have some sense of control. Learn more at Nebraska Extension Early Childhood Development.

It’s important for children during stressful times to maintain routines or rituals of comfort. Dinnertime at the kitchen table or reading your child’s favorite book at bedtime may provide young children with a sense of security. Children are better able to cope with a crisis if they feel they understand it and there are people working to keep the family safe. Learn more at Extension’s Read for Resilience.

During a crisis, it’s also vital to acknowledge your child’s feelings and experiences. Let your child know it is OK to cry. Encourage your child to ask questions about their uncertainties and provide a safe space for their emotions and reactions. Learn more from the extension publication, How to Help Preschoolers Manage Their Emotions After a Disaster.

Zipper Day

This holiday is always celebrated on April 29th. Zippety Doo Dah, ain’t that great!

Did you ever stop to think about where we’d be without the zipper? We’d be wasting countless minutes every day, using buttons, hooks, clasps, and string ties to open and close our clothing, luggage, and a variety of other items. With the advent of the zipper, one quick zip and your clothes are quickly and comfortably opened or closed.

Thankfully, the zipper was invented in 1851 by Elias Howe. On April 29, 1851, Howe applied for a patent for the “Continuous Clothing Closure”. Strangely, Howe never marketed it. In 1893, Whitcomb Judson started the Universal Fastener Company and began selling the “Clasp Locker”. It debuted at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair and initially received only moderate success. In 1913, Gideon Sundback, a Swedish electrical engineer and scientist invented and marketed the modern zipper, only it had not yet begun to be called the zipper. It wasn’t until 1923 that B.F. Goodrich coined the term “zipper”.

To this day, metal zippers are by far the most popular fastener. The strength and durability of the metal zipper far surpasses that of plastic zippers. That’s not to say plastic zippers are a little used. For example, plastic zip-lock food bags are extremely popular.

Velcro versus the Zipper - Velcro, the “hook and loop” fastener, was invented in the 1940s. It is very popular for a wide variety of uses. Some thought that velcro would make the zipper obsolete. This wasn’t to be. Zippers are stronger and more durable. While velcro is a great fastener, it is noisy and can get clogged with dirt, dust, and hair. Hence the military is not overly fond of it in combat situations.

History and Origin of Zipper Day

Now that you’ve learned a lot about the zipper, you probably would like to know the origin of this special day. We know that the date of April 29th was chosen, as this was the date Elias Howe applied for a patent for the zipper.

It’s no secret Americans drink a lot of coffee, but it’s the number one source where they get their antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight aging and heart disease, but coffee doesn’t really have that many of them – we just drink so much of it!

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Poultry and bird owners encouraged to ramp up biosecurity plans now

to contact with domestic flocks.

Report sick or deceased wildlife to the North Dakota Game and Fish Department at https://bit.ly/mortality-report.

In the event you need to handle or dispose of carcasses to reduce potential interactions, be sure to follow the appropriate procedures: ndsu.ag/hpai.

“The best defense against HPAI is having a biosecurity plan in place,” says Mary Keena, NDSU Extension livestock environmental management specialist. “It is your job as a flock owner to create a line of separation between your clean flock and the potential unclean issues that wildlife or visitors may bring.”

To reduce transmission between domestic flocks:

Keep your distance. Restrict access to your property and your flock. Allow contact from people who care for your birds but minimize visitors.

Do not haul disease home. If you have been near other poultry or bird owners, such as at

feed stores, clean and disinfect car and truck tires. New birds should be kept separate from your flock for at least 30 days.

Do not borrow disease from your neighbor. Do not share lawn and garden equipment, tools or bird supplies with your neighbor or other flock owners.

More information about biosecurity can be found on the USDA Defend the Flock Resource Center webpage: https://bit.ly/defendtheflock.

“Poultry testing positive for HPAI are prohibited by law from entering the marketplace,” says Miranda Meehan, NDSU Extension livestock environmental stewardship specialist. “Poultry and poultry products are safe to eat, and proper handling and cooking is always advised.”

To date, there have been no positive HPAI cases in domestic poultry or birds in North Dakota in 2024. Report sick birds to your local veterinarian. If you do not have a local veterinarian for your flock, contact the North Dakota State Veterinarian’s office at 701-328-2655.

Spring alfalfa plant evaluation

By Ben Beckman, UNL

As temperatures begin to rise, don’t forget to take a bit of time to assess alfalfa stand health going into this year’s growing season. Snow cover over the winter helped insulate plants from extreme temperatures, but exposed plants, older stands, or late harvested alfalfa still have a potential for winter kill.

Even before plants begin to green up, individual plant assessments can be done. While assessment before green-up occurs may seem a bit preemptive, pre-scouting now can focus scouting efforts to problem areas later on when time becomes precious during spring planting.

1) Dig up 4-5 random plants per 20 acres, being sure to get the crown and a good portion of the tap root (around 6 inches at least). Split the root and crown open. A healthy plant will be white and firm while winter damaged taproots will be yellow to brown in color and stringy. Yield will begin to be impacted when damage is greater than 30% of the total root/crown area.

2) Look for alive, in-tact basal buds at the crown of the plant. Buds formed last fall will start growth sooner and boost first cutting yields. A lack of basal buds doesn’t mean that the plant won’t recover, but first cuttings may be smaller.

3) If plants have begun growth, look at where it is occurring on the crown. Healthy plants will have growth fully throughout the crown while damaged plants will often have asymmetrical growth with more stems on one side than the other.

If more than 30% of the plants assessed have significant damage, yield for the upcoming year may be impacted. Options like interseeding perennial grasses, seeding a warm season forage crop after the first harvest, or terminating the stand may need to be considered.

Lighting up the dark

How many galaxies have you examined? Probably not as many as Vera Rubin, who studied hundreds of them. Of course, in the late 1940s, when she tried to reroll in the graduate program at Princeton (after being the only astronomy major at Vassar Woman’s College), she was told that women weren’t allowed, so she “settle” for Cornell.

Then she made one of the most groundbreaking discoveries in the history of astronomy. While working with a large telescope in the 1970s, Rubin noticed that galaxies rotated much faster than previous astronomers had predicted they would. Newtonian physics said they should “fly apart,” but something was holding them together. “This unexpected result,” wrote Rubin, “indicates that the falloff in luminous mass with distance from the center is balanced by an increase in nonluminous mass”: dark matter, Rubin had provided the first real evidence that dark matter exists–a mystery since Dutch astronomer Jacobus Kapteyn coined the term in 1922. After Rubin died in 2016, the New York Times described her contribution as “a Copernican-scale change in cosmic consciousness.”

Sorghum Checkoff’s newly designed web pages

The United Sorghum Checkoff Program (USCP) is reiterating its dedication to highlighting and promoting sorghum’s pivotal role in sustainability efforts with the launch of a newly designed web page focusing on this topic. This initiative aims to inform, educate, and engage both producers and consumers in understanding the environmental benefits of The Resource Conserving Crop®.

The updated web page offers a comprehensive overview of sorghum’s sustainability story, emphasizing the contributions of sorghum farmers toward environmental conservation. By spotlighting key facts and data points, users can dive deeper into the intricate narrative of sorghum’s sustainability, linking out to additional research and information available on the platform.

“The sorghum crop embodies sustainability, addressing critical concerns such as water conservation, soil preservation and wildlife protection,” Sorghum Checkoff Executive Director Norma Ritz Johnson said. “Our industry recognizes the pressing need to amplify the message of sustainable agriculture, catering to diverse audiences including producers, consumers and industry stakeholders.”

The updated landing page will feature The Sorghum Checkoff’s recently integrated video series, enhancing the user experience by providing dynamic insights into the sustainability practices of sorghum. Housed within the platform, these videos serve as a testament to sorghum’s standing as The Resource Conserving Crop®.

“Our investment in this updated platform signifies our commitment to serving as the central resource for information on sustainable agriculture,” Director of Communications Clint White said. “Through engaging content and interactive components, we aim to captivate both producers and consumers and inspire them to explore the benefits of sorghum’s sustainability.”

With a user-friendly interface and engaging visuals, the revamped web page serves as a gateway to understanding sorghum’s sustainability story. As the industry continues to evolve, the United Sorghum Checkoff Program remains steadfast in its dedication to promoting sustainability and fostering a greener future for agriculture. The updated webpage can be located by visiting SorghumCheckoff.com/impact.

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A man walks into a lawyer’s office and asks, “How much do you charge?” The lawyer says, “$5,000 for three questions.” The man asks, “Wow, that’s pretty expensive, isn’t it?” And the lawyer says, “Yes. Now, what’s your third question?”

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Dates on meat packages

By Jeannine Schweihofer, Michigan State University Extension

Ever wonder why different food has different indicator dates on the package and what they mean?

It can be really confusing to look at an indicator date on a package and see a variety of different terms. If there is a misunderstanding of what the date means, the safety of the food product and those consuming it could be compromised. Michigan State University Extension recommends keeping your refrigerator at the proper temperature, less than 40 degrees Fahrenheit. It is important that continuous refrigerated or frozen storage be used with meat products that are not shelf stable.

Sell by – This creates an easy date for the retailer to know when the product has to be removed from their shelf and disposed of instead of being sold. In general, consumers have one to three days to use that meat product if it is fresh before there would be concern from a safety standpoint. Typically retailers will mark down the price of a product if the sell by date is near. That can create an opportunity for consumers to purchase something that is still acceptable from a safety and quality standpoint at a bargain as long as the consumer goes home and uses the product right away.

Use by/Freeze by – This type of dating system is clearest for the consumer. If it is a fresh product, it needs to be consumed on or before the use by date on the package or frozen if additional storage time is desired. Frozen storage times for meat can vary from one to 12 months depending on the species (chicken, turkey, pork, lamb, beef) from a quality aspect. If the product is frozen and kept frozen, safety does not become an issue.

Packaged on – This type of date is often used on fresh meat but also leaves the most room for confusion or error on behalf of the consumer. Most fresh meat can be stored at refrigerated temperatures for up to three days after packaging in typical meat tray overwrap style or butcher paper wrap packaging. Longer storage time of up to seven days from retail purchase can be used if the product is vacuum packaged with a good seal and the air is removed from the package.

Expiration date – For consumers, expiration dates are very user friendly. Simply, the product needs to be used on or before the expiration date from a safety standpoint. These types of dates are not as common on meat packages but are found with some processed meat products.

Another question that is common relates to processed meat products. Once a processed meat product (ham, hot dog, lunchmeat, etc.) package is opened, the product should be good for up to seven days unless another type of date is on the package and has passed. After the seven days, the product should not be consumed. That means if a package of hot dogs is opened up and a few are prepared and eaten, within seven days the rest of the hot dogs need to be eaten or the remaining ones can be frozen. If you go to the deli and received sliced lunchmeat, eat that within seven days.

Stay on top of dates and acceptable storage times to reduce food waste. But when in doubt, throw it out.

Watering

For successful gardening, it is important to know when and how to water.

There are no specific rules to follow, because when to water and how much to water depends on the kinds of plants, type of soil, time of year, and the weather conditions.

Water only when plants need watering. The leaves of many plants will begin to curl in the early stages of a water shortage. Later, the leaves will become very limp and the plant is said to have “wilted.” Plants should be watered before they wilt. Allowing them to wilt frequently will result in excessive leaf drop. Also, if plants are allowed to remain wilted for several days, they may never revive.

Some plants may not show symptoms of a water shortage until it is too late. These plants should be watered when the soil around them feels dry and crumbly.

New plantings will need special attention, as when they were in containers in the nursery, water was applied daily.

During the first couple of seasons after being planted, new plants still have small root systems and can only absorb water from a limited soil area.

Check lawn grass for wilting–if the edges of the grass leaves start to curl and take on a dull bluish-gray color, water the lawn immediately.

Lawns should be watered in the early morning when winds and temperatures are low. Late morning, midday, and afternoon irrigation usually results in loss of water from evaporation.

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When watering, give the soil a thorough soaking. Frequent, light sprinklings waste water and do not satisfy the water requirements of a plant growing in a hot, dry soil. It can also promote shallow root systems, and these increase susceptibility to damage during dry spells.

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Water should be applied only as fast as the soil will absorb it. Watering with a hose nozzle turned on full force can do more damage than good. Fast-flowing water runs off quickly, carrying soil with it and exposing plant roots to the sun. Sprinkler systems are more efficient.

Another method of watering is drip or trickle irrigation. Drip irrigation supplies plants with constant moisture at a low delivery rate through the use of low-pressure plastic tubing installed on or below the ground surface.

Low-pressure nozzles attached to plastic tubing release water at a slow rate into the soil around a plant. By wetting only the root area of the plant, there is a big saving in water, weeds are not encouraged to grow, and plant growth is accelerated. This increase growth occurs because the plant is not subjected to wet and dry cycles that normally occur with other irrigation methods.

Garden plants should be watered most when they are maturing–flowers as the buds open, potatoes in flower, lettuces as they form a head, etc.

Put a timer switch on sprinklers so they go on and off automatically and don’t waste water.

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White muscle disease

By Jerad Jaborek, Michigan State University Extension

White muscle disease (WMD) is a nutritional myopathy sometimes called nutritional myodegeneration due to the breakdown of the muscle as the result of selenium or vitamin E (tocopherol) deficiency. This disease can occur in newborn calves and has been reported in yearling and adult cattle.

White muscle disease occurs more frequently after cattle are turned out to pasture and their exercise demands increase. Affected animals are often unable to rise or exhibit a stiff gait while walking because the disease can affect the heart, tongue, diaphragm and other large muscles in the legs and back. When WMD affects the heart, calves are usually found dead or in respiratory distress and die soon after due to sudden heart failure. Another sign of selenium deficiency can be an increase in the occurrence of retained placentas from cows during the calving season.

WMD-affected muscles have a pale discolored appearance with white streaks in the muscle bundles that are indicative of calcification and immune cell infiltration. Measuring creatine phosphokinase concentrations in blood plasma can be an effective indicator of myodegeneration, where animals with WMD will have a (several thousand-fold) greater concentration of creatine phosphokinase. Measuring plasma selenium and α-tocopherol concentrations can be used to determine general selenium and vitamin E status in the body. However, plasma glutathione peroxidase concentration can be used as a faster and less expensive indicator of selenium status determination, with less than 20 units of GSH-PX activity/mg hemoglobin being considered low status. Cows with less than 0.05 ppm Se in the blood are considered selenium deficient and on the verge of WMD onset. Vitamin E deficiency can be recognized at less than 2.0 ppm α-tocopherol in the blood.

Selenium and vitamin E both play important roles in the body to protect it from oxidative damage. Glutathione peroxidase is a selenium-dependent enzyme that aids in the reduction of oxidative radicals to protect cells from oxidative damage. Vitamin E acts similarly as an antioxidant to prevent oxidative damage to parts of the cells in the body. Selenium is also a major component of selenoproteins that help to regulate the mitochondria function and the energy transport system, oxidative damage, and calcium homeostasis for proper muscle contraction and function.

Supplying selenium and vitamin E to your cattle can be accomplished by two approaches. The first is to supply enough selenium and vitamin E through the diet. Unfortunately, Michigan happens to be one of the states that is largely comprised of selenium deficient soil (see the map from U.S. Geological Survey). Therefore, crops grown in Michigan for livestock feed are selenium deficient as well. Vitamin E concentration in feedstuffs can be greatly impacted by storage conditions.

Selenium can legally be fed at the rate of 0.3 mg/kg of dry matter (DM) or 3 mg per head per day. Growing cattle require 0.1 mg Se/kg DM, while the max tolerable limit has been set at 5.0 mg Se/kg DM. Selenium can be fed in inorganic forms such as sodium selenite and sodium selenate or organic forms such as selenomethionine and selenocystine. Dietary selenium retention has been found to be greater from organic sources compared with inorganic sources. High levels of dietary sulfur and iron have been known to decrease the absorption of selenium in reported studies.

The requirement of vitamin E is less well known because of its similar functions as an antioxidant when compared with selenium. However, the current recommendation is between 25 to 35 mg IU of vitamin E/kg DM for normal healthy cattle. Research has demonstrated greater concentrations of dietary vitamin E (400 to 500 IU/day) can be beneficial to highly stressed calves.

The second and fastest approach to supplying selenium and vitamin E is to deliver it via injection. There are commercial products on the market that contain a combination of selenium and α-tocopheral such as BO-SE and MU-SE for the intent of treating and preventing WMD in calves and weanling/adult cattle. Make sure to work with your veterinarian to develop a plan with proper timing of selenium-tocopheral administration for the prevention of WMD. Selenium boluses that release selenium slowly over time may be another consideration for selenium supplementation for cattle operations in selenium deficient areas.

If you suspect a selenium deficiency in your herd, consult with your veterinarian, nutritionist and MSU Extension beef team contact. They can help devise a plan to assess the situation by collecting and analyzing blood samples, analyzing feed ingredients in cattle diets, and scheduling necropsies for disease identification. If you are interested in additional beef cattle materials, visit the Michigan State University Extension beef team website or call one of our beef experts.

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Water-wise tips in a drought

Know your soil. Does it retain moisture, or does it dry out quickly? Is the soil heavy in clay or rocks and gravel?

Plant the right plants for the right soils. If an area is often wet, plant thirsty plants there.

Use native plants in your landscape–they require less care and water than ornamental varieties.

Place plants in groups according to the amount of water they need.

If you have a slope, place lower-water-demand plants at higher elevations and those that need more water at lower elevations. The water from the higher areas will trickle down to the plants that demand more moisture.

Prioritize watering–take care of new and young plantings, then more mature trees and shrubs.

Water in the early morning to take advantage of the cooler temperatures and reduce evaporation.

Water slowly, deeply, and infrequently to avoid water runoff.

Make sure the hose or sprinkler does not leak and avoid placing watering devices where they waste water.

Help garden soils by using mulches, which dramatically reduce water evaporation from soils. Increase the mulch layers to 3”-4” thick.

When mulching, ensure trees, shrubs, and plants have a basin of mulch around them. During a drought the water tends to run off quicky and not soak down into the soil. Creating a basin around plants holds the water in until it has an opportunity to soak into the ground.

Don’t fertilize or prune. Plants should not be encouraged to grow, and both pruning and fertilizing can encourage new growth. Fertilizer are salts, and without much water, the salts can build to harmful levels.

Remove any dead or weakened plant tissues to avoid secondary problems.

Control weeds. They compete with useful plants for water.

Shelter container plants by moving them to shady areas. This will reduce water loss due to evaporation.

Use a drip watering system. This can save up to 60 percent of the water used by sprinkler systems.

Raise your lawn mower cutting height; longer grass blades help shade each other, cut down on evaporation and inhibit weed growth.

Consider letting the lawn go dormant; most lawn grasses will rebound when rains return.

Consider reducing your lawn and grassy areas in favor of more creative gardens, such as those that use more stone and drought-resistant perennial plants that have deeper root systems.

As a general rule, plants with gray or silvery foliage are the most drought-tolerant. They have fine hairs on their leaves that shade the leaf surface. Also consider using succulent plants (yucca, etc.).

Use recycled water whenever you can. “Recycled water” includes rainwater collected from rooftops, cooking water, or any other water that has not been used for humans or animals.

Titanic Remembrance Day

This day is always observed on April 15th Titanic Remembrance Day is dedicated to the memory of the luxury liner Titanic, and over 1500 people who died when she sank. The Titanic set sail from Southampton, England on April 10, 1912. It was her on her maiden voyage. On this day in 1912, the Titanic sank in the icy waters of the North Atlantic Ocean.

The Titanic was called “unsinkable” and the “safest ship afloat” by her builder and designer. However, on her maiden voyage from England to New York City, the cruise ship Titanic hit an iceberg in the Atlantic Ocean. This occurred on April 14, 1912, at 11:40 p.m. Two hours later, with a gaping gash in her side, the ship quickly sank into icy waters. 1522 passengers and crew died.

The historic sinking of the Titanic spurred numerous television documentaries, specials, and big-screen movies. The most recent was the blockbuster movie Titanic, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.

Did you know? The Titanic had a sister ship, the Olympic. The ships were constructed around the same time, with the Olympic starting first. The Olympic was launched in 1910. She served as a cruise liner until pressed into service during WWI as a troop carrier. She retired in 1935.

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Some crops tolerate ozone pollution better than others

By Jan Suszkiw, ARS

Differences in the photosynthetic “machinery” of certain crop plants can make them more or less prone to harm caused by ground-level ozone pollution, according to a recent Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences paper published by a team of Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and University of Illinois scientists in Urbana-Champaign (UIUC).

The findings—that so-called “C4” crops like corn and sorghum tolerate increased ozone levels better than “C3” crops, like rice or snap beans—open the door to better models for predicting crop responses to the effects of global climate change, as well as developing more resilient varieties that can sustain humanity’s increasing demand for food, feed, fiber and fuel.

A crop is designated as C3 or C4 depending on whether the CO2 it captures from the air is initially converted into a 3-carbon or 4-carbon compound. The general ability of C4 crops to tolerate increases in ground-level (or “tropospheric”) ozone better than C3 crops has long been suspected but not widely tested under actual field conditions, noted Lisa Ainsworth, a research molecular biologist who leads the ARS’s Global Change and Photosynthesis Research Unit at UIUC. Together with her PNAS co-authors—namely, ARS research plant physiologist Christopher Montes and a UIUC team led by Shuai Li—Ainsworth conducted an extensive analysis of both published and unpublished data—the first set culled from 46 journal papers and the second set from 20 years’ worth of open-air experiments conducted in the United States, India and China.

Specifically, their analysis focused on the responses of five C3 crops (chickpea, rice, snap bean, soybean and wheat) and four C4 crops (sorghum, corn, giant miscanthus and switchgrass) to both ambient levels of ozone and increased concentrations of the gas, ranging from 40 to 100 parts per billion. Of particular interest were changes in the crops’ photosynthetic capacity, chlorophyll content and fluorescence (a form of measurement for the pigment), antioxidant leaf

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Some crops tolerate ozone pollution better than others

activity, biomass material and seed yield. Drilling down a bit further, the team also compared the ozone sensitivities of hybrid and inbred lines of corn and rice.

C3 and C4 crops differ in how their leaves capture carbon dioxide from the air as a key component of photosynthesis. It is the process by which plants use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide into glucose, a sugar that helps power their growth, repair and development—and, in turn, sustain other forms of life on the planet, including humankind.

While both C3 and C4 crops use the enzyme called rubisco to convert carbon dioxide into sugars, C4 crops isolate rubisco in specialized cells where the concentration of carbon dioxide is very high. This enables higher rates of photosynthesis and greater efficiency of water use. Thus, C4 plants have lower stomatal conductance, resulting in less diffusion of carbon dioxide and ozone into leaves.

Researchers conducting field experiments. Open-air field experiments are clarifying how some crops respond to ground-level ozone pollution. (Photo by Peggy Greb, D1546-2)

According to Ainsworth, the open-air experiments— properly known as “Free-Air Concentration Enrichment (or “FACE”)—provide a kind of ground truth about crop sensitivity to ozone (and carbon dioxide) that closed-air studies cannot.

“We’ve used both controlled environments and field studies to investigate crop responses to ozone,” said Ainsworth. “The advantage of FACE experiments is the real-world setting for experimentation. Plants are grown in soil, not pots, and there is no disruption of the continuum from soil to plant to atmosphere.”

In general, the team reported in their PNAS paper, exposure to increased ozone levels correlated with reduced chlorophyl content, fluorescence and seed yield in C3 crops more than the C4 group.

But there were differences within the two categories of crops as well, with snap bean, rice, wheat, chickpea, soybean, maize, giant miscanthus, sorghum and switchgrass being ranked the most to least ozone sensitive. These findings differ from prior results that suggested soybean was the most sensitive and rice the least. Another finding highlighted in the PNAS paper was that increased ozone inflicted lower grain yield losses in hybrid lines of corn and rice than inbred lines.

The researchers note that current studies would benefit from side-by-side comparisons of the crops under open-air conditions. The protective role of phenolics and other antioxidants in the leaves of C4 crops also warrants further study.

Ainsworth said ozone pollution has risen to the level of other environmental stressors such as pressure from pests and disease, as well as drought and diminished soil health. However, there is hope for better crop resiliency. For example, the genetic variability in them can be key to unlocking traits for greater tolerance or photosynthetic efficiency. Also, management decisions that farmers can make—such as growing crops in new areas, planting earlier in the season or using later-maturing varieties—could further improve crop tolerance.

The Agricultural Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief scientific in-house research agency. Daily, ARS focuses on solutions to agricultural problems affecting America. Each dollar invested in U.S. agricultural research results in $20 of economic impact.

National Zucchini Bread Day

www.johnsentrailer.com

This holiday is always observed on April 23rd National Zucchini Bread Day is a day to enjoy Zucchini bread. In researching this day, we first asked ourselves “why celebrate this day in the spring, when this prolific garden squash is not in great supply?” The answer quickly dawned on us. April is a time when you are not sick of all that zucchini. In the summer months, the prolific zucchini plant produces more fruit than gardeners can use. As summer progresses, everyone becomes sick and tired of the eating zucchini. But, the harvest goes on, day after day, after day. By mid-summer, gardeners are resorting to all sorts of tricks to get rid of the mountains of fruit produced in their gardens. Some even stealthily leave zucchini on neighbors’ doorsteps in the middle of the night.

So here you are in April. Zucchini finds its way in small supply to grocery stores in your area. Now, you’ve got the urge for zucchini bread. Hence, the creation of this day in

manual traps and stainless steel rear end. 2024 Manac beavertail, 53x102, all steel, wood floor. Two ramps and 12 winches. 2000 Utility, 38-ft. van with 2 side doors, (4) 1600 gallon tanks and a Honda pump inside.

2021 Wilson lead and pup, gun metal gray, lead trailer is 42x96x78 and pup is 20x96x78. Both trailers have Ag hoppers, electric traps and tarps.

2021 Wilson 29-ft. lead trailer, 25-ft. 6” pup with air operated expandable draw bar. Disc brakes on the set!

G03 sunflower header. The unique rubber tooth design delivers sunflower heads to the auger gently, but firmly, for better crop retrieval than any other header on the market.

The early recipes of pound cake called for one pound of butter, one pound of eggs, and one pound of sugar. That’s a huge cake!

Composting and food waste reduction projects

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing approximately $11.5 million in 38 cooperative agreements that support innovative, scalable waste management plans to reduce and divert food waste from landfills. This includes three projects in Montana.

The Composting and Food Waste Reduction cooperative agreements, which are funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, are part of USDA’s broad support for urban agriculture. The program is jointly administered by USDA’s Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The recommended projects will be implemented between now and 2026.

“These Composting and Food Waste Reduction projects help reduce food waste, produce compost for soil health, and even supplement the community food bank,” said Tom Watson, State Conservationist of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Montana.

Added Maureen Wicks, State Executive Director for Farm Service Agency: “Local strategies and tools like these are important climate solutions and also contribute to food security at the community level here in Montana.”

USDA prioritized projects that anticipate or demonstrate economic benefits, incorporate plans to make compost easily accessible to farmers, including community gardeners, integrate other food waste strategies, including food recovery efforts and collaborate with multiple partners. The collaboration between NIFA and the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production is part of USDA’s framework to transform the U.S. food system to benefit consumers, producers and rural communities by providing more options, increasing access, and creating new and better markets for small and mid-size producers.

Recipients include projects in 23 states. Projects in Montana include the following three projects.

City of Helena - Diverting Food Waste from the Landfill in the City of Helena and Lewis and Clark County: This project will help expand current composting projects operated by the City of Helena and increase food waste collection options throughout the Helena community. It will also build on the current green waste composting project, where the city diverts over 2,000 tons of trees, grass clippings, and leaves from the landfill every year. Through this project, the City of Helena plans to lead the state of Montana in waste reduction efforts by reducing the amount of waste sent to the landfill, improving soil quality and water retention, reducing the need for chemical fertilizers, and keeping solid waste fees low for residents.

Gallatin County - Food Rescue and Food Waste Composting: Through this project, Gallatin County would expand the biosolids compost operation to include food waste and produce compost of a quality that would be beneficial for and distributed to agricultural producers. Additionally, the Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) of Gallatin County would expand their food rescue operation to include restaurants and more farms to feed those in our community who are hungry, rescuing an estimated 100,000 additional pounds of food. Gallatin County will partner with the Gallatin Conservation District, HRDC, the Open and Local Coalition, and the Prospera Business Network for education, outreach, and compost distribution efforts.

The City-County of Butte Silver Bow - Butte-Silver Bow Composting for a Richer Hill: This project will provide a number of new avenues for food waste reduction and recovery in Butte-Silver Bow, Mont. Perishable food that is safe and edible will be recovered for use by the Butte Emergency Food Bank; compostable food waste will be collected from several local institutions and businesses; compost will be processed and tested at a local farm; final compost product will be redistributed throughout the community for soil improvement and small-scale food production efforts; and education and outreach will inform institutions, students, and community members about how to use compost to facilitate growing healthy foods locally. Students and community members will be educated about preserving, storing, and preparing food that might otherwise go to waste. Additional food grown with locally-produced compost will supply more fresh produce to the Butte Emergency Food Bank, who will also be a source of input food scraps.

For a complete list of these recommended cooperative agreement recipients and project summaries, visit usda.gov/ urban. These new agreements build on USDA’s $12 million investment in 82 agreements since 2020.

hp. $129,500

2001 Ingersoll-Rand SD122 84” padfoot roller, enclosed cab. $45,000

2003 Sterling water truck, Cat 3126, automatic, 20,000 fronts, 46,000 rears, 4000 gallon tank.

1989 White/GMC water truck,

2009 John Deere 350D excavator, 10,000 hours, manual coupler, multiple bucket options, hydraulic thumb, 13-ft. stick. recent work orders. $82,500

2015 Cat 140M3 AWD grader, rippers, pushblock, 17.5 rubber. $199,500

2016 Cat 299D 2 speed, 2500 hours. $65,000

2007 Gradall 534-9 9000 telehandler, John Deere engine, OROPS, 6000 hours. In good condition. Buy or Rent $45,000

1998 Great Dane 48-ft. flatbed, spread axle. $7500

2005 Western 53-ft. Commodity Express Belt trailer, quad axle, front and rear axle lift, roll tarp. $59,500

2015 Cat 982M loader, lots of recent workorders $250,000

2005 JLG 400S manlift 40-ft. telescopic boom, GM dual fuel engine $19,500

2012 Kenworth T800 Cummins ISX 525hp, 18 speed, steerable lift axle, 46,000 lb. rears with full lockers, 650K miles. $59,500

2007 Kubota RTV900 4x4, diesel, 3500 hours. $7500

2015 Kubota RTX900 diesel, 12,000 hours. $4000

2014 Peterbilt 579 daycab, Cummins ISX 500 hp, 10 speed, 980K miles, Herd aluminum bumper. Nice little truck. $37,500

1995 Ford L9000 S/A water truck, 2000 gallons, front, side and rear spray heads, Cat engine, 7 speed manual $19,500

1985 Western hay train, 40-ft. T/A lead with 24-ft. 2 axle pup, spring ride, hayracks sold as a set $15,000 $13,000

1985 Kenworth W900 Cat 3406, 13 speed, air ride, wet kit $21,500

2000 Load King tri-axle, Super B, lead trailer, air ride, 32-ft. deck, 102” wide. Works great for hauling hay with a 40-48-ft back trailer $12,500

2013 Skytrack 8042 telehandler, 2700 hours, OROPS, 4 wheel steer $49,500

2014 Genie 5519 telehandler, 2500 hours, OROPS, 4 wheel steer $44,500

2006 Kenworth T800 Cummins ISX, 18 speed, 42” flattop sleeper, 46,000 lb rears, lockers, wet kit, 127K miles. $54,500

2016 Peterbilt 367 500 hp Paccar, automatic, 46,000 lb rears with full lockers, 428,000 miles. $67,500

2007 Kenworth T800 Cummins ISX, 10 speed, steerable lift axle, wet kit. Coming In!

2007 Western Star 4900EX 515 hp Detroit, 13 speed, 3:42’s, wet kit, steerable lift axle, 850,000 miles. $39,500

2018 Cat 349F excavator, 11,000 hours, 84” clean up bucket, 54” rock bucket, hydraulic thumb, engine pre-heat. $137,500

(2) 2015 Smithco side dump pups with tarps. $35,000 each

1991 Beall 2 axle belly dump pup in good shape. $7500

2015 Genie 1930 electric scissorlift. $6000

2003 Kenworth W900L Cat 6NZ, 13 speed, steerable lift axle, 300,000 miles on motor. $52,500

2012 Kenworth T800 Cummins ISX 525 hp (deleted), 18 speed, disc brakes, steerable lift axle, 40,000 lb rears with full lockers, 628,000 miles. $59,500

2012 Kenworth T800 Cummins ISX 525hp, 18 speed, 20,000 lb. fronts, 46,000 lb. rears with full lockers. $75,000

2005 Moffett M5500 2700 hours. $19,500

2007 Kenworth T600 Cummins ISX, 18 speed, Studio sleeper, Very good running truck, 900,000 miles. $36,500

2017 Komatsu WA380-8 wheel loader, 4 yard bucket, hydraulic coupler, 3rd valve, ride control, 4 new tires. $99,500

1986 Ford F250 4x4, 6.9 diesel, flatbed. $2500

2013 Peterbilt 367 Cummins ISX, 18 speed, heavy spec, 18k front axle, double frame, 46k rears, 3/4 lockers, steerable lift axle, 850k miles. $47,500

2022 Towmaster 40k lb. tag trailer, 22-ft. deck, 5-ft. beavertail, air brakes. $15,500

2005 Ravens 48-ft. aluminum flatbed with Conestoga curtain side kit on it. Tarp is almost new. $22,500

T/A dolly. $7500

2012 Cat CS56 84” smooth drum roller, cab, heat/AC, 3500 hours. For Sale or Rent

2000 Volvo sleeper truck, 425 hp, 13 speed, 550k miles......$21,500

2008 Volvo VHD Day cab, 485 hp, automatic, 14.6k front axle, 46k rears, steerable lift axle, wet kit. $29,500

PASTURE WANTED

For 800 ewes & lambs for pasture or grazing of noxious weeds. Will provide herder.

Call (406) 636-2731, Lavina, MT

Drinking water is good for your health. Water contains no calories or sugar, unlike most fizzy or soft drinks which are often high in both.

Ag Equipment

*2003 Rite Way Phoenix Rotary Harrow, model P-45, low acres, great for preparing seed bed, leveling ground, dry wet spots, rejuvenate hay fields, leaves trash on surface & fills in cracks to conserve moisture, down weeds chem free, good for no-till. 8-ft. gangs, total 64-ft wide.

*1989 Bourgault 600 Series Cultivator, FH 48 52 floating hitch, depth control, heavy duty shanks, quick change system; packers & harrows

*1996 Bourgault 4350H Air Seed Cart, very low acres, tow behind and very clean.

*Grizzly 200 Air cart, 200bu/2 tank, possibly use tank for other options

*Melroe 284 Drill Seeders (3)

*Melroe Gysler 70-ft loose hitch plow

*Melroe Gysler 505 chisel plow GMH-28-31 with drag harrows

*Victory Equipment Limited, V-Blade plow

*Wagner TR6, serial 385, Cummins engine #172191, model #JF-6-BI

* International TD18 crawler 182, parts

*International model 32B Disc, 2 gang

*Westfield TR80 Auger(2), PTO & hydraulic swing hopper

*Grain bucket, homemade 4-ft. D x 4-ft. H x 10-ft. W

*1983 Lux model #8X20X54 Grain Box, 20-ft. with roll over tarp, 500 bushel

*Knapheide 22-ft grain box, 500 bushel, hoist

*Degelman rock picker

*John Deere Model 55 combines(2) with Hercules engine, (parts)

*Oliver 542 combine, has Chrysler engine

*Broyhill pickup sprayer, good tank for other options

*Anhydrous trailer tanks, used for fuel Construction Equipment

*1960s Adams scarifier motor grader, 220 Cummins

*1968 CAT DW21C Scraper, cable, engine #58C315 Series C, electric start

*International 175 Drott Skid Shovel track loader with canopy, 6 cylinder diesel

*CAT clean up bucket 60”, CAT 320D/C, PC/SK/EX200.

*1952/3 Lorain Moto-Crane truck with boom

Call 406-799-2420 for details & pictures

WSU veterinary chaplain one of a few in the nation

Miscellaneous

*CAT 3406B, never ran. Engine model #3406 DI, serial #6TB00948, Arrangement #4W3796.

*HD3XH Gas water pump with Honda GX160, 3 inch, never used.

*HDG 9000E gas generator, 16HP OHV.

*Generator, diesel, model #HDD7999E

*Craftsman GT5000 mower, 48” blade

*Weather Guard Box, model #115-3 crossbox

*Crossbox (2) no brands

*Weather Guard Pack Rat Box, 39-3/4”w x 48”l x 9-1/2”h

*Bridge beams (S24x100 & S20x66)

*Metal container 12-ft. x 8.5-ft., no roof.

*Hose crimpers

*Remline Pro Series tool box on wheels, 18 drawer

* Miscellaneous tanks, liquid tight (20K gal & 10K gal)

* Guard Rail, used, $1.75 per lineal foot

Trailers

*1960 Martin Hyster scissor (mechanical neck) 34-ft., king pin to axle 33-ft., belly 17-ft., air/5th wheel on back

*1981 King oil field float trailer, model #4SW-DD-TB, 32-ft. with roll tail, king pin to back axle 27-ft.

*1968 Timpte Dolly, single axle duals

*1973 Fruehauf belly dump pup, single axle duals, king pin to axle 17-ft., model #DES-W1-M11

*1991 Transcraft double drop trailer 44-ft., king pin to rear axel 40-ft., belly 23-ft

*1985 Constructor Belly Dump, model #3BD37A, triaxle, pintle hitch on rear w/air.

*Willock trailer, 9-ft. wide x 42-ft. with roll tail, hitch & air in back to pull 2nd trailer

*1986 Fruehauf 45-ft. utility pup trailer. with fixed dolly Vehicles

*1950-60s GMC truck cab & frame, Spicer gear box, parts

*1968 Dodge CT700 bridge/snooper/M137556, 6x4, no crane, 413 engine, air, tandem axle

*1992 Cadillac Deville, 4dr sedan, V8 PFI engine, parts

*1974 Olds Cutlass Supreme

*1976 Chrysler Cordoba

*1977 Dodge Daytona Charger

*1987 GMC bus, 36-ft. overall length & 23-ft. from front axle to rear axle

*1968 Chevrolet C20 pickup 3/4 ton, manual transmission, 2WD, 6 cylinder, 8-ft. box

By Addy Hatch, WSU Marketing and Communications

Scott Campbell is one of a small number of veterinary chaplains nationally and one of just a few who are affiliated with a university — in his case, the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Campbell’s role at WSU reflects a growing recognition of the grief associated with a pet’s death and the toll veterinary care can take on people in the profession.

As WSU’s nondenominational veterinary chaplain, he visits with clients of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Pullman, offering a listening ear. He sometimes attends euthanasia procedures. He also makes the rounds of the veterinary college, checking in with workers in every department.

“I try to make myself visible and available wherever I’m needed,” Campbell said. “I just want to ease people’s pain and suffering, and this is a way I can do that. I also provide service to a profession that I find very noble and caring.”

Campbell has worked in the role since September 2021, first as a volunteer, and now as a compensated volunteer.

Dori Borjesson, dean of the WSU College of Veterinary Medicine, said she initially wasn’t sold on the idea of having a veterinary chaplain.

Then, “We started getting really nice feedback from clients who said how meaningful it was for them to have someone to talk to about grief,” she said. “He provides a true, deep support for our clients who are going through a big challenge.” Borjesson added, “I have become a convert.”

Campbell said the idea of veterinary chaplaincy occurred to him while attending seminary. His wife is a surgeon at the WSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital, and he knew people in the profession often carry heavy emotional burdens related to their work.

“I thought, surely chaplaincy has a role here,” he said.

He was surprised to discover how few people provide emotional or spiritual care for the loss of a pet, and even fewer still who provide such care to people in the veterinary profession.

Campbell responded by filing to create a nonprofit, the American Association of Veterinary Chaplains. He hopes it evolves to be a certifying organization and resource for what he expects will be a growing field.

He also instituted ceremonies called a Celebration of Life and Remembrance for our Animal Companions, where people can grieve and honor their pets. Participants write messages and attach them to a garland that’s hung outside the Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Pullman. “When the wind blows across the garland, a mourning person’s wishes to their companion animal go out into the universe,” he said.

The next such event is April 13 at 10:30 a.m. in the Elson S. Floyd Cultural Center on the WSU Pullman campus.

Campbell said there’s only recently been a wider reckoning of how deeply people feel the loss of a pet.

“Our society is awful at companion animal loss,” he said. “I invite people to share, where someone else might say, ‘I’m really sorry to hear that’ and be off. While I can’t solve their problem, if they leave feeling better, feeling less weight, then I’ve done my job.” #####

The historians had gathered for a party in Cairo after they had discovered a new mummy. The discovered mummy, on display at the party hall, suddenly woke up. Seeing the historians alarmed, the mummy said that he just wanted to listen to some music. The mummy said, “Please don’t play jazz because my trom-bones are in a very bad shape. Could someone please put on some wrap music?” #####

Scott Campbell, center, the veterinary chaplain at WSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine, visits with Payton Silva, left, and Michael Macy (photo by College of Veterinary Medicine/Ted S. Warren).

Tractor and equipment safety certification course

The annual Nebraska Tractor and Equipment safety certification course with hands-on safety will be held in June at Gordon and Gering. The course is hosted by Nebraska Extension and Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Public Health.

Federal law prohibits children under 16 from using certain equipment on a farm unless their parents or legal guardians own the farm. The certification course allows 14and 15-year-olds to drive a tractor and certain mechanized equipment.

The two-day certification includes a Hands-On Safety Day with a written test and Tractor and Equipment Safety Training with a driving exam. Successful completion of Certification Days 1 and 2 will result in certification for 14-and 15-year-olds to be employed on farms and ranches.

The course costs $40 and includes educational materials, the online learning link (if applicable), supplies, and lunch and snacks at in-person training. Payment is by credit card online.

Youth under 14 years of age can register for and attend Certification Day 1 only if accompanied by an adult. Students under 14 must still register but will not be charged the registration fee.

Both parts of Certification 1 and 2 will be offered in Gordon. A hands-on safety day with a written test will be offered on Wednesday, June 5, at 613 E 3rd Street, and the second part a driving exam will be held on Thursday, June 6.

In Gering, only Certification Day 2, a tractor and equipment safety training with a driving exam, will be offered on Tuesday, June 4, at Legacy of the Plains Museum. Attendees must complete the written test online before taking the driving exam.

To register, visit: go.unmc.edu/tractor-safety-training. For more information, contact your local extension.

Overview of the 2024 Avian Metapneumovirus outbreak

Penn State Extension

At the time of writing, the 2024 outbreak of avian metapneumovirus in the United States is continuing to develop.

Avian metapneumovirus (AMPV) is a viral upper respiratory disease of poultry including turkeys, broilers, layers, and breeders. AMPV may also affect other poultry and avian species such as pheasants, Muscovy ducks, pigeons, and various wild birds. The 2024 outbreak consists of two distinct groups. Eastern states, including Pennsylvania, have been affected by avian metapneumovirus subtype B. Western states have been affected by avian metapneumovirus subtype A. All detections from previous AMPV outbreaks in the US were subtype C. There is no treatment for AMPV, but treatment of secondary infections may reduce the severity of disease. At the time of writing, no licensed commercial AMPV vaccines are available for use in the United States. Prevention and control are best achieved through biosecurity, proper cleaning, disinfection, and downtime between flocks. AMPV is reportable at the state level in some states, but detection in any state is reportable at the federal level to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Producers and veterinarians are encouraged to contact their state animal health officials if they suspect avian metapneumovirus.

In Pennsylvania, avian metapneumovirus is reportable to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA). Although AMPV in Pennsylvania is a reportable disease, it is not an actionable disease. There are no current policies from PDA or USDA that will disrupt domestic movement of birds or poultry products due to AMPV detection. Producers from other states are encouraged to check with their state agricultural agencies.

Avian metapneumovirus does not cause disease in humans.

Contact your veterinarian or diagnostic laboratory with any questions regarding avian health and disease.

Clinical Signs and Gross Lesions

Haying Equipment

Tractor

Miscellaneous Equipment

Birds of any age can be infected by avian metapneumovirus, although the disease is typically more severe in younger birds. AMPV primarily affects the upper respiratory tract, causing inflammation of the nares (nostrils), sinuses, and trachea. Clinical signs may include coughing, mucus or discharge from the nares, swollen heads, and general signs of an unthrifty bird. At later stages, disease may progress to include torticollis (twisted neck or stargazing) or other neurological signs due to involvement of the inner ear. In severe cases, vent prolapse may occur due to straining from coughing. In layers or breeders, there may be reduced egg production and misshapen eggs, soft-shelled eggs, or thin-shelled eggs. Infection by AMPV makes other secondary infections much more likely to occur, such as E. coli. When AMPV is complicated by secondary infections, mortality rates may increase substantially (up to 50% mortality has been reported in some turkey flocks). On post-mortem examination, the sinuses or trachea may be filled with excessive mucus. Depending on the severity of the infection, edema (seen as gelatinous fluid) may be present under the skin around the skull or neck. Layers and breeders may have folded egg membranes in the reproductive tract, or yolk peritonitis. Additional lesions may be observed if secondary infections are present.

Avian metapneumovirus cannot be distinguished from other respiratory diseases

based solely on clinical signs or gross lesions. AMPV can mimic diseases such as Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG), Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale (ORT), infectious bronchitis (IBV), infectious coryza, and others. Diagnostic testing at a laboratory is required to diagnose AMPV. If you suspect AMPV, please contact your veterinarian and/or your veterinary diagnostic laboratory.

Turkey with foamy discharge from the conjunctiva, mild mucus discharge from the nares, swelling of the infraorbital sinus, and open-mouth breathing. Image credit: Jonathan Elissa, Penn State.

Diagnostic Testing

PCR and serology (ELISA) are commonly used in the diagnosis of avian metapneumovirus. There are pros and cons to each of these testing methodologies.

Before submitting samples to a laboratory, please call ahead and confirm that the samples you have chosen are appropriate for the testing required. The laboratory staff can provide specific testing recommendations and will also help interpret the results. Please call your laboratory if you have any questions about laboratory results.

Treatment

There is no treatment for avian metapneumovirus. However, treatment may be important in controlling secondary bacterial infections. The earlier any secondary diseases are identified and treated, the better the prognosis. Contact your veterinarian as soon as any infection is suspected.

Prevention

Wild birds are thought to be reservoirs for avian metapneumovirus. However, if AMPV becomes present on a farm, the virus may persist in a poultry house for a long time under ideal conditions. The current best practices to prevent avian metapneumovirus infection and spread include cleaning, disinfection, adequate downtime between flocks, appropriate stocking densities, and strict biosecurity measures.

Transmission

Avian metapneumovirus spreads readily through direct contact of respiratory secretions. The virus can survive in rodents for several days, and rodent, human, insect, or inanimate fomites can readily spread infective secretions from one house to another. Although transmission via aerosolization cannot be discounted, it is much less likely to occur than direct contact. There are no published records of direct vertical transmission (spread from breeder hen to chick/ poult).

Vaccination

At the time of writing, there are no available commercial avian metapneumovirus vaccines licensed for use in the United States. USDA is investigating the possibility of importing AMPV vaccines from outside the US. Production of an autogenous vaccine may become a possibility if avian metapneumovirus is successfully isolated from an infected flock.

Final Notes

The 2024 US outbreak of avian metapneumovirus is continuing to develop.

If you have questions or are seeking further information about avian metapneumovirus, please contact us at the Penn State Animal Diagnostic Lab and Penn State Extension.

Note on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI)

Avian metapneumovirus may lead to high mortality and may appear similar to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).

Big Wind Day

This holiday is always celebrated on April 12

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What do you call a hen who counts her eggs? A mathemachicken!

It’s the kind of day that can blow you away. We all get those occasional windy days when you need to put rocks in your pockets before going outside, so you don’t blow away. Even without a hurricane or a tornado, it can get pretty windy anywhere on the planet. Windstorms display the awesome power of nature. They can be deadly, dangerous, and damaging. It can leave you without power.

On the other side of the coin, the wind can be our friend. It helps to cool us on a hot day. Sailors have used its power for thousands of years. Christopher Columbus would never have landed in America, without wind in his sails. Windmills increasingly dot the landscape all over the world. Electric turbines on them provide increasing amounts of clean electricity, to an energy-hungry world.

For all the good and the bad that wind does for and to us, it’s only fitting, that we show our respect for it, by giving the wind its own, very special day.

Big Wind Day commemorates the highest wind speed ever recorded on the planet. Can you guess where? No, it wasn’t in the middle of a hurricane or a tornado.

On April 12, 1934, the staff of the Mount Washington Observatory in New Hampshire, recorded the highest surface wind ever measured, anywhere on earth. This big blow was officially recorded at 231 miles per hour. Imagine the difficulties of even making a recording under those conditions back then!.

How to Celebrate Big Wind Day

Here are a few ideas on how to celebrate this holiday:

• Go fly a kite.

• Go sailing.

• Go hang-gliding.

• Support wind-powered electricity.

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What do you call a story about a broken pencil? Pointless!

www.a-plusauto.com

Chasing the elusive second calf

By Karla Wilke, Nebraska Extension cow-calf and Stocker management specialist, and Kacie McCarthy, cow-calf specialist

Getting first-time mother cows bred for the second time is probably one of the strongest challenges for most beef producers. It can be extremely frustrating at the time of pregnancy diagnosis to find a high percentage of those young cows, the future of the cowherd, to be open. More importantly, it is expensive.

In addition to the loss of income from the potential calf crop, is the depreciation of the cow. If a bred heifer is developed or purchased for a value of $2800 and is sold as a slaughter cow after one calf for $1350 (current market value in Nebraska), then the depreciation cost of that cow is $1450. That is a substantial loss.

Producers often express the sentiment that they do not baby their heifers because if a heifer cannot make it in their environment, she does not need to be there. There is value in that statement in that selecting heifers for milk production or maintenance requirements that do not match what the environment can provide is likely to result in cows not breeding or not breeding on time.

However, the other side of that argument is that mature cows do not have the same requirements as growing, lactating first calf heifers. It is a little like expecting apple and orange trees to produce apples. One tree can do it rather well, while one cannot do it at all.

Growing, lactating cows have greater nutrient requirements and smaller rumens than mature cows making it difficult for them to meet their nutrient needs with the same diet as the cow. Therefore, young cows managed on a different ration, and in a different pasture or pen from mature cows allows them to consume a diet more balanced for their needs and removes competition for feed from older bigger cows.

For example, if all cows and heifers were fed 3.5 pounds of dried distillers as a supplement per day and given the rest of the diet as good quality meadow hay, this would meet the mature cow’s energy and protein needs. The heifer, because of her smaller rumen size and increased nutrient requirements, would likely be short 2 pounds of total digestible nutrients (TDN) per day. TDN is used as a measure of energy the cow requires.

While most heifers would be turned out to lush green grass during breeding and would most likely be able to meet their nutrient needs at that point, it is important they are not below a body condition score (BCS) 5 on a 1-9 scale at that point. Research has shown a young cow in a BCS 4 does not breed back as well as those in a 5 or 6. Therefore, first calf heifers need to achieve a BCS 6 by calving.

Many heifers are maintained on hay and supplement two to three months before breeding but after calving. Lactation and growth are large nutrient requirements for the heifer, and whether or not those needs are met can determine whether she can stay in the herd or not.

Research from Nebraska has shown that heifers calving earlier in their first calving season remain in the herd longer and produce heavier calves at weaning. These heifers are more likely to be cycling by the start of the subsequent breeding season and more likely to get pregnant, which increases profitability and longevity. These data are a good reminder to set up replacement heifers well for this breeding season, ensuring that their nutritional requirements are also being met. For more information on developing heifers to stay in the herd, visit Heifer Development and Long-term Profitability | UNL Beef

Ensuring that young cows are being set up for success moving into subsequent breeding seasons through adequate nutrition, health, and reproductive management will be crucial to herd profitability and a successful approach in the upcoming breeding season.

Producers who would like assistance with ration balancing can contact their local Nebraska beef extension educator.

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After a prolonged drought when the rain came, all the animals in the forest were happy except the Kangaroo. When the others asked him what the reason was for such sadness, the Kangaroo revealed that the rain meant that all its kids would now be playing inside.

#####

The wife and I took a long, leisurely drive out to the country and pulled over to fill up our car’s gas tank and tires... She was surprised to see that the station had a fee to fill the tires and asked me, “Why in the world do they charge for AIR?!”

I responded, “Inflation.”

2017 Ford F250 Regular cab, 4x4, cab and chassis, ready for your bale bed installation, 79,400 miles on a 6.2 litre gas engine, 10,000 lb. GVW, 3.73 gears, floor shift transfer case, vinyl floor, cloth seat and priced to sell. $34,999

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Master Gardener tips

By Anita Gall, Nebraska Extension Master Gardener

What is a hardiness zone? I’m Anita Gall University of Nebraska Master Gardener. The hardiness zone is based on 30-year averages of the lowest winter temperatures at specific locations. It is then divided into 10-degree Fahrenheit zones and again into 5-degree half-zones. The map reads we are in zone 5a. It doesn’t take into consideration our temperature fluctuations in winter, high temps in summer, or drought. I recommend you choose plants that are in Zone 3 or 4, we do raise some Zone 5 plants, but they may succumb to winter.

As the weather begins to warm up, we get excited to get into the garden or landscape. Now is an excellent time to cut ornamental grasses down, look at shrubs, and remove any dead or broken branches. Bear in mind that some shrubs bloom on old wood, and you need to wait until after they have bloomed to prune, an example, lilacs and some spirea. Prep beds for planting but don’t get in a rush to plant perennials or annuals yet. Even though we have had some very nice days, it is not unusual for us to have a mid-May freeze or snowstorm. I’m Anita Gall University of Nebraska Master Gardener.

When planting, the most important step is the bed preparation. I’m Anita Gall University of Nebraska Master Gardener. Whether you are planting trees, shrubs, perennials, or annuals it is money well spent when creating a friendly living environment for your plant. Soil that has been compacted by sprinklers, pets, walking, or driving needs to be loosened up. Add organic matter to your area and then loosen the soil with a hand spade or a tiller, you do have to be careful that you don’t repack the soil when tilling.

Did you know that plants are like most humans and enjoy interaction with each other? I’m Anita Gall University of Nebraska Master Gardener. Plants tend to be healthier if they are planted together as they can help protect each other from sun, wind, snow, and heavy rains. When pairing plants consider their water needs and plant similar needed ones. Think about color combinations and when they bloom. You will want to plant a mix of spring, summer and fall blooming plants together as well as varying heights. Plant the shorter varieties to the front of the bed and taller plants to the back.

Do you get confused by the terms annual and perennial?

I’m Anita Gall University of Nebraska Master Gardener. An annual is a plant that lives for one season and is sensitive to frost in our area. It is usually safe to plant annuals around Mother’s Day or after, as mid-May is the average “frost-free” time. A perennial is a plant that comes back year after year. They are usually outdoors or ‘hardened off’ when you buy them and can typically be planted or moved in April. If you purchased a perennial from the greenhouse, you will want to harden it off before planting it.

Grass and alfalfa mixtures

By Jerry Volesky, UNL Inter-seeding cool-season perennial grasses into

older alfalfa stands has been a good option to increase the productivity of that field. If planning a new alfalfa seeding this year, using a grass and alfalfa mixture can also have some advantages.

If you regularly feed more than 5 or 6 pounds of alfalfa per day to stock cows during winter, they probably are getting way more than enough protein but maybe not enough TDN or energy. Mixing grass with alfalfa usually lowers the protein but slightly increases the TDN content of hay. So, your cows actually could receive a more balanced diet. Also, if you sometimes graze your hay fields, grass will reduce the risk of bloat.

In the field, grass can grow in areas where alfalfa is not well-adapted or fill in spots as alfalfa dies out. This is better than having weeds invade bare areas. Grass-alfalfa mixtures often dry out more rapidly after cutting than pure alfalfa so you might get more hay made without rain damage. And if it does rain, grass sheds rain well so the mixture usually suffers less injury, both in the windrow and in the bale.

Yield-wise, protein yield may be less with the mix, but total tonnage usually is about the same or higher than pure stands. Most of the grass yield will come at first cut, so regrowth will be mostly alfalfa. Selling a mixture can be more difficult, though, because dairies prefer pure alfalfa and grass is more difficult to grind.

Orchardgrass is a top choice for seeding with alfalfa, but other grasses like smooth brome, meadow brome, festulolium, or wheatgrasses will work as well. The seeding rate of the grasses will vary depending on the species that is used and what proportion of grass and alfalfa is desired.

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Two hardy tough trees to plant

By Catherine Wisner, retired University of Wyoming Laramie County Extension Horticulturist

A tree that was on the brink of disappearing is now making an amazing comeback. These are the American Elms, Ulmus americana, they are the quintessential shade tree that keeps streets and homes cool in the summer. Their tall graceful limbs and open habit were nearly lost.

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In the late 1990’s researchers found numerous species of American Elms that survived the great die off from the 60’s-80’s. A die off caused by a fungus (Ophiostoma ulmi and Ophiostoma novo-ulmi) that is carried by a tiny European Elm Bark Beetle, (Scolytus multistriatus). A beetle that lays eggs just under the bark and inoculates the tree with the fungus. Which eventually kills the tree.

However, several American Elms, scattered across the northern U.S., not only survived but thrived with good resistance to the fungus. A lot more University level research went into propagating and testing these survivor Elms for the nursery trade.

Why plant American Elms? To start, they tolerate a wide variety of soils and growing conditions, can deal with drought, wind, minus 40 degrees and take average water. They can get big, up to 60 to 75 feet depending on location and conditions, so plan their placement carefully. They are long lived and fast growing up to 3 feet per year. Most have an open spreading vase shape canopy. Dark green leaves in the summer and golden colored leaves in the fall. More plant nurseries are carrying them. Some varieties to choose from are: St Croix, Prairie Expedition, Cathedral, Accolade and Princeton to name a few of the new American Elms.

A smaller tree to consider is the Prairie Gold (tm/r) Aspen, Populus tremuloides, ‘NE ARB”. This prairie native is disease resistant, fast growing and tolerates a variety of soil types. It was found near Columbus, Nebraska, by Allen Wilke. This Aspen will get 30 feet tall but only 15 feet wide, is fast growing, but long lived. It will survive minus 40 winters and takes average water. The leaves are dark green in the summer and brilliant yellow gold in the fall.

Most Aspens sold at nurseries are wild harvested from the mountains. Where the soil is cool and moist with a short growing season. It is very hard to duplicate those growing conditions on the prairie. Wild harvested Aspens are short lived and prone to numerous diseases. Make sure to get a nursery grown Prairie Gold (tm/r) Aspen suited to lower elevations.

Spring planting alfalfa

By Todd Whitney, UNL

Alfalfa can be successfully seeded in the Spring or Fall depending on field weed pressure; moisture conditions; and timing. Once established, perennial alfalfa plants can complete well with weeds. However, first year stand establishment can be a challenge when moisture is limited; and weed pressure is high.

If herbicide resistant weeds are currently growing in fields, then light tillage may be needed to control these weeds while creating a firm seedbed for alfalfa drilling. Also, combining light tillage plus herbicide may be a best management seedbed preparation practice.

Since new alfalfa seedlings are susceptible to injury from many herbicides, it is critical to follow all chemical label instructions. Usually, the alfalfa will need at least two to four trifoliated leaves before herbicides are applied; and 2,4-D usage is not recommended. Glyphosate-tolerant or Round-up Ready alfalfa varieties provide more flexibility for controlling weeds currently growing in fields. Initial glyphosate application should occur between alfalfa emergence and 4th trifoliate leaf alfalfa growth stages to remove non-glyphosate tolerant alfalfa seedlings and control weeds that are present.

Our UNL “Seeding Alfalfa” NebGuide G2247 lists other steps for successfully establishing new alfalfa stands. For example, alfalfa grows best at 6.8 soil pH with a pH range from 6.5 to 7.5. Seed alfalfa between April 1 and May 15 in eastern & southern Nebraska; and sow seed between April 15 and May 15 in western and northern regions.

Overall, establishing a firm seedbed is critical for alfalfa seedlings. Target seeding depth is ¼ to ½ inch for finetextured soils and ¾ inch depth in sandy soils. Seedlings placed too shallow will dry out rapidly and die due to poor roots. While seeds planted more than 1 inch deep may be unable to emerge after germinating.

Beef spokespeople join next group of Trailblazers

The Trailblazers program, developed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, takes advocacy to an unprecedented level by giving participants the tools and training they need to promote beef to new audiences while addressing and correcting myths. After a competitive application process, ten Trailblazers have been selected for the program’s third cohort of beef community spokespeople, including:

Mandy Atterholt, Ohio

Amanda Hall, Kentucky

Cara Henri, California

Jessie Jarvis, Idaho

Sierra Jepsen, Montana

Katey Johnson, Oklahoma

Anna Kobza, Nebraska

Max Krupp, Texas

Lettie McKinney, Kansas

Arlie Reeves, Washington

“It’s evident that producers are seeking community across the industry as we received almost 50 applications for this year’s program, a 76% increase from last year,” said Chandler Mulvaney, director of grassroots advocacy and spokesperson development at NCBA. “The newly selected cohort will join efforts with previous Trailblazers, building community, providing opportunities for mentorship, and collaborating with other experienced grassroots advocates.”

Trailblazers receive in-depth training to become expert communicators, excel in media interviews and understand how to build confidence in beef-related practices when talking to consumers. Throughout the year, Trailblazers will receive advanced training from subject matter experts, learning how to effectively engage on various social media platforms, interact with the media, and enhance public speaking skills.

Sierra Jepsen of Montana, a participant in the class of Trailblazers, said, “Growing up on a grain and cow-calf operation, I came to realize that the producer and consumer do not always understand each other. But the butcher needs to understand them both! I now own a traveling butcher school, Butcher Solutions LLC. I travel the country helping butchers learn and perfect meat-cutting practices in local meat shops, while also advising farmers and ranchers on meat science principles important for raising and marketing high-quality beef. The NCBA Trailblazers program is going to help me stay connected with current industry issues and hone my skills in addressing consumer questions regarding the beef community.”

Trailblazers will meet online and in person to foster constant growth and refinement of skillsets when speaking about beef. Upon joining the advanced advocacy program, Trailblazers serve as industry spokespeople and inform beef advocates at the local and state levels on advocacy, media, and spokesperson best practices. Every year, ten new Trailblazers are accepted into the community building program.

For more information on the Trailblazers program and other beef advocacy efforts, contact Chandler Mulvaney at cmulvaney@ beef.org.

Better vaccines for pork producers

A long-term, international collaboration between researchers at the University of Manitoba and the Leiden University Medical Centre in the Netherlands has uncovered vital information about the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). This pathogen causes severe disease in pigs, leading to significant economic losses for pork producers across the globe.

“This disease in pigs is important worldwide and is economically fairly significant,” says Marjolein Kikkert, Associate Professor of Virology at Leiden University Medical Centre. “The aim of the project was to improve vaccines for this disease, and it turned out that it was very difficult.” It’s estimated that PRRS costs the Canadian pork industry $130M annually.

Kikkert and collaborator Brian Mark, Dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Manitoba, looked at targeting a type of protein called a protease. PRRSV uses these proteins to suppress a host’s immune system, causing severe illness. By changing the structure, researchers can design altered viruses upon which to base new vaccines.

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With the help of the Canadian Light Source (CLS) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask), Mark and Kikkert were able to visualize the unique structure of the PRRSV protease. What they learned in their study is valuable for developing new vaccines against PRRSV and also helps inform development of vaccines against emerging human viruses.

The team has conducted similar research on coronaviruses — which also use proteases to suppress human and animal immune systems — and has successfully designed new vaccines.

“The trick and hypothesis we had for improving the PRRSV vaccine didn’t quite work.” Says Kikkert. “However, we did learn a lot about how these viruses work. And it may certainly be a basis for further work into possibilities for improving vaccines against these viruses and coronaviruses.”

The team’s findings also unlock new doors to understanding how viruses like PRRSV use proteins to replicate, making this a significant academic discovery.

“The Canadian Light Source provided the technology we needed to determine the structures of these proteases, and this knowledge has provided tremendous insight into the biochemistry of these viruses, which is the cornerstone of modern vaccine development,” says Mark.

Raised beds

Raised bed gardening has many benefits. It can save space, reduce water loss, and discourage weeds. Reducing foot traffic in the growing area reduces soil compaction. And concentrating organic matter is a defined area builds soil productivity.

Creating raised beds takes a considerable amount of work at the beginning, so try one or two beds first. And then, if you are happy with the results, add more next season.

To make simple raised beds, choose a well-drained site with adequate sunlight and a nearby water source. Beds should be only as wide as can be easily worked from either side, usually about 3-ft. and as long as required. If the soil is compacted, do not start to prepare the bed until the soil is dry enough to work. Spread a 2”-3” layer of organic material over the soil surface. Organic material can include compost, sawdust, ground bark, leaves, chipped pruning materials, or manure. Adding an additional source of nitrogen helps the organic material break down more efficiently. Rototill or dig in the organic material, nitrogen supplement, and soil down to a depth of at least 6”. With a shovel and rake, shape the bed. Shovel a walkway area, about 18” wide, to a depth of 6”. Add the excavated soil to the top of the bed. Finished raised beds should be at least 8”-12” higher than the paths. Level the top of the bed with a rake.

Put sawdust, bark, or old carpet on the paths between beds for a less muddy walking surface.

Raised beds don’t have to be contained by wooden boards. Beds could be raised to waist-high level, if stooping is a problem.

Remember that the higher the raised bed is, the quicker it will dry out, so monitor moisture carefully.

Once the beds have been properly built, light digging or forking will then create a suitable bed for planting. As time goes on, soil will keep loosening and you will be able to garden almost year around.

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Helping farmers adapt to a changing world

Leaders with University of Idaho’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) and supporters dedicated a new laboratory in Parma on February 20 that promises to advance crop science and technology, helping farmers adapt to a changing world.

More than 200 stakeholders attended the grand opening of the 9,600-square-foot Idaho Center for Plant and Soil Health, which replaces aging and dilapidated facilities at the U of I Parma Research and Extension Center. The university’s new state-of-the-art building contains laboratory space for research in nematology, pomology, plant pathology, microbiology and hops quality.

“This facility is going to give farm families and farm companies all over the nation and particularly all over the state of Idaho the tools they need to be survivors and actually thrive in the face of changing challenges, whether they be climate challenges, whether they be consumer challenges or whether they be all of the challenges that we know exist every day,” Gov. Brad Little (’77, agribusiness) said during the ceremony.

CALS launched the campaign to construct the $12.1 million facility in 2019. Construction was made possible thanks to $3 million in donations from agricultural stakeholders, in addition to investment from the university and the state of Idaho.

The grand opening of the Parma facility builds upon recent progress within CALS toward opening new facilities to ensure a bright and sustainable future for Idaho agriculture, including the ongoing construction of the Idaho Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (Idaho CAFE) in Rupert, which will include the nation’s largest research dairy.

“This addition to our footprint is really a transformational addition when you add the work being done here now and into the future to what we can accomplish when the nation’s largest research dairy in the Magic Valley is finished,” said Chandra Zenner Ford, center executive officer for U of I Boise and Southwestern Idaho. “University of Idaho is positioned to be a place to look for cutting-edge discoveries and innovation in agriculture that will have a global impact.”

The Parma center’s history traces back more than a century to 1922. In 2009, the center was nearly shuttered due to declining budgets. However, key stakeholders banded together to form the Treasure Valley Agriculture Coalition and partnered with the state to keep it open. Many of the same stakeholders were involved in the campaign to invest in the new facility.

“We are all in agreement that the key thing that made this possible was partnership,” said Michael P. Parrella, dean of CALS. “No one entity can accomplish a project like this alone.”

Jon and Margie Watson, with the Parma-based onion packing, production and marketing company J.C. Watson Packing Co., were instrumental in the effort to keep the Parma center operating — and more recently to improve its facilities.

“This center has been the cornerstone of agriculture and research and education for a century, but like any living organism growth depends on renewal,” Margie Watson said. “Let’s celebrate this renewal.”

CALS has raised about 85% of the necessary funding to establish an endowed chair position in nematology that will be based at Parma and will honor Saad Hafez, a longtime Extension specialist and professor of nematology who is nearing retirement.

Farmers in the Parma area raise 118 different crops, ranking it among the nation’s most diverse agricultural production areas. Parrella is optimistic that the new facility will help CALS attract world-class faculty to conduct continued research benefiting many of those crops.

“When I think about this facility and what we’ve accomplished, I view it as only being the beginning in the sense this should be a launching pad to even greater things moving forward,” Parrella said.

How to mulch a tree

When mulching an established tree with grass growing beneath it, put a layer of cardboard over the lawn before spreading the mulch. This will keep the grass from penetrating the mulch. Make the cardboard collar 2-ft.–3-ft. wide. Moisten to soften and easily conform to the contours of the ground and the root flare at the base of the trunk. Then cover it with wood chips.

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Wild winter temperature has different effects on forage crops

This year’s unusual winter has led to questions for farmers and ranchers who grow forage crops in North Dakota. The lack of snow cover has left winter crops uninsulated from cold temperatures for much of the winter. Recent extreme temperature fluctuations have led to concerns about possible damage to winter annual cereal crops planted for forage late summer and early fall.

Two of the most common winter annual cereal crops grown for forage are rye and triticale. Cereal rye is the most winter hardy of the cereal grain crops and can grow at a temperature as low as 38 degrees Fahrenheit, according to James Rogers, North Dakota State University Extension forage crops production specialist. Winter wheat is less winter hardy than rye but more tolerant than barley. Triticale, a hybrid cross between rye and wheat will have more cold tolerance than wheat but less than rye. Triticale’s cold tolerance is based on its wheat parentage.

“Optimal spring growth for cool season crops is 65 to 75 degrees, but recent temperatures reaching into the 50s have stimulated top growth of these forages,” Rogers says. “Then, with the sudden reversal of temperatures down into the low teens, plant damage and winter survival concerns arise. In general, however, if plants were well established prior to the onset of winter and had the opportunity to harden and tiller, chances of survival are very good.”

Research from the NDSU North Central Research Extension Center in Minot reveals differences in freeze damage between rye and winter wheat.

On March 1, researchers at the center dug a sample of rye plants from a plot planted in July 2023. The plants were exposed to a high daytime temperature of 53 degrees Fahrenheit on February 26 followed by a high temperature of 7 degrees on February 27. The researchers then dissected the plant tillers by splitting the tiller beginning just above the crown to the top of the tiller, exposing the growth point, which was at the very base of the tiller, just below the soil line. The growth point appeared as a healthy dark green oblong mass sitting just above the crown of the plant at soil level.

“At this low location, the growth point is still protected by the crown, and any additional snow cover this spring will further insulate the growth point,” Rogers says. “Top growth did show some browning of leaves from freeze damage, but other leaves were green, and new growth was evident. Additionally, roots of the plant were white and healthy, and new tillers were forming. As the growth point begins to elevate with warmer temperatures, the plant and grain formation will become more vulnerable to freeze damage.”

As a contrast, researchers also dug up a sample of winter wheat from a plot planted in June 2023. They dissected the plants and found that the growth point of the wheat was at the very base of the tiller, similar to the rye sample, but

the winter wheat plant had been damaged to a much greater extent by freezing temperatures.

“Some roots were white and healthy, but others were dark and brown indicating freeze damage,” Rogers says. “This plant may still recover, but forage production will be reduced.”

Winter-established cereal crops become more vulnerable to freeze damage at jointing and elevation of the growth point, which may cause the loss of individual tillers but not the whole plant. Tiller production is key to biomass production.

“It is still too early to determine the full extent of possible freeze damage, but optimism remains,” Rogers says. “At this point, if the current snow cover dissipates, more damage may occur from ground heaving than from freeze damage.”

To monitor growth points as spring approaches, cut a sample of tillers at the soil level and split the stem. Locate the growth point in the tiller. As the growth point elevates, the stem will be hollow beneath the growth point. When this hollow stem reaches the diameter of a dime (5/8 inch), the stem has elongated prior to stem jointing. At this point, plants can experience damage to the growth point at temperatures of 10 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit.

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Thawing method does not seem to affect beef quality

By Maddy Rohr, K-State Research and Extension news service

Thawing does not seem to have an impact on the quality of beef by the time it hits the consumer’s table, according to a study by a Kansas State University graduate student.

Meat science student Lindsey Decker recently reported her results of tests on the palatability of strip loin steaks during K-State’s Cattlemen’s Day.

“With the rise in direct-to-consumer beef marketing, and consumers more frequently freezing beef due to supply chain disruptions, it was our goal to determine whether the method of thawing beef steaks effected sensory characteristics and instrumental quality measures,” Decker said.

Decker said the USDA lists many ways to thaw frozen beef, but little information is available on how thawing impacts beef quality and consumer’s eating experience. Beef is known as a premium protein product and consumers expect a high-quality eating experience each time they eat it, she said.

In her study, Decker tested multiple USDA thaw methods, including thawing in the fridge, microwave and cold water; and cooking directly from the frozen state. She also tested two methods commonly utilized by consumers: Thawing in hot water and thawing on the counter. Decker worked with trained and consumer sensory panelists.

“Our trained panelists were trained over several days to determine specific quality characteristics, such as beef flavor attributes, connective tissue level, or juiciness, while consumers were pulled from the Manhattan area and had no training,” Decker said. “The goal of running all of these tests was to find any differences caused by the various thawing methods; whether they were detectable by consumers; and provide further context to those results through the instrumental measures.”

Decker used instrumental quality measures such as Warner-Bratzler Shear Force as an indicator of tenderness, pressed juice percentage as an indicator of juiciness and performed laboratory assays such as TBARRs as an indicator of lipid oxidation.

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“As a whole, the thawing method does not have an impact on the palatability of strip loins steaks,” Decker concluded, noting that consumers detected no significant differences among all six thawing methods, and trained panelists found few differences across all six thawing methods.

“Consumers should be sure to consider food safety and choose whichever method best suits their needs,” Decker said. “Research such as this allows consumers to understand, and best manage beef at home so they continue to have excellent eating experiences.”

Evaluating alfalfa stands: Stand counts

By Ben Beckman, UNL

Were you expecting more from last year’s alfalfa yields? Did your plants get enough time to winterize in the fall? Do you have concerns about stand winter kill? Evaluating your alfalfa stand in the spring is key to planning management and setting expectations for this year.

As stands begin greening up, alfalfa stand assessment can be completed using a hay square as a quick and easy way to look at the overall stand health. While we call it a hay square, square or circle shapes work equally well. A 17 x 17 inch square or 19 inch in diameter circle are the size needed.

Next, determine what to count. There are two options when evaluating your stand: 1) by the number of plants per square foot (typically recommended for new stands, planted last fall) and 2) by the number of stems for established stands. Stem count will more accurately predict yield compared to plant number. However, either method will provide information for making management decisions.

Randomly select 4 to 5 areas in your field to sample. Then count the plants or stems that would be harvested, typically anything over 6 inches, to determine your count. Then divide those numbers by 2 to get stems or plants per square foot. For established stands, having 4 to 5 healthy plants per square foot or 55 stems per square foot would warrant a productive and healthy stand. Fields with stem counts below 55 see a significant decrease in dry matter production.

For stands planted last fall, you will see more plants per square foot compared to stems. Remember, a good rule of thumb is, for every pound of seed planted, expect 3 to 5 plants. New plantings that contain fewer than 12 plants per square foot may need to be reseeded.

The color of meat depends on myoglobin

By Jeannine Schweihofer, Michigan State University

Myoglobin is the iron-rich protein that gives meat its color. Color is used by consumers to determine if meat is fresh and safe to eat. It is the single most important driving factor in a consumer’s decision to purchase meat. Myoglobin is the heme iron containing protein that gives meat its color, and it is a great source of dietary iron. Myoglobin stores oxygen in muscle cells and is similar to hemoglobin that stores oxygen in blood cells.

The more myoglobin content meat contains the darker red it will appear in color. Myoglobin content is higher in beef and lower in poultry with lamb and pork having intermediate amounts. The age of an animal will also impact the myoglobin content of the muscles with older animals having more myoglobin and darker meat. Muscles that are used for movement also have more myoglobin content than muscles used for support. Along with water from muscle, myoglobin is what is found in meat packages that leaks out of the muscles during storage and most people think is blood. Almost all of blood is removed from muscle at the time of slaughter.

Myoglobin has three natural colors depending on its exposure to oxygen and the chemical state of the iron. If no oxygen is present, the meat appears purple red, like in vacuum packaged meat, and is in the deoxymyoglobin state. Meat is bright red when exposed to air and is typical of meat in retail display. Bright red color indicates oxymyoglobin is present. Meat appears tan or brown when only very small amounts of oxygen are present such as when two bright red pieces of meat are stacked on each other excluding the oxygen. Meat can also appear brown when the meats color life is exhausted late in display when the iron in the pigment becomes oxidized. Metmyoglobin is the state when the iron has oxidized and is tan or brown in color.

Although brownish-red colored meat can indicate spoilage, it doesn’t always mean that meat is spoiled. Purchasing meat that has been discounted at the retail counter because of discoloration can still be safe to consume if it is properly stored and prepared according to Michigan State University Extension.

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Ideas For Estate and Transition Planning: Gifting

By Jessica Groskopf, UNL

For many farm and ranch families, bringing children or grandchildren into the operation is the ultimate goal. Successfully bringing additional family members into the operation may require some creativity as all parties need to maintain a viable standard of living. This series of articles will highlight ideas and tactics for bringing another family member into the operation. If this is the first article you are seeing in this series, I would encourage you to go back to the previous article for background and additional guidance.

The second tactic to transfer wealth between generations is gifting. The US tax code has two main laws that apply to gifting. The first is the “Annual Gift Tax Exclusion”, and the second is the “Gift and Estate Tax Basic Exclusion Amount”. In this article, the person gifting assets is going to be called the donor, and the person receiving the gift is going to be called the donee.

Each year the IRS releases the annual gift tax exclusion amount. The annual gift tax exclusion is the amount of assets that can be gifted from the donor to a donee, without reporting the gift to the IRS. The annual gift tax exclusion applies to anyone, the parties do not have to be related. In 2024, a donor can gift $18,000 to a donee. The limit is per donee. In other words, the donor can gift up to $18,000 per year to as many donees as they want.

The second law is the lifetime gift and estate tax basic exemption amount. Any gift over the annual gift taxexemption, $18,000, must be reported to the IRS and is then accumulated toward the donor’s lifetime gift and estate tax basic exemption amount. In 2024, this limit is $13.61 million. This means that a donor could gift more than the annual exemption to a donee in a single year, without paying gift tax. Estate or gift tax applies when the cumulative lifetime gifts to all donees and taxable assets passed through the estate are above estate tax basic exclusion amount.

There are some exceptions to these gifting rules. First spouses can gift each other an unlimited amount, as long as they are US citizens. The second exception is that a donor can pay qualified medical or education expenses to an institution on a donee’s behalf, without it counting toward these amounts.

If you are thinking of gifting as a strategy to provide a viable standard of living for a family member, consider the following points.

!. What is a gift: These gifts must be true gifts. According to the IRS, “You make a gift if you give property (including money), or the use of or income from property, without expecting to receive something of at least equal value in return. If you sell something at less than its full value or if you make an interest-free or reduced-interest loan, you may be making a gift.”

2. No Step up in Basis: Many families debate gifting assets during life versus waiting to pass an asset until after death. A key consideration is the basis the donee will have in the asset. If the asset is passed as a gift while the donor is alive, the donee retains the donor’s basis. This loss of the step up in basis means that if the donee eventually sells that asset, they may pay more in capital gains tax.

3. Gifting Assets Rather Than Cash: Often we think of gifting cash. However, the gift tax applies to other assets including, but not limited to, equipment, livestock, land, or shares of an entity. Gifting assets rather than cash can be tricky. Work with your financial team to determine the asset basis and value.

4. Losing Control: When assets are gifted during life, there is the risk that they could be “lost” by the operation. For example, if a donee receives a piece of equipment using the annual gift tax exclusion, the donee could sell that asset without the consent of the donor. Additional agreements, such as a buy-sell agreements or lease agreements may be needed to mitigate some of this risk.

5. Look Back Period: Gifting is often discussed when the donor needs to reduce their estate tax liability or protect assets from long-term care. When using gifting for these purposes it must be done well in advance. Both of these situations have “look-back periods”. For long-term care the look back is 5 years, for estate taxes it’s 3 years.

Gifting assets during life is not the only way to compensate family members. When developing a strategy to bring the next generation back into the operation, consider the viable standard of living for both the owners and the heirs. Gifting too much while owners are alive can be problematic. Look for future articles outlining other strategies on the Center for Ag Profitability website at cap.unl.edu.

Dryland Cropping System to be focus of upcoming Nebraska Soil Health School

By Nicole Heldt, Research Project Coordinator Maharjan Soils Lab, UNL PREEC

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) will host a Nebraska Soil Health School, sponsored by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), on Wednesday, April 24, at UNL’s High Plains Ag Lab (HPAL), 3257 Rd. 109, Sidney. Registration and refreshments will begin at 7:30 a.m., followed by a welcome from the event’s organizer, Bijesh Maharjan, UNL associate professor.

Following last year’s successful Soil Health School events across the state, this year, we plan to organize events specific to issues facing our growers in a given area, Maharjan said. The Nebraska Soil Health Schools are designed to build upon soilrelated knowledge and practices for growers, crop consultants, ag professionals, and others. The HPAL event will focus on soil health topics in relation to dryland cropping systems with the following presentations:

Soil Health – Byproduct of improved soil and crop management practices: Gary Peterson, CSU professor emeritus

Impact of tillage, biochar and cover crops on soils at the High Plains Ag Lab: Cody

Creech, UNL associate professor and Fenster Professor of Dryland Agriculture

Soil health measurement and carbon market: Bijesh Maharjan with Jessica Groskopf, UNL extension educator economics

Impacts of tillage systems, crop residues and cover crops on soil water and yield in semi-arid dryland systems: David Nielsen, retired USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) research agronomist.

NRCS soil health demonstrations and live rainfall simulator: Carlos Villarreal, USDA-NRCS state soil scientist and Riley Hackbart, soil scientist, USDA-NRCS High Plains Ag Lab research plot tours

We are fortunate to have two prominent keynote speakers at this event. Drs Nielsen and Peterson dedicated their careers to finding

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The next day, the officer saw the same guy driving down the road. He pulled him over again. He saw the penguins were still in the truck, but they were wearing sunglasses this time. “I thought I told you to take these penguins to the zoo!”, the officer said.

“I did,” the man replied. “And today I’m taking them to the beach.”

management solutions to address dryland cropping issues. They are well known among farmers, crop consultants and scientists throughout the Great Plains and other semi-arid regions of the world for their work on improving cropping system water use efficiency and profitability while protecting the soil resource.

“It is important for agricultural producers to understand the relationship between yield and available soil water at planting (AWP), and how to increase AWP with no-till management practices,” Nielsen commented. “This knowledge can aid in designing profitable crop rotations that are more intensive, lower fallow frequency than the wheat-fallow system.”

To attend the event, pre-register at https://unlcba.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/ SV_3Ir2CyTPO8AkWIC

There is no fee to attend, and a full lunch will be provided. Certified crop advisor Continuing Education Units will be offered.

The full agenda can be found at https:// preec.unledu/nebraska-soil-health-school-0

For more information or questions, email nheldt@unl.edu or call (308) 632-1230.

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Feeding silage to calves

By Lisa Moser,

K-State Research and Extension news service

When working with animals, often their caretakers have to use clues to understand what might be leading that individual to react differently than expected. And with feed resources, the experts at the Kansas State University Beef Cattle Institute recommend slowly changing feeds, especially when introducing silage.

In answering a listener’s question about why calves were not willing to eat silage, the Cattle Chatpodcast experts suggested following the cues of the cattle.

“When introducing silage, you are going to have to watch the calves closely to know when you can start increasing the amount in the diet. And with some groups, you may need to move more slowly,” said K-State veterinarian Bob Larson.

One reason that calves might have an aversion to eating silage is its smell, beef cattle nutritionist Phillip Lancaster said.

“Silage is a fermented feed resource, so it has a different taste and smell than calves are used to,” Lancaster said. “To make the silage more palatable, producers can add silage to the top of a feed source that the calves like. That way the calves have to work through the silage to get to what they prefer to eat.”

Because it is a fermented product, there can be variability in the batches, Lancaster said.

“If it is too wet, then it has a butyric fermentation that gives it a nasty odor that really turns cattle off on eating it,” Lancaster said. “If it is too dry, it can be moldy.”

Lancaster recommends that producers take a sample of the silage and have a fermentation analysis done to make sure there is the right balance of acetic acid, lactic acid and butyric acid. He also said silage inoculates added at the time the silage is made can provide bacteria at a high enough concentration to get an optimum fermentation.

If cattle are inconsistent in their willingness to eat the silage, K-State veterinarian Brian Lubbers said it is important for producers to take and store samples as they work through the feed so when they go off feed they can pull the appropriate sample to test.

“There are microclimates within a silage pit, and so take the samples as you are feeding so that you have a representative sample to help you figure out what is actually causing them to stop eating the silage,” Lubbers said.

Grazing management after a wildfire

By Jerry Volesky, UNL

There have been several wildfires this spring that have affected range and pasturelands across Nebraska and that threat will continue until we have new, green grass growth later this spring. Although the immediate aftermath of a fast-moving fire can look quite devastating, the perennial pasture grasses are resilient and will recover, especially since they are still dormant.

On sandy soils, one of the key impacts of a wildfire is the loss of plant residue and litter that protects the soil surface. This residue is important for reducing wind and water erosion and the loss of soil moisture.

An important grazing management recommendation following a wildfire is to delay turnout, possibly as long as one month, but this can be adjusted depending on rainfall. This simply allows grasses to accumulate more grow before being exposed to grazing.

Secondly, stocking rates should be reduced with the objective of leaving adequate residue, which will become litter on the ground. This is to replace what was lost in the fire. Rainfall in May and June will be most critical and should be the guiding factor affecting any of the above management decisions.

Confounding any grazing management plans we might have are the fences that may have been significantly damaged. Additionally, there are pastures that may have been only partially burned. On a pasture that has been partially burned, it is known that cattle will prefer to graze the burned portion resulting in much heavier grazing on that area compared to the unburned portion. Temporary fencing to exclude burned areas early in the season may be a solution but is often impractical.

It is not uncommon to see a greater number of annual weeds show up in a pasture after a fire. While this may look concerning, these weeds can be useful and have some forage value or will turn into residue and cover at the end of the season.

Researchers transform animal byproducts into valuable assets

By Kathryn Markham, ARS Office of Communications

One of the great challenges of raising animals is how to handle their waste. The question is as inevitable as it is difficult, but thanks to creative thinking and persistent lab work, ARS scientists are now offering farmers revolutionary new tools. Their goal: to reduce or eliminate the negative side effects of animal waste, such as excess nutrient run-off, and the release of pathogens or even antimicrobial resistant (AMR) genes. In developing solutions, they are helping to build a more circular agricultural economy, in which farmers can transform waste into valuable products that they can then use on their land in ways that strengthen their operations.

The work includes several different projects and builds on research that has been in progress for over 25 years. It began with the insight that bacteria lurking within waste could itself contain solutions. Matias Vanotti, a soil scientist at the Coastal Plains Soil, Water, and Plant Research Center in Florence, SC, used that insight to begin an intensive

screening process — over 450 days long — to isolate a bacteria in waste from swine operations in North Carolina, where there was a significant problem with run-off from farms. His search led him to a bacterial species, Brocadia caroliniensis, called anammox, for its ability to perform anaerobic ammonia oxidation, or the transformation of ammonia, a potentially harmful form of nitrogen, into dinitrogen gas under anaerobic conditions. The process proved to be highly effective for water treatment and has implications beyond agriculture, too.

In the course of the research, Vanotti explained, “we had to lyophilize [freeze dry], or preserve the bacteria for a long time, and that caught the attention of NASA, because they were trying to develop a new system to clean and recycle wastewater in space for long-term missions, like a mission to Mars.”

The achievement has been described as “a gamechanging water purification technology to remove nitrogen from wastewater at one-third the cost of existing technologies.”

Vanotti is now moving forward with colleagues to explore additional applications of bacteria, such as using them to treat water so that it can be used to flush barns, to purify water at very low temperatures, or even incorporating the bacteria into anaerobic digestion processes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In all of these efforts, the researchers are keeping the focus on the farmer. “We try to do this in such a way that a farmer can manage without complicated equip-

ment,” Vanotti said.

Thomas Ducey, a microbiologist at the Coastal Plains Soil, Water, and Plant Research Center in Florence, SC, has worked on the research with Vanotti. He noted that, while conventional water treatment uses large anaerobic lagoons and takes roughly 180 days, the system they developed can process water in tanks on a farm in 3-4 days.

“Treated water in a lagoon is nothing like what comes out of the system that Matias devised,” he said. “Lagoon water is still filled with solids, it has high nutrient content, it is unfit for any sort of consumption, and it still has potential pathogens in it. It’s nothing like the active treatment systems that the unit here has devised. It’s night and day.”

Taken together, the projects could provide farmers with a number of powerful new options to address the effects of animal agriculture, turning an insight about one tiny bacterium into a wealth of important solutions.

Jim Champie - Austin, NV

Photo: Johnstone Crop in Alamo, NV

Cured meat color

By Jeannine Schweihofer, Michigan State University Extension

The cured meat color of processed meats is formed through complex reactions.

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Have you ever made your own sausage and wondered why it turns colors while you are making it and while it is cooking? Meat color is a very dynamic and is impacted by many factors. Myoglobin is a key part of creating the cured meat color nitrosylhemochrome. But many additional factors come into play in forming cured meat color.

Curing meat involves adding nitrite or nitrate among other ingredients such as salt, sugar and spices to fresh meat. Most commonly nitrite is added to meat because the cured color reactions occur faster and more reliably than nitrate. The nitrite, usually dissolved in water, causes metmyoglobin to be formed, which causes the meat to turn brown. Eventually, the brownish colored meat will form the cured meat compound, nitrosylhemocrome, when the product is heated. The nitrosylhemochrome is a pink colored pigment that is heat stable. This pink “cured meat” color will continue to be pink when it is cooked as well as if the meat product is reheated multiple times.

The cured meat color is, however, subject to fading of the pink color when exposed to air and light. Thus, most all cured meats are vacuum packaged to prevent color fading.

In addition to creating the cured meat color, nitrite is also responsible for creating a “cured meat” flavor. Nitrite prevents the formation of “warmed-over flavors” typical of reheated cooked meat. Finally, nitrite in cured meats plays a critical safety role as it significantly reduces the chance of botulism. The amount of nitrite that can be added to meat is strictly regulated.

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Kioti DK5320SEHC tractor with KL5521 loader, cab, heat, air, HST transmission, 540 PTO, Cat I, 3 pt.1 in stock

Kioti DK4720SEHC tractor with KL5521 loader, cab, heat, air, HST transmission, 540 PTO, Cat I, 3 pt.1 in stock

The chicken, the egg, and salmonella

By Scott Elliott, ARS Office of Communications

Science enables hens to pass on immunity through their eggs. If you are one of the nearly 1.35 million Americans who are unlucky enough to contract Salmonella each year, this news is for you. If you’d like to avoid joining their number, this is for you, too.

Scientists with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) are making headway on their efforts to give hens the ability to pass on some Salmonella immunity to their chicks.

Salmonella is a bacterial disease that affects the intestinal tract and causes diarrhea (sometimes bloody), fever, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, and headache. Each year about 26,500 Americans end up in the hospital and 420 die as a result of it. Contaminated food is the primary cause, and chicken is the culprit about 20% of the time.

Researchers and public health experts have made many attempts to reduce or eliminate Salmonella bacteria, including proper food handling and preparation and cleanliness at all levels of the food production chain. Many of these methods have helped, but Salmonella remains a serious problem.

“Despite control efforts, foodborne illnesses due to Salmonella continue to impact [people],” said Christina Swaggerty, microbiologist with the ARS Food and Feed Safety Research unit in College Station, TX. ‘Our ‘pre-harvest’ food safety research program is focused on reducing the load of these bacteria in the live chicken, so birds entering the processing plant have less likelihood of contaminating the end product that reaches the consumer.”

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In addition to ARS, the team routinely collaborates with researchers from colleges and universities, and stakeholders from the poultry and animal feed industries. Their broadspectrum approach includes targeting management practices on the farm, naturally boosting birds’ immune responses, and finding suitable antibiotic alternatives for the poultry industry.

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One of the approaches they are employing to combat Salmonella in poultry, Swaggerty said, is to develop “transgenerational protection” against bacterial infection in broiler chickens. Broiler chickens are raised for their meat, as compared to layer chickens, which are raised for their eggs.

“Our approach to transgenerational protection means we are focusing on two generations of chickens: the broiler breeder hens, and their offspring,” Swaggerty explained. “We want to determine if it is possible to naturally boost the immune response of the broiler breeder hens, and then to test if their chicks (also) have a stronger immune response and are more resistant to Salmonella infections — thus, across generations, or ‘transgenerational’.”

To boost a hen’s immunity, the researchers are adding antibiotic alternative products, such as natural botanicals (plants or plant extracts that offer some type of therapeutic benefit) or other biofactors to chicken feed. Biofactors are elements the body needs to function properly and help prevent disease. Swaggerty said that all meat-producing industries are reducing the quantity of traditional antibiotics they use, and are instead turning to natural products as an alternative.

After feeding supplements to hens, researchers collected their eggs and found what they were hoping for.

“We hatched the eggs and found that hens on the supplemented diet produced chicks that were more resistant to Salmonella infection compared to chicks that were hatched from hens on a control diet with no supplementation,” Swaggerty said. “This is important because if you can start with young chicks that are naturally more resistant to Salmonella, they are less likely to be a source of contamination to the consumer.”

At this point, the new research joins traditional Salmonella-reducing practices, such as sanitation and proper food handling. The result could be safer poultry products and lower prices for consumers.

“Chickens with an effective immune response will be able to react to a broad range of foodborne and poultry pathogens quickly and efficiently,” Swaggerty said. “Reducing early chick sickness and death will reduce the cost of the product reaching the consumer, but — even more importantly — an effective early immune response allows the birds to fight off infections and stay healthy.”

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Register now for the Nebraska Ranch Practicum

Ranchers and cattle producers interested in learning about the latest research in range livestock production from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln are encouraged to register for the 2024 Nebraska Ranch Practicum offered by Nebraska Extension.

The practicum will be held during eight sessions over the course of three seasons to cover the production cycle of livestock and forage resources. Participants will learn about a variety of topics, including the effective use of decision support tools to evaluate management and marketing alternatives, plant identification, range condition and grazing strategies, wildlife management, evaluation of cow body condition scores, and beef cattle production systems.

The practicum is June 4 and 5, July 10, September 4 and 5, and November 7, 2024; and January 7 and 8, 2025. Classroom activities will open and close the practicum in North Platte with the remainder of the classes conducted at the University of Nebraska’s Gudmundsen Sandhills Laboratory, a working ranch with education and research facilities, near Whitman.

The registration fee is $675. The fee for a spouse is an additional $350. Registration covers educational materials, noon meals and breaks. Participants are responsible for travel and lodging expenses. The practicum can count for college or continuing education credit.

To register, submit a completed application and registration fee by May 3. Applications will not be accepted after that date. Enrollment is limited to 35 participants. Applicants will be notified of their status no later than May 20. Refunds will be issued if space is not available.

To learn more or register, visit https://nebraskaranchpracticum.unl.edu/ or contact Troy Walz at 308-872-6831 or troy.walz@unl.edu.

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Victor, MT

Embracing antibiotic stewardship

in animal agriculture

Discussions of antibiotic stewardship within the dairy industry typically focus on preventing drug residues in milk and meat produced by the farm. This aspect of antibiotic stewardship is crucial for maintaining a safe food supply, but it is not the only important aspect of antibiotic stewardship. Outside of animal agriculture, discussions of antibiotic stewardship center on preventing the development and spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria. Although we cannot lose sight of the importance of residue prevention in animal agriculture, we also need to embrace the concept of antibiotic stewardship to prevent antibiotic resistance as well.

Penn State Extension disease at hand, how well it has performed on the farm or nearby operations, how use of the medication may impact public health, the risk of residues, as well as the convenience and ability of the farm to utilize the product properly. A veterinary-developed treatment protocol will provide a description of how to identify the disease, and in some cases the severity of the disease, how to treat an animal identified with the disease, and when to seek further care if treatment is not effective. It may also outline how to manage the animal differently and, if extralabel medications are used, will provide an extended withhold time to avoid drug residues. These protocols not only assure the best antibiotic for the problem is used, but they can also be more cost-effective due to less antibiotic use and improved health.

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Antibiotic resistance is a characteristic of a bacteria when it is no longer affected by an antibiotic that should kill it or stop its growth. Infections caused by antibiotic resistant bacteria are harder to treat and can increase the risk of death, whether the infection is in an animal or a person. Often, inappropriate use of antibiotics is blamed for antibiotic resistance, but this statement is not entirely true. Though inappropriate use certainly drives the development of resistance, any use of antibiotics, even for the most appropriate reasons, can lead to more resistant bacteria. Everyone can play a role in improving both human and animal health by embracing antibiotic stewardship practices. In fact, the first core principle of antibiotic stewardship, as presented by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), is to commit to stewardship. By implementing the remaining four AVMA core principles of antibiotic stewardship, farms can make a commitment to help slow the spread of antibiotic resistance while also benefitting the health and productivity of their livestock.

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The second core principle of antibiotic stewardship is to focus on the prevention of disease. Since any antibiotic use can lead to resistant bacteria, reducing the need for antibiotics by reducing disease is an ideal way to prevent resistance. Disease prevention in dairy herds has the added benefits of improving animal wellbeing, reducing veterinary costs, and increasing productivity. This may be implemented through protocols directly targeting animal health, such as vaccination, biosecurity, and colostrum management protocols. While other opportunities may be less obvious, such as training milking parlor staff in appropriate milking techniques to minimize the risk of mastitis while also improving milk let down and parlor turn-over rate. Facility design and management can also improve animal health through assuring appropriate stocking rates, providing adequate ventilation, and good cow comfort. Finally, assuring animals are fed a well-balanced diet gives them the nutrition they need to support their immune system to fight disease, while also improving production. These practices, can be summarized as optimizing health, optimizing housing, and optimizing nutrition. When all three are well optimized the result is not only improved animal health, resulting in less need for antibiotics, but maximal production too, a true win-win for the dairy and for public health.

The third core principle of antibiotic stewardship is to select and use antibiotics judiciously. In animal agriculture, veterinary-developed treatment protocols are the hallmark of judicious use. The decision of which antibiotic to use and when is challenging, even for the veterinarian. When choosing an antibiotic, a veterinarian must weigh the ability of the antibiotic to treat the

The fourth core principle of antibiotic stewardship is to evaluate antibiotic use practices. On the dairy, this translates to good recordkeeping, not only of antibiotic use and withhold periods, but also of what diseases are treated and the outcome of treatment. This can help the herd veterinarian identify if a treatment protocol is working well or not. When a protocol is not effectively treating a disease, the herd veterinarian may suggest a change in treatment protocol or may recommend diagnostics to better understand why the treatment is not working. This helps to assure that the best antibiotic for the operation is being used and that resistance is not developing in pathogens on the farm. Good disease records can also provide early warning of diseases that may be increasing in prevalence, allowing for changes in management or nutrition to correct the problem before it becomes even larger. In addition to targeting treatment choices and early problem identification, good recordkeeping is, of course, critical to preventing antibiotic residues as well.

The final core principle of antibiotic stewardship is to educate and build expertise in antimicrobial stewardship. This can be as simple as reading this article, but there is another side of this education that is far more important to antibiotic stewardship. Many of the core principles discussed in this article revolve around protocols. It is important to remember that behind every successful protocol are people. Whether a protocol targets treatment, management, or nutrition, it requires good employee training to ensure the protocol is fully understood. When employees are able to effectively implement the protocols associated with their responsibilities, the farm will see benefits not only to antibiotic stewardship, but to many aspects of animal health and productivity as well.

Antibiotic stewardship, both in terms of residue prevention and antibiotic resistance prevention, is the right choice to promote animal health, public health, and productivity on a dairy. To embrace antibiotic stewardship, focus on four P’s: Prevention, Protocols, Paper, or Pixels (records), and people. By far, the most important of which is to have people committed to stewardship and well educated in their area of expertise working on the dairy.

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Registration open for 406 Grazing Academy

From MSU News Service

Registration is now open for the three-day 406 Grazing Academy, an annual workshop aimed at ranchers seeking to hone their grazing management skills and learn new strategies. This year’s event will be held June 11-13 in Miles City, and registration is open until April 26.

Registration costs $200 per person and includes materials, a range monitoring kit, and lunch and dinner each day of the workshop. Those interested in attending can register at https://svc.mt.gov/doa/opp/DNR406GrazingAcademyRegistration/cart.

Montana State University Extension will host the workshop alongside the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, with support from the Dan Scott Ranch Management Program in MSU’s Department of Animal and Range Sciences. This year’s program will include speakers and a field portion designed for hands-on learning.

Participants are responsible for travel and hotel costs. A block of rooms is available at the Miles City Inn & Suites with code “406 Grazing Academy.” A limited number of scholarships are also available through the Montana Rural Employment Opportunities program.

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Mystery plant No. 2

By Carrie Knutson, Horticulture agent, NDSU Extension

Last year, I grew okra as a mystery vegetable in my school garden program. The idea was to introduce young gardeners to a new vegetable and get them to try it. The gardeners did have a hard time guessing the name of the plant.

I was worried the pods would not be picked, and that the pods would get old and be left on the plant. That was not the case. The young gardeners kept the pods harvested, and I didn’t even get a chance to try the okra!

The okra was well cared for thanks to a NDSU Extension Master Gardener who cares for the garden and helps me teach the young gardeners. The flowers were a beautiful addition to the garden and the plant regularly produced pods. The plant grew to about 2 feet tall.

The mystery plant was such a success that it will be part of my gardening programs this year. This year’s mystery plant might not be such a mystery to you. Let’s see if you can guess what the mystery plant is or at least learn something new about the plant by the end of my column.

The mystery plant is an annual native to North America. The flowers come in a range of colors from deep reds and browns to white. Some are even bicolored. The mystery plant prefers full sun and is tolerant of most soil types. It can handle dry conditions but will do better in garden settings with supplemental watering.

The mystery plant prefers to be direct seeded as it doesn’t like for its roots to be disturbed. If you choose to start seeds indoors, use biodegradable paper pots. Gardeners can grow pollenless, single stem, branching, dwarf and giant varieties. Spacing of the plants depends on the variety.

The leaves of the mystery plant are thick and are usually covered with short hairs. Sometimes the leaves will feel rough against your skin. The stem is strong and sturdy.

The flower is a composite flower made of individual ray and disc flowers. Immature flowers will follow the sun, but mature flower heads will face east. The flowers will attract many beneficial insects and pollinators.

The flowers can be used in fresh or dried arrangements. Gardeners and wildlife alike will enjoy snacking on the seeds. Gardeners might have to protect the plant to prevent other wildlife from harvesting the seeds before they are ready.

In agriculture, two main types are grown. They are oil and confection types. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, in 2022, North Dakota ranked No. 1 in the U.S. for production of this mystery plant. North Dakota grew more than 1.3 billion pounds.

Did you figure it out or learn something new about this plant? This year’s mystery plant is a sunflower. Add it to your landscape this summer so you and the local wildlife can enjoy its benefits.

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