I can’t believe it’s JULY already. Here at Haskell Ag Lab, we’ve been busy preparing for all kinds of excitement. Not only is it fair time for those folks in the 4-H world, we have THREE big events coming up at the beginning of August.
The first big event is the Soil Health School, which will be on August 1 and 2, with an optional tour on the 3rd. During those two full days, there will be:
demonstrations that compare a healthy soils to those that aren’t so good,
presentations about different practices to build soil health,
a good discussion on how soil health can have an impact on our bottom line,
in-field observations of soil life, research trials, and ROOTS, and
probably most importantly - full sit-down meals both days!
I’m personally so excited to share with participants about my summer adventures in developing different ways to view what’s going on with the plant beneath the soil surface because there’s so much more to plant life than what you can see above the ground. Learn more about the Soil Health School and find the link to register for it at go.unl.edu/hal-shs.
The second big event is a new one for Haskell Ag Lab to host, but the Soybean Management Field Days are celebrating their 25th anniversary this year. Join us on August 9th to reminisce about the last 25 years of soybean production and consider the experiences that may be coming in the next 25 years. This year’s field days will feature presentations by experts from the University and panel discussions that include area farmers. Be sure to bring your questions and we’ll do our best to get them answered. Find out more about Soybean Management Field Days at enrec.unl.edu/soydays.
The 3rd big event is probably the biggest one, and is one we look forward to every year. It’s our Annual Science and Ag Family Field Day and it’s being held on August 10. Come one, come all for:
research tours that will highlight some of the work we’re doing right now,
educational presentations on land leases and water quality,
exhibitors and vendors from all kinds of agricultural businesses and programs,
hands-on activities for both kids and adults, and
a blood drive – because farm-related injuries often require blood transfusions and we want to STOCK THE BLOOD BANK!
Oh, and don’t forget, everyone that registers at the field day receives a voucher for free lunch from one of the on-site food trucks! This event is free and open to everyone of all ages. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. at the farm site with booths and activities scheduled from 9 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Find out more at go.unl.edu/halfieldday23. The Haskell Ag Lab is located 1.5 miles east of Concord on 866 Road. We hope to see everyone there!
See the flyers for these events below.
Mark your calendars and plan to attend our Family Field Day on Thursday, August 10th. We look forward to seeing you there!
Managing Cow Herds During Drought
By: Dr. Rick Rasby, Professor Animal Science, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Anytime drought occurs, times are difficult for livestock producers. However, avoid management practices that would lead to "panic", mass selling of livestock. Our comments for your consideration are as follows.
Dry cows could then be maintained by grazing poor quality pastures or fed low quality feeds until crop residues are available. In early gestation, dry cows can be maintained on low quality feeds without long-range effects on reproductive performance. For each 2.5 days that the calf is weaned there is 1 extra day of forage available for grazing.
If the drought continues, cows will be culled and cow prices will undoubtedly decline. If adequate sources of feed are available, we would advise not to cull until after pregnancy test. Pregnancy check no earlier than 35 to 45 days after the end of the breeding season.
If producers are to cull cows, use the following criteria:
· Cows with physical impairments.
· Non-pregnant cows - after accurately pregnancy testing.
· Old, mature cows.
· Cows with low production records.
If the breeding season for the cow herd is close to ending producers may want to wait and cull cows on a pregnancy test basis. Pregnancy check approximately 50-60 days after removing the bulls from the breeding pasture for accurate results using rectal palpation. For experienced ultrasound technicians, pregnancy detection after about day 30 to 35 of pregnancy is about 100 percent accurate.
There will be NO Coffee & Conversations in August as all HAL staff will be busy getting ready for our Science & Ag Family Field Day on Thursday, August 10th. Please plan to attend our Family Field Day on August 10th. It is free and open to the public with something for all ages. See flyer above in this newsletter.
Flies are numerous this summer. They drive us all nuts, but are they a problem beyond our annoyance?
The Livestock and Poultry Environmental learning Community recently hosted a webinar titled Vector Control on Livestock Operations and the answer is yes, flies are more than just a nuisance on livestock operations.
Flies can carry and transfer diseases between animals. Additionally, they can create wounds where other diseases can enter. So, what can we do about them beyond swatting them?
Well, the key to fly control is getting started before the flies are a problem. That means that if you’re having problems with flies, you’re really too late! Because fly populations increase exponentially, it’s critical to minimize their ability to reproduce.
Prevention is the Best Avenue
We can minimize reproduction by reducing access to food and sites for laying eggs. This means keeping the farm clean and maintained is more than just about keeping things pretty. It’s important to seal food containers where possible and keep pens clean and dry.
Save the Date Saturday, September 23 - Fall Fest - More details will be forthcoming in upcoming newsletters
Suggestions/Requests
Do you have a suggestion or a request for a program at the Haskell Ag Lab? We want to hear from you.
Click this link and complete this form and submit. We will look at all suggestions and requests. The form is available at: https://go.unl.edu/halsuggest
You can also reach us by phone at 402-584-2261 with your suggestions/requests for programs.
