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Wet Feet in Wheat
Given the widespread wet conditions present this spring, there are many areas in winter wheat fields with both ponding and saturated (or waterlogged) soils. Producers may want to consider soil conditions and evaluate extended weather forecasts when deciding whether or not to retain a winter wheat this spring.
How Will You Make Hay This Year?
With plenty of spring moisture, hay season will be here before you know it. Have you considered the type of binding material you will use to put up hay this year?
South Dakota Herbicide Damage
As the spray season starts, it is always good to be aware of resources and testing facilities where you can send in possible herbicide-affected plant samples. SDSU Extension offers suggestions on how to handle possible herbicide damage situations as well as recommended labs that receive plant matter samples to test for herbicide residues.
Soybean Production: Cost-effective pest management practices
Chemicals were one of the most expensive individual costs in soybean production, behind only to seed in the non-land cost category. The average cash-rent soybean production farms incurred a crop chemical cost of $39/ac in 2015, an 88% increase from 2010.
Flood Insurance
The higher amounts of snow this year will increase the chance of flooding and the potential water damage to homes and residential properties. Now is the time to consider purchasing a flood insurance policy.
Hay: Stop the Waste
In an effort to prevent increasing the winter feed bill, a new bale feeder design or feeding plan may need to be developed and put into action in order to manage hay waste this winter.
Limited Forage: What Are Some Alternatives?
Research has shown that a variety of feedstuffs can be utilized to meet the cows’ nutrient requirements with similar performance to hay or hay plus supplement ration.
Making Use of “Ugly” Feeds
Feed does not have to be perfect to be useful. The key to making smart feeding decisions is knowing what the imperfections are and adjusting accordingly.
Liver Abscesses: The Unseen Profit Thief
Liver abscesses are a great example of an important value robber in feedlot cattle that’s not immediately apparent.
Cover Crops & Livestock Integration: A Profit Opportunity for S.D. Farms
Cover crops have been gaining a reemerging acceptance over the last decade, with very few producers disagreeing about the potential soil health benefits of adding cover crops to their farming operation.