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5 Montana Drought Series for Livestock Producers in Havre Montana State University Ranch Management Systems Team in collaboration with local MSU Extension agents have put together a series of workshops to address potential strategies to reduce the effects of drought in 2021. The 2021 Montana Drought Series has put together a tour of talks in 5 locations across the state where drought is most prominent. The topics featured include; Cattle Management During Drought, Range Conditions and Grazing During Drought, Forage Management Options During...
The single most important component of a successful breeding program is using fertile bulls that have passed a bull breeding soundness evaluation (BSE). Each bull is expected to contribute to 20 to 50 pregnancies each year. Having a BSE conducted on breeding bulls is crucial to a successful breeding program. The BSE is an exam conducted by veterinarians that includes a physical exam, semen evaluation, and an internal and external exam of the reproductive tract. The BSE should be conducted 30 to 60 days prior to breeding to allow sufficient...
The Chouteau County Soil Moisture Survey was started by Judee Wargo in 1993 to assist farmers in determining recropping potential on cereal grain stubble. After 28 years, the Chouteau County Extension Office continues to compile data for determining recropping potential and providing the state drought committee with soil moisture information. Testing for soil moisture took place in Chouteau County on March 26-31. All winter wheat locations except three (southeast of Big Sandy and north of Loma) exceeded 3.5 feet of stored soil moisture, which...
With the coming of spring and warmer weather conditions, snakes are through hunkering down for the winter making human encounters more likely. For many, snakes evoke feelings of uneasiness to outright panic. Montana only has 10 native snake species of which only the Prairie Rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis) is venomous. Prairie Rattlesnakes are pale green to brown in color with brown or black blotches along the back extending to the tail where they change from blotches to rings. However, pattern and coloration vary widely across snake species and...
Hay U Webinar Montana State University Extension Pondera County is sponsoring the first Hay U Webinar for livestock producers. The Webinar will address how to establish a good stand of hay, forage pest management, hay storage, hay quality and hay value. The agenda is posted below: March 18, 6:00 pm - Planting and Stand Establishment - Dr. Hayes Goosey, MSU Extension Forage Specialist March 25, 6:00 pm - Crop Management and Pest Control - Dr. Hayes Goosey April 1, 6:00 pm - Harvest and Storage - Dr. Hayes Goosey April 8, 6:00 pm - Hay Quality...
Northern Ag Research Center Posts Top Yielding Spring and Winter Wheat Varieties for the Loma Area MSU Northern Agricultural Research Center (NARC) has posted 2020 wheat yield data for the McKeever plot north of Loma. A special thanks to Peggy Lamb (NARC agronomist) and the NARC staff for establishing and maintaining the Chouteau County test plot near Loma. In addition, the Extension office would like to thank the McKeever family for donating the use of their land for MSU research. A field day at the test plot will take place on June 22, 2021....
Eighth Annual Chouteau County Agriculture Day for 4th and 5th Graders The eighth annual Chouteau County Ag Day for 4th and 5th graders will take place at the Chouteau County Fairgrounds on April 27, 2021. All 4th and 5th graders in Chouteau County are invited to attend. Home school kids who are interested in participating need to contact the Chouteau County Extension Office at 622-3751. Participants will learn the importance of Montana’s number one industry, agriculture, and why agriculture is important to their health, home and community. F...
A Montguide titled Deer-Resistant Ornamental Plants for Your Garden is available at the Chouteau County Extension office or can be mailed to you upon request. The document is also available online at: https://bit.ly/3sn0aTH. The Montguide is written by Cheryl Moore-Gough (Previous Extension Horticulture Specialist). Deer are very destructive to a garden. Deer eat flowers and foliage in summer and browse on tender buds in winter. Deer typically feed at night, with a single adult capable of consuming from five to ten pounds of garden plants in...
The following article was written by Megan Van Emon, MSU Extension Beef Cattle Specialist. The complete article is available at: https://animalrangeextension.montana.edu/beef/moovingminutes.html Be on the lookout for lice in 2021. As temperatures decrease, lice may become an issue on cows, bulls, and calves. Lice feed on blood (sucking lice) or skin and hair (chewing/biting lice). Lice infestations typically occur on beef cattle that are stressed from the cold weather, inadequate nutrition, internal parasite infestations, or lowered immune...
Will the cold temperatures increase grasshopper egg mortality? The answer for 2021 is probably not. In Canada, few grasshoppers hatched following a winter with temperatures at negative 22 degrees Fahrenheit (Riegert, 1967). However, Canada had little snow cover during the time period when mortality occurred. Snow cover generally reduces the impact of cold temperatures on below-ground overwintering insects. How long does a seed treatment like Gaucho remain effective on grasshoppers? Insecticide seed treatment usually last about 21 days and will...
Topping is the drastic removal or cutting back of large branches in mature trees. The tree is sheared like a hedge and the main branches are cut to stubs. Many homeowners top trees when they reach heights considered unsafe fearing a strong wind might blow large trees over. However, the extensive root system of a healthy tree provides adequate support for the tree. Below are a number of reasons why deciduous trees should not be topped. Starvation: Trees need leaves to manufacture starches during photosynthesis. A tree’s transport system moves s...
Producers who have computers frequently ask about the availability of software programs to handle cow-calf production records. Before purchasing a software program, it is important to analyze the value of a system to help make better management decisions. Producers should evaluate existing records to determine the types of information needed from a software program. Are inventory records important? Are summary reports of primary interest? By considering specific record needs, the producer is better equipped to choose an appropriate software...
As addressed in previous grasshopper articles, the chances of high grasshopper pest numbers in range and cropland is high for 2021. As you consider control methods like contact or systemic insecticides, please consider biological control as part of your Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plan. The naturally occurring protozoan Nosema locustae such as Semasphore effects grasshopper populations. The organism is generally mixed with bait. A grasshopper becomes infected if it ingests the bait, infected vegetation or an already diseased grasshopper....
Winter desiccation can be very hard on evergreen trees. Dry soil in winter often cannot replace the moisture trees lose to the cold dry winter air. The symptoms of winter damage and die back may not become visible until spring or summer growth begins. Winter damaged trees may only show a few dead branches or twigs. In most severe cases, the entire tree may die. Evergreen trees are more susceptible to winter desiccation than deciduous trees as the evergreens retain their needles and provide more area for moisture loss. Young evergreens are most...
Many Chouteau County producers are sending samples to the new agricultural testing facility in Chinook. Because of its location, producers can get test results back in a couple of days rather than a week or 10 days. Information below came from an article published in the Blaine County Journal. North Border Analytics opened late June at its new facility on the north side of Chinook. The business performs testing and assessment for soil, water, forage and grain samples. Dr. Brian Grebliunas, the owner, says the local lab will perform testing on...
A Feral swine fact sheet is available at the Chouteau County Extension office or online at: https://www.animalrangeextension.montana.edu/wildlife/documents/Squeal%20on%20Pigs%20Fact%20Sheet19.pdf. Below are a few highlights from the fact sheet. Feral swine have not been documented in the state of Montana. Montana citizens need to understand how important it is to keep this pest out of our state. Feral swine are aggressive animals that can be extremely destructive to fields, fences, and facilities. Their wallows can affect ponds and wetlands, mu...
The 2021 Montana’s Next Generation Conference will provide six powerful evening sessions covering crops, livestock, family communication, business planning, and succession planning topics. Sessions will be on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6 to 8 p.m., beginning January 12. All sessions will be broadcast and accessible online. Sessions will be free, but registration is required at https://bit.ly/2Wj3SzT. Jan. 12 – Lacy Roberts, Glacier County Farm Loan Manager, will start the night off with Beginning Financial and Production Recordkeeping....
This article was written by Dennis Cash, retired MSU Extension Service forage specialist. The winter feeding is likely your single largest ranch expense. Reducing hay waste can save you money. Hay losses at feeding on most ranches averages about one fourth, but can easily approach half. During good haying conditions and with proper storage, most losses to alfalfa or alfalfa-grass hays can be minimized. Dense large round or rectangular bales are widely used, but significant losses occur when these are stacked in the open. Hay sheds and tarps...
Montana State University Extension will host a free, annual cropping seminar series January 6, 2021 in Fort Benton, Denton, Havre, Chester, Shelby, Cut Bank, Conrad, Choteau, and Great Falls. Speakers will cover grasshopper control, antagonistic effects of herbicides, management of herbicide resistant weeds, and farm and ranch safety. Due to Covid-19, presentations will be broadcast to local locations for viewing. If producers would prefer to view the presentations at home, they can contact their local extension office for the broadcast link....
There are many “tips” to caring for a Christmas tree that propose to make it last longer or stay greener. In truth, all a tree really needs to maintain freshness is adequate water. This is easily done by using the proper tree stand and keeping the water level in the stand above the base of the tree. The following tips will help to maintain the freshness and aroma of a live Christmas tree this holiday season. Use a tree stand that holds enough water for the size of the tree. The rule of thumb is one quart of water per one inch of stem dia...
Sampling of hay is essential to livestock management. Hay sampling is best accomplished with a hollow core probe consisting of a stainless-steel tube and a sharp cutting end. The Chouteau County Extension office has a hay probe available for check out. One core should be sampled from at least 20 bales from a lot of hay. A lot of hay is defined as hay harvested from a field of uniform maturity within two days. A lot should not exceed 200 tons. Poor sampling techniques and an inadequate number of subsamples (less than 20) are the largest sources...
If we continue to have drought conditions, grasshopper pest populations will explode this spring. One insecticide available is Dimilin 2L. Below are a few facts about Dimilin 2L. • Dimilin 2L is an insecticide that interferes with molting. This insect growth regulator does not poison the grasshoppers, but it controls immature grasshoppers by interfering with their normal shedding of skin as they grow. As a result, it takes time to see mortality. • Dimilin 2L is an insect growth regulator which is effective on a wide variety of insect pes...
Managing horticultural landscapes and house plants in November is important to healthy production during the growing season. Below are a few recommendations for Chouteau County gardeners. • Apply protective mulches to perennial beds. • Use a humidifier to maintain humidity for houseplants. • Prune out dead limbs of woody ornamentals. • Do not fertilize or transplant anything after Columbus Day. • Continue to water landscape plantings (trees, shrubs, and perennials) until the soil freezes. • Apply winter mulch to strawberry beds as soon as the...
On behalf of the Chouteau County Extension Office, Janell and I would like to Congratulate Julia on this achievement. The Montana Symbol of Excellence (SOE ) program annually recognizes both 4-H and FFA youth and hog breeders who raise market hogs that meet carcass merit standards and who demonstrate a commitment to excellence in producing quality pork products. The SOE program was created through a partnership between Montana Pork Producers Council (MPPC) and MSU Extension before the Pork Act of 1985. MPPC with MSU Extension Swine Specialists...
Diagnosing injury to plants from herbicides can be difficult. A new guide (EB0232) from Montana State University is intended to aid in assessing and identifying potential non-target herbicide injury. Knowing when and what was applied is vital for diagnosing herbicide injury. In addition, knowing weather conditions, soil type and soil pH, and other environmental factors that affect herbicide performance can be helpful. This guide first describes background information necessary to understand herbicide injury, then symptoms of herbicide injury...
