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Five Additional Activities Improving Cow Herd Profitability Paul Beck, Oklahoma State University State Extension Beef Cattle Nutrition Specialist Tight cattle supplies and record cattle prices are wonderful, but costs of production have also increased. Even in a good year, out of control production costs may lead to profits below breakeven. There are 10 management strategies important for a profitable cow-calf operation. The first five were covered a couple of weeks ago. Below are the remaining five. Hay testing and least cost supplementation:...
Chouteau County Juniors and Seniors Will Participate in 2023 Chouteau County Agricultural Business Day Junior and senior students from Big Sandy, Fort Benton, Geraldine, Highwood and Chouteau county home schools will participate in the 2023 Chouteau County Agricultural Business Day on December 6th. The event will take place from 9:00 a.m. -10:30 a.m. at the Ag Center (1205 20th Street). An estimated twenty businesses will be in attendance to educate juniors and seniors about agricultural career opportunities in Chouteau County. Businesses will...
Five Activities Improving Cow Herd Profitability Paul Beck, Oklahoma State University State Extension Beef Cattle Nutrition Specialist Tight cattle supplies and record cattle prices are wonderful, but costs of production have also increased. Even in a good year, out of control production costs may lead to profits below breakeven. There are 10 management strategies important for a profitable cow-calf operation. Dr. Beck will cover 5 strategies this week and 5 strategies next week. 1) Know cost of production - Beef cattle Standard Performance...
Deer Need a Little “Tough Love” in Winter Conditions Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks recently sent out a warning to Montanan’s that it is illegal to feed deer under Montana law. Jim Knight, MSU Extension Wildlife Specialist (retired) explained a 2003 article why feeding deer is a poor practice The compete article is available at https://bit.ly/3uU6JRa. Feeding deer hay or corn can be deadly because deer cannot always digest new feed. Deer digestion involves protozoa and bacteria that help break down food. Different micro-organisms help diges...
Updated Diseases of Cool Season Legumes MontGuide Available A Montana State University Extension guide from 2015 has been updated. The new and improved guide (EB0207) is titled Diseases of Cool Season Legumes - Pulse Crops (Dry Pea, Lentil and Chickpea). It is written by Uta McKelvy, Assistant Professor Extension Plant Pathology, Erin Gunnink Troth, Research Associate, and Mary Burrows, Associate Dean for Research and Director of Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station. It includes photographs and management of existing diseases and diseases...
Dr. Sam Wyffels to Speak at Chouteau County Livestock Protective Association The Chouteau County Livestock Protective Association annual meeting will take place on Thursday, November 16th at 3:00 p.m. at the Mint in Big Sandy. A social will follow the business meeting at 5:00 p.m. followed by dinner at 6:00. Please RSVP Buck Goldhahn at 622-5572 so the cooks can have notice on how many people will be attending. This year’s guest speaker is MSU Beef Specialist, Dr. Sam Wyffels. The presentation will be Fall and Winter Nutritional Management o...
Garden advice for October and November Managing horticultural landscapes and house plants in November is important for 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 m...
Fall Management of Cheatgrass in Fallow Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), also commonly called downy brome, is a problematic weed in winter wheat and in rangeland throughout Montana. Cheatgrass typically germinates in the autumn, overwinters, and produces seed by mid-summer. The cheatgrass life cycle is similar to winter wheat which makes it a problematic weed in winter wheat fields. Cheatgrass is an abundant seed producer. Seed is only viable for one to two years in the seedbank. Cheatgrass typically germinates from late August to early October...
Fall Management of Cheatgrass in Fallow Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), also commonly called downy brome, is a problematic weed in winter wheat and in rangeland throughout Montana. Cheatgrass typically germinates in the autumn, overwinters, and produces seed by mid-summer. The cheatgrass life cycle is similar to winter wheat which makes it a problematic weed in winter wheat fields. Cheatgrass is an abundant seed producer. Seed is only viable for one to two years in the seedbank. Cheatgrass typically germinates from late August to early October...
Salinity Control Seminar in Fort Benton A salinity control seminar will take place at the Ag Center in Fort Benton on Tuesday, October 17, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. The first presenters will be Scott Brown and Tera Ryan. Scott is the Montana Salinity Control Association (MSCA) Program Director and Soil Scientist. Tera is the MSCA Assistant Director and Reclamation Scientist. She will explain dryland saline seep development and reclamation techniques. Explain what a shallow ground water investigation entails and how that will define ground water flow...
Nine 4-H and FFA Youth Meet Excellence Criteria for Livestock Carcass Quality The 2023 Chouteau County 4-H and FFA livestock carcass contest took place at Pioneer Meats in Big Timber. A total of 81 Chouteau County animals were evaluated for carcass quality by Mark King from MSU Extension Sweet Grass County. The purpose of the carcass contest is to teach youth how to correctly select, feed and finish livestock based on carcass data. If carcass criteria are met, youth can be confident they are producing a quality product that is safe, nutritious...
September Horticulture Management Managing horticultural landscapes in September is essential to healthy production during the growing season. Below are a few recommendations for Chouteau County gardeners. • The average first frost is September 15 (Carter), September 18 (Kenilworth and Highwood), September 20 (Big Sandy), September 25 (Fort Benton) and September 28 in (Geraldine). All fruit and vegetables should be harvested before temperatures drop below 40° to 50°F. • Ripen tomatoes in a paper bag along with an apple, or hang the entir...
September Horticulture Management Managing horticultural landscapes in September is essential to healthy production during the growing season. Below are a few recommendations for Chouteau County gardeners. • The average first frost is September 15 (Carter), September 18 (Kenilworth and Highwood), September 20 (Big Sandy), September 25 (Fort Benton) and September 28 in (Geraldine). All fruit and vegetables should be harvested before temperatures drop below 40° to 50°F. • Ripen tomatoes in a paper bag along with an apple, or hang the entir...
Top Yielding Winter Wheat Varieties for Chouteau County MSU Agricultural Research Centers have one test plot for winter wheat in Chouteau County which is managed by MSU Northern Agricultural Research Center (NARC) north of Loma. A special thanks to Peggy Lamb (NARC agronomist) for establishing and maintaining the Chouteau County test plot. The Extension office would also like to thank the McKeever family for donating the use of their land for MSU research. NARC (Loma area) top three yielding winter wheat varieties (10-year average yield) from...
Top Yielding Winter Wheat Varieties for Chouteau County MSU Agricultural Research Centers have one test plot for winter wheat in Chouteau County which is managed by MSU Northern Agricultural Research Center (NARC) north of Loma. A special thanks to Peggy Lamb (NARC agronomist) for establishing and maintaining the Chouteau County test plot. The Extension office would also like to thank the McKeever family for donating the use of their land for MSU research. NARC (Loma area) top three yielding winter wheat varieties (10-year average yield) from...
The Importance of Water to Cattle Water is the most important nutrient. An adequate supply of clean, fresh water is a critical component of maintaining healthy, productive cattle. At this time of year, managing your cattle’s water supply is more important than ever. Water accounts for at least 50 percent of your cattle’s live weight. Water is required to transport nutrients through the blood, maintain cellular structure, regulate temperature, and much more. In order for livestock to maximize feed intake and production, they need daily access to...
Horticultural Tips for August Below are some rules of thumb when tending vegetables, lawns, flowers and trees during the month of August. • Renovate strawberries by mowing a minimum of every three years. Some people mow their strawberries every year following fruit production. Be sure to set the mower high enough to mow the leaves. Mowing too low may damage the crowns and kill the plant. • Top-dress strawberries after harvest with a complete fertilizer like 16-16-16. • Pinch the tops of indeterminate tomatoes and reduce watering to promote ripe...
Mowing to Manage Invasive and Noxious Weeds Mowing is often overlooked as a weed management tool, but it can be effective if done properly. For best results, timing and frequency of mowing should be based upon the weed’s biology and growth stage. More specifically, when and how often to mow depends upon the weed’s method of reproduction —seed only or seed plus creeping roots. Weeds that reproduce only by seed are best controlled when mown just prior to or during flowering. If done at this time, these species usually only need to be mowed once...
A Special Thanks in Advance to Our Chouteau County 4-H Fair Superintendents 4-H is the youth development program of our nation’s Cooperative Extension System and USDA. Cooperative Extension serves every county and reservation in the U.S. through a network of 110 public universities and more than 3000 local Extension offices. Research-based, hands-on experiences help develop young people who are four times more likely to contribute to their communities, two times more likely to make healthier choices, and two times more likely to be civically a...
If You Want To Help Farmers Refrain From Feeding Millet Birdseed HELENA, Mont. – The Montana Department of Agriculture (MDA) confirmed Palmer amaranth in a residential planter near Shelby, Montana. This is the first case of Palmer amaranth confirmed in Montana. Palmer amaranth (Almaranthus palmeri), a fast-growing, prolific-seeding pigweed, has been confirmed in Montana for the first time. A single male plant was found growing in a residential planter near Shelby, MT, most likely introduced from contaminated birdseed; no seed was produced. T...
Gardening Tips for the Month of July Below are a few tips which will assist gardeners with summer management of their landscapes. Additional gardening information is available at the Chouteau County Extension Office located in the green building next to the courthouse. • In our landscapes, plants use 2.5 inches of water per week. • Harvest broccoli while heads are tight. • Pick shell peas when the seeds are fully developed but before ripening. Harvest edible pod peas when the seeds are barely visible inside the pod. Allow snap peas to reach nea...
MSU Extension and Chouteau County Conservation District Team Up to Measure Soil Acidity Across Chouteau County MSU Extension and the Chouteau County Conservation District utilized the 2023 Soil Moisture Survey sites as a base sample survey for evaluating pH levels. While gathering soil moisture information, each of the 20 monitoring sites was measured for soil pH at the 2” and 6” soil depths. Samples were sent to Montana State University for testing. A special thanks to Jackson Bramlette from the Chouteau County Conservation District for hel...
Loma Field Day Will Take Place on July 12 MSU Northern Agricultural Research Center (NARC) and MSU Extension Chouteau County will be hosting a field day on July 12 at 10:00 a.m. The location will be ½ mile east of the Lyle McKeever residence located at 1494 McKeever Road. Watch for signs along Rudyard Road and Houston Road directing you to the site. NARC off-station field days highlight the variety testing work being done by Northern Agricultural Research Center on cooperators farms within the different counties. Speakers include Suchismita...
How Farmers, Gardeners and Insecticide Applicators Can Reduce Risks of Honeybee Injury When Spraying for Grasshoppers Because of the increase in grasshopper pests this year and last year, many folks are spraying insecticides to save their crops and landscapes. The following article comes from the University of Nebraska and is available at: https://bit.ly/3vQPhuz. Do not treat fields in bloom. Be especially careful when treating crops, such as alfalfa, sunflowers and canola, which are highly attractive to bees. Insecticide labels carry warning...
Tree watering rules of thumb Most trees will not require watering after three years, but during periods of drought, trees will need some help. Below are a few recommendations to help trees survive drought conditions. • Water trees three times a month in addition to watering your lawn. • Deep watering to a depth of 12” inches below the soil surface is recommended. Saturate the soil around the tree within the “dripline” (the outer edges of the tree’s branches) to disperse water down toward the roots. • For evergreens, water 3’-5’ beyond the dripl...
