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Flooding is expected in some rural areas,” says Ken Hellevang, North Dakota State University Extension agricultural engineer. “Now is the time to prepare before water accumulates on the farmstead. Observe where water flows and ponds during the snow melt and consider what needs to be done to reduce future problems.” The National Weather Service shows the snow water content across much of North Dakota to be 4 to 6 inches. Even with the drought conditions across the state last fall, water ponding and runoff are expected. The snow water equiv...
North Dakota State University Extension's Rural Leadership North Dakota (RLND) Program began 20 years ago to develop agricultural and community leaders. This year, RLND is looking for participants for Class X, which begins in November. "Rural Leadership North Dakota is the premier statewide leadership program in North Dakota," says Katie Tyler, NDSU RLND program director. "If you are seeking a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn more about yourself, the state, country and world to help move...
Sunflower producers, crop advisers and others interested in sunflower production management updates are encouraged to participate in the 2023 Getting-it-Right in Sunflower Production Conference on Tuesday, March 21 from 8:30 a.m. to noon. This online-only conference will be hosted on Zoom. The program will be conducted by North Dakota State University (NDSU) Extension and is supported by the National Sunflower Association. The conference is free to attend, but pre-registration is required at...
North Dakota State University Extension will offer the "2023 Getting It Right Canola Production" webinar on Thursday, March 9. The Zoom webinar begins at 8:30 a.m. and ends at noon CST. Certified Crop Advisor Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are available. The conference will consist of two parts. The first half features live presentations about canola cultivar considerations, plant establishment and plant development, weed management, fertilizer recommendations, and intercropping in canola....
Soil samples from North Dakota counties indicate low levels of overwintering wheat midge larvae (cocoons) for the 2023 season, says Janet Knodel, North Dakota State University Extension entomologist. A total of 2,040 soil cores were collected from 22 counties in the fall of 2022 to estimate the statewide risk for wheat midge for the 2023 spring wheat growing season. The risk for wheat midge is based on unparasitized cocoons found in the soil samples. "The majority of the soil samples had zero...
The North Dakota State University Extension projected crop budgets for 2023 are available for the state’s farmers, says Ron Haugen, NDSU Extension farm management specialist. The 2023 projected profits vary by region and crop. “The budgets are guides for large multi-county regions,” says Haugen. “Returns and costs can vary considerably between producers within a region. Also, the budgets estimate returns to labor and management with no consideration of price and yield variability or risk. A perfect comparison of crops is not achieved because...
As spring approaches, backyard poultry owners and educators may be preparing for hatching season, which also means taking precautions against the spread of disease. "Even in a small and controlled environment, biosecurity threats are present," says Samantha Lahman, North Dakota State University Extension 4-H youth development specialist in animal science. "It is important that those working with poultry are prepared to keep these newly hatched birds and the people in contact with them healthy."...
Extreme cold temperatures throughout the winter months can cause challenges to hydraulic hose lines in tractors and machinery. "The temperature of a piece of machinery can fluctuate from -20º F to 200º F in a matter of minutes," says Angie Johnson, North Dakota State University Extension farm and ranch safety coordinator. "The hydraulic hoses on tractors and implements used in the winter months must be in prime condition to withstand the extreme temperature changes we face in the Northern P...
North Dakota State University Extension again will host the Field to Fork Wednesday Weekly Webinar series starting in February. Experts from across the region will provide information about growing, preserving and preparing specialty-crop fruits and vegetables safely in this eighth annual webinar series, which has reached thousands of people. The Field to Fork Wednesday Weekly Webinars will begin Feb. 15. The webinars will be held online from 2-3 p.m. Central time Wednesdays through April 26. They also will be archived for later viewing;...
Ranchers in North Dakota have been observing calves showing signs of coccidiosis this fall and winter, according to Gerald Stokka, North Dakota State University Extension’s veterinarian. Coccidiosis is an intestinal disease that affects several different animal species. In cattle, it may produce clinical symptoms in animals from 1 month to 1 year of age, but it can infect all age groups. Coccidia is a protozoan parasite that has the ability to multiply rapidly and cause clinical disease. “Coccidia are very host-specific; that is, only cat...
All living things require nutrients for survival. The most basic of these are protein, energy, vitamins, minerals and water. Testing forage and feed for nutrient quality helps ranchers ensure they are meeting nutrient requirements for optimum beef cattle performance. “Compared to a human, a beef cow needs to be supplied with a massive amount of nutrients daily to meet requirements for movement, fetal growth, temperature maintenance, digestion, milk production and other functions,” says James Rogers, North Dakota State University Extension for...
A North Dakota State University study showed that some kochia populations in western North Dakota likely have developed resistance to commonly used preplant burndown herbicides. For many years, no-till farmers have used Aim (carfentrazone) and Sharpen (saflufenacil) either just prior to planting or after planting to control emerged kochia and other annual weeds. "Kochia has been difficult to control during the prolonged drought of the past several years," says Brian Jenks, weed scientist at the...
Grazing corn stalks is one way for farmers and ranchers to reduce the cost of wintering beef cows. However, "grazing corn stalks" is a bit misleading, as cattle shouldn't be forced to graze the stalk of the corn plant, say North Dakota State University Extension specialists. "The components of the corn plant remaining postharvest include the stalk, leaf, husk, cob and any downed ears," says Zac Carlson, NDSU Extension beef cattle specialist. "The components with the greatest nutritive value are...
Row crop harvest is in full swing across North Dakota, with many crops near harvest completion. Weather conditions have been warm and dry, allowing producers to harvest crops without the pressure to get the grains harvested before winter arrives. However, dry and warm conditions increase the risk of combine fires, especially when harvesting sunflowers. In 2022, North Dakota saw a huge increase in planted sunflower acres, with the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) stating that oil...
Warm, dry weather can result in soybeans being too dry at harvest. "The soybeans lose weight and become brittle, increasing the potential for handling damage when they are too dry," North Dakota State University Extension agricultural engineer Ken Hellevang says. "Also, producers lose money at lower moisture contents." Farmers may want to condition soybeans that were harvested at lower moisture contents to bring the moisture content up to the market standard of 13%. On a 40 bushel-per-acre...
Harvested forages are a critical component of winter feeding programs for many of North Dakota's cattle herds. "Conducting a hay inventory now will give producers a good idea of possible deficiencies and allow time to develop the best options for the upcoming feeding season," says Janna Block, North Dakota State University Extension livestock systems specialist based at the Hettinger Research Extension Center. The first step is to get an accurate count or measurement of bales harvested. Bales...
The North Dakota Lamb and Wool Producers Association will host their annual convention on Friday, Oct. 7 and Saturday, Oct. 8 at the Roughrider Hotel, Medora. On Friday, the event starts with golfing at the Bully Pulpit at 10 a.m. The speed shearing contest beginning at 5 p.m. will feature shearers and provide unique entertainment for the crowd. Events will continue as attendees return to the Roughrider Hotel. The American Lamb social sponsored by Double J Lamb begins at 6:30 p.m. and will...
With a recent positive case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in North Dakota, North Dakota State University Extension specialists continue to encourage biosecurity practices for bird owners of all sizes and around wild birds. "While we hoped there would not be a resurgence of HPAI this fall, we knew this was a possibility," says Gerald Stokka, NDSU Extension veterinarian and livestock stewardship specialist. "We encourage poultry owners of all sizes to continue biosecurity measures...
“There is increased interest in planting winter wheat this year and for good reason,” says Clair Keene, North Dakota State University (NDSU) Extension agronomist. “With many prevent plant acres in the state, good soil moisture heading into the end of the growing season, severe drought in much of the Southern Plains and higher wheat prices than we’ve been accustomed to the last few years, 2022 is shaping up to be favorable for growing winter wheat,” says Keene. In addition to the positive market conditions, some other benefits of planting...
U.S. Sen. John Hoeven announced a federal appropriation that will develop a partnership between North Dakota State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service and Grand Farm around research development and educational opportunities in agriculture technology. This announcement occurred at an event held at NDSU. "Grand Farm is about leveraging North Dakota's global leadership in agriculture and the dynamic technology sector that we've built in our state to develop...
North Dakota State University's soybean breeding program conducts research every growing season on the tolerance of soybean varieties to iron deficiency chlorosis (IDC). "If farmers had IDC in their fields this year, they should consider using the NDSU tolerance ratings generated in 2022 and previous years, to select soybean varieties for 2023, to minimize the chlorosis in their fields," says Hans Kandel, NDSU Extension agronomist. During the summer of 2022, NDSU's soybean breeding program...
"There is increased interest in planting winter wheat this year and for good reason," says Clair Keene, North Dakota State University (NDSU) Extension agronomist. "With many prevent plant acres in the state, good soil moisture heading into the end of the growing season, severe drought in much of the Southern Plains and higher wheat prices than we've been accustomed to the last few years, 2022 is shaping up to be favorable for growing winter wheat," says Keene. In addition to the positive market...
Field Days at North Dakota State University's Williston Research Extension Center (WREC) are set for July 13 and 14. The annual dryland agronomy and horticulture field day will be held Wednesday, July 13, at the center, which is 4.5 miles west of Williston on U.S. Highway 2. The event begins with registration at 3 p.m. Central time. The dryland crops tour starts at 4 p.m. NDSU research scientists will highlight their work. NDSU President, David Cook, and Greg Lardy, NDSU vice president for...
Weather conditions this spring and summer and much needed rainfall have lifted North Dakota out of drought conditions. Temperatures have been mild with a lot of cloudy and overcast days. These conditions have been great for forage growth, but they have been less than ideal for hay drying and curing, says James Rogers, North Dakota State University (NDSU) Extension forage crop production specialist at the North Central Research Extension Center, Minot. "Over the past few weeks, hay harvesting...
Extreme temperatures are expected to hit many parts of North Dakota this week, increasing the potential for heat stress in cattle, warns Karl Hoppe, North Dakota State University livestock systems specialist. "One day of heat stress is uncomfortable, but two or more days back to back without night cooling can be deadly for livestock," says Hoppe. "Signs that animals are trying to regulate their internal body temperature include an increased respiration rate, increased heart rate and increased...
