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Blister beetles reported in high numbers
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Farmers, livestock owners and gardeners across the state report that blister beetles are appearing in large numbers this summer, says Pat Miller, University of Missouri Extension agronomy specialist. Blister beetles produce a toxin that can harm livestock.The toxin, called cantharidin, can cause animals to become sick and even die. Cantharidin is a stable toxin, so even the dried remains of beetles in hay remain…
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Program helps pork producers secure their biosecurity plans
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Rapid Access Biosecurity app can help in the event of a transboundary or foreign animal disease outbreak in the U.S., said Corinne Bromfield, University of Missouri swine extension veterinarian.The web-based RAB app helps pork farmers get their Secure Pork Supply Plans in a format regulatory officials can access quickly when needed and approve plans and provide permits when requested, Bromfield said.
Drought requires feed efficiency in cattle
WEST PLAINS, Mo. – Low supplies of hay make feeding cattle a challenge.Elizabeth Picking, a University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist in southwestern Missouri, sees the effects of severe drought in her area – dwindling hay supplies, poor-quality hay, high prices and ponds going dry.
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SW Missouri no stranger to drought in forages
WEST PLAINS, Mo. – Southwest Missouri farmers and livestock producers are no strangers to drought. In 2022, livestock owners face short-term and long-term challenges growing pastures for grazing and winter feeding.
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How to help your trees recover from drought
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Dry soil conditions can significantly reduce the life span of valuable landscape trees.“Because they are difficult and expensive to replace, your trees need attention during and after periods of drought,” says University of Missouri Extension state forestry specialist Hank Stelzer.
Short forage supplies require producers to make tough decisions
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Dry weather and short pastures have reduced forage supplies, prompting livestock producers to ponder “could have, would have, should have” scenarios, says University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist Eric Meusch.Producers should try to match their herd needs to anticipated forage supplies, Meusch says. This requires planning before a drought. Many factors will be out of your control if you wait until drought…
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How to manage drought-stressed ponds
This is part of an MU Extension series to help with drought management.COLUMBIA, Mo. – Drought combined with high temperatures can have devastating effects on fish ponds, but pond owners can take steps to alleviate these effects.
Tough culling decisions come with drought, forage shortages
COLUMBIA, Mo. – With dry weather and short pastures, Missouri cow-herd owners face tough culling decisions. One way to match cows’ needs to available grass is to sell cows.Give careful thought to which grass eaters go first, says Eric Bailey, University of Missouri Extension beef nutritionist. Under drought stress, identifying those cows becomes urgent.
Nitrate, prussic acid poisoning follow drought
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Nitrates and prussic acid build up in forages to levels dangerous to livestock during drought.Livestock face severe illness and even death after eating affected forages, says University of Missouri Extension agronomist Jamie Gundel.Nitrates tend to concentrate in the bottom third of the plant. It shows in the plant’s stem and stalks more than leaves, Gundel says.
Corn silage as a forage
COLUMBIA, Mo. – An emergency feeding situation is shaping up for Missouri’s beef producers because of the drought. University of Missouri Extension recently hosted University of Wisconsin agronomist Joe Lauer on the MU Extension Forage and Livestock Hour to discuss his research on corn silage as a forage.
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Missouri dairy producers have their eyes on the drought
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Northern Missouri has received plenty of rain, and dairy producers there are hopeful about making a silage pile, while those in the state’s southern counties are looking at options as drought conditions and oppressive heat have taken hold.
MU guide looks at reconsidering silage pricing
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Drought throughout much of Missouri has renewed interest in how to price silage. An updated University of Missouri Extension publication looks at silage costs and revenues.
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Windbreaks can help prevent herbicide injury
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Plant injury due to the off-target movement of herbicides such as dicamba and 2,4-D is one of the challenges to the production of specialty crops.“There are few short-term solutions to avoid plant damage when herbicides drift onto property other than growing plants in protective structures or planting crops and cultivars that are less susceptible to herbicide injury,” says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist…
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Time to transplant irises
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Now is the time to transplant one of America’s most popular flowers, the iris.Although irises can be transplanted at any time, they do best when established in the landscape from August to mid-October, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.
Plants respond to heat differently than humans
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Extreme heat affects plants differently than humans.With triple-digit temperatures this summer, grain crop growers should understand how heat affects plants, says University of Missouri Extension agronomist Bill Wiebold.First, human concepts such as “heat index” or “feels like” do not apply to plants, Wiebold says. People and plants feel and react differently to heat.
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MU Engagement Scholar interview: Kale Monk
Six University of Missouri faculty members have been selected as the inaugural group of MU Engagement Scholars. The scholars were selected by the Office of Extension and Engagement for their potential to create dynamic engagement opportunities for Missourians.
Let no tree go to waste, Full Circle Forest Products - Rutledge, MO
Are trees that have been felled by nature or landowners destined to rot — either where they lie or in a landfill? Joshua Clarkweiss says no. Clarkweiss, owner of Full Circle Forest Products, a sustainability-focused sawmill in Rutledge, Missouri, turns those trees into custom construction lumber and furniture.
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Supersized moth looks like a hummingbird
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The hummingbird moth is the Superman of the summer flower garden.
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MU Extension resources for farmers amid deepening drought
COLUMBIA, Mo. – “It’s not a good situation” for agriculture in the southern two-thirds of Missouri, where scant rainfall and high temperatures have led to worsening drought, said Pat Guinan, associate extension professor of climatology with University of Missouri Extension.The ample moisture in northern Missouri ends abruptly where drought conditions begin in central through southern Missouri, Guinan said.
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Lack of rainfall during corn's R1 stage spells trouble
COLUMBIA, Mo. – One and one quarter inch. That’s how much rain corn plants need each week in July and August to maintain rapid growth and produce the best possible yields.Mother Nature has not been kind to Missouri’s corn crop this year, says University of Missouri Extension agronomist Bill Wiebold. One indication is the rapid expansion of trouble areas in the U.S. Drought Monitor, he says.
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Silage-making reminders
SEDALIA, Mo. – While it is still too soon to sound the alarm on “drought,” parts of the state are becoming severely dry, said University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist Gene Schmitz.
July farm management news and notes from MU Extension
COLUMBIA, Mo. – During the summer, farm management involves a lot of day-to-day decisions. Use these news and notes from University of Missouri Extension as you and your team keep farm work on course.Review crop insurance policies before replantingExcess moisture, cold snaps and pest pressure early in the season can all result in a dissatisfying crop stand and lower yields at harvest. Replanting later than normal can also reduce yields.
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MU Extension crops podcast debuts
PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension field specialists have launched a podcast that explores topics of interest to Missouri row crop producers.
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How to buy meat directly from the farm
COLUMBIA, Mo. – One option for consumers buying meat is to purchase directly from the producer. A new University of Missouri Extension publication offers guidelines for buying all or part of animal from a livestock producer and having the meat processed and packaged.