How Do You Feed Your Cowherd?
How Do You Feed Your Cowherd? Do you feed your cows in a feedlot area where you have to haul out the manure every year? Do you use a bale processor and feed daily? Do you grind your hay and feed a total mixed ration? There are many valid reasons to feed in any one of...
Livestock Water Quality Dropping
Livestock Water Quality Dropping Little rainfall and high temperatures are rapidly diminishing the quality of surface water for livestock and wildlife. The NDAWN weather station at Bowbells has only recorded 16% of normal rainfall accumulation in the last 60 days....
Summer Management of Your Winter-Feeding Area
Cows and bulls are out to pasture. Winter feeding areas are mostly empty. This is a good time to manage those empty lots and winter pastures. Mary Keena, NDSU Extension Specialist and Penny Nester, NDSU Extension Agent/Bowman County have a few tips for you. Summer...
Grasshoppers!
Grasshoppers! I’ve been seeing and hearing about a lot of grasshoppers all over the county. If you haven’t been scouting your fields you may be in for a surprise. One situation to be especially watchful of is cutting hay alongside of an annual crop. When hay is...
North Central Research Extension Center to hold a field day
North Central Research Extension Center to hold a field day North Dakota State University’s North Central Research Extension Center will host its annual field day Wednesday, July 19. NDSU research and Extension scientists will highlight their work. Greg Lardy, vice...
Williston Research Extension Center Field Days Set for July 12 and 13
Williston Research Extension Center Field Days Set for July 12 and 13 Field days at North Dakota State University’s (NDSU) Williston Research Extension Center (WREC) are set for July 12 and 13. NDSU research scientists will highlight their work. Greg Lardy, NDSU vice...
Blister Beetles Are Here
Blister Beetles Are Here I am getting reports of Blister Beetles in the Bowbells area. The populations I have seen have been small but it only takes a very small number to be a major problem for horse owners. Careful scouting of fields before cutting is critical....
Livestock Water Quality
Livestock Water Quality Livestock quality can be a huge issue in weight gains and breeding percentages for cattle on pasture. Many large grazing systems have added wells and pipelines to provide better quality water and better grazing distribution, however,...
Are Your Bulls Ready?
Are Your Bulls Ready? While many registered cattle breeders have already AI’d or turned out bulls for early breeding, most commercial cattlemen will be planning to turn out bulls sometime in the next six weeks. Are your bulls ready to do their job? NDSU...
Farm Stress
Farm Stress Farming is well known to be a stressful occupation and it’s looking like the spring planting season of 2023 may be another extremely stressful season. While the rain last weekend might have been perfect for pastures and hay land it is pushing an...
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This Weeks Spring Fever Garden Forum
North Dakota State University is offering a series of workshops for gardeners. The Spring Fever Garden Forums will run on Monday evenings, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. CT, from March 25 to April 15.
Session 4, April 15th Special Topics
- Bees and Bee Mimics in Gardens
- Crabgrass Management in Lawns
- Mike Who? Fungi That Help Gardens
In person attendees at the Burke County Courthouse Community Room in Bowbells will receive a special gift.
All sessions are free and recorded for future viewing but registration is requested. Please register at https://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/extension/spring-fever-garden-forums/
Avian Influenza Found in Cattle! Update!
Confirmed cases of HPAI continue to spread in dairy herds in the US. HPAI is now confirmed in ten herds in six states. The good news is that it appears that most, if not all, confirmed cases beyond the original one in Texas purchased heifers from the dairy in Texas where the first case was confirmed.
This highlights the importance of good biosecurity procedures such as quarantining of newly purchased livestock of any species. While no confirmed cases have been reported in beef cattle it is possible or maybe even probable that beef cattle have been infected.
Decreased herd level milk production; acute sudden drop in production with some severely impacted cows experiencing thicker, concentrated, colostrum-like milk; decrease in feed consumption with a simultaneous drop in rumen motility; abnormal tacky or loose feces, lethargy, dehydration, and fever. Based on these symptoms, beef cattle with mild symptoms may not even be noticed in many beef cattle herds. These symptoms may also be caused by a variety of other viral and/ or bacterial diseases. Initial cases indicated older cows in mid-lactation may be more likely to be severely impacted than younger cows and fresh cows or heifers. Additional data indicates younger cattle have been affected; more data and reporting from impacted producers will help to clarify the range of animals affected.
Livestock producers need to practice good biosecurity including quarantine of newly purchased animals. While it is not possible to completely protect all feed sources from contact with wild birds, keeping feed storage bins and buildings closed and sealed against sparrows, pigeons, and other species of wild birds can lessen the possibility of HPAI transmission and other infectious disease transmission through feed sources.