2023 Western Crop and Pest Management School
2023 Western Crop and Pest Management School The 2023 Western Crop and Pest Management School hosted by NDSU Extension is set for February 28th and March 1st at the Sleep Inn in Minot, North Dakota. This annual event helps prepare individuals...
Vegetable Varieties For North Dakota
Vegetable Varieties For North Dakota Last week I mentioned the NDSU Home Garden Variety Trials project. This week I want to tell you a little more about it. NDSU Extension Horticulturist Tom Kalb has led the North Dakota Home Garden Variety Trials...
Plant Hardiness Zones
Plant Hardiness Zones The new garden catalogs are here! And everyone has a new “super” variety of every species. “Out produces every other variety!”. Sounds great, doesn’t it? Until you read the very fine print or follow the ‘additional information” link if...
Winter Meeting Topics
Winter Meeting Topics I need your input! I am planning an informational meeting along with a Burke County Ag Improvement Association and elections of a county representative to the ND Dry Pea and Lentil Council. NDSU Extension Crop...
NDSU Extension Needs Your Help
NDSU Extension Needs Your Help! The FCW Extension Agent (Family and Community Wellness) position for Burke and Divide counties has been opened. If you or someone you know is qualified and may be interested please pass this information on. The minimum educational...
Winter Travel Safety
Winter Travel Safety The stormy weather last week and the extreme cold this week are reminders that we need to be prepared when we travel in the winter, even if we are only going a short distance. I don’t believe I have ever seen the entire state with “No...
North Dakota Agriculture is Important
North Dakota Agriculture is Important A recent study by researchers at NDSU says agriculture contributes nearly $31 billion to the state’s economy and more than 110,00 jobs. The study indicates that about one out of every five jobs in the state is supported...
Should I Give My Plants Alcohol?
Should I Give My Plants Alcohol? Maybe my Christmas Cacti need a beer to get them flowering or does the rubber plant need a shot of tequila? Seriously, I have often heard of wiping empty pots or hanging baskets with rubbing alcohol to help sterilize them before...
My Christmas Cactus is Blooming
My Christmas Cactus is Blooming! My wife is excited, but perplexed. Both her Thanksgiving cactus and her Christmas cactus have lots of buds! Actually her Christmas cactus is also a Thanksgiving cactus, as are most that I see for sale in the retail stores. I heard...
How Good Is My Feed?
How Good Is My Feed? We have had our first snowfall and we have some cold weather in the extended forecast. Most beef cattle in the area are still grazing fall pastures, cover crops, or crop residue but it may not be long before producers start feeding hay...
Your Title Goes Here
Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.
Your Title Goes Here
Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.
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.