Ag News and Views: August 2006

August, 2006 Table of Contents News & Views Archive Issues

Announcements
Southern Plains Beef Symposium Set for August 12 by Shan Ingram
If you need a break, want to learn something that could help your operation, enjoy visiting with friends and appreciate a good ribeye steak – you should plan on attending the 16th annual Southern Plains Beef Symposium at the Ardmore Convention Center on August 12. Each year, we bring in great speakers who address timely topics so you can leave with "take-home information" that will improve your operation.

Economics
In Drought, Consider the Economics of Options When Dealing With Cattle by Job Springer
Pastures are quickly burning up due to the heat and dry conditions, resulting in ranchers quickly running out of grazeable pasture that provides the necessary energy, protein, vitamins and minerals. Since the drought is covering such a large area, accessible supplemental hay and available rental pasture is not abundant in nearby areas.

Forage
New Plant Image Gallery Search Engine Makes Plant ID Easier by Chuck Coffey
Since its launch in 1997, the Noble Foundation's popular online Plant Image Gallery has helped thousands of natural resource managers, ecologists, students and homeowners who are seeking to identify plants. Now, Noble is pleased to announce some upgrades to the site that will make plant identification faster and easier.

Forage Improvement
Noble Tackles Alternative Fuels, Will Join in Upcoming Governor's Biofuels Conference by Joe Bouton
Ethanol is a subject that residents of North Texas and Oklahoma largely hear about from other parts of the country - there are few places to purchase ethanol/gasoline blends in our area, and ethanol is not a product that our states produce in any measurable quantities. Why? Most of the ethanol in the United States is produced from corn, and production facilities and distribution points tend to be located in the Midwest, where 200-plus bushels per acre is commonplace.

Horticulture
Horticulture Tours Showcase Regional Producers by Dooly Barlow
I have wanted to write this article since June 2005 when Noble's staff horticulturists took cooperators on a horticulture tour of central Oklahoma. The reason for these tours is to allow growers of horticultural crops to share their opinions with cooperators.

Livestock
In the Grip of Drought, Producers Turn to By-Product Feeds by Evan Whitley
Lack of rain has caused cattle producers to scramble for any means possible just to hold on to their cattle. If we are trying to stay positive, then one good thing that has come out of all this is we have had to stretch conventional thought paradigms and incorporate some pretty unorthodox thinking. An example of this revolves around supplementing alternative feedstuffs to mature cows.

Soils
Is My Fertilizer Still There? by Eddie Funderburg
One of the most common inquiries I get around this time of year in very dry years goes like this: "I put out fertilizer on my pasture this spring, and it hasn't rained much. I've had very little grass growth. Is the fertilizer still there? If so, how long will it stay there?" The quick answer is it's probably still there. The more informative answer is a bit more involved, but I'll try to explain it as simply as possible.

Wildlife
Will Disking Increase Bobwhite Abundance? by Russell Stevens
To increase quail numbers, the factor limiting their numbers must be identified and corrected. In most years and in most situations, plant food production is generally not the limiting factor. Thus, disking seldom increases bobwhite abundance because it does not address the issues that usually limit bobwhite numbers. However, food availability can limit quail numbers.