Ag News and Views: November 2008 Table of Contents

November, 2008 Table of Contents News & Views Archive Issues

Economics
Cow-Calf Economics Have Changed by Dan Childs
People who study change and its causes have observed that change is often caused by a disturbance. Production agriculture is in a period of rapid change, with an economic environment that many have never experienced. If the agricultural industry is changing, what has been the disturbance?

Horticulture
Necessity Leads to Hoop House Invention by Steve Upson
During my tenure with the Noble Foundation, I've had the opportunity to meet many innovative growers. I met one such person this past September on the farm of Tod and Jamie Hanley at a hoop house conference sponsored by the Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture.

Pasture and Range
Take Care of Your Hay, It Has Value by James Rogers
Not long ago, cheap commodity prices made it easy to look at hay as just filler. Nutritional deficiencies could be inexpensively corrected by feeding a supplement. Those days are gone, and quality hay has real value when compared to a commodity feed, but the value is in nutritional quality.

Research
Make 'Em Gain to Maximize Profit by Ryan Reuter
With value of gain approaching $100/cwt, average daily gain (ADG) of stocker calves on wheat pasture is a major concern this year. Gain is worth more than it has ever been, and producers should focus on making sure they manage for optimum ADG.

Personnel Management for Successful Outcomes by Billy Cook
The Agricultural Division's research and resource management effort has grown considerably during the last few years. We have been asked on a number of occasions what has led to this growth and the program's early success. The single greatest resource that we have is our staff.

Soils
Eragrostis tef - Is it a Viable Forage Alternative? by Jim Johnson
Eragrostis tef is a warm-season annual grass from Ethiopia related to lovegrass. It has historically been grown in northern Africa for the seed, which is used to make bread. In the United States, teff is being promoted for forage and grain.

Wildlife
In a Rut - Breeding Season Behaviors in Deer by Ken Gee
The term "rut" is often used to describe a boring, monotonous routine or a trench worn in the ground by a wheel. However, if you hang around much in white-tailed deer hunting circles, chances are that it means something completely different.