Ag News and Views: November 2009 Table of Contents

November, 2009 Table of Contents News and Views Archive Issues

Economics
Determining Farm Profitability by Steve Swigert
Many agricultural operations fail to determine if they are making a profit. Some think that spending money to create taxable losses to offset non-farm income is a good idea.

Livestock
Supplement Conversion Ratio by Ryan Reuter
Most cattle producers are familiar with the term "feed conversion." It is simply the amount of feed an animal consumes as compared to the amount of body weight gained, expressed as a ratio.

Pasture and Range
Planning for Fall and Winter Forage by Chuck Coffey
Those of us who planted winter pasture this September are enjoying excellent pasture conditions with stocking rates of 400-600 pounds of beef per acre. This is likely the best fall you have seen since 1994.

Research
Fertilize for Optimum Economic Yields by Jagadeesh Mosali
With the variability of fertilizer prices, it is essential that fertilization schedules be updated and in harmony with optimal economic yield.

Soils
Crop Rotation and Alternatives to Wheat by Jim Johnson
In the Noble Foundation service area within 100 miles of Ardmore, Okla., a lot of wheat is grown. Is this simply because wheat is what we grew last year, and the year before and the year before that?

Portable Building Coolers for Market Gardeners by Steve Upson
More often than not, new market gardeners are so focused on growing and marketing that they fail to plan adequately for what happens between the two - postharvest handling and storage.

Wildlife
The Future of Hunting Is In Danger by Russell Stevens
The year is 2015 and after years of debate among conservation organizations, pro-hunting organizations, animal rights activists and antihunting groups, all forms of hunting in the United States have been banned by the federal government. Is this a real possibility?