Farm Help

The second topic in the Hay that Pays series is Hay Fertility Management presented by Brie Menjoulet, Agronomy Specialist in Hermitage, Mo. Menjoulet focused on the importance of soil quality. In order to keep your soil in the best shape possible, you must pay attention to the nutrient movement and retention. This is dependent on the nutrient itself; the overall soil health; the soil texture or composition (the amount of sand, silt and clay in the soil); the organic matter fraction; the fertilizer type used or available and the application method.

As cattle prices continue to rise cattle rustlers continue to strike in Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma. According to a recent report given by Greene County Sheriff Jim Arnott, since January 2012, 85 head of cattle have been stolen in Greene County. Surrounding counties have also taken a hit: Lawrence County, 43 head; Polk County, 50 head; Dade County, 100 head and Christian County, 15 head of cattle have been stolen since January.

When it comes to spiders, everybody knows – or should know – which ones to avoid. Those would be the brown recluse (Loxosceles reclusa) and the black widow (Latrodectus mactans et al), said Dr. Gus Lorenz, University of Arkansas Extension Entomologist. “We consider Arkansas to be the ‘Brown Recluse Capitol of the World,’” Lorenz told Ozarks Farm & Neighbor. They’re often encountered in places with infrequent human traffic. “They don't call them ‘recluse’ for nothing,” he said. “If you've got a cabin up on the lake that you're not in all the time, those are the kind of situations where brown recluses can really build up into some pretty good numbers,” said Lorenz. “When you start seeing them out and about you know that you've got a problem, because that usually indicates there are pretty high numbers.”

The definition of advocacy is the act or process of supporting a cause or proposal according to the Merriam-Webster Learner’s Dictionary.

When it comes to providing a quality and safe milk product, a farmer who has 40 years of experience in the dairy industry can offer plenty of ways that this is done. Ryan Anglin, owner of Triple A Farms in Bentonville, Ark., practices what his mother taught him, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

As any livestock farmer knows, having water available for a herd is one of the paramount factors to a successful farming operation. Farmers across the country have discovered that a versatile and cost effective watering tank is a large, recycled tire.

Where would a person go who is new to farming and wants to learn about types of state and federal programs available to them? One place to look is the USDA Service Center in your county. Karen Stillings the Polk County Executive Director for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) explained the functions of the Service Center and what it has to offer for producers.

Ozarks Farm & Neighbor recently participated in the 2012 Regional Hay School hosted by the Greene County University of Missouri Extension.

Studies conducted at the University of Missouri Southwest Center in Mt. Vernon, Mo., showed that beef cows allowed access to shade gained 0.72 pounds more/day than those not allowed access to shade, and the pregnancy rate was 87.5 percent for the shaded group compared to about 50 percent for the non-shaded group.

According to Scott E. Poock, DVM and clinical assistant professor for the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine, milk quality is a factor of three main areas, the cows, the milking equipment and the farmer.