Stretching Hay Resources

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Drought conditions in regions throughout the Ozarks have placed a great deal of pressure on cattle ranchers and dairy farmers, particularly in regards to the cost and availability of hay this winter.

Prioitizing Feed Rations

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"Nutrient requirements are highly variable depending on the animal and their stage of production,” said Justin Sexten, extension assistant professor and state extension specialist of beef nutrition for the University of Missouri’s Division of Animal Sciences. “It is important to recognize your cow’s nutrient needs and prioritize feed rations.” 

Importance of Soil Samples

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"All fields, both pastures and hayfields, should be tested every 3 to 4 years, especially if the fertility historically has been marginal on those fields,” said Tim Schnakenberg, regional agronomy specialist for the University of Missouri’s Stone County Extension Center.

Importance of Soil Samples

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"Having your soil tested is the foundation to knowing what fertilizer amounts your pastures and grazing forages need,” said Leo Espinoza, University of Arkansas extension soil scientist.

Stretching Hay Resources

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Drought conditions in regions throughout the Ozarks have placed a great deal of pressure on cattle ranchers and dairy farmers, particularly in regards to the cost and availability of hay this winter.

Organic Food on the Rise

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Organic food production has been increasing at a pace several times faster than that of the overall food supply. Some sectors are growing faster than others; dairy products typically have been the most popular organic foodstuffs in the supermarket, followed by fruits and vegetables. But organic broilers are coming on fast; according to the University of Arkansas, production grew by more than 16,500 percent in just six years, rising from 38,000 birds in 1997 to 6.3 million in 2003.

Why Pasture Insurance?

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USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) offers risk management products to livestock producers under the Noninsured Assistance Program (NAP). For example, NAP allows producers to insure all of their pasture acres that are administered by one FSA office for $250. In 2010, producers in Carroll County, Arkansas, received $15 an acre under their policies because of the late spring freeze and fall drought. In 2011, producers with grazing policies administered by that office received $26.11 per acre to help compensate for losses from extreme heat and drought. Carroll County FSA grazing policyholders also received an additional payment in 2011 based on their livestock inventories under the Livestock Forage Program when the drought monitor was tripped last September because they satisfied linkage requirements imposed by the 2008 Farm Bill.

2012 Economic Predictions

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On Nov. 28, 2011 USDA's Economic Research Service forecast U.S. 2011 net farm income at a record $100.9 billion dollars, up 28 percent from 2010. Livestock sales were projected to rise by almost 17 percent, with double digit gains in red meats. So… cattle producers are doing better. But are they doing well?

Knowing Your Free-Range Options

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Raising free-range chickens means the chickens have continual access to a pasture or range. “Generally this would be such a large area that the birds do not kill off vegetation or they are moved periodically to a new range,” Jeff Firman, animal science professor at the University of Missouri explained. “They may still have shelter available or be put in at night.”

Cancer Screening

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Leading a healthy lifestyle and being screened for certain cancers can dramatically increase your odds of detecting cancer at its earliest and most treatable stage.

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