Sorghum stems are a little higher in quality than the corn stem, but care is still needed if cows are forced to graze the lower stems due to the potential of prussic acid toxicity immediately following a frost.
Sorghum, soghum-sudan and milo are great options for fall grazing, but producers should be cautious of frost damage and prussic acid prior to putting cattle out to graze.
Temperatures this winter are expected to be above average statewide, and total precipitation — including snowfall — is expected to be above average in southern Nebraska and around average elsewhere.
After a long stretch of mostly warm weather — especially for eastern Nebraska — Mother Nature is going to give us our first taste of winter this weekend.
Dr. Dannele Peck, USDA Northern Plains Climate Hub, talks about the Grass-Cast model's development and how growers can use it to make decisions on forage production in the upcoming season.
Ag Tech
An example of processing yield monitor data, as presented during a new Center for Ag Profitability webinar with Joe Luck, professor of biological systems engineering and associate director of the Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension and Education Center (ENREEC).
This Center for Ag Profitability webinar delves into the intricacies of working with harvest yield monitor data straight from the combine, including how to access yield data, software requirements, quality control checks and more.
The free workshops will review current trends in land values and cash rents, land transition strategies, lease provisions, legal considerations, managing communication and expectations among family members, and creating estate plans.
Participants are encouraged to attend all three workshops, as each will review different tax fundamentals and information.
The workshops will cover a wide range of tax topics for ag producers, including Schedule F forms, claiming deductions, tax strategies to shift income and lower tax bills, and compliance requirements.
Webinar attendees will learn how to ask open-ended questions to recognize someone’s stress levels, and how to improve their awareness of warning signs of suicide and provide available resources to support someone in need.
The “Mending the Stress Fence” webinars will build awareness of the signs and symptoms of stress in rural communities and cover the eight dimensions of wellness.
IANR/Extension
Julie Peterson has been named the associate director of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s West Central Research, Extension and Education Center in North Platte. The appointment took effect Sept. 1, 2023.
An entomologist and extension specialist, Peterson also leads the Agroecosystems Entomology Lab, and her research focuses on practical applications for integrated pest management of field crops.
Crop Reports & AgNews
Historical crop progress data for Nebraska is available at USDA.
As of Oct. 22, dry bean harvest reached 92% complete in Nebraska, closely followed by soybean at 83% and corn at 62% — all within normal range for late October.
In a 2023 study, USDA ARS researchers used a GPS-mounted yield monitoring system to assess green snap in corn fields and more accurately estimate yield loss.
Recommendations for collecting soil samples to ensure the quality results needed for good management decisions about fertilizer, manure and lime application rates.
For irrigated alfalfa, targeted fall irrigation may help the long-term strength of the stand, as well as refill soil profiles that were depleted during the summer.
The pros and cons of grazing fall alfalfa, and capturing the benefits of targeted fall alfalfa irrigation after a dry year.
Dipak Santra, left, and other University of Nebraska-Lincoln faculty and graduate students in a plot of field peas at the UNL High Plains Ag Lab Field tour in June 2023. (Photo by Chabella Guzman)
The conference will cover a wide range of agronomic topics for field peas, chickpeas, black-eyed peas and other pulses, including management of nutrients and diseases, genetics, crop insurance, policy and more.
