Ben Beckman - Extension Educator

Ben Beckman

faculty

Assoc Exten Educator NE Ext Engagement Zone 5 University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Work

PO Box 368 101 E Centre Hartington NE 68739-0368

Work 402-254-6821

ben.beckman@unl.edu

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Poison hemlock — Extremely toxic to both animals and humans, poison hemlock can be found statewide in Nebraska and is most toxic right before the fruits mature. (Photo courtesy Oregon Department of Agriculture)

Pasture and Forage Minute: Low Hay Stocks, Grazing Shifts, Toxic Pasture Plants

June 13, 2023

With the lowest level of hay stocks since 1974, extension educators stress the importance of taking inventory of feed and hay resources, and to begin planning for next year's needs right now.

Pasture and Forage Minute: Irrigating First Cutting Alfalfa, Black Grass Bugs and Short Pastures

June 9, 2023

This week — irrigation strategies for moisture-stressed alfalfa prior to first cutting, controlling black grass bugs in wheatgrass, and techniques for stretching pasture.

Pasture and Forage Minute: Controlling Alfalfa Weevil and Leafy Spurge, First Cutting Alfalfa

June 1, 2023

With first cutting alfalfa to begin soon, extension educators discuss the importance of scouting for alfalfa weevils to mitigate yield losses and strategies for timing harvest, plus control options for leafy spurge.

Hay harvest — The best time to cut grass hay is when the grass nutrient content matches the nutritional needs of your livestock — before heads begin to emerge for young animals, and before seeds develop for mature animals.

Pasture and Forage Minute: Small Grains and Grass Harvest, Fencing Costs

May 23, 2023

This week — Nebraska Extension educators share target protein levels of small grains and grass hay for the upcoming harvest, and analyze the cost of various fencing options.

Cattle in pasture — Whether cereal plant forages are grazed out, hayed or harvested as wheatlage this year, the goal is to timely plant subsequent summer annuals between mid-May to mid-June for optimizing yields.

Pasture and Forage Minute: Wheat Grazing vs. Grain Value, Choosing Summer Forage

May 16, 2023

This week — Recommendations for producers considering wheat for forage, including varieties and planting timelines for summer annual grasses, plus tips on control measures for poison hemlock.

Pasture and Forage Minute: Equipment Maintenance, Controlling Musk Thistle and No-Till on the Plains Tours

May 11, 2023

This week, extension educators review a checklist for pre-season hay equipment maintenance, tips for controlling musk thistle in pastures, and details of this year's No-Till on the Plains Whirlwind tours in June.

Irrigated alfalfa — For maximum season production, the first alfalfa cutting typically requires six to seven inches of water — if soil profiles are currently very dry, spring irrigation should be considered.

Pasture and Forage Minute: Early Season Alfalfa Irrigation, Trigger Dates and Weed Control

April 19, 2023

This week — Strategies for irrigating alfalfa in early season dry soil conditions, grazing to control abundant weed growth due to drought and forming a drought plan.

Alfalfa field — Early spring is a good time to evaluate alfalfa stands to assess reseeding needs, and begin control measures on winter annual weeds like pennycress, downy brome and cheatgrass to get the best quality out of your first cutting of alfalfa.

Pasture and Forage Minute: Alfalfa Weed and Stand Management, Grazing Winter Annuals

April 10, 2023

This week — Tips on controlling winter annual weeds for optimum first cutting hay quality, evaluating alfalfa stands with a hay square, and grazing rye, winter wheat and triticale during a cool start to spring.