 Repotting
Your HouseplantsBy
Jo Ann Robbins, Ph.D.,
Extension Educator, Horticulture
If you are like me, your houseplants take a
back seat as long as I can go outside to garden. This time of
year gardeners, frustrated by the freezing weather and snow, can
turn their energy toward houseplants.
Choose a new pot about 2 inches greater in
diameter than the current pot and about 3 or 4 inches taller. A
common mistake is to pick a new pot that is too big or one with
no drainage holes, leading to waterlogged soil that encourages
root rot organisms. Place small rocks or potshards over the
holes to keep soil from escaping.
Use a commercial potting mix designed for
houseplants. Heft the bag in the store; the lighter the bag the
more the peat, pearlite, or vermiculite in the mix, creating a
soil that holds water well while still draining. The heavier
the bag, the more the sand in the mix, creating a soil that
drains well, but doesn't hold water well. Use the heavier mix
for plants that like dry roots like cactus and some succulents.
Before you use the soil, make sure it contains some moisture.
Bags that have been open for some time, and even those new from
the store, can be dry. Mix some water in with the dry mix and
knead the water into the soil with your hands until it is damp,
but not soggy. Dry mix repels water, making the all-important
"watering in" step nearly impossible.
To repot, tip the plant on its side and tap
the pot on a table edge, or a similar angle. This will dislodge
the plant, allowing it to slip from the pot. If there are of
roots growing out of the holes in the bottom of the pot, you may
need to trim them off to get the plant out. Some houseplants,
like aloe vera, form many side shoots with roots. This is the
perfect time to separate those plants and pot them separately.
I like to scrape off or carefully shake off
as much of the old soil as I can without damaging the root
system. This gets rid of the old spent soil that is often full
of salts from the water used in watering. If you have a water
softener, be sure to use water that doesn't go through it to
water your houseplants. Sometimes the roots will be circling or
packed thick. Loosening these roots, and even trimming some of
them off, is a good practice.
Center the root ball in the new pot, making
sure to get a couple of inches of soil underneath it. In
addition, the pot must be tall enough to leave at least an inch
from the top of the soil to the rim of the pot. This gives some
room to flood the plant surface with water when irrigating. Not
leaving room to water is a common problem that leads to
under-watering problems.
Carefully tamp the soil around the roots
and water the repotted plant to settle the soil. Wait at least
a month to fertilize in order for the roots to recover and begin
new growth.
You'll be surprised at how satisfying a
repotting exercise can be, for both you and your houseplant.
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Page 3. District III Extension Focus -
Extension Educators and Research Specialists Providing
Information for Area Families and Agricultural Producers
 Evaluate
Long-Term Care Insurance Before Buying
Lyle
Hansen, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Science,
Jerome County
In the event
of a lengthy illness or disability, long-term care insurance can
cover the cost of nursing homes, assisted living centers, adult
day-care centers, hospice care, home-health care and respite
care. But it's not for everybody. It's important to do a needs
analysis before buying coverage to see whether or not you should
consider it.
Many consumers
believe that Medicare will pick up the cost of their long-term
care but that's not the case. Medicare doesn't pay for assisted
living facilities, homemaker services or most home-health care.
In a skilled nursing facility, Medicare's benefits cover full
costs for only 20 days. For the next 80 days, you'll pay up to
$109.50 per day, and after 100 days you'll get the entire bill.
Don't count on
that bill being a small one. According to the MetLife Mature
Market Institute, the cost of a private room in a nursing home
is currently averaging $198 per day, or $72,270 a year, in
Boise. Assisted living facilities are charging an average $2,915
monthly, or $34,980 annually, and five hours of in-home
assistance cost about $80 a day.
Nationwide,
the average nursing home stay of 2.4 years adds up to $177,828.
Long-term care is really expensive. It could eat away all of
your assets.
You should
consider buying long-term care insurance if:
- you have
significant assets and income that you want to protect for
yourself or your heirs;
- you can
afford to pay the premiums without financial difficulty;
- your family
has a history of chronic illness;
- you want to
stay independent of the support of others;
- you want
flexibility in choosing your care setting.
It can give
you peace of mind that you'll have choices about how you'll be
cared for. But don't buy it if you:
- can't
afford the premiums;
- have
limited assets;
- are on
Medicaid;
- have
trouble paying your bills;
- have only
Social Security or Supplemental Security Income as your sole
source of income.
Before
purchasing long-term care insurance, compare three or more
policies. Carefully read over the benefits and ask the agent for
an outline of the coverage. Don't buy a policy during the first
visit from an agent, don't succumb to pressure and don't rely
solely on what an agent might write or say.
When you price
the policy, be sure to include compounding inflation protection
of at least 5 percent. Then compare how each company defines
eligibility for benefits or "activities of daily living." Check
each company's agency rating-from A.M. Best, Moody's, Standard &
Poor's and others-for an indication of its ability to pay
current and future claims. Also, be sure to inquire about its
history of increasing its premiums.
In partnership
with the AARP, UI Extension educators have delivered long-term
care workshops to more than 1,330 Idahoans statewide since 2003.
For a detailed
worksheet that will help you compare long-term care insurance
policies, contact me at the Jerome County Extension Office at
(208) 324-7578 or email to
lhansen@uidaho.edu.
New Medicare Prescription
Drug Plans: Understanding the 1% Penalty
Lyle
Hansen, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Science,
Jerome County
On November 15, 2005, senior citizens began signing up for
the new Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (Medicare Part D) and
have through May 15, 2006 to enroll. If a person does not
enroll by then, they have to wait until the open enrollment
period, which is November 15 - December 31 at the end of each
year. In addition, the individual will be charged a 1% per
month cumulative premium penalty. This premium penalty could be
costly to seniors who do not enroll due to being too confused by
the various plans, not currently taking any medications, and/or
deciding not to enroll. Unfortunately for seniors, high costs
are associated with delaying enrollment.
For example, Emma decides not to enroll in a plan because she
is in good health and does not take medication. Four years
after the enrollment deadline, Emma is diagnosed with diabetes
and must take several prescription medications. Then Emma
decides to enroll in a plan and is shocked to find out she will
be charged a 48% (48 months x 1%) penalty to her Medicare
Prescription Drug Plan monthly premium for as long as she has
coverage. This changed her $50 monthly premium to $74, a
difference of $288 per year!
Let’s turn the clock back and imagine Emma enrolled before
the deadline in the least expensive Medicare Prescription Drug
Plan, which currently costs $6.33 per month. If she paid the
premium for 48 months, it would cost her $303.84. By doing
this, Emma would also have the option of changing to a
better-suited plan if needed and would avoid the 48% penalty to
her Medicare Prescription Drug Plan monthly premium.
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Page 4.
District III Extension Focus - Extension Educators and Research
Specialists Providing Information for Area Families and
Agricultural Producers
Due to the penalty, it is recommended that all seniors enroll
in a plan, except for seniors who have been notified by their
current plan that they have comparable coverage. Then, they
will have coverage when they need medication and can avoid the
1% per month premium penalty.
I know people are confused by the new Medicare Prescription
Drug Plans, but don’t let it stop you from enrolling. There are
trained people in your community that have answers and are
available to help you pick a plan that is right for you. The
Idaho Department of Insurance SHIBA Division has more
information available and can be reached at
1-800-488-5731. Get the necessary information and don’t
give up!
For further information or questions you can contact Lyle
Hansen, University of Idaho Extension Educator in Jerome County
at 324-7578 or lhansen@uidaho.edu.
Modifying
Baking Recipes
By
Rhea Lanting, Extension
Educator, Family and Consumer Science, Twin Falls County
The new MyPyramid symbol represents two key
aspects of good health – healthful eating and physical activity.
One way to help consumers take steps to healthier eating is by
modifying baking recipes. Here are easy ways to lower
calories, fat, saturated fat and sodium from baking recipes.
1.
Use applesauce in place of half or more of the fat in
baked goods like muffins and quick breads. Use tub margarine in
place of stick margarine.
2.
Eliminate salt when using margarine since it already
contains salt. In most baked good recipes you can reduce the
salt by 50% or more. Breads are the one exception, do not reduce
the salt in yeast dough because salt helps keep the yeast in
check.
3.
Substitute ¼ cup egg whites or nonfat egg substitute for
each whole egg.
4.
Use white whole-wheat flour in place of all-purpose
flour. This adds the fiber and nutrients from the whole-grain.
5.
Use splenda in baking – substitute up to half the amount
in baked goods or 100% or the sugar in sauces and puddings.
6.
Use skim milk in place of whole milk.
7.
Bake smaller batches of favorite items.
8.
Cut smaller pieces and make smaller cookies.
Start the New Year right; be sure to be active most days for 30
minutes or more. For more information about the 2005 Dietary
Guidelines and to download the consumer brochure, “Finding Your
Way to a Healthier You” visit healthierus.gov.
Special Needs Children
Diana
Christenson, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer
Science, Gooding County
Do you have a special needs child? Are you
concerned about the effect on your other children? What about
the extra help you need from the other children, and how is it
affecting them? Gary Direnfield, social worker with special
needs children, gives some encouragement and some suggestions
for keeping a balance.
Rivalry between siblings is part of life.
Siblings compete for parental attention as well as access to
family resources such as the television, computer, telephone and
so on. When there is a child with special needs the rivalry can
take on added proportions. The special needs child may get more
attention and more of the family resources. The other siblings
may ask, even if only to themselves, “Am I my brother’s keeper”?
When giving children responsibility for a
special needs sibling, one concern is that the child may have
responsibilities beyond their ability to handle, causing them to
face ongoing failure or, they may resent feeling more burdened
than their friends.
To be one’s brother’s keeper is not
inherently bad or good. The outcome will more likely depend on
the temperament of the child and how the needs of the child with
special needs are handled in view of resources and the needs of
the other siblings. Having a special needs sibling may give the
child a greater sensitivity to others.
Things parents can do to ease the
adjustment and support the other siblings include:
- Appreciate their help and/or sacrifice.
Not to overdo it, and spoil the other siblings, but to express
verbally and through acts of affection your appreciation for
effort towards the sibling with special needs. A timely “thank
you” from parents to children, can lighten a burden
significantly.
- Manageable expectations. Parents need
to be sure that whatever they ask of the other siblings, it is
within their ability to provide. If asking one to look after
(baby-sit) another, make sure the child is emotionally
comfortable. It can be scary to be left at home at the best of
time, let alone with the responsibility of another whose needs
may be greater than you can provide.
- Tune in - listen. Parents need to
encourage the other siblings to talk about family life. Help
them express their feelings. Parents do not need to correct or
solve problems per se, but to actively listen so that the
children feel heard. Simply having a voice and expressing a
voice is calming. If you feel threatened by some of your
children’s expressed feelings, get emotional help for
yourself. Feelings are real, and siblings should not be
denied their feelings, which will change over the course of
life and experience.
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Page 5.
District III Extension Focus - Extension Educators and Research
Specialists Providing Information for Area Families and
Agricultural Producers
- Give the other children “parent time.”
Just as parents of children with special needs require
respite, the other siblings require similar respite but in the
company and attention of their parents. This recharges their
emotional reserves, they can then return refreshed.
There is nothing unreasonable about having
expectations on siblings to participate or help in the care of
another sibling. This is a function of the situation and a fact
of their life. Emotional adjustment will in part depend on how
the situation is approached and managed. The above strategies
can help.
Child care providers with
questions?
Diana
Christensen, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer
Science, Gooding County
Have a
question come up in your care of children? A toll free
telephone service is now available to answer your questions.
You can "Call Nancy" for consultation at the Penn State
University Better Kid Care Help Line. Ask Nancy the questions
you may have in your daily work with children, such as the
challenges of picky eaters or children who bite, collecting past
due payments from parents, and encouraging sharing among
children. Parents may find it useful also.
This is a free
nationwide service of the Penn State Cooperative Extension. Use
the toll free number to "Call Nancy" at 1-800-859-8340.
 Idaho
4-H Wool Contest
Donna
Gillespie, Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development,
Minidoka County
The Idaho 4-H Wool Contest has been a part
of Idaho 4-H for many years. I am not sure of the exact
starting date but I know it was available when I was growing up
in 4-H in the 1960’s. Unfortunately District III did not have
any entries in the 2005 contest. As the new district contact I
hope to promote the contest to youth in 2006. Some of the
contest requirements have changed over the years, for instance
now the garments can be sewed or knitted and the fabric can be
as little as 50% wool. With the resurgence of an interest in
knitting I hope to encourage some girls and boys to enter next
year’s contest with knitting projects. In addition I will
encourage young sewers to utilize wool and wool-blend fabrics in
their projects. I personally think that wool is one of the most
enjoyable fabrics to sew.
Participants in the Idaho contest are
eligible to win cash awards from the Promotion Division of the
Idaho Wool Growers by making garments from wool fabric or yarn.
Contestants participate in judging at the county level on
construction and fit and at the state level on construction and
their Wool Contest Portfolio. Basic Level participants must be
12-16 years of age as of January 1 and Advanced Level
participants must be at least 14 by January 1. Participants must
be enrolled in a 4-H project where they construct or make a
garment using a minimum 50% wool blend fabric or yarn; and
receive a blue ribbon in construction and fit-interview or style
revue at the county level.
The first place Basic Level winner in each
district will receive a $25 award and the first place state
winner will receive an additional $100. District winners in the
Advanced Level receive $100 and the first, second and third
place state winners receive $600, $300 and $150 respectively.
Information about the Idaho 4-H Wool
Contest is available on the Idaho 4-H website at
www.4h.uidaho.edu, under contests. Brochures and entry forms
are also available from your
local
Extension Office.
New
University of Idaho Extension Educator in Jerome County Will
Focus on Family Resource Management
Jerome, Idaho-Rupert native Lyle Hansen is
concerned about Idahoans’ rising consumer debt and escalating
personal bankruptcy rates. Too many adults are underprepared
for retirement, too many homeowners are “house poor” and too
many teens fall short in money management skills, he says.
After earning his bachelor’s degree in
family and consumer sciences at Utah State University in 2001
and his master’s degree in family financial planning at Kansas
State University in 2004, Hansen has joined the faculty of the
University of Idaho College of Agricultural and Life Sciences as
an Extension Educator in Jerome County.
“I’m excited for this opportunity to use my
education and knowledge to build partnerships between the
university and the community and to help residents of Jerome
County-and surrounding counties-improve their financial
knowledge and money-management practices,” he says.
Hansen completed a financial counseling
internship at Utah State University’s Family Life Center and has
worked both as a manager for U.S. Bank in Ogden, Utah, and as a
financial representative for American General Financial Services
in Bountiful, Utah. For University of Idaho Extension, he will
provide leadership in family resource management and consumer
economics education in Jerome County and southcentral Idaho.
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Page 6. District III Extension Focus -
Extension Educators and Research Specialists Providing
Information for Area Families and Agricultural Producers
Hansen will be focusing on Guarding Against
Identity Theft, Money on the Bookshelf and Long-Term Care
Insurance workshops. He has developed a brochure that will
market University of Idaho Extension programs and workshops that
can be taught in Jerome County.
Lyle Hansen can be reached at: 600 2nd
Ave W Jerome, ID, 83338, 324-7578,
lhansen@uidaho.edu
http://extension.ag.uidaho.edu/jerome
Seafood
At It’s Best
Rhea Lanting, Extension
Educator, Family and Consumer Science, Twin Falls County
A new curriculum being developed by Gary
Fornshell, aquaculture extension educator and Rhea Lanting,
family and consumer sciences extension educator, is designed to
make American consumers more confident about buying and
preparing seafood.
The proposed four-lesson program
tentatively titled, “Seafood At Its Best” would provide training
for nutritionists, dietitians and food service managers on
understanding, selecting and handling seafood and educating the
public on safety issues and the health benefits of seafood.
When it comes to seafood, consumers often
rely on information supplied by mass media – newspapers,
magazines, television and radio. It is hard to determine what
to eat anymore, what is safe and what is not. The seafood
curriculum will provide consumers science-based information to
clarify conflicting information and misinformation to make more
informed decisions.
The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans
suggests making smart choices from each food group. Seafood can
go a long way toward helping consumers achieve these dietary
goals. Most finfish and shellfish are low in calories and total
fat – the fat that is found in seafood is rich in
polyunsaturates and omega-3 fatty acids. Most seafood is also
high in protein, low in sodium, and packed with vitamins and
minerals. Seafood is easier to digest than red meats or
poultry. Seafood is a good way for elderly persons and others
who have difficulty chewing or digesting their food to obtain
their daily protein. It is also easy to prepare.
What can you do to increase your seafood
consumption level? First, ask yourself what seafood you already
like and eat regularly. Review your favorite seafood recipes;
then ask your retailer what other fish or shellfish could be
substituted for your usual species. Trying new seafood in old
recipes will increase the variety of seafood you eat. Next, try
substituting seafood in some of your recipes that call for red
meat or poultry. Seafood is a natural in many stir-fry dishes.
Many times your retailer will have some recipes for you to try.
The way you prepare seafood is important.
Select recipes that minimize the fat. Watch out for butter and
cream sauces and fried food. You don’t want to spoil seafood’s
natural low-calorie appeal. The dietary guidelines suggest that
you bake, broil or grill it. Remember the 10 minute rule when
cooking; for every inch of thickness, bake, broil or grill for
10 minutes. Fish is done when it turns opaque and it flakes
easily with a fork.
Seafood is naturally nutritious and it’s
low in calories and total fat. The American Heart Association
advocates a seafood rich diet to reap the benefits of omega-3
fatty acids. They recommend that all adults eat fish
(particularly fish rich in omega-3s) at least two times a week.
By putting more seafood, (prepared healthfully), in your diet
today, you may be able to look forward to a healthier future.
Here is a favorite recipe of the Magic
Valley Trout Producers.
6 butterfly filleted trout (6-8 oz. each)
Wishbone Italian Dressing
butter
almonds
Place trout in bowl or glass pan; cover
with salad dressing. Marinate in refrigerator minimum of 4
hours. Place open trout on grill, skin-side down, over
medium-hot coals. Grill until flesh turns white and flakes
easily with a fork. (Takes only about 10 to 15 minutes,
depending on size of trout. Do not overcook.) Do not turn.
While grilling, melt butter; toast almonds in small skillet over
very low heat. To serve, spoon butter over trout and sprinkle
with almonds. Serves 6. Recipe courtesy of U.S. Trout Farmers
Association.
 Food
Safety and the Web
Grace Wittman,
Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Science, Cassia County
You can now get your food safety questions
answered via the Internet thanks to the Food Safety and
Inspection Services (FSIS) Web site. A virtual representative
named “Ask Karen” was launched in 2004 and is available anytime
and anywhere. As a consumer you can visit the FSIS home page (www.fsis.usda.gov)
and click on the link “Ask a Food Safety Question” this is where
you meet Karen and are given the opportunity to ask your
question.
The topics that “Karen” answers questions
on are food safety, food inspection, food storage and
preparation, food recalls, and other topics related to meat,
poultry, and egg products. The responses given by “Karen” will
contain specific answers along with Web sites and links that
will answer your question in more detail. “Karen” gives an
automatic response once a question has been entered which makes
this resource convenient and quick. If by chance you are unsure
of the question you would like to ask or you just want to see
what “Karen” knows you can use the “Help” button and this will
lead you to “Question Categories.” If you click on one of the
categories the computer will display the current list of
questions being asked in that particular category.
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Page 7. District III Extension Focus -
Extension Educators and Research Specialists Providing
Information for Area Families and Agricultural Producers
Even though “Ask Karen” is a fairly new
concept it has been catching on. In the first year “Ask Karen”
answered 44,000 questions from more than 14,000 visitors to the
site. “Ask Karen” was listed as one of the Government’s “Best
Practices” on the new “Federal Web Content Managers Toolkit: A
Practical Guide for Managing U.S. Federal Public Websites.” If
you are ready to test “Ask Karen” you can go directly to the
website at
www.fsis.usda.gov/food_safety_education/ask_karen/
Developing Children's Pre-literacy Skills at Home
Diana Christensen,
Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Science, Gooding County
Literacy skills begin very early, long
before kindergarten. Right from birth a base is being formed
for later learning. All of the talking, eye contact with
caregivers, singing songs and rhymes, babbling, stories, verbal
interactions nurture the infant or child’s budding literacy
awareness. Through these activities the child becomes aware of
sounds, and babbles in an attempt to reproduce these sounds.
This pre-literacy affects your child’s life long learning
success, says Susan B. Neuman, an early literacy expert.
By age 5, most children have learned some
5,000 words, according to Neuman. These words don’t come
passively. They come through active verbal interactions and
experiences with others. Watching videos just doesn’t do what
playing with your child, making eye contact, and babbling cooing
little sounds do for him/her. A desire to know words comes from
a child’s interaction with the adults in his life and seeing how
print and language are used in everyday life. Talking, singing
songs and rhymes, playing, story-telling, drawing, and
experiments with writing all add to literacy skills.
What can you as a parent do at home? The
following suggestions are taken from the website of Caroline
Bowen, speech-language pathologist. And don’t forget the other
people in your child’s life—grandparents, older siblings, child
care personnel can all help develop pre-literacy.
- The single most important activity is
reading aloud to children. This is especially so during the
pre-school years.
- Expose children to “literacy materials”
(picture books, story books, alphabet books, activity books,
card games such as snap, word games such as “I spy”, learning
words of songs and rhymes, etc) as early as possible.
- Read to children daily (books they enjoy
and that you enjoy reading).
- Read to yourself in the presence of your
children. Let them see that reading can be both a pleasurable
and a useful thing to be able to do.
- Encourage “print recognition” in
everyday situations (reading aloud to the children labels such
as ‘McDonalds’ and signs such as ‘STOP’ and ‘WALK’.
- Ask children “Wh”-questions about what
you are reading to them (What is the boy’s name? Where are
they going? Who did they see?)
- Encourage children to make inferences
about what is being read to them (Who will they ask to help
them? What do you think is going to happen?)
- Do “cloze sentences” when you read to
children, in which the child says the next word in a familiar
phrase (Humpty Dumpty sat on a ….; Jack and Jill went up the
….; Once upon a time there were three little ….).
- Do not force children who do not like to
listen to stories. Instead try to find books and activities
that are of interest to them. Sometimes children who are not
interested in the children’s books intended for their
age-group will enjoy stories about movie and TV characters
(Power Rangers, Batman) or books related to their interests
(Barbie dolls and fairies, or trains and trucks).
To teach children sound awareness:
- Use nursery rhymes, songs, and finger
plays to introduce the early stages of awareness of speech
sounds.
- Engage in ‘sound play’ activities such
as creating sequences of rhyming, or alliterative words (a
series of words beginning in the same sound).
- Play games where the child identifies
sounds (Which words start with the same sounds?).
- Do individual sound and sound blending
activities (Which sound does ball start with? What does C-A-T
say?).
- Play sound manipulating games
(tall-Paul-fall; low-slow; inside-outside).
More activities to do with your child to
teach awareness of sounds:
- Teach your child to point to the picture
associated with the sound you say (you say “ss” and the child
point to a picture of a snake).
- Teach your child to say the sound
associated with the picture you hold up (you show them a
picture of a buzzy bee, and they say “zz”).
- Play games involving listening to the
sounds in words (When I say “in” did you hear a train noise?
Now listen to the next word… “chin”, now did you hear a train
noise). (http://members.tripod.com/~Caroline_Bowen /pre-literacy.html):
Yes, these activities do take time. But
most of them fit into the things you are already doing, with a
small amount of effort. Try them while grocery shopping,
during bank visits, or trips to the vet to encourage children to
talk. Let them, and you too, play with familiar words, explore
new meanings, and test ways to use well-known words. The more
you can add these kinds of activities and play with your child
into your daily living activities, the more you will be
preparing your child for success down the road.
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Page 8. District III Extension Focus -
Extension Educators and Research Specialists Providing
Information for Area Families and Agricultural Producers
Slow Down to
Slim Down
Cammie Jayo, Extension
Nutrition Program Coordinator
We live in a fast-paced world. We
impatiently tap our fingers, waiting in line with so many others
in a hurry to get to the next place. As a consequence, we take
less and less time for meals. The result is that we often
ingest more than we need. It takes about twenty minutes after
food enters our mouths before the brain starts perceiving we are
filling up. When eating on the run, we miss the full impact of
the taste sensations that come through when food is eaten more
slowly. At the very least, we should wait until we have
swallowed one bite before we take the next one!
Here are some tips to help you savor your
food and get more satisfaction from your meals:
- Make time to appreciate your food. Give
yourself a distinct time allowance for a meal. Even fifteen
minutes is better than nothing.
- Sit down at the table or your desk.
Standing at the refrigerator or walking around decreases
attention and satisfaction.
- Take several deep breaths before you
begin to eat. Deep breathing helps to calm and center you, so
you can be focused on eating slowly.
- Pay attention to eating as slowly as you
can. Remember that your taste buds are on your tongue, not in
your stomach. Gobbling your food takes away your chance to
really taste it.
- Taste each bite of food that you put in
your mouth. Experience the different taste and texture
sensations the food can provide.
- Put your fork down now and then
throughout the meal. This will help to slow you down.
Focusing on what
you eat makes it easier to sense when you are full and to stop
eating before you overeat.
Source: Tribole, E., Resch, E.,
Intuitive Eating, St Martins Griffin, New York,NY
1995:141
Preparation
Leads to Calving Season Success
J. Benton Glaze, Jr.,
Ph.D., Extension Beef Cattle Specialist, Animal and Veterinary
Science Department, University of Idaho
Calving season is one of the most critical
times of the year for the beef operation. Management during
this phase of the production cycle must be at its best. Any
dead calf is an automatic loss of at least $400 to $600, and
possibly even more. According to the 1997 USDA National Animal
Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) survey, 13.9% of unweaned calf
losses were directly related to calving problems. Good
management and proper planning can lead to fewer calf losses and
a successful calving season.
Beef producers should have a plan, or
strategy, to get pregnant cows and heifers to the desired farm,
pasture, paddock, or calving facility at least 30 days prior to
calving. This allows the cows and heifers to be exposed to
organisms that are present in that environment and develop their
natural immunities (via antibody production). This antibody
production enhances the specificity and quality of the cow’s
colostrum, which in turn results in greater natural immunities
in calves and greater calf survivability.
Calving facilities allow for close and
regular observation of cows and heifers. However, many
producers do not utilize calving facilities. Results of the
1997 NAHMS survey showed that approximately 60% of females
calved in pastures that did not allow for improved observation.
The survey showed that 2.5% of females calved in individual
pens, 4.2% calved in covered sheds, 8.5% calved in calving lots,
24.4% in calving pastures and 60.4% calved in other types of
pastures. Management changes that allow for close and regular
observation of calving females may be beneficial and assist in
minimizing calf death loss.
When calving sheds, small pastures, barns,
and other calving facilities are used, they should be clean,
dry, and located so that the effects of the climate are
minimized. Calving areas should be cleaned and disinfected
after each delivery, but at the very least, producers should
have the ability to change the bedding between births. Calving
facilities should be well lighted for obstetrical work and
should include an area to handle difficult births. Any chute,
or headgate, located in a calving facility should have straight
side head catches (versus those that form a “v” at the ground)
to prevent strangulations in the event a cow goes down. All
calving facilities should be in good repair and functional prior
to the calving season.
As the calving season starts, several
pieces of equipment and supplies should be on hand and readily
accessible. These may include: (1) adequate water
(preferably warm) to cleanse the cow and facilities/equipment
prior to calving, (2) disinfectants to sanitize the
calving area and equipment, (3) calf pulling equipment
(pullers/extractors, obstetrical chains and handles, fetal head
snare, etc.) to handle calving difficulties, (4) lubricants
for use in exams and in lubricating obstetrical equipment, (5)
iodine to disinfect the calf’s umbilical cord shortly
after birth, (6) medications and delivery equipment
(antibiotics, vitamins, vaccines, syringes, needles, etc.) to
treat and prevent infection and disease (based on a
veterinarian’s recommendation), (7) dehorning and castration
equipment to dehorn animals not born polled, and castrate
those male calves not to be saved for breeding purposes, (8)
ear tags and tattoo equipment for calf identification, and
(9) colostrum and calf feeding bottle for calves that
fail to nurse in the first few hours after birth.
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Page 9. District III Extension Focus -
Extension Educators and Research Specialists Providing
Information for Area Families and Agricultural Producers
The most important and critical time in the
life of a calf is calving time. In most cases, if the calf to
be born is presented in a normal fashion (fetus’ back directly
toward that of the cow, forelegs extended through the vulva,
head resting between forelegs), the cow will be able to have the
calf without assistance. Cows should be checked 3 to 4 times
per day and heifers should be checked every 4 hours. Cows in
active labor should make good progress or deliver a calf within
an hour. If progress is not being made, the position and size
of the calf should be checked. Producers, and anyone that may
have the occasion to assist during the calving process, should
be trained in, or familiar with, the stages of labor and the
guidelines for intervention (assistance). Producers should also
be prepared to consult a veterinarian when a calving situation
has exceeded their abilities.
Once calves begin “hitting the ground”,
they should be checked to see if they have nursed within 2 to 4
hours of birth. Calves that have not nursed should be assisted
or tube fed colostrum with a special calf feeder. Colostrum
(the mother’s first milk) contains antibodies, or
immunoglobulins, that provide the calf with protection from
disease. Since the calf’s immune system is not fully functional
at birth, the calf must rely on colostrum from the cow until its
own immune system is fully functional (approximately 1-2 months
of age). Getting enough colostrum is important for calf
survival, as well as, for future health and growth. For
colostrum to be most effective, calves should receive one (1)
quart within six hours of birth and a total of 2 to 3 quarts
within the first twelve (12) hours of life. After this time, a
calf’s gut begins to “close” and it becomes increasingly more
difficult for the calf to absorb the antibodies that are
provided by the colostrum.
To ensure the upcoming calving season is a success, beef
producers need to make several preparations well in advance.
First, calving areas (pastures, paddocks, barns, et.) need to be
identified and calving facilities need to be repaired and
cleaned/disinfected. Second, calving equipment and supplies
should be on hand and readily accessible. Finally, beef
producers need to have a plan in place to
supply colostrum to calves that fail to nurse shortly after
birth.
Colostrum is Key
Shannon Williams,
Extension Educator, Lemhi County
Colostrum
is the first milk produced by the cow. It is required for
complete maturation of the calf’s immune system and has an
affect of the calf for its entire life. The amount of colostrum
varies from cow to cow, heifer to heifer and breed to breed.
The amount decreases with each milking. Research done by the
University of Wisconsin – Madison determined that the
first milking has 6% colostrum and by the fifth milking is only
.1%. Production of colostrum by the cow decreases 73% within 12
hours of calving.
The cow has
a great influence on her colostrum. All the colostrum a cow has
is produced the last two months of gestation. The age of the
cow, pre-calving nutrition, pre-calving vaccinations and calving
difficulty all influence the amount and quality. First calf
heifers usually produce five to six percent colostrum while
older cows produce greater than eight percent colostrum. Older
cows also have a greater diversity of antibodies present. Cows
that are shorted on energy the last 90 days pre-calving have
calves that are less vigorous. Cows need to maintain a body
condition score of 5 or more and heifers need to be a 5.5 to 6
or greater. When cows are vaccinated in a timely fashion the
last few weeks of pregnancy, they have a large amount of
specific antibodies in their colostrum. Calving difficulties
lead to weak cows that do not clean and mother calves and weak
calves do not nurse as well, therefore lowering their intake of
colostrum.
Producers
need to remember that a freshly born calf has no immunity and is
born into a world of bacteria. They go from a nice warm
environment into a cold, sometimes damp, mucky environment. The
best defense is colostrum. The critical time for absorption of
colostrum is the first six hours. The calf loses 50% of its
ability to absorb antibodies from the colostrum within 12 hours.
A 75 pound calf needs to ingest two to three quarts of
colostrums the first 4 to 6 hours. Colostrum intake can be
limited by time to first nursing, udder problems, cold stress,
weak calf and weak cow. When this happens, producers have the
options of supplementing the calf with frozen colostrum or a
commercial colostrum product.
Frozen
colostrum is best if from a cow of the producer’s herd. Beef
colostrum has a higher concentration than dairy colostrum.
Colostrum can be stored in the freezer for one year. Do not
thaw colostrum in the microwave. Feed the calf three to four
quarts in the first 12 hours making sure that the calf receives
10% of their body weight within 24 hours of birth. Healthy
calves will suck every ten minutes, so feed the colostrum in
small amounts and frequently.
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Page 10. District III Extension Focus
- Extension Educators and Research Specialists Providing
Information for Area Families and Agricultural Producers
There are
many commercial colostrum concentrations available. When a
producer purchases one, they need to check the label for number
of grams of IgG. This is the amount of colostrum in the
package. The highest concentration available is 50 grams. A
calf requires 150 to 250 grams which translates to three to five
bags of the best product. Producer’s need to remember these
products are supplements, not substitutions.
Colostrum
is critical to the long-term productivity of a calf. The time
of intake is very critical to the absorption of the antibodies
provided by colostrum. The cow, calf, and management all have
an affect on the quantity, quality and utilization of colostrum.
Idaho
4-H Youth Development Ambassador Program
Donna Gillespie, Extension
Educator, 4-H Youth Development, Minidoka County
District III 4-H Ambassadors attending the
2005 fall training are: Back row, left to right: Sara
Campbell, Cassia; Amanda Studer, Minidoka; Valerie Pantone,
Lincoln; Nicole Reed, Gooding and Kayla Bailey, Blaine; Middle
row, left to right: Jared Studer, Minidoka; Stephanie Paine,
Twin Falls; Alisa Reed, Gooding; Nikki Nixon, Minidoka; Ashley
Hulet, Minidoka; Cailee Neiwert, Minidoka and Michael Mejia,
Cassia; Front row, left to right: Ronald Rodriguez, Cassia; and
Heidi Hartwick, Twin Falls
Welcome newly trained Idaho 4-H Ambassadors
to District III! Seventeen teens from our area have attended
trainings to become 4-H Ambassadors and will now be promoting
4-H throughout our district.
The mission of the Idaho 4-H Ambassadors is
to promote 4-H to youth, parents, 4-H members, leaders and the
general public through education, information, recruitment and
financial support. A 4-H Ambassador is a teen member
representative of the Idaho 4-H program who speaks on behalf of
the larger 4-H membership. An Ambassador is a self-motivated,
enthusiastic leader who promotes 4-H using the skill, knowledge
and leadership abilities they have acquired through 4-H. They
accept a unique responsibility for initiating and carrying out
public relation activities.
An Ambassador in Training is required to
have completed two or more years of 4-H project work, be in the
ninth grade or above, attend the fall training and complete
three approved activities, such as presentations to groups or
other 4-H promotion. Junior Ambassadors are required to meet
with their local 4-H coordinator and submit a plan of action,
they must also make at least one presentation that is evaluated
and turn in a feedback form, serve in a leadership capacity at
the county, district or state level and complete four additional
activities. In order to reach the status of Senior Ambassador
teens are required to make at least five presentations to
groups, one media effort that promotes 4-H, complete at least 5
one-on-one contacts, serve in a leadership role and interview
with the Ambassador committee at the fall training for
acceptance as a Senior Ambassador.
Please ask your local Extension Office to
contact your county 4-H Ambassadors to do programs in your
clubs, schools or service groups. They are anxious to make
presentations to any group, assist with recruitment and
training, develop support materials and prepare media
presentations. Contact them today.
 Back
Front Row, left
to right: Danielle Comchoc, Mariah Woodbury, Laurel Chaffin,
Betsy Molloy, Amanda Hopper, Kori Agin-Batten and Jenna Meeks;
Back Row, left to right: Donna R. Gillespie, Chad Russell, Brian
Gillespie,Patrice Lyon, Heather Arts, Jo Seely and Claudia Brush
National
4-H Congress - Lead, Learn, Grow
Donna Gillespie, Extension
Educator, Area 4-H Youth Development, Minidoka County
Twelve 4-H teens and two adult chaperones
represented Idaho in Atlanta, Georgia at the 2005 National 4-H
Congress. On Thanksgiving weekend more than 1300 delegates from
throughout the United States and its territories participated in
the 84th annual Congress. The program is a mix of
educational, service and recreational opportunities.
Each of the twelve youth delegates from
Idaho were awarded trips in several categories. Sponsors
included the Idaho Cattle Association, Idaho Beef Council, Idaho
Youth Horse Council, Idaho Wool Growers Association, Idaho Pork
Producers Association, Idaho 4-H Endowment, and the Idaho State
4-H Leaders Association.
In order to be selected delegates are
required to submit an extensive application that included goals,
project information, references and a story about their 4-H
accomplishments. In addition youth are personally interviewed
or required to submit a video taped interview.
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Page 11.
District III Extension Focus - Extension Educators and Research
Specialists Providing Information for Area Families and
Agricultural Producers
2005 Idaho delegates included:
·
Brian Gillespie
Minidoka County Beef
·
Danielle Comchoc Gem County
Citizenship
·
Laurel Chaffin Lemhi County
Family Consumer Science
·
Patrice Lyon Latah County
Family Consumer Science
·
Jenna Meeks Jerome County
Horse
·
Kori Agin-Batten Payette County
Horse
·
Betsy Molloy Lemhi
County Leadership
·
Amanda Hopper Canyon County
Leadership
·
Chad Russell Canyon
County Leadership
·
Jo Seely Bonneville
County Sheep
·
Heather Arts Kootenai
County Swine
·
Mariah Woodbury Ada County
Small Animals
·
Claudia Brush Canyon County
Chaperone
·
Donna R. Gillespie Minidoka County
Chaperone
Delegates were able to participate in
service learning projects while in Atlanta as part of the Hands
Helping Atlanta program. Some youth served as tutors for grade
school children, others catalogued and packaged medical
equipment, sorted and hauled donated furniture or helped with
the Atlanta festival of trees. Motivational speakers included
Eric Chester, Dan Thurman and Miss America, Deidre Downs. The
delegates also toured the Carter Presidential Library, Martin
Luther King Center, CNN Center and the World of Coca-Cola.
Several excellent and informative workshops
were available for the delegates to choose from. These
included; I Dreamt I Was a Leader, Dying To Be Thin, Navigating
the Internet Jungle, Communication is More Than Words, Dining
Like an Athlete, Yoga, The Healthy Gourmet, Watch Your Back and
many more. Youth interested in applying for the 2006 National
4-H Congress should contact their local Extension Office.
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