|
 Think
About The Bugs Before You Plant
Kelly
Tindall, Area Extension Entomologist
As many of the
farmers are starting to plant, it never hurts to be reminded about
the bugs. There are many soil insects that feed on seeds, seedlings
and roots of plants. One that has been gaining attention in recent
years is wireworm. These insects are beetle larvae that are
attracted to carbon dioxide that seeds release once seeds begin to
germinate. This insect spends most of its life underground.
Larvae may take up residence in the soil for three to four years
feeding on seeds, seedlings and roots, eventually after years of
feeding, they pupate and emerge in the spring as adults. Adults can
live for nine months. A single female lays as many as 350 eggs in
the soil and the cycle starts again. This can cause problems for a
grower because once they are in the soil they can be there for
several years, unless action is taken.
So what can be
done about these critters? Unfortunately, if you do not do
something when you plant, you have to wait until next year.
Currently, there are no rescue treatments available. There are
several insecticides labeled to control wireworms; however, you have
to apply them at planting or plant seeds treated with insecticide.
Anytime that
you are battling an insect that lives underground, tilling has the
potential to disrupt the life cycle. With wireworms, you have to
till deep to reach the depth of the wireworms. When temperatures
are below 50° F, larvae move 9-24 inches deep in the soil. Once
soil temperatures warm to 50-55°F, larvae become active within the
top 6 inches of soil. If the soil temperatures get above 80°F,
larvae begin to move deeper in the soil. Tilling physically injures
soil-dwelling insects, as well as bringing them near the soil
surface which makes wireworms more accessible to predators (i.e.,
other insects, spiders, and birds) and exposes them to harsh weather
conditions.
Use care when
choosing a crop to plant in fields where wireworms may be present.
Tuber crops (ie. potatoes) will most definitely display some
damage. Even the best insecticides are not able to provide
sufficient control wireworm. That can cause problems when you go to
sell your potatoes. It is best to plant a crop that has the
harvested product above ground, like corn or grain that is treated
with insecticide until the wireworms are under control.
Another option
is to rotate your crop, however wireworms feed on a wide variety of
plants, including beans, corn, onions, sugarbeets, potatoes,
grains. As you can tell, that doesn’t leave a lot of options.
Alfalfa is the best rotational option for this problem for two
reasons. First, alfalfa is not a favorite host of wireworms;
second, you have a chance to break the multi-year life cycle of the
wireworm since alfalfa is in the ground for multiple years. Be
sure to keep the alfalfa weed-free or you may provide a host for
wireworms to survive on.
Using a
combination of control methods will enhance the management of this
and all pests. Always be sure to read and follow insecticide
labels.
For more
information pertaining to wireworms or any insect problem, contact
Kelly Tindall, U of I Extension Entomologist at 208-734-9590 at the
Twin Falls County Extension office.
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 Reliable
Internet Information
Diana
Christensen, Extension Educator in Families and Youth, Gooding
County
Like to search
the Internet for information, but sometimes wonder if what you find
is reliable? Food Insights gives us some tips to help us determine
if the information is from a credible source.
Almost anyone
can put up a Web page, or start an email chain, so it makes sense to
find out where information is coming from. Look for background
information under an “About Us” heading on a Web site, a mission
statement, or a personal biography. If you can’t locate background
information on the site, or can’t find out who wrote it and why, the
content probably isn’t the most accurate or reliable. Even if you
do have a name, it might have been made up. Some of the “urban
myths” come from a name that sounds credible, and even a newspaper,
journal, or business they are associated with. But a check with
that newspaper, journal, or business has revealed either that the
person is not connected with them, or the incident did not happen.
Trust your
instincts—look for red flags. Here are four “red flags” that
generally indicate a not reliable information source:
- The
information is accompanied by an advertisement. This product will
“cure” multiple health problems, from headaches to obesity.
Reputable sites give health information for education—not to sell
or promote products.
- The article
is poorly organized, sensationally written, or uses LOTS OF
CAPITAL LETTERS and excessive punctuation!!! Good information
doesn’t need to pound its point home.
- The
information is all anecdotal. It is “word of mouth” and isn’t
attributed to an organization, university, or federal agency.
- A single
ingredient, food, or product is said to be responsible for a host
of health problems. These problems may have been self diagnosed.
Here are some
web sites that give reliable, research based nutrition information:
healthfinder.gov,
ific.org, medlineplus.gov, mayoclinic.org,
berkeleywellness.com.
Page 3. District III Extension Focus - Extension Educators
and Research Specialists Providing Information for Area Families and
Agricultural Producers
 Budget
Grocery Shopping
Lyle Hansen,
Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Jerome County
Saving money at
the grocery store on a regular basis takes planning and practice.
Here is a list of ideas that can help you get the most out of your
grocery dollars.
1- Create a
food budget: Take the time to figure out how much money your budget
allows for food each month. Divide your monthly food budget by how
many times you shop each month. Get cash for the budgeted amount
and only take that amount to the grocery store. This will assure
that you only can spend what you budget.
2- Plan meals
and snacks before each shopping trip: Write up a menu of the meals
and snacks you plan to prepare for the week, while making sure they
are affordable and fit your food budget. Consider using the food
you may already have at home on your menu, which will save you money
and help clean out the cupboards.
3- Make a list
of the foods you will need to prepare your meals: After checking
the cupboards, review your menus and make a list to take to the
grocery store.
4- Shop the
grocery store ads and look for coupons: This will save you money.
5- Don’t shop
on an empty stomach: Hungry shoppers usually end up buying
unnecessary expensive items.
6- Avoid the
end caps: Grocery store end caps are attractively displayed to
entice shoppers to make additional purchases.
7- Shop at
discount grocery stores: Discount grocery stores usually offer food
and other products at deep discounts. The food may be sometimes
near the expiration date, dented, or damaged in some way. However,
by carefully examining the products you can usually find good
quality items and save money.
I hope these
suggestions will help you stick to your food budget and save you
money at the grocery store. Happy Shopping!
 Keep
Your Cool!
Cammie Jayo,
Extension Nutrition Program Educator, Twin Falls County
Your
refrigerator should have a thermometer to be sure the temperature is
consistently 40°
F or below. This will keep your perishable food safe and at the
optimal quality. Following are some pointers for keeping foods cool
and in the safe temperature zone.
- The Chill
Factor. Refrigerate or
freeze perishables, prepared foods and leftovers within two hours
of purchase or use. Always marinate foods in the refrigerator.
- The Thaw
Law. Never defrost food at room temperature. Thaw food in the
refrigerator. For a quick thaw, submerge food in cold water in an
airtight package or thaw in the microwave if you will be cooking
it immediately.
- Divide
and Conquer. Separate
large amounts of leftovers into small, shallow containers for
quicker cooling in the refrigerator.
- Avoid the
Pack Attack. Do not
over-stuff the refrigerator. Cold air must circulate to keep food
safe.
- Rotate
Before It’s Too Late.
Use or discard chilled foods on a regular basis. Check the USDA
Cold Storage chart available at
http://wwwfoodsafety.gov/~fsg/f01chart.html
- Don’t Go
Too Low. As you
approach 32°
F ice crystals can begin to form and lower the quality of some
foods such as raw fruits, vegetables and eggs. A refrigerator
thermometer will help you determine whether you are too close to
this zone.
Visit
www.fightbac.org today for more tips.
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Page 4.
District III Extension Focus - Extension Educators and Research
Specialists Providing Information for Area Families and Agricultural
Producers
 Food
Safety - Pressure Canner Testing
Grace Wittman, Extension
Educator, Family and Consumer Science, Cassia County
Spring is here
again and it’s time to start thinking about canning all of those
wonderful products our gardens produce. When we start thinking
about preserving food we need to consider food safety. Food safety
goes hand in hand with preserving foods since foods that are
incorrectly preserved can be extremely harmful to us and our
families. One of the easiest things we can do to ensure our foods
are preserved safely is to get our pressure canners gauge tested
each year.
Getting your
pressure canners gauge tested is essential to prevent the spread of
Clostridium botulinum or botulism. Clostridium botulinum
cells can form an extremely heat resistant spore that can
survive boiling temperatures at 212 degrees Fahrenheit. The
temperature of 240 degrees can only be achieved with a pressure
canner. So it is essential that we make sure our pressure canner
gauges are accurate. Check with your local extension office to find
out times, locations, and cost for pressure canner gauge testing.
Another way we
can be sure that foods are canned safely is to brush up on our
canning procedures by participating in a Master Food Preserver
course. These courses are offered yearly through your extension
office. The course covers different types of food borne illness and
what you can do when preserving food to prevent these illnesses.
The course also goes through proper canning techniques for all foods
so that individuals can perfect their skills and become master
canners. If you’re local extension office does not offer a Master
Food Preserver course or you are unable to attend the course a
person can participate in a course called Preserve @ Home.
Preserve @ Home
is a web-based food preservation course that is conducted
periodically throughout the year. This course covers that same
material as the face to face Master Food Preserver Course however
students are allowed to progress through the lessons at their own
pace or at a time that is convenient to them. The course is offered
through two different methods of instruction: online and
correspondence. The course consists of 10 required lessons and
three supplemental lessons.
The next
Preserve @ Home course will start in August.
Cost:
$35 fee entitles students to web-access or mailed copies of all
lessons.
UI academic
credit is also available. Contact the Preserve @ Home instructor at
208-267-3235 for more information on actual dates and times.
Do Your
Roses Have Borers?
Jo
Ann Robbins, Extension Educator, Crops and Horticulture
Two wood-boring
insects can cause rose problems in southern Idaho. The first
insect, the raspberry cane maggot (Pegomya rubivora), is the
larvae of a small fly. The maggots, or larvae, feed downward in the
new canes. The canes will be hollowed out in the center. The
shoots will wilt as the larvae girdle the stem. Canes also may show
a swelling where feeding occurs. The adult hatches from an over
wintering pupa in the ground in April and lay eggs near the tops of
the young canes. Canes that have been pruned are particularly
attractive. As indicated by the name, this pest can also infest
raspberries.
The second
insect is the rose stem girdler (Agrilus aurichalceus).
Adults of this wood-boring beetle emerge from infested stems in May
and June. They lay eggs on the canes and larvae feed just under the
bark, girdling them and causing simple swollen stem galls. The
canes subsequently can die, be extremely weak the next season, or
are more susceptible to winter injury. This pest also infests
raspberry canes.
Control of
light cases of these borers involves pruning out and destroying the
infected canes just below the bottom of the hollowed out stem or
below the swollen gall on the stem. Placing wood glue or pruning
paint on the ends of cut canes helps to detour egg laying of the
cane maggot. In extreme cases, a systemic insecticide labeled for
these pests on roses will be necessary.
Keep an eye out
for these pests that can weaken or kill canes on all types of roses.
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Page 5.
District III Extension Focus - Extension Educators and Research
Specialists Providing Information for Area Families and Agricultural
Producers
Public Confusion Over Seafood
Gary
Fornshell, University of Idaho Extension, Aquaculture
In 2004 the
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) issued a joint advisory on mercury and seafood. This
was the first time the two agencies issued a joint advisory on
mercury and in addition to discussing the risks associated with
mercury ingestion they pointed out the health benefits derived from
seafood consumption.
Unfortunately
when people hear negative news first they tend to ignore the good
news. Studies have shown decreases in seafood consumption following
FDA advisories. A recent national consumer survey conducted by the
University of Maryland Center for Food, Nutrition and Agriculture
Policy confirmed what many within the seafood/aquaculture community
thought: the public is very confused about the benefits and risks of
seafood consumption. Most do not understand the FDA/EPA advisory.
They either believe the advisory applies to everyone or they
mistakenly believe the advisory applies to the wrong groups within
the population, such as the elderly, men, or teenagers. Most could
not identify which species had higher levels of mercury and those
that have extremely low levels. Clearly, the FDA and EPA need to
provide a clear, concise, easy to understand message on the benefits
and risks involved with eating seafood.
Since the
advisory was issued numerous articles on mercury and seafood have
appeared in the print media as well as stories on television news
broadcasts. The media has certainly contributed to consumer
confusion with their mixed messages, misinformation and
sensationalism. Unfortunately many rely upon the media for their
health and nutrition information.
The FDA/EPA
advisory is for a specific high-risk group: pregnant women, women
who may become pregnant, nursing mothers, and young children. It is
recommended that this group should not consume shark, swordfish,
king mackerel and tilefish, and limit consumption of albacore
(white) tuna to 6 ounces per week. Further, if consuming
sport-caught fish they should check state advisories for local
waters. However, this group should eat up to 12 ounces per week a
variety of seafood low in mercury such as shrimp, canned light tuna,
salmon, pollock, catfish, tilapia, and rainbow trout to obtain the
health benefits from seafood consumption. Seafood is an important
part of a healthy diet. A high quality protein low in saturated
fats, seafood contributes to a healthy heart and is necessary for
the proper growth and development of children.
Seafood and
especially omega-3 fatty acids are so good for us that the following
organizations all recommend increased seafood consumption:
l
World Health
Organization
l
American Heart
Association
l
Institute of
Medicine
l
2005 U.S. Dietary
Guidelines
l
National Heart, Lung,
& Blood Institute
l
National Cholesterol
Education Program
l
Even the FDA/EPA
advisory – up to 12 oz./wk for the high risk group
In fact
numerous medical experts argue that there is a greater risk to
health with decreased consumption of seafood (American Journal of
Preventive Med.: 2005 volume 29, issue 4).
Due to consumer
concerns and mixed messages in the media about seafood safety and
health benefits the United States Trout Farmers Association had the
Environmental Quality Institute at North Carolina
State University analyze
farm-raised rainbow trout from Idaho, North Carolina and
Pennsylvania for mercury. The study found that mercury levels are so
low in farm-raised rainbow trout that a 160-pound person could eat
up to 600 pounds in a year and not exceed EPA’s recommended
reference dose of 0.1 micrograms per kilogram of bodyweight per day.
Reference doses
are usually based on the most sensitive and relevant studies. Often
adequate human data is not available and it is necessary to rely on
data from animal studies. A dose is set by identifying an exposure
that has shown no harmful effects in the most relevant study and
dividing it by uncertainty factors to allow for possible differences
between experimental animals and humans, and between the average and
most sensitive humans. The reference dose represents an intake that
is without appreciable risk, but gives no indication of the possible
risk at intakes above that level; however, exceeding the reference
dose does not necessarily result in harmful effects, even in the
most sensitive populations. The reference dose is intended as a
gauge, not an absolute number above which a problem is likely to
occur, precisely because of the fact that uncertainty factors are
calculated into the reference dose.
The EPA mercury
reference dose was calculated on the lowest dose at which a subtle
subclinical effect was thought to occur (meaning the effect was not
actually observed) and then building in a 10-fold uncertainty factor
that makes EPA’s reference dose for mercury the most stringent
standard in the world.
So remember the
advice from the American Heart Association – eat fish twice a week.
Reference:
What You Need
to Know About Mercury in Fish and Shellfish,
2004 EPA and
FDA Advice For: Women Who Might Become Pregnant,
Women Who are
Pregnant, Nursing Mothers, Young Children.
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/admehg3.html
Back To Top
Page 6. District III Extension Focus - Extension Educators
and Research Specialists Providing Information for Area Families and
Agricultural Producers
Would You
Benefit From a MIG Workshop?
Jim Hawkins, Extension
Educator, Livestock, Custer County
A recent survey
of alumni of the Lost Rivers Grazing Workshops indicates that indeed
you could. Thirty percent of the respondents reported an increase
in their bottom line. Forty seven percent of survey respondents
report labor costs remained the same or went down. Another 66 % saw
fertilizer costs remain the same or actually decline. Respondents
reported an increase in weaning weight while experiencing an
increase in the number of cows breed on time. The total number of
days grazed increased as well. Respondents also reported 1) a
decrease in the number of weeds, 2) a decrease in animal health
costs and 3) a decrease in their winter feeding costs. The results
of this survey would indicate that a management-intense approach to
pasture management does reap benefits.
Results reported here are but a few
among many of the successes reported by graduates of the Lost River
Grazing Academy. If these
results intrigue you and you want to learn more, sign up for the
next workshop to be held in Salmon,
Idaho at the Nancy M. Cummings
Research and Extension Center June 12-15, 2006.
The workshop will help improve the
livestock operator’s understanding and implementation of the
principles of Management-intensive Grazing (MiG). Topics covered in
the intensive 4 day, hands-on workshop include the five principles
of grazing, tools for managing grazing, anatomy and physiology of
forage plants, grazing cell design, low stress livestock handling
techniques, and livestock health considerations. Participants in
this workshop come away with a better understanding of the
principles involved in grazing management.
A growing network of operators are
developing, adapting and implementing more economically efficient
and environmentally acceptable methods for harvesting and utilizing
forages. Are you ready to join them?
The cost of this intensive, hands-on
workshop is $450 and includes all materials and most meals. Full
ride scholarships are available for qualifying Idaho producers. For
more details, scholarship opportunities, etc. call Jim Hawkins at
208 879 2344 or email jhawkins@uidaho.edu.
Monitoring
and Adaptive Management
Kenneth D. Sanders,
University of Idaho Range Specialist
Why monitor?
Monitoring is
the very basis of management for any business. We set objectives,
develop a management plan to meet those objectives, then monitor to
determine whether the objectives are being met and if not, why. The
Society for Range Management (SRM, 1998) defines range monitoring
as, “The orderly collection, analysis and interpretation of resource
data to evaluate progress toward meeting management objectives.
This process must be conducted over time in order to determine
whether or not management objectives are being met.” Monitoring
must also identify what areas of management need revision to produce
the desired objective. We cannot make effective management
decisions if we do not know the effect of past management actions.
Although this
guide is designed for use by public land livestock permittees, it is
just as important that ranchers monitor their private rangeland
too. A primary goal of both public and private land managers/owners
is to insure the sustainability of rangeland resources and the use
of those resources, including their productive capacity. The
monitoring plan is as important a part of the ranch/allotment plan
as the grazing system or stocking rate. The objectives, sampling
techniques, study locations, monitoring responsibilities and time
tables for monitoring should be as detailed as possible.
Who should
monitor?
As ranch or
allotment management plans (AMPs) are developed, a detailed
monitoring plan should also be developed. Just as AMPs on public
land allotments should be a cooperative, coordinated plan developed
by the agencies and permittees, so should the monitoring plan. Both
the permittees and the agencies can benefit from a cooperative
effort. In most cases, a permittee may be interested in acquiring
some, but not all the monitoring information or data that the
federal agencies desire. Collecting the same kind of information at
the same time is an inefficient duplication of effort. By working
together, more monitoring can be accomplished and better decisions
made.
The two most
important factors in effective rangeland monitoring are: (1) the
commitment to diligent monitoring and (2) the interpretation of the
monitoring information that is collected. Permittees are on the
allotment much more often than agency personnel, thus they are key
to meeting both factors. Monitoring methods that require frequent
data collection, such as photographs, are best done by the
permittees. Even more important, permittees are likely to observe
events that may be critical to the proper interpretation of
monitoring data, such as an unusual storm event or insect invasion.
The degree of
commitment will vary by permittee; each permittee should only commit
to those monitoring elements that they are realistically willing to
accomplish. However, all permittees should at least become familiar
with the location of the monitoring sites and types of information
being collected. In some cases the permittees may be able and
willing to monitor additional sites, using the established
methodology, thus adding to the data base and increasing its
accuracy. Monitoring is a long-term commitment but it should result
in more effective management.
Adaptive
management
In recent years
the U.S. Forest Service (FS) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
have started using the term adaptive management in their monitoring
and management documents. Adaptive management is defined as the
process of adjusting management strategies based on monitoring
results. While this is really what management has always been
about, there appears to be a new-found willingness of public land
agencies to use this process. Currently, there is a window of
opportunity for permittees to be involved in providing monitoring
information to the agencies, being involved in the interpretation of
monitoring data and, most importantly, having input in grazing
management adjustments to meet the goals and objectives of both the
agencies and the permittees. It is up to the permittees to take
advantage of this opportunity.
For more
information about monitoring and adaptive management, you may go to:
http://www.cnrhome.uidaho.edu/range then click on Rangeland Info
and look for the article “A Rancher’s Guide to Monitoring
Rangelands”.
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Page 7. District III Extension Focus - Extension Educators
and Research Specialists Providing Information for Area Families and
Agricultural Producers
 Protect
Our Export Markets From Being Sabatoged
Richard Garrard, Extension
Educator, Agriculture, Cassia County
Despite
a slowdown in their rate of growth during the last decade, export
markets still consume a significant share of U.S. meat and poultry
producers’ annual production. Today we export 8% of the beef,
pork, and poultry produced in the U.S. It is projected that we will
export 11% of our production by 2015. This expected growth is due
to factors such as the high quality of our products and the
weakness of the U.S. dollar. A week dollar makes buying U.S. meat
less expensive for foreign customers. Various bilateral and
regional free trade agreements that the United States has recently
entered into have removed or reduced many of the traditional forms
of import restriction on agricultural products---such as tariffs,
quotas and levies.
The United
States must continue to challenge “non-tariff” barriers to free
trade in order to meet projected growth. As trade negotiators have
worked to bring down tariffs, more countries, have turned to
measures to protect their domestic production. These limiting
measures are often referred to as SPS which is short for “Agreement
on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures.”
Some countries
are using a new troubling justification for some SPS. It is the
argument that a restriction on imports is necessary to respond to
“consumer concerns.” As this argument goes, a valid scientific
basis for an SPS measure is not necessary as long as it is designed
to address consumer fears. Variations of this argument have been
used by the European Union to defend its import ban on U.S. beef,
its moratorium on approvals of new products of biotechnology, and
even the prohibition on antibiotics in feed.
Of particular
concern to U.S. meat producers is the twisted use of meat inspection
requirements to restrict imports. In the ultimate frustration, we
may celebrate one day the opening of a new market for our meat
products after a trade agreement, only to find out the next day our
exports have actually been reduced or shut down completely because
of bogus meat inspection issues. As results of recent negotiations
with Peru they agreed to recognize the U.S. meat inspection system
and to accept its inspection for imported meat.
In order to
get more trade agreements like this we need to support our farm
organizations such as the Cattlemen’s Association, Grain Growers and
the Farm Bureau, requesting them to push for our trade negotiators
to:
- Oppose any
SPS measures that are not based on sound science.
- Build
pre-determined dispute settlement mechanisms into all free-trade
agreements.
- Enforce
existing agreements that aren’t being adhered to.
- Ensure U.S.
regulators remain faithful to science-based regulation, so our
approvals can stay above question.
We personally
need to contact our legislators and insist that all trade agreements
be voted on by both houses of congress and the President is never
given a fast track on trade agreements.
 Price
Risk Management Classes
Richard Garrard, Extension
Educator, Agriculture, Cassia County
All dairy
managers that are in business 5 years from now will make routine use
of price risk management tools. Will you be one of them? The 1996
farm bill changed dairy markets. The security provided by the
support program is gone. The 2002 farm bill did not bring them
back. Since 1990, when price support levels were lowered
substantially, prices have become much more volatile and this
volatility is not going away.
Milk prices
fluctuate over the year because of seasonal demand and supply
fluctuations. Milk prices usually are lowest in late spring and
early summer and highest in late fall. Over longer time periods, a
variety of economic factors determine milk price changes. Recently,
prices have been weak because of weak demand for cheese. Milk
futures and options can be used to hedge milk prices in order to
manage milk price risk.
A future
contract is a contract traded on a futures exchange for the delivery
of a specified commodity at a future point in time. The contract
specifies acceptable delivery methods and locations, and clearly
defines the standards of the commodity such as weight, quantity,
quality and form. Futures contracts are available for 200,000
pounds of milk on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. (A Class IV milk
contract is also traded and the ideas behind the examples are the
same.) If a futures contract is held open until maturity, it is
settled at the announced USDA Class III milk price.
A hedger takes
a position in the futures market that is equal and opposite to the
position that the individual either has or expects to have in the
cash market. This position protects against adverse price
movements. The hedger could be a dairy producer desiring to protect
the price of milk. The milk producer considering hedging must
decide: “How much money is enough money?” If you ask producers
this question they will usually answer, “As much as possible.” But
you know this is not realistic and it is not how businesses
operate. During the planning process, the producer must examine all
expected expenses, and all expected revenues, and then determine
desired and reasonable returns to management, owner labor, and
investment capital. Being unrealistic means you routinely don’t hit
your targets.
Extension
agents and specialists teach a 3 day class on Dairy Price Risk
Management called ARMS. This course takes a producer step by step
through setting up a marketing plan. An example dairy farm (Bella
Acres) is used to introduce the principles of Price Risk Management
and how hedging works. If you are interested in developing a
marketing strategy through course, contact your local extension
agent this fall. Classes are being scheduled now for this winter.
Back To Top
Page 8. District III Extension Focus - Extension Educators
and Research Specialists Providing Information for Area Families and
Agricultural Producers
 Mothers
and Grazing Habits
Shannon Williams, Extension
Educator, Lemhi County
“What’s that?”
“Haven’t we been here before?” We all asked these questions as
youngsters and we have answered them as adults. Our parents taught
us many things when we were young. The same principles hold true
for animal mothers and their young.
Young learn
quickly and efficiently from their mothers. They learn good things
on the range such as where the feed, water and salt is located.
They become comfortable in those areas where mother grazes. If mom
grazes in a desirable area, according to the management plan, the
calf becomes comfortable in that area. If mom hangs out in the
riparian area, the calf has just formed a bad habit.
Managing
riparian areas is one of the toughest challenges facing public land
grazers today. Management plans dictate season of use, number of
days, stuble height and number of cattle. It is the cattlemen’s
responsibility to meet these objectives. Some of the tools utilized
to manage riparian areas include fences and riders. Riders spend
time moving the cattle back to the uplands. Fences are erected to
keep all livestock off of the stream area.
One tool that
is being explored by researchers and ranchers is selection based on
animal behavior. A study by Harvey, Provenza, Banner and Scott,
looked at the influence cows had on their calves in regards to “home
range” and cattle distribution in Southern Idaho. Cows in the herd
were identified as preferring the Maxfield drainage or Thompson
drainage. Calves were then fostered from one group to the other.
The “home ranges” of the calves were then monitored for four years.
In year one, calves stayed close to mother in the mother’s “home
range”. As yearlings, “peers” influenced the “home range” and some
of the calves did venture over to the other drainage. As two-year
olds, drought caused the water to dry up on the Maxfield drainage,
therefore causing that group to expand their “home range” to the
Thompson drainage. As three-year olds with calves at their side,
they returned to their home range where they had been as calves.
As you consider
the implication of this study, there are many practical ways it can
be applied. One is to consider which cows spend time in the
riparian areas and which spend it on the uplands. You may want to
consider culling those who hang out in the riparian areas. You also
need to evaluate if you should keep any of her heifer calves as
replacements. If you do, the Thompson/Maxfield study would indicate
there is a strong possibility that her calves, as cows, will also
hang out in riparian areas. Bob Budd, manager of the Red Canyon
Ranch utilized culling as a tool to move cows off the riparian
areas. After 10 years of serious culling those cattle who liked the
riparian areas and herding, now he is worried about having too much
vegetation in the riparian areas.
As you spend
time moving cows on the range this summer, observe which cows you
always find in the riparian areas. When it comes to culling this
fall, you may want to consider selling her and her calf. It won’t
immediately fix the problem, but it is one step closer.
 Livestock
and Landscaping
Stephanie Etter, Extension
Educator, Canyon County
Many of us can
name several weeds that we know are potentially toxic to livestock,
but can you name the plants in your landscaping that could be
potentially hazardous? While our livestock do not commonly graze in
the front yard, the occasional open gate or carelessly placed
trimmings could cause a problem.
When adding a
new tree to your landscaping, placement in or around animal
enclosures should be considered. Some of the most common trees that
pose a potential hazard are red maple, black walnut, oak,
chokecherry, elderberry and black locust. The wilted and dried
leaves of red maple trees can affect horses and ponies. Fresh green
leaves are not considered toxic but once dried remain toxic for up
to 30 days. These leaves cause damage to red blood cells, leading
to anemia, kidney damage and possibly death.
Horse bedding
containing as little as 20 percent shavings from black walnut trees
can cause laminitis. Ingestion of the black walnut shavings is not
required for laminitis to develop. Black walnuts which have become
moldy may contain a neurotoxin that can be poisonous to livestock
and especially dogs.
Newly emerged
oak leaves contain particularly high levels of tannins which
depending on the amount consumed can cause symptoms ranging from
going off feed, to diarrhea, kidney and liver damage or death.
Goats and wild ruminants have a protein in their saliva that binds
to and neutralizes the tannins allowing them to safely graze oak
brush and trees.
All parts of
the chokecherry and elderberry are potentially toxic as they contain
cyanide compounds. Wilted leaves and new growth are considered
especially toxic.
Consumption of
as little as 0.04 percent of body weight of black locus leaves may
be toxic to horses. Cattle have been affected after consuming 0.5
percent of their body weight in black locust leaves.
Several
varieties of shrubs commonly used in hedges and some flowering
plants can also be potentially hazardous to livestock. Yew,
boxwood, and privet shrubs should not be planted where animals could
reach them through the fence and trimmings should never be placed in
animal enclosures. The entire yew plant, except the berries, is
toxic to all livestock and remains toxic when dried. Adult cattle
and horses have been fatally poisoned after consuming as little as 8
to 16 ounces of the yew plant. Privet and boxwood plants or
trimmings can result in kidney damage or death.
All parts of
the azalea, rhododendron and laurel plants, including the nectar,
are toxic to all animals that eat them. Consumption of as little as
0.2 percent of body weight can cause poisoning. Signs of poisoning
include vomiting, drooling, muscle weakness and erratic heartbeat.
Poisoning by bleeding heart is rarely deadly, but cattle and sheep
may develop muscle tremor and incoordination.
All of the
plants mentioned above may be safely used in landscaping provided
they are placed where animals can not gain access to them. Disposal
of trimmings away from animal enclosures will dramatically reduce
the chances of animals being poisoned. The best way of all to
reduce an animal’s chance of being poisoned is to provide them with
proper nutrition and a balanced ration so they are not driven by
hunger to eating unusual and possibly toxic plants. Besides, your
landscape plants will thank you!
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Page 9. District III Extension Focus - Extension Educators
and Research Specialists Providing Information for Area Families and
Agricultural Producers
 Purchasing
Bulls
Scott Jensen, Extension
Educator, Owyhee County
Bull buying
season is in full swing. There seems to be a bull sale going on
almost every day of the week. You have made a decision on which sale
to attend, looked over the bulls, and are now ready to bid as they
enter the sale ring. Will any of the bulls fall within your price
range? How much are you willing to spend to get what you want? How
much is it really worth to get the genetics you need?
Simple
questions, but perhaps they deserve an in depth look. The answers to
those questions might have a very serious impact on the
profitability of your operation. Do genetics play a role in your
bottom line? Cattle-Fax and other market-watching organizations are
predicting that we have started on a downward trend in the cattle
cycle. USDA has reported that the US cow herd has expanded for the
second straight year. Heifer retention has also increased. These two
factors point to larger cattle inventories across the nation and
increased slaughter levels and beef production by 2007 or 2008.
Will this
predicted downward trend in the cattle cycle erase the profitability
beef producers have enjoyed over the last several years? The answer
most likely is yes…for some producers. Cattle-Fax data showing
cow/calf returns for low, medium, and high return producers from
1980 through 2004 reports that low return producers lost money 17
out of 24 years. High return producers made money 20 out of 24
years. Why such a big difference? I believe that management
decisions made on a day to day basis contribute to the profitability
or lack thereof of an operation.
Now back to
buying bulls. Consider the fact that the bulls you buy will
contribute 50% of the genetic makeup of your calf crop each year.
Are you looking for buyers for your calves each year or do you have
buyers looking for your calves because they know the quality of the
genetics in the calves and that they will perform in the feedlot.
Cattle that gain poorly in the feedlot are seldom profitable. Cattle
that don’t grade or that yield poorly also have problems being
profitable. This problem is compounded in cattle that don’t grade or
yield (ie. a select, yield grade 4). Cattle that do perform both in
the feedlot and on the rail generally are profitable.
When purchasing
bulls, you should also remember that they contribute 50% of the
genetics of each heifer calf that is retained as a replacement. Will
the replacements that you keep improve the quality of your herd’s
genetics or just be more of the same. If genetic improvements are
needed, maybe that more expensive bull at the sale will return more
dollars to your pocket than the bargain basement model that you can
pick up for a song.
Remember that
when purchasing bulls, there is more to consider than price. Market
value is equal to the benefits divided by the cost (market value =
benefits/cost). The management decision of purchasing low, average,
or high quality bulls will greatly influence your standing as a low,
medium, or high return producer.
 Understanding
and Using the Key Financial Ratios
Richard Garrard, Extension
Educator, Agriculture, Cassia County
Most farmers
and ranchers leave the ratios up to their accountant or banker.
Since most lenders use ratios to evaluate risk and to determine
whether a borrower receives a loan, it is important to understand
what they want and use it to your advantage. This article will
address the 4 most important financial ratios that one should know,
understand, and be able to explain to his banker when obtaining a
loan.
This article
will address 3 critical financial areas for analyzing financial
performance: solvency, liquidity, and profitability.
Solvency
addresses the relationship between assets and obligations, including
the respective investment levels of both owners and creditors. The
common ratio used to measure solvency is the debt-to-asset ratio.
This ratio is calculated by dividing total liabilities by total
assets. It measures the level of debt held by outside sources.
Increasing debt levels translate into higher risk as the operation
loses flexibility and more stress is placed on earning to service
debt.
Liquidity is
defined as the availability of cash and near-cash assets to cover
short-term obligations without disrupting normal business
operations. The most common measure of liquidity is the current
ratio, which is calculated by dividing current assets by current
liabilities. Current refers to one year and since this ratio is
measured at a single point in time, the ratio will vary depending
upon the point in the production cycle. Many agriculture producers
are guilty of trying to repay debt too quickly. This increases
current obligations and hinders repayment ability. A marketing plan
should be developed to better time cash inflows and outflows.
A second common
measure of liquidity is working capital, which is simply the
difference between current assets and current liabilities. Working
capital is the owner’s share of the production assets. Over the
course of the year this is what is left after all the current
liabilities have been paid. Because this is an absolute measure
rather than a ratio, no one level of working capital is preferred.
As working capital increases, the flexibility a business has in
marketing, acquiring capital assets, and timing cash flows also
increases. As inventories rise or as volatility increases, working
capital should also increase to offset those risks.
Profitability
compares business revenues against all economic costs and evaluates
how productively a business is utilizing its resources, both capital
and human. The net farm income from operations ratio measures a
farm’s profit margin. This is the fraction of the dollar left after
deducting the percentage of expenses, interest and depreciation.
This ratio is calculated by dividing net income from operations by
gross revenue. Strategies to increase financial efficiency include:
·
Aggressively
monitoring and reducing production costs where prudent
·
Increasing the
quality, amount and value of production
·
Improving marketing
practices
·
Keeping family living
withdrawals to a minimum
·
Properly structuring
debt
Financial
ratios are tools that management and others can use to analyze a
business’ financial condition. As a borrower you should know these
4 ratio’s before you ever meet with your lender. With this
knowledge there is power – power to aid you in obtaining your loan.
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Page 10. District III Extension Focus -
Extension Educators and Research Specialists Providing Information
for Area Families and Agricultural Producers
 Master
Food Preserver/Food Safety Advisor
Grace Wittman, Extension
Educator, Family and Consumer Science, Cassia County
How many times have you
looked in your freezer or in your cabinets and thought to yourself I
wonder if that is still safe to eat? This is a question all of
us ask ourselves from time to time. As a Master Food
Preserver/Food Safety Advisor with the University of Idaho a person
would be able to answer this question without doubt.
Food preservation is an art
form that has been around for as long as we can remember and is
something we are still using today. Today people want to
preserve foods at home for many reasons--either they have a garden
that produces way more product than their family can eat before it
spoils or people want to preserve more nutritious foods for their
families. Either way more and more people are choosing to
preserve their own foods and it is necessary that they are given
proper instructions on how to do so.
The Master Food
Preserver/Food Safety Advisor training is a 36 hour in-depth
training course on the art and science of preserving food.
Discussion along with hands on learning will help a person fine tune
their skills as a food preserver. The course covers topics of
food safety, nutritional and economic issues of preserving, keeping
food quality high, canning of meats, fruits, vegetables, and salsa,
preparing jams and jellies, drying, freezing, pickling, and storing.
Once a person has completed
the Master Food Preserver/Food Safety Advisor training volunteers
are asked to provide leadership and educational services to their
communities on food preservation and food safety. Volunteers
help with answering food preservation calls, giving talks,
conducting workshops, working fair events, and introducing children
to the art of food preservation.
The University of Idaho
Cassia County Extension Office will be offering Master Food
Preserver/Food Safety Advisor training April 18-May 30, 2006.
The course will be once a week on Tuesdays from 9:00 AM-4:00 PM with
an hour long lunch break. The training will take place at the
Cassia County Extension Office which is located at 1013 West 16th
Street, Burley, Idaho. The cost for this course is $80.00
which will cover the cost of materials. If you are interested
in more information or would like to pre-register for the course
please contact the Cassia County Extension Office at (208) 878-9461.
 Meal
Time in Less Time
Meal Planning Made Easy
Rhea Lanting, Extension
Educator, Family and Consumer Science, Twin Falls County
Planning meals
ahead of time has several benefits. Saves time. You will
have everything you need for the meal you want to prepare, which
will save running to the store for missing items. You are also more
likely to have done some of the preparation for the meal
beforehand. Saves money. Going to the store less frequently
helps save money. A plan also lets you know what foods you will
need for future meals, and you can stock up on those foods when they
are on sale. Improves nutritional value of meals. When you
plan meals, you are more likely to serve foods that are nutritious.
Reduces stress by eliminating the question, what should I cook
for dinner? It is very comforting to have a plan and all of the
supplies and ingredients to make the food that you have planned.
Steps in Meal Planning:
1.
Start with a blank
piece of paper or blank menu. Write down the days that your menu
will include.
2.
Write down the main
dish.
3.
Include other parts of
the meal, such as vegetable and/or salad, fruit, or starch, and milk
or other beverage.
4.
Evaluate the menu you
have planned. Are three or more food groups included? Have
you included a variety of shapes, colors, textures, and
temperatures?
After planning your menus, ask
yourself; Could I cook some items once, but serve them twice? Can I
prepare two meals at once? Who could help fix this meal?
Don’t forget to save your menus to use again.
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