Heartland Center Leadership Development in Jackson October 11-13, 2016

The Heartland Center for Leadership Development is returning to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, in 2016 for its highly regarded annual institute, which was launched at Snow King Resort in 1992.   Traditionally known as Helping Small Towns Succeed, this institute is one of several events planned for 2016-17 to celebrate the Heartland Center's 30th anniversary and its contributions to community leadership development.

Range Management Farm Advisor Job

The University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) is seeking an Area Cooperative Extension Advisor – Livestock and Range Management for Fresno and Madera Counties in the Central Valley.  Please share the attached academic application form and position announcements with your colleagues and graduate- and professional-level students in the Animal Science disciplines.  The full position announcement and application instructions are accessible on the UC ANR online job board at http://ucanr.edu/Jobs/Jobs_990/?jobnum=990 

Applications materials should be submitted via e-mail to ANRacademicsearch@ucanr.edu. For full consideration, application packets are due by the June 12, 2016 Apply By date.

Preserve@Home On-Line Food Preservation Class

Do you want to learn how to safely can, dry or freeze your garden’s bounty? University of Idaho Extension invites you to enroll in Preserve@Home, an online food preservation class to teach individuals how to safely preserve a variety of food products. Participants learn how to produce high-quality, preserved foods and the science behind food preservation and food safety.

Saving Irrigation Water Workshop Monday

The University of Idaho Extension will be presenting a workshop on saving irrigation water on Monday May2nd at 7:00 PM in Suite 203 of the Arco Butte Business Incubation Center.  The featured speaker will be Dr. Howard Neibling, University of Idaho Extension Irrigation Specialist, who has been working on Low Elevation Sprinkler Application (LESA) to improve water use efficacy by reducing evaporative loses.  Dr. Neibling has had experiments and demonstrations around Idaho and the northwest, including in Butte County and will discuss the water saving results of this alternative application technology and how to implement it.

Trailing Cows and Calves

So, I had a reporter call me who wanted some quotes on how to stop "run backs".  I guess I had never heard a cow that went back after her calf called a "run back"....but I have seen cows run to the back of the herd to see if they can find their calf, or go back after the cows are dropped off to try to find her calf.

Anyway, for what its worth, here are my thoughts on trailing cows and calves;

The cure for most problems is prevention, and this is no exception!  We know that cows will usually go back to the last place that they saw or hid their calf if they become separated.  Using the low-stress livestock handling principles taught by Bud Williams and his proteges like Steve Cote and others, will reduce problems by preventing cows and calves from becoming separated in the first place.

Ag In Uncertain Times Webinar

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Join Webinar at   http://msyextensionconnect.org/aginuncertaintimes

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PRE-SEASON ALFALFA IRRIGATION

by Bruce Anderson, Extension Forage Specialist University of Nebraska-Lincoln

              

Attention growers of irrigated alfalfa.  Have you ever irrigated before first cutting?  If you’ve received little spring precipitation, now might be a good time to start.

 

               Seems silly to irrigate alfalfa before first cutting, doesn't it.  But look at your soil moisture profile.  If it's dry, as is common in some areas, you may need to.  In fact, early spring often is the best time to irrigate alfalfa.  After all, it's about the only time you can actually build a reserve water source for summer use.

               Alfalfa can develop roots more than eight feet deep.  But it will only do this when surface moisture does not meet crop needs and moisture is available all the way down to those depths.  Deep roots that have access to deep moisture will make your summer irrigating much easier by providing extra moisture when plants use as much as half an inch per day.  Unfortunately, typical shallow watering during summer encourages only shallow rooting.

               The biggest advantage of reserve deep water comes after each summer cutting.  Alfalfa roots need oxygen in the soil if plants are to regrow rapidly.  Irrigating right after cutting suffocates roots, slowing down regrowth.  Immediate watering also stimulates shallow rooted or sprouting weeds, especially at a time when alfalfa plants are not very competitive.  Both problems are reduced when water is available for deep alfalfa roots while the top several inches of soil remain dry.  After alfalfa regrows several inches it will out-compete most weeds so irrigation then can begin again.

               Improve your alfalfa irrigation by watering early, with a goal of having six to eight feet of soil at field capacity at first cutting.

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               Remember that pivot systems are often only designed to deliver water at the Evapotranspiration rate.  This means that when you system is down for cutting or for a mechanical failure, you will be "getting behind" without any good way to catch up.  Early season irrigation is often the only way build up a reserve of soil moisture for later in the season.

Chad Cheyney, Butte County Extension Educator

Glenn Shewmaker, Extension Forage Specialist, Idaho.