Livestock – Views from VanDeWalle

Cow/Calf College Beef Seminar

January 6, 2023 Brandy VanDeWalle

The 2023 Cow-Calf College Beef Seminar is set for January 19th at the Clay County Fairgrounds in the Activities Building. Registration starts at 9:00 am with programs scheduled from 9:30 am – 3:30 pm. This year’s program is focused on strategies to manage forage resources during drought, including eastern redcedar control and adjusting pasture stocking and rental rates. The hands-on format will allow participants to engage with specialists and peers throughout the day.

Dillon Fogarty, Program Coordinator for Working Lands Conservation will provide an in-depth look at eastern redcedar control and management. Woody plant encroachment by species like eastern redcedar threatens the productivity and profitability of Nebraska’s grasslands. Easter redcedar encroachment can result in up to a 75% reduction in forage production along with additional impacts to grassland resources. In the eastern redcedar control workshop, Dr. Fogarty will cover new guidelines for tackling woody plant encroachment. This will include the development of management plans, effective integration of management tools, and use of new rangeland monitoring platforms.

The afternoon workshop will be focused on 2023 Pasture Leases. Jessica Groskopf and Brent Plugge, Nebraska Extension Educators, will review the latest result from the Nebraska Farm Real Estate survey including cash rental rates and land values. They will also discuss leases, terminating verbal agreements, lease clauses, and landlord-tenant communication. Both landlords and tenants are encouraged to attend.

New this year: Lunch sessions will be comprised of three mini-workshops, including a Lunch and Learn with Dr. Becky Funk, GPVEC Extension Specialist, on calf resuscitation tips and an opportunity to practice assisting the cow during calving using a life-sized model. The Mobile Beef Lab will also be present, giving attendees the chance to reach inside the rumen of a fistulated steer and review the process of ruminant digestion.

A lunch will be provided to those who register, and the program will conclude with a coffee shop panel where participants can ask question directly to the specialists as well as the opportunity to win a variety of door prizes.

There is no cost for the event; however, early registration is highly encouraged to allow for proper planning. Pre-registration can be made by calling the Webster County Extension office at 402-746-3417 or online at go.unl.edu/frcollege.

Crops, Livestock

Ag Today: New Era of Prosperity or Temporary Opportunity

December 9, 2022 Brandy VanDeWalle

Recently at a Farmers & Ranchers College program, Dr. David Kohl emphasized the importance of maintaining working capital or cash for businesses and families, among other important business principles. As always, his global knowledge of events and how they impact U.S. agriculture is fascinating.

One of the mega-trends for producers to pay attention to is the increased focus on healthy soil and water. Healthy soil and water quality creates healthy plants, animals, humans, and environment. Likely there will be paid incentives for producers who excel in these areas. Continuing to reassure consumers where and how food is produced, processed, and distributed remains important. It is also crucial to know your cost of production to plan best, average, and worst-case scenarios. Kohl also recommends overestimating capital expenditures by 25%.

His “Rule of 78” caught the attention of a lot of participants. When most people reach 78 years of age, usually health starts to decline unless you practice 8 habits. Those eight habits to have a quality of life included taking care one oneself physically by drinking water, exercising regularly, eating healthy and getting enough sleep. Mentally, people should have a support network, life purpose, engage in mental activities such as reading or meditating and practice your faith/spiritual life. He emphasized the importance of allowing oneself 2 hours per day with no technology.

Farmers and ranchers should also manage things that can be controlled and manage around those that cannot be controlled. He reinforced the idea that for a successful operation, you must plan, strategize, execute, and monitor. Examine monthly or at least quarterly financials to ensure you are on track. Those with a written business plan are four times more profitable than those without a plan. Also, the mental health of those with a business plan have two times the mental health as those without a written plan.

Kohl reminded participants of his business IQ exercise that ANY business should forgo. The areas in the business IQ included cost of production knowledge, cost of production by enterprise, goals (business, family, personal), record keeping system, projected cash flow, financial sensitivity analysis, financial ratio/break evens, those who work with an advisory team/lender, those whom have a marketing plan and execute, those whom have a risk management plan and execute, modest lifestyle habits, strong people management plan, transition plan, those whom attend educational seminars, and their attitude.

To determine what your cost of production is, a hands-on training will be held at the Fillmore County Fairgrounds on Thursday, December 15^th from 1-3:00 p.m. This program is free, but registration is preferred for planning. Register at cap.unl.edu/abc/training. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own laptop or tablet to the workshop.

Crops, Livestock

Breaking Down Anxiety: Tools to Help You Live a Less Anxious Life

September 2, 2022 Brandy VanDeWalle

This week, I’ve decided to share with you a two-part workshop on helping live a less anxious life which is provided by Nebraska Extension’s Women in Agriculture program. This two-part virtual workshop September will focus on managing and working through anxiety. “Breaking Down Anxiety: Tools to Help You Live a Less Anxious Life,” will hold its first session from 1 to 3 p.m. Central time on September 8. The second session is scheduled for 1 to 2 p.m. Central time on September 29.

It will be facilitated by Ashley Machado, a mental health consultant who works primarily with agricultural professionals and their families. “Sometimes anxiety can feel all-consuming, like you’re on a train you don’t want to be on and you don’t know how to get off. Other times it can feel like there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, but you keep getting stuck on a hamster wheel,” Machado said.

The workshop will discuss how anxiety shows up, why it can be a reaction to uncertainty, and offer advice for developing skills to manage anxiety and its effects. Machado is an advocate of rethinking the ways that we support mental health in the agriculture industry and specializes in breaking down big ideas and deep feelings into simple, actionable strategies. She applies 15 years of experience to helping individuals and organizations in agriculture to develop the tools they need to maintain good mental health and operate and live fully.

Machado holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Development and a Master’s in Social Work with an emphasis in clinical mental health. She grew up in the dairy industry and now lives in California with her husband, a rancher and almond farmer.

The workshop will be held via Zoom and participants should plan on attending both sessions. Registration is $20 per person and can be completed here: https://cvent.me/DWlYaO.

This material is based upon work supported by USDA-NIFA under Award Number 2020-70028-32728.

Livestock

Cow-Calf College on January 25th

December 22, 2021 Brandy VanDeWalle

Cow-Calf College is gearing up to be hosted January 25^th at the Clay County Fairgrounds from 9:30 am to 3:00 pm in the Activities Building. Registration starts at 9:00 a.m. This year’s program will be offered in a hybrid format through zoom & attendance in person. The focus of the 2022 Cow-Calf College will start with an in-depth look at easter redcedar control in the morning, an update by beef cow-calf specialist, Kacie McCarthy and a special presentation by Tom Field focusing on ways to engage youth in the beef industry.

This year’s program provides plenty of flexibility as if you are only interested in learning about eastern redcedar control, come to the morning session and leave. If you are interested in bull management and strategies for transitioning the next generation of beef producers and professionals, you can attend the afternoon session. It will also be offered in-person and available via zoom.

Dillon Fogarty with UNL’s Department of Agronomy and Horticulture will provide an in-depth look at eastern redcedar control and management. Woody plant encroachment by species like eastern redcedar threatens the productivity and profitability of Nebraska’s grasslands. Eastern redcedar encroachment can result in up to a 75% reduction in forage production along with additional impacts to grassland resources. In the eastern redcedar control workshop, we will cover new guidelines for tackling woody plant encroachment. This will include the development of management plans, effective integration of management tools, and use of new rangeland monitoring platforms.

Kicking off the afternoon will be Kacie McCarthy, UNL Beef Cow-Calf Specialist who will explain “Preparing your Bull Battery for the Breeding Season. Learn on maintaining body condition, nutritional needs, evaluating fertility, managing social dominance, providing proper female: bull ratios and more.

The next decade will be characterized by the battle for talent – those industries and businesses that are successful at attracting, retaining, and growing human talent will have competitive advantage. Developing a talent plan is as important, if not more so, than any other area of focus for management. The session will center on understanding the value of generational strengths, developing a succession plan, and developing a coaching culture. Tom Field, PhD serves the people of Nebraska as the Director of the Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program and holder of the Engler Chair in Entrepreneurship at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. An enthusiastic advocate for free enterprise, the potential of young people and opportunities in both agriculture and rural communities, Tom is an internationally recognized educator and innovator who can connect the dots between people, industries, and ideas.

A lunch will be provided to those who register, and the program will conclude with a coffee shop panel where participants can ask questions directly to specialists as well as the opportunity to win a variety of door prizes.

Pre-registration a week in advance is highly encouraged to allow for proper planning. Pre-registration can be made by calling the Fillmore County Extension Office at 402-759-3712 or Clay County Extension Office at 402-762-3644 or online at go.unl.edu/frcollege. To participate via zoom, register at go.unl.edu/onlinecowcalfcollege.

Livestock, Programming

Nebraska Grazing Conference

August 7, 2020 Brandy VanDeWalle

Challenges from COVID-19 have required changes be made to many programs everywhere. This year’s 20th Nebraska Grazing Conference (NGC) will be held as a virtual event instead of the traditional in-person event.

close up photo of white and brown cattle — Photo by James Wheeler on Pexels.com

According to the website:
The online conference will be held from 11:30 AM to 5:00 PM on both Tuesday, August 11 and Wednesday, August 12. Organizers hope the online version of the conference will be a convenience to a broader audience who will be able to participate from their home or office. Opportunities for interaction among participants and to ask follow-up questions of speakers have been built in to the online event. Additionally, several watch parties have been organized around the state for groups of 25 or less to gather and participate in this virtual conference. This option may assist those who do not have stable Internet service in their area.

Watch party sites include:

Northeast Research & Extension Center, 1010 E Centre, Hartington, NE. Host, Ben Beckman, Beef Systems Assistant Extension Educator, Nebraska Extension, (402) 254-6821 or ben.beckman@unl.edu
Zion Lutheran Church, 318 E 4th Street, Ainsworth, NE. Host, Hanna Greenwell, Beef Systems Extension Educator, Nebraska Extension, (402) 387-2213 or hgreenwell2@unl.edu
Panhandle Research & Extension Center, 4502 Avenue I, Scottsbluff, NE. Host, Mitchell Stephenson, Panhandle, Forage Management Specialist/Extension Specialist, Nebraska Extension, (308) 632-1230 or mstephenson3@unl.edu
Fillmore County Fairgrounds, 641 N 5th Street, Geneva, NE. Host, Sydney O’Daniel, Beef Systems Extension Educator, Nebraska Extension, (402) 746-3417 or sydney.odaniel@unl.edu
Buffalo County Extension, 1400 E 34th Street, Kearney, NE. Host, Brent Plugge, Extension Educator, Nebraska Extension, (308) 236-1235 or brent.plugge@unl.edu

Crops, Horticulture, Irrigation, Livestock

Hail Know: Resources To Remember This Growing Season

May 22, 2020May 22, 2020 Brandy VanDeWalle

Screen Shot 2020-05-22 at 2.14.03 PM When hail strikes and growers have questions, Nebraska Extension has new resources to answer them at Hail Know located online at cropwatch.unl.edu/hailknow. Videos, infographics, and articles by a team of Extension experts in climate science, agronomy, engineering, agricultural technology, economics, and disaster education have been developed to build upon and expand Extension’s hail-related programs. Hail Know focuses on six key topics: Hail formation and storms; damage assessment; crop insurance and risk management; replanting considerations; managing a recovering crop; and cover crops.

In the aftermath of a hailstorm visit Hail Know for the answers and certainty, you need to make sound, research-based decisions to manage your crop. Hail Know is also on social media. Follow @HailKnowUNL on Twitter at twitter.com/HailKnowUNL and like Hail Know on Facebook at facebook.com/HailKnowUNL for all the latest information and updates.

Hail Know is a section of CropWatch.unl.edu, Nebraska Extension’s crop production and crop pest management website. The development of Hail Know was funded by a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Smith-Lever Special Needs Grant with matching funds from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The column was co-written with Ashley Mueller, Nebraska Extension Disaster Educator. While you cannot prevent hail, you can prepare for and respond quickly when dealing with hail damage to crops. Nebraska Extension is here to help you make informed, timely decisions. Know your crop, know your tech, know your bottom line.

Crops, Livestock

COVID-19 Ag Producer Best Management Practices

April 25, 2020April 25, 2020 Brandy VanDeWalle

Spring is a busy time of year for our farmers and ranchers and this year is no different. What is different however is the impact that COVID-19 has had on our rural communities. With kids home and schooling from home, some farm/ranch spouses working from home or not able to work at all, the stress is very real for many. Those of us in agriculture know the work we do to produce food for the world is essential but be sure to take precautions to protect you and your family during these uncertain and unprecedented times.

Recently I came across an article written by Brian Van Der Ley, Veterinary Epidemiologist Extension Specialist with Nebraska Extension. He provided the following are guidelines and recommendations that can be used to implement COVID-19 control in agricultural systems.

Stay Informed
Follow federal, state, and local direction to reduce personal risk for contracting COVID-19 and to limit further transmission if you or your employees become infected. Stay informed at cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov
Make a written plan by addressing the following:
- What are the essential activities of the operation? (Feeding, farm work, etc.)
- Who is primarily responsible for completing those activities?
- How those activities are accomplished? (What basic skills are needed for the activity)
- Who is available to complete those tasks if the primary individual becomes unavailable?
- How may essential activities have to be modified if primary individuals are unavailable?
- Write down the plan in as much detail as possible and make team members aware of the plan to insure continuity of business if COVID-19 infections begin to have a direct impact that disrupts normal management channels. Consider worst case scenarios for this situation (e.g. all team members are in quarantine due to exposure) and how essential operations can continue (e.g. asymptomatic team members self-quarantine at the operation to continue operations) and the logistics required for that plan.
Develop plans to separate the teams/family members/hired personnel to prevent transmission. Separate duties and use personal distancing of employees while at work and not at work. Examples – processing livestock, filling planters, brandings, etc.
Hold Virtual Meetings
Consider conducting employee meetings virtually – ZOOM, FaceTime, others. If in person, follow CDC guidelines.
Clean High Touch Areas
Limit use of common areas-use only with social distancing and hygiene guidelines going into and coming out of high touch areas, like meeting rooms, common kitchens, common restrooms, sinks, refrigerators, etc.
Clean and disinfect high touch areas frequently
- Bleach may be used to disinfect surfaces, but the concentration is higher for COVID-19 than for everyday sanitation: 5 tablespoons bleach per gallon of water
- Clean Vehicles, Tractors, Implements, and Tools.
- Place hygiene supplies (hand sanitizer, disinfect and/or disinfectant wipes in equipment and other shared areas (e.g. shop). When changing operators/users – when entering and leaving or before and after use.
- Disinfect hands using sanitizer.
- Disinfectant all high touch areas (e.g steering wheel, control handles, door handles, syringes, etc.)
- Consider disposable covers for porous surfaces like seats and other upholstered surfaces.
- Allow for 3 hour down-time to allow virus to die in confined spaces (e.g. cabs), if possible.
Communicate with People Coming to your Location (consultants, veterinarians, dealers, mechanics, etc.)
- Set up appointments that include time, meeting place, and a plan for transmission control (social distancing, cleaning/disinfection, personal protective equipment, etc.)
- Confirm that individuals are feeling well and have not traveled to high risk locations prior to departure for visit.
Coordinate Delivery of Products and Inputs (feed, medicine, supplements, pesticides, others).
- Develop non-contact delivery methods (e.g. drop off locations)
- Wash hands after handling packaging, consider wearing gloves.
- Consider disinfection of non-porous packaging.
- For deliveries that require person-to-person interaction:
- Develop physical reminders for social distancing (tape on floor, barriers, etc.)
- Practice hand sanitizing/washing before and after interaction
- Inventorying and back-up planning essential.
- Identify essential supplies and consider increasing inventory
- Develop contingency plans if essential supplies become unavailable

(Source: IANR News & author: Brian Van Der Ley, Veterinary Epidemiologist Extension Specialist with Nebraska Extension)

Crops, Irrigation, Livestock

Farm Family Transition & Stressors

March 16, 2020 Brandy VanDeWalle

The agricultural economy is no stranger to stress. Stress from difficult weather, stress from low commodity prices, production risks and many other reasons contribute to the stress for our farmers and ranchers. One of the constant pressures and stressors family operations deal with is the successful transition of the family business to the next generation.

Recently, Dr. Ron Hanson spoke at a Farmers & Ranchers College program on “Strategies for Family Farm Success in the Shark Tank.” Hanson has been working with farm families for over 40 years and reminded participants that money, wealth and property, especially land always put a family’s relationship to the test. His analogies to sharks indicate that some families have “predator sharks” that lurk parents’ property or belongings, waiting to make a move and take a “bite” into family wealth or estate. An effective management strategy is to put yourself in the shark tank and begin addressing difficult situations and questions that might arise from uncertainties in agriculture.

fish aquarium thailand royalty free — Photo by Public Domain Pictures on Pexels.com

In order for families to be successful in transitioning the family farm or ranch, contingency planning must occur. Contingency planning, sometimes referred to as business continuity plans simply account for planning for the unexpected. “Developing and then implementing a business management plan to overcome unexpected changes to the ownership structure and management leadership is crucial for the continued success of the operation” (Hanson, 2020). Contingency planning is not easy and can result in a lot of emotional stress and even conflict, but families that are willing to work through and plan this before a life-altering situation occur are more likely to ensure their farming or ranching legacy will continue for future generations.

Hanson reminded participants that some adult children in the family may already feel they are entitled and that their parents’ estate is the children’s estate. Parents have the right to divide their estate as they wish and letting everyone involved know before they die can prevent huge family fights or court fights down the road. It is sad that family wealth can destroy family relationships and put an end to a family farm legacy. Transparency in estate planning is important for all involved.

Handling the stress and potential conflict upfront can reduce the stress, fights and issues that might occur when a tragedy, family illness or death occur. Dealing with large and unexpected events is stressful enough, so why not make a plan in advance so time and focus can be spent on the situation at hand? Hanson recommends farm and ranch families adopt five guidelines or planning steps to accomplish this process.

Adopt a vision. What is the vision for the future of the family farm/ranch? What is the legacy the parents wish to leave? This starts with the parents.
Draft ideas into a plan. This is where the parents must sit down with family members and discuss expectations of each family members. A planning document must be put in writing.
Organize planning resources. Families must work with an accountant, farm loan officer, estate or wealth planning specialist or an attorney. These people have the expertise and can assist the farm family implement the plan.
Clarify family member assumptions. Arrange for a family meeting so all adult children are aware of the plan. Any existing jealousies and resentments should be resolved and feasible solutions found.
Take control and set deadlines. Take action and get the planning process started. Break down the plan into stages so that the planning goals make the plan become a reality.

Family farming and ranching has many external stressors which cannot be controlled such as commodity prices and weather. Don’t let lack of planning create additional stressors in your life.

Crops, Irrigation, Livestock, Youth

Disaster Anniversaries

March 12, 2020March 6, 2020 Brandy VanDeWalle

Birthdays, anniversaries and holidays are days to celebrate annually with joy and happiness. If you are like me, I’m sure there are also dates that might bring feelings of anxiety, stress and sadness. For example, I’ll never forget where I was when September 11, 2001 happened. I’ll never forget days that various people in my life were impacted by serious illnesses or passed away. Many Nebraskans will never forget March 15, 2019 when the ‘bomb cyclone’ hit causing massive and historic flooding in the state. This date forever changed the lives of many and will take years for many to recover. As March 15, approaches, our Nebraska Extension team put out resources which I decided to share in my column this week.

gray scale photo of trees — Photo by Ian Turnell on Pexels.com

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has the following tips for how to cope with these trigger events.

Be aware that special days may be difficult. It’s common for some stress and other emotional reactions to happen around the anniversary of an event. Simply recognizing that your feelings are normal will help. Dealing with some of your losses and the new realities you’re facing after a disaster can be challenging. Try not to be too hard on yourself.
Be gentle with yourself. Show yourself the same kindness and patience you’d give to others during this time. Allow yourself to feel angry or sad and recognize that these emotions are natural.
Participate in activities that you enjoy. This may be different depending on the individual. Some people like to reflect in solitude while others may prefer spending time with family and friends for support. Some of these activities may include: singing, prayer, meditation, attending a spiritual service, going to the movies, or just getting together with loved ones to share a meal.
Talk about your losses if you need to. If you want to talk about your losses since the disaster, you can. If you want to talk about the future, you can do that, too. Be sure to share your thoughts and feelings with someone you trust. That can be a friend or family member or a health care professional.
Draw on your faith/spirituality. For many, faith and other spiritual beliefs are a source of strength and comfort every day, and most especially during difficult times. Reach out to your faith adviser, spiritual community, or anyone that you feel comfortable talking with about your beliefs to support and console you.
Accept kindness and help from others. Support from family and friends is essential to healing. It’s often difficult for people to accept help because they don’t want to be a burden to others, or don’t want to appear weak. Allow the people in your life to show their care and concern.
Help others. For some people, volunteering is a healthy way to heal and they get a great deal of satisfaction from helping others. Some activities can be as simple as donating food, clothing, and other items.
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

While it is hard to cope with these trigger dates, know that you are not alone and you are cared about, especially by Nebraska Extension. Nebraska Extension, along with numerous other partners has recently created the “Nebraska Needs You” campaign and is working to support others in times of difficulty. We have the Rural Family Stress & Wellness Team, that I am a part of which participates in activities supporting the wellness of rural Nebraska communities by working with community partners and the University of Nebraska. Resources can be found at ruralwellness.unl.edu.

(Source: The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)

Crops, Irrigation, Livestock

2020 Crop & Cow-Calf Budgets

January 28, 2020January 24, 2020 Brandy VanDeWalle

Two decision-making tools created by Nebraska Extension for agricultural producers across the state have been updated for the new year. The 2020 Nebraska crop budgets (https://cropwatch.unl.edu/budgets) and representative cow-calf budgets (https://go.unl.edu/cow-calfbudgets) are now available to provide producers with cost-of-production estimates. Both sets of budgets are available as PDFs and Excel files, which feature tools that allow users to enter information into worksheets to calculate estimated production costs.

black calculator near ballpoint pen on white printed paper — Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Both the crop and livestock budget files are made available online so producers can download, then modify, production and expense figures to more closely match their various enterprises. Glennis McClure, a Nebraska Extension educator in the Department of Agricultural Economics takes the lead on completing the budgets and reminds producers that understanding enterprise cost of production in agriculture is important in product mix decision-making, pricing, marketing and financial analysis.

The crop budgets include 82 production budgets for 15 crops produced in Nebraska, along with cost data for power, machinery and labor. They were compiled by a team led by Robert Klein, an extension crops specialist, and McClure, utilizing a template created by Roger Wilson, a retired extension farm and ranch management analyst.

There are five cow-calf budgets that offer representative herd data for different regions of the state. Background stories are included to assist producers with information relevant to each budget, which may guide producers in determining their own costs. McClure led the cow-calf budget effort, which was compiled from information gathered from producer panels that have met as part of the university’s multidisciplinary Beef Systems Initiative.