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Newspaper Archive of
Golden Valley News
Beach, North Dakota
June 15, 2017     Golden Valley News
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June 15, 2017
 
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Page 2 Golden Valley News June 15, 2017 Paul BELFIELD - A graveside service for Neil Paul, 59, of Beach, will be held at 1 p.m., Friday, June 9, at St. Bernard's Catholic Cemetery, Belfield. Neil passed away Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017, at CHI St. Alexius Hospital, Dickinson. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be given to St. Jude's Children Hospital. Remembrances and condolences may be shared with the family at www.stevensonfuneralhome.com. Wean early, save 25 percent of pasture forag Did you know you can save more than 25 percent of available forage by weaning calves early? The current dryness affecting the land has caused all livestock pro- ducers to review options. For some in a drought situation, the only real solution is rain. But producers need to take charge, whether the season is dry or wet. The Dickinson Research Exten- sion Center has and will continue to manage during dry times. The cen- ter is in a semiarid climate and dry- ness is not a stranger. Managing grazing time and stocking rate is critical. As a result, the center has measured available biomass on the range when cows have their calves removed in mid- August versus early November. The thought is that removing calves would lessen the impact on the production unit during times when rain is scarce. First, no drought plan works if there is no grazing plan to start with. To begin, a properly designed grazing system that does not put undue pressure on grass is a priority. While those wetter-than-average years tempt producers to increase stocking numbers, years like this re- mind us overstocking is never a good idea. Stick to the properly planned grazing system and appro- priate adjustments. This discussion is not about what grazing system is best, though. The main point}s to have a grazing sys- tem. The next,step is to plan on or-~ derly herd' reductions' that fit the op: eration. Today, I want to focus on early weaning as an option to man- age dry pastures later this summer. Center research has shown wean- ing calves in August lowers the nu- tritional requirements of the cow herd because dry cows eat less than lactating cows. Center animal scien- tist Doug Landblom notes "... wean- ing calves early has a positive impact on growth and efficiency during the backgrounding phase, im- proves cow body condition score, reduces range forage utilization, and shortens the lifetime feeding period of steers held for retained owner- ship." Data collected by Landblom showed significant benefits of early weaning. At the center, the body weight of cows whose calves were weaned in mid-August was 1,296 pounds in August and the cows still weighed 1,311 pounds in November. Cows with calves not weaned early weighed 1,333 pounds in August but lost significant weight nursing calves on dry pasture and weighed 1,197 pounds in November. In other words, the cows with calves that were weaned early gained 15 pounds and utilized 28 percent less forage biomass than the cows whose calves were not weaned early. The cows with calves that were not weaned early lost 136 pounds of body weight. Wow! Cows with August-weaned calves gained weight and saved a significant amount of valuable feed. Cows with traditionally weaned calves lost weight while consuming more feed. The data also reflected a signifi- cant decrease in body condition score for the cows: 6.1 for the cows with calves that were weaned early and 4.7 for the cows with calves that were not weaned until November. This is a difference of almost a 1.5 body score less for the cows with calves that were weaned tradition- ally. The focus today is the cow. In a dry year, the logic would be to do some culling, getting poorer cows off the pastures. But before culling too deeply, consider pulling the calves off the cows and simply leav- ing the cows on pasture. If the year continues to be dry, the cows may not perform as well as the cows in Landblom's study at the center, but we have no reason to be- lieve they would not be better off than the cows with calves at their side. The logic is that calves can be hauled to the feed easier than the cows, so keep the good cows on pas- ture and move the calves to a more plentiful and reasonable feed source. One point of caution: Although the early weaned calves perform very well postweaning, lightweight calves still do not bring enough dol- lars to offset the production costs as- sociated with the cow. The center calves weighed just shy of 400 pounds in August. A 400- pound calf has tremendous potential to grow once feed is located and ap- propriate arrangements made. The question of selling the calf or retain- ing ownership needs to be asked. Retaining ownership is an estab- lished concept, but for many, a new concept. In fact, many producers are very uneasy with the additional risk of owning calves once the calves have left the control 0f the home op- eration. But still, fast-gaining calves with good genetics designed for pre- miums on the rail make exploring the concept worthwhile. More on that later. Let's return to where we started. By weaning calves early, a producer can save more than 25 percent of available forage in a dry year. That is a great tool to have in the management plan and may very well need to be imple- mented this year. As with any drought management tool, do not wait until forage avail- ability is critical for the herd. Imple- ment drought plans sooner than later. More next time. May you find all your ear tags. Golden Valley News P.O. Box 156, Beach, ND 58621 (U.S.P.S. Pub. No. 221-280) Staff: Richard Volesky, editor/ reporter, Jenae Orluck, corre- spondent and Jane Cook, office and news assistant. The Golden Valley News is pub- lished each Thursday, 22 Central Ave., Suite 1, Beach, ND 58621 by Nordmark Publishing. Periodicals postage paid at Beach, ND and addi- tional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Golden Valley News, P.O. Box 156, Beach, ND 58621. Please allow two to three weeks for new subscriptions, renewal of ex- pired subscriptions and for address changes. Contact Information • Phone: 701-872-3755 • Fax: 701-872-3756 Emaih goldenandbillings@gmaiLcom Subscriptions: • 1 year: $34 Golden Valley County • 1 year: $38 elsewhere in North Dakota • 1 year: $42 out-of-state and snowbirds • 9 months: $25 In-state college rate The Golden Valley News is a proud member of the North Dakota Newspaper Association. All content is copyrighted. Established Aug. 15, 1919. hould drought-stressed Ifalfa be clipped? Many parts of the state where al- falfa is grown are experiencing mod- erate to severe drought, which is causing spring alfalfa growth to wilt, and shoots and leaves to dry. "During drought, forage is likely in short supply and farmers are likely to try to get as much forage as possible," says Marisol Berti, a for- age and biomass production re- searcher at North Dakota State University. "But harvest timing de- cisions are important to keep a healthy and productive alfalfa stand." Alfalfa is a perennial crop, and keeping it perennial is important to have forage in the future, she notes. Whenever alfalfa plants are stressed, their response is to replenish the root and crown reserves (sugars, pro- teins) as soon as possible. Reserves are vital to support new growth from the buds in the crown once soil moisture is available. The lowest root reserves occur when the plant is 6 to 8 inches tall in ! the spring before the first cut. Re- serves are replenished about the time the plant blooms. Drought-stressed alfalfa will flower early when still very short. The plant is accelerating its life cycle in an attempt to produce seed in the event that drought stress con- tinues and the mother plant dies. If drought persists, alfalfa will drop its leaves and go dormant until condi- tions improve. Alfalfa is well-adapted to survive a drought when managed correctly to avoid additional stresses on the plant, according to Berti. The big question for producers is whether to clip or mow droughty al- falfa. "Clipping drought-stressed al- falfa will not help the plant regrow faster when rainfall or moisture comes back," Berti says. She advises producers that if stands are not 12 to 15 inches tall or yield is not enough to cover the cost of harvest, they should leave the al- falfa uncut until rain falls and the al- falfa's dormancy is broken. Clipping or harvesting dro ght alfalfa at 6 to i 8 inches would cause additional stress on the plant, reducing future regrowth and possibly causing plant death. "Remember, the root reserves are at the lowest at 6 to 8 inches, so do not clip or mow alfalfa if shorter The lowest root reserves occur when the plant is 6 to 8 inches tall in the spring before the first cut. Re- serves are replen- ished about the time the plant blooms. than 12 to 15 inches," Berti stresses. A common concern for farmers is that if the alfalfa flowers and never reaches 12 to 15 inches, will it flower again this year? "The answer is yes," Berti says. "If it rains and soil moisture condi- tions improve, buds in the alfalfa crown will grow new shoots. If soil moisture is available, the shoots will grow to a normal height for a second cut (18 to 22 inches). Then your har- vest stage should be the 10 percent bloom stage to keep high-quality hay." Avoiding any additional stresses on the plant, such as nutrient defi- ciency or insects and diseases, is im- portant. Berti recommends producers fertilize with phosphorus and potassium if they have not done so and their soil test indicates fertil- ization is needed. Potassium (potash) is particularly important be- cause this nutrient helps the plant mobilize sugars back to the root to tolerate the drought stress. "Also, when soil moisture is re- plenished, alfalfa will have all the nutrients it needs to resume a vigor- ous growth," she added. "Insurance Inc. 110 • Term Life Insurance • Universal Life Insurance Fixed Annuities • Index Annuities IRAs • Long-Term Care Ins. Bruce Ross Central Ave. South, Beach, ND (701) 872-4461 (office) (Across from Bank of the West) (701) 872-3075 (home) For 2017 Haying Beach Airport • Bids must be submitted by the ton. • No bales left on approaches, or within 150 feet of sides of runway. • Hay is to be completely removed within 14 days of cutting. • Payments must be received within 21 days following each cutting. MAIL BIDS TO: P.O. Box 748 Beach, ND 58621 or contact Jerry Weinreis or Dave Quale For Sale by Owner 372 2nd Ave. NE, Beach (Former Mattson Residence) • Open House Saturday, 1 - 5 p.m., June 17 • Main floor: 2-3 bedrooms, 1 bath, (hardwood in bedrooms • Fully finished basement: 1 bedroom, family room, Ύ bath, storage room, and root cellar • r Hot water heat, central AC,new water heater and furnace ............... • Heated shop with ample space for'parking anothervehicle ' , .... • Single, attached garage with overhead door opener • Extra-large lot with beautiful yard with mature trees and flowers • Covered patio with rock fire place and planters . Garden 'shed with great storage • Underground sprinklers and well e HAS OPENINGS FOR PART-TIME, 1YR TEMPORARY ASSIGNMENTS FOR SURVEY INTERVIEWERS 40-50 HRS A MONTH, 14.07/HR & $0.535/MILE MUST BE A U.S. CITIZEN, LIVE IN BILLINGS, GOLDEN VALLEY OR STARK COUNTY HAVE DRIVERS LICENSE, RELIABLE VEHICLE, & BE AVAILABLE TO WORK DAY, EVENING, AND WEEKEND HRS INTERESTED IN APPLYING? EMAIL: NAME, PHONE, ADDRESS, COUNTY, & HOW YOU HEARD ABOUT THIS EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY TO DENVER.RECRUIT@CENSUS.GOV BY JUNE 20, 2017 TO BE SCHEDULED TO ATTEND A RECRUITING SESSION IN MEDORA, ND ON JUNE 22, 2017 If you need The U.S. Department of Commerce is An Equal Opportunity Employer. This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. reasonable accommodations for any part of the application process, please notify the agency. Decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis. 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