Often, we struggle to find forage in a drought. In Nebraska, the effects of the drought are prevalent. We have seen no April showers, instead wind and grass fires. These conditions are forecast to persist. So we are going to need to start making our forage plans early. Additionally, we will have to rely more...Read More

Acute nitrate toxicity occurs when animals consume high-nitrate forages for a short period of time. Nitrate is converted to nitrite by rumen microbes as an intermediate step in converting the nitrate to microbial protein. Ruminant animals are specifically at risk, as they bring up the feed bolus for chewing and inhale the nitrite.The nitrite then...Read More

There are 5 principles of soil health as defined by the Natural Resources Conservation District. Armor the Soil (keep crop residue on the soil to prevent errosion) Minimal Soil Disturbance (No-Till) Plant Diversity (Grow more than just row crops, consider cover crop mixes) Keep a continual live root in the soil (again cover crops) But...Read More

In Early September, I wrote a blog post entitled The Downside of Baled Crop Residue. My previous post focused on cornstalks. After harvest, as I traveled across the state, I have observed we have more harvested crop residue to consider. Baling soybean and wheat residues are poor economic decisions and negatively impact soil health of...Read More

Here at Ward Laboratories, INC. we have recently updated our fee schedule and website. One major change in the fee schedule is that we are asking clients to call and visit with our Professional Animal Scientist prior to sending samples to be analyzed for Prussic Acid in livestock feed. We have heard some of the...Read More

Guest Author: Terry Buettner, Support AgronomistThe ‘Bomb Cyclone’ that hit the Midwest on March 13th has created a huge problem for many Midwest producers. Heavy rains on frozen fields created runoff of an impressive magnitude resulting in flood damaged fields. The damaging effects of flood water on agriculture are extensive. Crop residue was washed from...Read More

Last week was the American Forage and Grasslands Council (AFGC) held their annual conference in conjunction with the NIRS Feed and Forage Consortium (NIRSC). I attended the NIRSC workshops. During these workshops, presenters spoke about proper sample preparation for NIRS analysis and how to create and maintian good prediction model equations. Ward Laboratories, INC. strives to consistently...Read More

Producers frequently have concerns about nitrate accumulation.  The climate and weather however were contrasting conditions.  Colorado producers wondered how drought stress might affect the nitrate levels in their forages, while Nebraska and South Dakota producers were concerned if too much precipitation might have affect nitrate levels in forages.  Here are 5 factors that affect how...Read More

Stockpile forages to prepare for a drought can mean more than just buying hay. I checked the current drought monitor and found that southern Nebraska and southern Wyoming are abnormally dry. Furthermore, Kansas, Colorado and the Dakotas are experiencing various levels of drought.  The current outlook through April is promising for the Dakotas, but dry...Read More

Integrated agriculture can benefit beef producers. Intensive, specialized crop production has several widely agreed upon downfalls.  These specialized systems tend to have stationary yields all while profitability is widely dependent on a global market over which we have little control.  Dependence on these practices  leads to reliance on fertilizers due to nutrient depletion  in the...Read More

How many of us producers have a shovel in our pickup? When was the last time we used that shovel to thoroughly examine our soil?  Are we able to determine what a truly healthy soil looks like? Grab a shovel and take a look at your soil. Check out your soil profile. Does the shovel...Read More

Grazing cover crops can be a cost-effective way to achieve multiple productions goals.  Cover crops can provide ground cover to prevent erosion, improve soil health over time, and provide nutrition to beef cattle.  However, cover crops are not a fool proof feed.  Turning cattle out onto cover crops to graze without proper feed tests can...Read More