ISU Extension
IA State Univ.
IA Dept. of Ag
IA DNR

May 2002

Topics
-Staying Timely during the Growing Season
-Simple Field Test for Determining Alfalfa Harvest Times
-BIF
-But I Should Be Able to Handle This
-Developing a Grain Marketing Plan
 

Staying Timely during the Growing Season
Joel DeJong, ISU Extension Crops Field Specialist     

 When crops are growing it can be difficult to keep on top of developing problems.  Often when I get to fields the problem has already developed, caused damage, and completed its cycle.  All that is left is the damaged crop.  If the person had known when, where, and what to look for, the damage could have been limited.  Learning about a problem over a cup of coffee, after it occurs, isn't as helpful as looking for it and treating the problem early. 

So, how can you know what to look for?  I know a reference I use a lot is the Iowa State University Extension "Integrated Crop Management Newsletter."  This national award-winning publication gives timely tips and recommendations on many of the pests we see in Iowa.  It comes out weekly during the key times of the crop season and monthly in the off-season.  Subscription costs are $40 annually for a hard copy.  Contact your local Extension office for subscription information.  But, you can access it on the web for free - at http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/icm/ 

It typically has the problems that show up in Southern Iowa first - giving me a head start on what to expect here in the near future!

 Your NW Iowa Extension Crop Specialists also do shorter, quick updates for many of the agronomists in NW Iowa during the growing season.  If you would like to see those reports, look on the web at the following sites to see our localized comments on a weekly basis during the growing season: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/nwaeo/AG_in_NW.htm

The time is here to scout, dig, and examine plants.  Use whatever references are out there to learn what to look for - and to help you make good decisions.  We're there to help, too!
 

Simple Field Test for Determining Alfalfa Harvest Times
Chris Mondak, ISU Extension Dairy Field Specialist

Determining the best time to cut alfalfa is critical to obtaining the desired RFV (Relative Feed Value) in the final haylage or hay product. The scissor cut method is useful, but requires lab analysis, and lab results may not be received in time to make the best decisions on cut time.   

The PEAQ method (Predictive Equation for Alfalfa Quality) is a simple in-field test that gives you immediate information on the stage and optimal cut time of your alfalfa crop.  (See Chart included in this Field & Feedlot issue or contact your local extension office).

Estimating Forage Quality of 1^st Cut Alfalfa (rich text file)

Estimating Forage Quality of 1^st Cut Alfalfa (word document)

The only materials required are a measuring stick and the RFV Chart that matches height of stem and stage of growth to RFV.  The brief paragraphs printed below the charts provide Stage Descriptions, Recommended RFV Range for Class of Animal, and Instructions for Using the Chart. 

BIF
Pete Olson, ISU Extension Beef Field Specialist

Attention cattlemen!  BIF is coming to a state near you!  What is BIF you ask?  BIF stands for the Beef Improvement Federation.  In July BIF will be holding their 34th annual meeting in Omaha, NE.  The theme for the 2002 meeting is "Focus on Efficiency."   The meeting is designed for beef producers looking for cutting edge technology and the latest research being released from land grant universities.

Some of the topics and speakers at this year's meeting include: "Beef Cow Efficiency" - Dr. Tom Jenkins, USMARC; "Postweaning Efficiency of Beef Cattle" - Dr Danny Fox,  Cornell University; "Measuring Cow-Calf Profitability" - Dr. Barry Dunn; "Predicting Beef Cattle Efficiency" - Dr. Robert Williams, American international Charolais Association;  and "Multi-Trait Prediction of Feed Conversion" - Dr. William Herring, University of Florida. 

The tour, in conjunction with these meetings, departs Saturday morning and will stop at the Circle 5 Feed yards near Hendersen.  Manager Partner, Alan Janzen, will explain the various value added programs that Circle 5 conducts with ranchers and seedstock breeders.  The second stop will be the US Meat Animal Research Center near Clay Center. Dr. Larry Cundiff will explain a variety of projects being conducted with the 6,000 + beef cows on the 35,000 acre research center.  After the lunch break, the last stop on the tour will follow a drive north through the eastern edge of the beautiful Nebraska Sandhills to the Wagonhamer Ranches seedstock unit located near Bartlett.

The program is very educational and designed for the beef producer. The program dates are July 10-13, 2002.  Registrations are due by June 10, 2002.  Full registration is $80/person.  The tour scheduled on Saturday, July 13, is an additional $50.  Daily registrations are also available at $50/person.  For more information and how to register you can contact the following:

 University of Nebraska-Lincoln
c/o Dr. Jim Gosey
P.O. Box 830908
Lincoln, NE 68583-0918
Email: jgosey@unlnotes.unl.edu
Phone: (402) 472-6362 

or 

Nebraska Cattlemen
c/o Greg Ruehle
1335 H Street
Lincoln, NE 68508
Email: NC@NECATTLEMEN.ORG
Phone: (402) 475-2333

 If you want to register online and see a complete schedule of events go to:

http://www.beefimprovement.org/

But I Should Be Able to Handle This
Rhonda Rosenboom, ISU Extension Families Field Specialist

Spring is here. That means the worry of weather, getting crops in on time, financial concerns and long hours. All of these things can cause stress for you – a lot of it.

You need stress, some stress in your life. Without it, life would be dull and unexciting. Stress adds flavor, challenge and opportunity to your life. Yet, too much stress can seriously affect your physical and mental well-being. The major challenge is to make the stress in your life work for you.

In many ways we create our own stress. Unrealistic expectations + Stressful event + Negative self-talk = Distress. You control two-thirds of that distress formula – unrealistic expectations and negative self-talk. Remember 50 percent of all stress is self-induced.

Procrastination is a perfect example.  By putting off machinery maintenance, you can create stress if parts are not available or dealers can’t fit you into their schedule. Try to minimize these kinds of situations. Take time to evaluate your lifestyle. If you have problems with any of the following, chances are you are creating stress in your life.

·         Rigidity – can’t compromise

·         Competition – must always be a winner

·         Perfectionism

·         Impatience

·         Low self-concept – I’m not good at anything

·         Negative self-talk – Everything goes wrong

·         Unrealistic expectations

·         Unresolved issues.

As you go out to the field this spring, remember, you can’t change the weather or prevent most breakdowns. So take your time, think about what you’re doing and most importantly remember these stress reduction techniques:

·         Treat yourself to a change of scenery. Take a walk or vacation.

·         Exercise – keep fit and physically active

·         Eat right – proper nutrition can do wonders.

·         Remind yourself that you do not have to be perfect. Nor do others.

·         Set priorities for your life – both daily and long term.

Developing a Grain Marketing Plan
Ron Hook, ISU Extension Farm Management Field Specialist

Nearly all successful businesses have goals and marketing plans to assist them in reaching these goals.  Marketing plans can be simple or complex, but they are only as effective as your ability to implement them.  Most written grain marketing plans contain the answers to the following six questions:

·         How many bushels do I plan to produce?

·         What are my breakeven costs for each crop? (per acre or per bushel)

·         When do I plan to sell?

·         Who do I plan to sell to?

·         At what price levels will I sell?

·         What marketing tools will I use?

Over the next few years written grain marketing plans will become commonplace.  Producers who borrow money for crop operating and capital purchases already provide their lenders a current financial statement and cash flow.  A marketing plan will become another part of their lending requirements to help manage financial and price risk.

You may want to consider using two separate marketing plans: pre-harvest and post-harvest.  The pre-harvest plan is submitted each winter along with the financial statement and cash flow.  The post-harvest plan is formulated just prior to or just after harvesting the crop.  This allows an opportunity to make considerations for storage, LDP strategies vs. use of marketing loans, and more effectively forecast the pay down of loans from stored bushels.

An important date to remember in your marketing plan is May 31, 2002.  You must take the LDP or secure a marketing loan on all remaining 2001 crop bushels by this date or you give up the right to do so on those bushels. 

The summer “weather market” is one of the most difficult times in which to price bushels, since the weather concerns driving the market prices higher are likely affecting your crop as well.

After July the price trends lower, bottoming at harvest.  In all likelihood, very few bushels get forward priced after the winter highs.  Optimism kicks in for an abundant harvest: more bushels that can be LDP’d to offset these lower harvest prices.  With corn prices seeming to be much too low, compared to last winter and spring, the thought of taking the LDP and holding bushels through the winter once again takes precedence.

The key to capturing higher new crop corn prices is to develop and implement a written marketing plan that moves “at risk” bushels well in advance of harvest.  Over the past sixteen years, there were only two years in which the harvest revenues ever exceeded the cost of production.  The widest variation occurred over the past four years, when narrow profit margins have been offset with larger government payments.

Examples of marketing plans can be found at http://www.extension.iastate.edu/feci/Marketing/establish.html

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