Farm & Agriculture

Easy use of DNA data enhances cow herds growing quality beef

Source: Jared Decker, 573-882-2504 Beef-cow herd owners will learn new ways to raise better calves at three University of Missouri meetings in March. The sessions lead producers from proven breeding to new uses of DNA. MU Extension animal scientists David Patterson and Jared Decker will lead the...

Firefighters, farmers train for grain bin rescue.

GRAIN BIN SAFETY

What would happen in your community if someone became engulfed in grain while working in a grain bin? Dan Neenan, director of the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety (NECAS), hopes emergency personnel would have the necessary training and equipment to rescue the person or persons in...

Hay needed is 3 percent of body weight per day.

To stretch short hay supply, 'feed less, need less'

As winter feeding season continues with a forecast of Arctic weather in February, cow herd owners face dwindling hay supplies. Eric Bailey, University of Missouri beef nutritionist, gives the short answer: “Feed less, need less.” In practice, that takes management decisions and exacting math. The “...

National organic farming conference takes place next week in La Crosse

SPRING VALLEY, WI – More than 3,000 people will be in La Crosse Feb. 22-24 for the 29th Annual MOSES Organic Farming Conference—the country’s largest educational event about organic and sustainable farming. On-site admission will be available at the La Crosse Center in La Crosse, Wis. The three-day...

Study shows cover crops may increase yields over time

Farmers need more research showing cover crops increase yields, reduce erosion and add nutrients back to the soil in corn-soybean rotation before they adopt the practice, says University of Missouri researcher Ranjith Udawatta. Few farmers in the Corn Belt, especially Missouri, have adopted the...

Dicamba Facts

On Oct. 13, 2017, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced an agreement with Monsanto, BASF and DuPont on measures to minimize the potential for off-target movement of Dicamba and further ensure effective use of three pesticides: DuPont’s FeXapan, BASF’s Engenia and Monsanto’s...

Missouri’s Complicated Fence Law Explained

Missouri’s Complex Fence Laws to be Explained

A program to discuss Missouri’s Complicated Fence Law will be held on Tuesday evening, February 13th from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Buchanan County Extension Center that is located at 4125 Mitchell Avenue in St. Joseph, Missouri. There is a $15 charge for this meeting, which...

Southwest Missouri dairy producer David Gray is one of the first in his area to use compost bedded pack barns. Cows raised using this system enjoy greater comfort, produce more milk and have fewer health problems. Photo by Linda Geist.

Compost bedded pack barns offer cow comfort, higher production

Happy, healthy cows give more milk. Southwestern Missouri dairy farmers find that cows housed in compost bedded pack barns are healthy, happy and produce more milk, says University of Missouri Extension dairy specialist Ted Probert. Bedded pack barns are structures used to house livestock by...

Missouri Farmers and Ranchers Optimistic Heading into 2018

Missouri Farm Bureau’s second annual FARMometer survey showed a number of positive trends in the attitudes of our state’s farmers and ranchers. The 1,200-plus attendees at MFB’s Annual Meeting at Tan-Tar-A in early December were polled on a number of agriculture-related topics, with the questions...

Missouri farmers are filled with hope for what 2018 may bring.

Buyers Wanted: Productive Farmers Need More Customers

By Eric Bohl “America doesn’t make anything anymore.” How often have you heard this in the past year? We’re constantly told that China is eating our lunch, Mexico is making our cars and emerging markets like Vietnam or the Philippines are outsmarting and outproducing American workers. Most of these...