March/April 2015 - Shawano County

Shawano Ag Newsletter
University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension
Shawano County UWEX
311 North Main Street
Shawano, WI 54166
(715) 526-6136
Website:
http://shawano.uwex.edu
March/April 2015
Greetings!
As you may have noticed, I have switched to a bimonthly newsletter...but no worries, you won’t miss
out on Extension news! I keep the Extension website (http://shawano.uwex.edu)and my Facebook
page (uwex.shawano.ag) updated, so check back often!
Just a few notes for this month and next…
Like us on Facebook at:
uwex.shawano.ag
Hours:
Monday - Friday
8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Ag Agent:
Jamie Patton
jamie.patton@ces.uwex.edu
IN THIS ISSUE:
Assessing Alfalfa Stands
Farm Succession Workshop
Farm Family Health & Business
Mgmt Conference
Shawano County Agriculture
Awards Banquet
Dairy and Beef Well-Being
Conference
Hay Market Report
If you are still debating your cropping strategy this year, remember the 2015 Crop Budget Cost of
Production Calculator is available for download at http://www.uwex.edu/ces/farmteam/. Look
under the Enterprise Budgets heading and then go to the Field Crop section. Scroll to the bottom of
the page to find the 2015 budget. Although no one has a crystal ball, the latest (February 20, 2015)
2015 USDA Grains and Oilseeds Outlook is predicting lower prices and producer returns this year—
http://www.usda.gov/oce/forum/2015_Speeches/Grains_Oilseeds.pdf. The February 2015 Livestock,
Dairy and Poultry Outlook can be accessed here http://www.ers.usda.gov/media/1783484/
ldpm248.pdf.
Remind your favorite high school and college students to apply for local agricultural scholarships, such
as the Shawano County Forage Council scholarships (due May 1, http://goo.gl/forms/hXNFQr1Hym),
Shawano County Farm Bureau scholarships (due March 15, http://goo.gl/forms/oQYRel3hBv), and the
Shawano County Farm Progress Days scholarships (due April 15, http://shawano.uwex.edu/
agriculture/youth/).
I also want to make you aware of two Tractor and Machinery Certification courses offered in our area.
Fox Valley Technical College, Clintonville Regional Center—Mondays and Thursdays, March 16
through April 13—4:30 to 7:30 pm—$148.20—Registration deadline, March 9th—(715) 8231555
Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, Oconto Falls Regional Learning Center (two courses at
Beaver Machine in Coleman)—March 21, 28; April 11, 18, 25; May 2– 8:30 am to 12:20 pm—
$80.01— (920) 498-5444
An Artificial Insemination Certification Program will be at Maple Ridge Dairy in Stratford, WI on April
6th and April 7th from 9 am to 4 pm. The program fee is $70 and pre-registration is required with the
Marathon County UW-Extension Office. You can register online here http://goo.gl/FQ5Uru More
information can be found at http://shawano.uwex.edu/files/2010/11/AI_Training_2015.pdf.
Lastly, just a reminder that the Wisconsin Public Service Farm Show is March 24-26 at the EEA Grounds
in Oshkosh. Stop by the Extension booth and say hello!
With that, have a healthy, safe and productive planting season. Please don’t hesitate to give the office
a call if you have any questions I can be of help with. Like you, as the weather warms, I will be out in
the field more and in the office less. However, leave me a message and I will get back to you as soon
as I can!
Jamie
THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN – UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
UW-Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming including Title IX requirements. UW-Extension programs are open to all persons without
regard to race, color, ethnic background or economic circumstances. Please make requests for reasonable accommodations to ensure access to educational programs as
early as possible preceding the event. Requests will be kept confidential.
Assessing Alfalfa Stand Condition in the Spring Dr. Dan Undersander, University of Wisconsin As alfalfa comes out of dormancy in the spring we should evaluate stands for condition and yield potential. The
earlier we make a determination the more possibilities we have for remedial action. This stand assessment should
occur in three parts:
1) Are individual plants alive? This assessment can
begin as soon as the frost is out of the ground and
continue until spring greenup occurs. The process is
to dig a few plants 4 to 6 inches deep and look at the
condition of the taproot. If the taproot is turgid (like a
potato, leftmost plant), it is alive and healthy. If the
root is browned, dehydrated, and ropey (like two
plants on the right), it is dead or dying. This assessment can be repeated until greenup occurs and stand
can be assessed on that basis.
2) Are plants injured? Alfalfa forms buds in the fall for
spring growth. If these buds are killed the plant must
form new buds in the spring, delaying growth and
reducing yield. The three taller stems in the picture
(above line) are from buds formed in the fall and the
shorter stems are from buds formed in the spring. The
delayed, shorter growth will reduce yield of first cutting
and then plants will recover. If you see this, consider
management to reduce this in the future, such as adequate
soil pH, fall application of potassium, more winterhardy
varieties.
3) Are there thin spots in the field? A
healthy stand should have 55 stems/ft2.
Early assessments, before stems are visible,
may need to assess based on plant count. A
high yielding alfalfa stands seeded last year
should have 20 plants/ft2, counts as low as
12 will produce good yield but result in
shortened stand life. Stands, seeded last
spring or fall with less than 12 plants/ft2
should be disked and reseeded.
A high yielding alfalfa stand over 1 year old
should have at least 6 plants/ft2. If plant
density is less than 6, oats (2 bu/a) or Italian
ryegrass (10 lbs/a) can be overseeded to
increase yield this year. Stand should be
turned over either immediately or at end of year.
Thin Stand Adequate Stand IS RETIREMENT IN YOUR FUTURE?
Do you have questions about the future of your farm and the estate you leave behind?
Please join us for a Farm Succession and Estate Planning seminar on Wednesday, March 18, 2015 from
10:00 to 1:00 at The Four Seasons Hotel. We will have three presenters: Rick Bollenbeck—an attorney
who specializes in estate planning, Jared Nelson—Sr. Regional Financial Consultant from Farm Bureau
Life Insurance, and Jamie Patton from the UW Extension.
Attendees will discuss viable solutions to business and estate succession issues many Wisconsin farm
families face. The presentation will explore how to be fair to children in passing the business to heirs,
while also providing a fair inheritance to non-active children; how to surmount common estate-tax
traps; making sure attendees and their spouses are prepared for retirement and the potential need for
long-term care; how to assemble and work with a team of professional advisors; and how to bring all
these aspects together to make it work for the long term benefit of your family and farming operation.
Complementary coffee and doughnuts will be provided during the workshop.
Please save the date and join us then!
Date: Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Place: The Four Seasons Hotel/Resort – 201 N. Airport Rd. - Shawano
Time: 10:00 am-1:00 pm
Hosted By: Ben Albrecht, Chandas Thompson, & Shawano County Farm Bureau
About our presenters:
Rick Bollenbeck is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison (1979), the Seattle University
School of Law (1983) and Boston University (Masters of Law and Taxation) (1985). Rick practices in the
areas of Estate Planning, Criminal Law and Litigation. He is an attorney with the firm of Bollenbeck Fyfe,
S.C.
Jared Nelson, Sr. Regional Financial Consultant with Farm Bureau Life Insurance is a 1998 graduate of
Carroll College. He has 16 years of experience in the financial services industry and focuses on helping
farms transition assets from one generation to the next. He grew up on a dairy farm in Melrose, WI and
now lives in Mt. Horeb with his wife and three daughters.
Jamie Patton, Shawano County Agriculture Agent, is a graduate of Iowa State University (1997 & 1999)
and Oklahoma State University (2003). Prior to joining UW-Extension, Jamie was an associate professor
at Northwest Missouri State University with teaching responsibilities in leadership development,
precision agriculture, and soil science. In her role as Shawano County Agriculture Agent, she has focused
on assisting local farmers with financial, production, and environmental sustainability.
Please RSVP to Joy Schulz balbrecht@ruralins.com or 715-803-4030. Your response is requested by
March 10.
UW-Extension and the Rural Health Initiative
Farm Family Health & Business Management Conference
Strengthening You and Your Farm
March 26, 2015
9:30 am 2:30 pm
(Registration begins at 9:00 am)
The Main Event
(206 Lemke Street, Cecil)
$15 per person
(includes lunch)
Topics and Speakers:
Strengthening your Employees’ Status –
How Changes in Immigration Laws Could Impact Dairies
Strengthening Your Mind –
The Importance of Brain Fitness as We Age
Strengthening your Public Image –
Telling our Story on Social Media - The Local Experience
The Rural Health Initiative for Farm Families
Strengthening your Finances –
Creating a Retirement Paycheck with Wise Investments
Strengthening Your Bones –
Improving Mobility and Strength - the Strong Bones Program
Strengthening Farm Risk Management –
Farm Liability Insurance – Changes in Manure Classification
Luca Fagundes
Attorney
Fagundes Law
Nancy Schultz
Family Living Agent
Shawano County UW-Extension
Panel Discussion
Rhonda Strebel
Executive Director
Rural Health Initiative
Jon Aumann
Financial Advisor
Edward Jones
Kara Skarlupka
Strong Bones Instructor
Bill Kriese
District Manager
Rural Insurance
Pre-registration is required by March 22nd
Shawano County UW-Extension
(715) 526-6136
FREE HEALTH SCREENINGS by the Rural Health Initiative for
Marathon, Outagamie, Shawano, and Waupaca Farm Families
Walk-in, no registration for health screening needed – 8:00 am to 9:30 am
58th Annual
Outstanding Young Farmer & Friends of Shawano County
Agriculture Awards Banquet
Friday, April 10th
6:45 pm Social, 7:30 pm Dinner
The Main Event
(206 Lemke Street, Cecil)
$15 per person
Awards Presented:
 Outstanding Young Farmer   Friend of Agriculture   Second Miler 
 Outstanding Tree Farmer   Outstanding Conservation Farmer 
 Farm Bureau Scholarships 
Please preregister by April 3rd with:
Shawano County UW-Extension (715) 526-6136 OR
Tammy Styczynski (715) 758-8991
Wisconsin Dairy and Beef
Well‐Being Conference
April 30, 2015
h p://fyi.uwex.edu/animalhusbandryconference/
Liberty Hall
800 Eisenhower Dr, Kimberly, WI 54136
Agenda
9:00 AM
9:30 AM
10:20 AM
11:20 AM
12:10 PM
1:00 PM
Registra on
We’re Only as Good as Our Customers Think We Are
Bruce Feinberg, McDonald’s Global Health and Welfare Officer
Proper Animal Care is Not Just Good for Ca le, It’s Good for All of Us
Dr. Dee Griffin, Feedlot Produc on Management Veterinarian and Professor, University of Nebraska
The Value of a Cull Cow‐The Packer Perspec ve
Dr. Lily Edwards‐Callaway, Animal Welfare Programs, JBS
LUNCH
Breakout Sessions
Dr. Amy Stanton
Dairy Ca le Well Being Specialist
UW‐Madison/UW‐Extension
Topic: Dairy Calf Care and Management
2:00 PM
Dr. Kurt Vogel
Assistant Professor
UW‐River Falls
Topic: Humane
Euthanasia
Dr. Jan Shearer
Professor
Iowa State University Veterinary School
Topic: Lameness in Cow/Calf and
Feedyard Ca le
Biological Systems Overload—Looking at Op mal Produc on, Not Maximum Produc on
Dr. Temple Grandin, Professor, Colorado State University
Registra on Form
Wisconsin Dairy and Beef Well‐Being Conference
Name (s)__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Address _______________________________________________City/State/Zip _______________________________________
Email address ______________________________________________________________________________________________
Phone ___________________________________________________ # A ending _______________________________________
Veterinarian/Veterinary Technician/Humane Officer Registra on:
Early Bird (Prior to April 16th): $75
A er April 16th: $85
5.4 Con nuing Educa on Units offered for this conference
This course runs in partnership with the University of Wisconsin School of
Veterinary Medicine (UW‐SVM). The UW‐SVM is an accredited con nuing
veterinary medical educa on provider; however, par cipants should be aware
that some boards have limita ons on the
number of hours accepted in certain
categories and/or restric ons on certain
methods of delivery.
General Registra on:
Early Bird (Prior April 16th): $45
A er April 16th: $55
CEU Credits available for:
4 Hours for American Registry for Professional Animal Scien sts (ARPAS)
1 Beef/Dairy Beef Quality Assurance
Registra on Deadline: April 23, 2015
Make check payable to: UW‐Extension
Mail to: Outagamie County UW‐Extension
3365 W. Brewster Street
Appleton WI 54914
Featured Speakers
Dr. Temple Grandin—Temple Grandin has done extensive work on the design of handling facili es. Half
the ca le in the U.S. and Canada are handled in equipment she has designed for meat plants. Other
professional ac vi es include developing animal welfare guidelines for the meat industry and consul ng
with McDonalds, Wendy’s Interna onal, Burger King, and other companies on animal welfare.
Temple Grandin
Jan Shearer
Dee Griffin
Dr. Grandin has also won pres gious industry awards including the Richard L. Knowlton Award from Meat
Marke ng and Technology Magazine and the Industry Advancement Award from the American Meat
Ins tute and the Beef Top 40 industry leaders and the Life me Achievement Award from The Na onal
Ca lemen’s Beef Associa on. Her work has also been recognized by humane groups and she received
several awards. HBO has recently premiered a movie about Temple’s early life and career with the
livestock industry. The movie received seven Emmy awards, a Golden Globe, and a Peabody Award. In
2011, Temple was inducted into the Cowgirl Hall of Fame.
Lily Edwards‐Callaway
Dr. Jan Shearer—Jan Shearer is currently Professor and Extension Veterinarian at the College of Veterinary
Medicine at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. His areas of interest and exper se include bovine
lameness, animal welfare and euthanasia of ca le. He is Chair of the Food Animal Working Group of the
American Veterinary Medical Associa on’s Panel on Euthanasia and a member of the AVMA’s Panel on
Humane Slaughter. He has been honored by The Ohio State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine
with the Dis nguished Alumnus Award, by the American Associa on of Bovine Prac oners with the
Alpharma Award of Excellence and by the AVMA in 2011 as recipient of the AVMA Animal Welfare Award.
Bruce Feinberg
Dr. Dee Griffin—Most of Dee Griffin’s career has been spent full me in the ca le industry. He was the
staff veterinarian for Hitch Enterprises, a family owned opera on that had 1200 cows, as many as 20,000
stockers, over 250,000 feeder ca le and two packing plants. He has worked with the BQA program since its
incep on when Hitch became the first USDA Verified Control Produc on beef opera on. Today he is a
Professor at the University of Nebraska in the Veterinary and Biomedical Science Department. He teaches
at the Great Plains Veterinary Educa onal Center located on the grounds of the US‐Meat Animal Research
Center and is working with numerous beef herds and feedlots across Nebraska especially in the area of
developing biosecurity and pre‐harvest HACCP produc on prac ces. The FDA selected him to serve on
their Veterinary Medical Advisory and Minor Species Drug Use Commi ees.
Kurt Vogel
For more informa on on the conference and to see complete biographies on all the
speakers, please visit:
h p://fyi.uwex.edu/animalhusbandryconference/
Amy Stanton
This program brought to you by:
UW‐Extension Dairy Team
UW‐Extension Livestock Team
Monetary and In‐Kind Sponsorship provided by:
An EEO/AA employer, University of Wisconsin-Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming, including Title IX and ADA.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact the
UW-Extension Office at 920-832-5119 and ask for Jean.
Requests for reasonable accommodations for disabilities or limitations should be made prior to the date of the program or activity for which it is needed. Please do so as early as possible prior to the program
or activity so that proper arrangements can be made. Requests are kept confidential.
Hay Market Report—February 13
http://fyi.uwex.edu/forage/h-m-r/
Need livestock information? Visit these sites…
UW-Dairy Team - http://fyi.uwex.edu/dairy/
Wisconsin Beef Information Center - http://fyi.uwex.edu/wbic/
Wisconsin Sheep and Goat Extension - http://fyi.uwex.edu/wisheepandgoat/
Wisconsin Swine Extension - http://fyi.uwex.edu/swineextension/
A Spackling of…
UW-Extension Blogs and Websites for Current Agronomy Research and News
Corn - http://wisccorn.blogspot.com/
Corn - http://corn.agronomy.wisc.edu/
Soybeans and Small Grains - http://www.coolbean.info/
Soybeans - http://thesoyreport.blogspot.com/
Integrated Pest and Crop Management - http://ipcm.wisc.edu/