| Dale
Watson Commercial Agriculture Beef and Livestock Specialist University of Missouri Extension |
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Dale's Country Trails |
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For the Week of December 23, 1999 Seeding & Calving Season Just Around the Corner The Holiday Season is upon us and with this brings thoughts of spring. This statement may seem odd to many of you, but keep in mind that the day with the shortest period of light has passed which means the minutes of light each day continue to increase until the equinox in the summer of 2000.With the lengthening of the daylight period we need to be thinking and planning for the spring and summer seasons ahead. It is not too early to be planning for fertilizer and seed application for the year 2000. If frost seeding of legumes into various species of grass meadows and pastures is in your plans, this is especially true. Fertilizer and seed application requires additional capital outlay for pasture improvement. Forage management is a must for grass farmers just as management is required for grain crops if dividends are expected to be received from forage acres. Estimated fertility removal for forage crops is available from your local extension offices. This is also an excellent time to be working on budgets for the year 2000. It seems like there are a bunch of 0’s to record on many documents within the next few days. Budgeting for the year 2000 at the close of 1999 also provides an excellent opportunity to capture thoughts from one year and utilize this thinking in next year’s budget. Where are you planning to calve the spring herd of beef cows? This thought needs to be considered over the holidays. All too often the calving season is underway and we are wonder why we did not have the cows moved to the calving area, why the feed bunks aren’t repaired and moved to the proper location, why the watering system hasn’t been checked for stray electricity, and where the calving equipment is and what condition is it in when the heifers start calving. All of these questions continue to come up after it is too late and we have lost a calf or two. Management must keep the details of each enterprise under control if positive rewards are to be expected as we enter the year 2000. Have a JOYOUS AND HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON. |
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