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Drought increases risk of forage poisoning
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Drought increases the chance of nitrate poisoning and prussic acid poisoning. High concentrations in plants and water can harm or even kill animals.High nitrate, mostly concentrated in grass stems, causes quick death, says University of Missouri Extension agronomist Jill Scheidt. Nitrate in the blood blocks oxygen uptake. Without oxygen, cows die quickly.
UM System Health Care Finder: Helping to identify and solve local health care needs
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The new University of Missouri System Health Care Finder aims to increase Missourians’ access to health care and boost the state’s health care outcomes.
MU Extension: Do not plant seeds you did not order
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension horticulturists are asking the public to report unsolicited seed deliveries. MU Extension horticulturist Robert Balek notes that there have been reports from around the country of people receiving small padded envelopes of seed that they did not order. The seeds appear to originate from China.
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MU Extension pilots beef record-keeping project
ALBANY, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension began a three-year project in March to help beef producers improve whole-herd record-keeping.
Pasture flies thriving in hot, humid weather
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension dairy veterinarian Scott Poock says three types of flies cause economic damage and discomfort in cattle.Typically appearing in spring, horn flies, face flies and stable flies carried over to summer this year due to hot, humid weather.“The warmer it is, the faster the fly goes through its life cycle,” Poock says. “In a given summer, several generations can turn over as they multiply.”
Missourians encouraged to submit drought reports
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The public is invited to submit information to help local, state and national decision-makers assess drought conditions and impacts in Missouri.
Gardening hotline open for business in Christian county
Can’t identify that pesky insect eating your zucchini plant? How do I start a compost pile? What’s the easiest fruit to grow in the Ozarks? Christian County Master Gardeners have the answers for callers to its gardening hotline at the county Extension office on the Ozark Square.
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Youths compete in 2020 State 4-H Sportfishing Event
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Almost 100 youths participated in the 2020 State 4-H Sportfishing Event, held virtually in June. Missouri 4-H’ers practiced their angling skills at local public fishing areas in a derby to catch the largest fish. They also tested their knowledge of species and tackle identification, aquatic ecosystems, and fish anatomy in the sportfishing “skill-a-thon,” said Maria Calvert, University of Missouri Extension state 4-H…
Competing from your coop: 2020 State 4-H Poultry Day
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Almost 90 Missouri 4-H’ers participated in a poultry judging contest, knowledge exam and photography contest at the 2020 State 4-H Poultry Day, hosted virtually in June.4-H members gained skills in grading eggs and poultry carcasses, identifying poultry cuts, and judging live birds, said Maria Calvert, University of Missouri Extension state 4-H agriculture and natural resource science educator.
Statewide partnership to strengthen training and support for community health workers
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Financial insecurity, housing conditions and other social factors can have a significant impact on health. Community health workers (CHWs)—front-line public health workers who are trusted members of the communities they serve—are positioned to address social determinants of health on a case-by-case basis.
Tips on watering your garden
COLUMBIA, Mo. – How does your garden grow? No grow or slow grow? It could be your H2O.How and when you water your garden often makes the difference between healthy or diseased plants, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Tom Fowler.Fowler offers some simple watering tips that can provide a bushel of benefits.
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Roots of resilience run deep in 4-H and agriculture: a reflection
Resilience. The agriculture industry is all too familiar with this word. When I stop and think about what resilience means to me, I am taken back to my childhood when my grandparents would share stories of what it was like for them growing up during the Dust Bowl in the 1930s. I found it unimaginable when my grandpa shared how they had to tie ropes from the house to the barns so that they could find their way to do chores.
Sweating like a pig?
COLUMBIA, Mo. – As temperatures inch upward, it’s not uncommon to hear rural folks say they are “sweating like a pig.”But pigs can’t sweat, says University of Missouri Extension swine nutritionist Marcia Shannon. Pigs would probably think they are in hog heaven if they could cool themselves by perspiring like other livestock and humans.
Surviving ‘COVID chaos’ as an essential small business, Vision Clinic - Springfield, MO
Furloughing family is not something Dr. Steve Rice ever thought he would have to do. Then along came the new coronavirus.
UM System broadband team unveils plan to bring high-speed internet to pilot community
On July 8, experts from all four University of Missouri System universities and MU Extension unveiled a pilot plan to expand broadband access in a rural community. In a public webinar, the UM System Broadband Leadership Team offered highlights of its report.
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Show Me Resilience T-shirt campaign raises almost $1,000 for Feeding Missouri
Good news! Thanks to those who responded to the #ShowMeResilience T-shirt campaign, almost $1,000 was donated last month to Feeding Missouri! The T-shirt captures the spirit of Missourians’ response to challenges around COVID-19 and was part of continuing efforts to help Feeding Missouri, the coalition of the six food banks across the state.
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Too little water, too much heat puts tasseling corn at risk
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Moderate drought for as little as five consecutive days can cause major damage in corn, according to University of Missouri Extension agronomist Bill Wiebold.
Farmers, ranchers share e-commerce success stories
CARTHAGE, Mo. – Farmers and ranchers are increasingly turning to online sales to reach customers, especially with COVID-19 disrupting the operation of many farmers markets, restaurants and stores.
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Expect high numbers of Japanese beetles this year
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Japanese beetle populations are peaking throughout the state just as corn is silking, says University of Missouri Extension field crops entomologist Kevin Rice.Japanese beetles cause severe economic losses on farms and disappointment in home gardens.Adult beetles feed on corn silks and soybean foliage. They also damage the foliage and fruit of more than 400 species of flowers, shrubs and other plants.
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Warm, wet weather helps 'dog vomit slime mold' thrive
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Fuligo septica, also known as “dog vomit slime mold,” is the latest slimy woodland thing to slither into 2020’s wet spring and summer.When it first appears, this peculiar species of plasmodial slime mold looks like bright yellow scrambled eggs, says University of Missouri Extension turf pathologist Lee Miller. In parts of Mexico, some people cook and eat Fuligo septica when it’s at this early growth stage.
Germination 101
Cut open a seed and you’ll see a miracle. A tiny, embryonic plant waits inside, ready to break free of its seed coat, grow roots and push up through the soil.
In-season nitrogen application boosts profits
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Use of in-season nitrogen on corn has increased in Missouri and surrounding states over the past 10 years. What used to be rare is now common. Some of these applications are planned, but others are to give corn yields a boost when wet weather causes nitrogen loss.
MU Extension announces '4-H Goes Online'
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Starting this fall, Missouri 4-H will be able to reach more youths and families across the state through an easy-to-use online learning platform called Canvas that brings 4-H project-based learning directly into the home.
Birth order effects on personality and intelligence
“Birth order and it’s effects on the person has been fascinating scientists and the general public for at least one hundred years,” says Janice Weddle, County Engagement Specialist in Youth Development for the University of Missouri Extension. There have been several studies to try to pinpoint birth order effects on intelligence and personality, but results are met with criticism due to many factors, like the confounds of the…
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Conditions ripe for ergot this year
GALENA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension specialists warn livestock producers to be on the lookout for ergot this year.A cool, cloudy and wet spring with a prolonged flowering period was followed by high temperatures and humidity, setting the stage for infection, says Tim Schnakenberg, field specialist in agronomy.