Dade County Soil and Crop Conference is Jan. 22
LOCKWOOD, Mo. - The 101st Dade County Soil and Crop Conference is 5-8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 22, at the Lockwood Methodist Church Life Center, 410 Main St., Lockwood. The event will feature a variety of topics of interest to livestock and forage producers as well as a free barbecue dinner cooked by Hillbilly Express.
Cedar County Livestock and Forage Conference set for Feb. 23 in Stockton
MU Extension, Cedar County Soil and Water Conservation District and Cedar County Farm Bureau are hosting the Cedar County Livestock and Forage Conference 5:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 23, in Stockton.
SW MO Beef Cattle Conference set for Feb. 27 in Springfield
MU Extension is partnering with Missouri State University to provide the SW MO Beef Cattle Conference, which will educate cattle producers on a variety of current topics in the cattle industry. The conference is MSU's Darr Agricultural Center in Springfield.
Producer enjoys continued success with milo grazing
University of Missouri Extension specialists find that producers see up to $300 savings in feeding costs per calf when their livestock graze standing milo through the winter.
SW Mo. Spring Forage Conference is Feb. 17 in Springfield
The Southwest Missouri Spring Forage Conference will be held Tuesday, Feb. 17, at the Oasis Hotel and Convention Center, 2546 N. Glenstone Ave., Springfield.
SW Missouri Spring Forage Conference is Feb. 17 in Springfield
STOCKTON, Mo. – The Southwest Missouri Spring Forage Conference is Feb. 17, 2026, at the Oasis Hotel and Convention Center, 2546 N. Glenstone Ave., Springfield. “The event will he headlined with an interview between Oklahoma State University agricultural economist Dr. Derrel Peel and Missouri’s own Tyne Morgan of ‘U.S. Farm Report,’” says Patrick Davis, University of Missouri Extension livestock field specialist.
MU Extension expands Feedlot School on backgrounding, finishing for value-added Missouri beef
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension will host three two-day Feedlot Schools in January and February giving cattle producers a practical roadmap for retaining calves longer in Missouri and capturing more value through backgrounding and finishing.
New forage budgets help Missouri farmers plan for 2026
Updated 2026 forage-budget tools help Missouri producers estimate costs, yields and break-even prices for alfalfa, corn silage and native warm-season grasses.
Register for the Missouri Crop Management Conference
Registration is open for the state’s premier agricultural conference for farmers and ag industry professionals, the Missouri Crop Management Conference, Dec. 9-10 in Columbia.
Fall is prime time to establish cool-season forages
Fall offers the best opportunity to establish or renovate cool-season forages like tall fescue, orchardgrass and winter annuals such as brassicas, oats, wheat, rye and triticale. With strong cattle prices and improved cash flow, now is a smart time to invest in your forage base.
10 reasons you should quit making hay
High equipment costs, time constraints, and soil degradation make hay production less profitable. Explore alternatives like grazing and stockpiling forage.
Making hay to reduce ergot infestation
Learn how to manage ergot infestations in pastures to protect livestock health. Tips on mowing, haymaking, and recognizing symptoms of ergot poisoning.
Tall fescue adds to heat stress in cattle
Cattle rid their bodies of heat in three ways: radiation, convection and evaporation. “If your cattle can’t use all three methods, they’ll overheat fast,” says University of Missouri Extension state beef nutrition specialist Eric Bailey. Summer heat knocks weight off calves and pounds off milk, Bailey says. “Heat stress costs real money.”
Mow or spot spray poison hemlock now
Poison hemlock, a plant that can kill livestock, is flowering and setting seed now in much of Missouri. While early control is recommended, it still can be managed with spot treatments or mowing, says Kevin Bradley, University of Missouri Extension weed scientist. It grows in ditches, roadways, fencerows, occasionally in pastures or hayfields that aren’t mowed regularly, and sometimes in no-till cropping systems.
Use a grazing strategy to get more grass from pastures
Compared to other parts of the agricultural community, graziers of cattle depend less on fossil fuel and more on solar energy to turn a natural resource like grass into a sellable commodity, says University of Missouri Extension agronomist Tim Schnakenberg. Graziers can save on operating expenses and provide quality feed to meet nutritional needs by allowing cows to do selective harvesting.
Three days to hay with a minor change
LINNEUS, Mo. – May’s precipitation has made haymaking challenging when rain is frequent and sometimes unpredictable, but University of Missouri Extension state forage specialist Carson Roberts has a tip to help hay dry down quicker. Roberts turns the knob to set the swath boards on the swather to the widest setting.
Make hay in May for best quality, yield
Cutting hay in May boosts quality and yield. Harvest before seed develops and store properly to preserve nutrients and minimize losses.
MU forage specialist begins new podcast
A forage specialist launches a podcast sharing tips on pasture management, livestock production, and improving forage systems.
Plan for drought by choosing the right forage plan
Choose drought-resilient forages and legumes to maintain productive pastures and reduce feed costs during dry summers.
Early control needed for poison hemlock
Control poison hemlock early using herbicides or mowing to protect livestock from its toxic effects.
Use sacrifice pastures now to spare best pastures for later
STOCKTON, Mo. – “Cattle producers welcome the rain, but it leads to muddy pastures and proper management is needed for optimum grazing the rest of the year,” says Patrick Davis, University of Missouri Extension livestock field specialist. Davis feels sacrifice pastures may be needed to help in promoting forage production for the rest of the grazing season.
Add magnesium to prevent grass tetany in cattle
STOCKTON, Mo. – “As spring and lush grass growth arrives cattle producers need to plan for prevention of grass tetany,” says Patrick Davis, University of Missouri Extension livestock field specialist. Grass tetany arises from a cattle mineral imbalance, so Davis suggests cattle producers use management strategies discussed below to reduce the incidence in their cattle operations.
Understanding grass tetany in beef cows
COLUMBIA, Mo. – If you’ve ever seen a cow suddenly collapse in early spring, seemingly out of nowhere, you might have witnessed a case of grass tetany, says University of Missouri Extension state beef nutritionist Eric Bailey.
Timing, flexibility key to grazing tall fescue spring flush
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Proper management of the spring flush of tall fescue gives pastures and cattle a head start for the rest of the grazing season, says University of Missouri Extension state forage specialist Harley Naumann.
Frost seeding legumes improves pastures several ways
Frost seeding legumes boosts pasture quality, yield, and soil health by adding diversity early in the growing season.