Keep The Learning Going

Mom, what exciting things are we going to do this summer?” my seven-year-old daughter asked. “I thought we would relax and read,” I replied. I was tired from the week’s activities. “Relaxing and reading doesn’t sound very exciting,” she said. She told me all about her upcoming school activities. To mark the last week of

Clean Wet Buildings Quickly, Safely

Flooding and seepage from saturated soils mean many on the Northern Great Plains will be faced with cleaning wet buildings this spring. Ken Hellevang, a North Dakota State University Extension Service engineer and professor in NDSU’s Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department, has these tips to help the cleanup go more smoothly and safely: When using


Cache Valley Virus May Have Affected North Dakota Sheep

The Cache Valley virus may have been responsible for recent abortions in sheep in central North Dakota. “Preliminary laboratory investigation implicates the Cache Valley virus,” says Neil Dyer, director of North Dakota State University’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. Determining whether Cache Valley was the cause of the abortions is difficult because the virus is not viable

Aeration Key To Storing 16 To 20 Per Cent Moisture Corn

Corn harvested at moisture contents up to 20 per cent can be stored safely during the winter with aeration, North Dakota State University’s grain-drying expert says. Corn at 20 per cent moisture has an allowable storage time of about 25 days at 15.5 C, 50 days at 10 C, 90 days at 4.4 C and



You Can Control Holiday Spending

Don’t let holiday spending overwhelm you. Prepare a holiday budget using realistic expenditures and stick to it, advises Debra Pankow, North Dakota State University Extension Service family economics specialist. Some financial planners recommend spending no more than 1.5 per cent of your annual income. For families with an annual take-home income of $50,000, that means


Corn Harvest In 2009 — Or Will It Be 2010?

As fall progresses, many farmers are starting to consider overwintering their corn until next spring – a purely economical decision that is hard to debate. This article will focus on considerations before harvest, how to deal with high-moisture corn after harvest, and a few key points to ponder if you are considering leaving your corn

Good Bedding Improves Calf Survival Rates

This spring is certainly one to remember. At the Dickinson Research Extension Center, calf death loss is just more than 11 per cent, almost quadruple the typical loss of three per cent for North Dakota Beef Cattle Improvement Association members. This does not make anyone very happy. In fact, it stings harshly. However, challenges abound


High-moisture corn has advantages, disadvantages

“If you were planning to use the corn as livestock feed, highmoisture storage may be an option worth checking out.” High-moisture corn offers many advantages for producers who feed beef or dairy cattle, according to a North Dakota State University livestock expert. “However, successfully using high-moisture corn requires attention to storage conditions, feeding management and