Cottonwood District
Cover crops have been a hot topic lately when it comes to weed suppression and grazing livestock. There are many options to consider when finding out what cover crops to plant, how they can enhance your operation, and what your desired outcome is for using them.
There will be a Cover Crop School offered by the Cottonwood Extension District on January 10th in Hays and Great Bend.
The Hays school will be held at the Ellis County Extension Office meeting room located at 601 Main Street in Hays starting at 3:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. with a meal following.
The Great Bend School will be at the American Ag Credit Building located at 5634 10th Street in Great Bend from 10:00 a.m.- 1:00 p.m. with a light meal served.
Dr. Anita Dille, professor of Weed Ecology at Kansas State University will discuss her research on weed suppression using cover crops. She will discuss how different mixes of cover crops suppressed weeds and what covers are recommended depending on your cropping system.
Dr. Jaymelynn Farney, Southeast Area Beef Systems Specialist for K-State Research and Extension, will discuss her research pertaining to using cover crops in a livestock production system. She will cover grazing covers as well as baling for future use. Farney will also talk about recommended cover crops to maximize forage for livestock, and future research projects.
To learn more about cover crops, come join us on January 10 in either Great Bend or Hays. This program is free to attend but RSVPs are requested by January 8 for meal counts. Please RSVP for either program at 620-793-1910 or 785-628-9430, or email us at [email protected].
CALVING SCHOOL JAN. 9
The ultimate goal of and cow/calf operation is to produce and raise a live calf. When it comes to calving, timely assistance can cut calf death losses by half and help boost the cow’s reproductive health after delivery. To educate producers on minimizing potential losses related to calving, Cottonwood Extension District will be hosting a Calving School in Great Bend on January 9th starting 10:00 am.
Dr. AJ Tarpoff, K-State Research and Extension Beef Veterinarian will begin the program on Recognizing Signs of Calving Difficulties and Managing a Difficult Calving. He will also have a demonstration cow on site to show how to manage a difficult calving when you need to intervene. Dr. Justin Waggoner, K-State Research and Extension Southwest Area Beef System Specialist will be presenting Nutrition and Winter feeding in conjunction with Body Conditioning Scores in your cattle herd. Finally, Alicia Boor, Cottonwood Extension District Livestock agent will have a refresher on Body Conditioning Scores in cows and heifers.
To learn more about calving and body conditioning, come join us on January 9th at the Kansas Wetlands Education Center at 592 NE K-156 Highway north of Great Bend. This program is free to attend, but RSVPs are needed for a meal. Contact 620-793-1910 by January 5th.